Sanskrit Words

Sansrkit Terms

There can be many subtleties to each Sanskrit word and in some cases a deeper explanations are required. Therefore the purpose of this information is to help provide a quick and general understanding of various Sanskrit words that you might encounter during your awakening.

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Sanskrit	English	Notes
Abhasa	Manifestation of Consciousness, Reflection, Appearance
Abhasa Chaitanya	Son of God	See also Purusha
Abhinivesa	Blind Tenacity
Advaita	Not Two	Advaita Vedanta teaches non–duality. The Atman and Braham are one and the same.
Agama	The Inaccessible
Ahamkara	Ego
Aiswaryas	Ascetic Majesties or Powers
Ajna Chakra	Medulla Center	Sixth Chakra
Akasha	Ether
Alakshya	The Incomprehensible
Anahata Chakra	Dorsal Center	Fourth Chakra
Anama	The Nameless
Ananda	Bliss, Enjoyment
Anandamaya Kosha	First Sheath Covering Soul
Anandatwa	Mind	See also Manas.
Anima	An Ascetic Power
Anna	Nourishment
Annamaya Kosha	Outermost Sheath Covering Soul
Anu	Atoms, Particles of Creation
Ap	Liquids
Aparokshajnana	True Comprehension
Apti	An Ascetic Power
Artha	Heart's Immediate Aim
Asana	Steady Posture
Asat	Bane of All Good
Ashram	Monastery, Religious Retreat
Ashramas	States of Divisions
Asmita	Egoism
Atmajnanam	Self–Knowledge
Atman	Essence, Breath, Soul, Higher Self, True Self
Aum	Word of God, Voice of God	look for ॐ also spelled Om Aum is a syllable A: Represents the waking state. U: Represents the dream state. M: Represents deep sleep.
Avatar	Descent	Refers to an incarnation of a deity or spirit on Earth including in human form.
Avidya	Ignorance
Ayur	Life, Longevity, Vital Power
Ayurveda	The Science of Life	Ayurvedic Medicine
Baba	Father, Dad	Example: Mahavatar Babaji (Great Avatar (Revered) Father)
Bhakti	Devotion
Bhoga	Enjoyment
Bhokta	To Enjoy
Bhuloka	Sphere of Material Creation
Bhuvanas	Fourteen Stages of Creation
Bhuvarloka	Astral World; Sphere of Electric Attributes
Bija	Seed
Bodhi	Awakening, Enlightenment	Buddha sat under the Bodhi tree.
Brahma	The Universal Creative Power
Brahman	Spirit, Eternal, Limitless Consciousness, Infinite Essence of the Universe
Brahmana	Knower of Brahma
Brahmanidhana	Meditation on Aum
Brahmarandhra	The Way To Divinity
Buddha	The Awakened / Enlightened One
Buddhi	Discriminative Intelligence and/or Wisdom
Caitya Guru	Guru Within	The Teacher Is Within
Chaitanya	Consciousness, Awareness
Chakra	Wheel, Circle	Seven centers of life and consciousness in man.
Chanda	Poetic Meter, Prosody	Prosody means the study of the metrical structure of verse.
Chetana	Consciousness
Chit	Omniscient Consciousness or Feeling, Pure Consciousness
Chitta	Individual Consciousness or Feeling
Citta Mudra	Gestures of Consciousness	See also Mudra.
Daiva Yuga	An Age of The Gods	Also referred to as Electric Couple.
Darshan	Auspicious Sight, To View, Look At or See	Can be that of a deity or holy person.
Dasamadwara	Door Between Material and Spiritual Creations
Daya	Sympathy, Compassion
Desa	Space
Devata	Angel
Dharma	Mental Virtue, Spiritual Obligation
Dharma Marga	Soul Number of Birthpath
Dvija	Twice–Born
Dwapara	A State of Development
Dwapara Yuga	The Age After The Two	In other words, the third of four cycles in Hindu cosmology. Characterized by a decline in righteousness and morality. The two main principles are compassion (Daya) and truthfulness (Satya).
Dweshagarhasthyasrama	Domestic Life
Garima	An Ascetic Power
Giri	Mountain, Hill	The Giri Order of Swamis includes Swami Yukteswar, Swami Kriyananda and others.
Gunas	Attributes
Guru	Teacher, Spiritual Preceptor, Dispeller of Darkness (Maya)
Guru	Heavy, Weighty	Refers to someone who is heavy with knowledge and wisdom.
Hari	The Remover of Sins, The One Who Clears Obstacles To Spiritual Progress	Swami Harinanda definitely did this.
Hasta Mudra	Hand Gestures	See also Mudra.
Hatha	Forceful Approach	Ha means sun. Tha means moon.
Hatha Yoga	Physical Techniques, Stretching	Aims to balance opposing energies within the body and mind.
