A Popilar Dictionary of Hinduism Karel Werner

38 A POPULAR DICTIONARY OF HINDUISM
parts of the Vedas. It is undoubtedly of IE origin. Early archaeological evidence
of burials may be ascribed to indigenous, pre-Āryan, strata.
Daityas sons of the Vedic goddess Diti who later became adversaries of devas,
hence regarded as demons.
a class of female goblins in the retinue of Kālī; in Tantric sects: a female
partner in left-hand rituals; and also in Tantric left-hand yoga practice.
a Tantric goddess of mystic wisdom.
one of the Ādityas, the god of skill, dexterity and intelligence. While
being the son of Aditi, the primordial mother of all beings and the source of the
world, he is also said to have become the father of Aditi when she was born into
the world, perhaps the first intimation of the doctrine of divine incarnations
which developed later. His other daughter was Diti, the goddess of manifested
space. In the epic and time was regarded as the son of Brahma
and an incarnation of .
southern, right, right-handed; auspicious; male.
the portion of the sacrifice which goes to the officiating brahmin as his
share.
the follower of the right-hand Tantric practice.
Śiva’s effigy as the Great Yogi.
‘lord of the South’, a title of Yama.
drum: a small double-sided drum shaped like an hour-glass which is
carried by Śiva as . It symbolizes the primeval sound of the manifesting
universe and its rhythmic pulsing, which is based on polarity: the upper half of
the drum represents the and the lower one the yoni.
dāna gift, donation; almsgiving.
Dance (, vern. nāc) is believed to have originated with Śiva and his , the cosmic
dance of destruction and renewal. His wife Pārvatī complemented it with a
seductive feminine dance (lāsya). This indicates the religious origin of dance
which in reality probably developed from ceremonial steps and movements of
priests and their attendants during the sacrificial ritual and was subsequently
transformed into temple dancing performed by devadāsis to please gods and
pilgrims. This practice was current in some temples, especially in South India,
until well into the nineteenth century, although it suffered limitations under Islamic
rulers when court and secular dancing was more favoured and the dancing
profession acquired a dubious reputation (cf. the associations with the term
‘nautch’ girls). The modern secular revival of classical and folk dancing has
placed it on the level of a performing art of high standard. The religious dancing
of the bhaktas celebrating the divine līlā can still be seen on occasion.
staff, rod, sceptre; punishment; discipline; cosmic law; universal order;
the king’s right and duty to enforce law and order by punishments as the chief
principle of state management (the failure to use it was believed to lead to the
decline of civilization).
Yama’s title as the judge of the dead.