GLOSSARY OF SANSKRIT TERMS

Ad’herma – injustice.

Adhara-Shakti – Power of Conception.

Adhera-Sacti – see above.

Adho-mukham – lower face, i.e., the yoni.

Amba, Nabbi and Argha – three terms used for the cup-shaped vessel used in ritual worship.

Ardnari – Brahma portrayed as an androgynous being, in his dual aspect.

Argha – lit. 'worth or worship.' It has been connected to arghya, viz. 'the libation cup, the navi-form, or boat-shaped vessel in which flowers and fruit are offered to the gods, and libations of water are made.' Sellon may not have been the first to make the connection between argha and the Argo of the Greek myths (possibly through Arka = the female principle) but was certainly the inspiration for all who followed on from him, including Mme. Blavatsky, Hargrave Jennings, and Gerald Massey.

Argha-Nautha – 'Lord of the boat-shaped vessel'.

Arjuna – the hero of the Bhagavad Gita, and the disciple of Krishna.

Aswattha – sacred fig-tree.

Avantaras –Lesser incarnation.

Avatar – Greater incarnation, especially of the gods and goddesses in whatever form they appear.

Bahurdurs – Heroes, i.e., men who have been divinely endowed.

Basewarra-Linga – a name given to the masculine symbol when it was first ritually worshipped.

Bhaga – divine or illustrious, a euphemism for the feminine part.

Bhagamala – the goddess of the vulva when deified.

Bhagavad-Gita – lit. 'divine song', a portion of the Mahabharata, containing the dialogue between Arjuna and Krishna.

Bhairavas – the men in a mixed society.

Bhanravis – the women in a mixed society.

Bhâva – lit. becoming, from the root 'bhu,' to become. It represents one of the twelve Nidânas of Buddhism.

Bhavani – Devi, or the Goddess in her benign aspect. Her worshippers recite the following in her honour: 'Bhavani is Life; Bhavani is Death; Bhavani is All!'

Bhayanana – one of the names of Maha Kali. It is the same as Phoebe (Φοιβη)

Bowanee – var. Bhowani, Bhowanee, etc. See Bhavani.

Brahm/Brahmâ – the supreme god of the triad, the pervading divine principle of the universe. As Trimurti, he represents the Creator, Vishnu, the Preserver, and Shiva, the Destroyer.

Brahm Atma – the breathing soul.

Brahminee – a follower of Brahmâ.

Brahmins – members of the priestly caste.

Cada – bracelet.

Camala – the Hindu Venus.

Deva/devas – god/gods, lit. divine.

Devatas – angels.

Dewal – temple.

Dewtas – evil spirits?

Dhobee – a woman of undistinguished caste used in worship.

Dhutas – a male demon.

Diksha – rite of initiation.

Dippa – cup.

Dun – an alternative word for yogini.

Durga – a Goddess, devoted to Krishna.

Dutica – an alternative word for yogini.

Gantha – sacred bell.

Ghaut/ghats – a 'high place.'

Ghoculasthas – a sect of the Vaishnavas.

Gopala – shepherd.

Gopia – shepherdesses or milkmaids.

Gumuki – bag.

Gunas – qualities or characteristics. There are three, according to Sankhya philosphy, that pervade all nature, termed the Trigunas: sattva, rajas, tamas, which see.

Havela – a house.

Heri – a sect of Vishnu.

Huli – a festival.

Iswara/Isvara – lit. 'Supreme Lord'.

Jagan’nauth/Juggernaut – lit. 'Lord of the Universe'.

Jari – spouted vessel for lustral water.

Julies – bodices.

Kali – lit. 'black female or goddess,' black, being her natural attribute, she is more often associated with dissolution and destruction, hence kali-yuga = black time or period. The name itself can be derived from kal, kohl, etc, the latter being the natural repository of stibium used by the native women for dyeing the eyebrows and lashes, hence our English 'coal'. As a goddess, she is depicted in various aspects of Durga, usually associated with bloodshed and death. Goats in Bengal used to be sacrificed in her name during kali-puja, or Kali worship.

Kalyanaga – evil demons.

Kampkab - gold brocade.

Kaulas – worshippers who partake of the Sri Chakra, often informally representative of the Vamacharis.

Kranch – horn?

Krishna – one of the names of the great teachers of India, classed as an Avatara. His death in 3102 BC marked the onset of the kali-yuga, or dark age. Gerald Massey and others equate him with Osiris (Horus) and Christ.

Lakshmi – the Hindu Venus. Her name means 'prosperity,' 'success,' etc.

Lakshmi-Nayarana – a goddess worshipped by the Vaishnavas.

Langi – bodice.

Linga/lingam – the phallus as sacred object of Shiva, the masculine force.

Lingam-Puja – worship of the masculine power represented by the phallus.

Lingayats – adorers of the Krishna (Vishnu) lingam.

Lingayetts – as above.

Ling-yonijas/Linyonijas – worshippers of the phallus and yoni.

Madya – wine.

Maha Kali – lit. 'great Kali.'

Maha-deva/Mahadeva – lit. 'great goddess.'

Mahamaya – lit. 'great illusion.'

Maithuna – women (more properly, those used in ritual worship).

Makaras – the five m's required in ritual worship; matsya, maithuna, madya, mamsa and mudra. See also mamsa, matsya, madya, maithuna and mudra.

Mala – rosary.

Mamsa – flesh.

