Living Enlightenment🔗

Abdulla Abdullah Ansari of Herat, a Sufi master.

Abhisheka A ceremonial bath performed in the worship of a deity.

Adhomukha shvanasana The downward-dog posture in yoga.

Adi Shankara Enlightened master from India who lived only 32 years in the eighth century CE. Greatest exponent of the doctrine of Advaita Vedanta or non-dualism, whose movement restored glory to the declining vedic tradition and Hinduism during that period. Shankara established the Hindu order of monks which continues unbroken till today.

Agamya The actions one constantly does out of free will after taking birth on planet Earth. These are not born out of true desires but from desires borrowed from society, by looking at others.

Aham Brahmasmi Literally means ‘I am god.’ Aham means ‘I am’; Brahman means ‘god’ or ‘supreme being’. The statement refers to the essence of the soul which is ever identical to god.

Ahankar The false identification of the pure inner self with the outer world; a form of ego that makes you project a false identity of you to the outer world.

Ajapa japa Chanting a sacred chant involuntarily.

Ajna chakra The sixth energy center located between the eyebrows. Means ‘command’ or ‘will’ in Sanskrit. This chakra is blocked by one’s own ego.

Akbar Moghul emperor..

Albert Einstein Scientist and Nobel laureate.

Allopathy Generally refers to western medicine.

Amrutasya putraha Sons of Immortality.

Anahata chakra Subtle energy center in the heart region related to love.

Anahata Dhvani The primordial sound of creation Om.

Anal-Haq I am the Truth. Said to have been constantly uttered by the Sufi master Mansur, who was hanged to death for this sacrilege.

Ananda Literally means 'that which cannot be reduced'.

Ananda Ashtanga Eight fold path of bliss, referring to eight practices each of which leads to awareness

Ananda darshan Ananda Darshan or Energy Darshan refers to the blessing given by a master imparting his energy to the recipient.

Ananda Gandha chakra Situated in between the navel or manipuraka chakra and heart or anahata chakra, Ananda Gandha is the point where all chakras collapse into one. Nithyananda's healing initiation to a disciple energizes the Ananda Gandha and initiates the disciple into Nithya Spiritual Healing.

Ananda Sankalpa Blissful Affirmation is the second step in the Ananda Ashtanga process.

Anandamaya kosha Bliss Sheath is the fifth and final energy layer in the five layers known as koshas. A meditative journey through the five koshas is the essence of Nithyananda's Atma Spurana Program.

Anima Anima siddhi is one of the eight yogic powers, referring to the power of decreasing one's body size to that of a minute particle.

Annamacharya Mystic saint composer of South India.

Annamalai Swamigal Disciple of Ramana Maharishi in the temple town of Tiruvannamalai, whose teachings led to Nithyananda's deep spiritual experience at the age of 12.

Annamaya kosha Food or Physical sheath, the first of the five koshas or energy sheaths.

Annie Besant Theosophist and Indian freedom fighter, writer and orator.

Anubhava Experience, especially knowledge born out of repetitive experiences.

Appar Tamil poet saint and author of Thevaram, devotional songs in praise of enlightened master Shiva. One of the most prominent of the 63 Nayanmars, Tamil saints who were devotees of Shiva.

Arati Fire ritual performed at the end of most vedic worship done with lighted lamps or camphor, accompanied often by devotional songs.

Arihanta Term used for Tirthankars, spiritual leaders of the Jain religion.

Arjuna Warrior prince and the third of the five brothers of the Pandava family in the great Indian epic Mahabharata. He was a disciple of enlightened master Krishna who received the wisdom in the Bhagavad Gita from Krishna.

Arunachala Literally the unmoving red mountain in Tiruvannamalai in Tamilnadu in South India, this mystical hill is considered a representation of lord Shiva.

Arunagiri Yogeeshwara The temple of Arunachaleswara in Tiruvannamalai is built on the living energy tomb of Arunagiri Yogeeshwara, who is considered an incarnation of enlightened master Shiva.

Asana Physical posture and one of the eight paths of yoga in Patanjali's Ashtanga Yoga. Asana must be stable and comfortable.

Ashram A monastery for Hindu or Buddhist monks.

Ashrama The four stages in one's life: brahmacharya as a student, grihastha as a married householder, vanaprastha at the end of a productive married life and sannyasi as a person who renounces all material aspects in life.

Ashramite Resident of ashram.

Ashtanga namaskar Prostrating to a deity or master by lying on the floor with all eight limbs of the body touching the earth.

