Romanised Saṃskṛta Core Glossary and Cross Reference Guide

abhāva - non-appearance, non-existence

abhibhava - disappearance

abhijātasya - precious

abhimata - appropriate

abhiniveśa - tenacity; the will to stay alive; fear of death;

abhivyakti - manifestation

ābhyantara - internal

abhyāsa - practice

ācārya - preceptor, spiritual teacher

ādara - enthusiasm

ādarśa - seeing

ādhāra - support

adhigama - attained

adhimātra - excessive

adhiṣthātṛtva - omnipotence

adhvan - way

adhyāsā - overlapping

adhyātma - inner essence

adhyātmika - concerning the essence

adhyāya - chapter; a lesson, lecture; reading

adhyayanam - recitation

ādi - and the rest

adṛṣta - unseen

advaita - not two, non-dualism

āgama - testimony

agni - fire

agrya - pointedness

aham - I

ahaṃkāra - individuation
āhāra - eating

ahiṃsā - non-harming

ājñā - command

ajñāna - ignorance

ajñāta - not known

akalpitā - non-imaginary

ākāra - form / shape

akaraṇa - not making, effecting

ākāśa - space; ether; subtle and ethereal fluid; sky, atmosphere

akliṣṭa - don't afflict

akrama - non-sequential

akṛṣṇa - not black

akṣara - imperishable

ākṣepīn - transcends

akusīda - disinterested in gaining

alabdha - non-attainment

ālambana - supporting, resting on

ālasya - laziness

aliṅga - unmanifest

āloka - splendour

alpa - little

āma - uncooked

amṛtam - nectar

anabhighāta - not troubled

anāditva - beginninglessness

anāgata - not yet come

anāhata - unstuck, produced otherwise than by beating

ānanda - joy

ānandamaya - consisting of bliss

ananta - endless, boundless, eternal, infinite; the first serpent

ānantarya - succession
ānantya - due to endlessness

anāśaya - without seeds, deposits

anaṣṭa - not disappeared

anāstika - heterodox

anātman - other than essence

anavacchedā - not separated

anavacchinnā - not bound

anavadhāraṇa - not ascertained

anavasthitatvā - losing stability

aneka - other

aṅga - limb

aṇiman - minuteness

aniṣṭa - unwanted, undesirable, unfavourable

anitya - transitory

añjanatā - assume the colour of an object

annam - food

annamaya - consisting of food

anta - end (from ... to)

antar - internal

antara - other

antarāya - intervention, obstacle

antardhāna - disappearance

aṇu - minute

anu - follow

anubhāvana - following cultivation

anubhūta - experience

anugama - follows

anuguṇa - similar qualities

anukāra - imitating

anuloma - with the grain

anumāna - inference
anumodita - by approval

anupaśya - observes

anupātin - following

anuśayin - consequence

anuṣṭhāna - doing; performance; practice; execution

anuttama - unsurpassed

anvaya - connection

anya - other

anyatā - difference

anyatva - another

āp - water element

āpad - to bring into trouble or misfortune

apāna - downward air

aparāmṛṣṭa - untouched

aparānta - ultimate end, death

aparigrahā - non-grasping

apariṇāmitvā - non-transformative

āpatti - assumes

apavarga - emancipation

apekṣā - to look for

apeta - removed off

api - also

apramāṇaka - not perceivable

apratisaṃkrama - non-changing

aprayojaka - not the initiator

apuṇya - vice

āpūrā - flow

ariṣṭa - portents, omen

aroga - free from disease, healthy, well

ārogya - absence of illness

arogya - healthy
artha - purpose

arthatā - objects

arthavattva - significance, importance

āryā - type of verse metre

asaṃkhyeya - innumerable

asaṃkīrṇa - unblended

asaṃpramoṣa - retention

asaṃprayoga - disengagement

asaṃsarga - non-association

āsana - particular posture; sitting, sitting down; seat, place, stool; abiding, dwelling

