| Thali | A large dinner plate. |
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| Thiruvanaikaval | A town near Trichy in South India. |
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| Turya | Beyond the three states of waking, dreaming, and sleeping. A transcendental state of awareness and bliss. |
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| Ujjain | The capital of the ancient kingdom of Magadh and one of the seven sacred Hindu cities. Also a great center of learning and scholarly pursuits. Located in present day Madhya Pradesh. |
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| Upanishads | Sacred texts in the Hindu culture. |
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| Vada | A popular south Indian savory made of ground lentils and deep fried. |
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| Vaidhya | Traditional doctor; also refers to traditional system of medicine. |
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| Vajrasana | Lit. diamond posture. One of the dynamic yogic postures, through which the practitioner imbibes the hardness and the brilliance of a diamond. |
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| Vajreshwari | A place in the state of Maharashtra. |
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| Vanaprastha | A residence for families to live together and pursue spirituality in totality. One such facility is available at the Isha Yoga Center in India.
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| Vanashree | Lit. the deity of the Forest. Name of the feminine deity in the form of a tree at the Dhyanalinga temple. |
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| Vasana | Tendencies or desire; subliminal trait left behind in the mind by action and desire. |
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| Veda | Refers to the oldest portion of the Hindu scriptures. |
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| Vedanta | Lit. end of perceivable knowledge; the philosophy or teachings of the Vedas. |
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| Vibhuthi | Sacred, consecrated ash. Applied to different parts of the body, makes one more sensitive to subtle life forces. Application to the upper chakras activates the chakras and makes them more receptive. Some sects of Shaivites also smear vibhuthi all over the body to sensitize the system and ward off cold. |
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| Vishuddhi | One of the seven chakras, is the center of power and vision. Located at the pit of the throat. |
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| Vishwa Rupa Darshana | An experience of the vastness of the existence. Also, a rare Cosmic Vision of the Master granted by the Master to the deserving disciple. |
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| Vivekananda | The best known of the disciples of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, Vivekananda is often considered as a role model for Indian youth. |
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| Vyasa | An ancient sage with legendary powers of vision, one who documented the epic Mahabharatha. |
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| Yagna | Sacrifice, one of the main pillars of the Vedic ritual system. |
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| Yaksha | Celestial disembodied beings who are believed to inhabit secluded places. |
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| Yama | The Lord of Death, the ruler of the nether world. Riding a buffalo, his vehicle, a visit from Yama means the time of death for a person has come. Also refers to the first limb of Yoga, used along with the second limb, niyama, to codify the ‘do’s and don’ts’ of Yoga. |
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| Yatra | Travel, journey, pilgrimage. |
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| Yogini | A female practitioner of Yoga. |
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| Yoni | Lit. the source, origin. Refers to the female genitalia. |
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