sari: (Hindi: ) The traditional outer garment of a Hindu woman, consisting of a long, unstitched piece of cloth, usually colorful cotton or silk, wrapped around the body, forming an ankle-length skirt, and around the bosom and over the shoulder.

sarira: "Body; husk."Three bodies of the soul: 1)sthula sharira, "gross or physical body"(also called annamaya kosha), the odic body; 2) sukshma sharira, "subtle body"(also called linga sharira, it includes the pranamaya, manomaya and vijnanamaya koshas); 3)karana sharira, "causal body" (also called anandamaya kosha), the actinic causal body. Another term for bodyis deha. See: kosha, subtle body.

sarupya:"Likeness" to God. The third of the four progressive attainments of the soul in Saiva Siddhanta. It is the culmination of the yoga pada. See: attainment.

Sarvajnanottara Agama: This work is not among the traditional list of Agamas and subsidiary scriptures, but is thought to be a second version of Kalajnanam, asubsidiary tract to Vatula Agama. The extant sections deal with right knowledge.

Sarvam Sivamayam: "All is Siva." One of the four great sayings capsulizing the teachings of Siva Yogaswami.

shastra: "Sacred script; teaching." 1) Any religious or philosophical treatise or body of writings. 2) A department of knowledge; a science.

sat: "True, existing, good; reality, existence, truth." See: Satchidananda.

Satchidananda (Sachchidananda): "Existence-consciousness-bliss." A synonym for Parashakti.Lord Siva's Divine Mind and simultaneously the pure superconscious mind of each individual soul. Perfect love and omniscient, omnipotent consciousness, the fountainhead of all existence, yet containing and permeating all existence. Also called pure consciousness, pure form, substratum of existence, and more. One of the goals of the meditator or yogi is to experience the natural state of the mind, Satchidananda, subduing the vrittis through yogic practices. See: Parashakti, tattva.

satguru (sadguru): "True weighty one." A spiritual preceptor of the highest attainment and authority -- one who has realized the ultimate Truth, Parasiva, through nirvikalpa samadhi -- a jivanmukta able to lead others securely along the spiritual path. He is always a sannyasin, an unmarried renunciate. All Hindu denominations teach that the grace and guidance of a living satguru is a necessity for Self Realization. He is recognized and revered as the embodiment of God, Sadashiva, the source of grace and liberation. See: guru bhakti, guru, guru-shishya system.

satsanga: Gathering in the company of good souls.

sattva guna: "Perfection of Being." The quality of goodness or purity.

sattvic: Of or relating to the sattva guna, the quality of goodness or purity.

Sat Yuga (Satya Yuga): "Age of Truth," also called Krita, "accomplished, good, cultivated, kind action; the winning die cast of four dots." The first and brightest era in the repetitive cycle of four yugas, lasting 1,728,000 years. See: yuga.

savant: A learned person; a scholar.

savikalpa samadhi: "Enstasy with form" or "seed." See: raja yoga, samadhi.

savior: A person or God who saves another from harm or loss, especially by divine intervention or grace without any effort on the beneficiary's part.

sayujya:"Union" with God. The highest of the four attainments of the soul in Saiva Siddhanta. The state of jnana. See: attainment, Sivasayujya, vishvagrasa.

scarlet: A strong to vivid red or reddish orange.

schism: A separation, a break into factions.

scintillating: Sparkling or shining.

scribe: A person who writes things down, especially as dictated by another or copied.

scripture (scriptural): "A writing." Sacred text or holy book(s) authoritative for a given sect or religion. See: shastra, smriti, shruti.

scrutinize: Carefully examine or inspect in detail.

scrutiny: Close, careful examination or study.

Second World: The astral or subtle plane. Here the soul continues its activities in the astral body during sleep and after the physical body dies. It is the in-between world which includes the Devaloka and the Narakaloka. The Second world exists "within" the first World or physical plane. See: loka.

secretion: The process in which a gland, tissue, etc., produces a moist substance, such as bile, pancreatic juice or perspiration. Also refers to the substances thus produced.

sect: A group of adherents who form a smaller association within a larger (often religious) body. A religious denomination.

sectarian: Avidly devoted to the beliefs and practices of a specific religious tradition, sometimes dogmatically and with condescension toward other traditions.

secular: Temporal or worldly; not sacred or religious.

seed experience: The root or original experience of a particular type or range of experience impressed deeply in the subconscious mind to which other vibrations in a similar frequency range have been added to construct a subsubconscious complex. The seed experience is the experience which must be cognized for subsequent related experiences (subconscious dross) of similar vibration to release their hold and the complex to be resolved.

seed karma: Dormant or anarabdha karma. All past actions which have not yet "sprouted." See: karma.

seer: A wise person who sees beyond the limits of ordinary perception.

Self (Self God): God Siva's perfection of Absolute Reality, Parasiva -- That which abides at the core of every soul. See: Paramatman, Parasiva.

self-aggrandizement: Enhancement or exaggeration one's own importance.

self-effacement: Modest, retiring behavior; giving all credit to God, preceptor and other persons and not accepting praise for one's accomplishments.

self-effulgent: Shining brilliantly by itself.

self-gratification: Satisfying one's own desires.

self-hypnosis: The process of putting oneself in a sleeplike state in which the subconscious mind becomes accessible.

self-indulgent: Satisfying one's own appetites and desires, often to excess, with little regard for others.

self-luminous: Producing its own light; radiating light.

self-mastery: Full command of one's mind and emotions.

Self Realization: Direct knowing of the Self God, Parasiva. Self Realization is known in Sanskrit as nirvikalpa samadhi; "enstasy without form or seed;" the ultimate spiritual attainment (also called asamprajnata samadhi). Esoterically, this state is attained when the mystic kundalini force pierces through the sahasrara chakra at the crown of the head. This transcendence of all modes of human consciousness brings the realization or "nonexperience" of That which exists beyond the mind, beyond time, form and space. But even to assign a name to Parasiva or to its realization is to name that which cannot be named. In fact, it is "experienced" only in its aftermath as a change in perspective, a permanent transformation, and as an intuitive familiarity with the Truth that surpasses understanding. See: enstasy, God Realization, liberation, kundalini, Parasiva, raja yoga, samadhi.

semblance: An outward and superficial appearance or resemblance.

sensuous: Of or related to the senses, especially the pleasures of the senses.

sentries: Guards.

seva: "Service," karma yoga, an integral part of the spiritual path, doing selfless, useful work for others, such as volunteer work at a temple, without preference or thought of reward or personal gain. Seva, or Sivathondu in Tamil, is the central practice of the charya pada. See: pada, yoga.

sexuality: Hinduism has a healthy, unrepressed outlook on human sexuality. Sexual pleasure is part of kama, one of the four legitimate goals of life. On matters such as birth control, sterilization, masturbation, homosexuality, bisexuality, petting and polygamy, Hindu scripture is tolerantly silent, neither calling them sins nor encouraging their practice, neither condemning nor condoning. The two important exceptions to this understanding view of sexual experience are adultery and abortion, both of which are considered to carry heavy karmic implications for this and future births. See: celibacy, dissipation, odic force, ojas, tejas, transmutation, yoni.

shamanism (shamanic): From a Siberian tribal word, akin to the Sanskrit shramana, "ascetic," akin to shram, meaning "to exert." The religion of certain indigenous peoples of Northeast Asia, based on the belief in good and evil spirits who can be contacted and influenced by priests, or shamans, generally during a state of altered consciousness or trance. Also descriptive of many of the world's native, tribal faiths, and of various groups that today carry forward the practices and traditions of shamanism to maximize human abilities of mind and spirit for healing and problem-solving. See: Shaktism.

sheath:A covering or receptacle, such as the husk surrounding a grain of rice. In Sanskrit, it is kosha, philosophically the bodily envelopes of the soul. See: kosha, soul, subtle body.

shiftiness: Dishonesty, evasiveness, deceitfulness.