asaṅga - non-association

āsanna - near

asat - unreal, wrong

āśaya - seed, deposit; resting place

āsevita - attend to

āśis - premordial desire

asmitā - the sense of 'I' am-ness

āśrama - a stage in the life of a Brahman; a hermitage

āśraya - correspondence

āśrayatva - corresponds

aṣṭa - eight

aṣṭāṅga - eight limbs

asteya - non-stealing

asti - exists

āstika - orthodox

aśuci - impure

aśuddhi - impurity

aśukla - not white

āsura - demonic

āsvāda - tasting

aśvinī - horse
asya - his

atat - not that

atha - now; an auspicious and inceptive particle

atiprasaṅga - infinite coming together

atīta - past

ātmaka - taking the role of our essence

ātman - essence; the highest personal principle of life

ātmatā - nature; essence

atyanta - absolutely

āvaraṇa - covering

avasthā - state

avasthāna - abiding

āveśa - entering

avidyā - illusion

aviplavā - unwavering

avirati - over-indulgence

aviṣayī - not object

aviśeṣa - indistinct

avyapadeśya - undetermined

āyāma - stretching, extending; restraining, restrained

āyurveda - sacred lore of longevity

āyus - span of life

bādhana - oppressed

bahis - external

bāhya - external

baka - a kind of heron or crane

bala - strength

bandha - binding

bandhana - binding, tying, fettering

basti - bladder
bhagavat - divine

bhakti - devotion

bharā - carries

bhāsa - luminosity

bhastrikā - bellows

bhāṣya - commentary, exposition

bhava - re-emerge; coming into existence; birth; production

bhāva - becoming

bhāvana - cultivation

bheda - divide, pierce

bhogā - worldly experience

bhrāmarī - relating to a bee

bhrānti - fallacious

bhūmi - stage

bhūmikatva - of a stage

bhūta - element; living being

bhūtatvā - elementalism / being-ness

bhuvana - world

bīja - seed

brahmacarya - continence

brahman - that which expands; the absolute, the eternal

brāhmaṇa - Brahmanical explanation of rules or directions for rites

bṛṃhaṇa - building

buddhi - comprehension

ca - and

cakra - wheel

cakṣus - eye

cala - agitation. disturbed, unsteady

candra - moon

cāpalya - agitation, fickleness, unsteadiness

catur - four

caturtha - fourth

cet - if so

cetanā - consciousness

chidra - in the breaks / intervals

cikitsā - therapeutics

cit - awareness, to cause to comprehend, to observe, perceive

citra - speckled

citta - psyche; mind; heart

daiva - divine

dakṣiṇa - right, southern

dāna - the act of giving

darśana - view; seeing

darśin - one who has seen

dasa - ten

daurmanasya - negative thinking

deha - the body

deśa - place

devanāgarī - divine city script

devatā - divinity

dhāraṇā - concentration

dharma - essential qualities; highest duty

dharmīn - substratum

dhauti - the act of washing

dhruva - pole star

dhyāna - meditation

dhyāta - that which meditates

dhyeya - to be meditated on

dīpti - illuminates

dīrgha - long
divya - divine

doṣa - affection, defect, fault, biological humours

draṣṭṛ - seer

dravya - a substance, thing, object;the ingredients or materials of anything; medicinal

substance or drug

dṛḍha - firm

dṛś - to see

dṛśi - seeing

dṛṣṭa - seen

dṛśya - the seen

dṛśyatva - due to the quality of the seen

duḥkha - suffering, pain, sorrowful

dvadasa - twelve

dvandva - pair of opposites

dveṣa - aversion, hatred. dislike, repugnance

dvi - two

ejayatva - unsteadiness

eka - one

ekatānatā - continuity

ekatra - in the same place

ekatvā - uniqueness

eṣām - of these

eṣa - which

etayā - by this

etena - by this

eva - thus

gamana - travel

gati - motion

gāyatrī - chant metre

gheraṇḍa - name of a teacher

gītā - song

graha - grasp

grahaṇa - the process of grasping

gṛhastha - standing in the home; living or staying in any one's house; householder

grahītṛ - that which is grasping

grāhya - that which is grasped

granthi - knot

grata - pointedness

guṇa - attributes of nature; qualities

guru - teacher

guhya - mystery

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hāna - the act of abandoning, relinquishing, giving up, escaping, getting rid of; gone or
departed; cessation

