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Sanskrit Glossary of Common Spiritual Terms

In India, practically all spiritual knowledge is recorded or communicated in Sanskrit. Sanskrit has vocabulary that is missing in other languages e.g. when talking about breath, there are multiple words that describe many different types of breath from the gross air that we breathe to subtle energies that we become aware of through deep meditation. This level of granularity reduces ambiguity to a minimum. Fortunately, to practice meditation, one does not need to understand Sanskrit, however a glossary of the most common terms used in Kriya Yoga is provided below for the benefit of the curious.

A   B   C   D   E   F   G   H   I   J   K   L   M   N   O   P   Q   R   S   T   U   V   W   X   Y   Z  

A

a
negative prefix
abhyâsa
constant practice
acharya
teacher, divine attitude
adhara
food
adhi
above, within
adhimâtra
inner vowel
adhyaya
to study, to know
adhisthâna
abode
agni
fire
agyana
without knowledge
ahata
stopped, shut, (interrupted)
ahimsâ
non-violence, absence of jealousy
ajna
pituitary, like master
Ajna chakra
The sixth spinal centre, see also kutastha chakra. The master or the guru who carries out orders from the Soul to the physical level. This is the centre for Satguru and also for chidakasha.

âkâra
form
âkâsha
heaven(s), voidness, emptiness, vacuum
aklistha
without pain, no pain, absence of pain, absence of suffering
akshara brahma
The root sounds or letters that are the manifestation of the soul.

amrita
nectar, deathlessness, liberation, formless
ana
non
anâhata
non stop; ana: non, ahata: stop
Anâhata chakra
The forth spinal centre, heart chakra; non-stopping breath
ânanda
bliss, peace
apana
no life air
asana
inner posture
asat
untruth
asmitâ
endless (a: negative prefix, sûma: limit), endless ego
atha
now
âtma
Soul
âtma karma
action of the soul
âtmakhyâti
constantly in the soul

Aum (Om)
The root of all sounds; universal symbol for God. Aum of the Vedas became the sacred word "Hum" of the Tibetans; "Amin" of the Moslems; and "Amen" of the Egyptians, Greeks, Romans, Jews and Christians. Amen in Hebrew means "sure, faithful". Aum is the all-pervading sound emanating from the Holy Ghost (the Invisible Cosmic Vibration of God that manifests or becomes creation); the "Word" of the Bible (see Revelation 3:14 and John 1:1,3); the voice of creation, testifying to the Divine Presence in every atom. Aum may be heard through practice of Kriya Yoga techniques.

avatar
From the Sanskrit word avatara, which roots ava, "down", and tara, "to come, cross". Souls who attain union with Spirit and then return to Earth to help mankind are called avatars, divine incarnations.
avidyâ
absence of knowledge, erroneous knowledge

B

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bha
light, manifestation
bhagavad
almighty
Bhagavad Gita
Song of the Soul, Song of Infinity
bhakta
devotee
bhakti
devotion
bhru
pituitary
bhrukuti
pituitary, inner cave
bhûtendriya
organs of the elements
bîja
seed, root
brahma
creator

C

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chakras
"Wheels", the seven centers of life and consciousness in the spine and brain; which enliven the physical and astral bodies of a human being. 1. mûlâdhâra: coccygeal centre at the base of the spine; 2. svadhisthâna: sacral centre two inches above mûlâdhâra; 3. manipura: lumbal centre opposite the navel; 4. anâhata: dorsal centre opposite the heart; 5. vishuddha: cervical centre at the base of the neck; 6. ajnâ also called kutastha: pituitary centre, seat of the spiritual eye, centre of will and concentration; 7. sahasrâra: centre in the uppermost part of the cerebrum.

chala
movement, restlessness
chidakasha
The conscious heaven
citta (chitta)
conscious, consciousness, cause of elements, cause of mind, cause of thoughts, the higher mind, intellect, ego, cause of sense organs, the root. Citta is composed of five actions, or five minds which create fifty types of different results called vrittis.
cittâni
the cittas, the drivers of the various organs

D

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daharâkâsha
the heaven where everything disappears and burns
dakhina
right, south
darshan
philosophy
darshana
object of the vision, vision
desha
country or area, place, domain
dhâ
to hold, bring, place
dhâranâ
idea, concentration (root: dhâ: to hold) on one's self
dharma
that which sustains, that which holds, the holding point
dhârmi
the way
dhâtu
element
dhruva
the pole star
dhyâna
meditation, samadhi
drabya agni
the visible fire, material fire, external fire
dvesha
enmity