Shinto: The indigenous religion of Japan.

shumif: (Shum) The perspective of the mind as a solid and individual awareness traveling from one area of the mind to another. Pronounced shoom-eef. See: Shum, Shum perspectives.

Shum perspectives: The four perspectives of the mind: -- mulif: intellectual/philosophical; -- shumif: individual awareness; -- simnif: scientific/intellectual; -- difi: space travel, devas and Gods, inner communication. See: Shum.

Shum-Tyeif:A Natha mystical language of meditation (also simply known as Shum) revealed in Switzerland in 1968 by Sivaya Subramuniyaswami. Its primary alphabet looks like this:

shun: To keep away from, ignore or avoid scrupulously or consistently.

siddha: A "perfected one'' or accomplished yogi, a person of great spiritual attainment or powers. See: siddhi, siddha yoga.

Siddha Siddhanta:Siddha Siddhanta, also called Gorakhnatha Saivism, is generally considered to have evolved in the lineage of the earlier ascetic orders of India. Its most well-known preceptor was Gorakshanatha (ca 1000) a disciple of Matsyendranatha, patron saint of Nepal, revered by certain esoteric Buddhist schools as well as by Hindus. The school systematized and developed the practice of hatha yoga to a remarkable degree. Indeed, nearly all of what is today taught about hatha yoga comes from this school. Siddha Siddhanta theology embraces both transcendent Siva (being) and immanent Siva (becoming). Siva is both the efficient and material cause of the universe. Devotion is expressed through temple worship and pilgrimage, with the centralfocus on internal worship and kundalini yoga, with the goal of realizing Parasamvid, the supreme transcendent state of Siva. Today there are perhaps 750,000 adherents of Siddha Siddhanta Saivism, often understood as Shaktas or advaita tantrics. The school fans out through India, but is most prominent in North India and Nepal. Devotees are called yogis, and stress is placed on world renunciation -- even for householders. This sect is also most commonly known as Natha, the Gorakshapantha and Siddha Yogi Sampradaya. Other names include Adinatha Sampradaya, Nathamatha and Siddhamarga. See: Gorakshanatha.

Siddha Siddhanta Paddhati: "Tracks on the doctrines of the adepts." A text of 353 mystical verses, ascribed to Gorakshanatha, dealing with the esoteric nature of the inner bodies and the soul's union with Supreme Reality. See: Gorakshanatha, Siddha Siddhanta.

siddhanta: "final attainments" or "conclusions." Siddhanta refers to ultimate understanding arrived at in any given field of knowledge.

siddhanta shravana (or shravana): "Scriptural audition." See: yama-niyama.

siddha yoga: "Yoga of perfected attainment," or "of supernatural powers." 1) A term used in the Tirumantiram and other Saiva scriptures to describe the yoga which is the way of life of adepts after attaining Parasiva. Siddha yoga involves the development of magical or mystical powers, or siddhis, such as the eight classical powers. It is a highlyadvanced yoga which seeks profound transformation of body, mind and emotions and the ability to live in a flawless state of God-consciousness. 2) The highly accomplished practices of certain alchemists.

siddhi: "Power, accomplishment; perfection." Extraordinary powers of the soul, developed through consistent meditation and deliberate, often uncomfortable and grueling tapas, or awakened naturally through spiritual maturity and yogic sadhana. Through the repeated experience of Self Realization, siddhis naturally unfold according to the needs of the individual. Before Self Realization, the use or development of siddhis is among the greatest obstacles on the path because it cultivates ahamkara, "I-ness" (egoity), and militates against the attainment of prapatti, complete submission to the will of God, Gods and guru. Six siddhis in particular are considered primary obstacles to samadhi: clairvoyance (adarsha siddhi or divya siddhi), clairaudience (shravana siddhi or divyashravana), divination (pratibha siddhi), super-feeling (vedana siddhi) and super-taste (asvadana siddhi), super-smell (varta siddhi). The eight classical siddhis are: 1) anima: diminution; being as small as an atom; 2)mahima: enlargement; becoming infinitely large; 3) laghima: super-lightness, levitation; 4) prapti: pervasiveness, extension, ability to be anywhere at will; 5)prakamya: fulfillment of desires; 6) vashitva: control of natural forces; 7) ishititva: supremacy over nature; 8) kama-avasayitva: complete satisfaction. The supreme siddhi (parasiddhi) is realization of the Self, Parasiva. See: ahamkara, prapatti, siddha yoga.

Sikhism: "Discipleship." Religion of nine million members founded in India about 500 years ago by the saint Guru Nanak. A reformist faith that rejects idolatry and the caste system, its holy book is the Adi Granth, and main holy center is the Golden Temple of Amritsar.

silver cord: The astral substance that connects the physical body to the astral body which is disconnected at the time of death of the physical body.

simile: A figure of speech in which two unlike things are compared, often introduced by "like" or "as."

simnif: (Shum) The perspective of the mind in its scientific, intellectual state. Pronounced sim-neef. See: Shum, Shum perspectives.

simshumbisi: (Shum) To become aware of the power within the spine. Pronounced sim-shoom-bee-see. See: Shum.

sin: Intentional transgression of divine law. Akin to the Latin sons, "guilty." Hinduism does not view sin as a crime against God, but as an act against dharma -- moral order -- and one's own self. See: karma.

shishya: "A pupil" or "disciple," especially one who has proven himself and been accepted by a guru.

sitar: A lute-like Indian stringed instrument with a long, fretted neck and a resonating gourd or gourds.

Siva: The "Auspicious," "Gracious," or "Kindly one." Supreme Being of the Saivite religion. God Siva is All and in all, simultaneously the creator and the creation, both immanent and transcendent. As personal Deity, He is Creator, Preserver and Destroyer. He is a one Being, perhaps best understood in three perfections: Parameshvara (Primal Soul), Parashakti (Pure Consciousness) and Parasiva (Absolute Reality). See: prapatti, Parameshvara, Parashakti, Parasiva, Nataraja, Sadashiva, Saivism, Satchidananda.

Siva Advaita:Alsocalled Siva Vishishtadvaita, or Saivite "qualified nondualism," Siva Advaita is the philosophy of Srikantha (ca 1050) as expounded in his commentary on the Brahma Sutras (ca500-200 BCE). Patterned after the Vaishnavite Vishishtadvaitaof Ramanuja, this philosophy was later amplified by Appaya Dikshitar. Brahman, or Siva, is transcendent and the efficient and material cause of the world and souls. Souls are not identical with Him and never merge in Him, even after liberation. As a school, Siva Advaita remained exclusively intellectual, never enjoying a following of practitioners. Purification, devotion and meditation upon Siva as the Self -- the akasha within the heart -- define the path. Meditation is directed to the Self, Siva, the One Existence that evolved into all form. Liberation depends on grace, not deeds. See: Saivism, Srikantha.

Sivacharya:The hereditary priests of the Saiva Siddhanta tradition. The title of Adishaiva Brahmins. An Adishaiva priest who has received the necessary training and dikshas to perform public Siva temple ritesknown as Agamic nitya parartha puja. A fully qualified Sivacharya is also known as archaka. Sivacharya, too, names the family clan of this priestly tradition. See: brahmin.

