A

ABHIṢEKA—bathing or installation of Deities.

ĀCĀRYA—one who teaches by his own example; a spiritual master.

A. C. BHAKTIVEDANTA SVĀMĪ MAHĀRĀJA—one of the leading disciples of Śrīla Bhaktisiddhānta Sarasvatī Ṭhākura. He established the International Society for Krishna Consciousness throughout the world in the 1960’s.

ACYUTA—One of the Holy Names of ŚRĪ KṚṢṆA, meaning that Person from Whom no one can be detached; the All-Unifying Spiritual Principle.

ADHIVĀSA—the day before a holy appearance day of the Supreme Lord.

ADVAITĀCĀRYA PRABHU—expansion of Mahāviṣṇu and Sadā-Śiva; it was due to his prayers that ŚRĪ CAITANYA MAHĀPRABHU appeared in the world. See also PAÑCATATTVA.

AGNI-HOTRA—a VEDIC fire sacrifice performed daily by an AGNI-HOTRI-BRĀHMAṆA.

AGNI-HOTRI-BRĀHMAṆA—a BRĀHMAṆA who performs VEDIC fire sacrifices daily.

AJĀMILA—BRĀHMAṆA who was saved from the messengers of the god of death by calling out the Name of NĀRĀYAṆA. His biography is narrated in the Sixth Canto of ŚRĪMAD BHĀGAVATAM.

AMBARĪṢA MAHĀRĀJA—king who dedicated all he had to the Supreme Lord and, as a result, was saved by VIṢṆU from the wrath of the BRĀHMAṆA, DURVĀSA MUNI. His biography is narrated in the Ninth Canto of ŚRĪMAD BHĀGAVATAM.

ĀNANDA—bliss; see also SACCIDĀNANDA.

ANANTA-ŚEṢA—manifestation of VIṢṆU Who, in the form of a huge serpent, holds all the worlds on His head as if they were no heavier than mustard seeds.

ANTARAṄGĀ-ŚAKTI—the internal potency of the Supreme Lord; see PARĀ POTENCY.

APARĀ POTENCY—the inferior or material potency of the Supreme Lord (MĀYĀ); the material world, comprised of the five gross elements, namely earth, water, fire, air and ether and also of the three subtle elements, namely mind, intelligence and perverted ego, is the outcome of this inferior potency. See also BAHIRAṄGĀ-ŚAKTI.

ARAṆI—a type of sacred wood used in a VEDIC fire sacrifice (AGNI-HOTRA) to start the fire.

ĀRATIKA—daily, ceremonial offerings of various paraphernalia to the temple Deities, to the accompaniment of KĪRTANA.

ARJUNA—the third of the five PĀṆḌAVA brothers. He was the son of KUNTĪ DEVĪ. He is renowned for his prowess as a great military hero and archer. He is the intimate friend and disciple of Supreme Lord ŚRĪ KṚṢṆA, to whom the Supreme Lord spoke the immortal words of BHAGAVĀD-GĪTĀ on the battlefield of KURUKṢETRA.

ARTHA—(1) wants or requirements; (2) wealth.

ĀŚRAMA—(1) any of the four orders of life within the VARṆĀŚRAMA SYSTEM, (namely, BRAHMACĀRYA, GṚHASTHA, VĀNAPRASTHA and SANNYĀSA); (2) a religious shelter.

ĀTMĀ—the eternal spirit soul; the real self. See also JĪVĀTMĀ.

AVADHŪTA—a person devoid of any material desire or interest in worldly things.

B

BAHIRAṄGĀ-ŚAKTI—external potency of the Supreme Lord comprising the world of matter (MĀYĀ).

BALADEVA/BALARĀMA—first plenary expansion of KṚṢṆA; the son of Rohiṇī and elder brother of KṚṢṆA. In CAITANYA-LĪLĀ, He appears as Lord NITYĀNANDA PRABHU.

BHAGA— power or opulence. See BHAGAVĀN.

BHAGAVAD-GĪTĀ—also called “GĪTOPĀNIṢAD”, the BHAGAVAD-GĪTĀ comprises the first chapter of the Bhīṣma Parva of the MAHĀBHĀRATA, wherein Supreme Lord ŚRĪ KṚṢṆA explains the different processes of self-realization to his friend and disciple, ŚRĪ ARJUNA. The concepts of KARMA, JÑĀNA and BHAKTI are discussed in great detail.

BHAGAVĀN—the Supreme Lord, Who possesses six mystic opulences, or BHAGAS, in full, namely: all strength, all fame, all wealth, all beauty, all knowledge and all renunciation.

BHĀGAVATA-DHARMA—see SANĀTANA DHARMA.

BHĀGAVATA PURĀṆA—see ŚRĪMAD BHĀGAVATAM.

BHAJANA—(1) worship of the Supreme Lord; (2) a type of devotional song.

BHAKTA—a devotee.

BHAKTA-VĀTSALYA MŪRTI—the form of ŚRĪ KṚṢṆA’S profound affection for His devotee.

BHAKTI—devotion to one’s object of worship.

BHAKTI DAYITA MĀDHAVA MAHĀRĀJA—DĪKṢĀ GURU of Śrīla Bhakti Ballabh Tīrtha Mahārāja. He was the disciple of ŚRĪLA BHAKTISIDDHĀNTA SARASVATĪ ṬHĀKURA and the founder/ĀCĀRYA of Śrī Caitanya Gauḍīya MAṬH.