Ashtanga yoga Eight limbs or paths of Patanjali's Yoga: yama (discipline), niyama (rules), asana (body postures), pranayama (breath control), pratyahara (withdrawal of senses), dharana (concentration), dhyana (meditation) and samadhi (bliss).

Ashtavakra An enlightened vedic sage who was born with eight crooked limbs. He is the author of the Ashtavakra Gita.

Atma deepo bhava Buddha's message to his disciples exhorting them: 'Be a lamp unto your Self'.

Atma gnana Self Realization.

Atma sharanagati Surrender of the Self.

Atman Soul, spirit, consciousness etc as referring to the individual imperishable energy that is a holographic image of the Cosmic Consciousness or Brahman.

Atmano mokshartham jagat hitaya cha ‘For one’s own salvation and for the welfare of the world’, this is the motto of the Ramakrishna Order coined by Swami Vivekananda.

Ayurvaidyans Practitioners of the traditional Indian medicinal system of ayurveda.

Ayurveda Traditional Indian system of medicine, Ayurveda literally means knowledge of life.

Ayurvedic Related to ayurveda, the traditional Indian system of medicine.

Bardos Literally ‘interval between two things’ as in the Tibetan Book of the Dead, referring to different phases of the passage of the spirit.

Bayazid A 9th century Persian Sufi saint.

Bhagavad Gita Ancient Indian scripture, delivered by enlightened master Krishna, and considered the essence of the Upanishads or scriptures.

Bhagavan Used as a title of veneration with great masters, literally meaning ‘prosperous’.

Bhagavan Mahavir Vardhamana Mahavira was the 24th and last Jain tirthankara or enlightened one, and established the tenets of the religion of Jainism, founded in India and now practiced by millions worldwide.

Bhagavatam The foremost epic of Hindu religion describing the incarnations of Vishnu, especially his incarnation as Krishna. It was written by Vyasa, who was also the author of the itihasa or epic Mahabharata.

Bhaja Govindam Collection of 32 (sometimes 34) devotional verses composed by enlightened master Adi Shankara. This is considered to be the essence of Vedanta and Advaita, non duality.

Bhakti Devotion.

Bhakti yogi A person who follows the path of devotion, bhakti yoga, as a means to enlightenment.

Bharatanatyam Classical South Indian dance form.

Bhava Emotional mood, referring here to the five emotional ways in which a disciple can interact with the master.

Bhujangasana Cobra posture in Yoga, in which the head is raised while lying down.

Bidadi ashram Nithyananda’s spiritual headquarters in Bidadi township, about 30 km from Bangalore city.

Big Bang Cosmological model of the universe where the universe is considered to have originated from a highly dense initial state at some time in the past, and continues to expand to this day.

Bija Seed.

Bija mantra Seed mantra or an energized chant that is specific to a deity or master.

Birbal Advisor to Moghul emperor Akbar.

Black hole A theoretical region of space in which the gravitational field is so powerful that nothing, not even light can escape from it.

Bodhidharma A disciple of Buddha and mainly responsible for spreading Buddhism as Zen Buddhism.

Brahma The Creator amongst the Hindu Trinity of Gods.

Brahmaanda Cosmos or macrocosm as opposed to pindanda, the individual microcosm.

Brahmachari A vedic student, usually referring to a young celibate monk.

Brahmacharinis A female vedic student, usually referring to a young celibate monk

Brahmagnana Knowledge of the Absolute.

Brahman Absolute, Cosmic Consciousness, Formless god etc all referring to the Universal Energy source of which the individual energy of the soul is a holographic part.

Brahmanda Purana A collection of 12,000 verses in what is usually considered the last and eighteenth Hindu purana or epic. This purana is the story of the creation of the universe by Brahma.

Buddha Enlightened master and founder of the religion of Buddhism.

Buddhi Intelligence.

Buddhism Religion founded by enlightened master Buddha.

Carl Jung Renowned 20th Century Swiss psychiatrist and contemporary of Sigmund Freud. He was renowned for his work on the ‘collective unconscious’.

Chaitanya Mahaprabhu

A 15th century mystic from Bengal, India steeped in devotion to enlightened master Krishna. His followers are known as Gaudiya Vaishnavas.

Chakras Energy centers in the body. Literally means ‘wheel’ based on the experience of mystics who perceived these energy centers as whirlpools of energy. There are seven major chakras along the spine: muladhara, swadhishthana, manipuraka, anahata, vishuddhi, ajna and sahasrara.

