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| bãdhitãnuvrutti |
'Recollection of the falsified'. Mental state in which one feels
a sense of apprehension at the possibility of becoming bound again
to objects that have already been mentally falsified, i.e., to
which the ties of affection have been severed due to an understanding
of the objects' inherent falseness {Gadhada III-4}.
|
| Badrikãshram |
'Hermitage with orchards of badri-trees'. Celestial abode of Narnãrãyan.
Considered to be full of orchards of 'badri'-trees - trees bearing
small, slightly sour apple-like fruits, called 'badri'-fruits
in Sanskrit. The muktas that reside in this abode are elevated
souls who perform continuous austerities to please God and attain
salvation through human birth.
|
| Bhãdarvã |
Third month of the Ãshãdhi Samvat year, normally
beginning between August and September.
|
| bhãgwat
dharma |
'Dharma
related to God'. The dharma which avatãrs of God come to
establish and which was adopted by Nãrad, the Sanakãdik,
Shukji, Dhruv, Prahlãd, Ambrish and other devotees; this
form of dharma is not different from bhakti itself {Gadhada III-21.5}.
Also called ekãntik dharma. See:
ekãntik dharma.
|
| Bhagwad
Gitã |
'Song of God'. One of the most popular Hindu scriptures. Comprises
of a dialogue between Arjun, the warrior, and Shri Krishna, his
charioteer, at the outset of the battle between the feuding cousins,
the Pãndavs and the Kauravas. Forms a portion of the epic
Mahãbhãrat (Bhishma-parva, chapters 25-45) in which
Shri Krishna enlightens Arjun on karma, bhakti and gnãn,
and inspires him to selflessly fulfill his duty of fighting for
dharma and against adharma by the strength and will of God. One
of the eight scriptures accepted as authoritative by Bhagwãn
Swãminãrãyan.
|
| Bhakta |
Ideal devotee of God, referring to the Satpurush. See:
Satpurush.
|
| bhakti |
Devotion to God. Noted to be of nine types:
(1) Shravanam - Listening to spiritual discourses
or devotional songs related to God.
(2) Keertanam - Singing or talking about God.
(3) Smaranam - Remembering God.
(4) Pãda-sevanam - Serving God's holy
feet.
(5) Archanam - Anointing God with sandalwood
paste, etc.
(6) Vandanam - Bowing before God.
(7) Dãsyam - Behaving as the servant of
God.
(8) Sakhyam - Behaving as the friend of God.
(9) Ãtmanivedanam - Unconditionally offering
oneself and all of one's belongings to God with absolute submission.
Where the ten types of bhakti are mentioned {Gadhada III-33.6},
the tenth type is prem-lakshanã bhakti - profound, loving
bhakti.
|
| Bhãt |
Specific sub-caste of people traditionally employed by kings to
flatter them with self-composed poems and verses. Similar to a
bard. Also popularly known as Bãrot.
|
| Bharat-khand |
Ancient India, considered to have stretched westward to present-day
Turkey, eastward to present-day Burma, and beyond the Himalayan
mountain range in the north. Considered the best of the nine khands
of Jambu-dwip because those who attain birth in this region can
potentially attain liberation due to the invariable presence of
God's avatãr or God's Sant {Bhugol-Khagol.8,9; Vartal-9.2}.
|
| Bhurlok |
|
| bhut |
A gross element from which the sthul body of Virãt-Purush,
i.e., the physical world, is formed. There are five in total -pruthvi,
jal, tej, vãyu and ãkãsh. They are collectively
called the five bhuts or five mahãbhuts.
|
| Bhuvarlok |
First realm above Mrutyulok, where impure demigods reside. Ninth
realm from the bottom in the 14-realm system of a brahmãnd.
|
| bokãni |
Cloth tied around the head with ends also made to cross from under
the chin to cover the ears and cheeks as well. Worn during cold
spells.
|
| bordi |
Type of tree bearing delicate flowers amid small thorns and small,
slightly sour apple-like fruits called bors. Found to grow naturally
in unattended fields or jungles due to its particularly resilient
roots.
|
| borsali |
Specific type of tree that blossoms with delicate, white, and
extremely fragrant flowers.
|
| Brahma |
1) Second-highest of the five eternal entities,
i.e., transcends everything except Parabrahma. Also called Akshar,
Aksharbrahma or Brahman. See: Akshar.
See also other four eternal entities: jiva,
ishwar, mãyã,
and Parabrahma.
