My Hindu Page Glossary - S

Sadhana, Saguna Brahman, Saivite, Saivisim / Saivite Hinduism, Samadhi / Savikalpa Samadhi, Samhara, Samskara, Sanatana Dharma, Sanctum, Saraswati,Goddess, Sat-Chit-Ananda, Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami, Satsang, Sattva, Self / Self-God, Seven Worlds, Shakta, Shakti, Shakti,Goddess, Shankara,Lord, Shankarachariyar, Shiva / Siva / Sivan, Shivalingam, Shivaloka, Shruti, Shukla Paksha, Siddhasana, Sincere Devotion, Sishya, Sivapuranam, Smarta , Soul, Spiritual Evolution of the Soul, Srishti, Stithi, Subconscious, Sublime, Substratum, Sudarshana Chakra, Swami

Sadhana: It is the consistent practice of spiritual disciplines to hasten spiritual evolution of the soul towards moksha. These disciplines include worshipful practices such as performing regular pujas at home or going to the temple regularly, doing yoga exercises or practicing meditation. Scriptures and gurus urge devotees to do sadhana daily.

 

Saguna Brahman: God who appears with form. This term for God was first coined by Sri Adi Shankara. In his analysis of the Vedas, he organized the understanding of God in to two distinct natures. They are Nirguna Brahman and Saguna Brahman. Any desricption of God with form is Saguna Brahman. The specific form through which God decides to reveal Himself or Herself to a devotee is God's choice. Such form can be any of God's human-like, animal-like or even elemental like forms. Saguna Brahman also includes the amorphous forms of God as Sat-Chit-Ananda or Truth, Consciousness and Bliss. Saguna Brahman is a combined definition of Paramatma and Parashakti, in the understanding of God as The Three Aspects.  

Saivite: A follower of the Saiva sect of Hinduism. The oldest sect of Hinduism. A Saivite worships God Shiva as Supreme Godhead. Among the forms of God Shiva commonly worshipped are the Shivalingam, Nataraja, Shankara and Dhakshinaamurthi.

Saivism / Saivite Hinduism: The Saiva or Saivite religion. The oldest sect of Hinduism that worships God Shiva as Supreme Godhead. It is one of the four primary sects of Hinduism. Among the forms of God Shiva commonly worshipped are Shivalingam, Nataraja, Shankara and Dhakshinamurthi.

Samadhi / Savikalpa Samadhi: Literally it means, “to hold together completely.” Samadhi is the goal of the practice of Ashtanga Yoga, wherein the state of oneness or undifferentiated union is achieved between the meditator and God's Consciousness and Being. There are two levels of samadhi. The first is savikalpa samadhi, in which the meditator’s awareness becomes one with pure consciousness, or God’s mind, also known as Satchitananda. The second is nirvikalpa samadhi, in which oneness with God as Parabrahman, who transcends all modes of consciousness, time, form and space is experienced. The aftermath of both states of samadhi creates a new spiritual perspective in the mind of the meditator–one that is imbued with the experiential reality of God. The meditator becomes more enlightened each time he achieves samadhi. However of the two samadhis, nirvikalpa samadhi is the highest or ultimate state. It brings in its aftermath a complete transformation of consciousness. This transformation is what is required by the soul to achieve spiritual liberation or moksha.  (Ashtanga Yoga: Ashtanga Yoga, is a structured step by step system of God Realization. Ashtanga yoga defines eight steps that gradually trains a yoga practioner to realize God. These steps are yama–moral restraints, niyama–religious observances, asana–hatha yoga exercises, pranayama–breath control, pratyahara–sense withdrawal, dharana–concentration, dhyana–meditation and samadhi–God Realization. Hindu culture and practices (irrespective of the sects) are contained within the steps of ashtanga yoga. Ashtanga yoga is the same as raja yoga or kundalini yoga).

 

Samhara: God's action of destruction or degeneration. The forces of change and evolution that are precursors to the forces of creation and also the power of protection is samhara. Samhara includes all forces that cause degeneration for the processes of renewal or protection. It also includes the forces of willpower and aspirations for improvement. Samhara is embodied in the Vedic Trinity as the deity Rudra or Shiva. The symbols held by deities to represent destruction are weaponry such as the arrow, sword, sudarshana chakra, mace or the element fire.

