• Pronouncing Sanskrit

Unfamiliar terms need stiff explanations and comments, or they may not be of much value.

Many words of yoga stem from Sanskrit. Some are explained below, and others on a page of Buddhist terms - see "Buddhist terms" above.

This brief dictionary of yoga terms was culled from many sources. Many explanations are inconclusive, and the English rendering of Sanskrit words is at times a matter of preference: there are alternatives.

A

ABHAYAM

Fearless.

ABHIMANA

Egoism, identification with the body.

ABHYASA

Spiritual practice ending in Oneness.

ACHARYA

Teacher; spiritual preceptor; propounder of a doctrine. As a title it is affixed to the names of learned men.

ADHIKARI

A qualified person.

ADHISHTHANA

Substratum, support.

ADHYASA

Superimposition or false attribution of properties of one thing on another thing.

ADHYATMIC

Spiritual.

ADI

"First", meaning original, primordial.

ADITYA

A Hindu deity.

ADVAITA

Not two, i.e. non-duality. A school of Vedanta philosophy that teaches the state of sensed oneness with nature and further, a philosophy which aims at getting over and above (beyond) duality, beyond opposites. It can be associated with monism. Its most renowned exponent was Shankara.

AGAMA

A class of Tantric literature; Tantric scripture dealing with rites, righteousness (dharma), cosmology and the like. Agamas are works found inside the tradition of the tantrics and kaula, as opposed to that of the orthodox or Aryans known as Veda. In agamas, Shakti (femaleness) asks Shiva (masculinity deep inside) questions, and he replies.

AGASTHYA

A Vedic seer.

AGNI

Fire; fire god, a bhuta (qv): the fire element. See tattwas.

AGNIHOTRA

A Vedic sacrifice where clarified butter, milk, and curds are offered to the god of fire.

AHAM

I, embodied self; soul.

AHAMKARA

(Lit., 'ego-factor.'It's really the central I-instance inside. It handles and deals with experiences of outer objects. It can be good and bad and in between those two. It can be gross or subtle and in between those two. It can work in healty ways for our good, or take nasty turns if unhealthy or unsavoury. Realistic handling of Hindu teachings depends on healthy, central I-instances in lots of persons. One should go for it, as good learning, fit adaptations, and savoury realistic handling in general depend on ahamkara. On the other hand, some forms of madness with lacks or lossess of assessments may be related to unsound, defective workings of the I-instance. The term is used in the samkhya (qv) philosophy.

AHIMSA

It means "non-hurt" or "non-damage", i.e. on-injury in thought, word and deed. Absence of negativity from within; non-violence

AING, AIM

Mantra of Saraswati and Tara, and also of a chakra or two, according to the Tantric expert Sir John Woodroffe.

AJAPA MANTRA

"Hamsa" with variant spellings and practices. See HAMSA.

AJNA CHAKRA

The mid-area between the eye-brows, associated with good and able use of the mind and the so-called third eye. [FURTHER STUDY]

AJNANA

Ignorance; primal ignorance that is rooted in duality.

AKARMA

From a + karma. Karma means several things, and akarma means many things correspondingly, for example: failure to perform fruitful actions, freedom from fruitive results; inaction; nonperformance of prescribed duties, etc. ['Karma' comes from 'kri', work.]

AMRITA

That which is immortal. Nectar of the Gods.

ANAHATA CHAKRA

Concentration point in the spine behind the heart; centre of emotion and the experience of unconditional love.

ANAHATA

Mystic sound heard by Yogis.

ANAHATA DHWANI

A spontaneous perpetual sound one can hear in deep concentration.

ANANDA

Bliss, happiness, joy.

ANANDA-GHANA

Cloud of bliss.

ANANDAMAYA KOSHA

The sheath ("layer") of bliss. See kosha(s).

ANANDAMAYA

Full of great happiness.

ANANDA-SVARUPA

Of the form of bliss.

ANANTA NAGA

A name of Shesha, the hydra-headed serpent.

ANNAMAYA KOSHA

The dimension of matter. The physical body. "Kosha" means sheath.

ANTAR MOUNA

Inner stillness, and thought observation.

ANANDA-SVARUPA

Of the form of bliss.

ANTARYAMI

(Lit., one who controls from within). God residing in and controlling from within.

ANUSHASANAM

Governing or managing the subtle aspects of human personality; discipline.

APTA

An illumined person, whose words are infallible.

ARHATA

A perfected Soul.

ARJUNA

A hero in the epos Mahabharata and thus also in the Bhagavad Gita, which is a part of the epic poem. In the Gita, the archer Arjuna asks Krishna about his purpose in life.

ARTHA

Sanskrit for wealth, property. Pursuing wealth or material advantage is one of the four traditional aims in life, and should be adhered to. Wealth helps order and social goings in so far as society rests on wealth. Artha (wealth) must be regulated by righteousness (dharma), is in the teaching too. To put wealth and three more aims in perspective, see kama, dharma, and moksha too.

ARYA(S)

Indo-Aryans.

ASANA

Yogic posture; physical posture in which one is at ease and in harmony with one's self. A bodily pose or posture.

ASHRAM(A)

(1) Any of the four stages of life of a Hindu, viz., Brahmacharya, Garhasthya, Vanaprastha, and Sannyasa. (2) It is also a traditional name referring to places where yoga is lived and taught; a home of a person or group who lead a spiritual life. Hermitage; monastery.

ASHTANGA, ASHTANGA YOGA

It refers to Patanjali's yoga with eight steps or limbs, as laid bare in his Yoga Sutras. It is claimed to be genuine royal yoga (raja yoga) too.

ASTEYA

Non-stealing.

ASURAS

Antigods.

ASURIC

Demoniac.

ASVATTA TREE

The holy fig tree, at times used as a symbol of the universe.

ATMA(N)

Individual soul; the Self, one's spirit. The highest or true self as distinct from the consciousness of ego. There is no difference between atman and paramatman except that caused by maya. The Atman (Self deep inside) is not necessarily embodied.

ATMA-JNANA

Self-knowledge; i.e., knowledge of the Self.

ATMA-SVARUPA

The essential nature of the Self.

ATMA VICHARA

Inquiry into the Self.

AUM

A mantra (also spelled Om) which is described as the primordial sound; the sound through which the manifest world comes into being. It is often used as a sound-symbol of Brahman. In some Upanishadic texts it is written that enlightenment may come from chanting this mantra alone, which is used to open or close prayerful sessions etc. Aum may be heard through a particular meditation technique.

AUM NAMAH SHIVAYA

A well known "universal mantra" that may be repeated by anyone, but also a personal mantra that may be given by a guru at the time of initiation.

AUSHADHI

Name of the Goddess as Mother of Herbs and medicine.

AVADHUT

A naked sage, more specifically someone who transcends body and worldly consciousness.

AVATAR(A)

Lit., 'descent', from Sanskrit 'avatarati' he descends, from 'ava', away + 'tarati', he crosses over. An avatar may be an incarnation (embodyment) of a god or goddess into a human or animal form, or of divinity (more abstract).

The Hindu god Vishnu, for example, is said to have incarnated many times, as (1) a fish; (2), a tortoise, (3) a boar, (4) a man-lion, (5) a dwarf, (6) Axe-Rama, (7) Rama, (8) Krishna, and (9) Balarama. Gautama Buddha is in some of these lists too.

Avatarhood lore also counts with such as full (purna) and partial embodiments of divinity. And some persons that appear to embody admirable qualities, may be called avatars of those qualities.

