308 THE SCIENCE OF SELF-REALIZATION

Bhagavan—the Supreme Lord, who is the ultimate possessor of all
varieties of opulences.

Bhagavatam, Bhagavata Purana—See SRIMAD-BHAGAVATAM.

bhakta—a devotee of the Supreme Lord.

bhakti (bhakti-yoga) —the practice of devotional service to the Supreme
Lord.

Bhakti-rasamrta-sindhu—RUPA GOSWAMI’s definitive explanation of

devotional service to the Supreme Lord, beginning with the most
elementary practices and ending with the ultimate perfection of
personal relationships with the Lord.

Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati— (1874-1936) the ‘‘grandfather’’ of the
International Society for Krishna Consciousness; the spiritual
master of His Divine Grace A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhu-
pada.

Bhaktivedanta—a title meaning ‘‘one who has realized that devotional
service to the Supreme Lord is the end of all knowledge.”’

Bhaktivinoda Thakura— (1838-1915) the ‘‘great-grandfather’’ of the
International Society for Krishna Consciousness; the spiritual
master of Srila BHAKTISIDDHANTA SARASVATI.

Bharata—a name of ARJUNA meaning ‘‘descendant of Bharata.”’

Bharata Maharaja—a great devotee of the Lord who because of neglect
of spiritual duties took birth as a deer; in his following birth, as a
human, he attained perfection.

Bharata-varsa—the traditional, scriptural name for India.

Bhisma—the most powerful and oldest warrior in the Battle of KURU-
KSETRA; he is recognized as one of the chief authorities on devo-
tional service to the Lord. ;

Brahma—the first created living being in the universe; he creates the
multiplicity of life-forms, planets, and living conditions under the
supervision of the Supreme Lord.

brahmacari, brahmacarya—See ASHRAMS.

brahmajyoti—the bodily effulgence of the Supreme Lord.

Brahman—the impersonal, all-pervasive aspect of the Supreme Lord.

brahmana—See VARNAS.

Brahma-samhita—a nutshell description of the glories of the Lord, in-
cluding prayers to the Lord by BRAHMA.

Brhan-naradiya Purana—See PURANAS.

Buddha—a disguised incarnation of the Supreme Lord who preached
atheism in order to divert the people of that time from misusing the
ritualistic sacrifices of the VEDAS as a license for animal slaughter.

