Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism

grammar

See VYÄKÄRAŒA.

gøha praveÿa (‘entering the house’)

A ceremony performed by brahmins

when a family first enters a new

home.

Gøhya Sütra

Text dealing with the regulations of

domestic rites and SAßSKÄRAS. Several

collections of Gøhya Sütras are in

existence, for example Äÿvaläyana

Gøhyasütras.

Griffith, Ralph Thomas

Hotchkins

(1826–1906)

Orientalist and teacher. He was profes-

sor of English and principal at Benares

College, director of public instruction in

the North-West Provinces and Oudh,

founder-editor of Pandit, a journal ded-

icated to classical Sanskrit studies,

translator of the Rämäyana (1870–5),

Øgveda (1889–92), Sämaveda (1893),

Atharvaveda (1895–6), and the White

Yajurveda(1899).

Gudimally

Temple town in South India with what

is reputed to be the oldest Ÿiva LI¢GA(3)

worshipped, dating from the second

century BCE.

Guenon, René (1886–1951)

Widely appreciated writer on spirituality

and religious traditions. Although

Guenon became a Muslim in early adult-

hood and spent much of his life in Egypt

(under the name of Shaikh Abd’al

Wahid Yahya) his universal interests in

religious traditions also included

Hinduism, and his Introduction générale

à l’étude des doctrines hindoues (1921)

is considered a seminal work, which still

influences the understanding of

Hinduism in the West.

guæa (‘quality’)

Used in a very general sense, also

‘virtue’; more specifically used by the

SÄßKHYAsystem to designate the three

principles of all material beings: sattva

(light), rajas (excitement) and tamas

(darkness).

Gupta

A dynasty of rulers of MAGADHA(319–415

CE) under whose reign Hinduism

experienced a cultural renaissance and

royal support. It was a golden time for the

arts and the traditional sciences.

guru (‘elder’)

Teacher, especially of sacred lore and med-

itation, spiritual master, who initiates and

guides disciples in a particular tradition.

guru-dïk•ä

Tantrik ceremony of initiation for a

religious preceptor (both women and

men can receive it).

gurukula

The gurukula system is built on a close

relationship between teacher and stu-

dent. In Vedic times the student spent

twelve years in the home of his teacher,

serving him and learning from him.

During this time the student maintained

strict celibacy (BRAHMACARYA), and was

to show lifelong respect for his teacher.

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