This Sanskrit to English dictionary is a living document that I add to regularly, Please Email me any words not listed that would help us study. Click on a letter below to go to that section. Try to learn a new word each day… Om Shanti. -j
| 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 | An 'a' in front of a sanskrit word often negates it. ie. himsa is harming, ahimsa is non-harming. |
| Abishekam | Ritual bathing, or sprinkling with blessed water |
| Abhyasa | Practice – steady and focused |
| Abhinivesha | The will to live – clinging to embodied life – one of the Kleshas. |
| Acharya | Learned and revered teacher or instructor |
| Agni | Fire |
| Ahamkara | Ego, Sense of I, sense of separateness. Our collection of preferences and prejudices. |
| Ahimsa | Non-harming – The first Yama and most important moral discipline. All others build on this one. |
| Ajapa Japa | Silent Mantra practice |
| Ajna Chakra | The Third eye, seat of Shiva, place of knowing and intuition. Seed sound is Om |
| Akasha | Ether – inner space |
| Amrita | The nectar of immortality. |
| Anahata | The unstruck sound. |
| Anahata Chakra | The Heart Chakra – The Heart Center or Energetic heart. Seed sound is Yam |
| Ananda | Bliss state |
| Anjali Mudra | Palms pressed together in front of the heart center |
| Anjaneasana | Kneeling lunge pose arms overhead reminiscent of Hanuman's great leap. Posture of Devotion. |
| Antar | Inner or inwards |
| Antaratman | Inner Self |
| Antar Dhauti | Internal Kriya – intestinal cleansing – from the shatkarma. |
| Anubhava | Profound Yoga experience. |
| Ardha | Half |
| Ardha Matsyendrasana | Seated spinal twist yoga posture |
| Arjuna | Human hero of the Bhagavad Gita – Krishnas disciple. |
| Asuric | Demonlike |
| Asana | Seat – a Yoga Posture. |
| Ashrama | A sacred place of retreat or refuge "where effort is made" |
| Ashtanga-yoga | 8 limbs of Yoga: yama - niyama - asana - pranayama -pratyahara -dharana - dhyana -samadhi |
| Asmita | "I am-ness" similar to Ahamkara or ego. |
| Atman | Our true nature or identity - the individual self. |
| Aum | Om – Primordial Sound |
| Avidya | Ignorance, a root cause of suffering or duhkha. |
| Ayurveda | "Science of Life" Traditional indian system of medicine. |
Sanskrit Yoga Glossary B |
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| Bandha | Bond, or Bind, in Asana when two parts are joined, There are also internal Bandas, Bhandas. |
| Benares | An ancient name for Varanasi, the most sacred city in India. |
| Bhagavad Gita |
'The Lords Song" an ancient epic poem part of the Mahabharata contains early teachings on yoga as Handed down by Krishna to Arjuna at Kurukshetra 3,000 years ago. |
| Bhajan | a song of devotion, typically sung sweetly, as an offering |
| Bhakta | a practicing bhakti yogi – the Yoga of Devotion |
| Bhakti | A path of Yoga, the Yoga of Devotion, The practices include Mantra and KIrtan. |
| Bhav | Serene feeling or mood, post Yoga or practice feel is being 'in the bhav" |
| Bikram Yoga | A style of heated Yoga – A scripted, copyrighted sequence of postures in a 105 degree room. |
| Bhuma | The Unconditioned, the Great Infinite, Brahman. |
| Bhuta Yoga | the path of caring for all beings in all forms. Often practiced as the feeding of animals. |
| Bija | 'Seed' associated with sound, seed sounds to invoke or balance. |
| Bindu | "a point of focus' The dot worn at the third eye |
| Blisscombobulated | That post yoga state of being responsible for the overflowing lost and found box at the studio. |
| Bodhi | ' Enlightenment' A state of high awareness. |
| Bodhisattva | An awakened being who has devoted themselves to awakening others. |
| Brahma | the Creator of the universe in the Hindu Trinity. |
| Brahma-Tejas | a halo from so much practice. |
| Brahmacharya | One of the five Yamas, a limb of Ashtanga Yoga – the practice of celibacy. |