Mantapam – imagine.

Mantras – incantations, or more properly, magical incantations.

Matsya – fish.

Maya – lit. illusion.

Meru – 'Navel of the Earth'.

Meru-pargwette (Pawati) – an upright stone or column representing this goddess worshipped in Ceylon.

Mudra – mystical gesticulations with the fingers.

Murti – lit. form.

Nandi – bull of Shiva.

Nautch/nautches – dancing girl (s).

Nayikas – the women in a mixed society.

Padma – lotus.

Panchaty – five lamps.

Parameswarra – a form of Nandi. 'Para' means beyond, far, distant.

Parvati – the goddess.

Pasu jana – without the qualities of men, or mere brutes.

Pavati – see Parvati.

Prakriti – philosophically considered, the originating substance from which the manifested universe is formed. Or, consciousness in its undiluted aspect.

Puja – lit. worship.

Puranas – lit. the ancients. A collection of eighteen sacred texts (symbolical, mythological and allegorical).

Purnabisheka – the Ring or Full Initiation.

Radha – an incarnation of Lakshmi.

Radhaballabhis – worshippers of Radha.

Radhica – the favourite Mistress of Krishna.

Rajas (passion) – one of the gunas, representing the quality of activity. In mystical terms, often symbolical of blood, or rather the principles contained in blood which is its outer representative (sometimes attributed to the menses).

Ramani – a sect of the Vaishnavas.

Rukmeni – wife of Krishna.

Sangameswarra Lingam – the great phallus from which Shiva emerged with Parvati.

Sattva (purity) – one of the gunas, representing 'goodness.'

Scruti – lit. scripture.

Sena – another name for yogini.

Shaiva – see Shiva.

Shakta h’oma vidhi – the principles of Shakti worship.

Shaktas – worshippers of Shakti.

Shakteyas – worshippers of Shakti.

Shakti – var. Sacti, Sakti, Ŝakti, etc., lit. power. The Supreme Goddess of the Tantras. She is divided into six kinds, thus:

1. Parashakti – the great force or power.
2. Jnanashakti – the power of intellect.
3. Ichchhashakti – the power of the will.
4. Kriyashakti – the power of thought or creative thinking.
5. Kundalini Shakti – the power residing within at the base of the spine. (It is significant to note here that Sellon does not touch on the Kundalini at all, possibly because he was unacquainted with the material and ignorant of its existence. That it is a major branch of Tantrism cannot be denied.)
6. Mantrikashakti – the power of speech, or rather the power of sound through the formation of certain syllables. See Mantras.

Shakti – when written without caps it means power, in a general sense.

Shakti Sadhana – the worship or devotion of/to Shakti.

Shiva/Siva – the third aspect of the Trimurti, representing it destructive powers. It is said that the world is liable to dissolve should Shiva close his eyes, meaning the withdrawal of consciousness to its source. His dance represents the interplay of the various aspects of the universe.

Sri Chakra – the ring or full initiation.

Tamas (darkness) – one of the gunas, the quality of passivity, or inertia.

Tantra – lit. rite or ritual.

Tantras – As writings, they comprise the esoteric customs and rituals of the various Hindu sects, often of a sexual nature, but mostly written in a symbolical manner.

Tantrika – the magical practises of Tantrism, more specifically in a ritual setting.

Thugees – the violent worshippers of Kali who worship her with bloody rites, now used in a general sense for thugs.

Trimurti – lit. three forms. Used for Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.

Tulasi – the black ocymum sacred to Krishna.

Uchchishtha Ganapati – or Hairamba sect.

Uma – a form of Shiva.

Upervastra – gold.

Vahan – vehicle.

Vaidika – one of the twofold aspects of Scripture.

Vaishnavas – followers of Vishnu.

Vamacharis – lit. left-hand path, i.e. those devoted to the worship of the goddess Shakti in her natural female embodiment who sits to the left of the practitioner.

Vanis – a sect who worship Shakti.

Vedanta – lit. end of all knowledge. One of the six philosophical systems of knowledge.

Vedas – a collection of Sanskrit writings often considered the most ancient therefore the most sacred. They form the foundation of Hindu philosophy.

Vedhs – emblem.

Viras – the men in a mixed society.

Vishnu – the second aspect of the Trimurti. He is representative of the sustaining force in the universe that binds everything, and keeps everything in its place, hence he is termed the Preserver.

Viweswarra – a form of Shiva worshipped in Benares.

Yogi – a practitioner of yoga, of what ever level of attainment.

Yoginis/yogini – lit. attached. A young women used in the rites of the Kaulas.

Yojanas – (a distance).

Yoni — the feminine creative principle. In human terms represented by the vulva; in cosmic terms the point of origin of the universe, hence jagad-yoni = source of the world. Yoni as a noun = holder, from the root yu, whence yoke, to bind, fasten, etc, as in yoga = binding back together. It is also used indiscriminately to mean home, womb, hearth, birthplace, source, origin, seat, but mainly the female organ of generation. (Any natural object similar in appearance to the yoni was believed to be a representation of it. Thus, an egg, clefts in stones, shells – particularly cowrie shells – fissures, etc. were deemed holy, whereas any man-made symbol sufficed, i.e. inverted triangle (representative of the pubes), black circle, dark hole, etc., and ultimately the Sri Chakra and its innermost triangle.)

Yônidja/Yonijas – worshippers of the yoni.