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Glossary

Sanskrit and Vraj philosophical terms used across the Vachanamrut, Shikshapatri, and Bhaktachintamani, sourced verbatim from Shree Swaminarayan Temple, Bhuj-Kutch's own published Vachanamrut glossary appendix — not written by us.

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ãchãrya: 1) A person who establishes a religious philosophy. 2) Head of a sampradãy, who protects dharma. A spiritual leader and guru, who initiates a satsangi into the sampradãy. There are two ãchãryas in the Swãminãrãyan Sampradãy; one for northern India (Amdãvãd Gãdi), and one for southern India (Vadtãl Gãdi). They are decedents of Dharma-Dev (the father of Swãminãrãyan Bhagvãn). Sahajãnand Swami adopted Ayodhyãprasãdji from His elder brother Rãmpratãpji, and adopted Raghuvirji from His younger brother Ichhãrãmji. Both sons then became the first two ãchãryas of the Swãminãrãyan Sampradãy. The ãchãrya a satsangi follows depends on where they live: satsangis living in northern India fall under the Amdãvãd region, and satsangis living in southern India fall under the Vadtãl region.
Akshar: 1) Imperishable. In his personal form, Akshar serves Bhagvãn in Akshardhãm, and takes birth on earth as His ideal bhakta (sat-purush). Both forms are human in appearance. In his impersonal form, Akshar is the dhãm of Bhagvãn called Akshardhãm. In his all- pervading anvay form, Akshar is called Chidãkãsh.
asat: 1) False. 2) Temporary, perishable, and changing. Is bound by the past, present, and future.
asat-purush: A false sant. An asat-purush person believes that all male and female svarups in this world have been created through Mãyã and the Purush, Virãt, and svarup of Bhagvãn, implying that all of these svarups are manifestations of Bhagvãn Himself. He also believes that if his mind is attracted towards a higher or lower svarup of either a male or female, he should perform dhyãn upon that very svarup in order to attain instantaneous samãdhi.
asatya: False. Imaginary. Illusionary.

brahm-sattã: 1) Formless svarup of Brahm. 2) Also refers to the ãtmã, which is eternal.
brahmãnd: Individual 'universe' comprising of a system of fourteen loks. There are countless millions of brahmãnds on various planes. Each brahmãnd, created and sustained by a Pradhãn-Purush pair, contains a trinity of Brahmã, Vishnu, and Shiv as the controlling devs. The fourteen loks of each brahmãnd are: Satya-Lok, Tap-Lok, Jan-Lok, Mahar-Lok, Svarg-Lok, Bhuvar-Lok, Mrutyu-Lok, Atal, Vital, Sutal, Talãtal, Mahãtal, Rasãtal, Pãtãl.

chitt: Consciousness. One of the four antah-karans, with the functions of contemplating or pondering and especially focusing. Mental impressions and experiences are recorded and recalled from it. The entire world inherently resides in a subtle form within it, and it is itself unchanging, luminous, pure, full of pure sattva-gun and passive.
chokadi: Of four. The time of four yugs (Satya-Yug, Tretã-Yug, Dvãpar-Yug, and Kali-Yug). Also called Mahã-Yug.

darshan: Seeing. To see with admiration and devotion. To see Bhagvãn, a sat-purush, and murtis, with inner or outer vision, with the intention of receiving their grace and blessings. By doing darshan properly a bhakta develops affection for Bhagvãn, and Bhagvãn develops affection for that bhakta. [Sãrangpur – 2].

ekadmal: Former sãdhu, who left satang due to some personal misconduct or his inability to conform to the life of a tyãgi, and travels alone without a companion sãdhu. This is against the niyams set by Swãminãrãyan Bhagvãn in which sãdhus should never travel alone.

gun: 1) Good quality or trait. (pronounced goon) 2) Principle quality of Prakruti or Mãyã. There are three in total: sattva-gun (goodness and awareness), rajo- gun (passion and desires), and tamo-gun (darkness, ignorance, and laziness). All beings are affected by the influence of one or a combination of these three gun of Mãyã until they become gunãtit. The gun bring out different types of moods in a person: a person in sattva-gun is calm, and peaceful; a person in rajo-gun
gunãtit: Beyond the three gun of Mãyã (sattva-gun, rajo-gun, tamo- gun). That which has no trace or influence of Mãyã.