BHAKTI PRAMODE PURĪ MAHĀRĀJA—ŚIKṢĀ GURU of Śrīla Bhakti Ballabh Tīrtha Mahārāja. He was the disciple of ŚRĪLA BHAKTISIDDHĀNTA SARASVATĪ ṬHĀKURA and the founder/ĀCĀRYA of Śrī Gopīnātha Gauḍīya MAṬH.

BHAKTI-RASĀMṚTA-SINDHU—definitive devotional treatise, written by ŚRĪLA RŪPA GOSVĀMĪ, that methodically analyzes the principles of BHAKTI and the variety of loving sentiments found in spiritual relationships (RASAS).

BHAKTISIDDHĀNTA SARASVATĪ ṬHĀKURA— PARAMGURUDEVA of Śrīla Bhakti Ballabh Tīrtha Mahārāja. He was the founder of the Śrī Gauḍīya and Śrī Caitanya MAṬHS and the pioneer of the present KṚṢṆA-BHAKTI movement throughout the world.

BHAKTIVINODE ṬHĀKURA—the father of ŚRĪLA BHAKTISIDDHĀNTA SARASVATĪ ṬHĀKURA. In the 19th century, he revived the pure practice and scriptures of GAUḌĪYA VAIṢṆAVISM, which were being misinterpreted by various pseudo-sects. He initiated the spread of VAIṢṆAVISM to the West by sending copies of VAIṢṆAVA literatures to prominent thinkers of the time, such as Ralph Waldo Emerson and Henry David Thoreau.

BHARATA MAHĀRĀJA—a great devotee of the Lord. He was the eldest son of Ṛṣabhadeva who, after renouncing his kingship of the world, became attached to a deer and subsequently took birth again as a deer. However, he attained spiritual perfection in his next life as Jaḍa Bharata. His biography is narrated in the Fifth Canto of ŚRĪMAD BHĀGAVATAM.

BHĪMA—the second of the five PĀṆḌAVA brothers, renowned for his incredible strength.

BHOGA—sensuous enjoyment.

BHṚGU MUNI—a Brahmavādi Ṛṣi, who was born directly from BRAHMĀ; the patriarch of the Bhṛgu dynasty.

BRAHMĀ—born from the lotus-naval of VIṢṆU, he was the first created being of the universe. Directed by the Lord, he created all the life forms in the universe and is the ruler of the mode of passion (RAJO-GUṆA).

BRAHMACĀRĪ—a celibate student; one of the ĀŚRAMAS of the VARṆĀŚRAMA system.

BRAHMAN—the impersonal, all-pervasive aspect of the Supreme Lord.

BRĀHMAṆA—the intellectual class; their function is to maintain the VEDIC principles and to ensure the spiritual upliftment of society; one of the VARṆAS of the VARṆĀŚRAMA SYSTEM.

BRAHMĀṆḌA—any one of the uncountable material universes.

BRAHMA-SAṀHITĀ—ancient scripture consisting of beautiful and elaborate prayers offered by LORD BRAHMĀ to ŚRĪ KṚṢṆA at the beginning of creation, of which the only surviving chapter is the fifth chapter. It was rediscovered in South India by ŚRĪ CAITANYA MAHĀPRABHU.

BRAHMA-VAIVARTA PURĀṆA—PURĀṆA containing, among other things, the story of KṚṢṆA displaying his MĀYĀ potency to NĀRADA Muni and also the story of TULĀSĪ DEVĪ.

C

CAITANYA-LĪLĀ—the divine pastimes of ŚRĪ CAITANYA MAHĀPRABHU and His associates.

CAITANYA MAHĀPRABHU—Lord KṚṢṆA’S incarnation in the KALI-YUGA, who appeared in NAVADVĪPA-DHĀMA, West Bengal, in the late 15th century. He inaugurated the practice of SAṄKĪRTANA, the YUGA-DHARMA for KALI-YUGA.

CAITANYA BHĀGAVATA—one of the sacred literatures narrating the holy life and pastimes of ŚRĪ CAITANYA MAHĀPRABHU, written in the 16th century by ŚRĪ VṚNDĀVANA DĀSA ṬHĀKURA.

CAITANYA-CARITĀMṚTA—one of the sacred literatures narrating the holy life and pastimes of ŚRĪ CAITANYA MAHĀPRABHU, written in the late 16th century by KṚṢṆADĀSA KAVIRĀJA GOSVĀMĪ MAHĀRĀJA.

CAITANYA-MANJUSA—a commentary on ŚRĪMAD BHĀGAVATAM written by the great VAIṢṆAVA saint ŚRĪNĀTHA CAKRAVARTĪ.

CATUR-YUGA—a cycle of four eras, or YUGAS, totaling 4,320,000 years. See also SATYA-YUGA, TRETĀ-YUGA, DVĀPARA-YUGA and KALI-YUGA.

CETANA—(1) a conscious entity or the principle of consciousness; (2) the Supreme Consciousness, ŚRĪ KṚṢṆA; (3) an individual spirit soul.

CHĀNDOGYA UPANIṢAD—so titled because of its association with the Sāma VEDA, the VEDA of chants. One of the eleven principal UPANIṢADS.

CIT—knowledge or the principle of consciousness; see also SACCIDĀNANDA

CRORE—ten million.

D

DARŚANA-ŚĀSTRA—(1) eternally existing truth that can only be seen and understood by dint of self-realization, and not by means of mundane reasoning and argument; (2) self-revealed scripture (ŚĀSTRA),

DAYĀ—mercy; one of the four kinds of piety: TAPAḤ, ŚAUCAM, DAYĀ, and SATYAM (austerity, cleanliness, mercy and truthfulness).

