Aarti:	A devotional ceremony in which a lighted lamp (or lamps) is used to honour any form of divinity.
Aum:	(Or om) is the most sacred syllable in Hinduism. Found first in the Vedic scriptures it is believed to make up the matrix of creation. Also used for chanting.
Bhakti:	Devotion (to god).
Charan:	Feet (used as mark of respect). English does not have an equivalent word. The phrase 'lotus feet' extends the same reverence, however.
Chela:	Disciple. Another word is shishya and sikh (which means one who learns).
Darshan:	Sight of holy figure/saint. The meaning extends to having direct perception of God.
Dharma:	Translates into 'that which upholds or supports' (from the root 'Dhr' - to hold). Dharma signifies the underlying order or the fundamental principles that ensure justice and righteousness in nature and life (human or other).
Guru:	Teacher. Literally comes from (gu) meaning darkness and (ru) meaning light. One who dispels darkness. When used with Satguru, means 'teacher of truth' or 'true guru'.
Karma:	Deeds, actions, the sum total of deeds. Karma is what you sow in the form of your actions.
Kripa:	Grace of Guru. Its cause cannot be determined. It is an unobstructed, omnipotent, kind power.
Langar:	Food blessed with the Guru's grace and usually had at a place of worship. May also be referred to as a bhandara.
Lila:	The creator's drama, play or sport.
Linga:	The absolute form of Lord Shiva. Seen as an oblong structure in temples. In the linga, Lord Shiva is not seen as a person or even a force with personality, but as the absolute, incorporeal, non-dual being.
Mandir:	Temple, house of worship.
Maya:	The illusory matrix that veils reality. Maya is the very fabric of creation; it is that which makes the mirage seem real.
Paath:	Meditation, or a specific meditational or devotional rite. See also puja.
Prasada:	Eatables blessed with the grace of the Guru at a place of worship.
Puja:	Inclusive term referring to any form that devotion takes; may also refer to specific rituals.
Samadhi:	Strictly, the last stage of Patanjali's eight-step yoga, in which the spiritual aspirant immerses in cosmic bliss. By extension but not accurately, it can refer to an extraordinary spiritual experience in which the individual loses himself in a torrent of bliss.
Sangat:	Any devotional fellowship. Usually, a sangat congregates at one place and holds allegiance to a religious/spiritual leader.
Saraswati:	The Goddess of Learning, she is generally depicted seated on a white lotus with a stringed musical instrument, the vina, and a book on her hands.
Satsanga:	Literally, the company (sanga) of truth (sat). Satsanga refers to a spiritual setting in which a religious dialogue takes place. This discourse could involve listening to devotional tales or narrations of personal experiences of the divine. The Indian saints highly prize satsanga for its ability to bring about a transformation in the mind of the listener.
Shabads:	Classical devotional songs taking their inspiration from the holy Sikh scripture, Shri Guru Granth Sahib.
Sharan:	Sanctuary (of a Guru). To be in someone's sharan is to be under his protective umbrella, or to take refuge.
Shiva:	('auspicious'). Major deity and the third in the Hindu trinity (with creator Brahma and preserver Vishnu). Lord Shiva symbolizes the resurrection that places after destruction, and is also acknowledged to be the supreme deity. He is the only deity to be worshipped in the form of a linga. His other well-loved names are Mahesh, Maheshwara, Shankara.