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70
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68
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66
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64
dull qualities 55
active qualities 56
good qualities 57
plane of creation 58
plane of Siva 59
plane of Vishnu 60
plane of bliss 61
plane of nature 63
ego 54
plane of air 52
plane of light 51
plane of truth 50
positive intellect 49
negative intellect 48
happiness 47
darkness 46
plane of devotion 37
plane of water 38
plane of violence 39
earth 40
plane of austerity 41
River Ganga 42
River Yamuna 43
Goddess of Wisdom 44
conscience 45
wisdom 36
plane of energy 35
plane of elimination 34
plane of circulation 33
creative plane 32
plane of fire 31
human birth 30
false knowledge 29
right knowledge 28
clarity 19
netherworld 20
plane of flavor 21
plane of fragrance 22
plane of devas 23
nature spirits 24
good tendencies 25
false faith 26
true faith 27
plane of karma 18
giving 17
atonement 16
plane of dharma 15
heavenly plane 14
bad company 13
good company 12
sorrow 11
selfless service 10
plane of joy 1
mercy 2
jealousy 3
underworld 4
envy 7
devas of music 8
purification 9
birth
illusion
anger
greed
earth plane
delusion
conceit or vanity
avarice
plane of sensuality
a. manivel
Hindu Games
The Western childrens game Snakes and Ladders, or Chutes and Ladders, comes from the Indian game for adults called Gyan Chaupar, the Game of Knowledge. Gyan Chaupar teaches the Hindu spiritual path to moksha, which is liberation from reincarnation. There are 72 numbered squares on the board listing various virtues, vices, states of consciousness and planes of existence. The ladders start from squares with virtues, such as devotion, and move the player up the board. Snakes are found on squares of vices, such as jealousy, and take the player back down the board. Play begins at square one in the lower left corner. In the old days, the player threw six cowrie shells on the oor. The number of shells that landed upright indicated the number of squares to