Anatma
Lit. the soul-less one.
A_Category, Body, Mysticism, Spirituality
Annamaya Kosha
Food-formed sheath or the gross body (sthula sharira), made up of the five gross elements or bhoothas earth, wind, water, fire, ether which are resolved again into their initial states after death.
A_Category, Hinduism
Arjuna
Hero of the great epic Mahabharatha, to whom Lord Krishna imparted the Divine message of the Bhagavad Gita.
A_Category, Spirituality
Ashram
Sacred dwelling of spiritual seekers under the guidance of a Guru, or spiritual Master.
A_Category, Hatha_Yoga, Spirituality
Ashtanga Yoga
The eight limbs, or disciplines, of yoga: yama, niyama, asana, pranayama, pratyahara, dharana, dhyana, and samadhi, as described by sage Patanjali.
A_Category, Spiritual_Beings
Ashtavakra
One with eight deformities. An ancient spiritual master par excellence.
A_Category
Akka
Lit. Sister – a respectful way of addressing a woman, in the Tamil language. Here, it refers to a saint popularly known as Akka Mahadevi – a 12th century Queen in Karnataka, who renounced everything to go in search of Shiva, her celestial husband. Akka is known for her spiritual couplets, which are revered even today as classic poetry.
A_Category, Hinduism
Atharva Veda
Last of the four Vedas, that expounds the technology of using physical energy to one’s advantage.