Page 47 - Sri Canakya Niti

Glossary

Anuloma—a proper Vedic marital match, wherein the husband is
socially superior to the wife.
Apsarā—any heavenly nymph whose primary function is to dance in
the court of Lord Indra.
Arcā-vigraha—the Deity form of the Lord or His consort that is
worshipped in temples.

Arjuna—a confidential friend of Lord Kṛṣṇa and most famous of the
fi ve Pāṇḍava brothers, who were sons of Mahārāja Pāṇḍu and his two
queens, Kuntī and Mādrī.
Artha—economic development (one of the four goals of human life
according to Vedic scriptures). See also: Dharma, Kāma, Mokṣa.
Artha-śāstra—the science of politics and economics from the
perspective of a Vedic ruler. This compendium was written by
Cāṇakya Paṇḍita (also known as Kauṭilya) and even today remains a
famous textbook of political science.
Aryan invasion theory—a dubious construct in Indology that posits
that the origins of Vedic culture lay outside India and that the race of
Aryans moved into India from abroad and subjugated the subcontinent.
Asat—that which is not eternal, true or spiritual. This may refer to
matter itself or to persons who are either disinterested in spiritual life
or who improperly practice spiritual disciplines.
Āśrama—(1) any of the four orders of Vedic spiritual life:
brahmacarya (celibate student life), gṛhastha (regulated married
life), vānaprastha (celibate retirement), sannyāsa (celibate renounced
life); (2) a hermitage or a residential facility for renunciants.
Aṣṭāṅga-yoga—the eightfold yoga system, consisting of meditative
postures, controlling the breath, concentration, meditation and so on,
leading to full absorption (called samādhi, or yogic trance).
Asura—a demon.
Asura-guru—the spiritual master of the demons, Śukrācārya.
Ātmā—the spirit soul.
Atharva Veda—one of the four Vedas, collections of hymns meant
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