Ātman The real self, the eternal life principle which underlies physical human form.
Brahmā The god of creation. A member of the triad (trimūrti) of principle gods, which includes Visnu and Siva.
Brahman The Ultimate Reality that underlies all of existence.
Dharma "Law," or "Truth" that is eternal and all-encompassing. The order of the universe and the way to maintain that order.
Karma "Action." The universal law that every deed has a consequence that will come back to the doer. Good actions will reap good life circumstances and bad ones will do the opposite. The cumulative effect of one's karma can influence one's position in future rebirths.
Mahaābhārta A national epic of India.
Māyā "Supernatural power." The power that produces the phenomena of physical existence.
Moksha "Release," or "Liberation" from the cycle of endless death and rebirth. The ultimate goal of Hinduism which is attained by overcoming ignorance and desire.
Purānas "Ancient." Non-Vedic Hindu scripture containing mythological accounts of ancient times. It is thought they were compiled between 500 and 1500 CE.
Pūjā "Respect, homage, worship." The offering of food, flowers, incense, and other items to a deity. Often the food will be distributed and consumed afterword and is thought to impart the goodwill of the deity.
Samsāra "Wandering." The continuous cycle of death and reincarnation caused by karma.
Siva "Auspicious." A god of the Hindu trinity that is simultaneously creator, destroyer, and preserver. His creative powers come to life in conjunction with Sakti, his female aspect. He is the supreme yogi and lord of the animals.
Upanishad Literally, "To sit close by," referring to the method of transmission from guru to student. Part of the Vedic texts containing esoteric teachings on the nature of the self (atman) as one with the Ultimate Reality (Brahman) and the way to liberation from the cycle of samsara.
Veda "Knowledge." The scriptures that are the basis of Hindu belief and practice. The Vedas were "heard" or "seen" by priests from a divine source and passed orally through the family line.
Visnu "The pervador." A god of the Hindu trinity that preserves the universe and embodies goodness and mercy.
Yoga "Yoking, joining." The path to liberation from samsara through focusing the mind to experience higher states of consciousness.
References
Bowker, John, ed.
1997 The Oxford Dictionary of World Religions. Oxford University Press.
Image: "Silver Sky Shiva" © 2008 IndiaStockPhotography.com.
Written by Sara Wenner, 2001. Edited by Melissa Lorentz, 2008.