 

Samskara: Samskara are rites of passage. Rites of passage are ceremonies to mark important milestones in the developments of a Hindu's life. The important samskara are the Namakarana Samskara - Name giving ceremony, Chudakarana Samskara - first head shaving ceremony, Vidyarambha Samskara - Beginning of formal education, Vivaha Samskara - Marriage and Antyeshti Samskara - death ceremony. There are many other minor samskaras that mark other developments in a Hindus life such as the annaprasanna - first feeding, ritukala and keshanta samskaras - coming of age for girls and boys. The main samskaras involve ceremonies conducted by priests. The minor ones are usually done amongst family and conducted mainly by the elders of the community.

 

Sanatana Dharma: In the simplest explanation, it is the ancient or original name of the Hindu religion. It means the “Eternal Truthsof Life.” When God revealed Sanatana Dharma to the rishis, theyrealized that these truths or spiritual laws were universal andapplicable to all peoples, no matter by what name they call God or bywhat form He is worshipped. Thus the name Sanatana Dharma came to be.Sanatana Dharma is Sanskrit. In Hindi it is pronounced, Sanatan Dharm.

 

Sanctum: In the context of this website, it refers to shrines in Hindu temples where a deity (an image of God or a Mahadeva) is installed. Main Sanctum, Inner Sanctum or Sanctum Santorium refers to the central shrine or the main shrine where the deity the temple is dedicated to is installed. Most Hindu temples have more than one shrine, however, it is the biggest, main and central shrine that houses the deity the temple is named after. This is the main sanctum or the inner sanctum of the temple. 

 

Saraswati, Goddess: The form of Goddess Shakti as the Goddess of Arts, Culture and Learning. She is often pictured sittiing on a white lotus, wearing a white saree and playing the veena. She also holds Scriptures with her one hand and the 'goad of wisdom' with another hand. All these are implements of wisdom, just like her vahana or vehicle that is Hamsa the swan that also symbolizes wisdom. The often chanted Gayatri Mantra (Aum, Bhur Bhuvah Suvaha, Tatsavitur varenyam, Bhargo devasya dhimahi, dhiyo yo nah, pracodayatu) is attributed to Goddess Saraswati.  

Sat-Chit-Ananda: God in His All-Pervasive form of Sat–Truth, Chit–Consciousness, Ananda–Bliss. This form of God is experienced through the state of meditation as Divine Light, Pure Love or Pure Energy.

Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami: An American born Hindu spiritual leader (1927-2001). Affectionately addressed by his disciples as Gurudeva, he was recognized as a Jagadaacharya, or world teacher by the World Hindu Federation, for his outstanding missionary work in promoting, preserving and protecting Hinduism globally. Gurudeva was an enlightened spiritual master who taught his devotees the path to Self Realization. He was the founder of Kauai Aadheenam, a monastery and temple complex on the Hawaian Island of Kauai. He was also the founder and publisher of the global Hindu magazine, Hinduism Today. For more information on Gurudeva and his publications visit the following website: www.gurudeva.org

Satsang: A gathering of devotees for spiritual reasons. For instance a gathering of devotees around a guru to hear his or her discourse is a satsang. A group of devotees coming together to observe a religious event is also a satsang.

 

Sattva: One of the three conditions of nature, which are sattva, rajas and tamas. Sattva is a state of being that is calm, pure, profound and non-violent. It is given to spirituality, kindness and love in life and a high degree of virtuousness in action.  

Self / Self-God: Self with a capital S, refers to the existence of God within us. Hinduism teaches that the essence of our being is God. If we seek within ourselves through meditation for the source of our being we will find God and realize that at the very core of ourselves, we are One with God. The terminology Self, comes from the common statement in the Vedas–Aham Brahmasmi, which means “I am God.” Thus in Hindu writings in English, when the word self appears with a capital S, Self, it means God within us. Self Realization is the same as God Realization. Self-God is a term coined by Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami to refer to the Parabrahman core of our soul. As Parabrahman, the ultimate Aspect of God lies at the core of our being, the Self-God implies that God is within us and that divinity is our ultimate nature.

