Sanskrit Glossary for Yoga
A free, searchable reference with accurate IAST spelling, pronunciation audio, and meanings for the Sanskrit terms we might encounter in our studies and practices.
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Long vowels: ā, ī and ū are held ~2x longer than a, i and u. The line above the vowel indicates length, not stress.
e and o are always long vowels in Sanskrit.Vowel sounds:
a — like the u in “but”
ā — the same sound held roughly twice as long
ai — like the ai in “aisle”, a long vowel
au — like the ow in “trowel”, a long vowel
e — like the ey in “they”, a long vowel
i — like the i in “fit”
ī — like the ee in “meet” , a long vowel
o — like the o in “grow”, a long vowel
u — a short oo sound
ū — like the oo in “rude”, a long vowelRetroflex sounds: ṭ, ḍ, ṇ and ṣ are pronounced with the tongue touching or curling back toward the roof of the mouth.
jña: as in prajñā or jñāna, has an “ny”-like sound with a very slight hint of a g at the beginning. Hindi commonly pronounces this combination more like “gya,” which is one reason different pronunciations are often heard.
Ś and Ṣ: both have a “sh”-like sound, but with different tongue positions. ś is formed farther forward in the mouth, while ṣ is retroflex, with the tongue curled back toward the roof of the mouth.
Anusvāra — ṃ: the dot beneath the m generally indicates a nasal sound whose pronunciation is influenced by the sound that follows it. Sanskrit anusvāra is written ṃ, never ṁ.
Visarga — ḥ: the dot under the h indicates the preceding vowel lightly echoed after the aspirated h. ex: aḥ = aha; iḥ - ihi, etc. Depending on context, it may indicate a breath-like sound after the ḥ.
V and W: Sanskrit has no separate w. The sound written v in IAST falls somewhere between an English v and w.
Other English letters: Classical Sanskrit has no native f, q, x, or z sounds. Also, combinations such as ph, th, and dh are aspirated consonants rather than the English sounds those spellings may suggest.
Sanskrit and Hindi: Sanskrit generally preserves a final a that Hindi drops. For example, Sanskrit āsana is commonly pronounced āsan in Hindi.
A
Abhaya
a-bha-ya
Freedom from fear; safety and security.
Abhaya describes the absence of fear and an inner sense of safety and security.
Abhiniveśa
a-bhi-ni-ve-śa
Clinging to life; fear of death.
Abhiniveśa is the 5th of the 5 kleśas (afflictions). It triggers deep-rooted, unconscious fears, weakening spiritual remembrance (smṛti). To overcome, strengthen trust (śraddhā) and surrender through meditative absorption.
Abhyāsa
ab-hyā-sa
Practice; repeated or sustained effort.
Abhyāsa refers to steady, consistent practice cultivated over time. It's the effort made toward remaining established or steady, the quality of persistent application. Patañjali pairs abhyāsa with vairāgya (non-attachment) as two essential supports of Yoga practice.
Ahaṃkāra
a-haṃ-kā-ra
“I-maker”; the organizing principle of individuality.
Ahaṃkāra is the principle of individuation that establishes distinction within manifestation. In us, it organizes experience around “I” and “mine,” creating the coherent individual identity through which we experience the world. Ahaṃkāra is a cosmological principle, not merely the psychological ego.
Ahiṃsā
a-hiṃ-sā
Non-harming; non-violence.
Ahiṃsā is the first and foundational yama in Patañjali’s aṣṭāṅga system. It asks the yogi to cultivate non-harming in thought, word, and action, toward all living beings, including oneself.
Ājñā Cakra
ā-jñā ca-kra
Command centre; intuition, vision and inner integration.
Ājñā is located in the mid-brain and is associated with intuition, dreams, visualization, inspiration, and perception beyond the ordinary senses. It is understood as a centre where the energies and functions associated with the lower cakras become integrated and harmonized.
Ākāśa
ā-kā-śa
Space; openness and capacity.
Ākāśa is the subtlest of the five mahābhūtas (great elements). It provides the openness or space within which movement and manifestation can occur and is associated with śabda, the subtle principle of sound.
Anāhata Cakra
a-nā-ha-ta ca-kra
Heart centre; the fulcrum between the lower cakras and the upper.
Anāhata is located at the heart and is associated with the air element. It is the sandhi, or junction, between the lower and upper cakras, and relates to love, compassion, empathy and clarity of feeling.
Aparigraha
a-pa-ri-gra-ha
Non-grasping; freedom from possessiveness and accumulation.
Aparigraha is the 5th of the five yamas, the first limb of Patañjali’s aṣṭāṅga Yoga. It is the practice of loosening our grip on possessions, relationships, identities, and outcomes when attachment to them begins to bind us.
Āsana
ā-sa-na
Seat; posture.
Āsana means a seat or posture. In Patañjali’s Yoga Sūtras, it's described as steady and easeful, referring to a seat for meditation. The same principle applies to every posture we practice.
Asmitā
as-mi-tā
Ego-identification; “I-am-ness.”
The 2nd of the five kleśas, asmitā is the identification of the Seer with the mind-body and its faculties, mistaking the limited sense of self for one’s true nature. Asmitā strengthens the illusion of separateness, clouding insight. Overcome asmitā by cultivating witness awareness, beyond the ego.
Aṣṭāṅga
aṣ-ṭāṅ-ga
Eight limbs; Patañjali’s integrated path of Yoga practice.