Siva consciousness: Sivachaitanya. A broad term naming the experience or state of being conscious of Siva in a multitude of ways. See: jnana, mind (five states), Sivasayujya.

Sivajnanabodham: "Memorandum on Siva Realization." A digest authored (or, some believe, a portion of the Raurava Agama translated into Tamil) by Meykandar, ca 1300, consisting of 12 sutras describing the relationship between God, soul and world. The Meykandar Sampradaya revere it as their primary philosophical text and consider it a pluralistic exposition. Others view it as monistic in character, with a pluralistic interpretation introduced by later commentators. Connected with this important text is an acute commentary on each of the 12 sutras. See: Meykandar.

Sivalinga: "Mark," "Token" or "Sign of Siva." The most prevalent emblem of Siva, found in virtually all Siva temples. A rounded, elliptical, aniconic image, usually set on a circular base, or pitha, the Sivalinga is the simplest and most ancient symbol of Siva, especially of Parasiva, God beyond all forms and qualities. The pitha represents Parashakti, the manifesting power of God. Lingas are usually of stone (carved or naturally existing, svayambhu, such as shaped by a swift-flowing river), but may also be of metal, precious gems, crystal, wood, earth or transitory materials such as ice. See: Saivism.

Sivaloka: "Realm of Siva." See: loka.

Sivamaya: "Formed, made, consisting of" or "full of Siva." A part of the Saivite affirmation of faith, denoting that all of existence -- all worlds, all beings, all of manifestation, that which undergoes creation, preservation and destruction, all dualities and paradoxes -- consists of and is pervaded by Siva. An important concept of monistic Saivism. See: maya, tattva, world.

Sivaness: Quality of being Siva or like Siva, especially sharing in His divine state of consciousness. See: Sivasayujya.

Sivaperuman: "Siva, the Great One." See: Siva.

Siva-Shakti:Father-Mother God, both immanent and transcendent. A name for God Siva encompassing His unmanifest Being and manifest energy. See: Parameshvara, Primal Soul, Siva.

Sivasambandha: "Bound together in love of Siva." The underlying unity and harmony among devotees of Siva, irrespective of caste or creed.

Sivasayujya:"Intimate union with Siva." Becoming one with God. The state of perpetual Siva consciousness; simultaneous perception of the inner and the outer. A permanent state of oneness with Siva, even in the midst of ordinary activities, a plateau reached or aftermath of repeated Self Realization experiences. Esoterically, it dawns when the kundalini resides coiled in the sahasrara chakra. See: jivanmukti, kaivalya, kundalini, moksha, sahasrara chakra.

Sivathondar: "Servant of Siva." Conveys the same mystic meaning as Sivanadiyar, denoting a devotee who regularly performs actions dedicated to God Siva; selfless work in service to others. See: karma yoga, sivathondu.

Sivathondu: "Service to Siva." Akin to the concept of karma yoga. See: karma yoga.

Sivaya Namah:"Adoration to Siva." Alternate form of the mantra Namah Sivaya. See: Namah Sivaya.

Sivayave: "Siva is also that." A phrase in Tamil that implies an obvious truth.

Shivohamic: Anglicized adjective from the great saying, Shivoham, meaning "I am That; I am Siva," carrying the spirit of the underlying unity of God and the soul.

skepticism: A doubting or questioning state of mind, doubt about fundamental religious principles; the doctrine that all knowledge must be subject to doubt and inquiry.

shloka: A verse, phrase, proverb or hymn of praise, usually composed in a specified meter. Especially a verse of two lines, each of sixteen syllables. Shloka is the primary verse form of the Vedas and the Sanskrit epics, Ramayana and Mahabharata.

slough: To shed, caste off; discard an outer layer.

sluggish: Lacking alertness, vigor or energy.

smog: A low-lying layer of polluted air. smog: From smoke plus fog.

smolder: To burn and smoke without flame. Slow combustion. To exist in a suppressed, stifled state.

smriti: That which is "remembered;" the tradition. Hinduism's nonrevealed, secondary but deeply revered scriptures, derived from man's insight and experience. Smriti speaks of secular matters -- science, law, history, agriculture, etc. -- as well as spiritual lore, ranging from day-to-day rules and regulations to superconscious outpourings. From the vast body of sacred literature, shastra, each sect and school claims its own preferred texts as secondary scripture, e.g., the Ramayana of Vaishnavism and Smartism, or the Tirumurai of Saiva Siddhanta. Thus, the selection of smriti varies widely from one sect and lineage to another. See: Mahabharata, Tirumurai.

sojourn: To reside temporarily in a place.

solace: A source of comfort or consolation.

solar plexus: A major physical and psychic nerve center of the body located at the base of the sternum.

solemn: Ceremoniously observed or performed according to ritual or tradition. Formal, serious, inspiring feelings of awe. -- solemnize: To consecrate with formal ceremony. See: sacrament, samskara.

somatic: Relating to the body; corporeal, physical, as distinguished from the soul or mind. The somatic currents are the five forms of breath, beginning with prana, the outgoing breath. See: prana.

soothsaying: The art of foretelling events.

sophisticated: Technically advanced, refined, elaborated, complex, artful.

soul: The real being of man, as distinguished from body, mind and emotions. The soul -- known as atman or purusha -- is the sum of its two aspects, the form or body of the soul and the essence of the soul (though many texts use the word soul to refer to the essence only). -- essence or nucleus of the soul: Man's innermost and unchanging being -- Pure Consciousness (Parashakti or Satchidananda) and Absolute Reality (Parasiva). This essence was never created, does not change or evolve and is eternally identical with God Siva's perfections of Parashakti and Parasiva.

soul body: Anandamaya kosha ("sheath of bliss"),also referred to as the "causal body" (karana sharira), "innermost sheath" and "body of light." Body of the soul, or soul body, names the soul's manifest nature as an individual being -- an effulgent, human-like form composed of light (quantums). It is the emanational creation of God Siva, destined to one day merge back into Him. During its evolution, the soul functions through four types of outer sheaths that envelope the soul form -- mental, instinctive-intellectual, vital and physical -- and employs the mental faculties of manas, buddhi and ahamkara, as well as the five agents of perception (jnanendriyas), and five agents of action (karmendriyas). The "soul body" is not a body in sense of a case, a vessel, vehicle or enclosure for something else. The soul body is the soul itself -- a radiant, self-effulgent, human-like, super-intelligent being. Its very composition is Satchidananda in various subtle levels of manifestation. It is the finest of subatomic forms, on the quantum level. The soul form evolves as its consciousness evolves, becoming more and more refined until finally it is the same intensity or refinement as the Primal Soul, Parameshvara. See: atman, evolution of the soul, kosha, Parashakti, Parasiva, purusha, quantum, Satchidananda, spiritual unfoldment.

Soundless Sound: Paranada, the first vibration from which creation emanates. See: nada.

spasmodic: fitful, intermittent.

spinal: Relating to, or situated near the spine or spinal cord.

spinster: A middle aged or older woman who has never married.

spiritual unfoldment: Adhyatma vikasa. The unfoldment of the spirit, the inherent, divine soul of man. The very gradual expansion of consciousness as kundalini shakti slowly rises through the sushumna. The term spiritual unfoldment indicates this slow, imperceptible process, likened to a lotus flower's emerging from bud to effulgent beauty. Contrasted with development, which implies intellectual study; or growth, which implies character building and sadhana. Sound intellect and good character are the foundation for spiritual unfoldment, but they do not constitute unfoldment in themselves. When philosophical training and sadhana is complete, the kundalini rises safely and imperceptively, without jerks, twitches, tears or hot flashes, This brings greater willpower, compassion and perceptive qualities.

spleen: A large organ near the stomach that stores and filters blood. Psychically, the physical and astral spleen connect the subconscious with the superconscious, carrying negative vibrations out of the body and bringing in positive solar rays. The spleen is unique in that it is so large yet the body can live without it, unlike, for example, the liver. In its absence, other glands of the body will take over the spleen's physical functions, while its astral double continues its psychic functions.

sporadic: Scattered or isolated in occurrence. Happening, irregularly, unpredictably and infrequently.