Ida	Left Energy Channel	See also Sushumna and Pingala. Ida is considered feminine and lunar.
Isa	Lord
Ishvara	Personal God, Supreme Being
Isitwa	An Ascetic Power
Janaloka	Sphere of Spiritual Reflection
Jiva	The Individual Soul of Man, The Soul Expressing Through Ego or Separate Existence
Jivanmukta Sannyasi	Free Soul
Jnana	Knowledge	Sometimes spelled as Gnana Pronounced as jay–nahnuh.
Jnanamaya Kosha	Second Sheath Covering Soul
Jnanavatar	Incarnation of Wisdom
Jnanendriyas	Organs of Sensory Perception
Kaivalya	Emancipation Through Oneness with God
Kaivalya Darsanam	Exposition of Final Truth
Kala	Time
Kali	State of Development
Kali Yuga	The Fourth and Final Age / Yuga	Characterized by darkness, vice, and conflict. Often described as the age of darkness or age of quarrel and hypocrisy.
Kama	Desire
Kama Sutra	Principles of Love, A Treatise on Pleasure	A guide to pleasuring your partner.
Karma	Results of Past Actions
Karmendriyas	Organs of Action
Kaya Mudra	Body Positions	See also Mudra.
Koshas	Sheaths, Coverings Over the Soul
Krita Yuga	The Accomplished Age, Age of Truth, Sincerity, Righteousness	See also Satya Yuga. First and best of the four yugas. Characterized by righteousness and spiritual purity. A time when people can achieve spiritual enlightenment.
Kshatriya	Warrior Caste; One Who Strives For Enlightenment
Kshiti	Solids
Kumbha Mela	Religious Fair
Kutastha Chaitanya	Holy Ghost, Christ Consciousness	See also Purushottama.
Kriya	To Do, Act
Kriya Yoga	Yoga of Action
Laghima	An Ascetic Power
Lahiri Mahasaya	Magnanimous One	Indian yogi and guru who founded the Kriya Yoga school. A disciple of Mahavatar Babaji.
Laghu	Light in Weight
Laya	Dissolution, Absorption, Extinction	Represents a state where individual consciousness merges into super consciousness.
Laya Yoga	Merging the Self Into The Divine	Sometimes referred to as Kundalini yoga.
Lingasarira	Fine Material Body	See also Sukshmasarira.
Lingasariralokas	Spheres of Creation
Loka	Realm, Plane, World of Existence	There are 14 lokas in total. 7 upper worlds and 7 lower worlds.
Maha	Great, Big
Mahabharata	Great Epic Story of the Bharata Dynasty	Tells the story of the Kurukshetra War between two groups of cousins, the Pandavas and the Kauravas while exploring the theme of duty,
Mahanidra	Death
Maharloka	Sphere of The Atom
Mahasunya	The Great Vacuum
Mahat	Heart, Large
Mahattwam	Magnanimity of Heart
Mahavakya	Great Saying	There are 4 great sayings: Tat Tvam Asi (You are That). Aham Brahmāsmi (I am Brahman). Prajñānam Brahma (Consciousness is Brahman). Ayam Atma Brahma (This self is Brahman).
Mahima	An Ascetic Power
Manana	Deep Attention
Manas	Mind	See also Anandatwa.
Manava	Man
Mandala	Circle, Sacred Center	A geometric design that symbolizes the universe.
Manipura Chakra	Lumbar Center	Third Chakra.
Manomaya Kosha	Third Sheath Covering The Soul
Mantra	Mind Purifier
Manus	Four Primal Thoughts
Manusmriti	Laws of Manu	Ancient Hindu legal text that outlines duties, rights, laws, and moral conduct.
Marga	Path, Spiritual Path, Method of Achieving Higher States
Marut	Gaseous Substances
Maya	Delusion, Illusion, Darkness
Mauna	Silence	Also spelled Mouna.
Mudra	Seal, Gesture, Mark
Mudra Yoga	The Yoga of Mathematics, Geometry, Etc	Includes astrology, numerology and more.
Muladhara Chakra	Coccygeal Center	First Chakra. Located at base of spine.
Nididhyasana	Forming a Definite Conception
Nirguna Brahman	Brahman (God) Without Qualities or Attributes	See Brahman and Saguna Brahman. Represents the formless aspect of the ultimate reality.
Nirvana	blowing Out, Extinguishing	Refers to the liberation from suffering and the cycle of rebirth.
Nirvikalpa	Beyond Thought, Transconceptual
Nirvikalpa Samadhi	Illumination, Without Thought or Doubt	A high level of meditative. The ego dissolves. A profound sense of oneness with the Divine.
Nishtha	Faith, Devotion, Steadfastness, Loyalty.