DEMIGOD—a personality deputed by the Supreme Lord, ŚRĪ KṚṢṆA, to control a specific aspect of the material creation. INDRA, BRAHMĀ and ŚIVA are all examples of DEMIGODS.

DEVAHŪTI—mother of KAPILADEVA and wife of Kardama Muni.

DEVARĀJA— see INDRA.

DHARMA—(1) the intrinsic nature of a thing; (2) the actual function or duty of an individual; (3) occupational duties within the VARṆĀŚRAMA system.

DHARMARĀJA—see YAMARĀJA.

DHṚTARĀṢṬRA—blind king who was the father of the KAURAVAS, the protagonists in the KURUKṢETRA war.

DHRUVA—famous boy saint who, wishing to regain his lost kingdom, performed great penance to propitiate Lord VIṢṆU. Instead, he ultimately attained devotion to Lord VIṢṆU’S lotus feet. His holy biography is narrated in the Fourth Canto of ŚRĪMAD BHĀGAVATAM.

DHYĀNAM—engaging one’s mind in meditation.

DĪKṢĀ—(1) transcendental spiritual knowledge; (2) the process of initiation of a sincere disciple, whereby the GURU imparts spiritual knowledge capable of destroying all the disciple’s sins and enabling him to realize the ultimate goal of life: KṚṢṆA-PREMA.

DĪKṢĀ GURU—the spiritual master who gives DĪKṢĀ initiation (MANTRA-DĪKṢĀ) to the disciple.

DRAUPADĪ—chaste wife of the five PĀṆḌAVAS.

DUḤŚĀSANA—evil-minded personality who attempted to denude DRAUPADĪ in the court of the KURUS.

DURVĀSĀ ṚṢI—great sage and mystic who is an expansion of Lord ŚIVA. He is famous for his sometimes-wrathful curses. One of these pastimes is related in the story of MAHĀRĀJA AMBARĪṢA in the Ninth Canto of ŚRĪMAD BHĀGAVATAM.

DURYODHANA—envious, eldest son of DHṚTARĀṢṬRA. He is the main protagonist in the KURUKṢETRA war.

DVĀPARA-YUGA—the third of the four eras (CATUR-YUGA) lasting 864,000 years. The lifespan of a human being during DVĀPARA-YUGA was 1,000 years. The YUGA-DHARMA of the DVĀPARA-YUGA was deity worship. Two of the four kinds of piety (DAYĀ and SATYAM or mercy and truthfulness) were present during this era. Lord KṚṢṆA appeared and the end of the DVĀPARA-YUGA.

E

EKĀDAŚĪ or EKĀDAŚĪ-TITHI—the eleventh day after either the full or new moon.

EKĀDAŚĪ-VRATA—the vow observed on EKĀDAŚĪ. Generally, on that day, one abstains from all grains and pulses (lentils, beans), as well as certain other items. The vow of EKĀDAŚĪ is to remain near KṚṢṆA in all one’s activities.

G

GADĀDHARA PAṆḌIT—incarnation of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī in Caitanya-līlā. See also Pañcatattva.

GĀṆḌĪVA—ARJUNA’S legendary, powerful bow, given to him by the DEMIGOD, Varuṇa.

GAURA-NITĀI— ŚRĪ CAITANYA MAHĀPRABHU and His most intimate companion, Lord NITYĀNANDA PRABHU. They are expansions of ŚRĪ KṚṢṆA and ŚRĪ BALARĀMA, respectively, in the KALI-YUGA.

GAUḌĪYA VAIṢṆAVA—a devotee of ŚRĪ KṚṢṆA, following in the footsteps of ŚRĪ CAITANYA MAHĀPRABHU.

GAUḌĪYA VAIṢṆAVISM—the practice of devotion to VIṢṆU/KṚṢṆA according to the tenets of ŚRĪ CAITANYA MAHĀPRABHU.

GĪTĀ—see BHAGAVAD-GĪTĀ.

GĪTOPĀNIṢAD—another name for the BHAGAVAD-GĪTĀ, referring to its nature as an UPANIṢAD.

GOPĀLA—one of the holy names of ŚRĪ KṚṢṆA, referring to His childhood pastimes tending the calves in VRAJA-MAṆḌALA.

GOPĪS—spiritual milkmaids of VRAJA-MAṆḌALA who, of all devotees, exhibit the most intense love for ŚRĪ KṚṢṆA.

GOSVĀMĪ—“master of the senses”; title of one who has accepted the renounced order of life.

GUṆAS—see TRI-GUṆA.

GURU—a spiritual master; one who is heavy with knowledge of the Absolute and who removes nescience with the light of divine knowledge.

GURUDEVA/GURU MAHĀRĀJA—term of respect used to refer to one’s spiritual master.

GURUVARGA—line of disciplic succession; the chain of GURUS from past to present.

H

HARI—one of the Holy Names of the Supreme Lord, referring to His stealing the hearts of His devotees and taking away obstacles to their devotion.

HARI-BHAKTI-VILĀSA—VAIṢṆAVA SMṚTI, written by Śrīla Sanātana Gosvāmī and Śrīla Gopāla Bhaṭṭa dāsa Gosvāmī, elucidating the rules of VAIṢṆAVA behavior.

