Alakavdthi: the mythological city of Indra.

Anga: an organ, or limb of the body; man who is part of linga or god; also sexual organ.

Ashtakas: a set of eight slokas

Avatara: God appearing in human form

Beerappa:  a folk deity, literally “the vaiant one.”

Bhatta: priest

Bilva: a thorny tree, called the Bael or Bel in northern India, Aegle marmeios Gorr. A sacred tree, fayourite of Shiva.

Chandrakali: a variety of cotton sari, woven especially in the rural areas of northern Karnataka.

Ghataprabha, (literally “Brightness of the Body”) is the name of a river in Belgaum district, Karnataka.

Gowda: village chief.

Hampi: capital of the Vijayanagara empire. Now in Bellary District, Karanataka

Haridasa: folk performers who narrate devotional stories

Honne: a kind of tree, known for its cool shade, also used to extract oil.

I am not guilty, I have no guilt: refrain of a song by Purandaradasa, Kannada saint poet of Century.

is god’s mercy: a literal translation of an idiom in Kannada

Jangama: literally, one that moves,

Karevva: a folk deity, literally “black mother.”

Laharis: devotional appreciation

Linga or Lingam: the symbol of Lord Shiva. It also means sex organ.

Mandara: a mythical tree

Mutt: an institution, like monastery.

Naagini: (laterally “a snake-woman”) mythological snake-women who dwelt in the nether– worlds and allured men.

Nagini: a female serpent dwelling in the netherworlds.

Nama: a mark put on the forehead, a thin straight line in red or white

Nandi: literally, a bull; in mythology, Shiva’s vehicle.

Nirvaneppa: name of a saint well known and popular in Belgaum region. The name literally means, (a) one who has attained liberation and (b) one who has attained absolute silence,

Sakasranamavalis:  a thousand names

Savalagi : in Belgaum district, Karnataka A religious
centre.

the burden of this yoke of life: a literal translation of a Kannada saying

The kind touch of feet: an allusion to the story of Ahalya, the wife of Gautama. She was turned to stone by her husband’s curse. When the feet of Lord Rama touched that stone she came to life again.

Yashoda: foster mother of Krishna