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puja
prayer service
Puranas
ancient stories
purusha
soul, unseen essence, divine being
R
raga
Indian classical music; a raga is a melodic concept, a melodic structure, a melodic pattern based around a scale of notes
rishi
seer
rupee
Indian currency
S
Sanatana Dharma
eternal faith, the original name of Hinduism
sastras
treatise or text
Shakti
female power or active energy
swara
literally "self bursting forth"; the notes in Indian classical music, such as the raga
swastika
Vedic symbol of well-being and auspiciousness that was cynically corrupted by Hitler
T
tala
form of measurement equivalent to the size of a typical human palm or face; tala is also the cycle of beats, the rhythmic structure, the meter, the cadence in Indian classical music, such as the raga
Tat Tvam Asi
Sanskrit for "Thou Art That"
toran
an Indian banner hung over a door that showers blessings on all who walk underneath it
tikka
symbolic mark placed on the center of the forehead to represent the third eye associated with wisdom
U
Upanisads
the concluding wisdom and philosophy that ends the sacred Vedas
ustad
maestro used traditionally for Moslems
V
vastu
land or site, or any built form, including the human form
vastu purusha
cosmic spirit of the land or site
vata
a dosha in the body's physical constitution that is related to the element of air

 
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