Sri Chakra: The most well known yantra and a central image in Shakta worship. Consisting of nine interlocking triangles, it is the design of Siva-Shakti's multidimensional manifestations.

Srikantha (Shrikantha):A saint and philosopher (ca 1050) who promoted a Saivite theology which embraced monism and dualism. Founder of the Saiva school of Siva Advaita or Siva Vishishtadvaita, teaching a "Saivite qualified nondualism" resembling Ramanuja's Vaishnavite Vishishtadvaita. He was also known asNilakantha Sivacharya. See: Siva Advaita.

Srikumara (Shrikumara):Monistic Saiva Siddhanta philosopher (ca 1050) who refuted the Shankaran Vedanta doctrine of maya as illusion and expounded that Siva is both material cause (upadana karana) and efficient cause (nimitta karana).

Sri Rudram: "(Canticle) to the Wielder of Awesome Powers." Pre-eminent Vedic hymn to Lord Siva as the God of dissolution, chanted daily in Siva temples throughout India. It is in this long prayer, located in the Yajur Veda, Taittiriya Samhita, in the middle of the first three Vedas, that the Saivite mantra NamahSivaya first appears.

srishti: Creation, or emanation, represented by Siva Nataraja's upper right hand and the damaru (drum), upon which he beats Paranada, the Primal Sound from which issue forth the rhythms and cycles of creation.

shruti:That which is "heard." Hinduism's revealed scriptures, of supreme theological authority and spiritual value. They are timeless teachings transmitted to rishis, or seers, directly by God thousands of years ago. Shruti is thus said to be apaurusheya, "impersonal" or, rather, "suprahuman." Shruti consists of the Vedas and the Agamas, preserved through oral tradition and eventually written down in Sanskrit. Among the many sacred books of the Hindus, these two bodies of knowledge are held in the highest esteem. See: Agama, smriti, Veda.

stagnant: Not flowing or moving; not active or alert; sluggish; foul from lack of movement.

stamina: Physical or mental endurance; resistence to fatigue or illness.

stampede: A sudden mad rush of a crowd of people or animals.

stereotype: An unvarying form or pattern; a fixed conventional and oversimplified notion or opinion widely held about a subject, such as an ethnic group, that ignores unique distinctions and subtleties.

sthula sharira: "Gross body." See: sharira.

stimulants: Drugs that temporarily arouse or accelerate physiological or organic activity. Certain drugs are capable of stimulating psychic experiences, often with unpleasant consequences.

stimulus: Incentive, something that rouses to action.

stratum: A section or layer of something.

stri dharma: "Womanly conduct." See: dharma.

subatomic: Of the inner parts of atoms; anything smaller than an atom.

subconscious mind: Samskara chitta. See: conscience, mind (five states).

sublimate: To refine, lift into something higher, purify. Channeling instinctive energies into more refined expression. Originally, to purify or refine by subliming, changing a substance directly from a solid to a gaseous state, bypassing the liquid state. See: ojas, tejas, transmutation, yoni.

sublime: Exalted, noble, majestic. Inspiring awe or reverence.

subliminal:Below the threshold of consciousness or apprehension, such as an attitude of which one is not aware. Subconscious. See: mind (five states).

submission: Yielding to the power of another. Compliance; meekness.

Subramuniyaswami:Rg;gpuKdpaRthkp Author of this book, 162nd satguru (1927 -- 2001) of the Nandinatha Sampradaya's Kailasa Parampara. He was ordained Sivaya Subramuniyaswami by Sage Yogaswami on the full-moon day of May 12, 1949, in Jaffna, Sri Lanka, at 6:21PM. This was just days after he had attained nirvikalpa samadhi in the caves of Jalani. The name Subramuniya is a Tamil spelling of the Sanskrit Shubhramunya (not to be confused with Subramanya). It is formed from shubhra meaning "light; intuition," and muni, "silent sage." Ya means "restraint; religious meditation." Thus, Subramuniya means a self-restrained soul who remains silent or, when he speaks, speaks out from intuition.

Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami is recognized worldwide as one of foremost Hindu ministers of our times, contributing to the revival of Hinduism in immeasurable abundance. He was simultaneously a staunch defender of traditions, as the tried and proven ways of the past, and a fearless innovator, setting new patterns of life for contemporary humanity. For a brief biography of this remarkable seer and renaissance guru, see About the Author on page 909.

subside: To become less active or less intense. To abate.

substratum: "Layer underneath." In philosophy, the substance or underlying force which is the foundation of any and all manifestation: Satchidananda. See: Parashakti, Satchidananda, tattva.

subsubconscious mind: Vasana chitta ("mind of subliminal traits"). The area of the subconscious mind formed when two thoughts or experiences of the same rate of intensity sent into the subconscious at different times intermingle and give rise to a new and totally different rate of vibration. This subconscious formation later causes the external mind to react to situations according to these accumulated vibrations, be they positive, negative or mixed.

subsuperconscious mind: Anukarana chitta. See: mind, tattvas.

subtle: So slight as to be difficult to detect; elusive; delicate. Not obvious.

subtle body: Sukshma sharira, the nonphysical, astral body or vehicle in which the soul encases itself to function in the Antarloka, or subtle world. The subtle body includes the pranamaya, manomaya and vijnana-maya koshas if the soul is physically embodied. It consists of only manomaya and vijnanamaya after death, when pranamaya kosha disintegrates. And it consists of only vijnanamaya kosha when manomaya kosha is dropped off just before rebirth or when higher evolutionary planes are entered. Also part of the subtle body are the antahkarana (mental faculty: intellect, instinct and ego -- buddhi, manas and ahamkara), the five jnanendriyas (agents of perception: hearing, touch, sight, taste and smell); and the five karmendriyas (agents of action: speech, grasping, movement, excretionand generation). See: jiva, kosha.

succumb: To give in to an overpowering force; give up, yield, surrender.

shuddha: "Pure."

shuddha avastha: "Stage of purity." (Tamil: avasthai.) In Saiva Siddhanta, the last of three stages of evolution, in which the soul is immersed in Siva. Self Realization having been attained, the mental body is purified and thus reflects the divine soul nature, Siva's nature, more than in the kevala or sakala state. Now the soul continues to unfold through the stages of realization, and ultimately merges back into its source, the Primal Soul. See: avastha, evolution of the soul, kevala avastha, sakala avastha, vishvagrasa.

Shuddha Saiva Siddhanta: "Pure Saiva Siddhanta," a term first used by Tirumular in the Tirumantiram to describe his monistic Saiva Siddhanta and distinguish it from pluralistic Siddhanta and other forms of Siddhanta that do not encompass the ultimate monism of Vedanta.

shuddhavidya: "Pure Knowledge." The fifth tattva in the Saiva Siddhanta system. See: tattva.

sukarma: See: karma.

sulk: To withdraw into silent resentment or ill humor.

summation: Adding up to a total, summing up. Reaching a high point.

