Basic

Brahma - an important god; supreme power in the universe

Vishnu - an important god; the preserver of life

Shiva - an important god; the destroyer of ignorance

hereditary - passed on by reason of birth

caste system - one of the hereditary social classes in Hinduism that restricts the occupations of their members and their associations with members of other castes

Brahmins -highest caste group (priests, scholars, etc.)

Untouchables - members of a large hereditary group in India that many believed would defile (make unclean) members of higher castes if social contact was permitted  (NOTE: Untouchables are not segregated from society as they previously were.)

dalit - Hindu word for "untouchables"; meaning oppressed

reincarnation - rebirth of a person's soul during more than one life

Vedas - holy books

puja - Hindu worship

Advanced

avatara (or avatar) - a divine descent or incarnation; Krishna and Ram are avataras of Vishnu

Bhagavad Gita- (often just Gita, which means song) - a section of the Mahabharata epic, often printed separately and esteemed as the greatest Hindu scripture

bhajan - a spiritual song, usually sung antiphonally (alternating between leader and group) and repetitiously

bhakta - a devotee; bhakti - devotion

bindi, tilak - the red dot worn by women on the forehead

dharma - duty; righteousness; order; that which sustains society; laws governing a person's relationships and way of life in society to preserve proper order.

Dipavali or Diwali - The festival of lights, largest of the national religious holidays among Hindus, celebrated in the Fall.

guru - (sometimes called swami) - a teacher, in the highest spiritual sense often considered and treated as a god.

Hindi - official language of India (along with English), spoken primarily in the northern states.

karma - 1. in the general sense, good works; religious, moral and caste duties.  2. the principle that reward or punishment follows every deed.

mantra - a verse of Vedic scripture (but in popular use, a word or saying of mystic meaning that is considered to have great power)

om - mystic syllable without definition, often used at the beginning and end of a spiritual writing or meeting and in meditation

prasad - 1. grace  2. consecrated food that has been offered to a deity

sannyasi, sadhu - a holy man or woman.  Traditionally a sannyasi is the fourth and final stage of the life of a high caste Hindu man.  This is a stage for renunciation of everything earthly, including family ties, caste status and worship of idols--all in preparation for moving beyond this life into eternity.

Sanskrit- language of the Hindu scriptures, still spoken by some pandits (religious teachers)

Satsang - a spiritual meeting focused on truth and reality