ABDHUT/AUDHUT/AVADHUT A kind of Hindu devotee who worships Shiva. neglects the ceremonies of religion, and goes naked, with the body besmeared with ashes. Guru Nanak defines the Abdhut as a person who renounces vice and is imbued with the Holy Name. Such a person not only liberates himself front

ABHICH,According to Indian astrology \'Abhich\' is the name of a certain conjunction of planets which is regarded as auspicious by the Hindus. On this day, Hindus take a bath in one of the holy rivers. On this festive day. which fell on January 14. 1553 Guru Amardas visited Kurukshetra

AD BHAVANI - \'You are called Ad Bhavani, Where do you hide yourself when you have to grant salvation?\' (Gond Namdev, p. 874) The word Ad means \'from the beginning\' and Bhavani is another name of Durga, the wife of Shiva. Thus Ad Bhavani may connote the Shakti of

ADAM - \'When God saw towards Adam with His unapproving eyes, how could he stay long in heaven then? (Bhairo Kahir, p. 1161) The reference about Adam in Guru Granth Sahib is a back-handed compliment. On the face of it, it can be translated thus : "When God showed

AGAMPUR or AGAMPURA, lit. city unapproachable or inaccessible (Skt. agamya plus pur or pura). The word appears in one of the hymns of Guru Nanak in Asa measure where it is used to signify God`s abode or the ultimate state or stage of spiritual enlightenment and bliss. Another term

AGASTYA Though ambrosia, moon, elysian cow, Lakshmi, the miraculous tree, the sun\'s steed and the physician Dhanantar arose from the ocean, who is the Lord of the rivers, yet on account of its Karmas (actions), its saltishness does not end. (Dhanasari Trilochan, p. 695) In the above reference, the

\'Wonderful is the fire which works wonders.\' (Var Asa M. l, p. 464) \'Agni is called Baisantar Devta\' (Var Asa M. l, p. 473). Its other names are Pavak and Tejas. It is an evolute from Air (Paun Devata) and labours hard like him under the Fear of the

AHALYA On seeing Ahalya, the wife of sage Gautama, Indra, the king of gods was fascinated. He repented in his mind, when he got a thousand marks of vulva on his body.(Prabhati M. l, pp 1343-44) The god Indra wailed and wept, when he received a thousand marks of

AHANKAR (hankar as it is commonly pronounced in Punjabi) is a compound of Sanskrit aham (I) and kar (\'maker\') and means I-maker, i.e. what individuates the person as I. It stands for egotism, egoism, self conceit, self centredness, vanity or simply pride. Other synonyms used in the sacred texts of

AHIMSA. The term ahimsa is formed by adding the negative prefix a to the word himsa which is derived from the Sanskrit root \'han\', i.e. \'to kill\', \'to harm\', or \'to injure\', and means not killing, not harming, not injuring. The commonly used English equivalent \'non-violence\' is inadequate as it

AJA Aja wept, when he was made to eat the dung he gave in charity. (Var Ramkali M. 3, Shalok M. l, p. 953) Aja was a king of the solar dynasty. He was the son of king Raghu, father of Dashratha and grandfather of Shri Rama. Once a

AJAMILA This name occurs singly and with others in several verses of the Sikh Scripture. Where it occurs singly, there is pointed reference to his life-incident, e.g. At the time of his death, Ajamila grew conscious of Narayan (God); he attained in an instant that state, which the great

AJRAIL The angel Ajrail crushes the evil-doers in the crusher like the sesame seed. (Gaurt Ki Var M. 4, Shalok M. 5, p. 315) He, who is dependent on Thee, O Lord! Ajrail is the friend of that person. (Tilang M. 5, p. 724) The rebels will be called

AKAL, lit. timeless, immortal, non temporal, is a term integral to Sikh tradition and philosophy. It is extensively used in the Dasam Granth hymns by Guru Gobind Singh, who titled one of his poetic compositions Akal Ustati, i.e. In Praise (ustati) of the Timeless One (akal). However, the concept of

AKAL MURATI, a composite term comprising akal (non temporal) and murati (image or form), occurring in the Mul Mantra, the root formula or fundamental creed of the Sikh faith as recorded at the beginning of the Japu, composition with which the Guru Granth Sahib opens, literally means `timeless image`. Elsewhere,

AKALPURAKH stands in Sikh religious literature for the Divine Being, i.e. God. Like Akal, Murati, it is composed of two units, viz. akal (non temporal) and purakh (person). The latter figures in Mul Mantra, the preamble to Guru Nanak`s Japu, in conjunction with Xarta (Creator), the whole expression implying

AKHAND PATH (akhand = uninterrupted, without break; path = reading) is nonstop, continuous recital of the Guru Granth Sahib from beginning to end. Such a recital must be completed within 48 hours. The entire Holy Volume, 1430 large pages, is read through in a continuous ceremony. This reading must

