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Sanskrit Dictionary
 
     This glossary contains close to 900 common Sanskrit words that a person practicing yoga would come across. We have used diacritical marks in as many words as possible, to help the reader pronounce each word correctly. Please refer to the pronunciation guide below. A list of sources for this glossary is given at the end.
 
Alphabet  Pronounced as 
A Awe
Ī Ee
Ū Oo
Chh Hard - midway between ch & sh - as in chaw
Haw
Gaw with g nasal
ā Ah
E Eh
Ch In chosen
Alphabet  Pronounced as 
Rh (r hard)
ṁ&ṅ Ong as in song
Naw as in gnaw
Rhi
T Th (soft)
v Wa
Ś orṣ Sh as in shilling
Taw (hard)
y Yaw

Y
Yajña - Sacrifice, sacred ritual

Yajur Veda - One of the four vedas

Yama - Discipline comprising ahiṁsā , satya, asteya, brahmacharya and aparigraha.

Yantra - A geometric design representing the body of one’s meditation deity, used for external and internal worship.

YaŚ asvinḹ nā ḍḹ - Name of one of the nā ḍḹs.

Yatamā na - Engaged in effort. A state of detachment

Yā tra - Pilgrimage

Yoga - Union, communion. The word yoga is derived from the root ‘Yuj’ meaning to join, to yoke, to concentrate one’s attention on. It is one of the six systems of Indian philosophy, collated by the sage Patanjali. Yoga is the union of our will to the will of god, a poise of the soul, which enables one to look evenly at life in all its aspects. The chief aim of yoga is to reach the means by which the human soul may be completely united with the supreme spirit pervading the universe and thus secure absolution.

Yoga abhyā sa - Practice of yoga

Yogabhrastha - Falling from the grace of yoga

Yoga mā rga - The path of yoga

Yoga nidr⁠- A deep relaxation technique also called 'yogic sleep' in which mind and body is at complete rest but with complete awareness

Yoga Sūtra - Yoga aphorism

Yogi - One who practices Yoga. In common usage it refers to one who has mastered the Practice of yoga, and teaches it to others

Yogin - A male practitioner of yoga

Yogini - A female practitioner of yoga

Yoni - The perineum or female genitals, but also the source of the universe

Yuga - One of the four ages in the cycle of creation

 
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