Yoga is a household practice. Though the language of yoga in the current context has been simplified, there’s still a lot stemming from the original texts rooted in Sanskrit. Grasping these Sanskrit terms opens doors to a richer comprehension of your yoga practice and philosophical understanding. This glossary provides definitions for fundamental Sanskrit terms commonly encountered in yoga practice and philosophy.

Yoga, an ancient Indian practice, intertwines deeply with Sanskrit, often hailed as the “mother of all languages.” Sanskrit, with roots stretching back over 3,500 years, stands as one of the oldest languages known. Foundational yoga texts like the Yoga Sutras of Patanjali, the Bhagavad Gita, and the Upanishads were composed in Sanskrit. These writings define yoga not just as physical postures but as a holistic approach to life.

The very word “yoga” originates from the Sanskrit root “yuj,” meaning “to unite” or “to combine.” This perfectly encapsulates yoga’s aim: to harmonize the mind, body, and spirit, ultimately aiming to still the fluctuations of the mind.

Insights into Yoga Terms

Understanding Sanskrit terms enriches your yoga practice by imbuing each movement and concept with deeper meaning. For instance:

Clarity in Asanas: Many yoga postures, or asanas, are named in Sanskrit. Understanding these names reveals the symbolic purpose behind each movement. For example: “Tadasana” (“Mountain Pose“) embodies the stability and strength of a mountain.

Deepening of Meditation and Mantra: Sacred Sanskrit mantras like “Om” and the Gayatri Mantra possess vibrational frequencies that focus the mind, promote calmness, and foster spiritual awakening. Familiarity with Sanskrit enhances the meditative experience, connecting individuals to universal energies.

Yogic Glossary

Abhyasa: Consistent and disciplined yoga practice.

Acharya: A teacher or guide who imparts wisdom within the yogic tradition, often dispelling darkness (ignorance).

Agni Sara Dhauti: One of the six cleansing practices (shatkarmas), specifically referring to a churning of the abdominal muscles to strengthen digestive fire and internal organs.

Aham: Ego or the feeling of an individual self.

Ahamkara (“I-maker”): The yogic definition of ego, the part of the mind that creates a sense of individuality or “I-ness,” often seen as an obstacle to spiritual progress by obscuring higher mental faculties and fostering attachment, ignorance, and alienation, ultimately creating the illusion of separateness.

Ahimsa: Non-violence or non-injury, the first of the five yamas in Ashtanga Yoga, promoting peace and compassion.

Ajapa Japa: The spontaneous and automatic repetition of the mantra “soham,” meaning “I am That,” representing the natural cycle of breath.

Ajna Chakra: The psychic or energy center located behind the forehead, associated with intuition and insight; one of the seven chakras located along the sushumna nadi.

Akasha: Ether or space, one of the five elements in yogic philosophy.

Anahata Chakra: The heart chakra, the pranic energy center in the chest region, the fourth of the seven chakras, representing love and compassion.

Anga: A limb or fundamental aspect of the yogic path, such as asana (posture), pranayama (breath control), or dhyana (meditation).

Antar: Inner or internal.

Antar Dhauti: Internal cleansing techniques, part of the shatkarmas.

Antar Kumbhaka: Retention of breath after inhalation in pranayama, signifying inner stillness.

Antar Mouna: Inner silence, a meditative practice to cultivate inner awareness.

Anubhava: Experience or realization, often used to describe spiritual insight.

Apana (ah-pan-nah): One of the five vital winds (vayus) in Hatha Yoga and Ayurveda, located in the pelvic floor and governing the outward flow of energy.

Ardha: Half; used to describe many yogic postures (e.g., Ardha Chandrasana – Half Moon Pose).

Asana: Poses and postures that enhance flexibility, strength, and balance. Notable examples include Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog), Virabhadrasana (Warrior Pose), and Vrksasana (Tree Pose).

