THE MAHABHARATA: A Modern Rendering, Vol 1 (88 page)
Read THE MAHABHARATA: A Modern Rendering, Vol 1 Online
Authors: Ramesh Menon
Nritya | dance. |
OM, Omkara | the primal, holy syllable, which represents Godhead. AUM. Pranava. |
Oshadhi | healing herb. |
Paapa | sin. |
Paasa | noose. |
Paativratya | fidelity. |
Padadhuli | lit. ‘dust from feet’. A spiritual emanation from a holy person or elder’s feet. |
Padma | lotus. |
lotus-naveled. Vishnu. Brahma is born in the lotus that sprouts from | |
Vishnu’s navel. | |
Padmasana | lotus-posture. |
Padya | water for washing the feet. |
the five elements. | |
Brahman. The ultimate, undifferentiated Godhead. | |
Supreme Soul, God. | |
Parasurama | brahmana incarnation of Vishnu. Axe-bearer. |
Parivrajaka | mendicant, holy man. |
Parthiva linga | an earthen phallic symbol. |
Parvati | Siva’s wife, lit. mountain-daughter. |
Pasupati | lord of animals: Siva. |
Patala | under-world, nether world. |
Pativrata | a devoted wife. |
Paurnima, purnima | full moon. |
Payasa | a liquid sweet. |
Phalasruti | a description of the fruit, results to be had from listening to or reading a | |
holy text. | ||
Pipal | holy tree. | |
Pisacha | evil spirit. | |
Pitama/pitamaha | grandfather. | |
Pitr | ancestor. Lit. father. | |
Pitriloka | realm of the manes. | |
circumambulation, in worship, respect. | ||
Pradyumna | Krishna’s son. | |
Prahlada | son of the Asura Hiranyakashyipu, but Prahalada | great Vishnu |
bhakta. | ||
Prajapati | a lord of the first races of men. | |
Prakriti | nature. Ying. Feminine principle. | |
Pralaya | the deluge. | |
Prana | life breath. | |
Pranava | AUM. | |
Prayatna | difficult endeavor. | |
penance. | ||
fasting for a cause, or a boon. | ||
Preta | a spirit. | |
Prithvi | the Earth. | |
Puja/pooja | ritual worship. | |
Punnaga | a tree. | |
Punya | virtue, merit. | |
Purana | ancient legend, revelation. Also, collections of such myths about the Gods | |
and their lives and deeds. | ||
Puranika/pauranika | a raconteur, expert on the puranas. |
Purohit Purusha
Purushottama Pushkara Pushpaka vimana Putrakama yagna Putrasneha
Raga, raaga Raghuvamsa Rahu Rajarishi Rajas Rajasuya Raksha Rakshasa Rakshasi Ratha Rathika Rekha Rik/Rig Veda Rishabha Rishi Ritvik Rohini priest.
the masculine principle. Yang. Also, soul as opposed to the feminine
prakriti, or nature.
best among men’, Vishnu.
lake sacred to Brahma.
sky chariot. UFO!
sacrifice for the birth of a son.
attachment/love for one’s children.
special combination of musical notes. the clan of Raghu, an ancient king. dragon’s head, a demon. a king who is a sage. the second guna: active, energetic. an imperial sacrifice. protection, amulet of protection. demon. demoness. chariot. expert charioteer. line of power. the first Veda. the second note of the scale. Re. sage. priest. asterism, goddess, the Moon’s favorite wife.
Rudra Siva. Also a class of fierce beings associated with Siva. Rudraksha holy beads; lit. Siva’s tears/eyes. Rukmini Krishna’s wife.