Sundaranathar: Original name of Natha Siddha Tirumular before he trekked to South India from the Himalayas. See: Tirumular.

shunya: "The void, the distinctionless Absolute."

superconscious mind: Karana chitta. See: mind (five states), mind (three phases), Satchidananda, tattva.

superficial: Shallow; on the surface; not substantial.

supernatural: Beyond or transcending the natural laws of the physical cosmos. Of or relating to an order of existence beyond the visible universe, referring to events, agencies or knowledge superseding or mystically explaining the laws of nature. See: mysticism, shamanism.

supernova: A rare and extremely brilliant new star (nova) that suddenly increases up to a billion times in brightness and then diminishes over a period of months or years.

supersede: To cause to be set aside, especially to displace as inferior.

superstition: A belief or practice not supported by experience or reason.

supplicate (supplication): To ask for, beg humbly. To earnestly pray for.

suppressed: Subdued; ended forcibly. Kept from being revealed; inhibited. Deliberately hidden from awareness, such as with unacceptable desires or thoughts.

suppression: Desires, thoughts or memories consciously excluded or hidden from awareness. Related to repression, in which similar desires, etc., are hidden away in a completely subconscious manner.

supreme: Highestin rank, power, authority.

Supreme God: Highest God, the source or creator of all other Gods, beings and all manifestation.

Surya: "Sun." One of the principal Divinities of the Vedas, also prominent in the epics and Puranas. Saivites revere Surya, the Sun God, each morning as Siva Surya. Smartas and Vaishnavas revere the golden orb as Surya Narayana.

sushumna nadi: "Most gracious channel." Central psychic nerve current within the spinal column. See: kundalini, nadi, samadhi.

sushupti: "Deep sleep." A state more refined than the ordinary dream state, the perceptions of which are often too subtle to be remembered upon awakening. This is the state of visionary dreams. One of the four avasthas described in the Mandukya Upanishad. See: consciousness.

sutala: "Great abyss." Region of obsessive jealousy and retaliation. The third chakra below the muladhara, centered in the knees. Corresponds to the third astral netherworld beneath the earth's surface, called Samhata ("abandoned") or Sutala. See: chakra, hell, loka, Naraka.

svadhishthana: "One's own base." See: chakra.

svapna: Sanskrit word for dream, second of the four states of consciousness, waking, dreaming, deep sleep and "the fourth." See: avastha.

svarnasharira: The golden actinic body, which is formed after many experiences of Self Realization. See: vishvagrasa, anandamaya kosha.

svarnasharira vishvagrasa: The final merging with Siva where there exists no individual soul, only Siva. See: vishvagrasa.

Shvetashvatara Upanishad: An Upanishad of the Yajur Veda that emphasizes theism -- personal God and devotion -- and at the same time monism -- the unity of God, soul and world. It is valued as a major Upanishad, among the greatest panentheist writings, especially precious to Saivite schools. See: Upanishad, Veda.

swami: "Lord; owner; self-possessed."He who knows or is master of himself. A respectful title for a Hindu monk, usually a sannyasin, an initiated, orange-robed renunciate, dedicated wholly to religious life. As a sign of respect, the term swami is sometimes applied more broadly to include non-monastics dedicated to spiritual work.See: monk, sannyasa dharma, sannyasin.

symbolism: The representation of one thing by something else. For example, the damaru, drum,is a symbol of creation.

sympathetic nervous system: The part of the autonomic nervous system originating in the thoracic and lumbar regions of the spinal cord that in general inhibits or opposes the physiological effects of the parasympathetic nervous system, as in tending to reduce digestive secretions, speeding up the heart, and contracting blood vessels.

symptomatic: Indicative, showing the signs of a disease or a condition.

syndrome: Symptoms occurring together and characterizing a certain disease or condition.

syndrome: A pattern or set of characteristics or symptoms typifying a certain disease or condition.

synonymous: The same or similar in meaning.

synopsis: A brief outline or summary. An overview presentation.

synthesis: Here: the application of reason to reach a particular conclusion from general concepts; also the combination of ideas to form a new idea.

syphon: To draw off of, take away or channel from.

tact: Sensitivity to what is proper in dealing with others, including the ability to speak and act without offending.

tainted: Sullied, spoiled or stained. Morally corrupt or depraved.

Taittiriya Upanishad: A principal upanishad belonging to the Taittiriya Brahmana of the Yajur Veda, divided into three sections called valli(s). The first deals with phonetics and pronunciation, the second and third with Brahman and the attainment of bliss.

tala: "Plane or world; level; base, bottom; abyss." Root of the name of the seven realms of lower consciousness centered in the seven chakras below the muladhara chakra. See: chakra, hell, loka, Naraka.

talatala chakra: "Lower region." The fourth chakra below the muladhara, centered in the calves. Region of chronic mental confusion and unreasonable stubbornness. Corresponds to the fourth astral netherworld beneath the earth's surface, called Tamisra ("darkness") or Talatala. This state of consciousness is born of the sole motivation of self-preservation. See: chakra, loka, Naraka.

tamas(ic): "Force of inertia." Tamas is the most crude of the three gunas or fundamental cosmic qualities of nature as described in the SaMkhya system of philosophy -- tamas (inertia), rajas (activity) and sattva (illumination, purity). The tamaguna is the quality of denseness, inertia, contraction, resistance and dissolution.

tambura: (Hindi) A long-necked, four-stringed fretless lute that provides a drone accompaniment for a singer or instrumentalist.

Tamil: The ancient Dravidian language of the Tamils, a Caucasoid people of South India and Northern Sri Lanka, now living throughout the world. The official language of the state of Tamil Nadu, India.

Tamil Nadu: jkpH; ehL State in South India, 50,000 square miles, population 55 million. Land of countless holy scriptures, saints, sages and over 40,000 magnificent temples, including Chidambaram, Madurai, Palani Hills and Rameshvaram.

tandava: "Exuberant dance." Any vigorous dance sequence performed by a male dancer. There are many forms of tandava. Its prototype is Siva's dance of bliss, ananda tandava. The much softer feminine dance is called lasya, from lasa, "lively." Dance in general is nartana. See: Nataraja.

tangent: Irrelevant sidetrack.

tangible: That can be felt by touch; having actual form and substance; definite, objective, concrete.

tangled: Mixed together in a confused mass.

tantra: "Loom, methodology." 1) Most generally, a synonym for shastra, "scripture." 2) A synonym for the Agamic texts, especially those of the Shakta faith, a class of Hindu scripture providing detailed instruction on all aspects of religion, mystic knowledge and science. The tantras are also associated with the Saiva tradition. 3) A specific method, technique or spiritual practice within the Saiva and Shakta traditions. For example, pranayama is a tantra. Tantra generally involves a reversal of the normal flow of energies. Its perspective is that the inner self is most important and outer life is secondary. Tantra causes the life force to flow up through the sushumna. Many are the methods for overcoming the unsurmountable. Fallen into the hands of the unscrupulous, these techniques become black magic (abhichara). 4)Disciplines and techniques with a strong emphasis on worship of the feminine force, often involving sexual encounters, with the purported goal of transformation and union with the Divine. See: kundalini, sushumna nadi, tantric.

tantric (tantrika): 1) Adjectival to qualify practices prescribed in the Tantra traditions. 2) Referring to the methods of directing the subtle masculine/feminine, aggressive/passive energies that flow between men and women. 3) Also names a practitioner of any of the Tantratraditions. 4)Tantra has today come to commonly refer to sex-based spiritual practices developed in Hinduism (known as "left-handed tantra") and in other faiths, including Bon, Tibetan Buddhism, Taoism, Christianity, Judaism and the New Age. See: Shaktism, kundalini, raja yoga, tantra.

tapas: Also tapasya. "Warmth, heat," hence psychic energy, spiritual fervor or ardor. Austerity, asceticism, penance. State of accelerated unfoldment and working with the forces through spiritual practices. A state of humble submission to the divine forces and surrender to the processes of inner purification which occur almost automatically at certain stages. In the monastery, tapas is administered and guided by the guru. Denotes religious austerity, severe meditation, penance, bodily mortification, special observances; connotes spiritual purification and transformation as a "fiery process" that "burns up" impurities, ego, illusions and past karmas that obstruct God Realization.

tapasvin: One who performs tapas or is in the state of tapas.

tarry: To be slow to move on. To prolong a temporary stay.