jãgrat: Awake. One of the three mental states. The jãgrat state is the result of the sustenance state of Virãt-Purush. It is full of sattva-gun and is located in the region of the eyes. In the jãgrat state, the jeevãtmã is known as vishva, and is conscious of its sthul body. [Sãrangpur – 6].
jal: Water. Liquid matter. One of the five bhuts, from which the physical world (Virãt-Purush) is formed. It binds pruthvi and other substances, and it also softens and moistens all objects. It satisfies and sustains all life-forms, it quenches thirst, and suppresses heat.

Kali-Yug: Age of Darkness. Fourth and present of the four ages that mark the time-scale of the world. Kali-Yug began in 3102 BCE, after Shree Krishna Bhagvãn left the earth. It lasts for 432,000 human years, of which over 5,000 years have already passed. The current Kali-Yug is estimated to end in the year 428,889 CE. Kali-Yug 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 a hundred, and svabhãvs prevail in greater abundance than ever before.
kanthi: Double-threaded necklace; usually made of tulsi beads, received by satsangis upon initiation into the
karma-yogi: A person is striving for karma-yog (yog through activities). Term used for a grahastha bhakta who has not renounced his/her worldly duties completely – as opposed to a sãnkhya-yogi – but is nevertheless sincerely striving for yog or kalyãn. Refers to the many grahasthas in the time of Swãminãrãyan Bhagvãn who chose to totally commit and dedicate their lives to satsang.
keval-gnãn: Perfect or ultimate gnãn, as described in the nãstik philosophy. The final state of realisation.
kusangi: A person who is bad company. A kusangi has a bad influence on someone’s progress in satsang, and leads them astray from satsang. There are four types of kusangis: shakti-panthi, kudã-panthi, shushka-vedãnti, and nãstik.

Mahã-Yug: The time of four yugs (Satya-Yug, Tretã-Yug, Dvãpar-Yug, and Kali-Yug). Also called chokadi.

nirgun: 1) Without gun. Not possessing any qualities of the three guns of Mãyã – sattva-gun, rajo-gun, and tamo-gun. Beyond all mãyik qualities. Divine. 2) Extremely subtle. [Kãriyãni – 8].
nirvikalp samãdhi: 1) Highest state of realisation, in which a person sees only Bhagvãn – no doubts or distinctions remain. [Gadhadã I – 39]. 2) The eighth and final stage of ashtãng-yog.

param-bhãgvat: Ideal bhakta of Bhagvãn, referring to a sat-purush or sant.
Pãrvati: Wife of Shiv. Mother of Ganpati. In her previous life, she was called Sati, and was married to Shiv. However, as she had vowed to always be married to Shiv, when she was reincarnated as Pãrvati, she again married Shiv.
praudhã: 1) Highest. Best. 2) Used to describe the gopis. The praudhã gopis would do only that which pleases Bhagvãn. In no way would they use any cunning methods to satisfy their selfishness. Their only wish would be to please Bhagvãn. Therefore, they remain happy with whatever pleases Bhagvãn. Also, they would never become angry at, or jealous of the other gopis who are equal to them. They would also abandon vicious natures, such as mãn and matsar, and remain alert in the sevã of Bhagvãn. They would never do anything that would displease Bhagvãn.
Purush: 1) An akshar-mukta selected by Akshar-Brahm to ‘impregnate’ Prakruti for the creation process, from which countless pairs of Pradhãn and Purush are formed for the creation and sustenance of each brahmãnd. 2) Purush half of the Pradhãn-Purush pair, ‘conceived’ by Mul-Purush and Mul-Prakruti for the creation and sustenance of each brahmãnd. 3) Taken to be masculine in nature, Purush is the controller of Prakruti, and is also distinct from her. He is indivisible, without a beginning, and without an end. He is self-luminous, omniscient, imperishable, satya, kshetragna, and the cause of all the activities that possess a form. He also has a divya body. 4) Also called Mahã-Purush, Mul-Purush or Akshar- Purush.