The word may also represent one who incarnates a particular truth or path on earth. Thus, Matsyendranath is the Avatar of the Kaula Jnana Nirnaya Tantra.

AVIDYA

Not-knowing, i.e. ignorance of reality. Ignorance. spiritual blindness. Illusion.

AYURVEDA

"Knowledge of longevity": Ancient and traditional Indian system of medicine and medical practices coupled with rigorous ways of life and recuperation adjustments too. Surgery was included in this system of medicine too.

B

BABA

Bengali for 'father'. Thus, Sai Baba may be rendered as "Father Sai".

BABU

"Mister".

BANDHAS

Bandhas are a series of powerful locks designed to unlock blockages of energy in the body. Mulbandha contracts an area around muladhara chakra in the perineal area. Uddiyana bandha involves a contraction of the abdominal area. Jalandhara bandha involves a contraction of the throat. Mahabandha is a combination of all three locks.

BHAGA

The divine Enjoyer in man. Also: portion.

BHAGAVAN

The Lord (lit., one endowed with six attributes, such as great spiritual power, righteousness, glory, splendour, knowledge. ( Any Godhead that has been born; one of Love and Delight. Often rendered as Blessed Lord, supreme Godhead-personality, a Person-of-Divinity born. "The Word made flesh" may correspond quite nicely to it. According to Hindu thinking, there can be more than one Bhagavan, more than one Person-God.

BHAGAVAD GITA

Literally, "Song of the Lord (Krishna)" A part of the very large Mahabharata epic poem which contains Sri Krishna's teachings. It is a looming 'chapter' within a section of the Sanskrit epic poem, and is, in turn, subdivided into eighteen chapters itself. The Gita (song) takes the form of a dialogue between a chariot-driving Krishna and the bowman Arjuna, his friend, while they stand on the battlefield between two armies on the brink of war. Arjuna is filled with doubt and questions how good this particular warfare could be. Krishna, in turn, explains what is called good and great. The Gita contains a medley of old philosophies. A version of the text is available here. [LINK]

BHAGAVATA

Name of a Purana (a work dealing with doctrines of creation, gods and myths, fabled kings and royal dynasties, teachings of sages, sayings for living and so on). There are over 18 main Puranas. All these works along with the Vedas are ascribed to the ancient expert of writing Vyasa. Yet they hail different and in part much competing gods of the Hindu pantheon. Siva Purana is one of them. Vishnu Purana is another, Markandeya Purana still another.

BHAJAN

Devotional song. Bhajans are a form of chanting. Usually, they are traditional Sanskrit passages, with several or many verses, and are sung to traditional melodies. In such ways and others, spiritual texts were passed on. In contrast kirtans are generally shorter and repeated many times.

BHAKTA

A devotee, or a devotee of God.

BHAKTI

Devotion. Also, more loosely, the yoga of devotion, bhakti yoga, which is one of the main branches of yoga.

BHAKTI-YOGA

Devotional yoga; path of devotion; a way of spiritual discipline.

BHARAT(A)

Land immersed in light; It can be taken to mean India nowadays. Pakistan was not excluded earlier.

BHASTRIKA

A dynamic diaphragmatic breathing practice, known as bellows breathing, in which the breath is forcibly drawn in and out in equal proportions through the nostrils.

BHAVA(NA)

Essentially: attitude; continued contemplation (meditation); steady concentration of mind. Also: deep feeling and that state of being, according to Tantra.

BHUTA

Seed, or "root". Also beeja.

BHOGA

Sexual enjoyment. Enjoyment of the senses.

BHOGI

Enjoyer.

BHOJANA

Food. "That which is enjoyed": There are three types: "Lunar", composed of sense impressions; "Solar", composed of the prana, or vital essences; "Fiery", composed of edibles and water. So they say.

BHUH LOKA

Dimension of consciousness related to the dimension of earth and mooladhara chakra.

BHUTA(S)

The five elements, "Ether", Air, Fire, Water, Earth. (Lit., what has come into being, an entity as opposed to the unmanifested) Any of the five elementary constituents of the world, called akasha (ether), vayu (wind, air) agni or tejas (fire), ap (water) and kshiti, (earth)). These five are called maha-bhutas or tanmatras too. According to Hindu cosmogony - and Taoism too - these are manifestations of the Absolute, as such they constitute whatever exists, being compounded with one another. They start as subtle (fine) and then turn into gross bhutas that serve in the make-up of the physical world. These are .

BHUVAH LOKA

Dimensions of consciousness related to the element of water and swadhisthana chakra.

BIJA

Seed, or "root". A "root" or "seed" sound or syllable of a mantra (sound). Sperm. Also beeja.

BINDU

The source; a drop; psychic centre, concentration point at the top back of the head where the hair whorls. The point without a center from which proceeds cosmic sound (nada): Dot. Semen.

BENARES (BANARAS)

A holy pilgrimage centre of Hindus, now called Varanasi. It is in Uttar Pradesh, India.

BODHISATTVA

A being who, having developed the Awakening Mind (a mind infused with the aspiration to attain the state of Buddhahood), devotes his life to the task of achieving Buddhahood for the sake of sentient beings.

BRAHMA

The Creator of the Cosmos and priest of the gods, often called the Grandfather. Learning, science, music, etc. have been described as some of his great forces (shaktis).

BRAHMACHARYA

(a) Study years in youth. (b) Celibate student's stage. (c) Maintaining celibacy.

BRAHMA-JNANA

Knowledge of Brahman.

BRAHMALOKA

The plane (loka) of Brahma, where fortunate ones enjoy communion with God.

BRAHMAN

From the root 'brih', to grow, expand. (a) God or Pan (Omnipresence). (b) Mind (consciousness) which allows growth to take place.

BRAHMANDA

The universe of gross and fine (subtle) entities.

BRAHMARANDHRA

The hole of Brahma, the spiritual centre at the top of the head.

BRAHMA-SUTRAS

Classical Vedantic scripture that is as well as impossible to understand (needing commentaries).

BRAHMA-VIDYA

Knowledge of Brahman, learning pertaining to Brahman or the absolute reality. Know-how of how to gain in Brahma mind.

BRAHMIN

Ideally, one who knows Brahma, Godhood inside.

BRIHADARANYAKA

One of the major Upanishads; they are ancient Hindu religious-philosophical works.

BUDDHA

(Sanskrit, "The awakened one"). The Enlightened One. In Sanskrit his clan name is Gautama and his personal name Siddhartha. "His mother, the queen Maha Maya, dreamed that a white elephant had entered her womb. Ten lunar months later, as she strolled in the garden of Lumbini, the child emerged from under her right arm. He was able to walk and talk immediately. A lotus flower blossomed under his foot at each step." And she died seven days later. The prince enjoyed an opulent life and a had a child with his woman, and left all to contemplate, well seated in a meditative posture. One night, in the hours before dawn, he was liberated throughout the universe. His life and teachings are elaborated on here: [MORE] [Ebu "Buddha].

Also, according to traditions of Buddhism, there have been buddhas in the past and will be buddhas in the future. Some forms of Buddhism hold that the buddha nature (tathagatagarbha) lies deep within each one. All forms of Buddhism celebrate his birth, enlightenment, and passing away (final nirvana) into a state beyond suffering. "The life of the Buddha was written and rewritten in India and across the Buddhist world, elements added and subtracted as necessary . . . the motivation to create a single life of the Buddha, beginning with his previous births and ending with his passage into nirvana, occurred rather late in the history of Buddhism." [Ebu "Buddha"]

BUDDHI

Discerning, discriminating aspect of mind; from the route "bodh" meaning to be aware of, to know; intellect.

