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adharma - vice, sin

amrit - nectar

ananda - joy, bliss

arya - noble

ashram - hermitage

ashrama - stage of life

atma atman - soul

avataar - incarnation

Bhagavan Bhagwan - avatar of God

bhajan - hymn

bhakti - devotion

Bharat - India

bhavateet - transcendental

bij - seed

Brahma - Hindu god of creation

Brahmanand, Brahmananda - Absolute bliss

brahmachari - celibate student

Brahman - the Absolute

Brahmin - learned or priestly caste

charan - ray of sun or moon

chela - disciple

chit - consciousness

darshan - holy look

deepak - light, lamp

dharma - duty

dhoop - sticky incense, fragrant lamp

dhoti - sheet

dhyan - meditation

diksha - initiation

Ganapati Ganesh - Hindu god with elephant trunk

Gandharva-Ved - Indian classical music

Gandharvas - Celestial musicians

ganja - marijuana

gita - song

grihastha - householder

guna - quality

Hare - Lord

gupha - cave

guru - teacher, master

Gurudwara - Sikh temple

gyan, gyaan, gnan, jyaan - knowledge

hansa - swan

hawaii - pertaining to the air

jai, jay, jaya - hail, glory

japa - repetition of mantra

ji - term of respect

jyotir - light

jyotishi - Indian astrology

kalpa - period of time

kamaldalu - wooden pot

karma - aw of action and reaction

Kashi - Benares, Varanasi

kaupeen - loincloth

Krishna - dark, name of principal character of Mahabharata poem

Kshetriya - caste of warriors, administrators

lingam - phallus

maharaj(ah) - king

maharishi (maharshi) - great sage

Mahesh - name of Hindu god Shiva

mala - rosary

mandir - Hindu temple

mantra - word or words of spiritual power

Manu Smritti or Manu Samhita - law book

math - monastery

mukti - liberation

nagar - town

pandit - learned man

prana - breath

pranava - name of om mantra

prasad - blessing

puja - ceremony, ritual

purnima - full-moon night

raj - royal

rajasic - energetic, passionate

Rama - name of hero of Ramayana poem

rishi - wise man

Rudra - name of Hindu god Shiva

sadhana - spiritual discipline

sadhu - wandering holy man

samadhi - stillness of the mind

sannyas - vow of renunciation

Saraswati - name of Hindu goddess of learning, name of river

satsang - to take the company of the good or pious

sattvic - pure

satya - truth

Shankar - name of Hindu god Shiva

shanti - peace

Shiva - name of Hindu god of destruction, lord of the yogis

Shivalinga - symbol of creative forces

Shivaratri - night(s) dedicated to worship of Hindu deities Shiva and his consort Shakti

shloka - verse

shri - blessed

siddha - perfected being

siddhi - one who has acquired supernatural powers

smritti - remembered texts

swami - renunciate

swaroop - divine form

tilak - mark of sandalwood paste applied to forehead

tri - three

upadesha - lecture

Upanishad - texts on yoga, to sit near

vanaprasthas - forest dwellers

varna - caste

Vishnu - Hindu god of preservation

yagya, yajna - ritual, sacrifice

yatra - tour, pilgrimage

yuga - period of time

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