2) Alone, often taken to refer to the Brahma
of the shushka-Vedãntis, i.e. the nirgun, formless and
non-dual ultimate reality, apart from which, they claim, all else
is merely an illusion.
|
| Brahmã |
The ishwar responsible for the creation of the brahmãnd
and the life forms within it. Part of the trinity of ishwars,
along with Vishnu (the sustainer) and Shiv (the destroyer), responsible
for the governance of one brahmãnd. Not to be confused
with Brahma, the second-highest of the five eternal entities.
|
| brahmachãri |
1) Brãhmin who has been initiated as a
renunciant into the holy order of the Swãminãrãyan
Fellowship. Such brahmachãris were invested with special
priestly authority, i.e., appointed as personal attendants to
the murtis within mandirs, and as the performers of other religious
rites.
2) One who observes brahmacharya, i.e., leads
a life of celibacy.
3) One who is in the first stage of life in the
traditional Hindu four stages of life, i.e., brahmacharya stage.
|
| brahmacharya |
1) 'Divine conduct'. Celibacy. For renunciants brahmacharya has
been prescribed as eight-fold abstinence from associating with
the opposite gender in the following ways:
(1) shravanam - listening to or of
(2) keertanam - talking to or of
(3) keli - frolicking with
(4) prekshanam - intentionally looking at
(5) guhyabhãshanam - privately conversing
with
(6) sankalpa - fantasising about
(7) adhyavasãya - thinking of
(8) kriyã - intercourse with
For householder males, brahmacharya constitutes renouncing all
women except their wives, abstaining from sexual relations with
one's wife on days of observance, and engaging in sexual relations
with her only during the appropriate times {Gadhada I-34.8}.
|
| brahmacharya
ãshram |
First
of the four stages of life, when one fulfills one's duty as a
student and celibate.
|
| Brahmadhãm |
1)
Abode of God. Akshardhãm. See:
Akshardhãm.
2) At times also refers to the various abodes
of other avatãrs.
|
| Brãhma-kalp |
Period of time during the process of creation when Brahmã
and other jivas are given their respective bodies by God {Gadhada
I-13.3}. Length of time is one of Brahmã's days, i.e.,
4.32 x 109 human years.
|
| Brahmalok |
1) 'Realm of God'. Akshardhãm. See:
Akshardhãm.
2) Realm of Brahmã. Highest realm in the
14-realm system of a brahmãnd. Also called Satyalok.
|
| Brahmamahol |
1) 'Palace of God'. Abode of God. Akshardhãm.
See: Akshardhãm.
2) Formless and pure chaitanya form of Akshar.
Also called Chidãkãsh {Gadhada I-21}.
|
| brahmãnd |
Individual 'cosmos' comprising of a system of 14 realms, of which
there are countless millions on various planes. Each brahmãnd,
created and sustained by a Pradhãn-Purush pair, contains
a trinity of Brahmã, Vishnu, and Shiv as the governing
demigods {Panchala-4.8}. The 14 realms of each brahmãnd
are, in descending order: Satyalok, Taplok, Janlok, Maharlok,
Swarglok, Bhuvarlok, Mrutyulok, Atal, Vital, Sutal, Talãtal,
Mahãtal, Rasãtal, Pãtãl.
|
| Brahmapur |
|
| brahmarandhra |
Mystical opening in the crown of the head - at the end of the
sushumnã nãdi - through which the jiva leaves the
body on death or during samãdhi and reaches higher realms.
|
| brahmarshi |
Literally, a renunciant or one engaged in stern austerities with
characteristics like that of a rishi. Considered to be higher
than a rãjarshi.
|
| Brahmarup |
'Form of Brahma'. Possessing qualities similar to those of Brahma.
Same as aksharrup. See: aksharrup.
|
| brahmasattã |
1) Formless form of Brahma, i.e., Chidãkãsh
{Gadhada I-66.4; Kãriyani-1.27}.
2) Also refers to the ãtmã, which
is characterised by eternal existence {Gadhada III-3.3,5}.
|
| brahma-sushupti |
'The sushupti-like divine light of Brahma'. Chidãkãsh,
the all-pervading form of Brahma.
|
| brahmaswarup |
|
| brahmavidyã |
'Knowledge of Brahma, i.e., God'. Knowledge that guides one on
the path to God-realisation.
|
| Brãhmin |
pious and learned person traditionally assigned duties of worship,
performing rites and rituals, teaching, etc. One of the four castes
of the ancient Indian social system.
|
| Bruhadãranya
Upanishad |
One of the most important of the principal Upanishads, belonging
to the Yajur Veda, and ascribed to Yãgnavalkya Rishi. Teachings
centre around modes of worship, contemplation and identity with
Brahma.
|
| Burãnpuri |
Specific type of cloth from north India.
|
| buddhi |
'Intellect', derived from verb-root 'budh' - to know. One of the
four aspects of the antahkaran, characterised by its functions
of consolidating thoughts, making decisions, forming convictions
and discriminating. By nature, it possesses the knowledge of all
objects and is also the reason for the specific knowledge which
all of the indriyas possess. Its inherent features are doubts,
conviction, sleep and memory {Gadhada I-12.12}.
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