Aṣṭāṅga literally means “eight limbs”. In Patañjali’s Yoga Sūtras these eight limbs are: yama, niyama, āsana, prāṇāyāma, pratyāhāra, dhāraṇā, dhyāna, and samādhi. Together they form a complete framework for refining how we live, practice, perceive, and ultimately experience the state of Yoga.
Asteya
a-ste-ya
Non-stealing; freedom from taking or coveting what is not ours.
Asteya is the 3rd of the five yamas, the first limb of Patañjali’s aṣṭāṅga Yoga. It extends beyond taking physical possessions and asks us to notice the impulse to take or covet another person’s time, attention, recognition, resources, or anything else that is not ours.
Avidyā
a-vid-yā
Ignorance, misperception; lack of true knowledge.
In Yoga, avidyā refers specifically to not recognizing one’s true nature. The 1st of the five kleśas (afflictions), and the ground from which the other kleśas arise. Avidyā weakens buddhi (the faculty of discernment), making us mistake the unreal for the real. To overcome avidyā, cultivate viveka (discernment) through deep study and self-inquiry.
Āyurveda
ā-yur-ve-da
Knowledge of life; the traditional Indian science of health and medicine.
Āyurveda understands life as a dynamic relationship between body, mind, constitution, environment, and daily living. It offers individualized ways of supporting health and restoring balance through diet, digestion, lifestyle, routine, medicines, and other therapeutic practices.
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B
Bīja
bī-ja
Seed; a concentrated mantra syllable.
In mantra practice, a bīja is a single-syllable seed sound that concentrates a particular quality, principle, or aspect of the sacred into a compact sonic form. Just as a seed, when planted and given the proper conditions, grows into its potential, a bīja is understood to contain something much larger within its concentrated form. Bījas may be practiced independently or incorporated into longer mantras.
Brahmā
brah-mā
Creator deity; the divine principle of creation.
Brahmā is the creator within the Hindu Trimūrti of Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Śiva. Traditionally depicted with four faces, he represents the creative ordering and formation of the manifested universe.
Brahmacarya
brah-ma-car-ya
Sexual restraint; conscious direction of creative and vital energy.
Brahmacarya is the fourth of the five yamas, the first limb of Patañjali’s aṣṭāṅga Yoga. Traditionally associated with sexual restraint or celibacy, it can also be understood as learning not to be governed by desire and directing creative and vital energy toward deeper purpose.
Brahman
brah-man
Supreme Reality; the unchanging ground of existence and consciousness.
Brahman is the absolute, unbounded reality underlying and pervading all manifestation. It is beyond the divisions through which we ordinarily experience ourselves and the world, while remaining the underlying reality of both.
Buddhi
bud-dhi
Discernment; the faculty of intelligence and clear judgment.
Buddhi is the capacity to determine, discriminate, understand and make judgements from what is perceived. A sattvic (clear and balanced) buddhi supports accurate discernment and deeper recognition of the nature of reality.
C
Cakra
ca-kra
Wheel; a subtle energetic centre.
Cakra literally means wheel. Within us they are subtle energetic centres cultivated through practices of visualization, mantra and meditation. Traditional Indian systems describe different numbers and arrangements of cakras, rather than one universal system.
Citta
cit-ta
The total mind-field; consciousness.
In Patañjali’s Yoga, citta is the changing inner field in which thought, perception, memory, emotion, and other vṛttis (mental fluctuations) arise. It can also be understood as a “storehouse” for memories, past actions, and subconscious impressions, generating thoughts, feelings, and ego responses.
D
Dhāraṇā
dhā-ra-ṇā
Concentration; holding the attention steadily.
The 6th limb of Patañjali’s aṣṭāṅga system, dhāraṇā is the deliberate gathering of attention toward a single point or object.
Dharma
dhar-ma
Sustaining order; right action.
Dharma is what supports and preserves harmony within life. For an individual, it includes an underlying path shaped by one’s nature, responsibilities and stage of life, as well as the action or way of living most appropriate to particular circumstances. Dharma is therefore both enduring and contextual, unfolding and changing as life changes.
Dhyāna
dhyā-na
Meditation; sustained meditative awareness.
The 7th limb of Patañjali’s aṣṭāṅga system, dhyāna describes an increased stilling of the fluctuations of the mind, beyond the more deliberate concentration of dhāraṇā.
Doṣa
do-ṣa
Functional principle; one of the three organizing forces of Āyurvedic physiology.
Āyurveda describes three doṣas: vāta, pitta, and kapha. They are functional principles formed through different combinations of the five mahābhūtas (great elements) and govern patterns such as movement, transformation, structure, and stability throughout body and mind. Everyone contains all three doṣas in unique proportions, creating an individual constitutional pattern that serves as a baseline for understanding one’s physiology, psychology, and appropriate therapeutic approaches.
Draṣṭṛ
draṣ-ṭṛ
Seer; one who sees or perceives.
In Patañjali’s Yoga, draṣṭṛ refers to the Seer, the conscious principle distinct from citta (mind-field) and its changing vṛttis (mental fluctuations). When those vṛttis are stilled, the Seer is said to abide in its own nature.
Dṛṣṭi
dṛṣ-ṭi
Sight or gaze; the act or faculty of seeing.
Dṛṣṭi means sight, gaze, or a focused way of seeing. In Yoga, it can refer to the direction of the eyes and attention, while more broadly it describes the relationship created through the act of seeing.
Duḥkha
duḥ-kha
Suffering, pain, or unease; obstruction of ease or flow.
