Glossary
Plain-English meanings of the words that come up in our Gita readings and Ramayana comics. Each reading also lists its own words near the end.
- Ashram
- A forest hermitage where sages live, teach and perform their rites.
- Ātman
- The self: the deepest part of a person, which the Gita says is not born and does not die.
- Bhakti
- Loving devotion to God, one of the paths the Gita teaches.
- Brahman
- The ultimate reality behind everything, in the Upanishads and the Gita. Not the same word as Brahmin or the god Brahma.
- Brahmin
- The priestly and teaching class. 'Twice-born' refers to the sacred-thread ceremony, seen as a second birth.In readings 1.5–8
- Conch
- A large seashell blown like a horn. Each hero's conch has its own name, and blowing it signals readiness for battle.In readings 1.9–12, 1.13–16, 1.17–20
- Critical Edition
- The scholarly text of the epics put together by comparing many old manuscripts. Passages found in only some manuscripts are called the 'vulgate'.
- Deva, asura
- The gods (devas) and their rivals (asuras), cousins forever at war.
- Dharma
- The right way to act for a person in their place in life: duty, but also what holds a family and a society together.In readings 1.1–4
- Guṇa
- The three qualities that make up nature: sattva (clarity), rajas (restless energy) and tamas (inertia).
- Ikshvaku
- The royal family of Ayodhya, descended from the sun, to which Dasharatha and Rama belong.
- Jñāna
- Knowledge, especially knowledge of the self; another of the Gita's paths.
- Karma
- Action, and the results that follow from it. In the Gita it usually means the work you do, and how you do it.
- Kauravas
- The sons of the blind king Dhṛtarāṣṭra, led by Duryodhana. They are cousins of the Pāṇḍavas.In readings 1.1–4, 1.5–8, 1.9–12, 1.13–16, 1.17–20
- Kṣatriya
- The warrior and ruling class in the old fourfold order of society. Arjuna is a kṣatriya, so fighting a just war is his duty.
- Kurukshetra
- The 'field of the Kurus', the plain north of Delhi where the two armies meet. The Gita's first verse also calls it a field of dharma.In readings 1.1–4, 1.5–8, 1.9–12, 1.13–16, 1.17–20
- Mantra
- A sacred phrase with power when spoken. Vishvamitra teaches Rama the mantras Bala and Atibala.
- Mokṣa
- Release from the cycle of birth and death.
- Pāṇḍavas
- The five sons of King Pāṇḍu: Yudhiṣṭhira, Bhīma, Arjuna, Nakula and Sahadeva. Krishna is on their side.In readings 1.1–4, 1.5–8, 1.9–12, 1.13–16, 1.17–20
- Payasa
- A sweet rice pudding. In Issue 1, the divine payasa from the fire-rite is shared among Dasharatha's queens.
- Rakshasa
- A demon or ogre of the night, hostile to rites and sages. Ravana is their king.
- Rishi
- A seer or sage, such as Valmiki, Vasishtha or Vishvamitra.
- Saṃsāra
- The round of birth, death and rebirth.
- Tapas
- Spiritual heat built up by discipline and self-denial. In the Ramayana, sages and kings gain great power through it.
- Vanara
- The forest people of the Ramayana, usually shown as monkeys, born to help Rama. Hanuman and Sugriva are vanaras.
- Yajña
- A sacrifice or fire-rite offered to the gods. The Gita widens it to any work done as an offering.
- Yaksha, yakshi
- Nature spirits, often guardians of wealth; Tataka was born a yakshi.
- Yoga
- Literally a 'joining' or discipline. In chapter titles it means 'the teaching of'; Krishna uses it for disciplined action, knowledge and devotion.
Not in the glossary yet.
Who's who: the people of both stories.