Yoga Glossary

A selection of Sanskrit terms interpreted into English.

Yoga is an all inclusive way of looking at spirituality that can lead to physical health, mental clarity, relaxation, strength and fulfillment of one's life purpose. Yoga is about "union" and the belief in the basic unity in all life.

The below lists a just a few concepts in yoga, Ayurveda, and Indian mythology, found within the tradition of Indian spiritual thought, from which not only religious traditions evolved, but also science, philosophy, art, culture, music, dance, and literature.

Please note, this is not an exhaustive or authoritative list, but one that may be a helpful reference point to start with and build upon. It is advised to refer to more than one translation from Sanskrit to English as there is often no equivalent word in English for Sanskrit concepts.

Abhava - non-being
Abhaya mudra - seal of fearlessness

Abhyasa - focus, to wholeheartedly apply one's efforts towards a specific aim.
Abhyasin/Abhyasini - a yogi, or sadhaka

Acharya - spiritual teacher of the Vedas, yoga master
Adhikarin - a yogi, or sadhaka who has the necessary attributes for learning. There are several levels of aspirant.

Agni - fire

Ahamkara - one of the three components of the "lower" mind, this is the ego, the doer, the sense of "I am". Also see Buddhi, Chitta, and Manas.

Ahimsa - the art of being compassionate to all living beings through the cultivation of non-violence in thought, word and deed

Amrita - that which is immortal, the nectar of immortality

Ananda - joy, pure and natural bliss, happiness

Apana - downward moving breath or vital energy

Aparigraha - non possessiveness and non grasping

Ashtanga - 8 limbs

Asteya - non stealing of others possessions; consideration for other people's time or space

Atman - self

Ashram - a quiet and suitable place for spiritual practices, self study, and meditation

Ayurveda - 5000 year old Indian medicinal system of longevity

Bhakti - love and devotion for all creation, for the divine

Bhakti Yoga - the yoga of devotion

Bhavana - intention, attitude

Brahmacharya - moderation in the use of vital energy that leads to an increase in shakti
Brahman - the cosmic principle of existence, the source of creation that is pure consciousness residing in all things.
Brahma-Viharas - being in realization of the ultimate reality, Brahman. Buddhism describes this as four states: Karuna (compassion, empathy), Maitra (love), Upeksa (equanimity), and Mudita (joy, sense of joy about existence).
Buddha - Gautama Buddha, or Siddhartha was a wealthy prince born in the foothills of the Himalayan mountains who spent several years away from home to study and contemplate life. Buddha attained enlightenment after having meditated for forty nine days under a Bodhi tree. He realised the path of nondualism, or the Middle Way. The Buddha's first sermon was at Deer Park in Benares. The Buddha firmly believed in finding one's own answers through contemplation on the inner Self.

Buddhi - part of the "higher", this is wisdom, intellect and reason. Also see Ahamkara, Chitta and Manas.

Chakra - vital energy centers in the body, of which there are 7 main ones, Muladhara, Svadhisthana, Manipura, Anahata, Vishudhi, Ajna and Sahasrara.

Chandra - moon

Chikitsa - treatment, therapy

Chitta - one of the three components of the "lower" mind, this is consciousness
Darshana - the experience of seeing, and also self-reflection. Darshana also refers to the classical Indian philosophical systems of which there are six main ones: vaishekshika, nyaya, samkhya, yoga, mimamsa, vedanta.
Deva - "one who shines", higher or celestial beings.
Devanagari - the script used to write Sanskrit, the language of the scriptures.
Devi - radiant Primordial goddess, Shakti, which has millions of different aspects, (from the root, div, "to shine"). Shakti is the embodiment of the energy of the cosmos. Also shown as the 12 armed warrior protecting the universe and created by Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva. Two of Devi's forms found in yoga chants are Parvati and Kali Durga.

Dharma - our true purpose; religion, virtue

Drishti - view, gaze, focus point for meditation

Dukha - suffering, pain

Ekagrata - one pointedness

Guru - teacher

Guna - attribute, quality

Hatha - force, action, joining of sun and moon

Hrdaya - heart

Ida - left nadi (feminine, moon)

Isvara - God

Ishvarapranidhana - surrender to the divine

Jalandhara Bandha - Throat lock, a technique used to seal in energy during breath retention in pranayama

Jivatman - the individual self in a person

Jnana - insight, knowledge

Karma - action, law of cause and effect

Karma Yoga - A type of Yoga practice based on selfless service

Karuna - compassion

Kirtan - giving praise

Klesa - affliction

Kona - angle, present in many of the names of the postures, e.g. Baddha Konasana (Bound Angle Pose) and Trikonasana (Triangle Pose), where there is an angular aspect.

Kundalini - energy, or Shakti that rises up through the body in meditation unleashing the latent potential that is said to be dormant in the base chakra Muladhara.

Mala - garland, rosary used in meditation or prayer, which aids concentration and counting. Often there are an auspicious 108 beads in a mala.

Manas - one of the three components of what is termed in yoga as the "lower" mind, this is the operational mind that processes the information received through the senses and which is responsible for governing the motor functions.

Mandala - circle, symbolic art used in meditation and for healing.