Duḥkha describes experiences of suffering, discomfort, difficulty, or distress and is the opposite of sukha, ease or well-being. In Yoga, it can also be understood as a state in which our natural sense of ease or flow has become obstructed. Patañjali teaches that through Yoga, future duḥkha can be recognized at its source and avoided.
Dveṣa
dve-ṣa
Aversion; repulsion.
The 4th of the five kleśas, dveṣa is the push away from painful or unpleasant experiences and is often understood as the counterpart to rāga (attachment). To overcome dveṣa, cultivate equanimity through meditation and self-reflection.
G
Gaṇa
ga-ṇa
Group, class or category.
Gaṇa refers to a grouping of individual things according to a shared quality, rule, or purpose. It can describe a class, community, collection, sect, or any other category.
Gandha
gan-dha
Smell or odour; the subtle potential of olfactory perception.
Gandha is the tanmātra (sensory experience) associated with smell and with pṛthivī, the earth element. It represents the subtle quality through which odour becomes perceptible.
Guṇa
gu-ṇa
Quality; attribute of manifested reality.
In Sāṃkhya and Yoga, prakṛti (manifested nature) is composed of three guṇas: sattva (clarity), rajas (activity), and tamas (inertia). Everything within manifested nature expresses all three in changing proportions, with one or another becoming more dominant at different times.
Guru
gu-ru
A spiritual teacher or guide who leads the student from darkness toward knowledge and realization.
A guru is more than a teacher of knowledge or technique. The guru transmits spiritual knowledge and guides a prepared student toward direct experience of a deeper reality. The word also means “heavy” or “weighty,” suggesting the grounding and stability a guru provides, and is traditionally interpreted as “remover of darkness.” In Jyotiṣa, Guru is also a name for Bṛhaspati, or Jupiter, the great teacher.
H
Haṭha
ha-ṭha
Physical and energetic Yoga; a system using the body and prāṇa as means toward meditation and liberation.
Haṭha Yoga developed as a system of physical and energetic practices including āsana, prāṇāyāma, mudrā and bandha. These practices were traditionally used to transform the body and regulate prāṇa (vital energy) in preparation for deeper meditation and the realization of Yoga.
I
Iḍā Nāḍī
i-ḍā nā-ḍī
Left lunar channel; the calming current of the subtle body.
Iḍā is one of the three principal nāḍīs (ethereal nerves) and is associated with the left side, the moon, and cooling, calming and inward-moving qualities, broadly paralleling parasympathetic nervous system activity in modern physiological terms. It functions in relationship with Piṅgalā (solar channel) and Suṣumṇā (central channel).
Indriya
in-dri-ya
Sense or faculty; an instrument of perception or action.
In Sāṃkhya, the indriyas are the faculties or capacities through which we perceive and interact with the manifested world. They include the five jñānendriyas (sense organs), five karmendriyas (organs of action), and manas (the thinking mind) as the coordinating eleventh faculty.
Īśvara
īś-va-ra
Supreme guiding intelligence; a special form of pure consciousness.
In Patañjali’s Yoga, Īśvara is a special Puruṣa (pure consciousness) untouched by the kleśas (afflictions), karma, and their effects. Īśvara can be understood as the higher governing intelligence toward which the practitioner may orient through devotion, trust, and surrender.
Īśvarapraṇidhāna
īś-va-ra-pra-ṇi-dhā-na
Devotion and surrender to Īśvara; offering action beyond the individual ego.
Īśvara-praṇidhāna is the 5th of the five niyamas, the second limb of Patañjali’s aṣṭāṅga Yoga. It is the practice of dedicating our actions and their results to something greater than the limited individual self.
J
Japa
ja-pa
Repetition as a contemplative practice, commonly of mantra or sacred sound.
Japa is the practice of returning the mind again and again to a chosen focus through repetition. This is often a mantra, sacred name, prayer, or passage, practiced aloud, in a whisper, or mentally. Repetition can also be linked with the breath, giving the mind a continuous point of return rather than allowing it to follow its habitual chain of thoughts. Over time, the practice cultivates concentration, steadiness, and awareness of the silence between repetitions.
Jñāna
jñā-na
Knowledge; spiritual knowledge or wisdom.
In Yoga, jñāna is knowledge directed toward understanding the nature of the Self and reality. Jñāna Yoga uses study, inquiry and discernment as a path toward increasingly direct understanding.
Jñānendriya
jñā-nen-dri-ya
Faculty of cognition; one of the five means of sensory perception.
The five jñānendriyas allow sensory information to enter experience: hearing, touch, sight, taste, and smell. They are the means by which we perceive the world and associated respectively with the ears, skin, eyes, tongue, and nose.
Jyotiṣa
jyo-ti-ṣa
Indian astronomy and astrology; the study of celestial cycles and time.
Jyotiṣa is one of the six Vedāṅgas (limbs of Vedic study) and traditionally brings astronomy and astrology together through the observation of celestial bodies and the measurement of time. In its astrological application, it is used to illuminate patterns of karma and timing in human life.
K
Kāla
kā-la
Time; the principle of duration and sequence.
Kāla means time. In Tantric models of manifestation, it describes the limitation through which what is timeless and unbounded comes to be experienced through duration, sequence, age, and change.
Kapha
ka-pha
The Āyurvedic doṣa governing structure and stability; composed of earth and water.
Kapha is one of the three doṣas in Āyurveda and is composed of the elements of earth and water. Its qualities are heavy, slow, cold, oily, smooth, dense, and stable. Kapha governs structure, cohesion, nourishment, and stability throughout the body and mind. When balanced, it supports strength, endurance, calmness, patience, steadiness, and a grounded sense of well-being.
