| A Top Index | |
| abhasa | reflection |
| abhichara prayogam | Black magic |
| abhijna | direct perception |
| abhimana | attachment |
| abhisheka | pouring water, etc. over any sacred image |
| abhyasa | practice |
| abhyasi | one who practises |
| achala | unmoving; a hill or a mountain |
| achamana | sipping water before or after a religious ceremony |
| achit | not sentient |
| adhara | support |
| adhishtana | substratum |
| adhyaropa | superimposition |
| adhyasika | superimposed |
| adyatmika sakti | power of the Self |
| adhridha | weak, not firm |
| advaita | non-duality |
| agami (agami karma) | actions expected to bear fruit in future births |
| aham | I |
| aham Brahmasmi | I am Brahman |
| ahankara | ‘l’ sense; the ego-self |
| ahimsa | non-violence |
| ajatavada | the theory of advaita which denies creation |
| ajnana | ignorance |
| ajna | direction; injunction |
| ajnani | the ignorant, one who has not realized the Self |
| akara | form or shape |
| akasa | ether; space |
| akasavani | voice coming from the sky |
| akhanda | undivided |
| akhandakara vritti | unbroken experience |
| akritopasaka | one who has not done upasana or meditation |
| amrita | immortal |
| amrita nadi | the name of a yogic nerve |
| anadi | without beginning |
| anahata | name of a yogic chakra |
| ananda | bliss |
| anandamaya kosa | the sheath of bliss |
| anandatman | Self in the state of bliss |
| ananta | infinite; endless |
| anatman | non-Self |
| anava | limitation |
| anichcha | involuntary |
| anitya | transitory |
| annamaya kosa | sheath of gross matter |
| antah (antar) | internal |
| antah karanam | the inner organ; the mind |
| antah pranayama | internal breath-regulation |
| antardhana | disappearance from sight |
| antarmukhi manas | inward-turned mind |
| anu | atom |
| ap | water |
| apana | the life-force which goes down |
| apara | the lower |
| apara vibhuti | inferior vibhuti |
| aparoksha | direct; immediate |
| apavada | removal |
| ardra | a star in the constellation of Orion |
| aruna | red |
| arupa | formless |
| asamsakti | non-attachment; one of the seven stages of enlightenment |
| asana | sitting posture; seat |
| asat | not real |
| asesha sakshi | witness of all |
| asrama | stage of life; a place where hermits and sages live |
| asthira | unsteady |
| asukavi | one who can versify spontaneously |
| asuddha | impure |
| asura | demon |
| atiasrama (atyasrama) | Above the four stages of life |
| ati jagrat | beyond waking |
| ati sunya | beyond the void |
| atita | beyond |
| ativahika sarira | the subtle body which remains when the physical body |
| perishes and which carries the individual to other worlds | |
| atma (n) | Self |
| atma jnani | one who has realized the Self |
| atma nadi | the name of a yogic nerve |
| atma nishta | abiding in the Self |
| atmanusandhana | thinking constantly of the Self |
| atma vichara | enquiry into the Self |
| atyanta vairagyam | total dispassion |
| avarana | covering |
| avarta | eddy |
| avastha traya | the three states of consciousness, namely waking, dream |
| and sleep | |
| avatar | incarnation of God |
| avidya | nescience; ignorance |
| avritta chakshus | introverted look |
| ayatana | repository |
| B Top Index | |
| bahir pranayamam | external breath regulation |
| bahir mukhi manas | outward going mind |
| bahudaka | a sannyasin who wanders about |
| bahya | external |
| bala | child |
| bandha | bondage |
| bandha hetu | cause of bondage |
| beeja | seed |
| bhajana | singing God’s praises especially in chorus |
| bhakta | devotee |
| bhakti | devotion |
| bhakti marga | path of devotion |
| bhashyakara | commentator |
| bhavana | idea |
| bhoga | enjoyment |
| bhoga hetu | cause of enjoyment |
| bhogyam | that which is enjoyed |
| bhoga vastu | object of enjoyment |
| bhokta | enjoyer |
| bhuma | all-comprehensive; the Absolute |
