ABHYASA: Refer to constant practice over a long period of time. ADHYATMIC: Spiritual. ADVAITA: Non-duality. AHANKARA: Ego. AHIMSA: Non-violence. AMARA: Immortal. AMARA-PURUSHA: Immortal being. ANTAHKARANA: Internal instrument such as mind, intellect, ego and the subconscious mind. ANUBHAVA: Experience. ASANA: A bodily pose or posture. ASHRAM: Monastery, or a place refer in ancient times to where Teachers and students used to stay together for education. ASHTANGA: Eight limbs. ATMA-JNANA: Knowledge of the Self. AVIDYA: Ignorance. AYURVEDA: The ancient Indian science of medicine. BENARAS: A holy pilgrimage centre of Hindus, now called Varanasi in Uttar Pradesh, India. However the place is not very neat and clean now. BHAGAVAD-GITA: A scripture containing Lord Krishna's teachings. BHAJAN: Devotional song BHAKTA: Devotee of God BHAKTI: Devotion. Bhakti Yoga Bhakti Yoga is one of the four paths of Yoga. It is the way of love and the emotions. Love is the most powerful, positive and primary emotion. Although this appears simple and easy, it is difficult because pure love is about letting go of the ego. BHARATAVARSHA: India was known by this name in ancient Time. BHAVANA: Feeling BHOGI: Enjoyer. BRAHMAMUHURTA: Period from 4 a.m. to 6 a.m. The most auspicious time for the practice of meditation and other spiritual practices. BRAHMAN: The Absolute Reality; God. BUDDHA: One who is totally purified from all defilements and who has realized all that can be known. BUDDHI: Intellect. CHAKRAS: Centres of energy in the human system. CHELA: Disciple. DAIVIC: Divine. DARSHAN: Vision. DAYA: Mercy. DEHA: Body. DHARANA: Concentration. The sixth limb of the Ashtanga or Raja Yoga system. DHARMA: Duty; characteristics. DHYANA: Meditation.The seventh limb of the Ashtanga or Raja Yoga system. DIVYA-DRISHTI: Divine perception. GANGA: River Ganges. GAYATRI: One of the most sacred Vedic goddess. GUNA: Quality born of nature. GURU: Teacher; preceptor INDRA: The Lord of gods; the ruler of heaven. INDRIYAS: Senses. ISHVARA: Lord; God. JAPA: Repetition of the Lord's Name or mantra. JIVA: Individual Soul. JNANA: Wisdom. Knowledge of the Self. Jnana is one of the four paths of Yoga. JNANA-INDRIYAS: Organs of knowledge or perception. JNANI: A wise person who is endowed with Jnana. KARMA: Action. The law of action and reaction. the fruits of the action. KARUNA: Compassion KIRTAN: Singing devotional songs. KUTIR: A small cottage; hut. MAHA: Great. MAHABHARATA: A Hindu epic. MAHANT: Great sage MAHAPURUSHA: A great soul. MAHARISHI: Great sage MAITRI: Friendship. MOKSHA: Liberation. MOUNA: Vow of silence. MOUNI: One who observes silence. Mudras are used to signify gestures, a mystic position of the hands, a seal, or even a symbol. There are also eye positions, body postures and breathing techniques that are called mudras. MUKTI: Liberation. MUMUKSHU: One who aspires after moksha or liberation. MUNI: An ascetic. NADA: Mystic sound NIRVANA: Liberation; final emancipation. NIYAMA: The second step in Raja Yoga, observance - purity, contentment, austerities, etc OM: The sacred monosyllable. PATANJALI: The author of Yoga-Sutras, the foremost scripture on Raja Yoga, the Yoga of mind control. PRANA: Vital energy; life-breath. PRANAYAMA: Practice of breath-control. PRATYAHARA: Abstraction or withdrawal of the senses. PREMA: Divine Love. PRITHVI: Earth. PURANA: Hindu myths and legends. RAGA: Attachment. RAJA: King. RAJAS: One of the three qualities which generates passion and restlessness. RAJA-YOGA: A system of Yoga generally taken to be the one propounded by Patanjali Maharishi, i.e., Ashtanga Yoga. One of the four paths of Yoga. RAMAYANA: A holy narative of Lord Rama. RISHI: Sage. RISHIKESH: A sacred place in the Himalayas in ancient times however now it is also commercialized , Youcan find internet café, hotels,restaurants and of course beautiful view of ganga river. SADHAKA: Spiritual aspirant. SADHANA: Spiritual practice. SADHU: Pious man. SAKTI: Power; the feminine aspect of Divinity. SAMADHI: The state of superconsciousness. SANKIRTAN: Singing of divine songs. SANNYASINS: Those who have embraced the life of complete renunciation. SATCHIDANANDA: Existence absolute(Sat), Knowledge absolute(Chid), Bliss absolute(Ananda). SIDDHI: Psychic power. SIVA: Lord Siva SLOKA: Verse. SRADDHA: Faith. SRI: "Sri" before name is a mark of courtsey. SUDDHA: Pure. TAMAS: One of the three qualities of nature which generates laziness, dullness. TYAGA: Renunciation (of egoism, desires and the world). VAIRAGYA: Dispassion. Detachment from worldly attachments. VEDANTA: The school of Hindu thoughts. VEERYA: Seminal energy. VIVEKA: Discrimination. YAMA: First limb of Raja Yoga; Eternal vows - non-violence, truthfulness. Yoga:union with the Supreme Being - any course that makes for such union YOGI (N): One who practices Yoga; one who is established in Yoga. |
| Glossary of the Sanskrit terms used in Yoga Literature for those new to the discipline. They may help you to understand some basic terms related to the practice of Yoga |