A Hindu Glossary: Hinduism and Hindu Terms

The following is a list of several common Hindu terms. For those who are interested in Thai culture and Hinduism, we have pronounciations of many of these terms in Thai as well. Please also note that several of the concepts in hinduism also appear in Buddhism (such as karma).

Avatar: An incarnation of a god on earth, usually in human, but sometimes in animal, form. Vishnu is known for having ten incarnations, the most widely known being Rama, Krishna, and the Buddha (in Hindu mythology).

Bhooloka: The earth, and one of the three lokas.

Boon: A wish usually granted by a god to any person. However, in Thai, the word boon means merit, as in the word "tham-boon" (making merit).

Brahmana: A member of the preaching and praying class of humans. The highest group in Hindu caste, they are called upon to perform rituals. In Thailand, while a Buddhist country, many of the royal ceremonies require Hindu rituals performed by the small group of Brahmana living in Bangkok. (Pronounced as Phrom in Thai.)

Deva, Devataa: The masculine form of the word god or immortal. (Pronounced Tay-wa-da in Thai.)

Dharma: Often translated as the Truth or the Laws of Nature.

Kshatriya: A member of the warrior class of human beings. Most of the rulers and kings are from this class.

Manav: A term for human beings. Believed to be the first human created by God. (Pronounced Ma-noot in Thai.)

Paatal: Also termed as nether world, it is the underground world and is one of the three lokas.

Rishi: Also termed as Sadhu, stands for an ascetic who is supposed to be above worldly pleasures. They possess great powers due to their extreme asceticism. They stay in deep forests and are in constant meditation. (Pronounced as Reu-See in Thai).

Shaap: A synonym for a curse, which comes true.

Swarga: A synonym for heaven, one of the three lokas or worlds. (Pronounced as Sawan in Thai.)

Vedas: The ancient scriptures of Hinduism written in four major volumes. They are the source of the majority of Hindu belief. The Vedas were the beliefs of the Indo-Aryan tribes that settled into India, supplanting much of the traditional culture.

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