Karma
kar-ma
Action; action and the consequences it sets in motion.
Karma literally means action. Our thoughts, words, and deeds create consequences that shape what follows. These karmic patterns operate individually, through families and cultures, and collectively, influencing the conditions in which present choices are made.
Karmendriya
kar-men-dri-ya
Faculty of action; one of the five means of acting in the world.
The five karmendriyas are the capacities for speech, grasping, locomotion, elimination, and generation. They are traditionally associated with the voice, hands, feet, organs of elimination, and reproductive organs.
Kleśa
kle-śa
Affliction; obstacle that contributes to suffering.
Afflictions that create obstacles to knowing our true nature. Patañjali identifies five kleśas: avidyā (ignorance or lack of true knowledge), asmitā (“I-am-ness” or ego-identification), rāga (attachment or desire), dveṣa (aversion), and abhiniveśa (clinging to life). Avidyā is described as the ground from which the other four arise.
Kriyā
kri-yā
Action; an intentional practice undertaken for a specific purpose.
In Yoga, kriyā can refer to a prescribed action, technique, or sequence of practices intended to produce a particular effect. Depending on the tradition, this may include breath, movement, mantra, visualization, meditation, or other methods.
Kuṇḍalinī
kuṇ-ḍa-li-nī
The energy that, when awakened, begins to loosen identification with the individual self.
Kuṇḍalinī is traditionally represented as energy coiled like a serpent in front of the sacrum, often described as dormant until awakened. Kuṇḍalinī and ahaṃkāra are the same underlying power oriented differently: when that power identifies with the individual personality, it functions as ahaṃkāra; as it releases that identification and reconnects with Supreme Reality, it becomes Kuṇḍalinī.
L
Līlā
lī-lā
Play; the spontaneous unfolding of life or manifestation as a cosmic game.
Līlā describes life as a cosmic play or drama. The one reality appears as the many, allowing the diversity of experience, relationship, change, and karma to unfold. Remembering life as līlā can loosen our identification with the drama and our need to control it, allowing us to participate more fully in the experience of being alive.
M
Mahābhārata
ma-hā-bhā-ra-ta
A vast ancient Sanskrit epic; the larger work containing the Bhagavad Gītā.
The Mahābhārata tells the story of a dynastic struggle between the Pāṇḍavas and Kauravas that culminates in the great war at Kurukṣetra. Traditionally attributed to Vyāsa, the vast work explores dharma, karma, duty, power, family, conflict, spiritual liberation, and the complexity of right action. The Bhagavad Gītā appears within the Mahābhārata as the dialogue between Kṛṣṇa and Arjuna on the battlefield before the war begins.
Mahābhūta
ma-hā-bhū-ta
Great element; a manifested elemental principle.
Bhūta comes from the root bhū, “to become,” so the mahābhūtas can be understood as the five great principles that have come into manifestation: ākāśa (space), vāyu (air), tejas (fire), ap (water), and pṛthivī (earth). They arise from the five tanmātras (subtle sensory essences) and move from subtle openness toward increasingly dense and stable expression. Ākāśa opens. Vāyu moves. Tejas transforms. Ap coheres. Pṛthivī stabilizes.
Mahat
ma-hat
Cosmic Intelligence; the great principle.
Along with buddhi, mahat is one of the 25 tattvas (principles) of Sāṃkhya philosophy and the first great differentiation of Prakṛti, the intelligence inherent in the ordering of manifestation. Whereas buddhi is individual discernment, mahat is universal or cosmic intelligence at large, the ordering intelligence through which the laws of the universe operate.
Manas
ma-nas
Mind; the perceptual and coordinating faculty.
In Sāṃkhya, manas receives and organizes information from the senses, presents it to buddhi for discernment, and helps coordinate the response through the organs of action. Its clarity directly affects how accurately we perceive and respond to experience.
Maṇipūra Cakra
ma-ṇi-pū-ra ca-kra
Navel centre; fire, transformation.
Maṇipūra is located at the navel and is associated with the fire element. It relates to intellect, confidence, will, action and the development of our individual sense of self.
Mantra
man-tra
Sacred sound; an instrument of thought.
Mantra can be a sacred verse, formula, syllable, or sound used in recitation and meditation. Depending on the tradition, practice may involve its precise sound and meaning, or use the sound itself as a vehicle for carrying the mind toward greater stillness.
Māyā
mā-yā
Illusion; mistaking partial perception for the whole of reality.
Māyā is the reality we perceive through a limited point of view, never the whole picture. The illusion comes when we mistake what we can see and experience for the full nature of reality.
Mudrā
mu-drā
Seal; a gesture or bodily technique used to contain, direct, or influence prāṇa.
Mudrās are gestures or positions used to influence the flow of prāṇa and support particular states of awareness. They are most commonly practiced with the hands, although some involve the face or whole body. Across Yoga and other Indian spiritual traditions, mudrās are used to influence the flow of energy and support particular states of awareness.
Mūlādhāra Cakra
Mū-lā-dhā-ra ca-kra
Root centre; foundation, support.
Mūlādhāra cakra is located at the pelvic floor and is associated with the earth element. It relates to our foundation in life: survival, security, family, the physical body and our ability to feel grounded.
N
Nāḍī
nā-ḍī
Channel; a subtle pathway through which prāṇa moves.
In Yoga, nāḍīs are channels within the subtle body through which prāṇa (vital energy) circulates. Traditional teachings describe a vast network of nāḍīs, with Iḍā (lunar), Piṅgalā (solar) and Suṣumnā (central) being the most important. We can think of nāḍīs as ethereal nerves.