| bindu | a term used in Tantrism |
| brahmachari | a celibate; a student |
| brahmahatya | the sin of killing a brahmin |
| Brahmaivaham | Brahman am l |
| Brahmajnana | knowledge (realization) of Brahman |
| Brahmajnani | one who has realized the Self |
| Brahman | The Supreme Being; the Absolute |
| Brahmanishta | one who is established in Brahman |
| brahmacharya | celibacy |
| brahmakaravritti | concept in the form of Brahman |
| Brahmavid | one who has realised Brahman |
| Brahma-vid-vara | one who is a superior among knowers of Brahman |
| Brahma-vid-varishta | the very best among the knowers of Brahman |
| Brahma-vid-varya | the best among the Knowers of Brahman |
| Buddha | one who is aware |
| buddhi | intellect |
| C Top Index | |
| chaitanya | Consciousness |
| chakshus | eye |
| chamara | a fly whisk made of the bushy tail of Bos grunniens used as a |
| badge of royalty | |
| chanchala | changing, fickle |
| chidvyoman (chitta vyoman) | expanse of consciousness |
| chinmaya | full of Consciousness |
| chinta | thought or idea |
| chintamani | wish-fulfilling gem |
| chit | Consciousness |
| chitta | memory; mind |
| chitta-nirodha | control of mind |
| chitta suddhi | purity of mind |
| chitta vilasa | play of mind |
| chittaikograta | one-pointedness of mind |
| D Top Index | |
| daharakasa | ether of the heart |
| dana | gift |
| darsan(a) | seeing; vision |
| dasi | courtesan |
| deha(m) | body |
| dehatma buddhi | I-am-the-body consciousness |
| dehavasana | attachment to the body |
| devas | celestial beings |
| dharana | concentration of mind; one of the eight stages of Raja Yoga |
| dharma sastri | one who is well-versed in the scriptures relating to dharma |
| dhriti | steadfastness |
| dhyana | meditation; contemplation |
| dikpalas | gods who protect the various quarters |
| diksha | spiritual instruction |
| divya chakshus | divine eye |
| drashta | seer |
| dridha | firm |
| drik | he who sees; the subject |
| drishti | look |
| drishti srishti | simultaneous creation |
| drisya | that which is seen; the object |
| drisyanuviddha | associated with something seen |
| drisya vilaya | the disappearance of the objective world |
| dukha | misery; frustration |
| dvaita | duality |
| dvandva | pair of opposites |
| dvividha (dwividha) | two-fold |
| E Top Index | |
| eka | one |
| ekagrata | concentration |
| G Top Index | |
| ganja | a narcotic, hashish |
| Gayatri | a well-known Vedic mantra |
| gopuram | temple tower |
| granthi | knot |
| grihastha | householder |
| grihini | housewife |
| gunas | the three fundamental qualities, tendencies or stresses which |
| underlie all manifestations | |
| gunatita | one who has transcended the gunas |
| guru | a spiritual master; teacher |
| H Top Index | |
| halahala | the poison which came up when the milky ocean was churned |
| hamsa | a sannyasi who has advanced to a high stage |
| hasta | hand |
| hatha yoga | a form of yoga involving bodily postures |
| hetu | cause |
| Hiranyagarbha | universal consciousness; totality of minds |
| homa | sacrifice in fire |
| hridaya | heart; the spiritual centre in the body |
| hridaya granthi | knot of the heart |
| hrit | heart |
| hrit pundarika | the heart lotus |
| I Top Index | |
| ichcha | desire |
| idam | this |
| indriyas | senses |
| ishta devata | the god whom one likes to worship or contemplate |
| Isvara | God, the Supreme Being in His aspect as the Lord of all creation |
| Isvara anugraha | God’s grace |
| Isvara aradhana | worship of God |
| Isvara drishti | Seeing everything as God |
| lsvara prasada | God’s grace |
| J Top Index | |
| jada | inert |
| jagat | world |
| jagrat | waking state |
| jagrat sushupti | wakeful sleep |
| jai | victory |
| jala | water |
| janma | birth |
| japa | repetition of a sacred word or syllable or a name of God |
| japa karta | one who does japa |
| jirna | decayed |
