Asafoetida: a strong-smelling spice
used in small quantities to flavor savories, soups, and vegetable dishes.
Äyur-veda: (eye’ yoor vay’ dah) Vedic
scriptures dealing with preventive and curative medicine.
Bhagavad-gétä: (bha gah vahd’ gee’
tah) the sacred dialogue spoken five thousand years ago between Lord Kåñëa
and His devotee Arjuna on the Battlefield of Kurukñetra, in India. It has
five main topics: the Absolute Truth, the living entities, material
nature, time, and karma. Bhagavad-gétä is the essence of Vedic knowledge.
Bhakti-yoga: devotional service to the
Caitanya-caritämåta: (chat tan’ yah
chah ritahm ri tah) the biography of Lord Caitanya Mahäprabhu written over
four hundred years ago by Kåñëadasa Kaviraja Gosvämé.
Caitanya Mahäprabhu: (chat tan’ yah mah ha prah bhoo) the incarnation of
Kåñëa who came five centuries ago, in the role of His own devotee, to
teach the process of devotional service by chanting the holy names of God.
Chapati: (chah pah’ tee) flat, round
whole-wheat bread, cooked on a griddle and held over a flame until it
inflates like a balloon.
Dal: (doll) husked and split lentils
used to make savories, sweets, and soups; the soup made from such lentils.
Dosa: a sort of Indian pancake,
sometimes stuffed with spiced potatoes.
Ekädaçé: (ay kah’ dah shee) the
eleventh day of both the waxing and waning moon. On Ekadasi, devotees of
Kåñëa simplify their diet by abstaining from grains, beans, and peas, and
increase their remembrance of Kåñëa by intensifying their chanting of the
Hare Kåñëa mantra and other devotional activities.
Garam masala: (literally, “hot
spices”) a blend of powdered spices added to a dish at the end of the
Ghee: clarified butter. Its delicate
flavor and special qualities make it the best of all cooking mediums.
Gulab jamun: (goo luhb’ jah mon) a
sweet made of deep-fried powdered milk balls, soaked in rose-flavored
Halavä: a dessert made from toasted
grains, butter, and sugar.
Hare Kåñëa mantra: a sixteen-word
prayer composed of the names Hare, Kåñëa, and Räma: Hare Kåñëa, Hare
Kåñëa, Kåñëa Kåñëa, Hare Hare/ Hare Räma, Hare Räma, Räma Räma, Hare Hare.
Hare (ha ray’) is the personal form of God’s own happiness, His eternal
consort, Çrématé Rädhäräëé. Kåñëa, “the all-attractive one,” and Räma,
“the all-pleasing one,” are names of God. This prayer means “My dear
Rädhäräëé and Kåñëa, please engage me in Your devotional service.” The
Vedas recommend the chanting of the Hare Kåñëa mantra as the easiest and
most sublime method of awakening one’s dormant love of God.
ISKCON: the abbreviation for the
International Society for Kåñëa Consciousness; the Hare Kåñëa Movement.
Karhai: (car’ high) a deep, rounded
pan with handles on both sides, used for deep-frying or pan-frying.
Karma: fruitive action, which always
produces a reaction, good or bad.
Kåñëa: a name for the Supreme
Personality of Godhead, meaning “infinitely attractive.”
Masala: (mah sah’ lah) a blend of
Panch masala: a mixture of five whole
spices used in preparing vegetable dishes.
Paneer: a fresh cheese with many uses
in Indian cooking.
Prasäda, or prasädam: (prah shahd’, or
prah shah’ dum) “the mercy of Lord Kåñëa.” Food prepared for the pleasure
of Kåñëa and offered to Him with love and devotion. Because Kåñëa tastes
the offering, the food becomes spiritualized and purifies anyone who eats
Puri: a small deep-fried flat bread
made from white flour, wholewheat flour, or a mixture of both.
Raita: fruits or semicooked vegetables
in lightly seasoned yogurt.
Sabji: (sub’ jee) vegetable or
Samosa: a deep-fried turnover, stuffed
with cooked fruits or spiced vegetables.
Çréla Prabhupäda: (1896-1977): (shree’
lah prah’ bhoo pahd) the founder and spiritual master of the International
Society for Kåñëa Consciousness. Çréla Prabhupäda was a fully God
conscious saint who had perfect realization of the Vedic scriptures. He
worked incessantly to spread Kåñëa consciousness all over the world.
Çrémad-Bhägavatam: (shree’ mahd
bhah’gah vah tum) the scripture composed by Çréla Vyasadeva (the literary
incarnation of Lord Kåñëa) to describe and explain Lord Kåñëa’s pastimes.
Tava: a slightly concave cast-iron
frying pan used for cooking chapatis and other flat Indian breads.
Thali: (tal’ lee) a low-rimmed metal
Vaiñëava: (vie’ shnav ah) a devotee of
Lord Kåñëa, the Supreme Personality of Godhead.
Vedas: (Vedic literatures): scriptures
compiled five thousand years ago in India by Çréla Vyasadeva, an
incarnation of Lord Kåñëa. The Vedas conclude that the ultimate goal of
human life is to reestablish our eternal loving relationship with Kåñëa
Vrindavana: (vrin dah’ vun) the
village in North India where Lord Kåñëa lived as a child; the supreme
transcendental abode of the Supreme Lord in the spiritual universe.
Yogi: a transcendentalist, one who
strives to attain the Supreme.