sabhã: Assembly. A group of satsangis listening to kathã or singing kirtans.
sãnkhya-yogi: A yogi who has abandoned activities. Term used for a bhakta who has abandoned his/her worldly duties – as opposed to a karma-yogi – and is sincerely striving for kalyãn. Refers to a tyãgi who is totally dedicated and committed to satsang. In the time of Swãminãrãyan Bhagvãn, many widows and widowers chose to become sãnkhya-yogis after their spouse passed away. They dedicated their lives to Bhagvãn rather than any other family members. Often refers to female tyãgis.
sant: A sãdhu. A tyãgi. In the Vachanãmrut, sant refers to sat- purush.
sat: 1) True. Real. 2) Permanent, imperishable and unchanging. Is unbound by the past, the present, and the future.
sat-purush: A true sant. A sant who guides a person on the path of Bhagvãn. A guru for a mumukshu. Through whom Bhagvãn remains ever-manifest, passing on His divine energy and experience, love and guidance to all beings on earth. They ensure that the gateway to liberation and Bhagvãn is forever open for all seekers. Surrendering to a sat-purush, and striving to obey his ãgnã, is the root of all spiritual activities. Also called sant, bhakta, ekãntik bhakta, ekãntik sant, param-bhãgvat, param-ekãntik sant, and sadguru.
satãr: Indian stringed musical instrument played by striking with a wire plectrum and depressing strings on a fretted neck. Similar to a sitãr.
sati: A widow who, out of her total dedication and commitment to her husband, voluntary kills herself by throwing herself on her dead husband’s burning funeral pyre.
satsang: 1) True company. The practice of associating with Bhagvãn’s sant, other satsangis, the ãtmã, and the sacred shãstras, and also observing vartmãns and niyams. 2) Also refers to the sampradãy, which is the presence of good company.
satsangi: A person who practises satsang.
sattva-gun: Quality of goodness. One of the three gun of Mãyã (Prakruti) characterised by awareness and vairãgya
sãttvik: Relating to sattva-gun. Full of sattva-gun.
satya: Truth.
Satya-Yug: First of the four yugs that mark the time-scale of the world. Lasting 1,728,000 human years, it is the purest and most righteous of the yugs, where people lived to be 100,000, all were brãhmans, everyone’s wishes were fulfilled, and everyone worshipped Bhagvãn.
savikalp samãdhi: A state of realisation, in which a person sees Bhagvãn but doubts or distinctions still remain – in contrast to nirvikalp samãdhi, in which no distinctions remain and a person sees only Bhagvãn. [Gadhadã I – 39].
shravan: 1) To listen to talks of Bhagvãn through the ears. 2) The term also means the initial intake of gnãn from any of the outer indriyas. In this sense, darshan, intake of gnãn through the eyes, is also considered a form of shravan. However, the intake of gnãn through the process of shravan (listening) must be strengthened with manan (thinking) and nididhyãs (remember) if it is to lead to the sãkshãtkãr (realisation) of that gnãn.

trigunãtmik: The three gun of Mãyã – sattva-gun, rajo-gun, tamo-gun.

Virãt-Purush: 1) An ishvar ‘conceived’ by one of the countless pairs of Pradhãn-Purush. A svarup assumed by Bhagvãn through Purush and Prakruti, and through whom He then grants Brahmã and other jeevs their bodies. By nature, he is like a jeev, with his actions also being similar to that of a jeev – but with a lifespan of two parãrdhs (2 x 1017 human years). The creation, sustenance, and destruction of this brahmãnd are his three states. [Gadhadã II – 31]. 2) He is also the physical world (Virãt-Purush) or a brahmãnd, which is a human form. However, it is beyond visualisation due to its immense size. Also known as Purush-Avatãr. [Gadhadã I – 63].
Vyãs: An avatãr of Bhagvãn born to Satyavati and Parãshar Rushi. Bhagvãn incarnated in the svarup of a great scholar. Vyãs made divisions in the Veds, and wrote eighteen Purãns, including Shreemad Bhãgvat.

yug: Era. Age. Division of time used to outline the time-scale of the world. There are four yugs: Satya-Yug (Era of Goodness), Tretã-Yug (Era of Three), Dvãpar-Yug (Third Era), and finally, the present age, Kali-Yug (Era of Darkness). The dharmas of the yugs exist externally as well as internally in the heart. [Sãrangpur – 9].