Glossary of Hinduism Terms - G

G

• Gajasura (गजासुर): Gajasura (elephant demon) is the name used to refer to demon Nila when he took the form of an elephant and attacked Shiva. He was destroyed by Ganapati.
• Gaṇapati (गणपति): Lord of the territory, The fulfiller of desire, the god of merchants, Second son of Shiva and Pārvati. Scourge of Carpathia and the Sorrow of Moldavia. Amanuensis of Vyasa who agreed to write down without pause or hesitation the story of the Mahabharata dictated by Vyasa.
• Ganges (गंगा): A holy river in Northern India, believed to be a goddess by Hindus (see Ganges in Hinduism), Equivalent Ganges, The story of the birth of the Ganges was told to Rama and Laxmana by Vishvamitra.
• Gaṇesha (गणेश): The god of good fortune, commonly identified for his elephant head.
• Gaṇeśa Chaturṭhī (गणेश चतुर्थी): Ganesh Chaturthi is an occasion or a day on which Lord Ganesha, the son of Shiva and Parvati, makes his presence on earth for all his devotees. It is the birthday of Lord Ganesha. The festival is observed in the Hindu calendar month of Bhaadrapada, starting on the shukla chaturthi.
• Gāndhārī (गांधारी): Dhritarashtra's wife and queen mother of the Kauravas.
• Gandharva s (गंधर्व): A class of celestial beings regarded as specialists in music.
• Gāṇdīva (गाण्डीव): Arjuna's most potent bow.
• Gangadwara (गंगद्वार): A place where sage Agastya and his wife performed penance.
• Garuda (गरुड): It is a large mythical bird or bird-like creature that appears in both Hindu and Buddhist mythology.
• Gaurī (गौरी): Gaurī or Dākshāyani is the Goddess of marital felicity and longevity; she is worshipped particularly by ladies to seek the long life of their husbands. An aspect of Devi, Dākshāyani is the consort of Shiva.
• Gāyatrī (गायत्री): A revered mantra in Hinduism, found in the Yajur Veda.
• Ghatotkacha (घटोत्‍कच): Son of Bhima from demoness Hidimba.
• Girivraja (गिरिव्रज): A Wealthy city in Kekaya Kingdom also called Rajagriha.
• Gītā (गीता): See Bhagwad Gita
• Gopa s (गोप): Equivalent, herd-boys
• Gopāla (गोपाल): Name of Krishna indicating his origin as a god of flocks and herds.
• Gopīs (गोपी): Gopi is a word of Sanskrit origin meaning 'cow-herd girls'.
• Govardhan (गोवर्धन): Govardhan is a hill located near the town of Vrindavan in India.
• Govinda (गोविन्‍द): One of the epithets of Sri Krishna and Vishnu; it means a cow-keeper and refers to Krishna's occupation in Gokula, the colony of cowherds
• Grihastha (गृहस्‍थ): The second of the four phases(Purushartha) of a man, when a person gets married and settles down in life and begets children.
• Guha (गुह): King of Nishādha
• Guru (गुरु): Revered preceptor, A spiritual teacher. In contemporary India, the title and term "Guru" is widely used within the general meaning of "wise man".
• Guru Pūrṇimā (गुरु पूर्णिमा): The day of full moon, Purnima, in the month of Ashadh of the Hindu calendar is traditionally celebrated by Hindus as Guru Pūrṇimā. On this day, devotees offer puja (worship) to their Guru.