Tatparyadipika: A commentary by Srikumara (ca 1100) on the Tattvaprakasha of Sri Bhojadeva Paramara (1018 -- 1060), a philosopher-king in Central India who expounded Saiva Siddhanta. Srikumara upheld the monistic basis of Bhojadeva's work, while later commentator Aghorasiva reinterpreted it in dualistic terms. See: Aghorasiva, Saiva Siddhanta.

tattva: "That-ness" or "essential nature." Tattvas are the primary principles, elements, states or categories of existence, the building blocks of the universe. Lord Siva constantly creates, sustains the form of and absorbs back into Himself His creations. Rishis describe this emanational process as the unfoldment of tattvas, stages or evolutes of manifestation, descending from subtle to gross. At mahapralaya, cosmic dissolution, they enfold into their respective sources, with only the first two tattvas surviving the great dissolution. The first and subtlest form -- the pure consciousness and source of all other evolutes of manifestation -- is called Siva tattva, or Parashakti-nada. But beyond Siva tattva lies Parasiva -- the utterly transcendent, Absolute Reality, called attava. That is Siva's first perfection. The Sankhya system discusses 25 tattvas. Saivism recognizes these same 25 plus 11 beyond them, making 36 tattvas in all. See: Resource 3, Charts, for full listing.

Tattva Prakasha: "Illumination of the categories." Text of 76 verses by the philosopher-king Bhoja Paramara which systematized and consolidated monistic Saiva Siddhanta in the 11th century.

taut: Pulled or drawn tight.

Tayumanavar: A Tamil Saiva yogi, devotional mystic and poet saint (ca 17th century) whose writings are a harmonious blend of philosophy and devotion. In his poem "Chinmayananda Guru," Tayumanavar places himself in the lineage of Rishi Tirumular. See: Tirumular.

tejas: "Brilliance, fire, splendor." Heat or fire, one of the five elements -- earth, water, fire, air, ether. Tejas also names the glow of tapas in the shining expression of the tapasvin. Tejas is increased through brahmacharya, control of the sexual energies by lifting the heat into the higher chakras. See: brahmacharya, ojas, tapas, transmutation, yoni.

temple: An edifice in a consecrated place dedicated to the worship of God or Gods. Hindus revere their temples as sacred, magical places in which the three worlds most consciously commune -- structures especially built and consecrated to channel the subtle spiritual energies of inner-world beings. The temple's psychic atmosphere is maintained through regular worship ceremonies (puja) invoking the Deity, who uses His installed image (murti) as a temporary body to bless those living on the earth plane. In Hinduism, the temple is the hub of virtually all aspects of social and religious life. It may be referred to by the Sanskrit terms mandira, devalaya (or Sivalaya, a Siva temple), as well as by vernacular terms such as koyil (Tamil). See:pilgrimage.

temporal: Referring to time; subject to time. Passing, existing only for a limited period.

temptation: Something tempting, enticing or alluring.

temptress: A deliberately alluring, enchanting woman.

tenacious: Holding firmly, not easily letting go. firm in purpose.

tenet: A principle, doctrine, or belief held as a truth.

tenuous: Long and thin; slender.

tenure: The length of time during which something is held or done.

thalamic: Pertaining to the thalamus, a large ovoid mass of gray matter situated in the front part of the forebrain that relays sensory impulses to the cerebral cortex. The pineal gland sits atop the thalamus.

That: When capitalized, this simple demonstrative pronoun refers uniquely to the Ultimate, Indescribable or Nameless Absolute. The Self God, Parasiva. It is the English equivalent of Tat, as in, Tat tvam asi, "You are That!"

theistic: The belief that God exists as a real, conscious, personal Supreme Being, creator and ruler of the universe. May also include belief in the Gods.

theology: The study of religious doctrines, specifically of the nature of God, soul and world. -- theologians: Those who study, are expert in or formulate theology.

Theosophy: The philosophy of an esoteric religious sect, the Theosophical Society, founded in 1875 by Russian mystic Madame Blavatsky and Colonel H.S. Olcott, incorporating aspects of Buddhism and Hinduism. It has greatly influenced all modern metaphysical movements.

Third World: Sivaloka, "realm of Siva," or Karanaloka. The spiritual realm or causal plane of existence wherein Mahadevas and highly evolved souls live in their own self-effulgent forms. See: Sivaloka, three worlds, loka.

thither: Toward that place; there. Farther.

thought forms: Manifestations of astral matter, or odic force, created within the aura of a person, which travel through astral space, or odic force fields, from one destination to another. They have the power to create, preserve, protect and destroy. They can also be seen, just as auras can be seen. A series of thought forms compose the intellect. See: astral plane, aura, odic force, intellect.

three worlds: The three worlds of existence, triloka, are the primary hierarchical divisions of the cosmos. 1) Bhuloka: "Earth world," the physical plane. 2) Antarloka: "Inner" or "in-between world," the subtle or astral plane. 3) Sivaloka: "World of Siva," and of the Gods and highly evolved souls; the causal plane, also called Karanaloka. See: chakra, loka, Naraka, tattva.

thyroid: A gland located in the throat which regulates physical growth and other vital functions. Psychically, it assists in the formation of habits and in maintaining mental balance. Regarded as the connecting link between spirit and personality, it has a tremendous influence over the nervous system and the emotions. It is associated with the vishuddha chakra.

timeless: Outside the condition of time, or not measurable in terms of time.

tinge: To tint or color slightly; a trace, color, odor, etc.

tirodhana shakti: "Concealing power." Veiling grace, or God's power to obscure the soul's divine nature. Tirodhana shakti is the particular energy of Siva that binds the three bonds of anava, karma, maya to the soul. It is a purposeful limiting of consciousness to give the opportunity to the soul to grow and mature through experience of the world. See: evolution of the soul, grace.

tirthayatra: "Journey to a holy place." Pilgrimage. See: pilgrimage.

tiru: "Sacred; holy." The exact Tamil equivalent of shri. Feminine is tirumati.

Tirukural: "Holy couplets." A treasury of Hindu ethical insight and a literary masterpiece of the Tamil language, written by Saiva Saint Tiruvalluvar (ca 200 BCE) near Chennai. See: Tiruvalluvar.

Tirumantiram: "Holy incantation." The Nandinatha Sampradaya's oldest Tamil scripture; written ca200 BCE by Rishi Tirumular. It is the earliest of the Tirumurai texts, and a vast storehouse of esoteric yogic and tantric knowledge. It contains the mystical essence of raja yoga and siddha yoga, and the fundamental doctrines of the 28 Saiva Siddhanta Agamas, which are the heritage of the ancient pre-historic traditions of Saivism. See: Tirumurai, Tirumular.

