Preferred form
Main variants
Explanation
Acarya
One who teaches by example. Usually refers to a prominent or exemplary spiritual teacher.
Advaita
Adwaita
Non-dual. Refers to the impersonalistic philosophy which unqualifyingly equates God, the soul and matter.
Ahimsa
Ahinsa
Not killing. Non-violence; respect for life.
Artha
Economic development. The second aim of life.
Arti
Arati
Welcoming ceremony in which auspicious articles such as incense and lamps are offered to the deity or to saintly people.
Aryan
Noble. Refers to those who know the spiritual values of life. Scholars say it refers to the original inhabitants of the Sindhu region in India.
Ashram
Asram
A place set up for spiritual development,
Ashrama
Asrama
A stage of life (of which there are four) adopted according to material considerations, but ultimately as a means to spiritual realisation.
Atharva Veda
The fourth of the Vedas.
Atman
Atma
Self. Can refer to body, mind or soul, depending on context. Ultimately, it refers to the real self, the soul.
Aum
Om
The sacred symbol and sound representing the ultimate; the most sacred of Hindu words.
Avatar
Avatara
Avtara
One who descends. Refers to the descent of a deity, most commonly Vishnu. Sometimes it is translated as incarnation which, although inaccurate, may be the best English word available.
Ayodhya
Birthplace of Rama.
The Song of the Lord. Spoken by Krishna, this is the most important scripture for most Hindus. Tradition dates it back to 3,000 years BCE, though most scholars attribute it to the first millennium BCE. Considered an Upanishad.
Bhajan
Bhajana
Devotional hymn or song.
Bhakti
Devotion; love. Devotional form of Hinduism
Bhakti-yoga
The path of loving devotion, aimed at developing pure love of God.
Brahma
A Hindu deity, considered one of the Trimurti, and in charge of creative power; not to be confused with Brahman or Brahmin.
Brahmachari
Brahmacari
Brahmacharin
Brahmcarin
One in the first stage of life, a celibate student of Vedic knowledge
Brahmacharya
Brahmacarya
Brahma ch(c)ari
Brahma ch(c)arin
The first ashrama or stage of life
Brahman
The ultimate reality, or the all-pervading reality, that from which everything emanates, in which it rests and into which it is ultimately dissolved.
Brahmin
Brahman
Brahmana
The first of the four varnas, the principal social groupings from which priests are drawn. Some writers, rather confusingly, use the spelling 'brahman', and the meaning only becomes clear in the context of a few sentences (see also Brahman and Brahma).
Darshan Shastras
Six systems of Hindu philosophy - Nyaya, Vaisheshika, Sankhya, Yoga, Vedanta and Meemansa.
Dassehra
Dussehra, Dassera, Dashara
(Other variants are also found)
Ten days. Also called Vijay Dashami. Celebrates the victory Of Rama on the tenth day of the bright half of the lunar month of Jyeshtha. As is often the case with Hindu festivals, followers may interpret the festival differently, e.g. in connection with Durga (see Navaratri).
Dharma
Religion or religious duty is the usual translation into English, but literally it means the intrinsic quality of the self or that which sustains one's existence.
Dhoti
A garment made of natural fibre (usually cotton or silk), worn by males, which covers the lower body and legs.
Dhyana
Meditation.
Divali
Diwali, Dipavali, Deepavali
Festival of lights at the end of one year and beginning of the new year, according to one Hindu calendar.
Durga
Female deity. A form of the goddess Parvati; wife of Shiva.
Dvaita
Dwaita
Dual Refers to the personalistic philosophy that differentiates between God, the soul and matter.
Dwarka
Dvarka Dvaraka Dwaraka
Pilgrimage site on the west coast of India.
Ganesh Ganupati Ganapati
A Hindu deity portrayed with an elephant's head - a sign of strength. The deity who removes obstacles.
Ganga
The Ganges. Most famous of all sacred rivers of India.
Gangotri
Source of the river Ganges.
Gotra
Exogamous (marriage outside the same kinship group as required by custom) group within Jati
Grihastha
Gristhi Grhastha
The second stage of Hindu life; one who belongs to that stage, i.e. the householder (grihasti).
Guna
Rope; quality. Specifically refers to the three qualities of sattva (goodness), rajas (passion) and tamas (ignorance), which permeate and control matter.
Guru
Spiritual teacher, preceptor or enlightener,
The monkey warrior who faithfully served Rama and Sita. Also called Pavansuta (son of the wind God).
Havan
Also known as Agnihotra. The basis of many Hindu rituals used at weddings and on other ceremonial occasions; the ceremony or act of worship in which offerings of ghee and grains are made into fire.
Havan kund
The container, usually square or pyramid-shaped, in which the havan fire is burned.