Chakshu Energy behind the power of sight.

Chandogya Upanishad

One of the oldest and primary Upanishads or scriptures.

Charles Leadbeater Theosophist..

Chidambaram A place in South India famous for its ancient temple dedicated to enlightened master Shiva in his dancing form as Nataraja and where he is represented as the space energy.

Chin mudra Palms upraised with thumb and forefinger forming a circle and other three fingers outstretched.

Chitta Memory.

Chittakasha The middle part of the three space or akasha definitions. First is ghatakasha or the physical space. Mahakasha is the third infinite space of Consciousness.

Christianity Religion based on teachings of Jesus Christ.

Cleve Backster A polygraph expert who studied behavior of plants subjected to threats and affection using the lie detector equipment.

Dakshinamurthy Swamigal

Enlightened master from South India.

Darshan Literally ‘sight’, referring to the vision of the divine, a deity or master.

dasa bhava One of the five forms of relationships between master and disciple. Dasa bhava refers to the emotional mood of the disciple as a servant in surrender to the master, exemplified by Hanuman’s relationship with Rama.

Dasoham’ Means ‘I am the servant’ signifying surrender to master.

Dattatreya Representation of the Hindu Trinity of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva in one incarnation.

Deepak Chopra A medical doctor who writes and teaches spirituality in USA. His works on wellness related to mind-body integration have been bestsellers.

Devi Supreme goddess in Hinduism, Cosmic Mother.

Dhamma Representing the teachings of the enlightened master. Buddha spoke of the three elements of his mission, Buddha the master, dhamma his teachings and sangha his community.

Dhammapada Teachings of Buddha in scriptural form.

Dharana Concentration. The sixth limb of Patanjali's Ashtanga Yoga.

Dharma Sanskrit equivalent of the Pali word dhamma used by Buddha. Also translated as 'righteous behavior'.

Dharmo rakshati rakshitaha A vedic scriptural statement that means: Dharma protects those who protect it.

Dhauti A yogic practice of cleansing intestines.

Dheera Courageous person. Term used by Swami Vivekananda in exhorting his followers.

Dhyana Meditation. Seventh of the eight limbs of Patanjali's Ashtanga Yoga.

DNA Deoxyribonucleic acid, the building block of all living beings containing the genetic code.

Dr Charles Townes Nobel laureate in physics for work related to maser and laser.

Dr. Bruce Lipton Molecular cellular biologist and author of 'The Biology of Belief', renowned for his seminal work in relating genetics to conditioning.

Dr. Masaru Emoto Japanese scientist and author of 'The Hidden Messages in Water' showing the effects of one's thoughts and words on water and therefore on living beings.

Draupadi Princess in the Hindu epic Mahabharata who was married to all five warrior brothers of the Pandava family.

Dukkha ateeta Beyond sorrow and pain.

Dukkha Harana 'Removal of sorrows' meditation that is part of Nithyananda's Life Bliss Programs. Addresses the root energy center muladhara.

Dvija Twice born. Refers to the state of awakening of Consciousness. Electroencephalograph Machine which uses electrodes attached to the scalp to measure brain wave activity.

Engram Shortened form for engraved memories, referring to value systems, beliefs and conditioning memories that are stored in our unconscious mind, which drive us in our thoughts and actions.

Freudian Referring to teachings of Austrian psychologist and father of modern psychiatry Sigmund Freud.

Gananaatha Refers to Hindu god Ganesha.

Ganas Devotees of enlightened master Shiva.

Ganga The most celebrated river in India, considered holy by all Hindus.

Gayatri mantra Considered to be one of the most powerful mantras in the vedic tradition, Gayatri was the initiation mantra for all young students.

Generalized Anxiety Disorder Psychological condition of constant worry leading to stress and fatigue.

George Gurdjieff Greek Armenian mystic and spiritual teacher famous for his principle of Fourth Way, corresponding to the turiya state in vedic tradition.

Gnana Knowledge.

Gnana shakti Energy of knowledge.

Gnana yogi One who follows the path of knowledge for Self Realization.

Goddess Saraswati Hindu goddess of learning

Gomukh Source of river Ganga.

Gopis Women who tended cows who were devotees of enlightened master Krishna.

Guru Spiritual master.

Guru Granth Sahib Scripture of the Sikh religion.

Guru Krupa Compassion of the master.

Guru Nanak Founder of Sikh religion.

Guru puja Ritual worship of the master.