| Brahmamuhurta | from 4 a.m. to 6 a.m. The best time for spiritual practice. |
| Brahman | The Absolute Reality |
| Buddhi | Wisdom or intellect, a higher function of the 4 parts of our mind. |
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Sanskrit Yoga Glossary C |
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| Chakra | 'wheel' Energy centers of the subtle body: Mooladhara, Svadistana, manipura, Anahata, Vishuda, Ajna, Sahasrara |
| Chandra | The moon – associated with the feminine, the Ida nadi. |
| Chandra nadi | ida nadi – left side – feminine. |
| Chin-mudra | Mudra, or hand gesture – bring the tip of the index finger to the tip of the thumb – other fingers stay straight. Often used in meditation. A seal. |
| Chit | Ultimate consciousness – source of knowing |
| Chitta | Our consciousness, the mind. |
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Sanskrit Yoga Glossary D |
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| DakshinaMurti | A form of Shiva, as teacher in Mauna. Dakshin means facing South. |
| Danda | staff or short crutch for supporting the arm during Jappa practice. alternates dominant nostril. |
| Darshan | Being seen, often used in context of visiting with a holy being or saint. |
| Daya | Having Mercy |
| Deva | A masculine high being. 'shining' |
| Devi | a female high being. 'shining' |
| Dhanurasana | The bow pose, a backbend/heart opener – on belly, holding ankles with hands. Shiva's bow. |
| Dharana | Concentration. The 6th limb of Ashtanga Yoga. |
| Dharma | Duty, doing the right thing, even when nobody is looking, Righteousness. |
| Dhyana | Meditation. 7th limb of Ashtanga Yoga |
| Diksha | initiation by a teacher or guru. Often a particular lineage, or mantra practice. |
| Drishti | Fixing the gaze to one point. Not staring, but holding. |
| Dosha | In the Ayurveda medicine system, we are made up of a combination of three groups of tendencies: kapha, pitta, vata. Health comes to us by balancing these three aspects of ourselves. |
| Duhkha | 'Bad axle-hole' Suffering coming from living off-centered, as in a rough ride from a bad wheel. All suffering is caused by ignorance of our true nature – 'avidya' The opposite is Sukha, or 'good axle-hole' |
| Dvesha | Dislike or Aversion. |
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Sanskrit Yoga Glossary E |
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| Ekadasi | A Sacred day in the Hindu Calendar – Derived form the solar calendar, it's the 11th day. |
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Sanskrit Yoga Glossary G |
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| Ganga | The sacred river Ganges in India. Seen as a deity, 'mother' Ganga. |
| Gayatri | A goddess, a name for Saraswati, goddess of Wisdom, knowledge, and music. |
| Gayatri-mantra | Ancient Vedic Mantra – recited at sunrise and sunset: 'Om Bhur Bhuvaha Swaha tat savitur varenyam bhargo devasya dhimahi dhiyo yo nah pracodayat' |
| Gita | See Bhagavad-Gita. |
| Gomukhasana | cow's face Asana, A seated posture with legs under the body, crossed at knees, calves splayed behind, one arm over the shoulder, the other reaches up to bind behind back. |
| Granthi | 'Knot' A blockage of energy in the sushumna-nadi preventing the rise of kundalini. There are three: brahma-granthi. vishnu-granthi, and rudra-granthi. at muludhara, Anahata, and Ajna respectively. |
| Gunas | The 3 qualities of nature: Tamas- darkness, or inertia. Rajas - Action. Sattva - Calm, centered. |
| Guru | 'Heavy' anything that removes darkness. Traditionally, spiritual teacher |
| Guru-Gita | An epic song/Mantra sung in praise of the Guru. |
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| Jala | Water |
| Jala Neti | a soothing cleansing of the nose and nasal passages with saline water. relives allergies and congestion. believed to highten intuition, and more currently prevents colds and flu. |
