Glossary

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Vaidurya-maëi	a spiritual gem that can display different colors.
Vaijayanté	a garland containing flowers of five colors and reaching down to the knees. It is worn by Lord Kåñëa.
Vaikuëöha	the spiritual world, where there is no anxiety.
Vairägya	renunciation.
Vaiñëava	a devotee of Lord Viñëu, or Kåñëa.
Vaiñëava-aparädha	an offence to a devotee of the Lord.
Vaiñëava-dharma	the eternal principle of service to the Supreme Lord, Viñëu.
Vaiçya	a farmer or merchant; the third Vedic social order.
Vaivasvata Manu	the current Manu, the seventh of fourteen Manus.
Vaiyäsaki	Çukadeva Gosvämé, son of Vyäsa.
Välméki	the author of the original [åämäyaëa].
Vämana	the incarnation of the Supreme Lord as a dwarf [brähmaëa.] Bali Mahäräja surrendered to him.
Vänaprastha	one who has retired from family life; the third order of Vedic spiritual life.
Vandana	the devotional process of offering prayers to the Lord.
Vaëik	a merchant.
Varäha	the incarnation of the Supreme Lord as a boar.
Varëas	the four Vedic social-occupational divisions of society, distinguished by quality of work and situation in the modes of n ature ([guëas]). [See also: Brähmaëa; Kñatriya; Vaiçya] and [Çüdra].
Varëa-saìkara	children conceived without regard for Vedic religious principles; thus, unwanted population.
Varëäçrama-dharma	the Vedic social system of four social and four spiritual orders. [See also: Varëa; Äçrama]
Varuëa	the demigod in charge of the oceans.
Vasiñöha	one of the great sages born directly from Lord Brahmä. He was a rival of Viçvämitra.
Vaçitva	the mystic ability to control others' minds.
Vasudeva	the father of Kåñëa, and half-brother of Nanda Mahäräja.
Väsudeva	the Supreme Lord, Kåñëa, son of Vasudeva and proprietor of everything, material and spiritual.
Väsudeva-paräyaëa	one whose desire is fixed on the Supreme Lord.
Vätsalya-rasa	a relationship with the Supreme Lord, Kåñëa, wherein the devotee loves the Lord with parental affection.
Vatsäsura	a demon who came to Våndävana in the form of a calf to kill Kåñëa but who was instead killed by Him.
Väyu	air; the demigod in charge of the wind.
Veda-cakñuù	literally, seeing through the eyes of the [Vedas.]
Vedänta	the philosophy of the [Vedänta-sutra] of Çréla Vyäsadeva. It contains a conclusive summary of Vedic philosophical knowledge and shows Kåñëa as the goal.
Vedänta-sütra	the philosophical treatise written by Vyäsadeva, consisting of aphorisms that embody the essential meaning of the [Upaniñads].
Vedas	the four original revealed scriptures ([Åg, Säma, Atharva] and [Yajur].
Veda-väda-rata	one who gives his own explanation of the [Vedas;] a [smärta].
Vedic	pertaining to a culture in which all aspects of human life are under the guidance of the [Vedas].
Vedic literature	the original four [Vedas,] the [Upaniñads, Puräëas] and other supplements, and also all scriptures and commentaries written in pursuance of the Vedic conclusion.
Vena	the demoniac son of King Aìga and father of King Påthu.
Vibhinnäàças	the separated expansions of the Supreme Lord, the minute living entities.
Vibhüti	the opulence and power of the Supreme Lord.
Vidagdha	one who is expert in the art of flattering women.
Videha	a city in India ruled by King Nimi.
Videharäja Nimi	a devotee king, ruler of Videha.
Vidura	a great devotee who heard [Çrémad-Bhägavatam] from Maitreya Muni. He was an incarnation of the demigod Yama.
Vidyä	knowledge.
Vidyädharas	a race of celestial beings who possess material knowledge.
Vidyäpati	an author of Vaiñëava poetry who was particularly admired by Lord Caitanya Mahäprabhu.
Vijara	not subjected to the miseries of old age.
