Explanation of Sanskrit Terms Used on Gurukripa

Jay Jay Shankar ! Har Har Shankar

"I pray to Lord Shankara to enlighten me with the Gyana."

We are discussing about Indian culture and philosophy of Advaita on this blog from past two years. While writing, I am actually realizing more and more and learning more. Many spirituality concepts are not in English which are very usual and common in Bharata. I was not getting satisfaction of writing by replacing the words and I try to keep what comes from heart as it is, because it is spiritual and not manual work.

So, I tried to use Sanskrit words as they are and give the explanation later. This was also becoming very long and repetitive.

Rajiv Malhotraji has coined a term digestion of our culture. We can’t replace the Hindi or Sanskrit words by some – somewhat fitting English word. The effect of that would be the degradation of that spiritual or other Indian concept which is harmful for our culture. I feel, this effort of translation may result in confusion of reader or the person who is desperate for Indian spirituality.

Shri. Kalki Sharma Guruji who is guiding me like light house in the darkness of confusion, has suggested this solution, which is now in the form of this page.

My friend Shri. Pramod Kumar has always motivated and has shared lot of rare information about our culture, Rajive Malhotraji’s work because of which my confidence about writing on Gurukripa is boosted and I could write firmly the Sanskrit terms as they are on the blog and you must have noticed the positive response to this new experiment from readers, well wishers, supporter of Gurukripa.

Gurutattva is guiding me always in different forms, so mere thanking would not be perfect here, but Pranam is the only thing I can do.

Jiva:  Every individual who is felt different from each other, because of the mind means the Maya. Jiva means the Aatman which is felt to be covered with ‘mind’ and ‘thoughts’  which brings the illusion of desires on the ‘Swaroop’ of ‘Aatman’ which is only bliss and bliss.

Shiva: The Supreme eternity in the world and beyond all the worlds which is ‘EVERYWHERE’, we call IT as, ‘cosmos’, ‘energy’, ‘mother nature’.

Gyana: The eternal realization that Jiva and Shiva are not different but they are the ‘One’. The union of jiva and Shiva doesn’t happen but it is always there. Our Jiva covered with ‘Maya’ when realizes ‘Maya’ is Mithya, was never there but was only felt Jiva becomes Shiva.  This eternal realization ends all the desires which are due to the feeling of Dvaita – duality. The end of the desires ends all the sorrows and end of Vikaras lust. The Jiva  experiences the union with The Shiva.

Bhakti :  Bhakti means the Supreme Love. When we feel that ‘Me’ is not different from the person ‘Me’ loves, our love becomes beyond the lusts, desires, Vikaras and it becomes Supreme Devotion, i.e. Bhakti. Bhakti is just another beautiful form of Gyana which is expressed in the form of Love. When a Gyani becomes silent with the peace discovered within his / her own self, the Bhakta becomes mad in Love discovering the peace and bliss in the love, singing, dancing in the love. Bhakta’s every Karma becomes only for his / her love. The oneness of Bhakti and Gyana is the glory of Advaita philosophy.  The love in Bhakti is for the Parmeshwar and not anybody in this world. Why so? IF we love somebody, we think about that person, their habits, styles, life, and Karma. If the person we love is bound with the desires and lusts, bound with Karma which means if the person we love is  Baddha, our love also will tend towards Vikara and it will not turn in Advaita the oneness, the supreme love and devotion The Parameshwar is ‘Purest Love’ Parameshwar is beyond the Karma, Parmeshwar has no limits of material world. Parmeshwar is beyond the ‘Vikara’. So if we remember Paremewshwar for a single moment, our heart becomes full of love . So Bhakti means the supreme love for the Parmeshwar. Bhakti can be towards our duties and Karma too, the duties which are according to the Dharma.  When we lose our ego and existence while doing Karma, it becomes the Karmayoga and Bhakti for Karma again will be Bhaktiyoga. Bhaktiyoga and Karmayoga are not different that is the glory of Advaita here again. Still, Bhakti is mainly supposed as the supreme love for the Parameshwar, because this is the easiest path to follow, love is natural and we do not have to practice for love. While doing Karma and performing our duties we may get confused with Dharma and Moha, Lobha. We may accept Adharma as Dharma due to Moha, which is becoming very common now. This may lead our desire for Moksha, on a confused or wrong path.

Advaita Philosophy: In simplest word, the ‘Oneness’. Advaita is the philosophy which leads to the realization of supreme truth, oneness.

The differences in thoughts and assumptions or interpretations about the world have given birth to different religions. Hinduism is not a religion. Everyone is going towards the realization of Moksha, but the differences and the assumptions and interpretations about world; philosophy in limited concepts is spreading the hatred in the minds of people. This hatred can be stopped by understanding Advaita Philosophy.

Guru: The person who guides. Even in English, guide word start with ‘gu’. Guru word has many meanings, we keep here in the context of Gurukripa only.

Sadguru: Sat + Guru : The Sadguru who awakens the forgotten realization about the oneness of Jiva and Shiva, Aatman and Paramtman, in the disciple. This realization is eternal. In Marathi it is written about Sadguru that, ‘Sadguru makes the disciple just like ‘Sadguru.’

Sankalp: The wish which comes in mind naturally to do or happen something without any thought which is opposite to the possibility of that wish.

Kripa: Kripa is the Sankalp of Sadguru for the perfection of the disciple in every aspect of life, in four Purushartha, Dharma, Artha, Kama and Moksha.

Karma: The acts we do which result in such consequences which affects our life and others lives too. Karma also includes the thoughts, the Sankalpa that result in acts. Even if our thoughts do not result in any act but they have effect on this world which may result in mild or serious good or bad, consequences. Thoughts are vibrations and depending on the intensity of thoughts they bring the result. That is why we use the word ‘will power’.

PS: I do not claim that I know everything perfectly. The terms and explanation above is in the context of this Blog, articles and poems written here. I will keep updating the list.

If you wish to ask about any term used on this blog, please drop your question in the comment section or contact me. I’ll try my best.