BUDDHI

Intellect.

C

CHAITANYA

Pure Consciousness.

CHAKRA

(a) Centres of energy in the human system. Wheel; vortex of prana; psychic centre, "lotus". Chakras are subtle energy centres in the body: The main chakras in the body are situated along the spinal column. (b) Circle or wheel, often applied to the diagrams or yantras used in ritual worship. (c) A place of worship.

CHANDOGYA

A Upanishad.

CHANDRA

Name of the Moon.

CHARVAKA

The founder of a materialistic school of thought; pertaining to this school of thought.

CHELA

Disciple; pupil of a Guru.

CHIRANJIVI

One who has gained eternal life.

CHIT

Consciousness. Loosely

subconscious mind.

CHITTA

(a) Aspect of mind which receives impressions of the present experience and stores it for future use. (b) Individual consciousness including the subconscious and unconscious layers of the mind (memory, thinking, concentration, attention, enquiry).

D

DAHARA VIDYA

Contemplation of the deity in the heart.

DAIVIC

Devic or divine.

DAKINI

A quite elemental embodiment of supernatural knowledge and ability.

DAMA

Control of senses.

DANDA

Rod.

DARSHAN(A)

(a) Vision, sight; (b) any system of Hindu philosophy.

DASNAMI

The sannyasa tradition of Shankarcharya consists of ten branches. They are: Arana, Ashrama, Bharati, Giri (mountain), Parvati, Puri, Sagara, Saraswati, Teertha and Vanam.

DATTATREYA

A Hindu guru of ancient times.

DAYA

Mercy.

DEVA(S)

Literally: Shining ones. God(s); heavenly beings, angels.

DEVA-YAJNA

A sacrificial rite enjoined on householders.

DEVI

Goddess or shakti: There are many devis, or aspects of a primordial goddess that is Devi.

DHARANA

Concentration on one point, one-pointed attention. The sixth "limb" of ashtanga yoga (qv).

DHARMA

Duty, what needs to be done. Righteous way of living as enjoined by scriptures, virtue. The term relates to laws and obligations according to such as stage of life and class.

DHOTI

Unstitched cloth used as lower garment.

DHYANA

Contemplation, "meditation", also called Zen; the seventh rung in the ladder of Patanjali's eightfold yoga, and hence a facet of interiorisation of the mind. Sanskrit dhyana came to be called Ch'an in Chinese and Zen in Japanese.

DIKSHA

Initiation (into any form of spiritual discipline); from the verb 'see' or 'concentrate'.

DIVALI

Festival of Light, traditional celebration in India honouring the goddess Lakshmi.

DUKHA

Pain, suffering.

DVAPARA YUGA

Second great period of time described in old Hindu works, especially the Laws of Manu. The term is much similar to the Bronze Age.

DVIJA

"Twice-born". In the Hindu social system, members of the three upper social classes are regarded as twice-born. They are the Brahmans (priests and teachers), Kshatriya (warriors), and Vaisya (traders, merchants). Their sacrament (initiation rite), where they are invested with a cotton thread, is regarded as a second or spiritual birth, and signifies that the male child enters the life of a student (brahmacarin) and is accepted as a regular member of his community. The thread consists of a loop made of three knotted and twisted strands. It is replaced regularly to be worn throughout the lifetime of the owner, normally over the left shoulder and diagonally across the chest to the right hip. However, less and less persons observe the initiation ceremony.

More specifically, the second birth is said to have taken place during the student's initiation when the guru (holy teacher) to the student imparts to him the Gayatri mantra, which is a sacred verse of the Rigveda.

E

EKAGRA

The state of one-pointed attention.

EKAGRATA

(a) One-pointed attention, i.e. one-pointedness. (b) Concentrating on one thing at a time.

EMKARA

The syllable "Aing", also written "Aim" - seed mantra associated with Tara and Sarasvati (goddesses).

F

FOURTH (STATE)

"Turiya". Super-mind, super-mentality above waking, dreaming, and sleeping. Also, super-consciousness.

G

GANDHARVA

Celestial musicians on the plane (loka) of Indra.

GARBHA

The womb.

GAUNA

Secondary, indirect.

GAYATRI MANTRA

A very old three-line verse from the Rigveda; "Om bhuh bhuvah swaha / tat savator varenium / bargo devasya de mahe / deya yona prachodhyat". There are variants of spelling and interpretations of it. One is:

"We meditate on the supreme splendour of Savitr (sunlight) that he may inspire our intelligence."

The three-lined mantra is a gift from the Vedic seer Vishvamitra. It is found in the third book of the Rigveda (3;62;10). "May we attain that excellent glory of Savitar the God / So may he stimulate our prayers." (Ralph Griffith's translation).

It is a blessing recited at sunrise, noon and sunset. The words hail divine deeds as well as being "Sunlit" from above, that is, well inspired. Our role may be to bring the inner light of inspired bliss to fruition. As it is said, Gayatri is for "new insight and inspiration or to increase memory and concentration [and much else]". Many Hindus today hold that the Gayatri mantra is not restricted to any certain community, but is a treasure for all the world, and properly belongs to humanity. The next verse of the Savitri lines (3;62;11) shows that more verses are very fine too. And the prayer to pure Brihaspati (3;62;5) for power that none can bend is fit for some as well.

GITA

Song, often rendered 'words'.

GRANTHI

Knot.

GRIHASTHA

Householder.

GUNA

A term of the samkhya philosophy, where it is held that matter has three qualities; sattva, rajas, and tamas. Tamas is supposed to be intertia or laziness, i.e., something quite passive; Rajas activity; and Sattva 'goodness' and 'nobleness'. Hence, the gunas are classification devices, a guna is a classificatory attribute, or suggested quality.

GURU

(Sanskrit: "venerable"). The guru and his pupil(s) work together, and the guru is to be treated with respect. Guide in a spiritual life; teacher, dispeller of a certain ignorance or 'darkness'; can be 'uplifter' also.

GURUPARAMPARA

A serial line of teachers.

GYANA

Wisdom; path of understanding and knowledge. Also written Jnana.

H

HAM

Bija mantra (seed mantra) for vishuddhi chakra.

HAMSA

"Swan" (duck and goose too in ancient Sanskrit), a mantra (ie, syllables) used by some to meditate on. The proper pronunciation of this mantra is different frow how the word is written, and there are different ways of practice too. Research into the middle range and long range effects appears to be missing.

HATHA YOGA

To millions of Westerners this is a yoga of stretching and tensing parts of the while conforming to certain well composed body postures. It goes deeper than mere stretching; its yoga practices seek to redress or balance ha and tha energies, solar and lunar energies and also other pranic (vital) currents of body and mind. "Sun-moon yoga" exercises for better physical health.

HATHA YOGA PRADIPIKA

classic text on yoga. [Hat]

HIMALAYA, HIMAVAT

Lit., 'the domain of snow'. the mountain range is said to be the father of the Goddess.

HINDU CALENDER:

Chaitra - 30 days (March - April) Vaishaka - 31 days (April - May) Jyaistha - 31 days ( May - June) Asadha - 31 days ( June - July) Srawana - 31 days (July - August) Bhadrapada - 31 days (August - September) Asvina - 30 days (September - October) Kartikka - 30 days (October - November) Magasirsa - 30 days ( November - December) Pousha - 30 days (December - January) Magha - 30 days (January - February) Phalguna - 30 days (February - March) Indian days of the week Raviãra - Sunday (day of Sun) Somavãra - Monday (day of Moon) Mañgalvã - Tuesday (day of Mars) Budhavãra - Wednesday (day of Mercury) Guruvã - Thursday (day of Jupiter) Sukravãra - Friday (day of Venus) Sanivãra - Saturday (day of Saturn)

HIRANYAGARBHA

Cosmic intelligence; the supreme lord of the universe; cosmic mind.

