ahimsa non-violence
ashram a religious community
ayurvedic pertaining to ancient Indian medicine
Ba Gujarati for ‘mother,’ often used of Kasturba
Bania merchants and traders, a subsection of the Vaishya caste of commoners, the third-highest caste after Brahmins and Kshatriyas
Bapu Gujarati for ‘father,’ often used of Gandhi
brahmachari a celibate
brahmacharya literally, living in the Brahman, the absolute; in ordinary usage, celibacy, which is considered essential for attainment of that state
Brahmin a member of the highest caste, a priest
charkha a wheel for hand-spinning yarn
darshan a sanctified vision (seekers after darshan gain spiritual merit by gazing on an exalted person)
dharma duty in life, particularly spiritual duty
dhoti a cloth worn by Indian men around the waist
guru a personal spiritual leader
Harijan children of God,’ a name given to untouchables by Gandhi
hartal a strike
karma the law of transcendental retribution; a person’s actions determining his or her spiritual future
khadi hand-spun cloth
Khilafat the ‘Caliphate,’ or sovereignty over the holy places of Islam, claimed by the Ottoman Empire
ki jai victory to, as in ‘Mahatma Gandhi ki jai’
Kshatriya a member of the second-highest, or warrior, caste
lathi a long stick used by police to keep order
Mahatma great soul
malish an oil massage
moksha spiritual realisation, release from the cycle of life and death
Mussalman common Indian usage for ‘Muslim’
raj rule
Ram, Rama the name of God
Ramanama the ritual repetition of the name of God
sabha an assembly
sadhu a wandering holy man
sangh an association, a society
satyagraha firmness in the truth, sometimes translated as ‘soul-force’
satyagrahi someone who practises satyagraha
Sudra a member of the lowest caste, a labourer
swadeshi home produce (cloth etc.)
swaraj self-government, home rule
vakil pleader in court
yajna sacrifice