darsan (pronounced darshan) literally `view' or `sight of' referring to 
audience with a deity. 
Darsanas writings of the six philosophical schools of Hindu religious 
thought. 
deva male deity; literally `shining one'. 
devi female deity. 
dharma what is right for the self, the class and caste, society and the
umverse. 
Dharma Sastras (pronounced Dharma Shastras) Law Books forming part of the
scriptures of Hinduism. 
Divall Hindu festival.
Durga Hindu Goddess, one of the enenry forms of Siva. 
Dussehra Hindu festival.
dvandva dualities; pairs of opposites.
dvija twice-born, referring to those of the three classes of Brahmins, 
Ksatriyas and Vaisyas who undergo initiation into the Hindu 
religion at a sacred ceremony.
Ganesh Hindu God of Good Fortune.
Ganesh 
Chaturhi Hindu festival. 
garbagriha literally `womb-house', the central part of a temple where the 
main deity is enshrined. 
gauna the ceremony marking the departure of a bride for the home 
of her new husband. 
gopis cowherdesses. 
gramadevatas village deities. 
grhastha person at the second of the four stages of life, the stage of 
the householder. 
gunas the three qualities or strands (like the strands of a rope), sattva, rajas, and tamas, which constitute all life. 
guru enlightened spiritual teacher. 
Hanuman monkey general who rescued Sita from the demon Ravan in 
the Ramayan, now deified. 
havan an offering of Fire in Hindu worship. 
Holi Hindu festival. 
Indra Vedic god of storm and thunder who was also king of the 
gods. 
ista-devata (pronounced ishta devata) chosen deity. 
Isvara (pronounced Ishvara) Lord, the term used of God in manifest 
form. 
Itihasas scriptures which convey historical and mythcilogical sagas and 
tales. 
jati birth and the caste system.
jivatman the personality self. 
jnana intuitive knowledge. 
jnana marga the path of knowledge. 
jutha the `left-overs' of food offered to a deity, the deity having 
extracted the essence of the food. 
kalas (pronounced kalash) brass pot containing water, representative 
of a goddess. 
Kali Goddess characterized by ferocious appearance. 
kama pleasure, particularly sexual pleasure. 
karma literally `action' but also the theory of cause and effect i.e. action 
and reaction. 
karma marga the path of egoless action. 
katcha poor quality, impure food. 
kirtan hymn in praise of a deity. 
Krisna (pronounced Krishna) Hindu deity who is an incarnation of 
the great God Visnu.
Kritna
Janamastami Hindu festival.
Ksatriya (pronounced Kshatriya) person belonging to the second of the 
four Hindu classes of society, traditionally a warrior, ruler or 
administrator.
Laksman (pronounced Lakshman) the brother of Ram in the Ramayan. 
Laksmi (pronounced Lakshmi) female goddess of Fortune and consort 
of Visnu, sometimes called Sri.
linga phallic symbol associated with the God Siva.
loka place; realm, as the deva loka, the realm of the gods. 
Mahabharat Hindu epic scripture.
Mahadeva Great God', one of the names of the deity Siva. 
Mahadevi `Great Goddess', the Mother Goddess of Hinduism. 
Mahasivatri (pronounced Mahashivatri) Hindu festival.
mandal Hindu temple which can also be used for socio-cultural purposes.
mandap/mandva the canopy under which a wedding ceremony takes place. 
mandir a Hindu temple. 
mantra sacred syllables or sounds which contain in their essence divine 
cosmic power.
mata mother, a compound often used in the names of female goddesses.
maya illusion, particularly the illusion of the transient, impermanent, phenomenal world.
mehndi long-lasting pattern made with henna dye on thc hands of a 
woman at her wedding and sometimes at festival occasions. 
moksa liberation from the cycle of reincarnation, loss of the egoistic

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