HONG-SAU

See HAMSA.

HRIDAYA

Heart.

HRIDAYAKASHA

Heart space of feelings and anahata chakra.

HRIM

A mantra of maya shakti. It is pronounced "Hreem".

HUM

Mantra governing the solar force; a part of the hamsa (hang saw) sound.

I

ICCHA

The Will.

IDA

The (lunar) nadi going about the central Sushumna nadi. The nadi is also connected with the left nostril and a receptive (or passive) mentality.

INDRA

The king of the gods; controller of the senses. The ruler of (Indra's) heaven.

INDRIYAS

The senses, the forces which rule the mind.

ISHTA

Lit., object of desire. A symbol of divinity. The One one feels particularly for; the chosen Ideal, the particular divine form through which a spiritual aspirant contemplates on God; also, sacrificial rite.

ISHTA DEVATA

Same as ishta (qv). Chosen goddess or chosen god - .

ISHVARA

Light-Lord; God in the shape or garb of subtle inner light.

J

JAGAT

"That which is always going", that is, the phenomenal world, that is, the world.

JAGRAT

Waking state of consciousness.

JAGRIT

Conscious mind.

JANAH LOKA

The dimension of consciousness related to vishuddhi chakra and the space element.

JAPA(M)

Repetition, repetition of such as a sound or sound medley (mantra).

JEWELS OF THE NATHS

There are three of them: Sama, equipoise; Samarasa, seeing self as the world, and the world in the self; and Sahaja, spontaneous naturalism.

JIVA

The individual soul and incarnated Atma(n).

JIVAMUKTA

(Lit., liberated while living) One who is liberated in this life while still in the body.

JIVAN

Literally: living being. The individual soul which in essence is one with the Universal Soul.

JIVAN MUKTI

Soul freedom gained while still in the body.

JIVATMA(N)

Individual soul and its consciousness. The embodied soul.

JNANA

Knowledge; wisdom. Also written gyana.

JNANA-YOGA

One of four paths (margas), or modes of living, for yogis, in which the attention is interiorised. The other three paths are karma-yoga, raja-yoga, bhakti-yoga.

JNANENDRIYAS or JNANA-INDRIYAS

The five organs of knowledge with five senses of perception.

JNANI

(Pronounced Nyani) A wise person, a discriminating person. The word is often used to denote a non-dualist.

JYOTI

Light, name.

JYOTISH

Astronomy; (also, Astrology).

K

KAIVALYA

Emancipation in the sense of independence of the soul from the body or matter, hence a state of absolute independence. Liberation of consciousness from an individuation.

KALA

Time, star etc. Part or division of one whole process or thing.

KALAGNIRUDRA

The fire at the end of time which burns up the whole cosmic play.

KALI

Destructing sakti (force, energy, prowess as personified mainly in Hindu iconography).

KALI YUGA

The "dark age", or "iron age" - the era of Kali, the destructress. The lowest of four eras of Hinduism, namely Krita (Satya), Treta, Dwapara, and Kali. Some details are given in Laws of Manu, chap. 1:68 ff.

KALPA

An age. See yuga.

KAMA

Desire. One of the four main goals in life in Hindu living, along with obtaining wealth, being righteous, and release from life's toils. In Sanskrit words: artha (wealth), kama, dharma (righteousness etc.), and moksha (release). Kama is also shown as the god of erotic love, lust and sexuality. What is required for procreation. As such he seems like Ares of ancient Greeks in dominant portrayed traits or features.

KAMAKHYA PITHA

Seat of the goddess; a place especially sacred.

KARMA

Actions operating through the law of cause and effect, or action in the manifest or unmanifest dimension; law of cause and effect; deep impressions in life which make us think, feel and act in particular ways. This theorized "action" or results of doing" is ascribed to the inevitable law of cause and effect and may last over lifetimes, it is held.

KARMA YOGA (KARMA-YOGA)

Path of action; a path of activity as delineated in the Bhagavad Gita and other places. It aspires to harmonious activity.

KARMA-INDRIYAS

Organs of action: tongue, hands, feet, genital organ and anus.

KARMASRAYA

Receptacle of actions.

KARTIKKEYA

A son of shiva

also known as skanda or subrahmana

His vehicle is a cockerel.

KARUNA

Compassion.

KASHAYA

Hidden desires.

KHECHARA

One who can move in the Expanse of Consciousness = Shiva.

KHECHARI MUDRA

Lightly placing the underside of the tip of the tongue against the upper palate.

KINNARAS

Spirits who are half human and half beast in the service of Kubera.

KIRTAN

(a) Singing devotional songs. (b) Mantras which are sung to music.

KOSHA(S)

(Lit., sheath, scabbard) A sheath enclosing the soul, monad. Five sheaths ("envelopes"), one outside the other: the sheath of bliss, anandamaya; of intelligence, vigyanamaya; of mind, manomaya; of vital energy, pranamaya; and of food (or physical matter), annamaya. Hence, the kosha is a form; a sheath aligned with a plane or level of existence.

KRI

Action, motion.

KRISHNA

"The black (or dark brown) one", the eighth incarnation of God Vishnu, described in the epic poem Mahabharata and the Bhagavata

KRITA YUGA

The great era, the "golden" age, such a period of time. The same as satya yuga, the age of truthfulness, etc. as laid out in Laws of Manu, chapter 1, v. 68 ff, etc.

KRIYA SHAKTI

The energy or shakti of action.

KRIYA

The same as kriya yoga (qv) in some circles.

KRIYA-YOGA

The same as kriya yoga and kriyayoga. In one of its meanings it stands for a certain pranayama method. In a wider sense it stands for a complete systems of such methods, and is a part of the more general concept of "raja yoga" in such cases. The basic kriya yoga method (in the strict, narrow sense), consists in breathing in and out in particular ways that used to be very secret formerly. Hence, kriya yoga consists of one or more techniques that involve the movement of prana and consciousness aimed at reaching inwardness of mind (dhyana, contempation).

One additional meaning: Kriya is also a type of of exercise in Hatha Yoga.

KRIYA-YOGI

One who practices kriya yoga (qv). There are different levels of attainment, and many graded techniques into it.

KSHATRIYA

The war caste of leaders and business magnates etc. See varna.

KULA

"Clan": A shakti or energy: Some build, some maintain, and some whithdraw.

KUMARI

Virgin.

KUNDALINI

(a) The "coiled fire snake", a latent energy in muladhara chakra at the base of the spine, used for rising inwardly. (b) Also defined as the primordial cosmic energy located in the individual.

KUNDALINI YOGA

Practices for the awakening of kundalini.

KUSHA

Sacred grass

Used in certain ceremonies.

L

LAHIRI MAHASAYA

The most common way of referring to Shyama Charan Lahiri (1828-95). Another is Lahiri Baba. In 1861 he was initiated in a formerly secret kriya-yoga by his guru, and later initiated about 5000 persons in it. There are bibliographies of him on the Web.

LAKH

The number 100,000, or a great number.

LAKSHA

Points in the body which are to be meditated upon.

LALITA

(a) Collective form of Will, Knowledge, Action. (b) Sexual aspect of shakti.

LAM

Bija (seed) mantra for muladhara chakra.

LAYA YOGA

Meditation practice involving dissolving different stages of consciousness.

LAYA

Merging; dissolution.

LILA

Play; sport; game.