Gurukul Vedic educational institution.

| Kshana | Interval between two thoughts. | | Kuchela | Childhood friend of enlightened master Krishna who exemplifies the relationship of friendship between master and disciple. | | Kulaarnava Tantra | Ancient literature said to be authored by enlightened master Shiva. | | Kumbh Mela | Spiritual gathering which happens once in three years in India at one of the four places of Prayag, Hardwar, Ujjain and Nasik on the banks of sacred rivers. | | Kundalini shakti | Extraordinary potential energy which is hidden inside every human body. If it is awakened, it will take you to a different plane of consciousness or existence. | | Kunti | In the Hindu epic Mahabharata, the mother of the five Pandava brothers who stood for righteousness. | | Lamas | Buddhist monks. | | Leela | Divine play, especially that of Krishna. | | Rama | Prince of the kingdom of Ayodhya in the Indian epic Ramayana. | | Madhura bhava | The relationship of beloved between master and disciple. | | Madhyapantha | ‘Middle Path’ prescribed by enlightened master Buddha. It represents the power of witnessing that causes one to be in moderation without being pushed and pulled into extremes of emotions. | | Madurai | Temple town in south India. A major pilgrim center with the temple to Meenakshi and her consort Sundareshwara, an aspect of enlightened master Shiva. | | Magnetic Resonance Imaging | Equipment and technique for body imaging providing greater contrast to soft tissues than X rays. | | Maha bhava | The ultimate expression in master disciple relationship transcending all ordinary relationships. | | Mahabharata | The Hindu itihasa or epic whose central characters are the five Pandava princes, their hundred Kaurava cousins and enlightened master Krishna. | | Mahakaasha | The third space of the infinite beyond. |

Mahamantra Humming meditation that energizes the anahata chakra and taught as part of Nithyananda's Life Bliss Programs.

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi 20th Century Indian spiritual teacher and promoter of transcendental meditation TM.

Mahavakya Great sayings from the Upanishads. There are four: Aham Brahmasmi, Tat Tvam Asi, Ayam Atma Brahma and Prajnanam Brahma. All four mean that You are the Divine.

Mahavira Vardhamana Mahavira was the 24th and last tirthankara or enlightened one, and established the tenets of the religion of Jainism, founded in India and now practiced by millions worldwide.

Mamakar Inner ego that constantly says that you are smaller than what you think you are.

Manas Mind.

Manasa sharira Mental layer of energy.

Manickavasagar One of the 63 Nayanmars, devotees of enlightened master Shiva from Tamilnadu.

Manipuraka chakra Subtle energy center located near the navel region, related to the emotion of worry.

Manomaya kosha The third mental energy sheath in the five koshas or energy sheaths.

Mantra Literally means 'that which shows the way'. Sacred syllables that have a powerful positive vibrational effect.

Mara The demon of evil in Buddhist tradition.

Maslow American psychologist famous for his concept of the five layered hierarchy of needs.

Matru bhava The relationship of a child to a mother in the context of master disciple relationship.

Maya Literally 'That which is not'. The concept that life is but a dream, however real it may seem while being experienced.

Meenakshi The goddess at Madurai in south India. She is said to be a saint upon whose immortal remains, the temple has been built.

| Parabrahma | Supreme Being. | | Parama Shiva | Supreme. | | Paramahamsa | Literally means Supreme Swan. Title bestowed on enlightened beings. | | Paramahamsa Yogananda | An enlightened master well known for his book 'Autobiography of a Yogi'. He founded Self Realization Fellowship movement in USA in 1920. | | Paramasthiti | Supreme state. | | Patanjali | A sage of ancient India and author of Yoga Sutras, which is considered the foundation of the system of yoga. | | Periya Puranam | A Tamil classic by Sekkizhar on the lives of the 63 Nayanmars, the devotee saints of enlightened master Shiva. | | Peter Drucker | Management guru considered to be the father of modern management | | Pindanda | Individual microcosm as against brahmanda or universe. | | Pingala nadi | Pingala is one of the three major nadis, energy pathways in the body. Pingala ends in the right nostril, is hot and masculine, represents the sun. | | Pitta | One of the three doshas or attributes of the body in Ayurveda. Energy created by the dynamic interplay of water and fire. They cannot change into each other, but they modulate or control each other and are vitally required for the life processes to occur. | | Placebo | A substance given as medicine but without any verified therapeutic effect. | | Placebo effect | Effect of placebos in curing people of illnesses. | | Polygraph | Lie detector machine. | | Pondicherry | A state in South India neighboring Tamilnadu. | | Poornima | Fullmoon day. | | Prana | Life energy or life force. | | prana sharira | The second layer of energy body in the seven layer system. | | Pranamaya kosha | The second sheath of energy in the 5 layer kosha system. | | Pranayama | Breath control, one of the eight limbs of the Ashtanga yoga of Patanjali. | | Pranic | Related to prana or life energy. |

