Spiritual Glossary

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4 words found.

Word Meaning

1 Jaganmithya A very well-known 'Advaitic' maxim of "Brahman Satyam, Jaganmithya" is attributed Sri. Adi Sankara. Sri. Sankara asserts that, "Only the Absolute noumenal substratum is the valid reality, whereas the entire phenomenal world of manifestation is an ILLUSION". 'Brahman' is indicative of the enigmatic inexhaustible foundation IN which all aspects of creation manifest and get sustained for a while and finally get reabsorbed. Creation, Sustenance and Dissolution is the eternal cycle, underlying the world of plurality. The fundamental state of 'Brahman' is the unchanging non-dual state. Apart from indicating the transient quality of the material manifestations of phenomenal physical world, 'Jaganmithya' directly zeroes in on the "World" fabricated out of human values, concepts, images, fears and desires. Our mental world, which we call as "Human-World" is an illusion ('Mithya'). This world gets formulated only out of human mental delusions. All our delusions are the outcome of our fundamental notion of "I and ME" (EGO). This 'Jagan' (WORLD) of "I" and "ME", is 'Mithya' (ILLUSION)!

2 Japa and Tapa To constantly repeat a particular religious name ('Nama') or a cryptic maxim ('Mantra') is 'Japa'. Undergoing hard penances for considerable length of duration is 'Tapa'.
These two words contain within them following insightful meanings.
'Japa': 'Ja' = 'Born from or in', 'Produced or caused by' + 'Pa' = 'Guarding', Protecting', 'Ruling'. Thus the meaning that emerges for 'Japa' is 'That which ('Nama' and 'Mantra') is born or produced 'within', guards and protects oneself'. What is indicated here very subtly is, it is not mere mechanical repetition of 'Nama' and 'Mantra' is of any real help in our spiritual quest. They have to be literally 'born from or in' one's undivided consciousness. Only then they have the quality of 'guarding and protecting' our inner sanity.
'Tapa': The word 'Tapa' means 'Heat', 'Glow', 'Torment', 'Pain', 'Agony'. What is THAT, which has to undergo the sustained tormenting, painful and agonizing heating, so as to GLOW? One's sense of ego has to get repeatedly subjugated through the tormenting heat of painfully agonizing self-denials, so as to get purified and glow free of arrogating madness of individuality. One has to be 'Mindful' with total awareness, to repeatedly deny the wanton ways of one's ego. This cannot be a mere brutal denial. Without the subtle power of insight into the core-issue, if one undertakes self-denial as a blind method, the malady would only get compounded. The power of ego will only grow more in its strength, by further appropriating the energy present in the act of brutal self-denial as well! The power of ego-energy is gross. Blind 'self-denial' is equally gross in its nature. Thus, it gets only added to one's ego-energy, whereas, the ego can be dissolved only by a subtler power of INSIGHT. Thus, 'Tapa' of self-denial has to be undertaken with insight ('Shukshma-Gyana'), to make true progress in our spiritual quest.
It is indeed quite evident that both 'Japa' and 'Tapa' are essential factors in one's spiritual endeavor.

3 Jiva Sentient; living.

4 Jiva and Ajiva These two words mean, 'Animate and Inanimate' and also 'Sentient and Insentient'. The modern science has only found out that 'Matter and Energy' are mutually convertible, one form into the other. The scientist discovered to their amazement that, 'Matter is the grossest form of Energy' and 'Energy is the subtlest form of Matter'! Whereas, the Vedic SEER of yore, asserted out of realization that the Absolute noumenal substratum apart from creating matter and energy, IT ingrains in each and every aspect of creation, ITS essential quality of CONSCIOUSNESS (Chaitanya). The teeming manifestations are pulsating with consciousness. Hence, the SEER wherever he glimpses, he only senses Consciousness in varying intensity. He found to his great amusement that the transient forms are emerging and dissolving as an eternal cosmic play of the Absolute source, CHAITANYA!

Consciousnesses in varying intensity as SEEN by the Vedic SEER, are three types. They are 'Satva, Rajas and Tamas'. These three are called as 'Guna' (Quality). The qualities that are represented by these three words are: 'Satva'= Balance, Peace, Fullness, Subtle, Stability. 'Rajas'= Movement, Drive, Unrestrained, Engulfing, Assertive, Resplendent. 'Tamas'= Passive, Inert, Stagnate, Immobility, Sloth, Gross. All aspects of creation are composed of these ranges of qualities in infinite combinations. Even Gods and Goddess are not free from qualitative attributes! Thus, from the lowest of low, to the highest-ranking manifestation, each is ingrained in some combination, the above discussed qualities of CONSCIOUSNESS (Chaitanya). Thus in the Vedic perception, even in a piece of wood and a stone, leave alone plants and animals, the divinity of the Absolute is seen!
The deep sense of togetherness, which is brimming in a realized human being, can only be attributed to such an organic state of EXISTENCE!
As everything in the Cosmic-universe is essentially containing Consciousness, however ignorant (Non-conscious) presently they may be, realization of TRUTH is an inescapable possibility, for all and everything! This is the path, Vedanta shows to humankind.