Glossary

Help To Pronunciation
â   like a in far
a   somewhat like u in but
e   like a in name
i    like ee in see
u   like oo in too
s   like sh in shall
ch  like ch in much
ai   like i in fine

In this glossary are to be found words most commonly used in books on Yoga, as well as those employed by this volume.

[ Editor's note: I've just typed this section roughly - no proofreading, no fancy formatting - so you can use it as a quick reference. You'd best check elsewhere if you want definitive descriptions of these terms, as these seem to be somewhat inaccurate and/or incomplete western interpretations. ...for example, "Vedanta" actually means the "end of knowledge", ie. it is the knowledge that allows one to become transcendental with its application. The "Vedas" (lit. "knowledge") are mostly about how to live and behave. ]

Achâria, spiritual teacher.
Adharma, absence of virtue.
Advaita, non-dualism
Ahamkara, egoism.
Ahimsa, non-resistance.
Ajna-Cakra, the sixth lotus of the Yogis, corresponding to a nerve centre in the brain between the eyebrows.
Anahâta-Cakra, the fourth lotus near the heart.
Ananda, bliss.
Arjuna, the hero of the Bhagavad Gita.
Asana, a posture of the body.
Asrama, ashram or hermitage.
Atma, the Eternal Self, the Absolute.

Bhanda, tension, stress, bondage.
Bhagavad-Gita, The Song Celestial. A philosophical poem, part of the Mahabaratha containing the essence of Vedanta Philosophy.
Bhakti, devotion, love.
Bhakti-Yoga, union with the divine ground through love.
Brahma, the Creator of the universe.
Brahman, the One Existence, the Absolute.
Buddha, the Enlightened, the name given to one of the greatest Incarnations, born about 500 B.C.
Buddhi, reason, the determinative faculty.

Cakra, wheel. The name given the nerve centres or lotus through which the power of Kundalini moves upwards.
Cakras: Muladhara, Svadhistana, Manipura, Anahata, Vishudda, Ajna and Sahasrara.
Chândogya-Upanishadd, one of the oldest Upanishads of the Vedas.
Chitta, or Cittam, mind-stuff, the intellect with three aspects, Cittam Manas and Buddhi. Cittam receives the perception.

Dharana, concentration.
Dhyana, meditation.

Ekagra, concentrated state of mind.

Grihesu, Grihastha, householder, head of family.
Guna, quality, attribute of matter. There are three Gunas: Tamas, Rajas and Sattwa.
Guru, spiritual teacher.

Hatha Yoga, the art and science of controlling body and mind.
Hatha Yogi, one who practises Hatha Yoga.

Idâ, nerve current on the left side of the spinal cord; also the left nostril.
Indra, ruler of the gods.
Indriyas, the five senses, the internal organs of perception.

Jnana, pure intelligence, knowledge.

Kala, time.
Kama, desire.
Kali, goddess of time, mother of the universe.
Kapila, author of the Sankhya philosophy.
Karma, work or action; the law of cause and effect in the moral world.
Karma Yoga, union with the divine ground through the unselfish devotion to duty.
Krishna, an incarnation of God who appeared in India about 1400 B.C. His teachings are embodied in the Bhagavad Gita.
Kriya, action, ritual, ceremonial.
Kshatriya, member of the second, warrior caste of ancient India.
Kundalini, lit. the "coiled up", the energy located in the lowest Cakra, the Muladhara Cakra at the end of the spine and which, when awakened through Yoga exercises, rises through all the Cakras and leads to the direct perception of God.

Mahâbhârta, the great Indian epic, longest poem in literature; it contains the Bhagavad Gita.
Manas, the deliberative faculty of the mind.
Mahatma, great soul.
Manipura-Cakra, "city of jewels". The third lotus, or Cakra, the solar plexus.
Mantram, any prayer, holy verse, sacred or mystic word recited during worship. The faith in the magic power of the word. Exmaple: "Om mani padme hum" (O jewel in the lotus).
Maya, illusion. The veil which our senses lay over creation and which makes us mistake the unreal and phenomenal for the real and the eternal.
Muladhara, the lowest lotus, or Cakra at the end of the spine. Its awakening results in the entering of the unconscious in the conscious sphere.
Mundaka-Upanishad, one of the twelve principal Upanishads.