Mantra - sacred sound

Moksha - liberation

Mudra - a gesture, or seal (of energy). The practices of yoga include the use of mudras, for example hasta mudras (hand mudras) such as anjali mudra, with the hands in the namaste or prayer position, or chin mudra, as gesture for meditation that symbolises "union", the meaning and goal of yoga. Other types of mudras also exist for example, maha mudra, the great mudra, which involes the whole body and requires specific pranayama and meditation practices in combination with it.

Mula - root, as in muladhara chakra, or root chakra, or mula bandha, the root lock

Mula Bandha - root lock, a yoga technique to seal in energy, used in postures as well as pranayama

Muni - sage

Nadis - energy pathways that run through the body

Namaskar - a greeting with respect

Namaste - "the Divine in me salutes the Divine in you"

Natha - yogic lineage

Nidra (Yoga Nidra) - state of deep relaxation between waking and sleeping, dreamless sleep.

Nirodha - stilling

Nirvana - liberation

Niyama - Personal observances for spiritual growth, the second limb of yoga

Ojas - strength of prana, immune system energy

Om - the sacred sound of creation, syllables AUM.

Padma - lotus

Paramatman - higher self

Parinama - transformation, change

Paripurna - entire

Pingala - right nadi (masculine, sun)

Prakriti - nature, (manifesting from and for Purusha).

Prajna - insight, wisdom

Prana - breath, vital life force, energy

Pranayama - control or extension of the breath or life energy

Puja - worship, celebration of the divine, of existence

Purusha - the Self, the seer in consciousness, (the spirit in Prakriti)

Shakti - power, energy, ability

Sama - same

Samsara - cycle of life and death

Samskara - habits, subliminal impressions on the personality

Samyama - complete control of the mind, the last three limbs of yoga experienced as one

Seva - to offer work without expecting a reward in return

Shanti - peace, calmness

Santosha - contentment

Sarva - all

Sat - truth

Satchidananda - Truth, Consciousness and Bliss, Liberation, Enlightenment

Sat-karma - six cleansing processes in yoga, such as neti.

Satya - truth, reality, that which exists and is therefore inviolable, and needs only to be correctly perceived

Satyagraha - holding onto the inviolable truth

Saucha - purity, cleanliness in mind and body

Siddha - accomplished person

Siddhi - special abilities, accomplishment, power

Sita - Lord Rama's wife; the heroine of the Ramayana

Soma - nectar, moon

Sthira - firm

Sukha - comfortable, happy, at ease in one's skin

Shiva - auspicious one; Shiva is sometimes referred to as "the destroyer". This is meant in a positive sense as he represents that which is necessary for change and renewal. Shiva is also sometimes depicted as Nataraj, the Lord of the Dance, or shown with his son Ganesha, and wife Parvati. Shiva is also seen as symbolizing the "yogi" that can be found meditating in the mountains. Shiva's counterpart is Shakti, the energy of the universe.

Shunya - void

Surya - sun

Surya Namaskar - sun salutations

Sushumna - central energy pathway related to spinal cord

Sutra - aphorism, thread

Svadhyaya - Self study via self observation, contemplation and guidance from the scriptures

Svarupa - an individual's true nature

Tantra - form of yoga that find the Divine in everything, often using mantra, yantra, and deities

Tapas - intense practice that creates the heat/energy for transformation

Tejas - heat, brilliance of prana, fire

Uddiyana Bandha - Abdominal lock, an advanced yoga technique

Upanishad - Ancient Indian scriptures, literally "sitting at the feet of the Guru"

Vairagya - a non-attached way of being

Vajra - thunderbolt, diamond, as in Vajrasana, or Thunderbolt pose.

Vastu - Ancient Indian science of harmonious design

Vayu - wind

Vedas - Ancient Indian scriptures, literally "knowledge"

Vedanta - the essence of the philosophy of the Vedas, found in the Upanishads

Vinyasa - flowing sequence

Virya - strength

Viveka - discernment, discrimination, the ability to distinguish between the real and the unreal.

Vritti - fluctuation (in the mind) - see chitta.

Yama - Universal laws of nature, the first limb of yoga

Yantra - object of meditation with geometric pattern

Yoga - union, binding, uniting, a way of life when one's intention is to achieve peace and health

Kleshas - Afflictions - Essential qualities in our nature that when out of balance can cause disharmony, pain or disease. In yoga we try to understand ourselves so that we can create balance, health, and contentment, and remove obstacles to our chosen path in life.

Avidya - ignorance, lack of knowledge - awareness of our own avidya is a humble starting point to greater awareness, knowledge and understanding.

Asmita - ego - essential component of our being that can be healthy when one has  clear perception and self -knowledge and is able to differentiate between the ego, the intellect and the self. 

Raga - attachment, desire - requires awareness in order to understand ourselves and motivations so that we can follow out true path and experience greater and longer term contentment.

Dvesha - aversion, dislike - requires awareness in order to understand who we are through what troubles us and then channel our dvesha into good energy, for a good purpose, to follow one's path.

Abhinivesha - will to survive, or clinging to life, which when excessive, can be due to fear, and can if so, can decrease one's ability to feel contentment in life and the courage to follow one's path while living.

An Online Sanskrit dictionary can be found at http://spokensanskrit.de