Nāḍī Śodhana
nā-ḍī śo-dha-na
Purification of the nāḍīs; alternate-nostril breathing.
Nāḍī Śodhana is a prāṇāyāma practice in which the breath alternates between the nostrils to purify and balance the flow of prāṇa through iḍā (lunar) and piṅgalā (solar) nāḍīs into the central channel, suṣumnā nāḍī. It supports greater steadiness and prepares the system for meditation.
Niyama
ni-ya-ma
Observance; practices of moving toward what supports Yoga.
Niyama is the 2nd limb of Patañjali’s aṣṭāṅga Yoga. The five niyamas are śauca, santoṣa, tapas, svādhyāya, and Īśvara-praṇidhāna, practices that consciously cultivate the inner conditions that support clarity, steadiness, and spiritual growth.
P
Patañjali
pa-tañ-ja-li
The ancient sage traditionally credited with composing the Yoga Sūtras.
Patañjali is the sage traditionally associated with the Yoga Sūtras, a foundational text of classical Yoga. Through 195 concise sūtras, the text presents a systematic approach to understanding the mind, the causes of suffering, and the practices that lead toward liberation, including the eight limbs of Yoga.
Piṅgalā Nāḍī
piṅ-ga-lā nā-ḍī
Right solar channel; the activating current of the subtle body.
Piṅgalā is one of the three principal nāḍīs and is associated with the right side, the sun, and warming, active and outward-moving qualities, broadly paralleling sympathetic nervous system activity in modern physiological terms. It functions in relationship with Iḍā (lunar channel) and Suṣumṇā (central channel).
Pitta
pit-ta
The Āyurvedic doṣa governing digestion and transformation; composed of fire and water.
Pitta is one of the three doṣas in Āyurveda and is composed of the elements of fire and water. Its qualities are hot, sharp, light, slightly oily, spreading, and liquid. Pitta governs digestion and transformation throughout the body and mind. When balanced, it supports warmth, clarity, discernment, focus, and the effective processing of food, thought, and experience.
Prajñā
pra-jñā
Insight; direct wisdom.
Prajñā is a refined form of knowing that arises through clear perception rather than ordinary conceptual thought. In Yoga, it describes increasingly direct insight into the nature of reality.
Prakṛti
pra-kṛ-ti
Primordial nature; the creative field of manifestation.
Prakṛti is everything that can change, evolve or be experienced, from the process of mind to the physical elements. Composed of the guṇas (qualities) - sattva, rajas, and tamas, Prakṛti unfolds through the tattvas (principles) that make up manifested reality.
Prāṇa
prā-ṇa
Vital energy; life-force.
Prāṇa is the vital force that animates and sustains life. Present throughout the body and the natural world, it moves through the nāḍīs and underlies the functions of the body, senses and mind. The concept is broadly comparable to qì (chi) in Chinese traditions, though each belongs to its own system of understanding life and health.
Prāṇāyāma
prā-ṇā-yā-ma
The cultivation and regulation of prāṇa.
The 4th limb of Patañjali’s aṣṭāṅga system. Prāṇa (vital energy) + āyāma (extension, expansion). So prāṇāyāma is the extension, expansion of prāṇa through practices involving the breath in order to cultivate, regulate and distribute prāṇa within our organism.
Pratyāhāra
prat-yā-hā-ra
Withdrawal or inward turning of the senses.
The 5th limb of Patañjali’s aṣṭāṅga system, pratyāhāra follows prāṇāyāma and continues the inward movement of practice by drawing the senses away from external stimulation, and turning awareness toward the subtler dimensions of inner experience.
Pṛthivī
pṛ-thi-vī
Earth; solidity, stability, and structure.
Pṛthivī is the earth element, the densest and most stable of the five mahābhūtas (great elements). Associated with gandha, or smell, it provides solidity, structure, support, and resistance to change.
Puruṣa
pu-ru-ṣa
Pure consciousness; the unchanging Seer.
Puruṣa is awareness itself, the witnessing principle that remains unchanged while Prakṛti (manifested nature) unfolds as experience. In a broader Tantric framework, Puruṣa and Prakṛti are complementary expressions within an underlying unity. They are not separate.
R
Rāga
rā-ga
Attachment; craving.
Rāga is the 3rd of the five kleśas. It’s the pull toward pleasurable experiences and the desire to repeat, possess, or preserve them. Rāga creates mental fixation, preventing clarity. To overcome, practice non-attachment (vairāgya) and reflect on impermanence.
Rajas
ra-jas
Activity and movement; the quality that impels.
The quality (guṇa) of movement, effort, change, and desire. It provides the energy for action but when predominant it can also appear as agitation, restlessness, reactivity, or constant striving. Passion and emotion are also characterized as rajasic. Not inherently negative, because without rajas there would be no movement, effort, transformation or capacity to act. Rajas is the opposite of tamas (inertia).
Rāja Yoga
rā-ja yo-ga
The “Royal Path” of Yoga; the path of meditation and self-mastery.
Rāja Yoga is closely associated with Patañjali’s eight-limbed system of Yoga and emphasizes mastery of the mind through progressively inward practices culminating in meditation and samādhi. Often described as the “Royal Path,” it is commonly taught as one of four principal paths of Yoga, alongside Jñāna Yoga, Karma Yoga, and Bhakti Yoga.
Rāmāyaṇa
rā-mā-ya-ṇa
A vast ancient Sanskrit epic telling the story of Rāma, Sītā, and their exile, separation, and return.
