Sanskrit Glossary of Common Spiritual Terms
All the key spiritual texts are written in Sanskrit. Sanskrit is the language of spirituality. All books and explanations in a non-Indian language, suffer from some degree of error due to the transliteration process.
Firstly, there are no equivalent words in Latin languages for many Sanskrit words. For example, in Sanskrit, we have words for many types of Prana and the closest equivalents in English are breath and life-force, but neither do full justice.
Secondly, when reading a transliteration, one is dependent on the understanding of the author. If he or she interprets a sloka (verse) incorrectly, your understanding will be at the same level or worse.
However, one does not need to master the Sanskrit language to read spiritual texts. There are a handful of key words, which if understood, go a long way towards helping students decipher and understand many texts. Hence this glossary.
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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 |
| 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. |
| 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) |
| 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 |
| 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, yâ 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 |
| loka | place |
| 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. |
| The first spinal centre, root centre. | |
| 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 |
| Om | See Aum |
| 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 |
| ra | light |
| râga | rhythm, anger, passion |
| rahu | northern lunar node |
| rishi | seer, illumined sage |
| rupam | form |
| rupatita | beyond the form |
| 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 |
| Back to the top | |
| 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. |
| udâna | divine air, the fifth prâna |
| upasana | close to soul, thorough |
| uttarayana | when the sun is in the north ascension, ascendant |
| 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 |
| yâ | 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 |