Encyclopedia of Hinduism

of the serpent is recognized the world over; this festival is an ancient Indian tribute to its semidi- vine power, as a being th ...

Naga sect The Naga is a sect of SADHUS or holy men devoted to SHIVA. Many of its followers go about naked, as the word naga impl ...

quite different meaning, referring to the mind- body complex. Further reading: Maryla Falk, Nama-Rupa and Dharma- Rupa: Origin a ...

Hindus and Muslims but instead founded a new religion, SIKHISM. Guru Nanak was born on April 15, 1469, in Talwandi-Rai-Bhoe in t ...

Further reading: Anil Chandra Banerjee, Guru Nanak and His Times (Patalia: Punjabi University, 1971); Prithipal Singh Kapur, ed. ...

Narada The RISHI (sage) Narada appears in numerous contexts in Indian mythology. Though he is often taken to be the son of BRAHM ...

is also popular in India, where readers revel in seeing the India they know so brilliantly evoked in his deceptively simple pros ...

The various centers offer a range of instruction in hatha yoga and the teachings of Narayanananda. Further reading: Swami Naraya ...

Nath Yogis The Nath Yogis emerged in the 12th and 13th centuries C.E. as a confederation of devotees of Shaivite (see SHAIVISM) ...

scenes from the Ramayana story, sometimes on a grand scale. The largest of the Rama Lila plays is staged across the river from t ...

saints were from every class and trade, from Brah- min (Sundarar and Sambanthar) to Dalit (untouch- ables) (Tirunalaipovanar, al ...

Further reading: Ram Dass, Miracle of Love: Stories about Neem Karoli Baba (New York: Dutton, 1979); Sudhir Mukerjee, By His Gra ...

The following are some of the new moon observances: (1) In the month of Bhadrapada (August–September) the 15 days of the dark ha ...

bara Singh. Among the emphases of the move- ment was abstinence from alcohol. The movement remained small but received a boost i ...

Early Buddhists tried not to describe this state elaborately as it is beyond human conception. The Jain tradition also adopted t ...

London University and retired banker, met Sri Nisargadatta in 1970. He became entrusted with recording the conversations of Nisa ...

said, “Ah, my Nityananda has come!” From that point forward, he was known by that name, which means “eternal bliss.” Nityananda ...

engaged in the movement to foster child-centered learning in schools. In 1885, she opened the Ruskin School in Wimbledon, for ad ...

Vaisheshika admits of six philosophical cat- egories, with a seventh controversial category added later. The six original catego ...

319 J:AF om Om is the most important MANTRA in Hinduism. CHANDOGYA UPANISHAD discusses the significance of om. There it is given ...