Glossary

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D

Dahl	dried beans such as urad or mung or the soup made there from.
Daihika	the bodily necessities of life.
Daityas	demons; a race of demons descending from Diti.
Daivas	the demigods or godly persons.
Daiva-varëäçrama	the social system given by God for the upliftment of mankind. [See also: Varëäçrama].
Daivé Mäyä	the Lord's divine deluding potency, the material energy.
Dakña	one of the sons of Brahmä and a chief progenitor of the universal population.
Däkñäyaëé	Saté, the daughter of Dakña and wife of Lord Çiva.
Dakñiëä	a disciple's gift to his spiritual master, collected by begging and given as a token of gratitude.
Dama	control of the senses.
Dämodara	Lord Kåñëa in His pastime of being bound by mother Yaçodä.
Däna	charity, one of the six duties of a [brähmaëa].
Dänavas	a race of demons.
Daëòa	a staff carried by those in the renounced order of life.
Daëòavats	respectful obeisances, falling flat like a rod.
Daridra-näräyaëa	"poor Näräyaëa," an offensive term used by Mäyävädés to equate poor men with the Supreme Lord.
Daça-avatäras	ten pastime-incarnations of the Supreme Lord.
Daçävatära-stotra	the introduction to Jayadeva Gosvämé's [Géta-govinda].
Daçaratha	the father of Lord Rämacandra.
Daçärha	the founder of one branch of the Yadu clan.
Daça-vidha-saàskära	the ten Vedic household rituals for purification, performed one by one from the time of conception until death.
Däsya-rasa	the servitor relationship with the Lord.
Dasyu-dharma	the occupational duty of rogues and thieves.
Dattätreya	the incarnation of the Supreme Lord who appeared as the son of Atri Muni and taught the path of mystic [yoga].
Deity of the Lord	the authorized form of Kåñëa worshiped in temples.
Demigods	universal controllers and residents of the higher planets.
Demons	impious beings who do not follow the instructions of the Lord.
Deva	a demigod or godly person.
Deva-däsés	female singers and dancers employed as servants of the Deity.
Deva-gaëa	a type of demigod.
Devahüti	the daughter of Sväyambhuva Manu who was the wife of Kardama Muni and the mother of Lord Kapila.
Devaké	the wife of Vasudeva and mother of Lord Kåñëa.
Devaké-nandana	Lord Kåñëa, the darling son of Devaké.
Devala	an ancient authority on the [Vedas].
Devamäyä	the illusory potency of the demigods.
Devarñi	a title meaning "sage among the demigods."
Devotional service	the process of worshiping Lord Kåñëa by dedicating one's thoughts, words and actions to Him with love.
Dhäma	abode, place of residence. The term usually refers to the Lord's abodes.
Dhanvantari	the incarnation of the Supreme Lord who is the father of medical science.
Dharä	the name of mother Yaçodä in a previous birth.
Dharä-maëòala	the earth planet.
Dhäraëä	fixed concentration, prior to full meditation ([dhyäna]).
Dharma	religion; duty, especially everyone's eternal service nature.
Dharmänvekñamäëa	strictly observing religious principles.
Dharma-çästras	religious scriptures that prescribe regulations of social organization and religion.
Dharmé	one who abides by Vedic law, or religious principles.
Dhenukäsura	a mystic demon who took the form of a donkey and was killed by Kåñëa.
Dhéra	one who is undisturbed in all circumstances.
Dhoté	a simple garment worn by men in Vedic culture.
Dhåtaräñöra	the uncle of the Päëòavas whose attempt to usurp their kingdom for the sake of his own sons resulted in the Kurukñet ra war.
Dhruvaloka	the polestar, a spiritual planet within the material universe. It is presided over by Dhruva Mahäräja.
Dhruva Mahäräja	a great devotee who as a child performed severe austerities to meet the Lord and get the kingdom denied him. He received an entire planet and God realization as well.
Dhyäna	meditation.
Diti	a wife of Kaçyapa Muni and the mother of the demons Hiraëyäkña and Hiraëyakaçipu.
Draupadé	the wife of the five Päëòavas. She was a great devotee of Lord Kåñëa.
Droëa	the name of Mahäräja Nanda in a previous birth.
Droëäcärya	the military teacher of the Päëòavas. He was obliged to fight against them in the Battle of Kurukñetra.
Duùçäsana	a member of the Kuru dynasty and a brother of Duryodhana.
Durgä	the personified material energy and the wife of Lord Çiva.
Durväsä Muni	a powerful mystic [yogé,] famous for his fearful curses.
Duryodhana	the eldest son of Dhåtaräñöra and chief rival of the Päëòavas.
Duñkåté	a miscreant.
Dvädaçé	the twelfth day after the full or new moon, thus the day after Ekädaçé.
Dvaipäyana	[See:] Vyäsadeva
Dväpara-yuga	the third in the cycle of four ages. It lasts 864,000 years.
Dvärakä	the offshore-island kingdom of Lord Kåñëa , where He performed pastimes five thousand years ago in India .
Dvärakädhéça	the Supreme Lord, Kåñëa, the Lord of the city Dvärakä.
Dvija	a twice-born person; a [brähmaëa].
Dvija-bandhu	[See: Brahma-bandhu].
Dvi-parärdha	the duration of Brahmä's life.
Dvivida	a huge, apelike demon killed by Lord Balaräma.