Sabha | court, hall. |
Sachi | Indra’s queen. |
flower girl to a queen. | |
Sakhi | female companion. |
Sama | a Veda. |
Samadhi | absorption in the Soul/God. Mystical trance. |
Sambur | a species of deer. |
Samsara | the world of illusion. This life of appearances. |
one of four original sages, born from Brahma’s mind. | |
Sandhi | conjunction, cusp. |
Sandhya | twilight. |
Sankara | Siva. |
asceticism, renunciation. | |
Sannyasi | hermit. |
seven sages, born from Brahma’s mind. | |
Sarabha | great mythical bird. |
Saras | lake. |
Sarasa | water bird. |
Goddess of learning. Brahma’s consort. | |
Sarathy | charioteer. |
Saringa | Krishna’s Bow. |
Sati | Daksha’ daughter. Siva’s first wife, who immlated herself and was then born |
as Parvati. | |
Sati | when a widowed woman kills herself by sitting on her husband’s pyre. |
Sattva | the first, pure guna. |
Krishna’s wife. | |
Senapati | general; lit., lord of an army. |
Shastra | scripture. |
Shimshupa | a tree. |
Siddha | a self-realized being. |
Siddhi | occult power. |
Sirasasana | yogic posture, headstand. |
Sishya | pupil, disciple. |
Siva | third God of Hindu Trinity. The Destroyer. |
Shavasana | corpse-like yogic posture. |
Skanda | Siva’s son, Karttikeya. |
Sloka | sacred verse. |
Soma | the Moon God. Also, lunar nectar. |
Sraddha | death ceremony. |
Sruti | tone, sacred recitation, text. |
Sruva | ladle. |
Stamba | post, pole. |
Sudarshana Chakra | Vishnu’s weapon, a blazing wheel. |
Sudharma | Indra’s court in Amravati. |
Sudra | fourth Hindu caste, the servitors. |
Sukra | Venus, guru to the Asuras. |
Sukshma/sthula | Subtle/gross. Incorporeal/corporeal. |
Surya | Sun God. |
yogic ritual for worshipping the sun at dawn. | |
Suta | bard, charioteer. |
Sutaputra | son of a suta. |
Swamini | female of swami, saint. |
Swapna | dream. |
Swarga | heaven. |
the ceremony at which a princess chooses her own husband. | |
Taala | rhythm, beat. |
Tamas | the third and grossest guna in Nature. |
Tandava | Siva’s dance of dissolution. |
Tapasya | penance, long meditation or austerity. |
Tapasvin | one performs tapasya. |
Tapovana | grove of worship. |
Tarpana | offering of water for the dead. |
Tilaka | auspicious mark made on forehead. |
mythical whale-eater, possibly giant squid. | |
Tirtha | holy place of pilgrimage. |
Tirtha yatra | pilgrimage. |
Treta yuga | the second great age. |
one who knows the 3 times. | |
Trimurti | trinity: Brahma, Vishnu and Siva. |
of three paths. |
Tripura three sky cities, built by Mayaa, which Siva brought down with a missile of fire.
Trisula trident.
horse of the Sun. | |
holy book, dealing with the Brahman, the formless God. | |
Usanas | Venus. Sukra. A male God, guru to the Asuras, as Brihaspati, Jupiter is to |
the Devas. Greatest of poets. | |
Uttara Phalguni | a nakshatram. |
the northern migration of the sun. | |
Vaastu | land, property, house etc. also, the sacred science of these and building. |
Ancient Indian feng shui. | |
Vaastu shanty | rite for peace in a new dwelling. |
Vaikunta | Vishnu’s celestial city. |
Vairagya | detachment, relinquishment. |
Vaisya | third Hindu caste; the traders. |
Vaitarani | river of death, which separates this world from the next. |
Vajra | Indra’s thunderbolt. |
Valkala | fabric made of tree-bark, worn by hermits. |
Vamana | dwarf: Vishnu’s fifth Avatara. |
Vana | jungle, forest. |
Vana devata | forest god. |
Vanara | ancient, magical race of monkeys. Lit. dwellers in the vana. |
Vanavasa | living in the forest as a renunciate. |
Vandana | worship. |