| Jalandhara Bandha | 'throat lock' Closing off the throat by lifting the chest and sliding the skull back. |
| Japa | The repetition or chanting of a mantra, often practices with a Mala, string of 108 beads. |
| Jiva | The Individual Soul. |
| Jivan-Mukti | A high being who has attained liberation 'moksha' while still in the body. 'living liberated' |
| Jnana | Knowledge, in it's many forms. A path of yoga, attaining wisdom and knowledge as a path to understanding and enlightenment. |
| Jnana Mudra | A hand gesture, the thumb and index finger join, the other fingers are extended, the palm is turned up to receive wisdom. |
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Sanskrit Yoga Glossary K
| Kaivalya | Freedom or independence from Avidya, or wrong understanding. |
| Kali | Born of Durga's furrowed brow, Kali is a fierce form of feminine divinity, or mother energy. |
| Kali-Yuga | The times we are in now, a period of challenge and destruction. Kali here means a losing thow of the dice. |
| Kama | Desires, mainly in the sensual context. |
| Kapal | Skull. |
| Kapalbhati Pranayama | rapid strong exhalations through the nose. the skull shining breath |
| Karmaindriyas | The 6 organs of action, our tongue, hands, feet, anus, and genitals. |
| Karma Yoga | Selfless service, making an offering of the best parts of you. |
| Karuna | a form of Compassion |
| Kashaya | Desires that have not seen the light of awareness, or that are kept secret. |
| Kirtan | A call and response style of learning and singing songs. |
| Khecari-Mudra | a mudra with the tounge, curling to the palate – a seal of prana. |
| Kleshas | the 5 afflictions that come along with a human birth. Obstacles to elinghtenment. |
| Koormasana | the tortoise pose. |
| Koshas | the 5 sheaths, or bodies that make up a being. Annamaya-kosha - The food body or physical body), Pranamaya-kosha - Body made of breath and energy. Manomaya-kosha The mind: thoughts and knowledge. Vijnanamaya-kosha - consciousness, awareness. Andananda-maya-kosha - bliss body. |
| Kriya | an active Yoga practice or series of postures – A cleanse or purification. |
| Krishna | A human born avatar of Vishnu, the preserving form of divinity. |
| Kshama | The practice of forgiveness |
| Kumbhaka | 'a water pot' Retaining the breath in, or out: puraka and recaka |
| Kundalini Shakti | In a non practiced human, energy lies dormant at the mooladhara chakra. It's likened to a coiled serpent. Awakened though practice, it rises up the central channel, piercing the Granthis and Chakras, bringing energy and awareness. |
| Kutir | A hermitage, small dwelling place. |
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Sanskrit Yoga Glossary L
| Laghima | To float freely or levitate |
| Laya | Merging into, or dissolving of the chakras, being absorbed into the infinite. |
| Lingam | A symbol of God Shiva. |
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Sanskrit Yoga Glossary M
| Maha | Very large, or great. |
| Maha Bandha | Retaining the breath in while engaging moola bandha, jalandhara bandha and uddiyana bandha. |
| Mahabharata | An ancient epic depicting the battle between the Pandavas and the Kauravas fought at Kurukshetra in India. This text contains the Bhagavad Gita. |
| Maha Mudra | engaging moola bandha, khechari, and shambhavi mudras. |
| Maharishi | a wise and great practitioner. |
| Mahasamadhi | The bodily death of a high being. Advanced Yogis have been known to sit in meditation and shed the body, moving on to the next realm. |
| Mahatma | Great soul. a holder of siddhis. |
| Maitri | Kindness, helping, or Friendship |
| Makara | Alligator or crocodile |
| Makarasana | The Crocodile pose. A hopping form of Chaturanga. |
| Manas | the lower mind, Attached to senses and worldly and bodily knowledge. |
