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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

G
Gandha - Gandha

Gandha - Smell

Gā ndhā rḹ nā ḍḹ - Name of one of the nā ḍḹs sad to be located behind the idā nā ḍḹ , terminating near left eye, regulating the function of sight.

Garuḍa - Mythical king of the birds

GaneŚ a - The Elephant god. Son of lord Ś iva

Garbha - A foetus or an emryo

Garbagriha - Literally 'womb-house', the part of a temple where the main deity is enshrined

Gā yatri - A very important vedic chant in the Hindu tradition

Ghaṭa - A large eathern water pot

Ghaṭavastha - The second stage of prā ṇā yā ma discussed in the Ś iva samhitā .

Gheraṇḍa saṁhitā - A classical work on hatha yoga

Govindā - Another name for kṛṣna, who is also referred to as gopā la

Grahaṇa - Receiving; apprehension. Instrument of reception

Grahḹtā - Receiver; recipient. One who apprehends, denoting both puruṣa and buddhi.

Grā hya - Thing received; object apprehended; knowable; perceptible

Granthi - Blockages of energy within the body. Literally, a "knot". In order to experience self- realization, the knots must be released

Gṛhasta - A person at the second of the four stages of life, the stage of the householder

Guṇa - Any one of the three primary constituents of phenomenal worlds (sattva, rajas and tamas). Quality

Guṇā tḹta - One who is freed from and gone beyond or has crossed the three guṇā s.

gu - The first syllable in the word ‘guru’, meaning darkness

guru - Spiritual preceptor, one who illumines the darkness of spiritual doubt

Gurukul - Traditional Hindu residential schools of learning; typically the teacher's house or a monastery

 
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