Search for Sanskrit terms related to yoga poses, philosophy, and spiritual practices. Please type at least 3 characters to see results.
Abhyasa – practice
Acarya – teacher, guide
Adhikara – qualification, entitlement
Adho – downward
Agni – fire
Akasha – ether, space
Ananda – happiness or bliss
Anga – limb
Anghusta – big toe
Anjali – offering or salutation
Apana – descending energy
Ardha – half
Arjuna – the great warrior, disciple of Krishna
Asat – the unreal, not truth
Ashta – eight
Ashtanga – eight-limbed path
Aṣṭama – eighth
Asmita – false identification of the Self; mistaking the ego or roles (like “teacher,” “parent,” “success”) as our true identity
Atman – self, soul
Avatara – incarnation
Avidya – ignorance
Baddha – tied/ bound
Baka – crane
Bala – young, powerful, child-like
Bhadra – fortune, or auspicious
Bhagavad Gita – song of the Lord (sacred text)
Bhagwan – god, used as a respectful title for divine beings
Bhakti – devotion, love
Bharma – table
Bhuja – arm
Bhujanga – snake/ serpent
Bitila/Go – cow
Brahman – ultimate reality, universal consciousness
Cakra – wheel or disc (often symbolizing energy or movement)
Camat – surprised, proud
Caturtha – fourth
Chakra – energy center
Chandana – sandalwood
Chandra – moon
Chatur – four
Chaturanga – four-limbed staff pose
Chit – consciousness
Chitkala – the pulse of consciousness
Danda – rod/ staff
Dandayamana – balancing
Darshan – vision, philosophical view
Daśama – tenth
Deva – divine being
Deva – god or deity
Dhanu – bow
Dharma – duty, righteousness
Dhyana – meditation
Dīpa – lamp
Drishti – point of focus or gaze
Durga – the goddess of strength and protection
Dvijasana – born twice
Dvitīya – second
Dwi – two, both
Eka – one
Ekagrata – one-pointedness
Galava – devotion
Ganapati – another name for the elephant-headed god Ganesha, remover of obstacles
Garuda – eagle (mythical)
Gita – song, as in Bhagavad Gita
Govinda – a name of Krishna, meaning “the lord of the senses”
Guna – quality or attribute
Gunas – qualities (Sattva, Rajas, Tamas)
Guru – teacher, spiritual guide
Hala – plough
Hamsa – swan, symbol of the soul
Hanuman – Monkey king
Hari – Lord Vishnu
Hasta – hand
Hatha – force, physical yoga
Hreem – a bija mantra, associated with the goddess of knowledge
Indra – lord or king
Indriyas – senses
Ishvara – god, supreme ruler
Jai – victory or triumph (often used in “Jai Bhagwan” or “Jai Guru”)
Jala – water
Janu – knee
Japa – repetition of a mantra
Jnana – knowledge
Kacchapa – tortoise
Kaivalya – liberation, freedom
Kaka – crow
Kamala – lotus
Kāñcana – gold
Kapila – a type of horse, also associated with the name of sage Kapila
Kapota – pigeon/ dove
Kara – hand
Karma – action, cause and effect
Karna – ear
Karuna – compassion
Kirtan – devotional chanting
Kīrti – peacock
Klesha – affliction or obstacle
Kona – angle
Krim – a bija mantra, associated with the transformation of the mind
Kumbha – pot
Kurma – turtle
Lila – divine play
Loka – world, realm (often used in mantras like “Lokah Samastah Sukhino Bhavantu”)
Lola – dangling
Mahisha – buffalo
Mala – garland or prayer beads
Manas – mind, intellect
Manduk – frog
Mantra – sacred sound or phrase
Marjara – cat
Matsya – fish
Mudra – seal
Mukha – face
Muladhara – root chakra
Nadi – energy channel
Nama – name, invocation
Namah – to bow or honor
Namah – to bow, honor, or salute
Nata – dancer
Nava – boat
Navama – ninth
Nirlamba – without support
Nirvana – liberation, blissful state
Om – sacred universal sound
Omkar – the sound of Om
Pada – foot/ leg
Padma – lotus
Pañcama – fifth
Parigha – gate latch
Parivrtta – revolved
Parsva – side
Paschima – west direction (back of body)
Pātra – vessel or container
Phalaka – shield, holding
Pida – pressure
Prana – breath/ lifeforce
Prapa – begin to drink, prayer
Prasarita – spread out
Prathama – first
Pristha – back or rear
Purusha – cosmic being, spirit
Purva – east direction (front of body)
Pustaka – book
Radhe – associated with Radha, divine feminine energy (used in many Krishna mantras)
Raja Yoga – the royal path of meditation
Raja – king, royal
Rajas – passion, activity
Ram – a bija mantra, associated with the solar plexus chakra and strength
Rama – a name of Lord Rama, often invoked for protection and strength
Rishi – sage, seer
Sadhana – spiritual practice
Salamba – with support
Samadhi – deep meditation, state of absorption
Samskara – mental impressions
Samyama – mastery over mind, body, and spirit
Sankalpa – intention, resolve
Saptama – seventh
Sarvanga – whole body
Ṣaṣṭha – sixth
Sat – truth (as in “Sat Nam” – “truth is my name”)
Sattva – purity, harmony
Sava – corpse
Setu – bridge
Shakti – energy, goddess, divine power
Shalabha – locust/ grasshopper
Shanti – peace, often repeated three times at the end of mantras
Shisho – puppy
Shishumara – dolphin
Shiva – the destroyer, one of the trinity of gods in Hinduism
Shreem – a bija mantra, associated with the goddess Lakshmi
Simha – lion
Sirsa – head
Skanda – trunk, stem or bulk