hasta - hand

hasti - elephant

haṭha - force, forceful

hetu - cause

hetutvā - causality

heya - overcome

hi - indeed, truly

hiṃsā - harming

hlāda - delight

hṛdaya - heart or region of the heart as the seat of feelings and sensations; mind as the seat of
mental operations; the heart or centre or core or essence or best or dearest or most secret
part of anything

icchā - will, desire, inclination, wish

iḍā - comfort, libation

indriya - senses

iṣṭa - chosen
īśvara - the lord; the supreme soul; personal god; special self; ruler of choices

itara - others

itaratra - at other times

itaretara - one with the other

iti - thus

iva - as if

ja - born

jala - water

jālandhara - web holding

janman - birth

japa - repetition

jāti - existence

javitva - fleetness

jaya - mastery; conquest, victory, triumph, winning

jāyante - are born

jīva - living

jīvana - vivifying, giving life, enlivening

jivha - tongue

jña - knowing

jñāna - knowing; knowledge; higher knowledge

jñāta - known

jñātṛtva - knowingness

jñeya - to be known

jugupsā - disdain

jvalana - glow

jyotiśmant - luminescence

jyotis - light

kaivalya - independence, freedom, solitude, separateness, abstraction, not connected with

anything else; uncompounded, unmingled
kāla - time

kala - to count; beats; parts

kāma - desire, longing

kanda - bulb

kaṇṭaka - thorns

kaṇṭha - throat

kapālabhāti - skull shining

kapha - phlegm principle

karaṇa - making, effecting

kāraṇa - reasons, cause

karaṇī - form, aspect

kārita - brought about

kāritva - quality of activity

karman - action

karuṇā - compassion

kathaṃtā - wherefore

kāya - the body

khyāti - recognition

kiṃ - how

kleśa - afflictions

kliṣṭa - afflict

koṇa - corner; angle

krama - sequence

kriyā - activity; bodily activity; medical treatment

krodha - anger

kṛta - done; made; accomplished; performed

kṣaṇa - moment

kṣaya - diminish, wasting or wearing away

kṣema - giving rest or ease or security

kśetra - the field

kṣetrika - like a farmer

kṣīṇa - reduced

kṣīyate - dissolves

kṣudh - hunger

kumbhaka - retention

kuṇḍalinī - annulate

kūpa - well

kūrma - tortoise

lābha - attained

lāghava - lightness

laghu - lightness

lakṣaṇa - characteristic, attribute

laṅghana - lightening

lāvaṇya - grace

laya - absorbed

liṅga - manifest, sign, gender

lobha - greed

madhya - moderateness

madhyamā - middling, intermediate

mahā - great

mahāmudrā - great seal

mahattva - greatest

maitrī - friendliness

makaranda - nectar

mala - dust; dirt

mālā - a string of beads

manana - thoughtful

manas - mind

maṇḍala - circle, orb

maṇi - gem
maṇipūra - jewel city

manomaya - consisting of mind

mantra - sacred formula

mārga - way

marman - vulnerable point

mata - a thought, idea, opinion, sentiment

mātra - only

matsara - jealousy

maya - consisting of, aspect

megha - cloud pouring

mīmāṃsā - investigation of the proper interpretation of the Vedic texts

mithyā - falsely, deceitfully, untruly; incorrectly, wrongly, improperly

moha - delusion; error; darkness or delusion of mind

mokṣa - liberation, release from worldly existence or transmigration, final or eternal