| Prarabdha | Mindset and desires that we bring into this world when we are born. | | Pratyahara | Fifth limb of Patanjali's Ashtanga Yoga referring to turning away from sensory inputs. | | Puja | Hindu ritual worship. | | Purashcharanam | Repetition of mantra. | | Purusha | In Sankhya philosophy it is the male principle pure passive consciousness, as different from the active female principle Prakriti. | | Purusha Suktam | A vedic chant dedicated to Purusha or the Supreme. | | Quantitative Electro Encephalography || | | Study of brain waves. | | Radha | Chief among the gopis or cowherd women devotees of enlightened master Krishna. | | Raja sannyasi | King amongst monks. | | Rajas | One of the three gunas or attributes of nature. Attribute of aggression. | | Rama | Prince of the kingdom of Ayodhya in the Indian epic Ramayana. | | Ramakrishna Paramahamsa || | | Enlightened master from West Bengal in India. His chief disciple was Swami Vivekananda. | | Ramana Maharishi || | | Enlightened master, based in Tiruvannamalai in South India. He taught the method of Self-inquiry, asking oneself, 'Who am I?', as the path to Self-realization. | | Ramana Purana | Stories about enlightened master Ramana Maharishi. | | Ramanuja | Founder of the Vishishtadvaita or modified duality principle. Along with Adi Shankara and Madhva, considered to be one of the three great teachers of Hindu philosophy. | | Ramayana | Hindu itihasa or epic about prince Rama. The original version was written by poet sage Valmiki. | | Ras Leela | The spiritual interaction of enlightened master Krishna with the gopis or cowherd women devotees. | | Rene Descartes | French philosopher scientist famous for his saying 'I think, therefore I am'. |

Saris One piece garment worn by Indian women.

Satan Representation of evil.

Satori High state of consciousness.

Satsangs Gatherings for prayer, meditation and spiritual purpose.

Sattva One of the three gunas or attributes of nature. Attribute of passive action.

Self Individual spirit, that which is imperishable when body and mind perish.

Self-Realization Awareness that one is the Cosmic energy.

Shaastra Scriptures.

Shaastra-shastras Scriptures as tools.

shakti Energy.

Shakti The supreme female principle, Cosmic Mother.

Shakti Dharana A meditation taught by Nithyananda to all Nithya Spiritual Healers.

Shanmukhi Mudra A mudra in which eyes, ears, nose and mouth are covered while meditating.

Shastra Weapon

Shirdi Sai Baba An enlightened master worshipped by Hindus and Muslims alike. Lived in Shirdi near Nasik in India.

Shiva Enlightened master from India. The word shiva literally means ‘causeless auspiciousness’.

Shiva lingas Representation of enlightened master Shiva as a symbol of rejuvenation combining male and female principles.

Shiva Sutras A collection of teachings of Shiva in epigram form as techniques. Includes Vignana Bhairava Tantra, Guru Gita, Tiru Mandiram etc.

Shiva Tandava Cosmic dance of Shiva as Nataraja, seen in Chidambaram.

Shraddha Saburi Sincere commitment and perseverance. The essence of Shirdi Sai Baba’s teachings.

Siddha One who is a practitioner of the spiritual techniques.

Siddhis Yogic powers that arise during spiritual journey.

Sister Nivedita Anglo Irish disciple of Swami Vivekananda.

Socrates Greek Philosopher. Contemporary of Plato..

Soham’ Same as Hamsa.

Sufi Mystical dimension of Islam.

Sufis Followers of Sufism, a mystical dimension of Islam.

Sufism Mystical dimension of Islam.

Sushumna naadi Sushumna is one of the three major nadis, energy pathways in the body. Arises from the muladhara, root energy center. Sushumna is the central pathway of the kundalini energy and ends in the sahasrara at the crown of the head.

Sushupti Deep sleep.

Sutra Spiritual techniques offered in epigram form.

Svadharma One’s right path.

Swadhishthana chakra Spleen energy center between base of spine and navel. Blocked by fear.

Swami A honorific term used for a sannyasi, a monk.