AKHAND PATH: Aakhand Path is nonstop recitation of Guru Granth Sahib. It is completed in approximately 48 hours. Several readers perform this recitation in a relay system. The reading goes, in a relay manner, continuously, day and night. At given intervals (usually two hours per turn) the next reciter

AKRURA Oodho, Akrura (of the Dwapara age) and Trilochan, Namdev and Kabir (of Iron age) got their sins effaced by remembering the Name of the Lord and the same undeceivable Name, which ferries the saints across the world-ocean, came into the mind of Guru Amar Das. (Swayye Mahle Teeje

ALLURING DAMSELS OF HEAVEN (APSARAS)If the clothes be of heat and cold and the food be of the wind, the alluring women of heaven be there everywhere. OR The alluring woffien of heaven may all go away. Still I may Praise Thee, O Lord! and the eagerness of my

AMARAPURI (AMARAVATI) In the Sikh Scripture, instead of Amaravati, the word Amarapuri has been used. "Ineffable is the discourse of Amarapuri (the immortal city). He also attains unto it, whom the Lord blesses." (Swayye Mahle Chauthe Ke, p. 1398) Amaravati is the city of Indra, the king of the

AMAVAS (AMAVASYA), massia in Punjabi, lit. a combination of ama, i.e. together, and vasya, i.e. stationing, signifying coming of the sun and the moon together in one line, is the last day of the dark half of the lunar month when the moon remains entirely hidden from our view. The

ABARIKA (AMBARISHA) was granted the state of Fearlessness... (Bani Namdev, p. 1105) Ambarika (Ambarisha) etc..... (Swayye Mahle Chauthe Ke, p. 1405) Ambarisha was a king of Ayodhya. He was twenty-eighth iri descent from Ikshwaku. He was the son of king Mandhata. It is said about him that he was

AMRIT, derived from Sanskrit amrta, defined variously as not dead, immortal, imperishable; beautiful, beloved; world of immortality, heaven; immortality, eternity; final emancipation; nectar, ambrosia; nectarlike food; antidote against poison; or anything sweet, commonly means a liquid or drink by consuming which one attains everlasting life or immortality. It is

AMRIT VELA

AMRIT VELA, is the time of about three and three quarters of an hour before sunrise, say from about 2.15 AM to 6AM. Guru Nanak urged his disciples to get up at this auspicious time and recite God\'s name. Literally it means the "period of divine nectar" In this

AMRIT VELA: Amrit Vela means hour before the dawn of the day. In Sikhism, there is no concept of auspicious hour or moment . A Sikh, however, is supposed to get up before the dawn of the day and have shower before his daily worship and prayer. It does

AMRITDHARI (amrit, lit. nectar, commonly Sikh sanctified initiatory water + dhan= practitioner) is one who has received baptismal vows of the Khalsa initiated by Guru Gobind Singh (30 March 1699) and abides by them and by the panj kakari rahit, distinctive insignia introduced by the Guru on that day

ANAHATASABDA figures variously in the Guru Granth Sahib as anahadasabad, anahadatura, anahadajhunkara, anahadabain, anahatanada, anahadabani and anahadadhumand in the Dasam Granth as anahadabani and anahadabaja. The word anahata is from the Sanskrit language. It occurs in Pali and Prakrit texts as well. In the Sanskrit original, it implies unstruck; it

ANAND (Skt. Anand, from nand meaning "to rejoice" or "to delight") denotes mystical experience, spiritual bliss or a state of consciousness such as that ofaJi`van mukta, i.e. one released while still in body. Anand in the Upanisadic texts istaken to be one of the three inherent attributes of atman

ANAND KARAJ, lit. joyful ceremonial occasion or proceedings is the name given the Sikh marriage ceremony. For Sikhs married state is the norm and the ideal; through it, according to their belief, come the best opportunities for serving God\'s purpose and the well being of humanity, and it affords

ANAND KARAJ: Aanand Kaaraj is the Sikh marriage ceremony. The exact date of its origin is not known but references can be found that the marriage of the children of Guru Sahib had been performed by way of this ceremony. Guru Sahib had made it obligatory for a Sikh

ANCESTORS,In ancient Hindu scriptures, the honouring of human ancestors is commanded. Pitri or mass\'s to one\'s ancestors arc regarded as sacred funeral rights and Sradh (offerings of food) are considered obligatory for placating the spirits of the departed ancestors up to thee seventh generation. It is believed that the

Durbasa, the king Furu and the sage Angarai (Angiras) sang the Praises of Guru Nanak Dev. (Swayye Mahle Pahle Ke, p. 1390) The sage Angiras is said to be the author of many hymns of Rig Veda. He was one of the Sapt-rishis and one of the ten Prajapatis.