Seven worlds: In Hindu cosmology the spiritual and physical universe is divided into seven worlds or seven realms. These worlds range from the densest world, that is the physical world (Bhuloka), to the worlds of the ancestors, the astral worlds (Devaloka), to the worlds of the Mahadevas and God, the causal world or the highest heavens (Bhramaloka). The seven worlds are divided further into sub-realms to create a total of 21 planes of existence.

Shakta: One of the four primary sects of Hinduism that worships any form of Goddess as the Supreme Godhead. These forms include Durga, Amman, Rajarajeswari, Lakshmi and Kali. Members of the Shakta sect can mainly be found in the Bengal and Jammu states of India. In the South India too there are many temples dedicated to Mother Goddess, however they are mainly Saivite temples, such as Madurai Meenakshi. Saivite temples and Shakta temples can be distinguished by seeing which vahana (animal vehicle) is used to represent the Goddess. In a Shakta temple, the vahana of the Goddess will be a lion, whereas in a Saivite temple it will be Nandi the bull.

Shakti: God’s power or energy. As the manifest energy of God, Shakti pervades the entire Universe as Pure Consciousness, the essence of all existence. Shakti is also the energy that God emanates to bless devotees. This blessings or shakti is most easily felt during prayer in a temple and also while in the presence of an enlightened guru.

 

Shakti, Goddess: Goddess Shakti is Supreme Godhead in the form of the Mother of Creation. She is the Supreme Godhead worshipped by members of the Shakta sect of Hinduism. Her forms include Goddess Parvathi, Lakshmi, Saraswati, Durga, Kali, Rajarajeswari, Amman. Goddess Shakti is also represented by the Sri Chakra Yantra, which is often worshipped in place of Her other forms. 

 

Shankara, Lord: A form of God Shiva as the meditating ascetic. He is often pictured meditating in the icy mountains of the Himalayas. He has a cobra coiled around His neck to show that He is the Master of the Kundalini Shakti (a primordial mystical energy that is latent within all humans, it is stimulated through worship and meditative practices under the guidance of an adept guru. The stimulation of this Shakti is needed to achieve the experiences of God Realization.) Lord Shankara holds in His hands the implements of an ascetic such as the kamandalu-water vessel, the conch and carries a trident.  

 

Shankarachariyar: A monk from the order of monastics founded by Sri Adi Shankara.  (Adi Shankara: One of Hinduism’s most renown monk and scholar. Sri Adi Shankara (788-820) is the pre-eminent guru of the Smarta Hindu sect. He pioneered the creation of monastic orders in Hinduism. Monks under Adi Shankara’s lineage are called Shankarachariyars. Adi Shankara is known for his erudite exposition of the Vedas. Among the many Scriptures he wrote are Viveka Choodamani, Atma Bodha, Atma-Anatma and Ananda Lahiri. Adi Shankara’s teachings are based on the monistic philosophy of Advaita Vedanta).

 

Shiva / Siva / Sivan, God: Supreme Godhead of the followers of the Saivite sect. Among the forms of Lord Shiva that is worshipped are, the Shivalingam (the formless symbol of Shiva),  Nataraja (the King of Dance), Dakshinamurthi (the Silent Teacher), Shankara (the Ascetic) and Thiagarajar (the Compassionate Lord). Lord Shiva is often portrayed with his consort, Goddess Parvathi. As Ardhanareeswarar, Lord Shiva's right half is Shankara and His left half is Goddess Parvathi. Devotees of Lord Shiva emphasize an equal portion selfless service, devotional practices and yoga practices in their religious observance in order to achieve salvation. 

Shivalingam: 'The mark of God'. One of the images of worship of God Shiva. It is usually an elliptical stone placed on a circular base. It represents usually God Shiva in his formless form that is incomprehensible and beyond all attributes. The worship of the Shivalingam is universal among the sects of Hinduism, though it is considered a chiefly Saivite or Shakta image. Among the Smarta and Vaishnavite sects the Shivalingam is called Ishwara and also represents God's transcendent Parabrahman.  

