Marathi

A 'mini' glossary of Marathi words for Sahaja scholars.

Abhanga - Marathi four- or -six-line verse.

Amritanubhava - a text by Jnaneshwara.

Ashta Vinayak – the collective name for eight temples dedicated to Ganesha in Maharashtra.

Bhaktavijaya and Bhaktilamrita - two important compilations by the 18th century pandit, Mahipati, of information on the Maratha saints.

Bhajan – devotional song.

Bhavarthadipika - also known as the Jnaneshwari, a commentary on the Bhagavad Gita written by Jnaneshwara.

Bharud - dramatic poem in Marathi, much used by saint Eknath.

Charita - a biography of a notable person, thus Eknath Charita.

Dasbodha - the major text by Guru Ramdas.

Devanagiri – the standard script for Marathi and several north Indian languages including Hindi.

Gatha - a collection of works by an author, thus Tukaram Gatha.

Jnaneshwari - a commentary on the Bhagavad Gita written by Jnaneshwara, also known as the Bhavarthadipika.

Johar - a particular form of the bharud used by Eknath.

Kirtan(a) - a sung performance of abhangas, bhajans, bharuds, in the Maratha tradition.

Maharashtradharma - term used by Guru Ramdas to install a sense of integrity and greatness in the Maratha people.

Mahars - the untouchables of Maharashtra. Chokha is their best known saint.

Manache Shloka - also known as Manobodha, a text by Guru Samartha Ramdas.

Modi - script used by the commercial classes to write in Marathi in the 18th and early 19th centuries.

Pandharpur - town in Maharashtra sacred to the bhakti sants who went (and still go) on pilgrimage to its temple dedicated to Lord Vittala.

Pasayadan - epilogue to the Jnaneshwari.

Povada - a narrative song usually chronicling heroic achievements.

Pratishthana (Paithan) – the capital of the Satavahana (Shalivahana) empire.

Purana - a sacred text.

Shalivahana (a.k.a. Satavahana) - royal dynasty in Central India. Paithan (Prathistan) was their capital.

Shloka - verse, similar to a stanza.

Skanda - section (chapter) of a purana.

Stotra - a prayer

Stotramala - a collection of stotras.

Varkari - a devotee of Vittala (the Lord) who goes on annual pilgrimage to Pandharpur.

Vedas – the four oldest books in the Hindu scriptures.

Vittala (Vithoba) - the Lord as worshipped by the Varkari tradition.

[from Sahaja Studies]