Tirumular: An illustrious siddha yogi and rishi of the Nandinatha Sampradaya's Kailasa Parampara who came from the Himalayas (ca 200 BCE) to Tamil Nadu to compose the Tirumantiram. In this scripture he recorded the tenets of Saivism in concise and precise verse form, based upon his own realizations and the supreme authority of the Saiva Agamas and the Vedas. Tirumular was a disciple of Maharishi Nandinatha. See: Tirumantiram, Kailasa Parampara, Vedanta.

Tirumurai: "Holy script." A twelve-book collection of hymns and writings of South Indian Saivite saints, compiled by Saint Nambiyandar Nambi (ca 1000).

Tirunavukarasu:See: Appar.

Tiruvalluvar: "Holy weaver." Tamil weaver and householder saint (ca 200 BCE) who wrote the classic Saivite ethical scripture Tirukural. He lived with his wife, Vasuki, famed for her remarkable loyalty and virtues, near modern-day Chennai. There a memorial park, the Valluvar Kottam, enshrines his extraordinary verses in marble. See: Tirukural.

Tiruvasagam: "Holy Utterances." The lyrical Tamil scripture by Saint Manikkavasagar (ca 850). Considered one of the most profound and beautiful devotional works in the Tamil language, it discusses every phase of the spiritual path, from doubt and anguish to perfect faith in God Siva, from earthly experience to the guru-disciple relationship and freedom from rebirth. See: Manikkavasagar, Tirumurai.

tithe (tithing): In Sanskrit, dashamamsha, and makimai in the Tamil tradition. The spiritual discipline, often a vrata, of giving one tenth of one's gainful and gifted income to a religious organization of one's choice, thus sustaining spiritual education and upliftment on Earth. Tithing is given not as an offering, but as "God's money."

trance: In spiritualism, trance names the phenomenon in which a medium leaves his physical body, and a disincarnate being enters or takes control of the body, often giving forth verbal messages to others in attendance, as in a seance. See: samadhi.

tranquil: Quiet, peaceful.

transcend: To surpass or go beyond the limits of, e.g., "to transcend one's ego." Philosophically, to go beyond the material world, or more profoundly, beyond time, form and space into the Absolute, the Self God.

transcendent: Surpassing the limits of experience or manifest form. In Saiva Siddhanta, a quality of God Siva as Absolute Reality, Parasiva, the Self. Distinguished from immanent. See: Parasiva.

transcribe: To make a full written copy.

transgress: To overstep or break a law or ethical principle.

transition: A passing from one state, condition or place to another. A synonym of death that implies, more correctly, continuity of the individual rather than annihilation. See: death.

translucent: Clear, lucid; letting light pass through but causing sufficient diffusion to prevent perception of distinct images; partially transparent.

transmigration: Reincarnation, the repeated rebirth of the soul in a succession of human bodies.

transmutation: Change from one form to another. Here, changing or transforming the sexual/instinctive energies into intellectual and spiritual ones. Transmutation means to reverse the forces that constantly flow from the sahasrara downward into the muladhara. It is lifting the force of sexual impulses that would tend to manifest in visualization, longing for affection and sensual feelings, often leading to masturbation and loss of the sacred fluids. One exception, for both men and women, is the occurrence of wet dreams, for here the astral, psychic vitality of the actinodic rises as the odic fluids are released. However, night emissions are to be controlled and may be minimized or eliminated by taking only liquid or light foods in the evening.

Swami Sivananda discusses wet dreams in his Yoga Lessons for Children, chapter 36 on brahmacharya: "Many young boys and men suffer from wet dreams. Sri Aurobindo states that an occurrence once a week is normal. To have it more frequently indicates indulgence in sex thoughts." Sivananda advises a sattvic diet, rising early (as wet dreams usually occur in the last quarter of the night), cold showers, hatha yoga, fresh fruit and raw foods, and not going to bed right after a heavy meal. He writes, "The actual essence does not come out during wet dreams. It is only the watery prostatic juice, with a little semen. When nocturnal emission takes place, the mind which was working in the inner astral body suddenly enters the physical body vehemently in an agitated condition. That is the reason why emission takes place suddenly." He concludes, "Do not get depressed or anxious. It is best not to give too much importance to these dreams. Forget them, then they will not trouble you."

Monks enhance transmutation by not eating after high noon, not viewing pornography, not mentally conjuring up sexually stimulating images, never joking or talking about sexuality and, of course, not flirting or interacting sensually with women or men. If sexual energies are aroused or one has erred from his disciplines, he performs the appropriate penance (such as fasting) or tantra (such as pranayama) to correct the matter. The Tirumantiram (verse 1948) states, "If the sacred seed is retained, life does not ebb; great strength, energy, intelligence and alertness: all these are attained." See: celibacy, ojas, tejas, yoni.

traumatic: Shocking, emotionally or physically; leaving a lasting, sometimes neurotic, effect.

traverse: To travel or pass across, over or through. To move to and fro over; cross and recross.

treasure-trove: A discovery of great value.

treatise: An article or book which systematically discusses a subject.

triple bondage: See: mala, pasha.

Trishula:A three-pronged spear or trident wielded by Lord Siva and certain Saivite ascetics. Symbolizes God's threefundamental shaktis or powers -- icchha (desire, will, love), kriya (action) and jnana (wisdom).

Truth: When capitalized, ultimate knowing which is unchanging. Lower case (truth): correctness, according with fact, honesty, integrity; virtue.

tumult: Uproar, disturbance; agitation, confusion.

turbulent: Violently agitated. Marked by turmoil or wildly irregular motions.

turiya: "The fourth." The superconscious state beyond waking, dreaming and deep sleep. One of the four states of consciousness, avasthas, described in the Mandukya Upanishad. See: consciousness.

turmeric: A plant of India, Curcuma longa, of the ginger family whose powdered rhyzome is a prized seasoning and yellow dye. It has rich ayurvedic properties, is used in holy ritual and serves also to make kunkuma.

turmoil: Extreme commotion, uproar, confusion.

twitch: A sudden involuntary movement.

tyaga: "Letting go, detachment, renunciation." Described in the Bhagavad Gita as the basic principle of karma yoga, detachment from the fruits of one's actions. See: sannyasa.

ubiquitous: Being or seeming to be everywhere at the same time.

udana:"Ascending breath." One of the body's five somatic currents of vital energy, or prana. See: prana.

Ugrajyoti:Kashmiri guru of Sadyojyoti, proponent of Siddhanta philosophical views. See: Sadyojyoti.

ultimate: final, last. -- Ultimate Reality: final, highest Truth. God Siva's Absolute Reality, Parasiva.

umbilical cord: The cord connecting a fetus to its mother, or a like source of support or sustenance.

unambiguous: Clear, doubtless, certain.

unbearable: Intolerable due to being unpleasant, distasteful or painful.

unbidden: Not invited, unasked for.

uncanny: Mysterious, strange, weird; remarkable, extraordinary, as if of supernatural origin.

uncomely: Unattractive, ugly, unpleasant.

unconscious: Lacking conscious awareness, thought or control.

unconventional: Out of the ordinary, not normal.

undertaker: One who handles funerals as a profession.

unencumbered: Without a heavy load or burden. Unhindered in an action.

unequivocal: Admitting of no doubt or misunderstanding; clear and unambiguous.

unfathomable: Of immeasurable depth; difficult or impossible to understand or measure.

unfettered: Free of bonds or restrictions.

unfold: To open gradually, especially in stages. See: spiritual unfoldment.

unholy: Wicked; immoral.

unmana: "Ecstatic; trans-mental." The seventh and highest of the seven chakras, or nadi conglomerates, above and within the sahasrara chakra. See: chakras above sahasrara.

unmanifest: Not evident or perceivable. Philosophically, akin to transcendent. Siva is unmanifest in His formless perfection, Parasiva. See: formless.

upadesha: "Advice; religious instruction." Often given in question-and-answer form from guru to disciple. The satguru's spiritual discourses.

upadeshi: A liberated soul who chooses to teach, actively helping others to the goal of liberation. Contrasted with nirvani. See: nirvani and upadeshi.