| jiva | the individual soul; the ego |
| jivanmukta | one who is liberated even when he is alive |
| jivanmukti | liberation while one is alive |
| jivatman | the individual self |
| jnana(m) | knowledge |
| jnana bhumikas | stages of knowledge of which there are seven |
| jnana chakshus | eye of wisdom |
| jnana drishti | eye of wisdom |
| jnanagni | fire of wisdom |
| jnana lakshana | sign of wisdom |
| jnana marga | the path of knowledge |
| jnana yoga | the method of realizing the Absolute through knowledge |
| jnanendriya | organ of knowledge |
| jnani | the Self-realized sage |
| jothi (jyothi) | light; effulgence |
| K Top Index | |
| kaivalya | the state of liberation |
| kala | a term used in Tantrism |
| kalpana | idea |
| kama | desire; lust |
| kantha | throat |
| kanthabharana | ornament worn round the neck |
| kanya | virgin |
| karana | cause |
| karana sarira | causal body |
| karma | action; work; deeds; also result of action |
| karma samya | good and bad actions in equal proportions |
| karma traya | the three kinds of karma, namely sanchita, agami and |
| prarabdha | |
| karma yoga | the spiritual path of action |
| karmendriya | organ of action |
| karpura arati | the waving of lighted camphor during puja |
| karta | he who does an act |
| kartrtva | doership |
| kartrtva buddhi | the sense of doership |
| kashaya | latent impurity |
| kashaya | ochre coloured garment |
| kasiyatra | pilgrimage to Kasi; part of the marriage rites among Brahmins |
| kasturi | musk |
| kayakalpa | a medicinal preparation for prolonging life |
| kayasiddhi | making the body proof against injury |
| kevala kumbhaka | sudden stoppage of breathing, whether in the midst |
| of inhaling or exhaling | |
| kevala samadhi | samadhi in which activities of body and mind are only merged |
| khanda | division |
| Krama mukti | liberation by degrees |
| krama srishti | gradual creation |
| kshetra | temple; field; the body |
| kshipta | active |
| khyati | theory |
| kousalam | skill |
| krida | play, pastime |
| kritopasaka | one who has done upasana or meditation |
| krodha | anger |
| kumbha | a pot used for keeping water |
| kumbhaka | retention of breath |
| kundalini | yogic power called the serpent power |
| Kumkuma | vermilion powder applied to the forehead |
| kutichaka | a sannyasin who lives permanently in a hut |
| kuvasana | bad tendency |
| L Top Index | |
| laghu | light; easy |
| lakshana | sign |
| lakshya | aim, target, goal |
| lakshyartha | implied meaning |
| laya | dissolution |
| lila (leela) | play or sport |
| linga | symbol |
| Linga sarira | subtle body |
| loka | world; that which is seen |
| loukika | worldly |
| M Top Index | |
| madhya | centre; mixed; middling |
| madhyama | a stage in uttering sounds |
| maharshi | great rishi (seer or sage) |
| mahasunya | great void |
| mahatma | enlightened person |
| mahavakyas | the four main sentences proclaiming the truth of Brahman, |
| one taken from each Veda | |
| malaparipaka | complete removal of impurity |
| malina | impure |
| manana | thinking over what has been heard |
| mani | jewel |
| manolaya | (temporary) subsidence of the mind |
| manomaya kosa | sheath of mind |
| manonasa | extinction of the mind |
| manta | thinker |
| mantra | cosmic sound forms of the Vedas used for worship and prayer; |
| also seed letters for meditation on the form of the Lord; ritual incantation | |
| mantra japa | repetition of a mantra |
| marga | path |
| maru marichika | mirage seen in a desert |
| mati | thinking power |
| maya | illusion; the power inherent in Brahman by which it manifests |
| the world | |
| maya vada | the doctrine of maya |
| medha | intellect |
| Moda | joy which is higher than priya |
| moksha | Liberation; spiritual freedom |
| moodha | dull |
| moola | root; source |
| mooladhara | One of the yogic centres of the body |