emancipation

mṛdu - mildness

muditā - gladness

mudrā - seal

mukha - head: face; mouth

mūla - root

mūlādhāra - root support

mūrdha - crown of the head

na - no; not; nor, neither

nābhi - navel

nāḍī - channel

nairantarya - without interruption

nāma - name

naṣṭa - disappeared

naulī - to churn

nava - nine
netī - the drawing of a thread through the nose and mouth

nibandhanīn - binding

nidrā - deep sleep

nimitta - instrumental cause

nimna - inclined towards

niratiśaya - unsurpassed

nirbhāsā - shines forth

nirbīja - without seed

nirgrāhya - permanently grasped

nirguṇa - without attributes, qualities

nirmāṇa - created

nirodha - to contain, enclose, confine, restrain

nirupa - non-forming

nirvicārā - refined subtle reflection

nirvitarka - refined gross deliberation

niṣṭhā - firmness, steadiness, skill in, familiarity with, certain knowledge of

nitya - eternal; constantly dwelling or engaged in

nityatvā - eternality

nivṛtti - cessation

niyama - observances

nyāsa - placing

nyāya - syllogistic argument

ojas - vital essence; bodily vitality; vigour;

om - mystical symbol, sacred exclamation

oṣadhi - blessed herbs, medicinal herbs

pāda - section; a quarter, a fourth part; foot, leg

pañca - five

pañcataya - fivefold

paṅka - mud
panthān - path

para - higher, other

parama - highest, most

paramparā - an uninterrupted row or series, order, succession, continuation

paridṛṣṭa - seen to be

parigraha - posessiveness

parīkṣā - examination

pariṇāma - transformation

paripāka - digestion, completely cooked

pariśuddhi - purified

paritāpa - distress, scorching

parivṛtti - turning, revolution

parvan - phase

paryavasāna - ultimate limit

paścimatāna - west or back stretch

patañjali - celebrated as a compiler of the yoga sūtra or as a grammarian

phala - fruit

piṅgalā - tawny-red colour

pipāsā - thirst

pīṭham - a seat; a particular posture in sitting; the seat of a deity; an altar

pitta - bile principle

prabhu - master, mighty, powerful

pracāra - manifestation, appearance, coming forth, spreading

pracchardana - lengthening the exhale

pradhāna - the most important or essential part; unevolved matter, original source

prādurbhāva - appearance

prāgbhāra - propensity

prati - with regard to

prajñā - insight

prakaraṇa - treatment; discussion; explanation

prakāśa - brightness
prakṛti - process of matter

pramāda - carelessness

pramāṇa - right perception

prāṇa - breath, inward air, vital force

prāṇamaya - consisting of vital force

praṇava - sacred

prāṇāyāma - extending the breath

praṇidhāna - dedication; respectful conduct; attention; to place down; in front of

prānta - final

prārthanā - prayer, to request, to petition

prasāda - serenity; a propitiatory offering, the food presented to an idol

prasādana - calming

prasaṃkhyāna - omniscience

prasaṅga - towards association

prasanna - placid, tranquil

praśānta - serene

praśvāsā - exhalation

prasupta - latent

prathamā - primary, initial, first

pratibandhī - oppose

prātibhā - intuition

pratikriyā - opposite activity, counteraction, compensation

pratiloma - opposite grain

pratipakṣa - opposite side

pratipatti - ascertainment

pratiprasava - going back to their origin

pratiṣedha - counteracting

pratiṣṭha - established

pratiyogīn - corresponding

pratyāhāra - withdrawal from the senses

pratyak - turning inwards

pratyakṣa - through the senses

pratyaya - psychic activity

prauḍha - strong; advanced in youth; audacious, bold, proud

pravibhāga - separation

pravṛtti - finer cognition

prayatna - continued effort

prayoga - connection

prayojaka - initiator

pṛthvī - earth element

punar - again

puṇya - virtue

pūraka - inhale

pūrṇimā - the night or day of full moon

purohita - front placed

puruṣa - animating principle, self, consciousness, spirit

puruṣottama - supreme spirit

pūrva - preceding

pūrvatāna - east or front stretch

rāga - colour; attraction; delight in; vehement desire of; a musical note, harmony, melody

rahasya - secret

rāja - sovereign

rajas - exciting

rakṣaṇa - protecting

rasa - disposition

ratna - jewels

recaka - exhale

roga - disease, infirmity, sickness

rogya - related to or connected with disease, producing sickness, unwholesome

ṛta - truth

ruḍha - springing up
rūpa - form

rūpatvā - character

rūta - cry of

sa - this

sabīja - with seed

sadā - always

sādhaka - efficient, someone who follows a particular sādhana

sādhana - means to accomplish; leading straight to a goal; guiding well; furthering