LINGA(M)

The phallic symbol of masculinity, associated with Shiva.

LINGA-SARIRA

The subtle body, the astral body.

LOKAPALAS

World protectors: there are four, represented by the equinoxes and solstices.

LOKAS

(a) Realms or planes of existence that can be inhabited by different beings. (b) Also: evolution stages or levels. Dimensions. Main ones: bhuh, bhuvah, swah, mahah, janah, tapah, and satya.

LOTUSES

See 'chakra'.

M

MADYA

Wine.

MAGHAVAN

The same as Indra.

MAHA AKASHA

great space; observation of consciousness related with manipura chakra which is bright like the middle of the sun.

MAHA

Great.

MAHABHARATA

A Hindu epic.

MAHADEVA

"Great God", an epithet for Shiva.

MAHADEVI

The Great Goddess.

MAHAH LOKA

Dimension of consciousness related to anahata chakra and the element of air maha prana. Space and cosmic energy.

MAHANT

Great sage.

MAHAPURUSHA

A great soul.

MAHARISHI (MAHARSI)

Great seer.

MAHASAMADHI

The departure of a Self-realized saint from his mortal coil. It can also refer to a tomb.

MAHAT

"the great", unmanifest mind

MANAS

buddhi, chitta, ahamkara.

MAHATMA

Great soul.

MAHA-YUGA

"great age".

MAITHUNA

the sexual instinct; love-making in Tantra Yoga, i.e., tantric union or ritual sexual intercourse.

MAITRI

Friendship.

MALA

Rosary, a garland usually composed of 108 beads; an aid to meditation practise.

MANAS

Mind, aspect of manifest mind involved in experiences of sensory perception and thought etc.

MANDALA

Diagram within a circumference symbolising the deeper aspects of man's psyche; complex geometrical symbol merging macrocosmic and microcosmic events.

MANIPURA

Chakra located at the spine behind behind the navel. It is associated with strength and power.

MANOMAYA KOSHA

the mind sheath or the mind realm.

MANTRA

Runic sound medley; subtle sound vibrations which may be good for man. Mantras are thought to be words with inherent power, also set of words to repeat and focus on on and on inwardly.

MANTRA DIKSHA

an initiation practice involving receiving a mantra from a guru.

MANTRA YOGA

Using mentally intoned sound vibrations for meditation.

MANTRAJA

The shaktis (devis, or "energies") created from the spiritual process of uttering mantras.

MARG(A)

Path or way.

MAUNA

Silence, keeping still.

MAYA

Figure, or Figuring. According to Paramahansa Ramakrishna, Maya projects and withdraws the world. This universe is maya, asserts swami Vivekananda. Maya is the Goddess who causes the world perception through the twin "powers" of projecion and concealment of projection. Maya causes an ordered perception of various energy patterns. Maya is etymologically akin to 'to measure', 'show forth', and thus to art too. Maya is "the matrix or frame in which the name-form complex finds its base".

Monier-Williams etymologically defines maya as deriving from the root ma or "measuring". When one adds the suffix ya to the root ma it can be defined as "relating to measuring". ... maya can also be understood in this manner in Sankara's religious-speculative system Advaita Vedanta. Maya measures out such as language and maya itself so that knowledge of Brahman [gnosis] can be actualised. And "Maya is a statement of ... how it is going on." - Vivekananda [Via 222]

MAYAVADIN

One who professes that the world is maya (qv), meaning illusion.

MERU

In Hindu mythology, central mountain of the earth and abode of gods.

MIRABAI (1450?-1547?)

A celebrated princess, mystic and poet. Her sweet and charming songs of devotion to Krishna are widely popular.

MOKSHA

Freedom. Also: Ultimate freedom from material bondage. Moksha is one of the four great Hindu aims or duties set up for humans along with Dharma, Artha and Kama.

MOUNA

(or mauna) silence; measured silence. Also the vow of silence.

MOUNI

One who observes silence.

MRIDANGA

A type of drum.

MUDRA

Symbolic gesture which aims at redirecting certain subtle energies..

MUKTI

Liberation.

MULADHARA, MULADHARA CHAKRA

Basic pranic and psychic centre. Its focal point, which is the "seat of kundalini" is at the perineum.

MULBANDHA

A certain contraction at the muladhara.

MUNI

Sage.

MURTI

Idol.

N

NACHIKETAS (NAKIKETAS)

The spiritual seeker mentioned in the Katha Upanishad.

NADA

Mystic, inner, subtle sound.

NADI

Channel or "meridian", a passage through which energy and the "hooked", concomitant consciousness can flow.

NADI SHODHANA

Alternate nostril breathing is a balancing pranayama.

NAGAS

Serpent spirits.

NASIKAGRA DRISHTI

Gazing at the nose tip is a mudra.

NAULI

A Hatha yoga practice that may be good for the abdominal area.

NECTAR

Same as Amrita.

NIDRA

Isolation from the senses and the mind; sleep.

NIRVANA

Liberated state and the final emancipation.

NIRVIKALPA SAMADHI (Also: Nirbikalpa)

Samadhi (absorption) without illusion. It is a superconscious state where there is no modification of the mind.

NIVRITTI

Cessation.

NIYAMA

Restraint(s), or Do's. The second of the eight limbs of Patanjali's yoga discipline. The niyamas are observance of purity, contentment, austerities, etc

NYASA

"Applying" drawn energy for a purpose such as transferring power to a candidate during initiation.

O

OJAS

Sexually related energy.

OM

(same as Aum). Universal mantra; root mantra (monosyllable) for ajna chakra; the sound symbol of Brahman.

OM TAT SAT

(Lit., Om That Reality.) A threefold designation of Brahman (Godhead)

OMKARA

The same as OM or AUM.

P

PADA

Feet.

PADMA

"Lotus".

PANCHA

Five.

PARA SHAKTI

Supreme Shakti in whom all the other Shaktis reside.

PARA

Beyond etc.

PARAM(A)HAMSA

A religious title, literally "supreme swan (goose, duck)". It is given to someone who is thought to be able to discern well, and to some sannyasins, or "world-renouncers", in Hinduism.

PARAMPARA

Line of succession.

PARVATI

Lit., 'she from the mountain'. Name of the Goddess as daughter of the Himalaya etc.

PASHU

Literally "a beast", may mean a human being who is ignorant and uninitiated, or animal nature:

PATANJALI

The ascribed author of the Yoga-Sutras, which explain facets of the Yoga system (philosophy), one of the six systems of orthodox Hindu philosopy. His very short treatise deals with focusing and its methods, mind elevation through focus of thinking, and so on. Patanjali (Gonikaputra) is thought to have flourished in the 2nd century BC. His work arranges yogic thought in four very short books with the titles "Psychic Power", "Practice of Yoga", "Samadhi", and "Kaivalya" (liberation).

The Yoga-sutras seem to have been written over several centuries: The first three books in the 2nd century BC, and the last book in the 5th century AD. The last book was possibly written in Patanjali's name, a practice that was customary in India in earlier times. Hence, authorities differ widely as to how many authors there were amd when Patanjali lived. [Ebu, "Patanjali"]

PHAT

"Crack", the thunderbolt mantra used to drive off disturbing spirits. Fingers are usually snapped around the head while saying it.

PINGALA

Nadi (vessel) connected with the right nostril conducting active vital energy; the solar aspect; the dynamic aspect. Pingala nadi is opposite Ida nadi, they curve around the central Sushumna nadi, according to the theory.

PRADAKSHINA

Walking clockwise in a temple as a form of worship.