Nadi, a tube along which flows Prana energy.
Net, neti, "not this, not this."
Nirvâna, freedom; extinction of delusions.
Niyama, self-discipline; the virtues of contentment, mortification, cleanliness, study and devotion.

OM or Omkara, the most holy word of the Vedas meaning the Supreme Being, the Ocean of Knowledge and Bliss Absolute.

Paramahamsa, Supreme soul.
Patanjali, the founder of the Yoga School of Philosophy.
Pingala, the nerve current on the right side of the spinal cord; also the right nostril.
Prâna, the vital force of the body and in the universe.
Prânayama, control of Prana through breathing exercises.
Pratyâhâra, diversion of the senses from the objects. Making the mind introspective.
Purusha, the soul.

Raja, the king, royal.
Rajas, movement with an aim, energy, the second condition of matter (Guna).
Raja Yoga, the path which aims at the conquest of the inner nature, for the purpose of realizing Divinity.
Ramakrishna, (1836-1886). An Indian saint whose goal was the union of all religions, since they all proclaim the same truth.
Rama, incarnation of the god Shiva on earth. Hero of the Ramayana, the great Indian epic.
Rishi, a Sage.
Rechaka, exhalation, (Kumbhaka, inhalation).

Sahasrâraa-Câkra, "the thousand-petaled lotus", the nerve centre or Cakra on the top of the head.
Samâdhi, super-consciousness. Samaskara, impression, memory, unconscious mind. According to Indian thought we carry within us not only Samaskaras from this life, but also from previous incarnations; they are what causes reincarnation.
Samyama, control of the powers of the mind.
Sanskrit, Indian language in which the Vedas and other holy scriptures are written, in contrast to Prakrit, the popular language.
Sannyasin, Godseeker who has made the vow of poverty and chastity.
Santi, peace.
Sat-Chit-Ananda, existence-knowledge-bliss.
Sattvam, third condition of matter, swinging movement, clear, light matter.
Shankara, Indian philosopher born 788 A.D.
Shiva, Indian god, the "destroyer" of the Indian trinity, Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva.
Shudra, member of the fourth caste, servants.
Siddhi, memory, also any religious work except the Vedas.
Sushumnâ, the name given to the hollow canal which runs through the centre of the spinal cord
Sri, blessed, holy.
Shruti, the Vedas.
Sutra, lit. "thread". Usually means aphorism.
Svâdhisthâna, lit. "abode of the Self". Second lotus or Cakra between the base of the spine and the navel.

Tamas, the lowest condition of matter (Guna), darkness, inertia.
Tapas, control of the body through fasting or other means.
"Tat tvam asi", "Thou art that".

Upanishad, the most mysterious part of the Vedanta (and of Vedas). They were taught in various schools and are named, in part, after these, such as "Kathaka-Upanishad" from the school of the Kathas.

Vaishya, the third caste, merchants and peasants.
Vasana, a habit or tendency like an odour, from an impression remaining in the mind from past Karma.
Vedas, the Hindu Scriptures consisting of the Rig-Veda, the Yajur-Veda, the Sama-Veda, the Artharva-Veda; also the Brahamanas, the Upanishads; comprising the hymns, rituals and philosophy of the Hindu religion.
Vedanta, end of Vedas, explanations given at the end of each Veda; also the final philosophy of the Vedas as expressed in the Upanishads.
Vishuddha-Cakra, the fifth lotus or Cakra, in the throat.
Vritti, lit. "whirlpool". A modification of the mind.

Yama, discipline, Prana-Yama, discipline of the breath. Yama, discipline in regard to others, Niyama, discipline in regard to self.
Yoga, joining, union of the lower self with the higher self by means of the different paths or Yogas, Hatha Yoga, Karma Yoga, Bhakti Yoga, Jnana Yoga, Raja Yoga. Generally, any sort of culture that leads to God.
Yogi, one who practises Yoga.

Zebra, kind of like a horse, but with black and white stripes :)

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