| mouna (mowna) | Silence |
| mriga trishna | water of mirage |
| mukta | one who is liberated |
| mukti | Liberation; spiritual freedom |
| Mulavidya | primal ignorance |
| mumukshu | one who aspires for Liberation |
| mumukshutva | the desire for Liberation |
| muni | sage |
| muppazh | three voids |
| N Top Index | |
| na medhaya | not by the intellect |
| nada | subtle sound accompanied by an effulgence, a term used in Tantrism |
| nabhi | navel |
| nadaswaram | the pipe of the South Indian piper |
| nadi | yogic nerve |
| naham | I am not |
| naishtika brahmacharya | lifelong celibacy |
| nama | name; the name of God |
| nama japa | repetition of the name of God |
| nama sankirtan | Singing the names of God |
| nama smarana | remembering and repeating the name of God |
| namaskar (a) | prostration before God or Guru |
| nana | diversity |
| naraka | hell |
| nasa | destruction |
| nava | new |
| nididhyasana | the last of the three stages of vedantic realization; |
| uninterrupted contemplation | |
| nijananda | true bliss |
| nirakara upasana | meditation on the formless |
| nirguna | without attributes |
| nirguna upasana | meditation on the attributeless Brahman |
| nirodha | control |
| nirvana | Liberation |
| nirvikalpa samadhi | the highest state of concentration in which the soul |
| loses all sense of being different from the universal Self, but a temporary | |
| state from which there is a return to ego-consciousness | |
| nishkama karma | acts done without a motive |
| nitya | always; eternal |
| nitya siddha | ever present |
| nivritti | destruction |
| nivritti marga | The path of renunciation |
| niyama | law, rule |
| O Top Index | |
| owpacharika | in a worldly sense |
| P Top Index | |
| padarthabhavini | absolute non-perception of objects; one of the seven |
| stages of enlightenment | |
| panchakshari | a mantra of five syllables sacred to Siva |
| panchikarana | division of the five elements and combining the parts in |
| particular proportions | |
| para | higher; in Tantrism unmanifest sound |
| param | transcendental |
| paramahamsa | a sannyasin who has attained Self-realization |
| paramarthika | absolute |
| paramarthika satyam | absolute reality |
| paramatma (n) | the Supreme Self |
| paranchi khani | outgoing |
| para nadi | the name of a yogic nerve |
| para vibhuti | superior vibhuti |
| pareccha | by another’s will |
| parinama vada | the theory of Brahman changing into the world |
| paroksha | hearsay or indirect |
| Pasyanti | a stage in uttering sound |
| phala | fruit; the result of an act |
| phala chaitanyam | knowledge |
| phala data | dispenser of the results of our acts |
| phala sruti | description of the result of an act |
| Pisachas | demons |
| poorna | full |
| pradakshina | going round a sacred person or place |
| pradeepta | Shining brightly |
| prajna | the individual being in sleep |
| prajnana | full consciousness |
| prajnana ghana | full consciousness |
| prakriti | nature, Maya |
| pralaya | dissolution (of the world) |
| pramana | means of valid knowledge |
| pramata (r) | knower; cogniser |
| pramoda | joy which is higher than moda |
| prana | vital air; life-force; breath; the air which goes up |
| pranamaya kosa | sheath of prana or the vital air |
| pranasakti | the power of the vital forces |
| pranava | another term for OM |
| pranayama | regulation of breathing |
| prapatti | surrender |
| prapti | attainment |
| prarabdha | that part of one’s karma which is to be worked out in this life |
| prasad (a) | grace; food etc., which has been offered to God and |
| afterwards distributed among the devotees | |
| prasthana traya | the threefold scripture |
| pratibhasika satya | illusory reality as it appears to a particular individual |
| pratikam | symbol |
| pratikriya | remedy |
| pratyabhijna | recognition |
| pratyahara | one of the steps in Raja Yoga; withdrawal |
