The Bhagavad Gita by Eknath Easwaran

glossary ╯
guna Quality; specifically, the three qualities which make up the
phenomenal world: sattva , law, harmony, purity, goodness;
rajas , energy, passion; and tamas , inertia, ignorance. The
corresponding adjectives are sattvic , rajasic , and tamasic .
guru A spiritual teacher.
Hari Name of Vishnu or Krishna.
Hastināpura “City of the elephants,” an important city in ancient
India, located about sixty miles northeast of the modern
Delhi. It was the capital of the Pāndavas and their line.
Himālaya [ hima “snow”; ālaya “abode”] The great mountain range
which stretches across the northern border of India, important
in mythology as the home of Shiva and other gods.
Ikshvāku The son of Manu, and founder of the Solar Dynasty of
kings.
Indra The god of storms and battle. In the Veda, Indra is the chief
of the gods (devas) and an important deity; later his role is
greatly diminished.
Īshvara The Lord; God.
Janaka A king of ancient times who was both an effective ruler and
a holy sage.
Janārdana “He who stirs up the people,” name of Krishna.
jīva Living being; the living soul; the finite, individual soul that is
identified with separate existence, as opposed to Ātman,
the eternal Self.
jnāna [from jnā “to know”] Wisdom; higher knowledge.
jnāna yoga The Way of Wisdom.
kalpa A period in cosmic time equaling one Day of Brahmā or
1,000 “great yugas” – a total of 4,320 million years. See also
yuga .
kāma Selfish desire, greed; sexual desire, sometimes personified as
Kāmadeva.
Kāmadhuk “The cow of wishes,” who in legend fulfills all desires.
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