Hitopadesh
Stories with a moral.
Holi
The festival of colours, celebrated in Spring.
Homa
Term often used interchangeably with havan.
The International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON)
A religious group of the Vaishnava tradition.
Jenoi
Sacred thread worn by Hindus who study under a guru.
Janmashtami
Janmashtmi
The birthday of Krishna, celebrated on the eighth day of the waning moon in the month of Badra.
Japa
Jap
The quiet or silent repetition of a mantra as a meditative process.
Jati
Caste is the usual translation, meaning occupational kinship group.
Jnana
Gyan
Knowledge.
Jnana-yoga
Gyan-yoga
The path of knowledge, that aims at liberation.
Kaali
Name given to that power of God which delivers justice - often represented by the Goddess Kali (a form of Durga).
Kali yuga
The fourth of the ages; the iron age or the age of quarrelling and hypocrisy.
Kama
The third of the four aims of life - regulated sense of enjoyment.
Karma
Action. Used of work to refer to the law of cause and effect.
Karma-yoga
The path of self-realisation through dedicating the fruits of one's work to God.
Kirtan
Songs of praise; corporate devotional singing, usually accompanied by musical instruments.
Krishna
Usually considered an avatar of Vishnu. One of the most popular of all Hindu deities in contemporary Britain. His teachings are found in the Bhagavad Gita.
Kshatriya
Khatri
Second of the four varnas of traditional Hindu society, the ruling or warrior class.
Laksmi
The goddess of fortune
The Hindu epic that relates the story of the five Pandava princes-it includes the Bhagavad Gita.
Mala
Maala
Circle of stringed beads of wood or wool used in meditation.
Mandala
Mandal
A circle, area or community/group,
Mandir
Temple.
Mantra
That which delivers the mind. Refers to a short sacred text or prayer, often recited repetitiously.
Manusmriti
The laws of Manu. An ancient and important text on Dharma, including personal and social laws.
Marg
Path (see Jnana yoga, Karma yoga and Bhakti yoga).
Mata
Mother. Often associated with Hindu goddesses who represent shakti (power).
Mathura
Holy place connected with Krishna
Maya
Not this. Usually, it refers to illusion, particularly where the permanent soul identifies itself with temporary matter, e.g. the body, etc. It can also mean power.
Moksha
Moksa
Ultimate liberation from the process of transmigration, the continuous cycle of birth and death.
Mundan
The head-shaving ceremony. Performed in the first or third year of life.
Murti
Moorti
Form. The image or deity used as a focus of worship. 'Idol' should definitely not be used, and 'statue' may also cause offence.
Navaratra
The Nine Nights Festival preceding Dassehra, and held in honour of the goddess Durga.
Nirvana
The cessation of material existence.
Part of the supplementary Vedic scriptures composed of animal stories with a moral.
Parvati
The consort of Shiva, also known by other names such as Durga, Devi, etc.
Prahlada
Prahalada
A great devotee of Vishnu, connected with the festival of Holi.
Pranayam
Pranayama
Regulation of breath as a means of controlling the mind.
Prashad
Prasad,
Prasada,
Prashada
Sacred or sanctified food.
Pravachan
A lecture or talk, usually based on the scriptures,
Puja
Pooja
Worship. General term referring to a variety of practices in the home or Mandir.
Purana
Ancient. Part of the Smriti scriptures. Contains many of the well-known stories of Hinduism.
Raj Yoga
Path of self-control and meditation to realise God,
Rajas
Passion or creative potency, one of the three gunas (qualities of material nature).
Rakhi
Raakhi
A bracelet, usually made out of silk or cotton, tied to give protection and to strengthen the bond of mutual love.
Raksha Bandhan
The festival when women tie a decorative bracelet on their brothers' wrists.
Rama
The incarnation of the Lord' and hero of the Ramayana (avoid using the variant 'Ram' for obvious reasons).
Ramayana
Ramayan
The Hindu epic that relates the story of Rama and Sita, composed by the sage Valmiki thousands of years ago.
Ramnavami
Ramnavmi
The birthday festival of Rama,
Rig Veda
Rg or Rc Veda
The first scripture of Hinduism, containing spiritual and scientific knowledge.
Rishi
Rsi, risi
A spiritually wise person. More specifically, one of the seven seers who received the divine wisdom.
Sadhan
One's regulated spiritual practices or discipline.
Sadhu
Saddhu
Holy man, ascetic.
Sama Veda
The Veda of chanting; material mainly from the Rig Veda, arranged for ritual chanting in worship.
Samsara
Sansara
The world - the place where transmigration (the soul's passage through a series of lives in different species) occurs.