| pratyaksha | direct; immediate |
| pravritti marga | path of action |
| prayaschitta | a rite for expiating sin |
| prayatna | effort |
| prema | love |
| prithvi (prthvi) | earth |
| priya | joy; dear |
| puja | ceremonial worship with flowers, water etc. |
| punya | merit |
| puraka | inhalation |
| purana | old; an ancient book of stories embodying religious symbolism |
| puri | city |
| puriashtaka | subtle body consisting of eight phases |
| purna | full |
| purusha | man; applied sometimes to God |
| purushakara | personal effort |
| purva paksha | arguments advanced by the opponent |
| purva samskara | latent tendency |
| R Top Index | |
| Raja Yoga | the principal system of Yoga as taught by Patanjali |
| rajas | one of the three primal qualities, described as red, the principle |
| of activity | |
| rajju-sarpa | rope-snake; a rope looking like a snake in a dim light |
| rasa | bliss |
| rasasvada | taste of bliss in the absence of thoughts |
| ravi marga | path of the sun |
| rechaka | exhalation |
| rishi (rshi) | a seer; a sage |
| S Top Index | |
| sabdanuviddha | associated with sound |
| sad guru | true guru |
| sadhak (a) | a spiritual aspirant; one who follows a method of spiritual |
| discipline | |
| sadhana | method of spiritual practice |
| sadhana-chatushtaya | the four qualifications expected in an aspirant |
| sadhu | ascetic; sage |
| sadhu seva | service rendered to sages |
| sadyomukti | immediate Liberation |
| saguna | with attributes |
| saguna upasana | meditation on Brahman with attributes |
| sahaja | natural; one’s natural state |
| sahaja samadhi | samadhi which comes naturally and is present always |
| sahasrara | the highest yogic centre located in the brain |
| sajatiya | of the same kind |
| sakshatkaram | direct realization |
| sakshi | witness; the Self |
| sakti | power |
| sakti pata | descent of divine power on a person |
| sama | equal; common |
| samanya | common; general; ordinary |
| samashti | whole |
| samatva | equality |
| samjnana | awareness; perception |
| samrajya | empire |
| samsara | the cycle of births and deaths |
| samskara | innate tendency |
| samvit | consciousness; knowledge |
| samyamana | one-pointedness of mind |
| sanchita (sanchita karma) | accumulated karma of former births |
| sandeha | doubt |
| sanga | association |
| sankalpa | intention, thought; the ostensible motive of doing a ritual |
| uttered before it is begun | |
| sannidhi | presence |
| sannyasi | an ascetic, one who belongs to the fourth stage of life |
| santi | peace |
| sarira | body |
| sariri | dweller in the body |
| sarira traya | the three bodies namely the physical, subtle and causal |
| sarva | all |
| sarvajna | omniscient |
| sarvajnatvam | omniscience |
| sastra | scripture; science |
| sat | good; existence |
| satya | true; the real |
| satyam | truth; reality |
| sat-chit-ananda | being consciousness-bliss |
| sat sanga | association with the wise |
| sattva | purity; one of the three primal qualities described as white, the |
| principle of purity and goodness | |
| sattvapatti | realization; one of the seven stages of enlightenment |
| sattvik | pure; relating to sattva, one of the three constituents of prakriti |
| savikalpa samadhi | a state of concentration in which the distinction |
| between the knower. knowledge and known is not yet lost | |
| shadadhara | the six yogic centres |
| siddha | one who has acquired supernatural powers and is capable of |
| working miracles; also a state of accomplishment | |
| siddhi | supernatural powers; realization; attainment |
| sishya | disciple |
| Sivoham | I am Siva |
| sloka | a stanza in Sanskrit |
| smriti | memory; scriptures based on the Vedas |
| soham | I am He (Brahman) |
| sparsa | touch |
| sphurana | manifestation |
| sraddha | faith |
| sravana | hearing of the truth from the guru |
| srishti drishti | gradual creation |
