Dictionary of common Sanskrit spiritual words
ekAgra - Ishvara

Note that words appear in order of the Roman alphabet, not the Sanskrit alphabet.

ekagra

one-pointed, fixing one’s attention on one point. ekAgratA – intentness in the pursuit of one object.

eva

just so, indeed, truly; most frequently used to strengthen the meaning of the associated word - exactly, same, even, only etc.

gandha

smell (one of the tanmAtra-s or five subtle senses).

Gaudapada

The author of the commentary (kArikA) on the Mandukya Upanishad. He is said to have been the teacher of Shankara’s teacher. See karika, Mandukya, Upanishad.

gita

a sacred song or poem but more usually refers to philosophical or religious doctrines in verse form (gIta means “sung”). The most famous are the Bhagavad Gita and Astavakra Gita. If the word is used on its own, it will be referring to the former. See Bhagavad, Astavakra.

gocara

(literally) perceptible by the senses but also regarded as seen by the mind, inferred etc..

grantha

tying, binding; knot -Ramana Maharshi referred to the ‘knot’ in the heart that must be ‘untied’ in order for realization to occur. It also refers to a verse composition or treatise.

grihasta

this is the second stage of the traditional Hindu spiritual path, called the period of the householder, in which the Brahman performs the duties of master of the house and father of a family. See also brahmacharya, grihasta, sanyasa, vanaprastha.

guna

According to classical sAMkhya pholosophy, creation is made up of three “qualities,” sattva, rajas and tamas. Everything - matter, thoughts, feelings – is “made up of” these three in varying degrees and it is the relative proportions that determine the nature of the thing in question. See sattwa, rajas and tamas for more details.

guru

literally “heavy”; used to refer to one’s elders or a person of reverence but more commonly in the West to indicate one’s spiritual teacher.

halanta

a consonant that is not sounded with a vowel after it. It is marked as such by the use of a virAma. The term derives from the pratyAhAra “hal,” which refers to “any consonant,” and anta, which means “end,” since such consonants normally occur at the end of a word.

hatha

haTha yoga refers to the physical aspects of Raja yoga, i.e. Asana-s and prANayAma. It literally means “violence, force or obstinacy,” “absolute necessity” and stems from the idea of “forcing the mind” to withdraw from objects. Monier-Williams has the additional words: “performed with much self-torture , such as standing on one leg , holding up the arms , inhaling smoke with the head inverted etc..”

hetu

cause or reason; the logical reason or argument in a syllogism.

hrasva

a short vowel in Sanskrit; literally, short, small, dwarfish, weak etc.

hridaya

heart, seat of feelings and sensations; heart or essence of something; true or divine knowledge.

iccha

wish, desire, inclination.

idam vritti

thoughts of objects, concepts, feelings etc., as opposed to aham vRRitti – the thought “I am.” See vritti.

indriya

the number five symbolizing the five senses. The five sense organs are called j~nAnendriya-s and the five “organs” of action are the karmendriya-s.

Isha Upanishad

also known as the Isavasya Upanishad, because its first verse begins: OM IshA vAsyamidam{\m+} sarvaM. IshAvAsya means “pervaded by the lord.”

ishta

wished, desired, liked, beloved.

Isvara

the Lord; creator of the phenomenal universe; wielder of the force of mAyA. See saguna Brahman.