Traditionally attributed to the sage Vālmīki, the Rāmāyaṇa follows Prince Rāma through his exile from Ayodhyā, the abduction of his wife Sītā by Rāvaṇa, and the journey to rescue her with the help of Hanumān and his allies. Beyond its narrative, the epic explores dharma through questions of duty, relationship, loyalty, devotion, leadership, and right action, and has profoundly shaped the religious and cultural traditions of India and much of Asia.
Rasa
ra-sa
Taste or flavour; the subtle potential of gustatory perception.
Rasa is the tanmātra (sensory experience) associated with taste and with āpas or jala, the water element. It represents the subtle quality through which flavour becomes perceptible.
Ṛṣi
ṛ-ṣi
Seer; an inspired sage to whom Vedic mantra is revealed.
Ṛṣis are the seers of the Vedic mantras. Through profound spiritual practice and states of heightened awareness, they are traditionally understood to have perceived or received the Vedas rather than creating or composing them themselves.
Rūpa
rū-pa
Form and colour; the subtle potential of visual perception.
Rūpa is the tanmātra (sensory experience) associated with sight and with agni or tejas, the fire element. It refers to the subtle principle through which form, colour, and visible appearance can be perceived.
S
Śabda
śab-da
Sound; the subtle potential of auditory perception.
Śabda is the tanmātra (sensory experience) associated with hearing and with ākāśa, the space element. In the Sāṃkhya sequence, it is the subtlest of the five sensory qualities.
Sādhana
sā-dha-na
Spiritual practice; disciplined practice.
Sādhana can include the various practices a practitioner uses for inner transformation, such as meditation, prāṇāyāma, mantra, study or āsana.
Sādhu
sā-dhu
Holy person; an ascetic or renunciant devoted to spiritual practice.
The word Sādhu carries broader meanings such as good, virtuous, right, and accomplished. In Indian spiritual traditions, it commonly refers to a holy person, sage, ascetic, or renunciant who has dedicated life to spiritual practice and realization. The word is related to the root sādh, “to accomplish” or “bring to completion,” the same root underlying sādhana. The feminine form is sādhvī.
Sahasrāra Cakra
sa-has-rā-ra ca-kra
Thousand-petalled lotus; the crown centre of universal consciousness.
Sahasrāra is located at or just above the crown of the head and represents the most subtle level of the seven-centre cakra system. It is associated with meditation and connection with the universal field of consciousness.
Śakti
śak-ti
Power or energy; the dynamic creative force of consciousness.
Śakti is the immense vibrational energy present throughout the manifested universe. It is the creative force through which all forms arise, move, transform, and interact within space and time.
Samādhi
sa-mā-dhi
Absorption; profound meditative integration.
The final limb of Patañjali’s aṣṭāṅga system, samādhi is the state of pure consciousness, pure awareness, complete absorption.
Sāṃkhya
sāṃ-khya
Foundational philosophy of Yoga; Vedic-rooted system of enumeration and discernment.
Sāṃkhya is one of the six classical darśanas (philosophical systems) of Indian philosophy and provides much of the philosophical foundation for Yoga and its related Vedic sciences. Sāṃkhya systematically describes reality through 25 tattvas (principles), tracing manifestation from Puruṣa and Prakṛti through mind, senses, and the elements.
Saṃskāra
saṃ-skā-ra
Mental impression; a conditioning pattern left by previous experience.
Saṃskāras are impressions created by past experiences, thoughts, and actions. They remain as latent conditioning that can influence perception, habit, and future response.
Saṃskṛta (Sanskrit)
saṃ-skṛ-ta
Refined, perfected; an ancient Indo-European language of extraordinary precision and resonance.
The word Sanskrit, transliterated with diacritics as saṃskṛta, literally means refined, polished or carefully formed. Sanskrit transmits vast bodies of profound knowledge and wisdom, from the macrocosm to the microcosm, across fields ranging from medicine, astronomy, mathematics, and architecture, to Yoga, philosophy, poetry, and so much more. Its highly systematic grammatical tradition has preserved the language over millennia with extraordinary precision in sound, word formation, and meaning.
Saṃyama
saṃ-ya-ma
The combined practice of concentration, meditation, and absorption.
In Patañjali’s Yoga Sūtras, saṃyama is the integrated practice of dhāraṇā (concentration), dhyāna (meditation), and samādhi (absorption) directed toward the same object. As these three become increasingly unified, the distinction between concentrating, meditating, and becoming absorbed begins to dissolve. Patañjali presents saṃyama as a means through which deeper knowledge and insight arise.
Sandhi
san-dhi
Junction or joining; a point where two things meet or transform.
Sandhi means a junction, connection or transition. In Sanskrit grammar, it describes the sound changes that occur where sounds meet. More broadly, a sandhi can be any transitional point, like the meeting of night and day at sunrise or sunset, or the threshold between childhood and adulthood, when one phase of life gives way to another.
Santoṣa
san-to-ṣa
Contentment; finding sufficiency in what is present.
Santoṣa is the second of the five niyamas, the second limb of Patañjali’s aṣṭāṅga Yoga. It is the cultivation of contentment without requiring circumstances, possessions, or experiences to continually provide satisfaction.
Sattva
sat-tva
Clarity, trueness; the quality that reveals.
Sattva is the guṇa (quality) associated with clarity, luminosity, balance and the capacity to perceive clearly. Yoga cultivates sattva because a clear and settled mind is better able to reflect the true nature of the Seer.
Satya
sat-ya
Truthfulness; alignment of thought, word, and reality.
