Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism

Lava

The younger of the twin sons of Räma

and Sïtä, later King of Ÿrävastï. (See also

RÄMÄYAŒA.)

liberation (mok•a, mukti)

With the acceptance of the notions of

SAßSÄRAand rebirth, the major pre-

occupation of Hindus became liberation

from the cycle of birth and death. The

Upani•ads call the Vedas ‘unsafe boats’

because they are unable to carry one to

‘the other shore’. The Vedänta and

most other systems are primarily con-

cerned with teaching paths to liberation

from rebirth. They agree on the necessi-

ty to neutralize KARMA(2) and to detach

oneself from desire. They differ in the

roles ascribed respectively to ritual

(karma), devotion (BHAKTI) and insight

(JÑÄNA). They also disagree on the pos-

sibility of reaching liberation while still

in a body (jïvanmukta) and on the con-

dition of the liberated (mukta): while

ŸA¢KARA(2) teaches complete loss of

individuality in the merging of the liber-

ated with BRAHMAN, RÄMÄNUJA and

other theistic Vedäntins speak about an

eternal individual existence in the com-

pany of the highest God.

life (ayus)

Hindus have always considered life as

one, making distinctions in degrees only

between the various forms of life.

Rebirth could take place in any form of

life: plant, animal, human or divine.

Human life was always considered spe-

cial as the only form of life in which

LIBERATION from rebirth could be

gained. As regards the Hindu attitude

towards life, there were two contrary

opinons: the one, represented by Kø•æa

in the Bhagavadgïtä, devalues physical

life as just a garment of the spiritual

soul, which can be changed at will. The

other, considering ahiƒsä(not killing)

as the highest duty, would take great

care of life in all its forms and consider

it sacred. The Hindu life sciences

(AYURVEDA) were highly developed and

had as their aim the preservation and

prolongation of life.

light

the many terms used for light (jyotis,

prabhä, prakäÿa, pratibhä, dïpti, känti,

ÿobhäetc.) and the appellation of the

highest experience as ‘enlightenment’

indicate the great importance that light

and everything connected with it have

in Hindu thought. One of the oldest and

best-known Vedic prayers asks to be led

‘from darkness to light’ and the obliga-

tory GÄYATRÏmantra asks the SUNto

illumine the mind. Not only was Sürya

widely worshipped (sun temples used to

be quite frequent in the Middle Ages),

but Vi•æu also has a solar background.

All the major gods have names that

express light, splendour, brightness

(Prakäÿätman, ‘self-luminous’; Bhäskära,

‘sunlike’, jyotis, ‘light’) and the ultimate

condition is described in terms of a

light-experience.

lïlä (‘play’, ‘sport’)

The creation of the world by God is

described as lïlä because it does not

serve a purpose for God. Kø•æa’s deal-

ing with the GOPÏS, especially RÄDHÄ, is

called lïlä, divine playfulness.

liöga (1)

(‘sign’, ‘characteristic’, ‘token’)

In logic, the predicate of a proposition.

liöga (2)

The male organ.

liöga (3)

The aniconic symbol under which Ÿiva

is most often worshipped. The twelve

JYOTIR-LI¢GAS are supposed to have

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