Sanskrit Terms List

Consistent practice of spiritual disciplines

3rd eye chakra.

experience, especially the experience of Self-knowledge

Pose. Posture, especially a posture adopted for meditation

Self-enquiry, the practice of scrutinizing or attending to the feeling ‘I’ in order to find out ‘Who am I?’

The individual self

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singing of devotional songs

Devotion, love for the divine

the absolute, non-dual reality, which is the Self or Atman

wisdom

the bliss of pure consciousness.

pure consciousness, which is the nature of the real Self

A Hindi term referring to a glimpse or vision of a higher reality or the divine

Concept of righteousness and justice

initiation

Pradakshina is the circuit that is made of any holy object or place, walking round with one’s right side inward. Giri is hill. So, giri-pradakshina is going round the hill, which here refers to mountain Arunachala

The female cowherds of Vrandavan who played and danced with Lord Krishna; they are held to be paradigms of loving devotion

The three fundamental qualities – gunas or tendencies which underlie all manifestations are

the Grace of the Guru

Supreme Lord/Divine/God

Recognizing the soul of the world

the state of wakeful sleep, in which there are no thoughts but in which there is full awareness of the existence-consciousness ‘I am’

Repetition of a sacred word or syllable for invoking grace or vision of a deity, or for acquiring Self-knowledge

One who is liberated while still alive; one who is not affected by the natural tendencies of a human being while living

a person whose actions are not motivated by desire for personal benefit or by any other kind of attachment

Symbolic of inner treasure or spiritual realization

Sport, play of God

a great Sage

throne

a spiritual path

Delusion / Illusion

Liberation or enlightenment

a name (of God)

extinction; deliverance from repeated births

According to the Hindus it is the primordial sound from which all creation springs. (It is an important element in all mantras of Hinduism.)

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Beyond individuality - God or the supreme reality

Recognizing one’s own supreme luminous self as THAT.

pure consciousness

Salutations Pranayama A system of breathing exercises

Ancient practice of controlled breathing

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Ritualistic worship performed by the Hindus

Referring to Sri Ramana Maharshi, a renowned Indian sage

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a person who practises sadhana.

One who has renounced home and property in quest of God

the brain, described metaphorically as a thousand-petalled lotus.

the state of mundane activity or worldly existence. Cycle of birth and death in Hinduism

non-duality; also the doctrine of non-dualism

Seat/Place of Joy/Tranquility/Peace/Bliss

Referring to the sacred mountain in Tiruvannamalai, India

A person who has attained Self-knowledge.

knowing and realizing the cosmic nature of one’s soul.

Referring to incarnations of God

Supreme Being

Devotee

feeling

Sanskrit phrase

one of the six main yogic centres in the body

embodiment of pure joy, love and consciousness by Adi Shankaracharya from Nirvana Shatakam

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the feeling ‘I am this body’

meditation

duality; also the doctrine of dualism

the Bhagavad Gita, one of the most renowned Hindu scriptures

Stage of life focused on family responsibilities

A term for a spiritual teacher or mentor

lotus of the heart

World or universe

the waking state

Victory to Shankar! Refering to the founder of our lineage - Adi Shankacharya

The individual self

Refers to the consequences of actions. The destiny based on the law of cause and effect.

The 5 Afflictions, or unhealthy responses to vasanas, kama, karma - Ignorance, Egoism, Attatchment, Aversion, The Design to Cling to Life

ocean of compassion

A round vertical column of stone with rounded upper end, which is installed in Siva temples and is regarded as a physical manifestation of the deity

A holy person or sage; also a title as in Mahatma

a sacred formula used for japa or repetition

silence

Concept of unreality

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Salutations; a traditional Indian gesture of greeting made by bringing the palms together before the chest and bowing

The supreme super-conscious state; great ecstasy. Samadhi without any experience of self or sensory impressions.

Beyond Brahma

Beyond Shiva

Param

Likely refers to karma or past actions

The breath of life; the spirit or soul as opposed to the body

Act of showing respect by touching someone's feet

Fate; destiny’ the portion of the fruit of one’s past actions which are allotted to be experienced in this lifetime.

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Works dealing with Hindu mythology; literally, ancient or old

a Sage

Literally ‘true teacher’; a fully enlightened guru; the highest of gurus

a spiritual practice, a means adopted for spiritual progress.

a person who abides in his natural state, having attained Self-knowledge

the state of Self-absorption, in which there is only the feeling I am’ and no thoughts”.

a mental impression or tendency continuing from former lives.