B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V |

A

A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada
Spiritual master and Founder-Acharya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness, Sampradaya Acharya for the Brahma-Madhva-Gaudiya Sampradaya, translator/author/publisher of more than 160 books, including Bhagavad-gita As It Is, Srimad-Bhagavatam, Chaitanya-charitamrita.
Acharya
Learned, venerable preceptor; one who teaches by example. Guru*.
Ananda
bliss.
Ashram
A place where devotees live.

B

Bhagavad-gita
(literally "Song of God") the primer in Vedic studies or "Bible" of India, spoken by Krishna 5,000 years ago to His disciple Arjuna, teaching the fundamental principles of repeated birth and death, transmigration of the soul, distinction between matter and spirit, material elements and material nature, action and inaction, the aim of life, the object of sacrifice, austerity and renunciation, yoga process, duty, devotion to God.
Bhajans
songs or prayers.
Bhakti
love, devotion to God.
Bhakti-lata-bija
the holy name, the seed of devotional service, implanted in the heart of the sincere disciple by the spiritual master.
Bhaktisiddhanta
Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Goswami Thakur Prabhupad, the guru of Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaj. In the 1930's he established sixty-four Gaudiya Maths in India and sent preachers to the United Kingdom.
Bhakti-yoga
the system of cultivating bhakti or pure devotion to God, untinged by sense gratification or philosophical speculation.
Bhava
the preliminary stage of transcendental love of God.

C

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu
incarnation of Krishna who appeared in 15th century at Navadvipa in Bengal to inaugurate the Sankirtan movement, the congregational chanting of the Hare Krishna maha-mantra.

D

Dandavats
Prostrated greeting.

E

Ekadasi
The eleventh day of the lunar fortnight. A day on which Vaishnavas abstain from eating any grains.

F

False ego

misidentification of the soul with matter (the body and mind).

G

Gauranga
The Golden Lord, Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
Gaudiya Sampradaya
The divine succession following Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
Gayatri
A sacred mantra chanted by brahmanas; a Vedic meter.
Goloka Vrindavan--see also Krishnaloka
Guru
The Spiritual Master.

H

Hare Krishna maha-mantra
Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna Krishna, Hare Hare
Hare Rama, Hare Rama, Rama Rama, Hare Hare
This is the great chant for deliverance of the mind. These names have been recommended especially for the present age, Kali-yuga.
Hari
The Supreme Lord.
Harinama Sankirtan
congregational chanting or especially singing of the holy name, accompanied by musical instruments and dancing.

I

ISKCON
International Society for Krishna Consciousness. Founded by Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami (Srila Prabhupad).

J

Jiva
The soul, self.

K

Kali-yuga
the age of quarrel, the fourth and last age in the cycle of a maha-yuga and the age in which we are now living. Kali-yuga lasts 432,000 years, of which 5,000 years have already passed.
Karma
fruitive action, for which there is always a reaction, good or bad.
Kirtan
glorification of the Supreme Lord through sound vibration, singing or chanting the holy name of Krishna.
Krishna
The All-Attractive Supreme Lord; Reality the Beautiful; the Lord of Love.
Krishna consciousness
spiritual self-realisation, knowing the self to be spirit soul, part and parcel of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna and thus the eternal servant of Krishna.
Krishnaloka
the spiritual abode of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, situated in the Vaikuntha, spiritual sky, above the heavenly planets.

L

Lila
Divine pastimes.
Loka
Planet; plane of life.

M

Maha-Mantra
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare /
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare.
Mahaprabhu
Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
Mantra
A sacred incantation. Also, Mantram. (man=mind + tra=deliverance) a pure sound vibration to deliver the mind from its material inclinations, a prayer or hymn.
Math
A place dedicated to the development of spiritual values and service to the Supreme Lord.
Maya
(ma=not + ya=this) illusion, one of Krishna's energies, which deludes the living entities into forgetfulness of the Supreme Lord.

N

Nabadwip
[Also pronounced Navadwip]
Birthplace of Lord Sri Krishna Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
Nimai
A name of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu, due to his birth under a Nimba tree.

O

Om, Omkara
The monosyllabic sound representation of the Absolute Truth.

P

Prabhu
A respectful form of address. Master.
Prabhupad
In the West, the affectionate name for Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaj, Founder-Acharya of ISKCON, and a senior disciple of Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Prabhupad.

In India, the title of Srila Bhakti Siddhanta Saraswati Thakur, Founder-Acharya of Sri Gaudiya Math.

Prasadam
Delicious vegetarian food prepared with devotion and offered with love to our Lord Krishna and consequently sanctified or spiritualised.

Q

R

Rasa
the spiritual taste or flavour of a personal relationship with the Supreme Lord.
Rupa Goswami
The eternal associate of Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.

S

Sach-chid-ananda
the spiritual form of the Lord and the eternal transcendental form of the living entity, which is full of bliss, knowledge and eternity.
Sadhu-sangha
Devotional association of genuine saints, without which one cannot enter the path of pure devotion.
Sampradaya
A disciplic line of succession.
Sankirtan
congregational singing or chanting of the holy name, fame and pastimes of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna, the sacrifice prescribed in the scriptures for this age, Kali-yuga.
Seva
Service to the Supreme Lord and His devotees.
Shikshastaka
the eight verses written by Lord Chaitanya Mahaprabhu.
Sri, Srila
A title of respect or veneration.
Srimad-Bhagavatam
the Bhagavat Purana, the scripture compiled by Vyasadeva to describe and explain Krishna's pastimes, the complete essence of all the Vedic knowledge.
Swami
one who can control his mind and senses, a renunciate.
Swami Maharaj
The Sannyasa name of Srila A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Maharaj (Prabhupad).
T

U

Upanishads
The section of the Vedas which gives knowledge of the Supreme Spirit; Vedanta.

V

Vaikunthas
the eternal planets of the spiritual sky.
Vaishnava (Vaisnava)
A devotee of the Supreme Lord Vishnu or Krishna
Vedas
(literally, veda=knowledge) the four Vedas (Rig, Yajur, Sama and Atharva) and their supplements (Bhagavad-gita, Srimad-Bhagavatam, Puranas, Mahabharata, Vedanta Sutra, etc.).
Vishnudutas
messengers of Krishna.

W

X

Y

Yaj a
sacrifice
Yamadutas
messengers of Yamaraja
Yamaraja
the minister of death and the lower planets under the authority of the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krishna.
Yoga
linking the consciousness of the infinitesimal living entity with the supreme living entity, Krishna.
Yogi
one who practices yoga
Yuga
An Age of the world. The present Age is Kali Yuga - the Age of Quarrel.

B | C | D | E | F | G | H | I | J | K | L | M | N | O | P | Q | R | S | T | U | V

Top

Home