Glossary           A-K            M-Z

Aachman
Aachman is to wash mouth from inside. It is a integral part of Poojaa to clean mouth as a part of Shauch (cleanliness). In this process one just drinks some water (2-3 tablespoons). It is done after taking the food too to clean mouth. In this process enough water is taken into mouth, rolled inside the mouth and thrown away as dirty water. Two or three times are enough to do this.

Aasakti
Intense love. Intense attachment. Caring for somebody or something every time. Krishn in Geetaa has delivered the message of doing Karm (actions) without Aasakti (with detachment), then only one can attain salvation.

Aashram (1)
A human being's age has been distributed in four parts or phases for convenience. They are called Aashram. These Aashram are:  
(1) Brahmacharya Aashram (up to 25 years of age - education period)
(2) Grihasth Aashram (25-50 years of age - most important Aashram of the life in which a person marries, produces children, enjoys world's pleasures and pays back his essential Rin (debts)
(3) Vaanprasth Aashram (50-75 years of age - he lives in the house but starts detaching himself from the world)
(4) Sanyaas Aashram (75-100 years of age - in which he leaves everything and goes to forest and does only Tapasyaa and Bhajan. Lives with very strict rules)

Aashram (2)
Means Hermitage, where several Rishi, or Saadhu or hermits, or saints live collectively. Found normally in forests, their huts built of normally tree trunks, leaves, branches, grass etc.

Aastik       see also       Naastik
Theist.

Agyaatvaas
Living in the society without being recognized.

Ansh
Means "part". Ansh Avataar means that Bhagvaan has not appeared with His full powers, but only with partial powers. He is supposed to have 16 Kalaa (powers). Only Krishn Jee is said be Poorn (complete) Avataar, means He came with all His 16 Kalaa while other Avataar were only Ansh Avataar.

Ashwamedh Yagya
In ancient times, when a king wanted to establish his sovereignty over the neighboring kings, he would do Ashwamedh Yagya in which a horse was sent to those kingdoms with great pomp and show. If somebody accepted the sovereignty, he agreed to pay tax, or if he challenged he would catch the horse and fight. After the horse had successfully come back he was ceremonially killed as a sign of victory. The four famous sovereigns who performed this Yagya were Raajaa Bharat (not Ram's brother, but Dushyant's son), Sudaas, Yudhishthir and Janamejaya.

Avadhoot
The person who has taken Sanyaas and lives in the world as if he doesn't live in the world. These type of people normally don't wear clothes, eat whatever they get without making any  efforts for food. They live like they don't belong to this world. They live alone and just pass time till they leave this body.

Brahmchaaree
Who follows Brahmcharya - abstinence.