| Mandala | A circular design in honor of a deity. In Buddhism it is a representation of the world or universe. |
| Manipura Chakra | Near the navel solar plexus, associated with Ego and Ahamkara/sense of self. Bija Sound is Ram. |
| Mantra | Sacred syllables or words, or set of words spoken aloud or internally to invoke a state of being, bring balance, or honor a deity. 'Om' is the Mantra said to contain all Mantras. |
| Marma | From Ayurveda – Spots on the body where energy is highly concentrated. |
| Matsyea | FIsh, as in fish pose – Matsyeasana. |
| Mauna | The practice of sacred, chosen silence. |
| Maya | Our illusion that we are separateness from source. |
| Mayur | The Vehicle of Muragan, son of Shiva. A peacock. |
| Moha | Total captivation of the senses. |
| Moksha | liberation from worldly existence, free from ignorance, continued birth and death, and the creating of new Karma. often called mukti. |
| Moola Bandha (Mula) | Firm skillful lifting of the pelvic floor. |
| Mooladhara Chakra | Base Chakra, associated with physical wellbeing, survival, and grasping or Graha. Where Kundalini lies dormant. Seed sound is LAM. |
| Mudra | A seal or gesture, made to invoke a state of being or honor a deity. Chin, Jnana… |
| Mukti | Liberation |
| Mumukshu | A practitioner on the path towards moksha or liberation. |
| Muni | a Sage, knowledgeable person, often silent. |
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Sanskrit Yoga Glossary N
| Nada - Nadam | Sound Sacred, or inner. |
| Nada-Yoga | The Yoga of Vibration and sound. |
| Nadi | 'Channel' There are 72,000 main channels that circulate Prana, or life force. The 3 major Nadis are ida, pingala, and sushumna. The rise up the center of the body. |
| Nadi-Shodhana | The alternate nostril breath practice, or Pranayama used to balance and purifying the Nadis. |
| Namaste | Traditional Hindu greeting/honoring of our oneness. Say with eye contact, and hands pressed together in front of the heart. (Anjali Mudra) |
| Narada | a great saint associated with sound and music. |
| Nataraja | Shiva in the form of the Cosmic Dancer, the dancers posture. |
| Nauli | Internal abdominal organ massage – a churn of the organs by way of contracting the abdominal muscles in circular rhythm. |
| Neti-Neti | 'Not that, not that' A meditation practice, find out what we are by eliminating what we are not. |
| Nidra | Yogic sleep. Yoga Nidra is a specific guided meditation of the physical and subtle body. |
| Nirodha | a restriction or stilling of the mind-stuff. Chitta-Vritis. |
| Nirvana | Another word for liberation – Buddhist. |
| Niyama | 'Restraint' The second limb of Raja Ashtanga Yoga as described by Patanjali consists of 5 observences in regards to behavior: Purity - saucha, Contentment - santosh, Austerity - tapas, Self-study -svadhyaya), and Dedication to source, or the Lord - ishvara-pranidad. |
| Nyasa | 'To place' The bringing of Prana to places in the body by placing, touching, or directing the mind there. Where the word Vinyasa (To place in a special way) comes from. |
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Sanskrit Yoga Glossary O
| Ojas | Energy of vitality that rises with steady and focused practice. |
| Om | The sound of the universe, of all things coming apart and together, the universal mantra |
| Out-hale | The exhale of breath. As in: "Inhale….. out-hale…." (Yeah, this has come out of me in class…) |
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Sanskrit Yoga Glossary P
| Pada | foot – or the chapter in a sacred text. ie. There are 4 Padas in Patanjalis Yoga Sutras. |
| Padmasana | lotus pose |
| Pancha Tattwa | Tive elements that make up the physical world – earth, water, fire, air and ether |
| Param | High, in pertaining to divinity or source. |
| Paramatma | The transcendental self , as opposed to the jiva, or individual self. |