E

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F

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G

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ga (gana)
knowledge
giri
mountain, static, stable, firm; "mountain" is the designation of one of the ten branches of the Swami Order
gita
song of God
guna
quality
guru
master, "one who removes darkness", from Sanskrit gu, "invisible", and ru, "(visible) manifestation"

guru pranam
bowing to masters
gyana
knowledge

H

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hang sa (hang sau)
atma and myself, soul and myself. The sadhana(practice) of hang sa is one of the techniques in kriya yoga. The movement to the interior (inhalation) is called sa, the movement towards the exterior (exhalation) is called hang.

I

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î
power, energy which one inhales
ida
one nâdi in the spine, left side of the spine
indriya
sense, sense organs
ishta
who is pulling your breath, the divine force which is pulling your breath
ishta pranam
salutation to ishta
ishvara (iswara)
sound of power, Lord Shiva, î (energy), sva (soul), ra (light)

J

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janma
birth, creation, manifestation
jnâna
knowledge
jyoti
light
Jyoti mudra
The posture for inner light, the posture by means of which inner light is created
jyotish
astrologer
Jyotir veda
astrology

K

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kaivalya
the state of absolute unity, the One and Only
kamana
desires
kara
to do, act
karma
action, from the Sanskrit word kri "to do", universal law of cause and effect - see also the article about karma.

ketu
southern lunar node
khechari
keeping mind in the vacuum, one mudra (posture) which is keeping the tongue uprolled
klesha
pain, suffering
klistha
pain, suffering
Krishna
The name of an avatar who lived as a king in India 3000 years before Christ. Krishna like Christ is a spiritual title. Root: krishi - the cultivation of breath, na - cover, envelope. You have to practice (spirituality) inside the body.
kri
to do; the action of breath
kriyâ
kri the action of breath, soul or power, the action of breath and soul is kriya. The deep inner meaning of karma - see also the article about karma.
kriyâban
person who practices kriya
kriyâ yoga
yoga (union) based upon the action of prâna, prânakarma. The union of the individual with the Soul by means of prâna shakti (life force and oxygen) in each inhalation and exhalation.

kundalini shakti
our life force, almighty power
kutastha
pituitary (gland)
Kutastha chakra
The sixth spinal centre situated in the pituitary gland

L

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loka
place

M

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mahâ
great
mahâkâsha
great soul, great sky, great heaven
mahâmudra
the great posture

mahâsamâdhi
a yogi's final conscious exit from the body
Mahavatar
"Divine Incarnation", a title of Babaji

mani
mind, like a jewel
manipura
the area of the jewel
Manipura chakra
The third spinal centre, opposite the navel; mani: mind, like a jewel; pura:area; Our mind is a jewel
mâtra
element
maya
illusion
mudra
posture
mula
main, root
mûlâdhâra
root of the food, first centre (chakra)
Mûlâdhâra chakra
The first spinal centre, root centre.

N

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nâdi
pulsation, energy vessel
narayana
sensation of God, sensation of power
nidrâ
sleep
nirodha
control, halt, stop, block
nirbhasam (nirvasam)
formless, beyond speech, beyond any manifestation
nirvana
liberation
nirbikalpa
beyond the life force
nirbikalpa samâdhi
state of changeless God-consciousness; true or highest illumination, see also samâdhi. Beyond the life force breathless stage
nirvasam
(see nirbhasam)
niyama
inner control, inner rule, inner regulation

O

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Om
See Aum

P

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pada
step, chapter
param
great
paramahansa
A spiritual title signifying a master. A person who is beyond everything, who received samadhi, the great realization, who remains beyond breath, who remains beyond body and beyond breath. The Sanskrit word hansa also means "swan" and symbolizes spiritual discrimination. See also hang sa

paravastha
beyond the stage, state, situation (the "beyond" state)
Pâtanjala (Patanjali)
the name of a monk or rishi
pingala
one nâdi on the right side of the spine
prabhu
master
pramâna
proof
prâmanah
to prove
prâna
life
prâna karma
breath action
prâna sanjama
control of life
prâna karma
breathing action, the action to hold life
prâna shakti
life force, life power
prânâyâma
control of prâna, the life force
prasada
after having been touched by God, after having been accepted by your soul
prashvâsa
outbreath, exhalation
pranavayu
life-air
prânayâma
breathing technique, breath control
pratya
constant
pratishthâ
to establish
pratyâhâra
renunciation
prayana
the final breath
prithivi
earth
pura
area