Swami Sri Yukteshwar Giri Master of enlightened master Paramahamsa Yogananda.

Swapna Dream.

Taittreya Upanishad One of the major Upanishads or scriptures that explains the concepts of the five elements and five koshas or energy sheaths.

Takshila A center of learning mentioned in the Hindu epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata, now a world UN heritage site in North eastern Pakistan.

Tamas One of the three gunas or attributes of nature. Attribute of inaction.

Tanjore art paintings Devotional paintings from South India that use semi- precious stones and gold as adornment.

Tantra Technique. A form of spiritual teaching that predates Vedas.

Tantra Ancient vedic tradition of achieving enlightenment through spiritual techniques or practices, meditations and ritual worship.

Tapas Spiritual penance.

Tat tvam asi : One of the great Truths meaning 'That Art Thou'.

Tathata : Suchness.

Thanjavur : Town in South India famous for its massive temple and learning and cultural heritage.

Pratyakatma chaitanya jagrat : Awakening of the Consciousness and inner Self.

Tirupati : Famous temple to Vishnu as Venkateshwara or Balaji in Andhra Pradesh, South India.

Tiruvannamalai : Temple town where Nithyananda was born and raised.

Transcendental Meditation-Sidhi : Yogic powers said to occur upon practice of advanced TM techniques.

Transcendental Meditation™ : Meditation technique popularized by Mahesh Yogi.

Turiya : Fourth state of consciousness in which there are no thoughts and only awareness.

Tyagaraja : 18th century south Indian Carnatic music composer.

Upanishad : Scriptures that form the essence of the ancient texts of the Vedas. Literally means 'sitting with the master'. There are eleven main Upanishads that have been commented on by enlightened master Adi Shankara.

Vaastu Shastra : Vedic science of space, how we interact with the space around us.

Vajrasana : A Yoga asana posture of sitting with the knees folded and your feet tucked under, with the bottom resting on the heels.

Vak : Energy behind speech.

Vakya : Statement.

Vali : Monkey King in the Hindu epic Ramayana who is killed by prince Rama.

Vanaprastha sannyas : The third stage of life according to the vedic tradition, where the wife and husband lead the rest of their married life in spiritual activities in pursuit of the ultimate Truth.

Vasana : Mindset.

Vasudeva Kutumbaha Statement of Krishna meaning 'The world is my family.'

Vatha One of the three doshas or attributes of the body in Ayurveda. Energy conceptually made up of the elements ether and air. The proportions of ether and air determine how active vatha is.

Vatsalya bhava Master disciple relationship in which the disciple sees the master as a child, as with mother Yashoda and child Krishna.

Vedas Ancient scriptural texts explaining the deep spiritual Truths. There are four main Vedas – Rigveda, Yajurveda, Samaveda and Atharvaveda. These texts explain about the performance of sacrifice and consist of stories and chants. The Vedas are considered to be revelations of the Truths that happened to the mystics and seers.

Vedic Referring to Veda or ancient scriptures.

Veera Bravery.

Vijnanamaya kosha Visualization sheath, the fourth kosha or energy sheath.

Vipassana Teaching of enlightened master Buddha to look inwards by observing breath.

Vishnu Sustainer in the Hindu Trinity of gods.

Vishuddhi chakra Chakra or subtle energy center in the throat region. Locked by comparing ourselves with others.

Vivekachoodamani Enlightened master Adi Shankara’s philosophical work.

Vivekananda Primary disciple of Ramakrishna Paramahamsa and Founder of the Ramakrishna Order. 19th century Eastern mystic considered a key figure in spreading awareness of Hinduism and Yoga in Europe and America.

Warren Bennis Management and leadership consultant.

Yaksha Demigod who according to Hindu mythology guards wealth.

Yama Hindu god of death and justice.

yama The first limb of Ashtanga Yoga comprising observance of the five principles of satya(truth), ahimsa(non-violence), asteya(non-stealing), aparigraha (minimal possessions) and brahmacharya (celibacy).

Yamuna A holy Indian river associated with enlightened master Krishna. Yantra A device, usually a metal plate that is energized, used in spiritual practices.

Yashoda Foster mother of enlightened master Krishna.

Yoga Literally means 'uniting' of body-mind-spirit.

Yoga Sutras The book on yoga authored by enlightened master Patanjali.

Yogaha chitta vritti nirodhaha The second verse of Yoga Sutra: Yoga is stopping of the mind.

