by Swami Sivananda
Commentary by Swami Krishnananda
Glossary of Sanskrit Terms
A
adhibhuta: pertaining to the elements adhidaiva: presiding deity adhiyajnah: entire administration of the cosmos in its various facets abhyasa: repetition, practice abhyasa yoga: the yoga of persistent practice adhyatma: the subjective self advaita: non-dual Advaita Vedanta: non-dualistic philosophy aham: I ahamkara: egoism ahimsa: non-injury in thought, word and deed ajnachakra: the point between the eyebrows ajnana: spiritual ignorance akshara: imperishable anahata: mystic sounds heard by the yogis ananda: bliss, happiness, joy anatma(n): non-Self, insentient ananya chintana: completely absorbed thinking or contemplation annamaya kosha: gross body, physical sheath antahkarana: inner instrument or organ; the fourfold mind: mind, intellect, ego and subconscious mind arati: waving of light before the Lord artha: an object of desire, wealth asana: posture, seat ashram: hermitage ashtanga yoga: the eight-limbed raja yoga
of Maharshi Patanjali asparsa yoga: the yoga of non-contact asura: demon, evil tendency in man Atma(n): the Self atma’nubhava: experience of the Self avarana: a covering, veil of ignorance avatara: incarnation avidya: ignorance, nescience
B
Bhagavan: the Lord Bhagavad Gita: 700 verses from the great Hindu epic Mahabharata recording the discourse between Lord Krishna and Arjuna on the battlefield of Kurukshetra, prior to the commencement of the great war and
giving in clear and concise form the highest teachings and truths bhajan: devotional singing, worship, praise of the Lord bhakta: devotee bhakti: devotion, love of God bhakti yoga: path of devotion bhav(a): mental attitude, feeling, purity of thought bheda: soliciting political alliances against an opponent bhokta: subject of experience or enjoyment bhrumadhya: concentration on the centre between the eyebrows bhuloka: the earth plane bhuma: the unconditioned, infinite, Brahman bija mantra: seed mantra or original mantra brahmaloka: highest heaven bhumika: stage Brahman: the Absolute Reality, Existence-Consciousness-Bliss
Absolute, it is not only all-powerful but all-power itself,
it is not only all-knowing and blissful but all-knowledge
and bliss itself. brahmacharya: purity, celibacy brahma-jnana: direct knowledge of Brahman brahmakara vritti: thought of Brahman alone brahmatva: the principle of Brahman brahma-vidya: science of Brahman, knowledge of Brahman, learning pertaining to Brahman or the Absolute Reality brahmatatsattva: universal knowledge brahmin: priest class buddhi: the discriminating faculty, intellect, understanding buddha: one who is awakened
C
chaitanya: the consciousness that knows itself and knows others; Absolute Consciousness chakra: plexus, discus, circle, cycle chit: absolute consciousness or intelligence chitta: subconscious mind
D
daivi: divine dakshina: offering, monetary gift dakshina marg: the southern path dama: control of senses dana: charity, giving danda: direct conflict with the opponent darshan: vision, making visible, sight daya: compassion, mercy deva: god dharana: concentration dharma: righteous way of living as enjoined by the sacred
scriptures, virtue, properties, duty dharma megha: cloud of virtue dhyana: meditation, contemplation dukhya: sorrow dvaita: dualism
G
ghee: clarified butter Gita: see the BhagavadGita guna: quality born of nature; sattva, rajas and tamas guru: teacher, spiritual preceptor
H
Hiranyagarbha: cosmic intelligence
I
ida nadi: the psychic nerve current through the left nostril istha devata: chosen deity for worship Ishwara: God
J
japa: repetition of the Lord’s Name, repetition of a mantra jigjnasu: one who seeks knowledge or reality jitaatma: one who has attained self-control jitendriya: one who has restrained the senses jiva: individual soul with ego jivanmukta: one who is liberated in this life jivatma(n): individual soul jnana: knowledge, wisdom of the Reality or Brahman jnana indriya(s): organs of knowledge jyoti: light
K
kama: desire, passion, lust, legitimate desires kapha: one of the doshas (humours) of Ayurveda, meaning “phlegm” karma: actions operating through the law of cause and effect karma bandhana: the bondage of karma karma bhumi: land of action, the earth plane karmakaushala: dexterity in action karma-phala-bhoga: experience of fruit of actions karma yoga: the yoga of selfless service karma yogi: one who practises karma yoga kirtan: singing the name and glory of God kramamukti: progressive emancipation kosha: sheath krisattva: integrality kritsnam: completeness kshara: perishable kripa: grace, mercy, blessing kshatriya: warrior class kshetra: field, holy place, physical body in the philosophical sense kshetrajna: knower of the field kumbhaka: form of breath control involving breath retention kutastachaitanya: the changeless, permanent Self
L
loka: world of names and forms
M
mahatma: great soul, saint, sage mahatattva: the great principle, principle of intelligence mahat: great, lofty, or, the primordial evolution of prakriti Makara Sankranti: movement of the sun across the Tropic of Capricorn that begins summer in the northern hemisphere mala: rosary manana: pondering the meaning of the scriptures mantra: sacred syllable or word or set of words through the
repetition and reflection of which one attains perfection