ANHAD/ANHAT BANI or SHABD :A sound that is unending and knows no limits. Audible life current originating from the Divine Will, endlessly carrying on the work of creating and sustaining the universe; interchangeably used with Anhat meaning \'Unstruck\', as it it automatic and not instrumental. It also means sound not

ANJALI:Literally,Anjali means an offering of a palmful of water or a few grams of rice to a deity as a mark of respect or devotion. Anjali is also a form of poetry. Guru Arjan wrote four \'chhands\' in Raga Maru (GGS, p. 1019) in the form of \'Anjali\'. In

ANN DEVATA (Personification of corn or food grain as god) Corn-god, water-god, fire-god, salt and ghee was put the fifth. (Var Asa M. l, p. 473) See : Pani Devata

ANSA AVATAR (The incarnation created for a limited purpose) The Lord created the incarnations containing some portions of a god\'s power, who was thus absorbed in duality. They were like ruling kings engrossed in worldly affairs. (Var Gujri M. 3, p. 516) Several Purushas are Ansa Avatars, Who are

ANT KAL,means the few moments before a person\'s death. A person feeling the approach (if death thinks of many things, his wife, children, wealth and home which he will leave shortly and then begins to worry about them and after a while he is no more. Bhagat Trilochan realised

ARATI, from Sanskrit aratrik, meaning the light or the vessel containing it which is waved before an idol, generally in the clockwise direction, accompanied by the chanting of mantras. This is also the name given the ceremony which for the Hindus is a mode of ritual worship to propitiate

ARDAS (Prayer): Ardaas is a combination of two words: Araz and Daashat (literally: the petition of a slave). As a slave is to the Master, the Sikh is to the Almighty, but the root of a Sikhs slavery of the Almighty is not awe of the Almighty but love

ARJUNA In whose house, there are Arjuna, an aide-de-camp, Dhru, Prahlada, Ambrika, Narada, Nejai, Siddhas, Buddhas along with ninety-two sporting Ganas and Gandharvas. (Malar Namdev. p. 1292) Arjuna was the son of Kunti by god Indra. He was highly skilled in the use of bow, which he learnt under

ARTI is a form of worship of an idol or deity in which candles or earthen lamps are waved as a token of devotion; sometimes during the Arti, incense.jossticks, pieces of sandalwood are burnt and flowers showered on the object of worship. When Guru Nanak went to Jagannath Temple

Arun, the charioteer of the lamp of the world (i.e. the sun) and brother of Garuda, the king of the birds became a cripple on account of his past actions. (Dhanasari Trilochan, p. 695) Aruna was the son of Kashyapa (Brahma\'s son) by his wife Vinata. Kashyapa had two

ASAVARI See ASA ASCETICISM, derived from the Greek word askesis, connotes the `training` or `exercise` of the body and the mind. Asceticism or ascetic practices belong to the domain of religious culture, and fasts, pilgrimages, ablutions, purificatory rituals, vigils, abstinence from certain foods and drinks, primitive and strange dress, nudity,

ASCETICISM, derived from the Greek word askesis, connotes the `training` or `exercise` of the body and the mind. Asceticism or ascetic practices belong to the domain of religious culture, and fasts, pilgrimages, ablutions, purificatory rituals, vigils, abstinence from certain foods and drinks, primitive and strange dress, nudity, uncut hair, tonsure.

ASWAMEDHA Performance of horse-sacrifice, donating gold against one\'s own weight, having a bath at Prayag, they are not equal to the merit of remembering the Name and singing the Praises of the Lord. (Gond Namdev, p. 873) Performing horse-sacrifice and donating gold secretly in fruit, they do not equal

ATI AKHAND PATH (ati = extreme, arduous, of superlative degree; akhand = nonstop, without a break; path = reading of the Holy Volume) means an unbroken path of the Guru Granth Sahib by a single reader in one continuous sitting without once getting up or interrupting the reading in

ATMA, Sanskrit at man, originally meant `breath`. Later the term came to connote `soul` or `principle of life`. The different systems of Indian philosophy gave it further semantic shades. Nyaya Visesaka considered atma a substance and endowed it with qualities of cognition, pleasure, pain, desire, aversion and effort. Sarikhya recognized

AVATAR (Incarnation) The Avatars do not know the limits of God; the Supreme Ishvara, the Transcendental Lord is Infinite. (Ramkali M. 5, p. 894) There are millions of incamating Vishnus. (Bhairo M. 5, p. 1156) Under God\'s Will ten Avatars were created. (Maru M. l, p. 1037) The exploits

AVATARS OF VISHNU (Incarnations of Vishnu) There are millions of incarnating Vishnus. (Bhairo M. 5, p. 1156) Under the Will of the Lord, ten incarnations (of Vishnu) were created. (Mani M. l, f,. 1037) Krishan (It connotes Vishnu here) is always busy in incarnating himself; whom should then the