Glossary of Sacred Terms

ārtī

The lighted-lamp ritual at the conclusion of puja; the lamp (deepa) is circled before the deity while a hymn is sung. From Sanskrit ārātrika (the lamp lit at night).

ārtī

Devotional hymn sung while performing aarti — typically in the local language with chorus. 'Om Jai Jagdish Hare' (Vishnu), 'Jai Ambe Gauri' (Devi), 'Sukhakarta Dukhaharta' (Ganesha).

abhiṣeka

Bathing of the deity. Pouring of consecrated liquids — water, milk, curd, ghee, honey, sugarcane juice, sandalwood paste, panchamrit. The most-loved ritual at Shiva temples (rudrabhishekam).

ācamana

Sipping of water for purification before any ritual. Three sips with three names of Vishnu (Achyuta, Govinda, Keshava). The first act of every puja.

ācārya

A traditional spiritual master who not only teaches but also exemplifies (acharati = he conducts). The founding figures of sampradayas (Adi Shankaracharya, Ramanujacharya, Madhvacharya).

ādityahṛdayam

31-verse hymn to Surya from Valmiki Ramayana (Yuddha Kanda 105), taught to Rama by sage Agastya before the final battle with Ravana. Recited daily at sunrise for victory and energy.

āditya

Twelve sons of Aditi — solar deities, one per month. Vivaswan, Aryaman, Pusha, Tvashta, Savita, Bhaga, Dhata, Vidhata, Varuna, Mitra, Indra, Vishnu (in some lists). Surya is the chief Aditya.

advaita

Non-dualism; Adi Shankara's school. Brahman alone is real, the world is mithya, the jiva is ultimately Brahman. Key texts: Brahma Sutras, Upanishads, Gita with Shankara's bhashyas.

āgama

Authoritative ritual scripture, distinct from Veda (Nigama). Three streams: Shaiva (28 + 207), Vaishnava (Pancharatra/Vaikhanasa), Shakta (Tantras). Govern temple architecture, idol-making, and consecration.

agni

Fire god; second-most invoked in Rig Veda. Mediator between gods and humans (carries oblations). Dikpala of southeast. Trayi-vidya (three forms): Garhapatya, Ahavaniya, Dakshinagni.

ahaṃ brahmāsmi

'I am Brahman' — Mahavakya from Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 1.4.10. Realisation of the seer.

ahaṃkāra

The 'I-maker'; the ego-faculty that appropriates experience as 'mine.' In Sankhya, the second evolute of Prakriti, from which the senses and elements arise.

ahiṃsā

Non-violence in thought, word, and deed; the first and foremost yama. Foundational to Hinduism, Buddhism, and Jainism.

akhāḍā

Order of warrior-ascetics. 13 traditional akharas at Kumbh Mela (7 Shaiva, 3 Vaishnava, 2 Udasin, 1 Nirmal). Naga sadhus belong to Shaiva akharas.

akṣa

Bead; also 'eye' or 'axis.' 'Akshamala' is another word for japa-mala. 'Akshat' is unbroken rice grain used as offering.

akṣamālā

Rosary of beads — synonym for japa-mala. Held by Saraswati and Brahma in iconography (representing the rhythm of speech).

akṣara

(1) Syllable / phoneme — literally 'imperishable.' (2) Imperishable Brahman ('akshara-brahman').

akṣata

Unbroken rice grain (often turmeric-coloured) offered to deities — symbolizing wholeness, prosperity, and continuity. A standard upachara.

āmalaka

Ribbed cushion-like ornament crowning a Nagara shikhara, named after the amla fruit. Topped by a kalasha.

amāvāsyā

New-moon day; the last tithi of krishna-paksha. Sacred for shraddha (ancestor rites). Specific amavasyas: Mauni, Somvati, Bhaumvati, Mahalaya.

amṛta

The nectar of immortality obtained from samudra-manthan. Drops fell at four places — Prayagraj, Haridwar, Ujjain, Nashik — making them the sites of the Kumbh Mela.

ānanda

Bliss; the third element of sat-chit-ananda. The natural condition of the Self when free of vrittis. Taittiriya Upanishad has the 'Anandamimansa' enumeration of bliss-degrees.

ānandamaya

The bliss-sheath; the fifth/innermost kosha. Made of latent ananda. Closest covering of Atman; identified with karana-sharira.

añjali

Cupped hands held together — the gesture of offering or salutation (anjali-mudra = namaste). 'Pushpanjali' is offering of flowers; 'shraddhanjali' is offering of remembrance.

annadāna

Donation of food. Considered the highest dana ('annadanam param danam'). Free meals (prasadam, langar) at temples are institutional annadana — Tirupati, Iskcon, BAPS, Sikh gurudwaras.

annamaya

The food-sheath; the gross physical body. First/outermost kosha. Made of food, sustained by food, returns to food.

annaprāśana

First-feeding ceremony; the seventh samskara. At 6 months (boys) or 7 months (girls), the baby is first fed solid food (typically rice).

annapūrṇā

'Filled with food'; form of Parvati/Devi as the giver of food and nourishment. Worshipped at Kashi (Annapurna temple). Annapurna Stotra by Adi Shankara.

antaḥkaraṇa

'Inner instrument' — the four-fold internal organ comprising manas, buddhi, ahamkara, chitta. The seat of all mental phenomena.

antaryāmī

'Inner controller'; the indwelling Lord. Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 3.7 (the Antaryami Brahmana) describes the Self as the inner controller of all beings — known and unknowable.

antyeṣṭi

Final rite; cremation funeral. The 16th and last samskara. Followed by 13-day vidhi (asthi-sanchayan, asthi-visarjan, dasha-gatra, sapindikarana).

anugraha

Grace; the fifth of Shiva's five acts. The act by which the Lord reveals truth and bestows liberation.

anumāna

Inference. Five-step Nyaya syllogism: pratijna (proposition), hetu (reason), udaharana (example), upanaya (application), nigamana (conclusion).

apsarā

Celestial nymph; Indra's court dancer. Famous: Urvashi, Menaka, Rambha, Tilottama. Often sent to disturb sages' tapasya.

arcanā

Personal worship at a temple — the priest recites the deity's 108 or 1008 names with offerings (typically of flowers and akshat) on the devotee's behalf, in their gotra-name.

ardhanārīśvara

'Half-female-Lord'; the composite form of Shiva-Parvati, half male half female. Symbolizes the inseparability of Purusha and Prakriti, Shiva and Shakti.