Shivaloka: The realm of Shiva. The Saivite name of the highest level of heaven.  (Saivite: A follower of the Saiva sect of Hinduism. The oldest sect of Hinduism. A Saivite worships God Shiva as Supreme Godhead. Among the forms of God Shiva commonly worshipped are the Shivalingam, Nataraja, Shankara and Dhakshinaamurthi).

 

Shruti: Meaning that which is heard. The word is used classify Hindu Scriptures. In this case any Hindu Scripture that was revealed directly by God to man through spiritual means are called shruti. shurti Scripture include the Vedas, Agamas, Bhagavad Gita, Tirumantiram and many others. The process such scriptures are revealed to mankind by god is often mystical. Usually when a rishi or devotee is meditating, which is how the Vedas were revealed. Shurti class scripture are distinguished from smritti Scriptures, which are Scriptures that were written and usually invented by man. These are secondary Hindu Scriptures, while shruti are primary Hindu Scriptures. 

Shukla Paksha: The waxing phase of the moon, or the time from the new moon to when the moon becomes full. The waning phase of the moon is called krishna paksha.

Siddhasana: “The accomplished one’s pose.” Another pose of Hatha Yoga commonly recommended for the practice of meditation. To sit in siddhasana, sit on the floor with legs folded and flat on the floor. The left leg is placed infront of the right leg with both the feet close to each other but not on each other. It is easier to sit in siddhasana than padmasana.

 

Sincere Devotion: Devotion is one of the highest expressions of love. It is unconditional love that involves care and affection but does not in anyway bind the object of love to any preconditions or contract. It is love for the sake of love. It is the expression of love or dedication toward God, a person or a cause free from thoughts of personal reward or feelings of fear. Parent's love for their children, a devotees love for God, God's love for all Creation are examples of devotion. Sincere devotion is the feeling that comes naturally and is not motivated by fear. It cannot be faked, feigned or forced. A devotee cultivates sincere devotion for God by realizing that God is the source of his or her life and is the compassionate Master and Creator of the Universe. One is able to express sincere devotion for God when one is free from the fear of God and realizes that God is love. Same as pure devotion.

Sishya: A disciple, a student of a guru.

Sivapuranam: The name of the first poem sung by Saint Manickavasagar. Manickavasagar sang this poem upon having his first experience of God Realization. The song praises God Shiva and is a treatise of Manickavasagar’s blissful experience of God. This song, replete with mystical meaning is the most popular of the collection of songs of the Tiruvasagam.  (Tiruvasagam: A Tamil Scripture that is the compilation of all the songs sung by Saint Manickavasagar. The arrangement of the songs in the Tiruvasagam provide a chronological framework for the events in Saint Manickavasagar’s life and his travels).

 

Smarta: One of the four primary sects of Hinduism. Smarta devotees are generally of the brahmin or priest caste. Their main form of worship is performing homas or the fire ceremony, with the sun being an important deity. They may choose any form of God as their personal Supreme God or Ishta Devata. 

Soul: Atma in Sanskrit. The soul is our immortal spiritual being that lives and reincarnates on earth. It is our true and undying being that was created by God. The process of creation of the soul is akin to a spark (the soul) emitting from fire (God). The body of the soul is luminous and filled with blissful vibrations. It is not harmed nor affected in anyway by sorrow, injury or disease. The soul grows in strength with each life lived on earth. The goal of the soul is to reunite with God, just as a drop of rain returns to it’s source the ocean.