PRAJNA

True wisdom: A higher mode of knowing.

PRAKRITI

Materialized nature and the basis of the three Gunas ("shadow qualities").

PRAMANA

Means of knowledge.

PRANA

The vital breath which sustains life in a physical body. Life energy, a force which governs health and its waning. In books of Yoga prana has five specialised functions: (1) prana which controls the breath; (2) apana which carries downward unassimilated food and drink; (3) vyana which pervades the whole body; (4) udana, by which one vomits etc.; (5) samana, which carries nutrition throughout the body. Thus, there are several pranas ("prana functions") in the body, it is said. Apart from being the body's energy, prana may also be rendered as life breath. Prana further denotes God having attributes (Saguna Brahman), and Spirit.

PRANAMAYA KOSHA

the dimension (sheath) of energy.

PRANAVA

The Om sound.

PRANAYAM(A)

"Life breath control". Practices involving regulations of inhalation, exhalation and perhaps also retention of the breath in certain ways. The generic name 'pranayama' includes many techniques for doing yoga and/or meditation. What is called kriya-yoga is a set of techniques, one of which is very typically a smart pranayama method.

PRATIMA

Image.

PRATYAHARA

A certain withdrawal of the attention from the senses in Patanjali's yoga system.

PRAYOGA

Application (uses).

PREM(A)

Divine Love.

PREMAVATAR

From prem (love) and avatar (descension of divinity), hence, a divine-love incarnation. It is a title.

PRITHVI

Earth.

PSYCHOLOGY OF YOGA

Yoga divides the mind into buddhi (intellect, intuition), manas (sensory perception and thought), chitta (memory), and ahamkara (central "I" core).

PUJA

Worship.

PURANA

"Ancient". Hindu myths and legends. A class of Sanskrit literature about various gods. There are eighteen so-called major Puranas.

PURUSHA

(Lit., person.) A term of samkhya philosophy, denoting the individual consciousness. In Vedanta it denotes Self. Other variations: (a) Pure, unmanifested consciousness. (b) The Supreme Being.

R

RAJA

King.

RAJA-YOGA

An eightfold path classified by ancient Patanjali. Its beginning steps are yama (five don't's); niyama (five do's); asana (posture); pranayama (handling of the vital breath); pratyahara (spontaneous inward-switching of the attentiveness); dharana (concentration); dhyana (steadied inward attentiveness), samadhi ( the culmination (samadhi) of the inward-turning). The eight stages form a sadhana (discipline) of rising into subtlety.

There are levels of accomplishments above the eight stages too. In deep inward-turning one focuses on different "things" to develop "in ascending degrees". This final stage is samyana, as seen in Patanjali 3:4 and further. For example "By perfectly concentrated Meditation [sanyama] on sympathy, compassion and kindness, is gained the power of interior union with others." [Patanjali 3:23]

RAJA-YOGI

One who follows some of the disciplines of raja-yoga (qv).

RAJAS

The activity guna, one of the three postulated qualities.

RAM

Seed (root) mantra for manipura chakra.

RAMAYANA

The epic story of the life of Rama. It is figured.

RASA

Taste.

RIGVEDA, RIKVEDA

The first of the four Vedas. It consists of hymns, riks, to Vedic gods. [ONLINE]

RISHI

Seer; sage. Maharishi means great seer, thus great sage.

RISHIKESH

A place in the Himalayas.

RITAM

Order, evolving reality.

RUPA

Form, outward form.

S

SADHAKA

Spiritual aspirant.

SADHANA

"Direct way". Spiritual practice, a spiritual discipline.

SADHU

Holy man, ascetic, world-renouncer. It may be a yogi.

SAGAR(A)

Ocean.

SAHAJA

Spontaneity. Joy, naturalness, and amorality are said to be spontaneous creations.

SAHASRARA CHAKRA

The focal point is at the crown of the head, and represents pure, unchanging consciousness.

SAKSHI

Witness.

SAKTI, SHAKTI

Power, energy.

SAM OR SAN

Prefix meaning total, harmonious.

SAMA VEDA

Veda of chants; one of the four Vedas.

SAMA

Mind control.

SAMADHI

Absorption, Mind merging with inner, higher consciousness forms, including absoluteness.

SAMADRISHTI

"Equal vision", i.e., seeing all things as equal.

SAMARASA

One sees himself as the world and the world as being in himself (or herself), etc.

SAMBAND(A)

(Just as in the New Norwegian word 'samband' and meaning the same:) Connection.

SAMSARA

Often: the outer world. It is the wheel or ocean of life and death, the wheel of time - 'All together flowing'.

SAMSKARA

Impressions inside, often in the subconscious mind.

SAMVIT

Consciousness.

SAMYAMA

Applied, transcendental focusing through converged attentiveness. See also sanyama below. Patanjali Yoga shows steps to it and practices.

SANDHYA BHASHA

Writings which seem to mean one thing, while they mean something else. They can use very figurative writing or very brief (and thus more cryptic) basics which need to be expanded on.

SANGSARA

Same as Samsara.

SANKALPA

(Deep) resolve; determination or conviction.

SANKARA

See Shankara.

SANKHYA, SAMKHYA

One of the six orthodox Indian philosophies.

SANKIRTAN

Singing of divine songs.

SANNYASA

Renunciation etc.

SANNYASIN

One who renounces worldly living and embraces renunciations.

SANSKRIT

Ancient Indo-Aryan language from which many modern languages are derived. A relative of ancient Persian, Greek and Latin.

SANTOSH(A)

contentment; acceptance of life.

SANYAMA

Flow of converging pratyahara, dharana and dhyana. The same as samyama (qv).

SARASWATI

Goddess (with power, prowess) of creativity, music, wisdom, art, science etc. Mantra: 'Aim'.

SATCHITANANDA

Existence-Knowledge-Bliss.

SATSANG(A)

Association with the wise.

SATTVA

Purity, one of the three non-substantial and possibly made up gunas.

SATTWIKA (SATTVIC)

Having sattwa predominantly in one's nature and thus endowed with purity, equanimity and clear vision. See Sattva.

SATYA

Truth, reality. Also - establishing oneself in truth.

SATYA LOKA

A dimension of consciousness related to sahasrara (the chakra or lotus of the large brain; thought to be the highest seat of attentive, converged consciousness in man.

SAUCHA

Contentment.

SATYA YUGA (Krita Yuga)

'Satya' means truth, and 'yuga' means era. Thus, the Age of Truth and integrity, the best of the four eras proposed in Laws of Manu (Manu Samhita), 1:68 ff.

SAVIKALPA SAMADHI (Sabikalpa samadhi)

Samadhi combined with sense, verbal knowledge.

SHABDA

Sound, the sensation of sound; normally unheard sound; physical, "struck" sound.

SHAKTI

Energy.

SHAKTI BANDHAS

A series of asana to release blocked energy.

SHAKTI

An energy or power: feminine counterpart to a god of the Hindu pantheon, especially of Shiva. It is also power, drive and force around or inside a person.

SHAMBHAVI MUDRA

Focusing the open or closed eyes on the eyebrow centre.

SHANKARA, SANKARA, SHANKARACHARYA (AD 700?-750?)

A philosopher and pupil of Gaudapada, believing that plurality and differentiation is illusory. He came to be regarded as the foremost exponent of the Advaita Vedanta philosophy. With a lucid and profound style of writing he emphasised a psychological and religious approach to Truthhood (God, Brahman) (qv). He was often held to be a "Buddhist in disguise" by opponents, because his doctrine is similar to Mahayanic Buddhism. But the basic structure of his philosophy may be more akin to samkhya (qv). [MORE]

SHANKARACHARYA

Adi ('the first'), reformer of the Hindu swami order. Same as Shankara (above). Also, a leader of the monastic order (of swamis) that was reformed and solidified by Adi (the first) Shankara. There are five seats for Shankaracharyas spread out in India. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi's guru, Brahmananda, also known as Guru Dev held a Shankaracharya position.