HARIDĀSA ṬHĀKURA—expansion of Lord BRAHMĀ in CAITANYA-LĪLĀ. He is known as “Nāmācārya” or “the master of chanting the Holy Name” due to his chanting 300,000 names of the Lord daily.

HARI-KATHĀ—discussion of the Name, Form, Attributes and Pastimes of the Supreme Lord.

HARINĀMA—(1) the Holy Names of the Supreme Lord; (2) the practice of chanting the Names of the Supreme Lord.

HARI-VĀSARA— EKĀDAŚĪ, which is very dear to the Supreme Lord.

HAVANA—VEDIC fire sacrifice.

HIRAṆYAKAŚIPU—the demon father of PRAHLĀDA MAHĀRĀJA.

HṚṢĪKEŚA—one of the holy names of the Supreme Lord, referring to Him as “Lord of the senses”.

I

INDRA—the king of the DEMIGODS. Also called DEVARĀJA.

INDRIYAS—the gross and subtle senses.

J

JAGANNĀTHA—one of the holy names of ŚRĪ KṚṢṆA, referring to His pastime as “Lord of the Universe”. In His deity form, He performs His processional pastime in the annual RATHA-YĀTRĀ festival in Purī and other places around the world.

JANMĀṢṬAMĪ—the holy appearance day of ŚRĪ KṚṢṆA.

JĪVĀ/JĪVĀTMĀ—(1) the individual soul; (2) the individual living entity.

JÑĀNA—knowledge.

JÑĀNĪ—one who follows the path of JÑĀNA.

K

KALI-YUGA—the present era; the fourth of the four eras (CATUR-YUGA) lasting 432,000 years. The lifespan of a human being during KALI-YUGA is 100 years. The YUGA-DHARMA of the KALI-YUGA is chanting the Holy Name. Only one of the four kinds of piety (SATYAM, or truthfulness) is present during this era, in the form of the Holy Name itself.

KALPA—see CATUR-YUGA.

KAPILADEVA—expansion of KṚṢṆA; not to be confused with the atheistic philosopher, Kapila. The son of DEVAHŪTI and Kardama Muni. His life and teachings appear in the Third Canto of ŚRĪMAD BHĀGAVATAM.

KĀMA—lust; the fulfillment of sensual desires.

KĀMYAVANA—forest within VRAJA-MAṆḌALA in which the PĀṆḌAVAS spent part of their twelve-year exile. It was there that Jayadhrata, the King of Sindhu, abducted DRAUPADĪ.

KANHAIYĀ—one of the Names of ŚRĪ KṚṢṆA used with affection by the VRAJAVĀSIS when KṚṢṆA played the pastimes of a small boy.

KARMA—(1) work performed with self-interest in mind, as opposed to work performed in the interest of the Supreme Lord; (2) the laws of cause and effect within the material universe. See also KARMA-KĀṆḌA and KARMA-YOGA.

KARMĪ—one who follows the path of KARMA (see also KARMA-KĀṆḌA).

KARMA-KĀṆḌA—section of the VEDIC literatures that prescribes methods for the obtainment of temporary, material benefits.

KARMA-YOGA— the path of performing KARMA.

KAṬHOPANIṢAD—one of the foremost of the eleven principal UPANIṢADS. It relates the instructions of YAMARĀJA to the BRĀHMAṆA boy, Naciketā.

KAURAVAS—(1) the family of the Kuru dynasty; (2) the sons of DHṚTARĀṢṬRA.

KAVIRĀJA GOSVĀMĪ—see KṚṢṆADĀSA KAVIRĀJA.

KĪRTANA (or SAṄKĪRTANA)—(1) chanting the glories of the Holy Name, Form, Attributes and Pastimes of the Lord; (2) the practice of congregational chanting of the Holy Name to the accompaniment of drums, cymbals, etc.

KṚṢṆA—the original Holy Name of the Supreme Lord, referring to His unique position as the Ultimate Attractive Person. It also refers to His charming complexion, which resembles the hue of a monsoon cloud.

KṚṢṆADĀSA KAVIRĀJA—author of the sublime holy biography of CAITANYA MAHĀPRABHU entitled “CAITANYA CARITĀMṚTA”.

KṚṢṆA-LĪLĀ—the pastimes of ŚRĪ KṚṢṆA in VRAJA-MAṆḌALA.

KṚṢṆA-NĀMA—the holy names of ŚRĪ KṚṢṆA.

KṚṢṆA-PREMA—pure love for Supreme Lord ŚRĪ KṚṢṆA.

KṢATRIYA—the administrative/warrior class; their function is to govern and protect society according to the VEDIC principles. One of the VARṆAS of the VARṆĀŚRAMA SYSTEM.

KUNTĪ DEVĪ—the wife of Pāṇḍu and one of the mothers of the PĀṆḌAVAS.

KURUKṢETRA—A sacred place of pilgrimage where, in ancient times, people traditionally went to bathe during a solar eclipse. It was here that the battle between the KAURAVAS and the PĀṆḌAVAS took place.

KURUS—see KAURAVAS.

L

LAKH—one hundred thousand.

LĪLĀ—transcendental, blissful activities or pastimes of the Supreme Lord and His pure devotees. See also KṚṢṆA-LĪLĀ and CAITANYA-LĪLĀ.

M

MAHĀBHĀRATA—epic literature of ancient India that narrates the story of a great battle, and the events leading up to it, that took place 5000 years ago. The principal figures in this story are Śrī KṚṢṆA, the PĀṆḌAVAS and the KAURAVAS. The BHAGAVAD-GĪTĀ is one part of the MAHĀBHĀRATA.

