Here are some suggestions for how to convey Hindu concepts in Sign Language. They use ASL expansion techniques and are not signs from the Deaf Hindu community. I would be happy to add any suggestions from Deaf Hindus in America. You can contact me at

ashram

INDIA RELIGION RETREAT.

ashrama

LIFE BY-STAGES, where the second sign is (2h)[B^], POs ><, FOs up, hands circle around each other while rising. Like the sign PROCESS but moving upward, not forward.

atman

CENTER-OF-BEING. Some Christian Deaf people sign "soul" this way. I mean that instead of signing CENTER so that it lands on the palm of the NDH, it lands in the center of the chest.

Brahma

SUPREME CREATOR (or MAKER). (2h)[A], FOs away, DH starts below NDH and arcs around it until it is on top + C-MAKE AGENT.

Brahman

TRUTH SUPREME, where the last sign is (2h)[A], FOs away, DH starts below NDH and arcs around it until it is on top.

chant

SAY SAME-OLD-THING, where the second sign is (2h)[Y], POs down, FOs away, circle vertically and symmetrically in a plane parallel to the chest with a positive facial expression and closed eyes.

dharma

DUTY, that is, D-WORK.

Hinduism

INDIA RELIGION.

Ishvara

LORD.

karma

(1) LIFE CYCLE"sta, sta, sta" LAW. (2) Sign starts out like BRIBE but the DH opens, then closes and returns to the chest, this time above the NDH and strikes the chest. (< what you give out comes back to you)

Krishna

Mime playing a side flute. (< Krishna is often depicted this way.)

mandala

(2h)[M], POs away, FOs up, touch and separate to trace a circle and retouch at the bottom of the circle.

moksha

LIFE CYCLE++ DETACH, where the last sign is (2h)[F] interlinked open and separate.

nirguna

(1) SUPREME DESCRIBE CAN'T. SUPREME is (2h)[A], FOs away, DH starts below NDH and arcs around it until it is on top. (2) SUPREME BEYOND PARALLEL.

pilgrimage

VISIT HOLY PLACE WORSHIP.

saguna

(1) SUPREME DESCRIBE CAN. SUPREME is (2h)[A], FOs away, DH starts below NDH and arcs around it until it is on top. (2) SUPREME HAVE PARALLEL.

samsara

LIFE CYCLE++, SUFFER.

sanatana dharma

(1) INFINITE DUTY. Where the first sign is (2h)[Y], POs down, FOs ><, both hands separate smoothly so that DH FO is > the signer's front, and the NDH FO > the signer's back. (2) DUTY FOREVER.

sannyasi (renunciant)

PLEASURE DETACH, where the last sign is (2h)[F] interlinked open and separate.

Shiva

SUPREME DESTROYER. First sign is (2h)[A], FOs away, DH starts below NDH and arcs around it until it is on top.

swami

PLEASURE DETACH, JOIN COMMUNITY, where the second sign is (2h)[F] interlinked open and separate.

Vedas

HINDU/INDIA HOLY WRITE+, where the second sign is H-NICE.

Vishnu

SUPREME SUPPORTER. First sign is (2h)[A], FOs away, DH starts below NDH and arcs around it until it is on top.