The Puranas are eighteen collections of “ancient stories” which preserve traditions of myth, legend, and ritual, especially those concerning the Hindu deities Vishnu, Shiva, Krishna, and Devi. Beginning in about the 5th century, the Puranas continued to be composed and expanded as late as the 15th century.

The Upanishads, dating largely from the 8th to the 6th centuries BCE, are the “wisdom literature” of the Vedas. Most Upanishads take the form of dialogues between teachers and students. They turn from the rites of the fire altar that had been the main focus of discussion in the earlier Vedic literature to the question of the deeper, inner meanings of ritual, especially as it can give insight into the origin, basis, and support of the universe. The Upanishads and their interpretations are sometimes called Vedanta, literally the “end of the Vedas.”

In the Hindu tradition, a bhakta is a devotee of God, one whose heart is filled with devotion or love (bhakti).

Japa is the devotional repetition of a sacred syllable, mantra, or divine name, either aloud or to oneself. Some devotees count each repetition on a mala or rosary.

Parvati is the “mountain born” goddess, daughter of the Himalayas, the spouse of Shiva.

The Swaminarayan Hindu movement began in early 19th century Gujarat with a religious and social reformer named Sahajanand Swami. It is a devotional bhakti movement, focusing on Vishnu in the form of Krishna and Radha and also on Sahajanand Swami himself, who became known to his followers as Swaminarayan, a human form of the highest divine reality. In the last two centuries, the Swaminarayan movement has become known for its emphasis on social reform and social action, as well as its deep devotionalism. The two main branches of the movement are the International Swaminarayan Satsang... Read more about Swaminarayan

A Bal Vihar or Bal Vikas is a program or center for the religious education of Hindu children.

Guru puja is the honoring of the guru or teacher with puja, or ritual devotion.

Murugan is the divine son of Shiva, also known as Skanda or Karttikeya. There are six popular Hindu temples of Murugan in South India, including Palani. In the U.S., Murugan is present as Palaniswami in Concord, California. There are Murugan temples in such places as Yuma, Arizona; Richville, New York; and Lanham, Maryland.

(also: Saiva; Shaivite) Shaivism is the name for the tradition of those who worship Shiva, one of the great Gods of the Hindu tradition. Shaiva is an adjective describing that tradition or form of worship. A Shaivite is one who follows Shiva. There are several streams of Shaivism, such as Shaiva Siddhanta and Kashmir Shaivism.

Arya is a Sanskrit term meaning “noble,” used to designate the people whose religious insights and ritual life are recorded in the Vedas.

M.K. Gandhi (1869-1948) was one of the great religious leaders and social reformers of the 20th century. He came to be called Mahatma, the “Great Soul.” Born in western India in Gujarat, he studied law in London and then spent twenty years with the Indian diaspora community in South Africa, where he began his work of non-violent social change. Returning to India, he was a leader in the movement for independence from England, again resorting to non-violence, which he called satyagraha, “holding fast to Truth.” His ashrams included people of all religions and castes, including... Read more about Gandhi, Mohandas

Moksha means freedom or liberation; freedom from the constant round of birth and death called samsara. Many Hindu schools of thought insist that jnana, profound self-knowledge or knowledge of atman, is the prerequisite of moksha. In the Jain tradition the attainment of kevalajnana, the supreme, omniscient knowledge of the nature of the universe, brings moksha.

Sabha is a general term for an assembly, a council, or the hall in which such an assembly meets.

A Yuvakendra is a center or program for young people affiliated with a Hindu temple.