MAHĀDEVA—one of the names of Lord ŚIVA, meaning “the great DEMIGOD”.

MAHĀJANA—“great soul” or “great person”; (1) a realized saint; (2) one of the twelve MAHĀJANAS mentioned in ŚRĪMAD BHĀGAVATAM; (3) a “money lender” (colloquial).

MAHĀMANTRA—“the great MANTRA” for deliverance: “Hare Kṛṣṇa, Hare Kṛṣṇa, Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa, Hare Hare, Hare Rāma, Hare Rāma, Rāma Rāma, Hare Hare.”

MAHĀPRABHU—honorific title meaning, “great master”. A title reserved for ŚRĪ CAITANYA MAHĀPRABHU.

MAHĀRĀJA—“great king”; title given to a king, a SANNYĀSĪ or other elevated personalities.

MANTRA—combination of divine syllables, meditating upon which, one gets deliverance.

MANTRA-DĪKṢĀ—see DĪKṢĀ.

MANU—a progenitor of mankind.

MAṬH—monastery where students of the science of self-realization reside.

MĀRKEṆḌEYA ṚṢI—great sage who had been granted a lifespan of seven days of BRAHMĀ (30,058,560,000 years) and to whom the Lord displayed His MĀYĀ potency. His biography is narrated in the Twelfth Canto of ŚRĪMAD BHĀGAVATAM.

MṚKAṆḌA—the father of MĀRKEṆḌEYA ṚṢI

MĀYĀ—the illusory potency of the Supreme Lord.

MĀYĀPURA—the holy birthplace of ŚRĪ CAITANYA MAHĀPRABHU, situated at the heart of Śrī Antardvīpa, one of the islands of NAVADVĪPA-DHĀMA, in West Bengal, India.

MOKṢA—deliverance from the cycle of births and deaths.

MUKTI—see MOKṢA

MŪRTI—(1) form (2) a temple deity.

N

NAKULA—the fourth of the five PĀṆḌAVA brothers.

NĀMA-ABHĀSA—a dim reflection or faint impression of the Holy Name. Example: AJĀMILA called out the Holy Name of “NĀRĀYAṆA” when he was actually referring to his son.

NĀMA-SAṄKĪRTANA—congregational chanting of the holy names of ŚRĪ KṚṢṆA.

NANDA MAHĀRĀJA—One of KṚṢṆA’S fathers in KṚṢṆA-LĪLĀ. His other father is VASUDEVA.

NANDANANDANA—one of the holy names of ŚRĪ KṚṢṆA, referring to his relationship as the son of NANDA MAHĀRĀJA.

NĀRADA MUNI—great devotee sage, who travels the length and breadth of both the spiritual and material worlds, singing and chanting the glories of Supreme Lord ŚRĪ KṚṢṆA, while playing his vina. One of the sons of BRAHMĀ and one of the twelve MAHĀJANAS.

NĀRĀYAṆA—KṚṢṆA, in His form of VIṢṆU, lying on the Causal Ocean; His majestic aspect as the Lord of VAIKUṆṬHA. See also VIṢṆU.

NAVADVĪPA-DHĀMA—Nine islands in West Bengal, India forming an eight-petalled lotus with ŚRĪ MĀYĀPURA (the holy birthplace of ŚRĪ CAITANYA MAHĀPRABHU) situated at its center.

NITYĀNANDA PRABHU—incarnation of Lord BALARĀMA in CAITANYA-LĪLĀ; the GURU of the universe and the intermediary between ŚRĪ CAITANYA MAHĀPRABHU and His devotees. See also PAÑCATATTVA.

NṚSIṀHA/NṚSIṀHADEVA—half-man/half-lion incarnation of KṚṢṆA who is famous for rescuing His pure devotee, PRAHLĀDA MAHĀRĀJA, from the demon HIRAṆYAKAŚIPU. This story is narrated in the Seventh Canto of ŚRĪMAD BHĀGAVATAM.

NYĀYA—(1) justice; (2) the doctrines of logic.

P

PADMA PURĀṆA—one of the SĀTTVIKA PURĀṆAS, extolling the glories of ŚRĪ KṚṢṆA/VIṢṆU. So titled because it explains the creation of the world from the lotus stemming from the naval of Lord VIṢṆU. Also, the padmā (lotus) is described as the heart of VIṢṆU.

PAÑCATATTVA—God in five aspects, namely, CAITANYA MAHĀPRABHU, NITYĀNANDA PRABHU, ADVAITA PRABHU, GADĀDHARA PRABHU and ŚRĪVĀSA PRABHU.

PĀṆḌAVAS—the five sons of Mahārāja Pāṇḍu, namely YUDHIṢṬHIRA, BHĪMA, ARJUNA, SAHADEVA and NAKULA.

PARAMĀTMĀ—expansion of VIṢṆU; the Supersoul or Oversoul; the Indwelling Monitor who guides the intelligence of the embodied living beings.

PĀRAṆA—the time of breaking a fast or vow.

PARĀ POTENCY—the superior or transcendental, spiritual potency of the Supreme Lord. See also ANTARAṄGĀ-ŚAKTI.

PARAMGURUDEVA—the GURU of one’s GURU.

PARIKRAMA—circumambulation of a holy site or deity.

PARĪKṢIT MAHĀRĀJA—the son of Abhimanyu and Uttarā. When the PĀṆḌAVAS retired from kingly life, he was crowned king of the entire world. He was cursed to die within seven days by the son of a BRĀHMAṆA. Renouncing everything, He spent these final days hearing the complete ŚRĪMAD BHĀGAVATAM from the lips of the great sage ŚUKADEVA GOSVĀMĪ.