Ashta-Anga-Yoga (Ashtanga Yoga): Eight-limbed yoga encompassing yama (restraints), niyama (observances), asana (posture), pranayama (breath control), pratyahara (withdrawal of senses), dharana (concentration), dhyana (meditation), and samadhi (absorption).  

Ashwini Mudra: Anal contraction, a yogic exercise practiced in advanced yoga.

Atma / Atman: The individual Self or Spirit, considered to be beyond time and physical existence; the soul residing within all beings.

Aum (Om): The universal sound or vibration, representing the essence of creation and ultimate reality, considered the primordial sound of the universe.

Bahir: Outside or external, often used in practices involving outward focus.

Bahiranga Trataka: Focusing the gaze on an external object, like a candle flame, to enhance concentration and mental clarity.

Bandha (“bond/bondage”): Internal muscular locks used to direct and balance prana (energy flow) within the body, promoting stability and strength.
* Mula Bandha: Contraction of the pelvic floor muscles.
* Uddiyana Bandha: Lifting of the abdominal muscles towards the diaphragm.
* Jalandhara Bandha: Engagement of the throat muscles.

Bhakti Yoga: The path of spiritual devotion, emphasizing love and communion with the divine.

Brahma (“he who has grown expansive”): The Creator in Hindu cosmology and the first principle (tattva) to emerge from ultimate Reality (Brahman), the infinite reality underlying all existence.

Brahman (“that which has grown expansive”): The ultimate, infinite reality underlying all existence.

Buddha (“awakened”): One who has attained enlightenment (bodhi) and inner liberation; Siddhartha Gautama is the historical Buddha.

Buddhi (“she who is conscious, awake”): The higher intellect, the seat of wisdom, discrimination, and knowledge (jnana).

Chakra: One of the seven energy centers along the sushumna nadi in the subtle body, each influencing physical, emotional, and spiritual well-being and governing energy flow and balance.

Chandra Nadi: Another term for Ida Nadi, the subtle energy channel on the left side of the body associated with lunar energy and inner reflection.

Chandra Namaskar: Moon Salutation, a sequence of yoga poses performed to invoke soothing and cooling lunar energy.

Chidakasha: The psychic space visualized behind the forehead and in front of closed eyes during meditation or yogic practices.

Chin Mudra: A symbolic hand gesture where the tips of the thumb and index finger touch to form a circle, with the other fingers extended, used during meditation to enhance concentration and energy flow.

Danda Dhauti: A shatkarma involving the cleansing of the esophagus using a stick.

Danta Dhauti: Yogic practices for cleaning the teeth, emphasizing oral hygiene.

Dharana (“holding”): Focused concentration, the sixth limb of Patanjali’s eight-limbed yoga, involving steadying the mind on a particular object or thought.

Dharma: Duty, righteousness, or one’s inherent nature/path in life, often aligned with universal law.

Dhauti: The second of the shatkarmas, involving cleansing various internal organs like the eyes, ears, tongue, forehead, esophagus, stomach, rectum, and anus.

Dhyana (“ideating”): Meditation or concentrated thought, the seventh limb of Patanjali’s eight-limbed yoga, leading to union with ultimate reality.

Dosha: The three energies or substances in Ayurveda (Vata, Pitta, Kapha) that determine physical and mental health. * Kapha: Governs stability (earth and water elements). * Pitta: Governs metabolism (fire and water elements). * Vata: Governs motion (air and ether elements).

Drishti (“view/sight”): A focal point for yogic gazing during meditation or asana practice, such as the space between the eyebrows or the tip of the nose, to enhance concentration.

Dugdha Neti: A shatkarma involving nasal cleansing using milk.

Duhkha (“bad axle space”): Pain or suffering in yoga philosophy, arising from ignorance (avidya) about one’s true nature and separation from the Self.

Ghrita Neti: Nasal cleansing technique (neti) using ghee (clarified butter) to lubricate and clean the nasal passages.