or realisation of the Self mara: mortal, perishable marga: path maya: the illusory power of Brahman, the veiling and
projecting power moksha: liberation, Absolute Experience mrityuloka: world of suffering mukta: the liberated one mulaprakriti: the ultimate subtle cause for all matter muni: a silent person
N
nadabindukalatita: the supreme state of Brahman nam(a): name niddhyasana: deeply meditating on the meaning of the scriptures nirakara: formless nirguna: without attribute nirvana: liberation, final emancipation nirvitarka: unchanging
O
omkara: OM
P
parabhakti: highest level of devotion pravesa: to dissolve oneself pingala nadi:the psychic nerve current which terminates in the right nostril pitta: one of the doshas (humours) of Ayurveda, meaning “fire” prakriti: nature, causal matter pralaya: dissolution, complete merging pramada: heedlessness, carelessness prana: vital energy, life-force, life-breath prana sakti: subtle vital power arising from the control of prana and self-restraint pranava: the sacred monosyllable “ OM” pranayama: regulation and restraint of breath prasad: food dedicated to a deity during worship and then eaten by devotees as something sacred pratyahara: abstraction or withdrawal of the senses puja: worship, adoration pundit: scholar, learned man Puranas: Hindu scriptures containing the whole body of Hindu mythology (major Puranas are eighteen
in number) purusha: the Supreme Being, the Self which abides in the heart of all things purushartha: right exertion purushottama: the Supreme Person
R
rajas, rajo guna: one of the three aspects of cosmic energy,
the principle of dynamism in Nature bringing about all
change, activity, passion, restlessness rajasuya: a sacrifice performed by a monarch raja yoga: the royal yoga of meditation; the system of yoga generally taken to be the one propounded
by Patanjali Maharshi raja yogi: one who practises raja yoga rishi: sage, seer of truth
S
samyavastha: equilibrated condition of the cosmos sadhak(a): spiritual aspirant sadhu: a pious or righteous person, a sannyasin, a holy person saguna: with attributes or qualities sama: control of mind, tranquillity, or, political conciliation between opponents samadhi: the state of superconsciousness where Absoluteness is experienced, attended with all-knowledge and joy, Oneness samadhana: proper concentration samatva: evenness of mind, equanimity Samkhya: correct understanding, knowledge of reality; a school of philosophy samkhyabuddhi: correct understanding, higher reason samsara: life through repeated births and deaths, the process of worldly life samskara: mental impression, subconscious tendency samyam(a): perfect restraint, an all-complete condition of balance and repose, concentration, meditation and samadhi sankalpas: imaginations santi(h): peace or transitional period sannyasi(n): a monk, one who has embraced the life of complete renunciation sat: Existence Absolute, Being, Reality, Truth satchidananda: Existence-Consciousness-Bliss Absolute satta: Reality satsang(a): association with the wise sattva: light, purity, reality sattvic: pure satyaloka: heaven satyamukti: immediate salvation savitarka: with logic and argumentation seva: service shakti: power, energy, force, the Divine Power of becoming, the dynamic aspect of Eternal Being, the Absolute Power or cosmic energy sharanagati: self-surrender shastra: scriptures, words of authority siddhi: psychic power, perfection sloka: verse sraddha: faith sravana: listening or hearing the scriptures sukha purvata: type of breath control sunya: merit sushumna nadi:the psychic nerve current that terminates in the sahasrara sutratman: the cosmic thread svabhava: one’s own nature or potentiality, innate nature svadharma: one’s own prescribed duty in life according to the eternal law swami: a Hindu monk
T
tamas, tamo guna: ignorance, inertia, darkness tanmatras: rudimentary element in an undifferentiated state tantra: path of spiritual practice laying emphasis on japa and various esoteric practices tapas(ya): asceticism, austerity tattva: reality, element, truth, essence, principle
U
upadhis: limiting adjuncts or additions, superimposition that gives a limited view of the Absolute and makes It appear as the relative Upanishads: knowledge portion of the Vedas, texts dealing with the ultimate Truth and Its realisation. 108 Upanishads are regarded as important ones of which ten are regarded as most important upasana: worship, devout meditation uttara marga:northern path
V
vairagya: dispassion, indifference towards sensual objects and enjoyments vata: one of the doshas or humours of Ayurveda, meaning “wind” Vedanta: the end of the Vedas (lit.), the Upanishads Vedas: the most ancient authentic scripture of the Hindus, a revealed scripture and therefore free from imperfections vibhuti: manifestation vichar(a): enquiry into the nature of the Self, Brahman,
Truth Absolute virat: the physical world vitarka: projection, emanation, ejection, bringing forth
Y
yajna: sacrifice yoga: union (lit.), abstract meditation or union with the Supreme Being, unruffled state of mind under all conditions; yoga is mainly of four types; karma, bhakti, raja and jnana yogi(n): one who practises yoga yogayukta: established in yoga yugas: divisions of time yugasanti: one power colliding with another power
Related Links