Samskar
Sanskar, Samskara
Sacraments designed to initiate a new stage of life. There is usually a total of sixteen such rites of passage (though many schools of thought do not practise them all).
Sanatan Dharma
The eternal or imperishable religion; also known as Vedic Dharma. Adherents often prefer this term to Hinduism since it characterises their belief in the revealed and universal nature of religion.
Sannyasa
The state of renunciation, the fourth stage of life.
Sannyasin
Samyasin, Samnyasin
A renunciate who, having given up worldly affairs and attachments, has entered the fourth stage of life, often as a mendicant.
Sanskrit
Sacred language of the Hindu scriptures.
Saraswati
The power of knowledge, often represented by the goddess Saraswati, the goddess of learning.
Sattva
Sattwa
Goodness, or the potency to sustain and nourish; one of the three gunas.
Seva
Sewa
Service, either to the divine or to humanity,
Shaivism
Saivism
The religion of Hindus who are devotees of Shiva.
Shakti
Sakti
Energy or power, especially of a Hindu feminine deity.
Shiva
Siva (many variants - even Civa - have been found)
A Hindu god. The name means kindly or auspicious.
Shivaratri
Sivaratri
The annual festival celebrated in February/March in honour of Shiva. Also called Mahashivaratri.
Shraddha
Sraddha
Ceremony in which sanctified food is offered to the poor and needy in memory of departed ancestors.
Shri
Sri
Illustrious. Used as a title of respect, e.g. Shri Krishna. Also a respectful title for men. The feminine form is Shrimati (Mrs).
Shruti
Srti
That which is remembered. Applicable to Hindu scriptures other than the Vedas.
Sita
Seeta
The divine consort of Rama.
Smriti
Srti, Shruti
That which is heard. A term specifically applied to the four Vedas, including the Upanishads. Some Hindus believe that Smriti is subservient to Shruti, but other Hindus consider them to have equal importance.
Sutra
Sutta
Short sayings or verses relating to various rituals, or encapsulating profound philosophical meaning.
Swami
Svami
Controller. Sometimes, more specifically, Coswami (one who con control hislher senses). An honorific title applied to a religious teacher or holy person, particularly the sannyasi.
Swastika
Svastika
From the Sanskrit for well-being; a mark of good fortune. The four arms signify the four directions (space), the four Vedas (knowledge), and the four stages (time) in the life cycle. Not to be confused with the Nazi symbol.
Ignorance or destructive potency; the lowest of the three gunas.
Trimurti
The three deities. Refers to Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, who personify and control the three gunas. They represent and control the three functions of creation, preservation and destruction. 'Trinity' should be avoided.
Ceremony when the sacred thread is tied - to mark the start of learning with a guru.
Upanishad
Upanisad
To sit down near. A sacred text based on the teaching of a guru to a disciple. The Upanishads explain the teachings of the Vedas.
Vaisnavism
The religion of Hindus who are devotees of the god Vishnu.
Vaishya
Vaisya
The third of the four varnas of Hinclu society, composed of merchants and farmers.
Vanaprastha
The third stage of life, typified by retirement and asceticism.
Vanaprasthi
Vanaprastha
Forest dweller. One who is in the third stage of life.
Varanasi
Banares, Benares, Kashi, Kasi
City on the river Ganges, sacred to Shiva. It is one of the holiest pilgrimage sites and also an ancient centre of learning.
Varna
Colour. The four principal divisions of Hindu society. It is important to note that the word 'caste' refers strictly to sub-divisions within each varna, and not to varnas themselves.
Varnashrama
Varnasrama Dharma
The system whereby society is divided into four varnas (divisions), and life into four ashramas (stages).
Varsha Pratipada
The day of Creation, celebrated as New Year's Day by many Hindus.
Veda
Knowledge. Specifically refers to the four vedas, though any teaching which is consistent with the conclusions of these scriptures is also accepted as Vedic.
Vijay Dashmi
Vijaya Dashami
Another name for Dassehra
Vishnu
Visnu
Hindu god. With Brahma and Shiva, forms the Trimurti.
Vrat
Vratam
Vow. Often including abstention from certain foods.
Vrindavan
Brindavan Vrindavana Brindaban
The sacred village connected with Krishna's pastimes as a youth.
One of the four Vedas, dealing with the knowledge of karma
Yamuna
Jamuna, Jumna
Tributary of the river Ganga (Ganges), considered by many Hindus to be the most sacred of all holy rivers.
Yatra
Jatra
Pilgrimage. Usually to important sacred places in India.
Yoga
Communion; union of the soul with the Supreme, or a process which promotes that relationship. The English word 'yoke' is derived from yoga.
Yuga
Age, or extended period of time, of which there are four.