Granthi (“knot”): Energetic blockages in the central energy channel (sushumna nadi) that can hinder the rise of kundalini-shakti. * Brahma Granthi: Associated with earthly attachments at the Muladhara (root chakra). * Vishnu Granthi: Related to emotional attachments at the Anahata (heart chakra). * Rudra Granthi: Located at the Ajna (brow chakra), associated with mental and spiritual limitations.

Guna: The three fundamental attributes of nature (Prakriti) influencing behavior and creation: * Tamas: Inaction, darkness, or stagnation. * Rajas: Activity, energy, passion. * Sattwa: Harmony, light, or purification.

Guru: A spiritual teacher or guide in Hinduism and yoga who imparts wisdom and guides disciples on their spiritual path, dispelling darkness (ignorance).

Hatha Yoga (“Forceful Yoga”): A traditional style of yoga developed around 1000 C.E., utilizing physical postures (asanas), cleansing techniques (shodhana), and breath control (pranayama) as a gateway to deeper spiritual practices by harmonizing the body and mind, often focusing on balancing opposing energies (sun/moon).

Hatha-Yoga-Pradipika (“Light on Hatha Yoga”): A classic 14th-century text by Svatmarama Yogendra on the practice, philosophy, and aims of Hatha Yoga, alongside other key texts like Gheranda Samhita and Shiva Samhita.

Ida Nadi: The lunar energy channel located on the left side of the body.

Ishvara-Pranidhana: Dedication or surrender to a higher power, one of the five niyamas.

Jalandhara Bandha: Engagement of the throat muscles, one of the three primary bandhas.

Jnana (“knowledge/wisdom”): Can be broadly categorized as: * Laukika Jnana (“Worldly Knowledge”): Practical or intellectual knowledge gained through study or experience. * World-Oriented Wisdom: Spiritual awakening or enlightenment leading to moksha (liberation from the cycle of rebirth), the focus of Jnana Yoga, the path of knowledge.

Kaivalya (“isolation”): The final stage of moksha in Ashta-Anga-Yoga, signifying complete liberation from the bondage of conditioned existence, often synonymous with moksha or mukti in Advaita Vedanta, implying release from ignorance and the cycle of rebirth.

Kapha: The dosha governing stability (earth and water elements).

Karman / Karma (“action”): Actions, including rituals and their consequences, encompassing physical, mental, and spiritual acts and their resultant effects on the future, governed by the law of cause and effect.

Kundalini-Shakti (“coiled power”): A dormant spiritual energy located at the base of the spine (Muladhara Chakra). Tantra and Hatha Yoga aim to awaken this “serpent power” and guide it through the chakras to the Sahasrara Chakra (crown chakra) to achieve enlightenment.

Laukika Jnana (“Worldly Knowledge”): Practical or intellectual knowledge gained through study or experience.

Mantra: A sacred word, phrase, or syllable chanted during meditation to focus the mind and elevate spiritual awareness, such as “Om” and affirmations, often repeated for their vibrational qualities.

Moksha: Liberation from the cycle of birth and death.

Mula Bandha: Contraction of the pelvic floor muscles, one of the three primary bandhas.

Nadi (“channel”): Subtle energy pathways in the body, numbering around 72,000, through which prana (life force) flows. The three main nadis are Ida, Pingala, and Sushumna.

Namaste (“I bow to the divine in you”): A respectful Hindu greeting performed with a slight bow and hands pressed together in Anjali Mudra (at the heart center), acknowledging the divine within each being.

Neti: Nasal cleansing techniques, such as Jala Neti (using water) and Ghrita Neti (using ghee).

Niyama (“[self-]restraint”): The second limb of Patanjali’s Eightfold Path (Ashta-Anga-Yoga), focusing on personal discipline and comprising five observances: Saucha (purity or cleanliness), Santosha (contentment), Tapas (austerity or self-discipline), Svadhyaya (self-study or study of scriptures), and Ishvara-Pranidhana (dedication or surrender to a higher power).