Satya is the second of the five yamas, the first limb of Patañjali’s aṣṭāṅga Yoga. It is the practice of perceiving, thinking, and communicating as truthfully as possible, guided by ahiṃsā (non-harming) so that truth is not used to justify unnecessary harm.
Śauca
śau-ca
Purity and cleanliness; clarification of body and mind.
Śauca is the first of the five niyamas, the second limb of Patañjali’s aṣṭāṅga Yoga. It is the practice of cultivating cleanliness and clarity externally and internally, helping create the conditions for clearer perception and steadier practice.
Śavāsana
śa-vā-sa-na
Corpse pose; a posture of complete stillness and release.
Śavāsana is a resting posture in which the body becomes completely still and effort is released. Its symbolism of death can also represent letting go of what has passed, creating space to emerge from practice changed.
Śiva
śi-va
The Auspicious One; deity and principle of pure consciousness.
Śiva can refer to the deity associated with dissolution, transformation, Yoga, and liberation, and in Śaiva Tantra to the absolute principle of consciousness. In nondual Tantra, Śiva and Śakti (creative energy) are inseparable aspects of the same reality.
Sparśa
spar-śa
Touch; the subtle potential of tactile perception.
Sparśa is the tanmātra (sensory experience) associated with touch and with vāyu, the air element. It represents the subtle principle through which contact, texture, and tactile experience become perceptible.
Śruti
śru-ti
That which is heard; revealed Vedic knowledge.
Śruti literally means “that which is heard” and is a traditional name for the Vedas. The sacred knowledge of the Vedas is understood to have been heard or received by the ṛṣis rather than composed by them. The Vedas are therefore also known as śruti, “what is heard and then cognized,” and were preserved with extraordinary precision through oral transmission.
Sthūla
sthū-la
Gross, dense, or material; the tangible rather than subtle aspect of something.
Sthūla describes what is gross, dense, material, or perceptible, and is commonly contrasted with sūkṣma, subtle. For example, sthūla-śarīra refers to the gross or physical body, distinguishing the tangible dimension of embodiment from subtler aspects of the individual.
Sukha
su-kha
Ease, happiness, or well-being; the presence of ease or flow.
Sukha describes ease, comfort, happiness, or well-being and is the opposite of duḥkha, suffering or unease. In Yoga, it can also describe a state in which there is an ease of flow rather than obstruction or friction, what ISHTA describes as the “sweet spot.”
Suṣumnā Nāḍī
su-ṣum-nā nā-ḍī
Central channel; the primary pathway of meditative integration.
Suṣumnā is the central channel of the three principal nāḍīs, lying between Iḍā (lunar) and Piṅgalā (solar). When the opposing currents are brought into balance, prāṇa (vital energy) can move through Suṣumnā, supporting deeper meditation and samādhi (meditative absorption).
Sūtra
sū-tra
Thread; a concise aphorism or rule.
A sūtra uses very few words to hold a much larger teaching. Collections of sūtras string these concise statements together in a structured progression, which is why traditional commentary is so helpful for understanding them.
Svādhiṣṭhāna Cakra
svā-dhi-ṣṭhā-na ca-kra
Pelvic centre; sacral centre.
Svādhiṣṭhāna is located in the pelvic bowl and associated with the water element. It relates to movement, fluidity and the ebb and flow of attraction and aversion, shaping how we respond to situations.
Svādhyāya
svā-dhyā-ya
Self-study; inquiry into the deeper Self.
Svādhyāya is the fourth of the five niyamas, the second limb of Patañjali’s aṣṭāṅga Yoga. It is the practice of looking deeply into our own patterns and assumptions, supported by study of teachings that help reveal our true nature.
T
Tamas
ta-mas
Inertia and resistance; the quality that stabilizes or obscures.
Tamas is the quality (guṇa) that slows, stabilizes, grounds, and gives resistance and form. When predominant, the same quality can become dullness, lethargy, confusion, or an obscuring of clear perception.
Tanmātra
tan-mā-tra
Subtle sensory essence; the potential underlying sensory experience.
In Sāṃkhya, the five tanmātras are śabda, sparśa, rūpa, rasa, and gandha: the subtle principles of sound, touch, form, taste, and smell. They precede the five mahābhūtas and represent the subtle qualities through which manifested reality becomes perceptible.
Tantra
tan-tra
System or framework; an embodied path toward spiritual realization.
Tantra is a broad family of Indian traditions that combines a worldview with practices such as mantra, meditation, visualization, ritual, and subtle-body work. Many Tantric systems use our experience of manifested life itself as a means of recognizing the deeper reality within it.
Tapas
ta-pas
Discipline and transformative effort; the heat of practice.
Tapas is the third of the five niyamas, the second limb of Patañjali’s aṣṭāṅga Yoga. It is the disciplined effort that creates transformation through consistent practice, especially when practice asks us to move beyond habitual comfort or conditioning.
Tattva
tat-tva
Principle; a fundamental aspect of reality.
Tattva literally means “that-ness,” the essential principle or nature that makes something what it is. In Sāṃkhya, the 25 tattvas are the fundamental constituents of consciousness and manifested experience.
Tejas
te-jas
Fire; heat, light, and transformation.
Tejas, as one of the five mahābhūtas (great elements), is the principle of heat, light, and transformation. Associated with rūpa, or visible form and colour, it gives manifestation greater definition while remaining active and changeable.
U
Ujjāyī
uj-jā-yī
Victorious breath; a prāṇāyāma that slows and steadies the breath.