sādhāraṇatvā - common

saguṇa - with attributes, qualities

sahabhuva - accompany

sahavāsa - dwelling together

sākṣāt - directly seeing

sālambana - supporting

samā - equal, constant

samādhi - putting together; communion; combining; integration

samāhita - one who has collected his thoughts, devout, steadfast, firm

samāna - digestive air, middle breath

samāpatti - coming together, unity

samāpti - conclusion

samatvam - equanimity

samavṛtti - equal movement

samaya - circumstances; appointed or proper time; agreement; regulate

saṃbandha - connection

saṃbodha - understanding

saṃgṛhītatvā - connection

saṃhananatvā - robustness

saṃhāra - destruction; contraction, drawing in; conclusion

saṃhatya - having combined

saṃhitā - collection
saṃjñā - acknowledgment

saṃkalpa - intention, volition, determination

saṃkara - completely mixed

saṃkhyā - enumeration

saṃkīrṇā - interspersed, intermixed

saṃmoha - bewilderment

saṃnidhi - in the presence

saṃnyāsa - renunciation

saṃpat - perfection, destiny

saṃpradāya - tradition, established doctrine transmitted from one teacher to another,

traditional belief or usage

saṃprajñāta - total knowing

saṃprayoga - total joining together

saṃsāra - going or wandering through, passing through a succession of states

saṃśaya - doubt

saṃskāra - tendencies, psychological imprint, mental impression, habitual potency.

saṃtoṣa - contentment

saṃvedanā - to experience; completely knowing

saṃvega - intensity, excitement

saṃvid - an understanding

sāmya - equal

saṃyama - complete restraint

saṃyoga - conjunction

saṅga - association

saṃskṛta - ancient indic language

śānta - quiescent

sapta - seven

saptadhā - sevenfold

sārūpya - conformity

sarva - all

sarvāṅgāsana - all parts posture

sarvathā - in every way, at all times

sat - real, true, right

sati - being

satkāra - care, attention; reverence

sattva - clarity

satya - truthfulness

saumanasya - open-mindedness

savicārā - unrefined subtle reflection

savitarkā - unrefined gross deliberation

śabda - words

śaithilya - relaxation

śakti - power, energy; ability, capability; strength; might, effort;

śamana - palliating, allaying

śānti - peace

śarīra - any solid body; bodily frame; one's body

ṣaṣ - six

śāsana - teachings

śāstra - precept, rules, manual, compendium, book or treatise

śauca - cleanliness

śava - corpse, dead body

śavāsana - corpse pose

śeṣa - remainder

śikṣaṇa - the act of learning

śīla - nature

śītalī - cooling

śloka - type of verse metre

śodhana - cleansing, refining, purifying

śraddhā - faith

śrāvaṇa - hearing

śravika - heard spiritual teachings

śrī - blessed
śrotra - ear, act of hearing

śruta - oral transmission

śuci - pure

śuddha - pure

śūnya - empty

śvāsa - inhalation

siddha - accomplished one

siddhi - accomplishment, performance, fulfilment, attainment, success

śīrṣāsana - the head posture

sītkārī -

smaya - conceit

smṛti - remembrance; memory; mindfulness; the whole body of sacred tradition or what is
remembered by human teachers and constantly revised

sṛṣṭi - creation

śruti - hearing , listening; sacred eternal sounds or words as heard by sages, differing from
smṛti or what is only remembered and handed down in writing by authors

stambha - suspension

stha - abiding

sthairya - steadfastness, steadiness

sthāna - site, place; being fixed or stationary

sthānin - high position

sthira - steady

sthiti - staying or remaining or being in any state or condition; maintenance of life;