Niyama	Religious / Spiritual Rules
Om Tat Sat	Absolute Truth, All That Is, Supreme Reality, Supreme Absolute Truth	See also Om See also Tat See also Sat Said at the end of a speech, prayer, ceremony, etc to invoke the presence of the Supreme Absolute Truth
Pancha Tattwa	Five Electricities
Panchatanmatra	Attributes of The Five Electricities
Para	Supreme, Higher, Beyond
Paramapurusha	Supreme Person, Ultimate Consciousness
Paramartha	Ultimate Goal
Paramatman	Absolute Atman, Supreme Self, Highest Self, God
Parambrahman	Supreme Spirit, Supreme God
Paramguru	Guru of One's Guru
Parokshajnana	Indirect Knowledge	Knowledge gained through sensory perception or intellectual processes.
Patala	That Which Is Below The Feet, The Underworld
Pingala	Right Energy Channel	See also Sushumna and Ida. Ida is considered masculine and solar.
Patala Lokas	Seven Centers of Life and Consciousness in Man	See also Patala and Loka.
Patra	Atom	See also Anu
Prakamya	Mystic Perfection, Magical Power
Prakriti	Nature, Original Form
Prana	Life Force, Vital Principle	Often associated with breath.
Pranayama	Breath Control, Control of Life Force
Pranayama Kosha	Fourth Sheath Covering the Soul
Pranava	Cosmic Vibration, Aum
Pranava Sabda	The Holy Sound, Aum
Prapti	An Ascetic Power
Pratyahara	Withdrawal of Senses From External Objects
Pravartaka	Initiate
Pravritti	Inclination to Save Oneself From Maya
Prayaga Tirtha	Place of Confluence
Premabijam Chit	Omniscient Love
Puranas	Ancient, Old
Purusha	The Soul, Son of God	See also Abhasa Chaitanya
Purushottama	Supreme Being, Supreme God	See also Kutastha Chaitanya.
Radha	Luminous Body
Raga	Attachment
Raja	King, Ruler
Raja Yoga	Royal Yoga, King of Yoga
Ramayana	The Journey of Rama	Refers to the epic story of Rama, the 7th avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu.
Rig	Praise, Hymn
Rigveda	Knowledge of Verses
Rishis	Angels Manifesting in Spinal Centers
Sadhaka	True Disciple
Sadhana	Path of Spiritual Discipline
Sadhu	Ascetic Holy Person
Saguna Brahman	Brahman (God) with Attributes	See Brahman and Nirguna Brahman. Often personinifed in various deities to help devotees connect with the divine.
Sahasrara Chakra	Seventh Chakra	Center of consciousness in man's brain.
Sama	Alike, Similar, Equal, The Same	Signifies balance and harmony.
Samaveda	Knowledge of Melodies
Samadhi	True Concentration, Deep Concentration	Identity with object of concentration. Mind becomes unified with the object of meditation.
Sambandha	Relationship	Interconnectedness of all beings.
Samhita	Joined, Put Together, Union
Samkhya	Analytical Approach to Understanding Existence	See also Sankhya. Essentially means numbers or enumeration.
Samvat	Indian Calendar System	See also Vikram Samvat. Lunisolar calendar. National calendar of Nepal.
Samyama	Restraint, Concentration
Sanatan Dharma	Eternal Law, Eternal Way
Sandhi	Period of Mutation and/or Transition Between Yugas	See also Yugasandhi.
Sandhisthala	Place Between Higher and Lower
Sankhya	Analytical Approach to Understanding Existence	See also Samkhya. Essentially means numbers or enumeration.
Sannyasa	Renounced Life, Focus on Spiritual Pursuits	See also Sannyasi.
Sannyasi	Someone Who Is Free	See also Sannyasa.
Sapta	Seven
Sapta Patalas	The Seven Lower Realms	See also Sapta and Patala.
Sat	Existence, Eternal Substance, Truth, Being, Essence	See also Om Tat Sat.
Sat–Guru	Savior, Spiritual Preceptor	See also Guru.
Sattva	Positive Attribute
Sattva Buddhi	Pure Intelligence
Satya	A State of Development
Satya Yuga	The Accomplished Age, Age of Truth, Sincerity, Righteousness	See also Krita Yuga and Satya. First and best of the four yugas. Characterized by righteousness and spiritual purity. A time when people can achieve spiritual enlightenment.
Satyaloka	Sphere of God
Shakti	Almighty Force, Universal Force	Represents feminine power.
Siddha	Adept, Perfected One
Siddhi	Spiritual Power, Psychic Ability	These powers are a trap and should not be used.
Smriti	Memory of One's Divinity
Soham	I Am That	This is the sound your breathing makes Inhalation sounds like so. Exhalation sounds like ham.
Sraddha	Neart's Natural Love, Faith, Trust, Devotion
Sravana	Study, The Act of Listening
Sri	Denotes Purity and/or Power	Sounds like Shree.
