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Glossary of Sanskrit Terms

Babaji - a term of respect which is given loosly (frequently improperly), to sadhus and Vaisnavas, particularly those who have given up all connection with household life. In the setting of this book, this term specifically refers to the Vaisnava followers of Sriman Mahaprabhu, who have given up all the duties and designations of varnasrama society and who engage almost exclusively in chanting hari-nama. Actual babajis live as strict renunciates, they do not accept the external garb of sannyasis because sannyasa is part of varnasrama. They do not wear the sacred thread of the brahmanas because they have entered into bhavavastha and are engaged in raga-marga. Such characteristics are to be accepted only by those on the highest platform of eligibility, who retire from the world to immerse themselves in private bhajana.
Baddha-dasa - the state of bondage; the state of the jivas in material existence.
Baddha-jiva - the conditioned soul who is bound by matter. With regard to the origin of the baddha-jiva this passage states that Bhagavan’s eternal associates in the spiritual world do not have any contact with and are completely unaffected by the material energy. Only some of the jivas that emanate from Maha-Visnu come into the material world. The original Bengali is as follows:

goloka-vrndavanastha evam paravyoma-stha baladeva o sankarsanaprakatita nitya-parsada jiva-sakala ananta; tanhara upasya-sevaya rasika; sarvada svarupartha-visista; upasya-sukhanvesi upasyera prati sarvada unmukha jiva saktite cit-saktite bala labha kariya tanhara sarvada balavan; mayara sahita tahandera kona sambandha nai; mayasakti baliya kona sakti achena, tahao tanhara avagata nana; ye hetu tanhara cit-mansala-madhyavarti evam maya tanhadera nikata haite aneka dure; tanhara sarvadai upasya-seva-sukhe magna; dukha, jasa-sukha o nija-sukha ity adi kakhani janena na. tanhara nitya-mukta premai tanhadera jivana; soka, marana au bhaya ye ki vastu, taha tanhara janena na.
karanabdha-sayi-maha-visnura mayara prati iksana-rupa kiranagata anu-caitanya-gana o ananta; tanhara maya-parsva-sthita baliya mayara vicitrata tanhadera darsana-patharusa-purve ye jivasadharanera laksana baliyachi, se samasta laksana tanhadera ache, tathapi atyanta anu-svabhava-prayukta sarvada tatastha-bhave citjagatera dike evam maya-jagatera dike drstipata karite thakena. e avasthaya jiva atyanta durbala, kenana, - justa va sevye-vastura krpalabha karatah cid-bala labha karena nai. inhadera madhye ye saba jiva maya-bhoga vasana karena, tanhara mayika-visaye abhinivista haiya mayate nitya-baddha. yanhara sevya-vastur cidanusilana karena, tanhara sevya-tattvena krpara sahita cid-bala labha karatah cid-dhame nita hana; baba! amara durbhaga, krsnera nityadasya bhuliya mayabhinivesa dvara mayabadha achi; ataeva svarupartha-hina haiyai amadera e durdasa.

Baddhavastha - same as baddha-dasa.
Bahiranga-sakti - the external or material potency of Bhagavan, also known as maya-sakti. This potency is responsible for the creation of the material world and all affairs pertaining to the material world. Because Bhagavan never directly contacts the material energy, this potency is known as bahiranga, external.
Bahirmukha - having one’s face turned away; having one’s attention diverted away from some object. This is commonly used with the word Krsna (see Krsna-bahirmukha).
Bahudaka - the second of four stages of sannyasa. When a sannyasi advances beyond the kuticaka stage, he no longer accepts anything from home; instead he collects his necessities from many places. This system is called madhukari, which literally means ‘the profession of bumblebees’. As bumblebees collect honey from many flowers, so a sannyasi should beg from door to door but not accept very much from any particular house. The bahudaka stage has been mentioned in Srimad-Bhagavatam (3.12.43). In his commentary on this sloka, Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura defines the ascetic in this stage as, one who has relegated the performance of karma to a secondary position and who gives prominence to transcendental knowledge.
Banda - an Islamic term for servitor.
Behesht - an Islamic term for the Lord’s spiritual abode, paradise, or heaven.
Bhagavan - the Supreme Lord; the Personality of Godhead. In the Visnu Purana (6.5.72-74) Bhagavan is defined as follows: suddhe mahavibhuty akhye pare brahmani varttate maitreya bhagavac-chabda sarva-karana-karane; sambharteti tatha bhartta bha-karo ‘rthadvayanvita neta gamayita srasta ga-kararthas tatha mune; aisvaryasya samagrasya dharmasya yasasah sriyah jnana-vairagyayos caiva sannam bhaga itingana - “The word bhagavat is used to describe the Supreme brahma who possesses all opulences, who is completely pure, and who is the cause of all causes. In the word bhagavat, the syllable bha has two meanings: one who maintains all living entities and one who is the support of all living entities. Similarly, the syllable ga has two meanings: the creator, and one who causes all living entities to obtain the results of karma and jnana. Complete opulence, religiosity, fame, beauty, knowledge, and renunciation are known as bhaga, or fortune.” (The suffix vat means possessing. Thus one who possesses these six fortunes is known as Bhagavan.)
