lakashana. Characteristic, sign.

laya. Merging, dissolution, absorption.

leela. Divine sport or play.

lingam. Egg-shaped stone; symbol of Shiva; the form of the formless; symbolizes the merger of the form with the formless.

lobha. Greed.

loka. Region, world. Usually refers to the three worlds of earth, atmosphere, and sky, but it can mean 7 or even 14 worlds (7 above and 7 lower).

loka-dharma. Worldly dharma.

loka-sangraha. Well-being of the world.

loka-shaanthi. World peace.

loka-shiksha. Worldly punishment.

loukika. Connected with this world.

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Maadhavathva (Madhavathwa). Divinity.

Maadhava-thatthva. Godliness; God Principle.

maadhyamika. Noontime.

Maagha. January-February --month associated with constellation Magha.

maam-ekam. Me alone.

maanam. Self respect.

maanana (manana). Reflection, meditation, understanding.

maanasa. Mental.

maanasa-sarovara (manasa-sarovar). Pellucid waters of the mind.

maanasika-sambhaashana. Inner dialogue.

maanava. Human being.

maanava-thatthva. Humanness, essential nature of human being.

maanavathva. Human value.

maarga (marga). Path.

maathaa (matha). Mother.

maayaa (maya). Wordly illusion, mistaking the transient for the real; non-awareness of actuality, appearances masquerading as reality.

maayaa-shakthi. Power of illusion, the veiling and projecting power of God.

madhuvana. Honey forest.

mahaa. Great.

Mahaa-Kaarana. Supreme Cause.

mahaa-purusha. Outstanding sage.

Mahaa-raaja. Great king.

mahaa-rishi. Great sage.

mahaathma (mahatma). Great soul.

maharshi. Great sage.

mahaavaakya. Divine maxim on Absolute Reality.

mahath-ahamkaara. The primordial great ego.

mahath-thatthva. Supreme principle; cosmic intellect.

mahoraga. Great serpent.

mala. Contamination, dirt.

malina. Impure.

mama-kaara. Mine-ness.

manana. Reflection, meditation, understanding.

manas. Feeling, mind.

manavathva (manavathwa). Humanity.

mandala. Section.

mandhir (mandir). Temple.

manes. Souls of the ancestors.

mangala. Auspicious, fortunate.

Mangala Day. Tuesday; lucky day.

manobalam. Mind-strength.

manomaya kosha. Mental sheath of the body.

mantap. Hall.

manthra (mantra). Sacred syllable or word(s) to be repeated (often silently) for attaining perfection or self-realization; a mystic formula for spiritual enlightenment.

manthra-shaasthra. The science of the Vedhik sacred formulae.

Manu-dharma. Code of virtuous conduct presented in the Dharmashaasthras by Manu.

manushya-loka. Region or level of humans.

Manusmrithi. Laws of Manu.

Margashira. November-December.

markata. Monkey.

maruth. Wind.

masthaka. Brain.

matha. Conclusion.

mathana. Churning.

Meemaamsa (Mimamsa). Exegetical school of Indian metaphysics, the earlier (puurva) concerning itself chiefly with interpretation of Vedhik ritual and the later (utthara) with the nature of Brahman.

Meemamsakas. Adherents of philosophical system concerning itself chiefly with correct intrepretation of the Vedhik rituals.

mithra. Friend.

mithya. Mixture of truth and falsehood; neither true nor untrue, but something in between. The world is not untrue (a-sath) but mithya.

Modhakee. Powerful mace given to Raama by Vishvaamithra.

moha. Delusion caused by false identification, infatuation.

moha-kshaya. Decline of delusion or infatuation.

mohana manthra. Bewildering manthra.

moksha. Stage of liberation, devoid of delusion.

mounam. Silence.

mrinmaya. Consisting of earthly material.

mukhya-rishi. Foremost sage.

muktha-puruusha. Liberated person.

mukthi. Liberation; final release of emancipation from the cycle of birth and death.

mumukshus. Those desiring liberation.

muni. Sage.

muula. Primordial matter.

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naadi. Nerve.

Naagaarjuna. Classical Indian medical knowledge is called Aayurvedha (science of long life), the two chief traditions being those of Aathreya and Dhanvanthari. Naagaarjuna (2nd cent. B.C.) presented Dhanvanthari's in Shushrutha samhitha.

Naagas. Class of serpents

naaka. Heaven, nose

naama. Name.

naama-ruupa jagath. World of name and form.

naama-saadhana. Practice of repeating the name of God.

naama-smarana (namasmarana). Remembrance of the name of the Lord.

naama-yajna (nama-yajna). Sacrifice only in name.

naasha. Destruction.

naashtha. Food.

naasthika. Atheist.

nandhi. Rite for prosperity.

nara. Primeval man, human being.

Nara. Divine man.

naraakaara. Human form.

naraka. Hell.

narotthama. Best of humans.

nazar. Gift (in Urdu).

neem. The margosa tree, which exudes a tenacious gum, has a bitter bark used as a tonic, and whose fruit and seeds have medicinal properties.

nethi. Not this.

nethra. Eye.

nidhidhyaasana. Inner concentration, profound meditation.

nidhraa (nidra). Sleep.

nidhraa-jith. Enslaved by sleep.

nimittha kaarana. Efficient cause.

nir-aakaara. The state of formlessness.

nir-ahamkaara. Egolessness.

nir-avayava. Without parts, indivisible.

nir-guna. Without qualities, attributeless.

nir-gunopaasana. Worship on the formless Supreme.

nir-mala. Without blemish, pure.

nir-mama. Not mine.

nir-vichaara. Not amenable to intellectual analysis.

nir-vikaara. Changeless; without change.

nir-vikalpa. Undifferentiated, without ideation.

nir-vikalpa-mounam. Silence without agitation or ideation.

nir-vikalpa-samaadhi. Undifferentiated deep communion, transcendental absorption.

nir-vishaya. Contentless, objectless.

nir-vitharka. Not amenable to arguments or logic; transcends such logics.

nishchitha-jnaana. Incontrovertible wisdom.

nishkaama-karma. Renunciation of the fruit of action.

nishkaama-seva. Selfless service.

nishtha. Regulated behaviour, excellence.

nithya. Eternal.

nithya-aanandha. Eternal bliss.

nithya-anushtthaana. Rites and vows prescribed for daily adherence.

nivaasa. Living place, home.

nivritthi. Withdrawal, detachment, renunciation.

niyama. Control of the outer senses.

nuuthana (nuthana). New.

ojas. Heroism, power.

Om. Designation