SHANTI

Peace. It can be repeated three times after a fervent utterance and prayer.

SHASTRA

Collection of knowledge.

SHISHYA

Disciple.

SHIVA, SIVA

The Destroyer God. The third of a Godhead-trinity: Brahma (Creator), Vishnu (Upholder, Deceiver, etc.), and Siva (Destroyer, Burner).

SLOKA

Short verse.

SHRI CHAKRA

A yantra (geometrical figure, often symmetrically shaped.

SHRIM

Mantra of the goddess Lakshmi, who is also known as Shri. It is pronounced "Shreem".

SHRUTI (SRUTI)

(Lit., anything heard). Revealed knowledge. The Vedas.

SIDDHA

(a) Master; one who has become perfected or realized (enlightened). (b) One who possesses occult powers, siddhis.

SIDDHI(S)

Hidden powers; or power; perfection.

SIVA

The same as Shiva. Lord Siva.

SKANDA

Same as Karttikeya and Murugan, a son of Siva's.

SLOKA

The chief verse form of the Sanskrit epics. A fluid metre that lends itself well to improvisation. it may serve us like a stanza, that is, a series of lines arranged together. Cf. sleka.

SMRITI

(a) Ancient work handed over by memory. (b) Memory, one of the five vrittis.

SOMA

(a) Moon deity. (b) Psychoactive plant mentioned in the Vedas.

SPOTHA

An eternal Sound according to the orthodox Hindu school of philosophy called Mimamsa.

SRADDHA

Faith.

SRI

Auspicious, holy, also written shri and shree. "Sri" before a name suggests reverence, or just courtesy and auspiciousness. In "Sri Yukteswar" (or 'Sriyukteswar') the 'sri' appellation forms part of a monk's name. The honoric prefix is also used with celebrated books. It can also be used like the English term Mr.

STOTRA

Hymn.

SUKSHMA

Fine, subtle; belonging to a subtler order of existence than the solid physical.

SUSHUMNA

Central nadi (subtle vessel) along the spine. It is hoped to be activated through balancing the currents of ida and pingala nadis etc. It is held to be the way to transcendence.

SUTRA

"Thread", aphorism. A book of aphorisms.

SVAHA

"Hail"

SVARUPA

One's own form. Essential nature; reality. Same as swarupa (qv).

SWA

Self.

SWADHISTHANA CHAKRA

Concentration point at the base of the spinal column; "one's own abode".

SWADHYAYA

Self analysis is included in it.

SWAH LOKA

Dimension of consciousness related to manipura chakra ("the wheel for the navel area") and the fire element.

SWAMI

Hindu monk. Its literal meaning is "one with the self".

SWARUPA

The true form: One's own form. se also svarupa.

SWASTI

"May it be auspicious". It can be used for benediction.

T

TAMAS

inertia, one of the three postulated qualities of nature along with rajas and sattva.

TANMATRA

Subtle, undifferentiated root elements of matter.

TANTRA

The hidden side of the Vedas and Vedic living, according to some. Tantras include philosophy and culture which deals with the transcendence of human nature: strengthening or evolution of man and liberation of bound-up energies.

TAPAH LOKA

Realm or level of consciousness related to ajna chakra (the focus centre between the eyebrows, a centre of control).

TAPAS

Austerities, mortification, etc. through continued effort, heat

TAT

That.

TATTVA

Element. "truth thing", i.e., principle. Five elements, namely: prithvi, jal, agni (heat), vayu (wind), akasha (ether).

TEJAS

fire; tip of the flame; brilliance.

TIRTHA

Ford or bathing place.

TRATAK(A)

Gazing at a fixed point. It is used in contemplation, as described in some books of yoga, for example Tibetan Yoga and Secret Doctrines, edited by W. Y. Evans-Wents: ""Place a small ball . . . in front of thee as an object upon which to concentrate thy thought . . . fix thy gaze upon the object one-pointedly." [Tiy 122]

In some forms of yoga the attention gets riveted at the area between the eyebrows with the eyes turned somewhat upward and the eyelids "somewhat closed".

TRETA YUGA

Third great era of a cycle proposed by Manu and others. It corresponds somewhat to the silver age of ancient Greeks.

TRIGUNATMIKA

Characterised by three traits, namely sattwa, rajas, and tamas; or an attribute of Becoming.

TRIPLE BLESSING

"Shanti, Shakti, Shambhu." It means, Peace, Power, Plenty." "Progress" might be included among the P-words, though.

TRISHNA

Sense-hankering.

TURIYA

The fourth state. It transcends the waking, dreaming and deep sleep states, and is sometimes called superconsciousness.

TYAGA

Letting go of attachments, often involving abandonment, relinquisment, renunciation.

U

UDDIYANA BANDHA

Leaning forwards, resting hands on knees and pulling the abdominal organs up and in, and "feeding a flow of energy" by this means. It is a main exercise in Hatha yoga.

UJJAYI PRANAYAMA

slightly contracting the glottis of the throat so the breath makes a light snoring sound; a deep relaxing breath used often in meditation practices.

UPADESA

Spiritual advice.

UPANISHAD

The Upanishads are major books in Hinduism. The word "upanishad" is taken to mean "The sitting down at the feet of a teacher to listen to his words." In the old times upanishads were often secret doctrines. The two basic types are Agamic Upanishads and Vedic Upanishads. Paul Deussen has translated sixty of them. [So] [MORE]

UPEKSHA

Indifference. Beyond caring.

V

VAIRAGYA

Non-attachment. It can work as freedom from too gross desires as well.

VAJRA

(a) Adamantine. (b) Thunderbolt.

VAM

Root mantra for swadhisthana chakra.

VAMA MARG(A)

Left-hand path, or left-turning path. It signifies a reversal of conventional practices. Many of its methods may give a quicker and more direct fare - one that can be dangerous too, at least to some..

VAMA

Left. Woman. Excrement. What is vomited.

VARNA

Caste. Any of the four primary social groups - ideally according to qualifications and vocations - in actual practice through birth almost always. brahmana (priests, teachers, law-makers); kshatriya ((awrriors and kings), vaishya (traders, bankers, industialists and farmers); shudra or sudra (labourers requiring dexterity).

VARUNA

A Hindu deity as presented in the Rikveda. It shares hallmarks with Poseidon/Neptune.

VASANAS

Subtle desires.

VAYU

Wind, air; a Hindu deity; prana or energy flow as in pancha vayu: prana, apana, samana, udana, vyana.

VEDAS

The oldest Indo-Aryan scriptures. These most ancient, extensive texts detail rituals and duties in life. Veda, from the root 'vid', means "knowledge" and also stands for "ritual lore". The four main Vedas are the Rik (Rig), Yajur, Sama, and Atharva. They can be difficult to understand.

VEDANTA

(Lit., the essence or concluding parts of the Vedas.) The texts of Upanishads and the school of philosophy based on them: Some Veda texts contain Vedanta portions.

The orthodox Vedanta system of philosophy contains a series of ancient philosophical treatises, often in the form of dialogues between guru and disciple, in which looming topics of life are speculated about, and ways of living are conformed to. Vedanta as a school of thought relates to and builds on major Upanishads, the Bhagavad Gita, and the Brahma Sutra [Bik].