Bhagavata-pravrtti - the tendency of the jiva to seek out and serve the Supreme Person, Bhagavan.
Bhagavat-tattva - the fundamental conclusions which regard the Absolute Truth, Bhagavan.
Bhajana - (1) the word bhajana is derived from the verbal root ‘bhaj’ which is defined in the Garusa Purana (Purva-khansa 231.3): bhaj ity esa vai dhatu sevayam parikirtitah tasmat seva budhaih prokta bhakti sadhana-bhuyasi - “The verbal root bhaj is used specifically in the sense of seva, or service. Therefore, when sadhana is performed with the consciousness of being a servant, it is called bhakti.” According to this sloka, krsna-seva, or loving devotional service to Krsna is called bhakti. Such service is the intrinsic attribute of bhakti or bhajana. Therefore whatever services are performed in this consciousness may be referred to as bhajana. (2) in the general sense bhajana refers to spiritual practices; especially hearing, chanting, and meditating upon the holy name, form, qualities, and pastimes of Sri Krsna.
Bhajana-kriya - taking up the practices of bhakti, such as hearing and chanting. There are sixty-four primary angas of bhakti, of which the first four are to take shelter of the lotus feet of sri-guru; to receive diksa and siksa; to serve one’s guru with great affection; and to follow the path of sadhus. Without adopting these practices, there is no question of making any advancement in bhajana. This is the second stage in the development of the creeper of bhakti which occurs by the influence of sadhu-sanga.
Bhajananandi - one who is absorbed in the bliss of bhajana; one whose inclination is primarily for bhajana.
Bhakta - a devotee.
Bhakti - the word bhakti comes from the root bhaj, which means to serve (see bhajana). Therefore the primary meaning of the word bhakti is to render service. Sri Rupa Gosvami has described the intrinsic characteristics of bhakti in Sri Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu (1.1.11) as follows: anyabhilasita-sunyam jnana-karmady-anavrtam anukulyena krsnanu-silanam bhaktir uttama - “Uttama-bhakti, pure devotional service, is the cultivation of activities that are meant exclusively for the benefit of Sri Krsna, in other words, the uninterrupted flow of service to Sri Krsna, performed through all endeavors of body, mind, and speech, and through expression of various spiritual sentiments (bhavas). It is not covered by jnana (knowledge of nirvisesa-brahma, aimed at impersonal liberation) and karma (reward-seeking activity), yoga or austerities; and it is completely free from all desires other than the aspiration to bring happiness to Sri Krsna.”
Bhakti-devi - the goddess of devotion. All potencies of the Lord have personified forms. In Madhurya-kadambini (1.3) Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura explains that bhakti is the svarupasakti of Bhagavan and that she is yadrccha, which means that bhakti has her own will. Being sva-prakasa, self-manifest, she is not dependent on any other agency in order to manifest in a person’s heart. In the Bhagavatam (1.2.6) it is said: yato bhaktir adhoksaje ahaituky apratihata - “that by which causeless and uninterrupted bhakti for Lord Adhoksaja arises.” The word ahaituky in this sloka indicates that bhakti has no cause. The only cause of bhakti is bhakti herself. Srila Cakravartipada analyzes the meaning of this statement. He says that bhakti situated in the heart of a bhava-bhakta is the only cause for her manifesting in others. Since Krsna is under the control of His unalloyed bhaktas, He has invested such power in them. Therefore sadhana is not the true cause of bhakti’s appearance. Bhakti-devi, being self-willed, manifests bhakti in the heart when she is pleased with the bhakta’s unalloyed service attitude. Ultimately this indicates that Bhakti-devi acts through the agency of Krsna’s bhaktas who are situated in the stage of bhava. When they see the sincerity of the sadhaka-bhakta, the bhakti which is one with the very nature of their hearts is transmitted into the hearts of the sadhakas. Other than this, there is no cause for bhakti’s appearance.
Bhakti-kansa - a division of the Vedas relating to bhakti, which is performed exclusively for the benefit of Sri Bhagavan.