PRABHU—honorific title meaning, “master”.

PRAHLĀDA—great boy saint of ancient India who was rescued from the torment of his father, the demon HIRAṆYAKAŚIPU, by the Supreme Lord in his form of NṚSIṀHADEVA.

PRĀṆAYĀMA—regulation of the breath in the practice of YOGA.

PRASĀDA/PRASĀDAM—“mercy”. Anything appropriate that has been offered to Supreme Lord ŚRĪ KṚṢṆA and, therefore, has become sanctified.

PREMA—pure, unconditional love; see KṚṢṆA-PREMA.

PREMA-BHAKTI—pure, loving devotion.

PREYAḤ—immediate gratification of the senses.

PURĀṆAS—“primeval or ancient”. Eighteen sacred Sanskrit literatures, divided into three categories (SĀTTVIKA, RĀJASIKA and TĀMASIKA), which explain the VEDIC philosophy by means of historical narratives.

PURUṢĀVATĀRA—the various VIṢṆU expansions of KṚṢṆA, involved in the process of creation.

PURUṢOTTAMA-DHĀMA—City of Purī, Orissa, in India, in which the famous JAGANNĀTHA Temple is located. It is also the holy birthplace of ŚRĪLA BHAKTISIDDHĀNTA SARASVATĪ ṬHĀKURA.

R

RĀDHĀRĀṆĪ—the most beloved consort of ŚRĪ KṚṢṆA and the personification of the pleasure potency of the Supreme Lord. She epitomizes the highest love for SRI KRSNA.

RĀGA-BHAKTI—spontaneous devotion to Supreme Lord ŚRĪ KṚṢṆA.

RĀJASIKA—having the attributes of the mode of passion (RAJO-GUṆA).

RAJO-GUṆA—the material quality, or mode, of passion.

RĀMACANDRA—incarnation of ŚRĪ KṚṢṆA. He is the great hero of the epic RĀMĀYANA, who defeated the demon, Rāvaṇa, who had abducted His wife, SĪTĀ DEVĪ. He exemplifies the codes of DHARMA.

RĀMĀYANA—epic tale of the pastimes of Lord RĀMACANDRA, written by Śrī Vālmīki Muni.

RASA—the transcendental taste, or aesthetic, relished in the intimate relationships between KṚṢṆA and His devotees.

RATHA-YĀTRĀ—annual chariot procession of Lord JAGANNĀTHA.

ṚṢABHADEVA—expansion of ŚRĪ KṚṢṆA. He is the father of Bharata Mahārāja and the Navayogendras. His life and teachings are narrated in the Fifth Canto of ŚRĪMAD BHĀGAVATAM.

ṚṢI—a sage.

RŪPA GOSVĀMĪ—chief of the six GOSVĀMĪS (intimate associates of ŚRĪ CAITANYA MAHĀPRABHU) known as “Rāsācārya” or “the great teacher of the subject of rasa”. Founder of the Rādhā-Govindaji Temple in VṚNDĀVANA and author of BHAKTI-RASĀMṚTA-SINDHU, Vidagdha Mādhava, Śrī Upadeśāmṛta and many other superlative devotional literatures.

S

SACCIDĀNANDA—the principles of eternal existence (SAT), knowledge/cognizance (CIT) and bliss (ĀNANDA).

SAD-GURU—eternal spiritual preceptor; a bonafide spiritual master.

SĀDHU—a pure devotee of ŚRĪ KṚṢṆA; one who has taken absolute shelter of the Lord.

SĀDHU-SAṄGA—keeping the company of SĀDHUS.

SAHADEVA—the fifth and youngest of the five PĀṆḌAVA brothers. He was the son of Mādrī.

SAMA—being equal and impartial to all; one of the qualities of a SĀDHU.

SAMA-DARŚANA—equality of vision toward all living entities.

SANĀTANA-DHARMA—the eternal, intrinsic function of the individual living entity, i.e., devotional service to the Supreme Lord. Also called BHĀGAVATA-DHARMA.

SANĀTANĪ—a follower of SANĀTANA-DHARMA.

SANDHYĀ—ablutions performed at the three junctions of the day (dawn, midday and dusk).

SAÑJAYA—minister who obtained a boon from VYĀSADEVA MUNI, allowing him a mystical vision of the events unfolding at the site of the battle of KURUKṢETRA, so as to narrate the same to DHṚTARĀṢṬRA.

SAṄKARĀCĀRYA—expansion of Lord ŚIVA. Fulfilling the desire of Lord VIṢṆU, he promulgated the philosophy of undifferentiated monism in order to reinstate the authority of the VEDAS, which had been negated by Buddhism.

SAṄKĪRTANA—congregational chanting of the Holy Name; see also KĪRTANA.

SAPTĀRṢIS—the seven ṚṢIS of the VEDAS. They are sons of Lord BRAHMĀ.

ŚĀSTRA—“that which regulates”; sacred, divine scripture.

SAT—eternal existence; see also SACCIDĀNANDA

SATTVA-GUṆA—the material quality, or mode, of goodness. SĀTTVIKA—having the attributes of the mode of goodness (SATTVA-GUṆA).

SATYA-LOKA—the planet of Lord BRAHMĀ.