| Paschimottanasana | Seated forward Folding posture – 'stretch of the western side of the body.' |
| Pasu-Svabhava | Primal natures in all embodied beings, mainly pertaining to animal natures. |
| Patanjali | Sage who compiled the Yogic knowledge of his day into the Yoga Sutras, The primary text of Raja Ashtanga Yoga. Patanjali left us a map to enlightenment, distinct practices and what to watch out for along the way. |
| Pingala Nadi | 'The energy path or conduit rising up the right side of the body, connected with the sympathetic nervous system and energizing the mind when active. Sun, or Masculine energy. |
| Poornima | A night when the moon is full. |
| Prajna | Wisdom. |
| Prakamya | fulfilling desires. |
| Prakasha | A form of inner light. |
| Prakriti | Nature, the natural world, all physical things. |
| Prakriti-Laya | a high being who has merged with Nature. The state of being just before Moksha. |
| Pramana | proof or evidence of belief. |
| Prana | Spark of life that sustains all forms of living beings. The 'Life force' on loan to all embodied beings. |
| Pranava | A name for the sacred syllable Om. |
| Pranayama | Conscious practices of breath control. The fourth limb of Raja Ashtanga Yoga. |
| Prasad | Food that has been offered up. |
| Pratyahara | Withdrawing from the senses. – The fifth limb of Raja Ashtanga Yoga. leads to concentration. |
| Prema | Love |
| Puja | Ritual practice of offerings and worship. |
| Puraka | intake of air in Pranayama |
| Puranas | Volumes of ancient indian stories, myths and teachings. |
| Purusha | Pure Consciousness – The Supreme Being. |
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Sanskrit Yoga Glossary R
| Radha | Krishna's consort; a form of feminine divinity, the Mother |
| Raga | Attachment |
| Raja | Kingly |
| Raja Hatha Yoga | A Whole-Yoga practice – The physical practice of Yoga postures, while honoring all limbs of Patanjali's Ashtanga Yoga. A returning to wholeness. This is the style I practice and teach the most. |
| Rajas | Action, motion, unrest. One of the three Gunas. |
| Rama | Human born avatar of Vishnu – the preserving force in the universe. The ultimate form of masculinity, and righteousness. Husband of Sita. Subject of the the epic story of Ramayana |
| Rasasvada | a brief taste of Samdhi, or ultimate bliss. |
| Rechaka | exhalation, in the context of Pranyama, breathing control. |
| Rishi | 'seer' A very learned sage or spiritual master. |
| Rishikesh | A sacred city on the banks of the Ganges, upstream from Haridwar. A place of Yogis. |
| Rudra | Ancient form of Shiva, The god of transformation, of the Hindu Trinity. |
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Sanskrit Yoga Glossary S
| Sadhaka | a practicing Yogi |
| Sadhana | Perosnal spiritual practice and disciplines. 'accomplishment' |
| Sadhu | a Renunciate, wandering seeker of liberation. |
| Sahasrara Chakra | The Crown Chakra, beyond the elements, Nadis and sounds. Bija, or seed sound is a silent Om |
| Sakshi | Witness consciousness |
| Sakti | Power; the feminine aspect of Divinity. |
| Sakti-pat | Delivery or transference of energy from high being to seeker. |
| Sama | Evenness, tranquility, or Serenity. SamaVriti – evenness of mind |
| Samadhi | The eighth limb of Raja Ashtanga Yoga. Ecstatic state of being, where the aspirant joins with the object of meditation, becoming one with Superconsciousness – union with supreme source. Total bliss, or the endpoint of Raja Ashtanga Yoga. |
| Samkhya | Major branch of Hinduism which describes the balances between the world of Spirit - purusha with the world of Nature- prakriti |
| Samnyasa | 'To cast off' To renounce worldly objects and experiences, to be absorbed in spiritual practice. Fourth stage of Vedic Living. |
| Samsara | Embodied life, successes and challenges of living in Maya or illusion. |