Bhakti-lata - the creeper of devotion. Bhakti is likened to a creeper which grows in the bhakta’s heart until it matures and produces the fruit of love for Krsna. The bija, or seed, of this creeper is characterized as krsna-seva-vasana, the desire to serve Sri Krsna. This desire is sown in the heart of the bhakta by the grace of sri-gurudeva and it manifests externally as sraddha, faith in the conclusions of the sastra. After its intitial inception in the form of the bhakti-lata-bija, the creeper develops through eight successive stages culminating in prema. These stages are sadhu-sanga, bhajana-kriya, anartha-nivrtti, nistha, ruci, asakti, bhava, and prema. Each of these are separately described in this glossary.
Bhakti-lata-bija - the seed of the creeper of devotion. This refers to the inception of the desire to serve Sri Sri Radha-Krsna in a particular capacity which is known as krsna-seva-vasana. Within this seed is the undeveloped conception of bhava. This seed externally manifests as sraddha, or faith in the instructions and goal described by the sastras. When this seed is watered by the methods of hearing, chanting, and service to Vaisnavas, it grows into a luxurious plant and ultimately delivers its fruit of love of God.
Bhakti-posaka-sukrti - pious activities which foster bhakti. This specifically refers to the association of bhaktas and activities connected to bhakti (see sukrti).
Bhakty-abhasa - externally resembles bhakti but does not have the true characteristics of bhakti. There are two types of bhakty-abhasa. Chaya-bhakty-abhasa is attained by association with suddha-bhaktas during kirtana, recitation of Srimad-Bhagavatam, or other devotional performances. Pratibimba-bhakty-abhasa is the semblance of bhakti that occurs in the hearts of those who adopt the angas of bhakti with a desire for bhukti (material enjoyment) and mukti (liberation). The stage of chaya-bhakty-abhasa is the result of great fortune,
Bharata-varsa - India.
Bhava-bhakti - the initial stage of perfection in devotion. A stage of bhakti in which suddha-sattva, or the essence of Sri Krsna’s internal potency consisting of spiritual knowledge and bliss, is transmitted into the heart of the practicing bhakta from the heart of one of His eternal associates and softens the heart by different kinds of tastes. It is the first sprout of prema, or pure love of God. Bhava-bhakti is the seventh of the eight stages of development of the bhakti-lata, the creeper of devotion. In Sri Brhad-Bhagavatamrta there are five divisions of bhava accepted amongst bhaktas: 1) jnana-bhakta (e.g. Bharata Maharaja), 2) suddha-bhakta (e.g. Ambarisa Mahaaraja), 3) prema-bhakta (e.g. Hanuman), 4) prema-para-bhakta (e.g. the Pandavas headed by Arjuna), and 5) prematura-bhakta (atura means ‘very eager for’, or agitated out of prema e.g. the Yadavas headed by Uddhava).
Bhavuka - (1) a bhakta at the stage of bhava who is thus able to taste spiritual sentiments. (2) This word is sometimes used in a slightly derogatory sense to refer to those who are prone to emotional displays without possessing the true characteristics of krsnarati, or bhava.
Bhedabheda-prakasa - a manifestation simultaneously distinct yet not separate from Sri Bhagavan.
Bhoga - material enjoyment. Unoffered foodstuffs.
Bhogi - one who indulges in material enjoyment without restriction; one who seeks material enjoyment as his life’s aspiration.
Bhukti - material enjoyment.
Bhuta - one of the five elements; any living being; a spirit, ghost or demon.
Bija - a seed (see bhakti-lata-bija).
Brahmacari - the first asrama or stage of life in the varnasrama system; unmarried student life.
Brahma-gayatri - a Vedic mantra which is chanted at the three junctures of the day by brahmanas.
brahma-jnana - knowledge of impersonal brahma; knowledge aiming at impersonal liberation.
Brahma-jnani - see jnani.
Brahma - the spiritual effulgence emanating from the transcendental body of the Lord; the all-pervading, indistinct feature of the Absolute. Depending on the context, this may sometimes refer to the Supreme Brahma, Sri Krsna, who is the source of brahma.
Brahmana - the highest of the four varnas or castes in the varnasrama system; a priest or teacher.
Brahmani - a female brahmana; the wife of a brahmana.
Brahma-pravrtti - the tendency of the jiva to seek the all-pervading brahma.
Brahma-vada - the doctrine of indistinct nirvisesa-brahma which has as its goal the merging of the self into Krsna’s effulgence.
Brahma-vadi - one who follows the doctrine of brahma-vada.
Brhat-caitanya - infinite spiritual consciousness, represented by Krsna.
Brhat-cit-vastu - vast or infinite spiritual substance; Sri Krsna.
Buddhi-apeksa - the consideration that takes place through one’s intelligence of the sublime nature of madhura rasa and which in turn assists in creating lobha.
But-parast - (Muslim) idolatry; worship of material elements, spirits, or ordinary living beings.