Nyasa: A Tantric practice of channeling and infusing prana (life force) into specific body parts through touch or visualization, enhancing spiritual focus and energy flow.

Omkar: The universal sound, often called a mantra, representing the essence of vibration and the underlying reality of the world. (See also Aum).

Paramatma: The universal consciousness, representing the divine interconnectedness of all existence, often seen as the universal Self.

Pingala Nadi: The solar energy channel located on the right side of the body.

Pitta: The dosha governing metabolism (fire and water elements).

Prana: Life force or vital energy.

Pranayama: Breath control techniques, the fourth limb of Ashtanga Yoga.

Pratyahara: Withdrawal of the senses, the fifth limb of Ashtanga Yoga.

Rajas: The guna representing activity, energy, passion.

Rudra Granthi: Energetic blockage located at the Ajna (brow chakra), associated with mental and spiritual limitations.

Sadhaka: A dedicated disciple, practitioner, or seeker of yoga committed to spiritual growth and self-realization.

Sahaja-Samadhi: A state of spontaneous or natural enlightenment where superconsciousness permeates waking, dreaming, and sleeping states.

Samadhi (“putting together”): The ultimate meditative state of oneness with the object of meditation, the eighth and final limb of Patanjali’s Eightfold Path. Types include Samprajnata Samadhi (conscious ecstasy), Asamprajnata Samadhi (supraconscious ecstasy), and Sahaja-Samadhi.

Samprajnata Samadhi: A state of conscious ecstasy in meditation.

Santosha: Contentment, one of the five niyamas.

Sattwa: The guna representing harmony, light, or purification.

Saucha: Purity or cleanliness, one of the five niyamas.

Shakti (“power”): The feminine manifestation of ultimate reality and the dynamic energy of the divine. In yoga, Shakti represents energy and creation, complementing Shiva’s consciousness.

Shatkarma: The six cleansing practices in Hatha Yoga.

Shiva (“He who is benign”): A central deity and archetype for yogis, representing pure consciousness and the destroyer of ignorance in Hindu cosmology, often seen as complementary to Shakti (energy).

Shodhana (“cleansing/purification”): A core principle in all yogic traditions, encompassing physical, mental, and energetic purification. In Hatha Yoga, this includes specific techniques within the shatkarmas.

Sushumna Nadi: The central energy channel in the subtle body, through which kundalini-shakti ascends.

Sutra (“thread”): A concise aphorism or verse serving as a teaching or guideline, such as Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, foundational to yoga philosophy.

Svadhyaya: Self-study or study of scriptures, one of the five niyamas.

Swami: A title for one who has achieved self-mastery over body and mind, often implying a renunciate.

Tamas: The guna representing inaction, darkness, or stagnation.

Tapas: Austerity or self-discipline, one of the five niyamas.

Uddiyana Bandha: Lifting of the abdominal muscles towards the diaphragm, one of the three primary bandhas.

Vata: The dosha governing motion (air and ether elements).

Vayu: Wind or vital energy; refers to the five primary life forces in the body (Prana, Apana, Samana, Udana, Vyana).

Virabhadrasana: Warrior Pose, a powerful standing asana.

Vrksasana: Tree Pose, a balancing asana.

Yama (“[self-]restraint”): The first limb of Patanjali’s Eightfold Path, focusing on moral discipline and comprising five ethical principles:
* Ahimsa: Non-violence.
* Satya: Truthfulness.
* Asteya: Non-stealing.
* Brahmacharya: Moderation.
* Aparigraha: Non-possessiveness.

Yogi / Siddha: One who has united with the divine, realizing a fully spiritual state and the essence of the Self; a siddha is often considered to have attained certain powers or perfections.

Yogini: A female practitioner of yoga who has attained a state of union; the feminine form of yogi.

Understanding these fundamental yogic terms can significantly deepen your appreciation and comprehension of yoga’s rich tradition and its profound impact on your life journey.

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