SATYAM—truthfulness; one of the four kinds of piety: TAPAḤ, ŚAUCAM, DAYĀ and SATYAM (austerity, cleanliness, mercy and truthfulness). The only kind of piety remaining in the KALI-YUGA, in the form of the Holy Name.

SATYA-YUGA—the first of the four eras (CATUR-YUGA) lasting 1,728,000 years. The lifespan of a human being during SATYA-YUGA was 100,000 years. The DHARMA of the SATYA-YUGA was meditation. All four kinds of piety (TAPAḤ, ŚAUCAM, DAYĀ and SATYAM or austerity, cleanliness, mercy and truthfulness) were present during this era.

ŚIKṢĀ GURU—instructing spiritual master.

SĪTĀ DEVĪ—wife of Lord RĀMACANDRA.

ŚIVA—great VAIṢṆAVA demigod who is the controller of TAMO-GUṆA. Also called MAHĀDEVA.

ŚLOKA—a form of Sanskrit verse, originally composed by the author of the RĀMĀYANA, Śrī Vālmīki Muni.

SMARAṆAṀ—remembrance of the Holy Name, Form, Attributes and Pastimes of Supreme Lord.

SMĀRTA-BRĀHMAṆAS—(1) those BRĀHMAṆAS who are well versed in SMṚTI; (2) proponents of the KARMA-KĀṆḌA section of the VEDAS.

SMṚTI—“that which is remembered”; (1) literatures supplementary to the VEDAS and UPANIṢADS, such as the MAHĀBHĀRATA, RĀMĀYAṆA and the PURĀṆAS. (2) SMṚTI-GRANTHA.

SMṚTI-GRANTHA—literatures that delineate religious codes of behavior.

ŚRAVAṆAṀ—hearing about the Holy Name, Form, Attributes and Pastimes of the Supreme Lord.

ŚREYAḤ—one’s ultimate good.

ŚRĪ/ŚRĪLA/ŚRĪMAD/ ŚRĪPĀDA—appellations of respect for great personalities.

ŚRĪNĀTHA CAKRAVARTĪ—GREAT VAIṢṆAVA saint who wrote CAITANYA-MANJUSA, a commentary on ŚRĪMAD BHĀGAVATAM.

ŚRĪMAD-BHĀGAVATAM—sublime, pure devotional literature describing, among other things, the creation of the world, the incarnations of ŚRĪ KṚṢṆA and the wonderful pastimes of KṚṢṆA and His intimate devotees. The distilled essence of all VEDIC knowledge. Also known as BHĀGAVATA PURĀṆA.

ŚRĪVĀSA ṬHĀKURA— Incarnation of NĀRADA MUNI in CAITANYA-LĪLĀ. Among other things, he is renowned for the all-night KĪRTANAS held in the courtyard of his home. See also PAÑCATATTVA.

ŚRUTI/ŚRUTI ŚĀSTRA—“that which is heard”; refers to the VEDAS and UPANIṢADS.

SUDARŚANA-CAKRA—the divine disc of Lord VIṢṆU.

ŚUDDHA BHAKTA—a pure devotee of Supreme Lord ŚRĪ KṚṢṆA

ŚUDDHA BHAKTI—pure devotion to Supreme Lord ŚRĪ KṚṢṆA.

ŚŪDRA—the laborer class, including artisans and craftsmen. One of the VARṆAS of the VARṆĀŚRAMA SYSTEM.

ŚUKADEVA GOSVĀMĪ—the great devotee sage who narrated ŚRĪMAD BHĀGAVATAM to MAHĀRĀJA PARĪKṢIT.

ŚVETADVĪPA—the residence of Lord VIṢṆU in the material universe.

T

TĀMASIKA—having the attributes of the mode of ignorance (TAMO-GUṆA).

TAMO-GUṆA—the material quality, or mode, of ignorance.

TAṬASTHĀ-ŚAKTI—the marginal energy of the Supreme Lord; the JĪVĀTMĀS, or individual living beings, are situated at the taṭa, or boundary line, between the internal and the external potencies and have the tendency to go toward either the spiritual realm or the material world.

TAPAḤ—austerity; one of the four kinds of piety: TAPAḤ, ŚAUCAM, DAYĀ, and SATYAM (austerity, cleanliness, mercy and truthfulness).

TITHI—a day of the lunar month.

TRETĀ-YUGA—the second of the four eras (CATUR-YUGA) lasting 1,296,000 years. The lifespan of a human being during TRETĀ-YUGA was 10,000 years. The YUGA-DHARMA of the TRETĀ-YUGA was sacrifice. Three of the four kinds of piety (ŚAUCAM, DAYĀ and SATYAM or cleanliness, mercy and truthfulness) were present during this era.

TRIDAṆḌI—one who carries a triple staff, indicating complete dedication of body, mind and words to Supreme Lord ŚRĪ KṚṢṆA, i.e., a VAIṢṆAVA SANNYĀSĪ.

TRI-GUṆA—the three primal material qualities or “modes”. See also SATTVA-GUṆA, RAJO-GUṆA and TAMO-GUṆA.

TULĀSĪ DEVĪ—see VṚNDĀ DEVĪ.

U

UDDHAVA—disciple of BṚHASPATI and intimate associate of Lord KṚṢṆA in Dvārakā.

UPĀDHI—a mundane designation.

UPANIṢAD—philosophical portion of the VEDAS that must be learned at the foot of a spiritual master. There are 108 UPANIṢADS, eleven of which are principal.

V

VAIDHĪ-BHAKTI—BHAKTI performed as per the injunctions of the scriptures.