Q

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R

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ra
light
râga
rhythm, anger, passion
rahu
northern lunar node
rishi
seer, illumined sage
rupam
form
rupatita
beyond the form

S

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sa
that
sadhana
practice
sahasrara
One thousand, fontanelle
Sahasrara chakra
The seventh centre, situated in the uppermost part of the cerebrum. Connection with our Soul is from this place. Millions of motivations, all our actions are created from sahasrara and effected through ajna chakra.

samâdhi
formless state, deathless stage, breathless stage, breathlessness, the ultimate result of meditation, nirvana

santosha
pleasant, inner satisfaction
Sat
Truth, the Absolute, Bliss. The Father (Sat) is God as the Creator existing beyond creation.

satguru
true master 

savikalpa
within life force
savikalpa samâdhi
A state where you work in the material world while remaining in samâdhi

shakti
energy, energetically, deeply, power
Shankara, Swami
Indian's most illustrious philosopher. His date is uncertain; many scholars assign him to the ninth century. He expounded God not as a negative abstraction, but as positive, omnipresent, ever-new bliss. Shankara reorganized the ancient Swami Order, and founded four great monastic centers of spiritual education. Root: shan "nice"

shiva
destructor
Shri (Sri)
beauty, beautiful. A title of respect. When used before the name of a person, it means "holy" or "revered".

shuddha
purified
sidhha
Literally, "one who is successful". One who has attained self-realization.Other meanings: boiled, ripe.

sidhhi(s)
perfection(s), success
smriti
memory, souvenir
sreshtha karma
the great work, the first action, the highest action
sûrya (sûrye)
sun (soul's sun), also soul
sushumna
middle of the spine
sûtra(s)
technique(s)
sushumna
middle of the spine
sva (swa)
soul, self; life, own, himself; see also ishvara
svadhisthâna
swa: life, adhisthâna:abode; the abode of life itself

Svadhisthâna chakra
The second spinal centre, sacral centre, two inches above the first (coccygeal) centre - mûlâdhâra. The abode of life itself.

svakara
myself, form of myself
swami (svâmi)
"He who is one with the Self (swa)." One who has thorough control in the inner self, who is realized, a glorious word of an Indian monk order. Other meaning: husband
swarupam
inner form

T

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tantra
essence, that which is extracted
tapa
heat, energy
tapa agni
the fire created by your breath inside
tat

that
Tat

The Son (Tat) is God's omnipresent intelligence existing in creation.
Trinity
When Spirit manifests creation, it becomes the Trinity: God the Father, Son and Holy Ghost, or Sat, Tat, Aum.

U

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udâna
divine air, the fifth prâna
upasana
close to soul, thorough
uttarayana
when the sun is in the north ascension, ascendant

V

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va
or, and
vayuh
air, airs, all air
veda
to know, to realize. The universal holy scripture
vibhuti
the great manifestation of God, ashes, the great realization, the essence
vigyana
beyond knowledge, superconsciousness
vigyanamaya
beyond mind, superconsciousness
vikalpa
formless, without form, beyond body; also: daydream, awakened dream
vikarma
beyond action
viniyogah
to apply, to add
vishoka
beyond sorrow
vishnu
preserver
vishuddha
to purify
Vishuddha chakra
The fifth spinal centre situated at the base of the neck Our speech is purified before we speak, this prepurification takes place in vishuddha chakra. In case of madness or anger, speech is no longer purified and words come out without control.

vita
beyond
vritti(s)
The twenty-five qualities or natures, action(s) or manifestation(s) of the mind which create two different results each. This gives fifty different result. The fifty vrittis are created by chitta 

vyana
sense breath
vyuha
secret

W

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X

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Y

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soul, power
yama
external control
yoga
union
yoga agni
the fire you create in meditation
Yoga Sûtra
"The practice of yoga"; a text written by Pâtanjala being first and foremost dedicated to yoga technique, also called "The Aphorism of Yoga"

Yogavatar
"Incarnation of Yoga", a title of Lahiri Mahasaya

yogî
who connects, who is in a yogic state (connecting breath to soul)
yoti
light
yoti mudra
the posture creating inner light
yuga
era

Z

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