Glossary
Words in SMALL CAPITALS are defined elsewhere in the Glossary.
A
adhibhautika —miseries caused by conflict with other living entities.
adhidaivika —miseries caused by the forces of nature.
adhyātmika —miseries caused by one's own mind and body.
Advaita Ācārya —an incarnation of the Lord who appeared as a principal associate of another incarnation, Lord CAITANYA MAHĀPRABHU.
Age of Kali —See KALI-YUGA.
Akrūra —an uncle of Lord KRṢŅA.
Ānandagiri —a prominent follower of ŚANKARĀCĀRYA.
apavarga —See MUKTI.
Arjuna —one of the five PĀNDAVA brothers; Lord KRṢŅA became his chariot driver during the battle of KURUKṢETRA and spoke to him the BHAGAVAD-GĪTĀ.
ashrams —the four Vedic developmental divisions of the human life-cycle which are meant to elevate one to spiritual perfection; these begin with  brahmacarya  (celibacy and study), proceed to  grhastha  (married life), and  vānaprastha  (retirement), and culminate in  sannyāsa  (complete renunciation of family life and material obligations). See also VARŅĀŚRAMA-DHARMA.
aṣṭāṅga-yoga —the eight-step process of meditation, beginning with sitting postures and breath-control, and culminating with realization of the Lord's form within one's heart.
Aśvatthāmā —the nefarious son of the great military teacher DROŅA who murdered the children of the PĀNDAVA brothers.
ātmā —See JĪVA.
avatāra —a "descent," or appearance on earth of the Supreme Lord or His representative.
B
Bādarāyaṇa —See VYĀSADEVA.
Baladeva —See JAGANNĀTHA, BALADEVA, AND SUBHADRĀ.
Bhagavad-gītā —the paramount scripture of the Vedic tradition, embodying the teachings of Lord KRṢŅA to His devotee ARJUNA and expounding devotion to the Supreme Lord as both the principal means and the ultimate end of spiritual perfection.
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