Ujjāyī uses a gentle narrowing at the throat to create light resistance to the flow of air, making the breath slower, smoother and more even. More than a breathing technique, the practice develops greater awareness of and relationship with the breath.
Upaniṣad
u-pa-ni-ṣad
Ancient wisdom teachings; explorations of the Self, consciousness, and ultimate reality.
The Upaniṣads are ancient teachings that expand upon the deeper wisdom of the Vedas through inquiry and contemplation. They explore fundamental questions about who we are, the nature of reality, and what can be known through direct inner experience.
V
Vairāgya
vai-rā-gya
Non-attachment; freedom from being governed by desire.
Vairāgya is the practice of loosening attachment to experiences, possessions, outcomes, and rewards so they have less power over us. Patañjali pairs vairāgya with abhyāsa (dedicated practice) as two essential supports of Yoga practice.
Vāsanā
vā-sa-nā
Latent tendency; desires and aversions that determine our next actions.
Vāsanās are tendencies, desires, and aversions that arise from accumulated impressions and draw the mind toward familiar patterns of experience and action.
Vāta
vā-ta
The Ayurvedic doṣa governing movement; composed of air and space.
Vāta is one of the three doṣas in Āyurveda and is composed of the elements of air and space. Its qualities are dry, light, cold, rough, subtle, and mobile. Vāta governs movement and communication throughout the body and mind. When balanced, it supports flexibility, responsiveness, creativity, and the harmonious movement of energy and information throughout the system.
Vāyu
vā-yu
Air; movement and expansion.
Vāyu, as one of the five mahābhūtas (great elements), is the principle of movement within manifestation. Associated with sparśa, or touch, it brings motion, circulation, and change into the openness of ākāśa.
Veda
ve-da
Knowledge; the foundational sacred texts of the Vedic traditions.
The Vedas are ancient collections of mantras, hymns, prayers and ritual knowledge preserved through an extraordinary oral tradition. Traditionally regarded as śruti, “that which is heard,” their mantras are understood as revealed to ṛṣis rather than composed by them.
Vedāṅga
ve-dāṅ-ga
Limb of the Veda; one of six disciplines supporting Vedic study.
The six Vedāṅgas are disciplines developed to preserve, understand and correctly apply the Vedas: Śikṣā (pronunciation), Chandas (metre), Vyākaraṇa (grammar), Nirukta (explanation of words), Kalpa (ritual), and Jyotiṣa (astronomy, calendrics and timing).
Vedānta
ve-dān-ta
End or culmination of the Veda; a philosophy of Self-knowledge and realization.
Vedānta is a family of Indian philosophical traditions rooted primarily in the Upaniṣads and concerned with the nature of the Self, Brahman (Supreme Reality), consciousness and liberation. Its teachings use inquiry, contemplation and spiritual practice to move from intellectual understanding toward direct realization.
Vidyā
vid-yā
Knowledge; a body or field of knowledge.
Vidyā refers to knowledge, learning, or a particular field of study. Yoga, Jyotiṣa, Āyurveda and other traditional disciplines can each be understood as vidyās, bodies of knowledge developed and carried through sustained study and practice.
Viśuddha Cakra
vi-śud-dha ca-kra
Throat centre; communication, expression and inspiration.
Viśuddha is located at the throat and is associated with the element of space. It relates to our ability to express what is within us, communicate clearly, and bring inner understanding into the world.
Viveka
vi-ve-ka
Discernment; the ability to distinguish clearly.
In Yoga, viveka is the capacity to see more clearly what is true, what is conditioned, and what is appropriate. It develops as perception becomes less clouded by avidyā (ignorance), the kleśas (afflictions), and habitual reactivity.
Vṛtti
vṛt-ti
Movement; activity or fluctuation of the mind.
In Patañjali’s Yoga, vṛttis are the changing activities or forms of citta (mind field). Patañjali groups them into five kinds: valid cognition, misperception, imagination, sleep, and memory.
Vyāsa
vyā-sa
Compiler, arranger; the sage traditionally associated with arranging the Vedas.
Vyāsa means “arranger” or “compiler” and is traditionally associated with the sage Kṛṣṇa Dvaipāyana, also known as Veda Vyāsa. He is credited with organizing the Vedas and with composing or compiling the Mahābhārata, making him one of the most important figures in the preservation and transmission of India’s sacred knowledge.
Y
Yama
ya-ma
Restraint; practices of moving away from what obstructs Yoga.
Yama is the first limb of Patañjali’s aṣṭāṅga Yoga. The five yamas are ahiṃsā, satya, asteya, brahmacarya, and aparigraha. They are restraints: practices that help us recognize, reduce, and move away from patterns of thought and behaviour that create harm, attachment, and suffering.
Yantra
yan-tra
A sacred geometric diagram used as an instrument for meditation and contemplation.
Yantras use geometric forms such as circles, triangles, lotus petals, and a central point to represent aspects of reality and provide a visual focus for meditation. In Tantric traditions, a yantra may be associated with a particular deity or expression of Śakti, with its forms carrying symbolic meaning and guiding awareness from the outer forms toward the subtle center.
Yoga
yo-ga
Union, joining, integration, or connection.
Yoga is a vast Sanskrit word used throughout Indian traditions and vidyās (fields of knowledge), with meanings that vary according to context. It derives from the root yuj, meaning to yoke, join, or connect, carrying the sense of bringing separate elements together so they can move forward as one. In spiritual and philosophical traditions, Yoga can also refer to systems and practices through which greater integration, understanding, or realization is cultivated.