FALL:

The leaves of many species of trees, especially in Peninsiular India, fall after the cold season

NAGARAJA :

King of snakes

NAMAZ:

It is a Persian word denoting Islamic prayer; the sacred ashes worn by Hindus is "vibhuti", or "bhasma"; "the sacred earth" is a literal translation of the Tamil "Tiruman" which is worn by Vaisnavas on the forehead and body

NEEM :

Neem, nimba, Melia azadirachta

NEW YEAR :

The Tamil New Year's Day falls in mid-April

PIPAL :

pipal --- asvattha, Ficus religiosa

PONGAL :

Makara Samkranti -- is observed as Pongal in Tamil Nadu. It is the day on which the sun turns from tne tropic of Capricon. (The day traditionally observed as Makara Samkranti or Pongal, however, is more than three weeks after the winter solstice)

SASTI :

Sasti, the sixth day of the lunar fortnight, is sacred to Subrahmanya

SIVARATHRI :

Sivaratri -- Falls in February-March

SUBRAHMANYA :

Subrahmanya is Karthikeya or Kumara -- also known as "Muruga" or "Kanda" (Skanda) in the south

VANARAS:

Vanaras -- This term is usually translated into English as monkeys or apes. But here th reference is to monkeys who were almost human or were even Godly like Hanuman

VINAYAKA :

Vinayaka -- "exalted leader" or "one without a leader", is another name of Ganesha, Ganapathi, or Vighnesvara

SARVAPAPEBHYO :

sarvapapebhyo moksayisyami ma sucah:

Sarvadharman parityajya mam ekam saranam vraja

Aham tva sarva-papebhyo moksayisyami ma sucah.

----Bhagavadgita, 18. 66

ARJUNA UVACA :

Atha kena prayuktoyam papam carati purusah

Anicchannapi Varsneya baladiva niyojitah?

Sri Bhagavan uvaca:

Kama esa krodha esa rajo-guna-samudbhavah

Mahasano mahapapma viddhyenam iha vairinam.

----Bhagavadgita, 3. 36-37

VASANA:

The word "vasana" is from the root vas "to dwell in". It means that which sticks to a cloth, for instance, a smell. There is thus the "smell" of earlier births adhering to the subtle body. Vasana is the latent memory of past experience, the impression left on the mind by past actions.

PARAMPORUL:

Paramporul is the supreme Porul, which means the Supreme Reality (Paramartha). Porul or artha here becomes indirectly a means of attaining the Paramporul

BEGGAR:

This cry is more commonly heard in Tamil Nadu and Kerala

VIDU:

Vidu --- also means home

SIVAM :

Sivam -- is the Supreme Reality according to the Saiva Siddhanta.

BHAKTYA:

Bhaktya mam abhijanati yavan yaseasmi tattvatah

Tato mam tattvato jnatva visate tadanantaram

--Bhagavad Gita, 18. 55

JEHAD :

Crusades were Christian expeditions to recover Jerusalem, etc, from Muslims. Jehad is a religious war waged by Muslims.

IRAIYAVAR:

How a man prays depends on the level of his undestanding of the Lord

DIFFERENT NAMES:

Ekam sad vipra bahudha vadanti

SRIVIJAYA:

The Srivijaya empire, comprising Sumatra and some other islands of Indonesia, flourished for several centuries attaining its peak glory in the 7th century A. D.

WORSHIP:

Ye yatha mam prapadyante tamstathaiva bhajamyaham

Mama vartmanuvartante manusyah Partha sarvasah

- - Bhagavad Gita, 4. 11

MATTAVILASAM:

"Matta Vilasam" is a prahasana or a farcical comedy. Its author, Mahendravarman I, gave up Jainism under the influence of Apparsvamigal to become a Saiva again.

PARAMAGURU:

Pujyasri Chandrasekharendra Saraswati Swami, also respectfully referred to as Mahaswami, Maha PeriyavaI (in Tamil), the Great Acharya, the Sage of Kanchi,..