Upanishad: "Sitting near devotedly." The fourth and final portion of the Vedas, expounding the secret, philosophical meaning of the Vedic hymns. The Upanishads are a collection of profound texts which are the source of Vedanta and have dominated Indian thought for thousands of years. They are philosophical chronicles of rishis expounding the nature of God, soul and cosmos, exquisite renderings of the deepest Hindu thought. See: shruti, Veda, Vedanta.

vacillation: Indecisiveness, constantly changing from one focus of attention to another.

vacuum: A state of emptiness; a void.

vaikhari vak: "The faculty of speech." See: vak.

Vaikuntha: "Vishnu's heaven." See: Vaishnavism.

vairagya: "Dispassion; aversion." Freedom from passion. Distaste or disgust for worldliness because of spiritual awakening and the constant renunciation of obstacles on the path to liberation. See: sannyasa.

Vaishnavism (Vaishnava):One of the four major religions, or denominations of Hinduism, representing roughly half of the world's one billion Hindus. It gravitates around the worship of Lord Vishnu as Personal God, His incarnations and their consorts. The doctrine of avatara(He who descends), especially important to Vaishnavism, teaches that whenever adharma gains ascendency in the world, God takes a human birth to reestablish "the way." The most renowned avataras were Rama and Krishna. Vaishnavism stresses the personal aspect of God over the impersonal, and bhakti (devotion) as the true path to salvation. The goal of Vaishnavism is the attainment of mukti, defined as blissful union with God's body, the loving recognition that the soul is a part of Him, and eternal nearness to Him in Vaikuntha, heaven.

vak: "Speech." Theologically, it is through the supreme Vak (or Paravak), the "Primal Word" of the Vedas, and its various aspects, that creation issues forth.

valipadu: Ritual temple worship. See: puja

Vallabhacharya (Vallabhacharya): "Beloved teacher." Vaishnava saint (ca 1475-1530) whose panentheistic Shuddha Advaita (pure nondualism) philosophy became the essential teaching of the nonascetic Vaishnava sect that bears his name. The sect is strongest in Gujarat. See: Vedanta.

valor: Marked courage or bravery.

Varanasi (Varanasi):Also known as Kasi (Kashi)orBanaras(Banaras). One of the most holy of Saivite cities, and among the oldest cities in the world. Located in North India on the Ganges River. Hindus consider it highly sanctifying to die in Kasi,revering it as a gateway to moksha.

vasana: "Abode." Subconscious inclinations. From vas, "dwelling, residue, remainder." The subliminal inclinations and habit patterns which, as driving forces, color and motivate one's attitudes and future actions. Vasanas are the conglomerate results of subconscious impressions (samskaras) created through experience. Samskaras, experiential impressions, combine in the subconscious to form vasanas, which thereafter contribute to mental fluctuations, called vritti. The most complex and emotionally charged vasanas are found in the dimension of mind called the subsubconscious, or vasana chitta. See: samskara, mind (five states), vasana daha tantra, vritti.

vasana chitta:"Mind of subliminal traits." The subsubconscious mind. See: mind (five states).

vasana daha tantra: "Purification of the subconscious by fire." Daha means burning, tantra is a method, and vasanas are deep-seated subconscious traits or tendencies that shape one's attitudes and motivations. Vasanas can be either positive or negative. One of the best methods for resolving difficulties in life, of dissolving troublesome vasanas, the vasana daha tantra is the practice of burning confessions, even long letters to loved ones or acquaintances, describing pains, expressing confusions and registering grievances and long-felt hurts. Writing down problems and burning them in any ordinary fire brings them from the subconscious into the external mind, releasing the suppressed emotion as the fire consumes the paper. It is a magical healing process. See: vasana.

Vasishtha (Vasishtha):Disciple of Maharishi Nandikesvara (Nandinatha) (ca 250 BCE) along with Patanjali and Vyaghrapada (as recorded in Panini's book of grammar). Also the name of several other famous sages, including the rishi attributed with composing the hymns of the Rig Veda's seventh mandala, another who plays a central role in the epics and certain Puranas and Upanishads, and a third famous sage who expounds the ancient yogic wisdom to Lord Rama in the 29,000-verse Yoga Vasishtha.

Vasugupta: Celebrated preceptor (ca 800) whose finding of the Siva Sutras catalyzed the reemergence of the ancient Kashmir Saiva tradition. It issaid that he discovered the 77 sutras carved in a rock on Mahadeva mountain after a visionary dream in which Lord Siva told him of their location. The sacred rock, named Shankarpal, is revered to this day. See: Kashmir Saivism.

vata: "Fluctuation." Vayu, "wind, air-ether." One of the three bodily humors, called dosha, vata is the air humor. Principle of circulation in the body. Vata dosha governs such functions as breathing and movement of the muscles and tissues. See: ayurveda, dosha.

Veda: "Wisdom." Sagely revelations which comprise Hinduism's most authoritative scripture. They, along with the Agamas, are shruti, that which is "heard." The Vedas are a body of dozens of holy texts known collectively as the Veda, or as the four Vedas: Rig, Yajur, Sama and Atharva. In all they include over 100,000 verses, as well as additional prose. The knowledge imparted by the Vedas ranges from earthy devotion to high philosophy. Each Veda has four sections: Samhitas (hymn collections), Brahmanas (priestly manuals), Aranyakas (forest treatises) and Upanishads (enlightened discourses). The Samhitas and Brahmanas (together known as the karmakanda, "ritual section") affirm a transcendent-immanent Supreme-Being cosmology and a system of worship through fire ceremony and chanting devotional hymns to establish communication with the Gods. The Aranyakas and Upanishads (the jnanakanda, "knowledge section") outline the soul's evolutionary journey, providing yogic-philosophic training and propounding a lofty, nondual realization as the destiny of all souls. The oldest portions of the Vedas are thought by some to date back as far as 6,000 BCE, written down in Sanskrit in the last few millennia, making them the world's most ancient scriptures. See: shruti, Upanishad.

Vedanta: "Ultimate wisdom" or "final conclusions of the Vedas." Vedanta is the system of thought embodied in the Upanishads (ca 1500-600 BCE), which give forth the ultimate conclusions of the Vedas. Through history there developed numerous Vedanta schools, ranging from pure dualism to absolute monism. The Vedanta perspective elucidated in Merging with Siva is Advaita Ishvaravada, "monistic theism" or panentheism, exemplified in the Vedanta-Siddhanta of Rishi Tirumular (ca 250 BCE) of the Nandinatha Sampradaya in his Tirumantiram, which is a perfect summation of both the Vedas and the Agamas. See: dvaita-advaita, monistic theism.

Vedic-Agamic:Simultaneously drawing from and complying with both of Hinduism's revealed scriptures (shruti), Vedas and Agamas, which represent two complimentary, intertwining streams of history and tradition. The difference between Siddhanta and Vedanta is traditionally described in the way that while the Vedas represent man looking for God, the Agamas hold the perspective of God looking to help man. This is reflected in the fact that while the Vedas are voiced by rishis, God or the Goddess is the bestower of truth in the Agama texts. See: grace, shruti.