Yudhishtra The eldest of the five princes of the Pandava family in the Indian epic Mahabharata.

Yukti Clarity to know what needs to change and what needs to be accepted.

Zazen Sitting meditation in Zen.

Zen Japanese Buddhist practice. Derived from dhyana, meditation.

Zen koans Riddles given as techniques in Zen to aid Self Realization.

Nithyananda was intense in his spiritual quest right from a very young age. As a young boy, he did various spiritual practices in the energy field of Arunachala.

Nithyananda as a young intense seeker

Addressing the Madras Management Asscoiation, Chennai, India on ‘Enlightened Management - Lord Krishna's way’

Nithyananda personally conducts meditation programs from basic to advanced levels, attended by thousands worldwide

Nithyananda has delivered many breakthrough messages giving solutions for the issues faced by the corporate world. These corporate programs have been conducted in corporate organizations like Microsoft, AT&T, Qualcomm, JP Morgan, Petrobras, Pepsi, Oracle, etc

Nithyananda personally conducting a meditation program. Ordained teachers also conduct yoga and meditation programs. These have touched over 2 million people to date including children, youth, those in rural areas, prison inmates, etc.

Nithyanandam, an advanced meditation program, at the Bidadi ashram in India, in December 2005

Life Bliss Meditation Program Level 2 attended by thousands of students at a college in South India

Kalpataru program in Malaysia, 20 November 2008

Addressing a large satsang in Tiruvannamalai, India, 21 December 2008 Satsangs are blissful gatherings of people to help them grow on the spiritual path.

Nithya Dhyaan, a 3-day meditation program in Bengaluru, India, December 20-22, 2007

Nithya Dhyaan or Life Bliss Meditation is a powerful and universal meditation working on the body-mind-spirit leading one straight to the experience of living enlightenment.

The first Inner Awakening program, a 21-day program giving the keys to live enlightenment, held in Bidadi ashram from December 1-21, 2008

First introductory talk on Nithya Yoga delivered to the yoga community in Los Angeles, USA in September 2006

Nithya Yoga is the original Patanjali Yoga re-presented for the modern man. It is not just yoga for physical exercise, but a deep science of preparing the body-mind to hold the experience of living enlightenment.

Teachers' training program, Buckhorn, USA

Nithyananda personally trains and ordains teachers who conduct meditation and yoga programs worldwide

Nithyananda conducts powerful meditation programs which provide both intellectual as well as experiential understandings of the ultimate Truths.

Delivering discourses on the Bhagavad Gita at the Malibu Hindu Temple in Los Angeles, USA, from 4-21 September, 2005

Nithyananda delivered discourses on Shiva Sutras in various locations worldwide in 2007 and at the Bidadi ashram, India in March 2008

Nithyananda has delivered a wide range of discourses from life solutions to the essence of scriptures. His discourses so far include Bhagavad Gita, Shiva Sutras, Jain Sutras, Ashtavakra Gita as well as the deeper truths in the epics of Ramayana and Mahabharata.

Delivering discourses on Ashtavakra Gita in Bengaluru, India in November 2005

Dhyana Spurana Program session in progress

Nithyananda conducts various specialized and advanced meditation programs for seekers worldwide. These programs not only offer an intellectual understanding but also an experiential understanding as well.

Participating in a book fair in Chennai, India, January 2008

Nithyananda Publishers have published over 200 books in 30 languages, which carry the timeless truths and universal messages being delivered by Nithyananda.

Nithyananda Galleria is the one stop store (also available online and in mobile vans) providing products of Nithyananda Mission – discourses in the form of books and DVDs (over 4700 hours of discourses transcribed, edited and published in-house and made available in stores), lifestyle products, ayurvedic and herbal products.

Free weekly medical camp, Bidadi, India

Health fair, Ohio, 2007

LBT class in progress, Bidadi ashram, India

Life Bliss Technology (LBT) is a unique free two year residential program for youth teaching Life Engineering and the science of enlightenment, helping them grow into responsible and fulfilled individuals.

Meditation programs in prisons

Powerful free discourse clips online for free, watched by 8000 people per day from 120 countries. Over 500,000 views on www.youtube.com/LifeBlissFoundation have resulted in Nithyananda becoming #1 watched spiritual leader.

Encouraging a green Mother Earth

The sacred ancient healing banyan tree in Bidadi, the spiritual headquarters of the Mission, represents the enlightened energy and is a mystical energy hub in the Bidadi ashram.