Vijaya	[See:] Jaya and Vijaya
Vijayadhvaja Tértha	a Vaiñëava spiritual master in the line of Madhväcärya who was a commentator on [Çrémad-Bhägavatam].
Vijitäçva	the eldest son of King Påthu. He is also known as Antardhäna.
Vijïäna	realized or practical knowledge.
Vijïäna-maya	with full knowledge, that is, conscious of the self as different from matter.
Vikarma	sinful work, performed against scriptural injunctions.
Vimüòhas	foolish rascals.
Vimukta	a liberated person.
Véëä	a stringed musical instrument.
Vipra	a learned [brähmaëa].
Véra-vrata	one who follows his vows heroically.
Vérabhadra	the demon created by Lord Çiva to destroy the sacrifice of Mahäräja Dakña.
Viraha	transcendental bliss in separation from the Lord.
Véraräghava Äcärya	a Vaiñëava spiritual master in the line of Rämänujäcärya who was a commentator on [Çrémad-Bhägavatam].
Viräö-puruña	the "universal form" of the Supreme Lord, conceived of as the totality of all material manifestations.
Viräö-rüpa	the universal form of the Supreme Lord, conceived of as the totality of all material manifestations.
Viñaya	material affairs of sense gratification.
Viñaya-taraìga	the waves of material existence.
Viñëu	the Supreme Lord; Lord Kåñëa's expansions in Vaikuëöha and for the creation and maintenance of the material universes.
Viñëu-dharma	one of the eighteen [Puraëas,] or Vedic historical scriptures.
Viñëu-bhakti	devotional service to Lord Viñëu.
Viñëu-mürtis	forms of the Supreme Lord.
Viñëu Puräëa	one of the eighteen [Puräëas,] or Vedic historical scriptures.
Viñëu-tattva	the status or category of Godhead; primary expansions of the Supreme Lord.
Viñëu-yajïa	a sacrifice performed for the satisfaction of Lord Viñëu.
Viñëudütas	the messengers of Lord Viñëu, who come at the time of death to take perfected devotees back to the spiritual world. Their transcendentally beautiful forms are clothed in gorgeous yellowish garments and hold a disk, club, conch and lotus in their four hands, resembling Lord Vishnu
Viñëuloka	the abode of Lord Viñëu, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Viñëupriyä-devé	the second wife of Lord Caitanya Mahäprabhu, whom He left to accept [sannyäsa,] the renounced order of life.
Viçoka	callous to material distress.
Viçruta	the son begotten by the Pracetäs through Märiñä.
Viçuddha-sattva	the spiritual platform of pure goodness.
Viçvakarmä	the architect of the demigods.
Viçvämitra	a prominent sage and rival of Vasiñöha Muni.
Viçvanätha Cakravarté Öhäkura	a great Vaiñëava spiritual master in the line of Lord Caitanya Mahäprabhu, and a commentator on [ Çrémad-Bhägavatam] and [Bhagavad-gétä].
Viçvävasu	a leader of the Gandharvas, singers in the heavenly planets.
Viväha-yajïa	the sacrifice of marriage.
Vivarta-väda	the erroneous concept, propounded by followers of Çaìkaräcärya, that manifest existence is only illusory.
Vivasvän	the demigod in charge of the sun.
Vraja(bhümi)	[See:] Våndävana
Våkña	tree
Våndävana	Kåñëa's eternal abode, where He fully manifests His quality of sweetness; the village on this earth in which He enacted His childhood pastimes five thousand years ago.
Våndävana däsa Öhäkura	the great devotee of Lord Caitanya Mahäprabhu who wrote [Caitanya-bhägavata,] a biography of Lord Caitanya.
Våträsura	a great demon killed by Indra. He was actually the devotee Citraketu, who had been cursed to take a low birth.
Vyäsa	[See:] Vyäsadeva.
Vyäsa-püjä	worship of the compiler of the [Vedas,] Vyäsadeva; worship of the bona fide spiritual master as the representative of Vyäsadeva.
Vyäsadeva	the incarnation of Lord Kåñëa who gave the [Vedas, Puräëas, Vedänta-sütra] and [àahäbhärata] to mankind.