| srota | hearer |
| srotra | ear |
| sruti | scripture |
| sthitaprajna | one who is established in wisdom |
| sthula | physical |
| sthula sarira | physical body |
| sthiti | being |
| stotram | a hymn of praise |
| subhechcha | desire for enlightenment; one of the seven stages of |
| enlightenment | |
| suddha | pure |
| sukha | happiness |
| sukha asana | easy and comfortable posture of sitting |
| sukshma | subtle |
| sukshma sarira | the subtle body |
| sunya | blank; void |
| sushumna | the name of a yogic nerve |
| sushupti | dreamless sleep |
| sutra | string; aphorism |
| suvasana | good tendency |
| svagata | within itself |
| svapna | dream |
| svarga | heaven |
| svaroopa (swarupa) | nature; real form |
| swaraj | independence |
| swatantra | independence |
| swechcha | of one’s own will |
| T Top Index | |
| taijasa | the individual being in dream |
| tamas | darkness; ignorance; one of the three primal qualities described |
| as black; the principle of inertia | |
| tanha | thirst (for living) |
| tanmatras | elements in their subtle forms |
| tanmaya | full of the Self |
| tanumanasa | tenuous mind; one of the seven stages of enlightenment |
| tapas (tapasya) | austerity |
| tapobhrashta | one who has fallen away from his austerities |
| tapta-aya-pindavat | like a red hot iron ball |
| tattva | truth, essence of a thing |
| tejas | effulgence |
| tejomaya | full of light |
| tejo rupa | of the form of light |
| tirtha | a sacred river or tank |
| triputi | triad like seer, seen and seeing |
| turavu (Tamil) | renunciation |
| turya (turiya) | the fourth state beyond waking, dreaming and sleeping |
| turyaga | beyond words; one of the seven stages of enlightenment |
| tyaga | giving up |
| U Top Index | |
| udasinam | indifference |
| upadesa | spiritual instruction |
| upadhi | limiting adjunct |
| upasaka | one who meditates |
| upasana | meditation |
| upasana sthana | seat of meditation |
| V Top Index | |
| vachyartha | literal meaning |
| vada | theory; disputation |
| vaikhari | one of the stages in the formation of sound; audible sound |
| Vaikuntha | the abode of Vishnu |
| vairagya | dispassion; non-attachment |
| Vaishnavite | a worshipper of Vishnu |
| varnasrama dharma | dharma of the various castes and stages of life |
| vasana | habit of the mind; latent tendency or impression |
| vasana kshaya | cessation of vasanas |
| vastutah | in reality |
| vayu | air |
| vibhakti | separation |
| vibhuti | sacred ashes; God’s glory; supernatural power |
| vichara | enquiry |
| vichara marga | the spiritual path of enquiry |
| vicharana | investigation; one of the seven stages of enlightenment |
| videha mukta | one who is liberated after death |
| videha mukti | liberation after death |
| vidya | knowledge; learning |
| vijatiya | of a different kind |
| vijnana | special knowledge; spiritual knowledge |
| vijnanamaya kosa | sheath of intellect |
| vijnanatma | the ignorant Self |
| vijnata | knower |
| vikshepa | diversity |
| vikshipta | distracted |
| viparita | contrary |
| Virat | totality of gross beings |
| visesha | particular; special |
| vishaya | object |
| visishta | qualified |
| visishtadvaitin | one who believes in a modified form of non-duality |
| visranti | repose |
| Visva | the individual being in the waking state |
| visvarupa (darsana) | God seen as the universe |
| vivechana | discrimination |
| viyoga | separation |
| vritti | modification of the mind |
| vyaptam | pervaded |
| vyashti | part |
| vyavahara (vyavaharika) | empirical |
| vyavahara satya | phenomenal existence |
| Y Top Index | |
| yaga | ritualistic sacrifice |
| yajna | sacrifice |
| yoga | union (with the Supreme Being) |
| yogabhrashta | one who has slipped from the yoga |
| yogarudha | one who has attained yoga |
| Yogiraja | king of yogis |
| yugapat srishti | simultaneous creation |