sthūla - grossness

styāna - dullness

sukha - pleasure; happiness; agreeable; ease; comfortable; pleasant

sūkṣma - subtle

sūrya - sun

suṣumnā - artery

sūtra - thread

sva - own

svabhāva - disposition
svadharma - own highest duty

svādhiṣṭhāna - ones own place

svādhyāya - to study; to read; sacred recitation; study of the self

svāmin - owner

svapna - dreams

svarūpa - own character

svastha - self abiding

svatantra - independence

syãt - could be

tadā - then

tamas - obscuring

tantra - depending on, framework

tanū - attenuation

tāpa - craving

tapas - to heat; religious austerity; self-discipline

tārā - star

tāraka - liberating

tārāvalī - a multitude of stars

tāsām - of these

tasmin - in this

tasya - its

tat - that, this

tatas - hence

tatra - there

tattva - principle; thatness

tayoḥ - of both

te - these

tejas - glow; glare; splendour; brilliance; light element

tīvra - extreme

trāṭakam - fixing the eyes on an object

traya - the three

tri - three

trividha - three fold

tu - moreover

tūla - cotton

tulya - sameness

tyāga - forsaken

ubhaya - both

udāna - upward air

udāra - aroused

udaya - arising

uḍḍīyāna - flying up

udita - uprisen

ujjāyī - upwards victory

ukrānti - going above

ukta - it is said

upa - near to

upadeśa - instruction, teaching

upalabdhi - apprehension

upanimantraṇa - invitation

upaniṣat - to sit down near to; esoteric doctrine; a class of philosophical writings

uparāga - colours

uparakta - coloured

upāsana - stay near, worship

upasargā - impediments

upasthāna - appear

upāya - approach, coming near; that by which one reaches one's aim, a means, way,
stratagem, craft

upekṣā - disinterest

upekṣitvā - expectation
utpannā - arises

uttara - other

vā - or

vācaka - expression

vāhī - continuous

vāhitā - flow

vaira - animosity

vairãgya - dispassion

vaiśāradya - maturation

vajra - adamantine

vama - left

vanaprastha - retiring into a forest; living the life of an anchorite

varaṇa - surrounding

varṇa - type; order; colour; class

vārtā - smelling

vāsanā - latent impressions

vaśīkāra - mastery

vastu - substance

vaśyatā - control

vāta - wind principle

vaya - age

vāyu - wind; air element

veda - sacred lore

vedana - touching

vedāṅga - limbs of the Veda

vedanīya - experienced

vedānta - conclusion of the sacred lore

vibhāga - distinction

vibhakta - separate

vibhūti - special manifestation

vicāra - subtle reflection

viccheda - dividing

vicchinna - inconsistent

videha - discarnate

vidhāraṇā - retention

vidvāṃs - wise person

vidyā - true knowledge

vihāra - recreation

vijñāna - special knowing, comprehension

vijñānamaya - consisting of special knowing

vikalpa - imagination

vikaraṇa - without instruments

vikṣepa - distraction

vilamba - slowness

viloma - against the grain

vinā - without

viniyoga - employment, use, application

vinyāsa - special placing

vipāka - results

viparīta - reversed , inverted

viparyaya - wrong perception

viprakṛṣṭa - distant

virāma - cessation

virodhā - opposing

vīrya - vigour

viṣāda - despair

viṣamavṛtti - unequal movement

viṣayavant - as an object

viśeṣa - distinct

viṣaya - object

viśiṣṭādvaita - qualified non-dualism

viśokā - free from sorrow

viśuddhi - special purity

viśva - universal

vīta - free from; smooth

vitarka - gross deliberation, negative deliberation

vitṛṣṇasya - absence of thirst

viveka - discrimination

vivekin - discerner

viyoga - unyoking, separation

vrajet - can achieve

vrata - vow

vṛtti - fluctuation; turned; set in motion; profession

vyādhi - disorder, disease, ailment

vyākhyātā - explained

vyakta - visible

vyāna - circulatory air

vyāsa - arranger, compiler, codifier

vyavahita - concealed

vyūha - arrangement

vyutthāna - turned outward

yajña - act of worship or devotion; offering, oblation, sacrifice

yājñavalkya - ancient sage

yama - restraints

yathā - according as

yatna - effort

yoga - the act of yoking

yogyatva - capability

yogin - a follower of the yoga system

yogyatā - fitness

yukta - connected; skilful; made use of

yukti - connection; suitableness; usage; preparation