| Samskaras | Karmic seeds, or impressions left in the subconscious. All worldly action leaves Samksaras. |
| Samyama | Simultaneous concentration - dharana, meditation - dhyana, and ecstasy - samadhi on one object. |
| Sankalpa | A resolve, or vow, intention or sacred decision. |
| Sankara (Shankara) | Child prodigy and teacher of Vedanta philosophy. Wrote the Nirvana Shaktam. |
| Sankirtan | repeating the name of your ishtadev, or chosen form of divinity |
| Sannyasins | Monastic renouncers of worldly life in favor of absorbtion in spiritual practice. |
| Santosha | Divine contentment - |
| Saraswati | Form of divine mother, Goddess of knowledge – arts, and music. Consort of Bramha. |
| Sarvangasana | The shoulderstand – Queen of Yoga postures. |
| Sat | of Truth – of higher truth. |
| Satchidananda | Absolute truth – Sat, absolute consciousness -Chid, absolute Bliss – Ananda |
| Satguru | High being, a guru who has seen emptiness and attained enlightenment. |
| Satsang | Gathering or community of truth seekers, association with like minded aspirants. |
| Sattva | pure, tranquil, calming, one of the three Gunas. |
| Satya | truth, being truthful. the Second Yama |
| Seetkari Pranayama | A hissing breathing practice with tongue pressed against lower teeth, cools the body and mind. |
| Shambhavi Mudra | 'Unfolding of the goddess within' gazing at the tip of the nose. |
| Shashankasana | Pose of the moon – very similar to childs posture – Balasana |
| Shatkarma | Kriyas that Purify the body, there are six, from the Hatha Yoga Pradipika |
| Sheetali Pranayama | A cooling Pranayama or breath control. Inhaling over the curled tongue cools the body. |
| Shishya | determined student |
| Siddha Yoni Asana | the female counterpart of the siddhasana meditative posture, in which the left heel presses the entrance to the vagina |
| Siddhasana | Seated posture with the left heel pressing into the pelvic floor, activating the mooladhara chakra. The adepts pose. Perfection. |
| Siddha | great or realized student |
| Siddha-Yoga | Kashmiri Shaivism Yoga practices of Swami Muktananda |
| Siddhi | Yogic powers or attainments |
| Sirshasana | Headstand – King of Yoga postures. |
| Siva (Shiva) | Of the hindu trinity, god of transformation |
| Sloka | a short verse of a sacred text – often two lines of prose. |
| Soham | Reflected in the breath. means 'I am That'. So is the inhale, Ham is the exhale. Opposite practice of Neti-Neti. also see Hamsa. |
| Spanda | Vibration, a concept that the ultimate reality is always evolving. |
| Sraddha | Faith |
| Sri | An honoring prefix for the name of a high being or deity. ie. Sri Lakshmi |
| Stotra | a sacred song, devotional song. |
| Suddha | Of purity, clear. |
| Sukhasana | a simple cross legged pose for meditation. |
| Surya Bheda Pranayama | Right nostril only (pingala or Sun) breathing practice |
| Sushumna Nadi | The central channel, the axis of the chakras and conduit for Kumdalini Shakti |
| Sutra | 'thread' A concentrated statement, meant to be unpacked and discoursed by a teacher. Yoga Sutras. |
| Swadhyaya | The fourth Niyama, Study of the self in context of the scriptures. A lifelong practice of knowing the self in relation to source. |
| Swarupa | reality, true nature. |
| Swadhisthana Chakra | The second Chakra, below navel and above Mooladhara Chakra, associated with desire, and sexual drive. Bija or seed sound is VAM. |
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Sanskrit Yoga Glossary T
| Tadasana | Mountain, or standing posture, upright, steady. Ready for practice. |
| Tamas | Darkness, lethargy, sloth, intertia. One of the three Gunas of qualities of nature that make up a person. |
| Tapas | 'To burn' Austerity, or challenge. Sacred effort in the context of a sankalpa, or vow. The third Niyama of Raja Ashtanga Yoga. Tapas is overcoming resistance for a real good chosen reason. |