Accommodation for participants of meditation programs, Bidadi ashram, India

Participants of various residential meditation programs are provided comfortable accommodation in the energy field of the ashram. Dormitory accommodation is also available for program participants and for those who wish to stay in the healing energy field

Vedic temple, Ohio Over 1200 full-time volunteers run the various ashrams, Vedic temples and mission activities worldwide.

Vedic Temple, Montclair, USA

Hyderabad ashram, India Nithyananda mission includes numerous ashrams and hundreds of centers worldwide which are 100 percent volunteer based and stand to serve society by providing meditation programs and social services in fields like health and education.

Nithyananda Mission in St. Louis, USA

Nithya Yoga classes are conducted in over 10 countries to date in various places like yoga studios, colleges, bookstores, prisons etc

Free food serving Nithyananda Food Temples worldwide serve an estimated average of 20,000 meals are served daily.

Common utility items for orphanages

Over 100 service activities have been conducted by the Nithyananda Youth Foundation. These include bread distribution in hospitals, donation of bicycles, school books, bags and footwear as well as scholarships for students, meditation classes, food, rice and clothing distribution, donation of road safety barricades, blood donation camps, donation of artificial limbs, prayer and worship for prosperity, donating household items to orphanages, free counseling, free saplings to encourage the green drive and support to old age homes.

Free bicycles for rural students

Blissful gathering (satsang) of the Nithyananda family in Brazil

An estimated 5000 satsangs have been conducted across 50 countries. The satsangs include free Nithya Spiritual Healing services, discourses, group meditations and counseling.

Blissful meditation group, London

Life Bliss Program Level 3, Guadeloupe led by a senior swami of Nithyananda order

Over 300 ordained meditation and yoga teachers worldwide conduct basic to advanced levels of courses in meditation and yoga.

Life Bliss Program Level 1, New Zealand

Life Bliss Program Level 1, Dubai

Second Kumbh Mela, held in Los Angeles on 9 September, 2007

Nithyananda Mission centers participate in the unique spiritual gathering of Kumbh Mela conducted currently in various locations in India and USA to raise the collective positivity of planet earth.

Yearly Himalayas Yatra

Nithyananda leads people on yatras or spiritual journeys to energy fields like Himalayas, Varanasi, Angkor Wat and so on.

Varanasi yatra, June 2008

Free healing darshan, Bidadi, India, March 1-31, 2008

Nithya Spiritual Healing is a unique science of healing through the cosmic energy. Nithyananda personally heals people and has initiated over 5000 Nithya Spiritual Healers providing free healing service to an estimated 20,000 people worldwide per day.

Addressing a healers' meet at the Bidadi ashram, India Nithyananda regularly meets various groups of people - volunteers, ordained healers, teachers and devotees at large.

Thousands at the Life Bliss Program Level 2 at an engineering college in India

Mass meditation program, Pondicherry, India

Meditation programs have been conducted in about 30 countries by 300 ordained teachers

Sitting with a group of ashramites in front of the 'Laughing Temple' in Bidadi ashram, India, 2006. This is the rare gift of upanishad – sitting with the master which can directly lead one to live enlightenment.

Taking classes for the gurukul students Nithyananda Gurukul revives the unique vedic tradition of gurukul education. It is a modern scientific approach to education combined with the vedic system of learning – protecting and developing the innate intelligence of the child who flowers without repression, fear or peer pressure, into a confident, responsible and fulfilled individual.

Meditation programs in schools and for youth Thousands of students have benefitted from the specially designed meditation, yoga and memory programs.

(Gospel of Paramahamsa Nithyananda)

“This book contains the essence of all that I have said, am saying, will say, and all that I want to say but may not be able to say...”

‘There is an extraordinary potential hidden inside every human being. If it is awakened it will take you to a much higher plane of consciousness - beyond the limitations of the human body-mind. Experience this superconsciousness, actualize your ultimate potential. This is the only aim of human life – to enjoy the ultimate luxury of living enlightenment.’

Clear, simple and complete life solutions

The Straight Route to Everyday Bliss

Rare insights into timeless truths of life

Dimensions of the Master

...and more!

Paramahamsa Nithyananda is a living enlightened Master of the 21ˢᵗ century. His teachings include meditation, yoga and service for the purpose of realizing one’s ultimate potential – of transforming from human to divine. Nithyananda Mission stands to spread the message of eternal bliss - nithya ananda - throughout the world and thus bring about an enlightened humanity.

Ebook ISBN; 979-8-88572-185-1 Published by Nithyananda Publishers