 

Spiritual Evolution of the Soul: Gurus and Hindu Scriptures explain that the soul is born on earth to develop spiritually. To this end the soul is subjected to the process reincarnation, so that with each birth it is able to gain wisdom about its true identity, its relationship with God and the Truths of life. This process is very lenghty. Though there is no absouute count to number of births on earth that the soul can take, it is generally understood that the process of spiritual evolution can take thousands of lifetimes on earth. Spiritual evolution is the process of the soul gaining awareness of itself as the soul and further finding its innate oneness with God. It is said that the soul can only accomplish this process on earth because of the duality of joy and sorrow that can be experienced on earth. Life in the heavens, it is explained is too complacent for spiritual evolution. When the soul finishes the process on spiritual evolution on earth it gains freedom from having to be reborn on earth or moksha. After that the soul can live for an eternity in the heavens, going through a much more subtle process of spiritual evolution in the heavens until it finally merges with God in complete unity from whence it came, a state called vishvagrasa. Spiritual evolution according to Hinduism applies to all souls no matter their religion, it is a universal process. The definition of spiritual evolution is one of the main theological difference between Hinduism and the Abrahamic religions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

 

Srishti: God's Action of Creation. God Created the spiritual and physical universes and beings within them through srishti. Srishti is not limited to the beginnings of the universe, it heads any process of creation and rejuvenation. Srishti includes all forces of growth and creativity. It also includes the intellectual processes of formulating ideas and learning. Srishti is embodied in the Vedic Trinity as the deity Brahma, the Lord of creation and learning. The symbolic implements held by deities of Paramatma to represent Creation are instruments of sound or music like the conch, damaru, veena; objects of learning, like Scriptures and the lotus bud (the bud is the symbol of the issuance of creation).

Stithi: God's Action of Preservation. The forces of maintenance and accumulation of abundance is governed by God through stithi. Stithi includes all the forces of renewal and systems of stability. It also includes the formulation of  rules, laws and governance. Stithi is embodied in the Vedic Trinity as the deity Vishnu, the Lord of dharma and abundance. The symbols held by deities to represent Preservation are the kumbha (water vessel) filled with water; hand held in gestures such as the abhaya mudra or chin mudra; holding flowers, plants, animals such as the parrot and sweet foods. 

 

Subconscious: Under the conscious. In the yoga teaching the consciousness can be divided into four main sections. 1. Jagrat-wakefulness (physical consciousness), 2. Svapna-dream state (normal consciousness during sleep), 3. Sushupti-deep or dreamless sleep (higher consciousness during sleep) 4. Turiya-Pure Consciousness (the consciousness of God or Sat-Chit-Ananda). There is a fifth state known as turiyatita, which is beyond consciousness, or utterly transcendent, which can be classified more as a state of being than consciousness. The subconscious consists of the Svapna and Sushupti states. It is the part of our mind where our memories and preferences are stored. In and of itself the subconscious is a neutral state of mind, however it is the key state of mind that controls the conscious mind as it is the seat of our personality, which is known as the ahamkara in yoga teachings. The subconscious mind can be skewed towards positive loving and encouraging traits or adversely toward the negative, hateful and pessimistic traits. Whatever is in the subconscious will be reflected in our actions as we interact with the world in the conscious mind. Thus if one wants to change ones tendencies or personality (hopefully towards the positive) on must first know how to work with the subconscious mind by deactivating previous tendencies. There are many techniques in yoga practice to achieve these from hatha yoga asanas to affirmations and meditation. Creating and maintaining a positive subconscious is a process of spiritual evolution.  

Sublime: Subtle devotional feelings that inspire peacefulness.

Substratum: The underlying layer or substance that is the foundation of something. It is said of God as Parashakti, being the all-pervasive underlying foundation of all creation.

Sudarshana Chakra: A weapon of Lord Vishnu. It is a symbol of God’s power of destruction (or protection). The sudarshana chakra is a free spinning circular disc with a serrated and sharp outer edge. Lord Vishnu keeps the sudarshana chakra in place with his upper right index finger.

Swami: He who knows or is the master of himself. A respectful title given to a renunciate Hindu monk–a sannyasin– dedicated wholly to religious missionary work. The title is given to an aspiring Hindu monk after successfully completing spiritual and religious training under an elder or more senior sannyasin, usually his guru, through an initiation ceremony. Sannyasins or swamis are usually unmarried men or men who have renounced family life and their vows of celibacy preclude them from marriage after the initiation. They can be easily recognized by the orange robes that they don. Orange is a symbolic colour for Hinduism as it represents selflessness and selfless service.