Sthulasarira	Gross Material Body
Sudra	Servant Caste, State of Spiritual Ignorance
Sukshmabhuta	Electricities
Sukshmasarira	Fine Material Body	See also Lingasarira.
Sunya	Zero, Nothing, Empty, Void
Sunyata	Emptiness, Voidness, Nothingness
Surat	Ego, Son of Man
Surat Sabda	Attention to Sound, Absorption of Ego in Aum	In Surat Sabda Yoga one meditates on the inner sound.
Sushumna	Central Energy Channel	See also Ida and Pingala. Sushumna is considered balanced and neutral.
Sushumnadwara	Sensorium
Sutras	Concise Texts, Aphorisms, Precepts	Means thread and symbolizes how short statements connect and convey complex ideas.
Swadhishthana Chakra	Sacral Center	Second Chakra
Swadhyaya	Deep Study
Swami	An Honorific Title	Can be translated as one who is master of himself.
Swargas	Spheres of Creation, Heaven, Paradise
Swarloka	The Causal World, The Sphere of Magnetic Aura
Swastika	A Symbol Tha Means Good Fortune, Well–Being
Tanmatras	The Five Senses, Objects of Senses	Sound, touch, sight, taste, and smell.
Tapas	Penance, Spiritual Purification
Tapoloka	Sphere of The Holy Spirit, The World of Penance, The Sphere of Austerity
Tat	That	See also Om Tat Sat. Often used to refer to the supreme spirit.
Tat Tvam Asi	Thou Art That, You Are That	A significant phrase from the Chandogya Upanishad. The individual self (Atman) and the ultimate reality (Brahman) are one and the same.
Tejas	Fire, Illumination, Radiance
Treta	Literally Three, State of Development
Treta Yuga	The Age of Three or Triads	Refers to the period when morality stood on three legs, symbolized by truth, purity, and compassion. The second of the four ages in Hindu cosmology.
Trikuta	Mountain
Trikutivasa	An Ascetic Power	The one who resides in Trikuta. The dweller of the Trikuta mountain.
Turiya	The Fourth State of Consciousness	Transcends the three common states of waking, dreaming, and deep sleep. Represents the true self (Atman). Associated with pure consciousness and ultimate liberation.
Vaidya	Doctor, Physician, Healer	Sounds like vay–dee–ya.
Vasa	Dwelling
Vasana	Will, Tendencies, Mental Imprints
Vasishtha	Most Excellent, Best, Richest, Distinguished
Vasitwa	An Ascetic Power
Veda	The Gospel, Knowledge, Wisdom
Vedanta	The End of the Vedas
Vidya	Knowledge, Learning
Vikram Samvat	Indian Calendar System	See also Samvat. Lunisolar calendar. National calendar of Nepal.
Vipra	Nearly Perfect Being, Priest, Wise One
Viratwam	Magnanimity of Heart
Virya	Moral Courage, Inner Strength
Vishaya	Objects of Senses, Objects of Focus
Vishnunabhi	Vishnu's Navel, Grand Center of Cosmos
Vishuddha Chakra	Cervical Center	Fifth Chakra
Viveka	Spiritual Discerment	The ability to distinguish between the real and unreal or the important and unimportant.
Vivekachudamani	Crest–Jewel of Discernment	A philosophical poem that contains 580 verses and teaches Viveka.
Vyoma	Ether, Sky, Heaven
Yajna	Sacrifice
Yama	Morality, Forbearances, Restraint, Control
Yantra	Symbol, Geometrical Diagram
Yog	To Unite, To Yoke, To Join	See also Yoga.
Yoga	To Unite, To Yoke, To Join	See also Yog.
Yogi	Anyone Who Practices Yoga	See all Yogini. Can refer to both male or females.
Yogini	A Female Who Practices Yoga	See also Yogi.
Yug	Era, Age, Age of The World, Generations, Period of Time	See also Yuga. Derived from Yog, to unite. The four great time cycles are known as Satya Yuga, Treta Yuga, Dvapara Yuga, and Kali Yuga.
Yuga	Era, Age, Age of The World, Generations, Period of Time	See also Yug. Derived from Yog, to unite. The four great time cycles are known as Satya Yuga, Treta Yuga, Dvapara Yuga, and Kali Yuga.
Yugasandhi	Period of Mutation and/or Transition Between Yugas	See also Sandhi.

Why are fish so clever? Because they are always in schools! But this is no school of fish unless you consider the ocean as a metaphor for the vastness of consciousness (Brahman) and the interconnectedness of all beings (Sambandha). While we may appear separate, we are fundamentally part of a larger whole. And if you don't believe me, just ask the fish by dropping them a line!

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Hatha	General	The Portal	Jnana
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