| Tantra | Spiritual practices that see all existence as a form of Shakti energy of the feminine. Instead of realizing liberation from renouncing desire and human experience, they go through it to realize liberation. |
| Tiryaka Bhujangasana | The Cobra pose with an added twist of the thorasic, or upper spine. |
| Trataka | Cleansing of the eyes and sense of sight by conscious gazing, often a candle flame is used. |
| Trishna | sensory craving |
| Turiya | Transcendental state of being that is not awake, sleep, or dreaming. |
| Tyaga | a word for Renunciation of worldly things and ways. |
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Sanskrit Yoga Glossary U
| Uddiyana Bandha | Drawing up and inwards of the abdomen. Provides stabilization during asanas and Pranayamas. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Ujjayi Pranayama | Victory breath, A sounding breath – slightly constricting the back of the throat while breathing in through the nose. Speeds up the velocity of breath as to sustain Asana practice. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Upadesa | Counseling given by a learned person | ||||||||||||||||||
| Upanishad | An extension of the Vedas, some say a completion of, texts that expound upon and explain the Vedas. | ||||||||||||||||||
| Utkatasana | Awkward or fierce pose. Standing with deeply bent knees, arms overhead. | ||||||||||||||||||
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Sanskrit Yoga Glossary V
| Vairagya | 'Dispassion' Detachment from worldly attachments. renouncing desires. According to Patanjali and Krishna (Bhagavad Gita) – the path to controlling the mind with Abyhasa or regular practice |
| Vajrasana | Kneeling position with seat to heels. 'thunderbolt' |
| Vama Swara | Breathing into and out of the left nostril only. |
| Vasana-Kshya | To be without desire. |
| Vasanas | Desires that lurk below the surface. |
| Vatsara Dhauti | Swallowing much air, then burping, a Yogic cleansing or Kriya. |
| Vedas | These four texts: Rig Veda Yajur Veda Sama Veda Atharva Veda, make up the oldest books known to mankind, and the knowledge and practices revealed to the ancient sages of India. |
| Virasana | Pose of the Hero. knees bent, legs together, seated between the heels. |
| Vibhuti | Sacred Ash, from the sacred puja fire, worn on the Ajna and Vishuda chakras |
| Vishuddha Chakra | Throat Chakra, The seat of truth, and bridge between higher and lower chakras. See Hamsa |
| Viveka | Clear discernment, Discrimination |
| Vritti | A disturbance in the mind. |
| Vyavahara | Activity or action in the physical world. Prakriti. Chores… |
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Sanskrit Yoga Glossary Y
| Yama | 'Restraint' The first limb of Raja Ashtanga Yoga; A foundation of Yoga practice begins with vows of - Ahimsa – non-harming, Satya – truthfulness, Asteya – Not Stealing, Bramachyrya – sexual continence, Aparigraha – Non grasping or hoarding. |
| Yamuna River | Sacred river in India, joins the Ganges at Allahabad, one of the 4 sites of the Kumbha Mela. |
| Yantra | The Geometric representation of a Mantra used for meditation on an idea or deity, similar to a mandala. |
| Yoga | The Yoking or union – coming together of a pair of opposites. Sun and Moon, masculine and femine, known and unknown, man and source. Used in the context of seeking enlightenment, connection, a return to wholeness. (Vast, much more than posture exercise practice) |
| Yoga Nidra | a guided meditation of the physical and subtle bodies, leading to deep rest and rejuvanation |
| Yoni | Source – feminine – Feminine genitals. |
Sanskrit Yoga Glossary
| Zabuton | Traditional square meditation cushion used in Zen practice. |
| Zafu | Traditional round meditation cushion used in Zen Practice. |
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