| Kailãs |
Celestial
abode of Shiv.
|
| kãl
'Time' |
The universal and continuous phenomenon that accounts for and
gives rise to the progression of existence and events - allowing
for the past, present and future - and which ultimately leads
to the destruction of all things {Loyã-9.4}, thus often
used as a synonym of death and destruction. Like mãyã,
a power of God from which the jiva is released when he attains
liberation. {Gadhada II-50.5; Jetalpur-3.8}
|
| Kali-yug |
'Age of Darkness'. Fourth and present of the four ages that mark
the time-scale of the world. Lasting 432,000 human years - of
which over 5,000 have already passed - it is when purity and righteousness
have thoroughly diminished in comparison to what they were in
Satya-yug. People generally live to be not more than 100 and swabhãvs
prevail in greater abundance than ever before. See also: yug.
|
| kalpavruksh |
'Tree
that lasts for a kalp'. Special tree possessing the magical power
to fulfill the wishes of anyone who sits under it. One of the
14 divine objects that emerged from the churning of the oceans
by the demigods and demons.
|
| Kãm |
One of the four purushãrths,
allowing for the regulated fulfillment of one's personal and
social desires {Amdavad-5.11}.
|
| Kanbi |
Specific sub-caste of
the Vaishya caste traditionally engaged in farming and rearing cattle.
|
| Kanthi |
Double-threaded necklace,
usually made of tulsi beads, received by satsangis upon initiation
into the Satsang Fellowship, and worn as a sign of their affiliation
to God. Derived from noun 'kantha', meaning neck.
|
| Kapil
Gitã |
Portion of the Shrimad
Bhãgwat (canto 3, chapters 25-33) consisting of Kapilji's
preachings to his mother, Devhuti.
|
| Kãran |
'Causal'. Of the three bodies of
the jiva, the causal body, i.e., the jiva's desires or mãyã
{Kãriyani-12.4} -
which causes the jiva to take birth again. By nature, it itself
is ignorance, which has been fused with the jiva since time
immemorial. It retains the jiva's sanchit karmas and is the
cause of the sthul and sukshma bodies just as a seed is the
cause of a tree {Vartal-6.3}. See also other two bodies of
the jiva: sthul
and sukshma.
|
| karma |
'Action, deed', derived from verb-root 'kru' - to do. Any action
or deed - including word and even thought - that will sooner or
later reap its consequences. Forms part of a universal, unbiased
and inescapable law central to Indian philosophy linking actions
and their fruits - cause and effect - to the very performer of
the actions, via God - the giver of the fruits of each karma;
i.e., pious deeds reap pleasant fruits for the performer, impious
deeds reap painful fruits for the performer {Gadhada III-26.4}.
There are three types of karmas: sanchit karmas (deeds accumulated
over infinite births), prãrabdha karmas (deeds whose consequences
are already set in motion) and kriyamãn karmas (deeds whose
consequences are in the process of being formed). These can be
explained with the popular analogy of the various stages of growing
rice: rice harvested and stored in the granary can be likened
to sanchit karmas; from this stock, a portion selected and readied
for cooking and eating is like prãrabdha karmas - past
deeds shaping the present events; meanwhile, new grains being
sown in the fields which will yield a fresh crop in the future,
and in turn be added to the stock in the granary, are like the
kriyamãn karmas, i.e., current deeds eventually being added
to sanchit karmas until they 'ripen' to bear fruit as prãrabdha
karmas, either later in the present life or in a future life.
|
| karma-indriyas |
'Conative senses'. The senses through which one can perform actions.
There are five in total (the organs of which are the physical
aspect of the senses) namely: speech (voice), handling (hands),
walking (feet), excretion (anus) and procreation (genitals). By
nature, they engage themselves in their respective vishays {Gadhada
I-12.13} and have the complete knowledge of that vishay {Vartãl-17.2}.
In certain cases, it may seem that no distinction is made between
the physical and subtle aspects; i.e., the senses and the sense
organs are referred to by the same nouns - 'voice', 'hands', 'feet',
etc. However, the sense organs are not to be confused with the
indriyas, the senses, that form the subtle body, and which are
quite distinct from the physical organs.
|
| karma-yogi |
'One who is striving
for karma-yoga, i.e., yoga through activities'. Term used for a
householder devotee who has not renounced his/her worldly duties
outright - as opposed to a sãnkhya-yogi - but is nevertheless
sincerely striving for yoga or liberation. Refers to the many householders
in the time of Bhagwãn Swãminãrãyan
who chose to totally commit and dedicate their lives to Satsang.
|
| karnikãr |
Specific type of flower,
usually red, white or yellow in colour.
|
| Kãrtik |
Fifth month of the Ãshãdhi
Samvat year, normally beginning between October and November.
|
| kartum |
Extraordinary divine
power of God to eclipse the infinite muktas of Akshardhãm
by His own divine light and prevail alone {Loyã-13.10}.
|
| Kathavalli
Upanishad |
Also called Katha Upanishad.