VAIKUṆṬHA—realm of the spiritual planets, where there is no anxiety.

VAIṢṆAVA—a pure devotee of ŚRĪ VIṢṆU/KṚṢṆA.

VAIṢṆAVISM—pure devotion to ŚRĪ VIṢṆU/KṚṢṆA; the eternal and natural function of the living being.

VAIŚYA—the mercantile/agricultural class; their function is to maintain the economic affairs of society according to the Vedic principles; one of the VARṆAS of the VARṆĀŚRAMA SYSTEM.

VAṀSĪ DĀSA BĀBĀJĪ MAHĀRĀJA—great renunciate devotee who entered the eternal LĪLĀ of SRI KRSNA in 1944.

VANA—a forest.

VANACĀRĪ—a person in the retired order of life.

VANA-PARVA—section of the MAHĀBHĀRATA that narrates the twelve-year exile of the PĀṆḌAVAS in the forest.

VARṆA—any of the four social classes within the VARṆĀŚRAMA SYSTEM (namely, BRĀHMAṆA, KṢATRIYA, VAIŚYA and ŚŪDRA).

VARṆĀŚRAMA SYSTEM—VEDIC social system consisting of four major categories of VARṆA or social class (namely, BRĀHMAṆA, KṢATRIYA, VAIŚYA and ŚŪDRA) and four categories of ĀŚRAMAS or orders of life (namely, BRAHMACĀRĪ, GṚHASTHA, VANACĀRĪ and SANNYĀSĪ).

VASUDEVA—One of KṚṢṆA’S fathers in KṚṢṆA-LĪLĀ. His other father is NANDA MAHĀRĀJA.

VĀSUDEVA—one of the Holy Names of ŚRĪ KṚṢṆA, defining His relationship as the son of VASUDEVA and also referring to Him as the “One Who dwells everywhere”.

VEDAS—“books of knowledge”; the sacred scriptures of ancient India covering all branches of knowledge.

VEDIC—referring to the VEDAS or things connected with them.

VEDAVYĀSA MUNI—an expansion of KṚṢṆA. He is the compiler of the VEDIC literatures.

VIṢAYA—an object of enjoyment.

VIŚVANĀTHA CAKRAVARTĪ—great VAIṢṆAVA saint noted for his commentaries on ŚRĪMAD BHĀGAVATAM and BHAGAVAD-GĪTĀ. He is the author of numerous beautiful devotional songs, and literatures such as Śrī Kṛṣṇa-bhāvanāmṛta, Mādhurya-kādambinī and many others.

VIṢṆU—one of the holy names of ŚRĪ KṚṢṆA, referring to His all-pervasiveness. Also called NĀRĀYAṆA.

VRAJA-DHĀMA/VRAJA-MAṆḌALA—the holy site of KṚṢṆA’S pastimes on earth, non-different from His abode in VAIKUṆṬHA. It consists of twelve sacred forests, VṚNDĀVANA being one of them.

VRAJAVĀSIS—the holy residents of VRAJA-DHĀMA.

VṚNDĀ DEVĪ—expansion of RĀDHĀRĀṆĪ who adopted the form of the sacred TULĀSĪ plant and also the Gaṇḍakī River.

VṚNDĀVANA—that place where the Name, Fame, Qualities and Paraphernalia of Supreme Lord KṚṢṆA are always present; the transcendental dwelling place of ŚRĪ KṚṢṆA in the spiritual world where the mood of sweetness prevails, which is identical with the town of VṚNDĀVANA in Northwest India, where KṚṢṆA performed His pastimes 5000 years ago. VṚNDĀVANA means “the forest where Śrīmatī VṚNDĀ DEVĪ grows”. See also VRAJA-DHĀMA.

VṚNDĀVANA DĀSA ṬHĀKURA—16th century author of CAITANYA BHĀGAVATA, a sacred literature narrating the holy life and pastimes of ŚRĪ CAITANYA MAHĀPRABHU.

VṚNDĀVANA-DHĀMA—refers to the general area of VṚNDĀVANA.

VYĀSADEVA MUNI—see VEDAVYĀSA MUNI

Y

YAJÑA—sacrifice or the performance of a sacrifice. Also a Name for KṚṢṆA.

YAMADŪTAS—the messengers of the god of death.

YĀMA-PURĪ—the realm of the god of death.

YAMARĀJA—the god of death. Also called DHARMARĀJA.

YAŚODĀ—the mother of ŚRĪ KṚṢṆA in KṚṢṆA-LĪLĀ.

YOGA—“communion; the yoking of two things together”; (1) any practice with its basis in meditation and sacrifice that seeks to re-unite the soul with God, prominent of which are union through work (KARMA-YOGA), through knowledge (JÑĀNA) and through devotion (BHAKTI YOGA) (2) the practice of different bodily postures and restraint of breath to achieve control over the mental faculties.

YOGAKṢEMA—the acquisition and protection of property.

YOGI—one who follows the path of YOGA.

YUDHIṢṬHIRA MAHĀRĀJA—the eldest of the five PĀṆḌAVA brothers. He was the son of DHARMARĀJA (YAMARĀJA) and the embodiment of justice on earth.

YUGA—an era; see CATUR-YUGA.

YUGA-DHARMA—the prescribed method of worship for a particular YUGA. The YUGA-DHARMA for the present era (KALI-YUGA) is chanting of the Holy Name. See also SATYA-YUGA, TRETĀ-YUGA, DVĀPARA-YUGA and KALI-YUGA.