VEDANTIN

(a) One who knows the Vedas. (b) One who follows the path of Vedanta.

VETALA

Vampire.

VETTA

Knower.

VICHARA

Inquiry into the nature of the Self, Truth, Absolute, Brahman.

VIDYA

Knowledge.

VIDYA GUPTA

Secret oral traditions.

VIJNANAMAYA KOSHA

The sheath of subtle wisdom inside the human.

VIKALPA

Doubt.

VIKARMA

Sinful or forbidden activity.

VIKSHEPA

The tossing of mind.

VIKSHIPTA

The dissipated or oscillating state of mind.

VINA

Stringed musical instrument. The goddess of music, art, wisdom (etc.) is portraited as playing on one.

VIPARITA-KARANI

"Opposite doing": one of the essential yoga postures, the half shoulder-stand.

VIRA

"Hero".

VIRAT

The Cosmic Egg or Cosmic Soul.

VISHAYA

Sense-objects.

VISHNU

The controller in the "Hindu trilogy" of Brahma (God the Creator); Vishnu (up-keeper, maintainer fond of fraud); and Shiva (destroyer).

VISHUDDHI CHAKRA

Throat chakra, the centre in the spine behind the thyroid gland; centre for expressing thoughts.

VISISHTAM

Differentiation.

VIVEKA

Discerning faculty, discrimination.

VRITTI

A "wave in the mind-lake". It can suggest getting disturbed also. Vrittis (plural) are fluctuations, modifications, which "ripple" the mind at one given moment.

VYOMA

space.

Y

YAJNAVALKYA (Yagnavalkya)

A respected Hindu teacher of old. "Second only to [the Laws of] Manu is the Dharma Shastra of Yajnavalkya; its 1,013 stanzas are distributed under the three headings of good conduct, law, and expiation", says Encyclopaedia Britannica. Yajnavalkya's work agrees with Manu Samhita on many points, but disagrees in topics like gambling. His work paraphrases ideas in the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, where he is told of (2:3 ff; 4:5.1), and has undergone many modifications. [Ebu "Hinduism"; Xmi, index.]

YAKSHA

An attendant of the Hindu god of wealth, Kubera. Female: yakshini.

YAM

Root mantra for anahata chakra (heart centre).

YAMA

(1) The hindu god of death, also known as "king of righteous deals", dharmaraja. (2) Proper and non-wicked self control of thoughts and actions tied in with such as righteousness that stems from deep inside. This meaning - restraint - lies behind the use of the word for the first of eight "steps" in Patanjali's yoga, where yama denotes what people had better not stray into, such as stealing and lying.

YANA

Way, vehicle. Thus, Ramayana means "The way of Rama". Yana can also mean subtle vehicle.

YANTRA

Both simple and elaborate geometric symbols aiming at liberating the intently gazing deep mind somehow. Thus they turn into "magnetised stuff" inside oneself and can "have a half-life" of its own.

YOGA NIDRA

Where one is neither awake nor in deep sleep. (Norwegian: "ei slags yogi-ørske").

YOGA

"Yoke" and/or "union". There are many yogas. In practical living it is (1) a way or a system of methods. It is not just the system of solid, slow body stretching and twisting (hatha yoga); that is just one branch of the whole system. (2) It's also a sanskrit-based, handed-over Indian philosophy tied in with Patanjali's Yoga Sutras. (3) It can also mean the end goal of practical tries at doing yoga, particularly "union with the godhead inside etc.". In addition to that, there are nuances and specialisations. "Those who attain yoga (union) breathe harmony" is a hint at what is aimed at.

YOGANANDA

A monk's name. It consists of 'yoga' and 'ananda' (great joy) glued together. Many Hindu monks have such a name. The most well-known one in the West is Param(a)hansa Yogananda (1893-1952), founder of Self-Realization Fellowship in Boston in 1920. His Autobiography of a Yogi has been influential. In it, he speaks on mystical topics, presents his own gurus, and the fabled kriya yoga methods he came to the West to make known. He was born Mukunda Lal Ghosh in India.

YOGA SUTRAS

Ancient primer on yoga attributed to Maharishi Patanjali. This the earliest extant textbook on yoga explains facets of the theistic Yoga system (philosophy), one of the six systems of orthodox Hindu philosopy. This orthodox Hindu philosophy differs from the Samkhya system of philosophy only in reckoning with God, who is defined as a distinct self.

In the Yoga system, the self is a bit different from from the ordinary, everyday mind. The fundamental aim is to bring mind-modifications (citta-vritti) to rest, so that the self can shine forth in its essence, which is glad. In slightly other words, the brief and terse treatise deals with focusing and its methods, mind elevation through focus of thinking, and so on.

In the ancient textbook, yogic thought is grouped in four very brief books. They arecalled "Psychic Power", "Practice of Yoga", "Samadhi", and "Kaivalya" (liberation). The Yoga-sutras were apparently written over several centuries: The first three books in the 2nd century BC, and the last book in the 5th century AD. The last book was possibly written in Patanjali's name, according to an ancient, customary practice in India. [Ebu, "Yoga-sutras", "Patanjali"]

YOGI(N)

One who practices yoga.

YOGINI

A female yogi.

YONI

Female sexual organ, womb, and source.

YUGA

One of the four ages of a Hindu world cycle, hence, "age", "eon", "era", "time cycle". Hindu scriptures tell of four eras. They have things in common with the Greek golden, silver, bronze and iron ages. The yuga are: satya or krita yuga; treta yuga; dvapara yuga; and kali yuga. They are described in the Manu Samhita and briefly shown in Vishnu Puranam, and also mentioned in the old text Markandeya Purana. The claims of how long the eras and cycles are, vary extremely much.

Z

ZEN

Zen Buddhism. The word 'Zen' is derived from Sanskrit 'dhyana' (contemplation, deep meditation), via the Chinese 'ch'an'. Zen, then, is deep and contemplative Buddhism.

Pronouncing Sanskrit

ai, ay as 'oy' in toy
au is 'o' sounded deep in the throat
ch as ch in cheek
d and g are hard as in dog
jn as 'gy'
s as in sheer
sh quite as in English
t and d are soft as in French
th sounds like t and h in boat-house (the h is "given air")

The stress of long Sanskrit words should be on the third last syllable, but there are exceptions. Among them: words that end with -anda (contain 'nd' in the last two syllables) have the stress on the second last syllable.

An end a in words and also in word segments (parts) may or may not be dropped. Thus the alternative spellings 'paramahansa' - 'paramhansa' and 'ananda' - 'anand'.
Diacritical marks have usually been dropped on the pages of this site.

All these matters are more complex than a crash course may cover; it is mainly for starters.

Bik: Gambhirananda, swami, tr. Brahma-Sutra-Bhasya of Sri Sankaracarya. 4th ed. Calcutta: Advaita, 1983.

Ebu: Encyclopaedia Britannica. Encyclopaedia Britannica 2007 Ultimate Reference Suite DVD. London: Encyclopaedia Britannica, 2007.

Hat: Svatmarama. Hathayogapradipika. Madras: Adyar, 1972.

So: Deussen, Paul, tr. Sixty Upanishads of the Veda, Vols 1-2. Varanasi: Banarsidass, 1980.

Tiy: Evans-Wentz, Walter Yeeling, ed. Tibetan Yoga and Secret Doctrines. 2nd ed. London: Oxford University Press, 1967.

Xmi: Radhakrishnan, S., ed. The Cultural Heritage of India, Vol 2. 2nd. ed. Calcutta: Ramakrishna Institute, 1962.