One of the most important of the principal Upanishads, belonging
to the Krishna Yajur Veda. Includes the enlightening story of how
the young Nachiketã received the knowledge of immortality
from Yam, the god of death.
|
| Kãthi |
Specific sub-caste of
the Kshatriya caste traditionally strong and well-built. Type of
Rajput. Native(s) of Kãthiãwãd, a region in
Gujarat.
|
| Kãyasth |
Specific community of
people or a person born of Brãhmin and Kshatriya parents,
traditionally engaged in political affairs.
|
| keval-gnãn |
'Perfect or ultimate
gnãn'. Specific philosophical term of the Jain school describing
- as propounded in their nãstik philosophy - the final state
of realisation {Gadhada II-18.3}.
|
| khand |
Continent. Large land
mass or region.
|
| khes |
Piece of cloth worn as
a dhotiyu.
|
| khir |
Rich item of food made
of sweetened milk and rice, garnished with aromatic spices and nuts,
and usually served hot.
|
| kinkhãb |
Fine silken fabric brocaded
with golden or silver threads, originally made only in Egypt.
|
| Krishnatãpni
Upanishad |
One of the many Upanishads.
|
| kodrã |
Inferior quality of grain lacking in nutrition. Similar in size
and shape to mustard seeds, but white in colour. Stored in times
of famine because of its resilience against extreme weather conditions
and time, but generally eaten only by the poor.
|
| Koli |
Specific sub-caste of
people traditionally living as boat people, and catching fish for
their livelihood.
|
| kothã |
Cheap, inferior type
of sweet and sour fruit, round in shape and extremely heavy. Generally
used only to make pickles and chutneys.
|
| kriyamãn
karmas |
'Deeds whose consequences are in the process of being formed'.
Current deeds - including words and even thoughts - which will
eventually be added to the stock of karmas (sanchit karmas) until
they 'ripen' to be bear fruit as prãrabdha karmas, either
later in the present life or in a future life. See
also: karma.
|
| kruchchhra
chãndrãyan |
Form of stern austerity entailing regulating one's intake of food
over prolonged periods of time, generally performed as a form
of atonement for a grave sin. See
also: chãndrãyan.
|
| Kshatriya |
Person of power - physical and sovereign - traditionally responsible
for both the formation and enforcement of law within society,
as well as its safety. One of the four castes of the ancient Indian
social system - the rulers and warriors of society.
|
| kshetra |
1) 'Field' or 'territory'. Often used with kshetragna to describe
a relationship similar to that between some land and its owner
- the kshetra is the land, the kshetragna its owner. For example,
often used to refer to the three bodies (the kshetra) - of which
the ãtmã is the 'master' (the kshetragna) {Pan-3.11}.
Also used to refer to all jivas, ishwars, the various evolutes
of mãyã, and Brahma - of which God is the 'master'.
See also: kshetragna.
2) 'Field' or 'territory'. Place of dwelling {e.g., Gadhada I-12.6}.
|
| kshetragna |
1) 'Knower of kshetra'. Often used with kshetra to describe a
relationship similar to that between a landowner and his land.
For example, often used to refer to the ãtmã, the
'master' (the kshetragna) of the three bodies (the kshetra) {Panchala-3.11}.
Also used to refer to God, the 'master' of all jivas, ishwars,
the various evolutes of mãyã, and even Brahma {Gadh
II-31.4}. See also: kshetra.
|
| Kshir-sãgar |
'Ocean of milk'. Where Lord Vishnu is said to recline upon Shesh,
lord of the serpents. According to the Mahãbhãrat
(Udyog-parva-102), the ocean was formed from the milk of Surabhi,
a cow formed from the vomit of Brahmã when he drank too
much amrut.
|
| Kudã-panthi |
Follower of an anti-Vedic cult that falsely propagates the five
'm's as a means to liberation, namely: madya (alcohol), mãns
(meat), matysa (fish), mudrã (tantric, i.e., occult markings)
and maithun (illicit sex).
|
| kumkum |
Fine, red powder - traditionally made of turmeric and lime - used
by Hindus in rites and worship, and also applied on the forehead
to form a chãndlo.
|
| kunjar-kriyã |
'Elephant act'. An austere yogic practice to help cleanse the
inner parts of the body - which in turn helps in the observance
of brahmacharya. The practice involves drinking a considerable
amount of water, swirling it around the stomach, and then discharging
it out again through the mouth.
|
| kusangi |
A person who is bad company, i.e., a bad influence on one's spiritual
progress, and leads one astray from Satsang {Gadhada I-48; Gadhada
I-70}.
|