Stambha – pillar or column
Sthiti – stability
Sukha – easy
Supta – reclining/ sleeping
Surya – sun
Sutra – thread, aphorism
Svadhyaya – self-study, study of sacred texts
Svana – dog
Svarga – heaven
Swaha – an offering, often used in rituals
Tada – mountain
Tantra – spiritual practices and teachings
Tapas – discipline, inner fire
Tittibha – small insect
Tri – three
Tṛtīya – third
Upavistha – seated
Urdva – raised/ upward
Ustra – camel
Utkata – fierce, proud, superior, difficult
Uttana – intense stretch
Utthita – extended, stretched
Vairagya – detachment, renunciation
Vajra – thunderbolt
Vakra – bent
Vam – a bija mantra, associated with the element of water and the sacral chakra
Vasana – habitual tendency
Vasistha – wealthy
Vastra – cloth, garment
Vayus – winds (of the body)
Veda – knowledge, wisdom
Vedanta – end of knowledge, philosophy
Vedas – ancient sacred texts
Vichara – inquiry, contemplation
Vidya – knowledge, wisdom
Vijnana – knowledge, science, intellect
Vīṇā – musical instrument (a type of stringed instrument)
Vinyasa – to place in a special way
Viparita – reverse
Vira – hero
Vishnu – the preserver, one of the trinity of gods
Vrata – vow, observance
Vritti – fluctuation of the mind
Vrksa – tree
Vṛṣa – bull
Vrschika – scorpion
Vyaghra – tiger
Yajna – fire sacrifice
Yam – a bija mantra, associated with the heart chakra and compassion
Yog – union, discipline
Yogi – practitioner of yoga
Yogini – female practitioner of yoga
Yuj – to join, unite
Zazen – seated meditation (Zen)
Prakriti – nature, the natural world or material reality
Tamas – inertia, darkness, the quality of ignorance
Pratyahara – withdrawal of the senses, one of the limbs of yoga in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras
Sadhaka – a spiritual practitioner, one who is dedicated to their sadhana (spiritual practice)
Yuga – an age or era in Hindu cosmology (Kali Yuga, Dvapara Yuga, etc.)
Tattva – principle or reality; often used in reference to spiritual elements of existence
Chitta – mind, consciousness, intellect
Maya – illusion, the concept that the physical world is not the ultimate reality
Ahamkara – ego, the sense of “I” or individual self
Shavasana – corpse pose, the final relaxation pose in yoga
Kundalini – dormant spiritual energy, often associated with the spine
Sushumna Nadi – central energy channel (the main channel for spiritual awakening)
Bandha – lock, bind (e.g., Mula Bandha, Uddiyana Bandha)
Kriya – action or practice, especially techniques for spiritual development
Santosha – contentment, one of the niyamas (personal observances) in yoga philosophy
Sauca – cleanliness, purity, one of the niyamas
Manipura – solar plexus chakra, the seat of personal power and confidence
Bhavana – mental cultivation or development, often used in context like “metta bhavana” (cultivation of loving-kindness)
Asteya – non-stealing, one of the yamas (ethical practices) in yoga philosophy
Aparigraha – non-possessiveness, non-greed, one of the yamas
Mula – root (as in Mula Bandha, the root lock)
Uddiyana – abdominal lock (Uddiyana Bandha)
Jalandhara – throat lock (Jalandhara Bandha)
Moksha – liberation, freedom (ultimate goal of yoga)
Samsara – the cycle of birth, death, and rebirth
Dukha – suffering, pain, discomfort
Yoga Nidra – yogic sleep, a state of conscious relaxation
Dharana – concentration (the sixth limb of the Eight Limbs of Yoga)
Parabrahman – the Supreme Being, the ultimate reality or God in the Bhagavad Gita
Vasudeva – another name for Krishna, meaning “the Lord of the Universe”
Prana – the vital life force or energy that flows throughout the body and mind
Apana – the downward and outward flow of prana, associated with elimination and grounding
Samana – the prana that governs digestion and assimilation, circulating within the body
Udana – the upward-moving prana that governs speech, growth, and the process of exhalation
Vyana – the prana that circulates throughout the entire body, responsible for movement and coordination
Pranayama – the practice of controlling and regulating the prana through breathwork
Vayu – the five types of prana that govern the different functions of the body and mind
Prana Vayu – the prana responsible for inhalation, energy intake, and vitality
Apana Vayu – the prana responsible for exhalation, elimination, and grounding
Samana Vayu – the prana responsible for digestion, assimilation, and balance in the body
Udana Vayu – the prana that governs speech, creativity, and the movement of energy upwards
Vyana Vayu – the prana responsible for circulating energy throughout the body, coordinating movement
Puraka – inhale (the act of inhaling, or drawing breath in)
Rechaka – exhale (the act of exhaling, or releasing breath)
Kumbhaka – breath retention (the practice of holding the breath after inhalation or exhalation)
Dirgha Pranayama – complete breath (a slow and deep breath that fills the lungs completely)
Ujjayi Pranayama – ocean’s breath (a breathing technique used in yoga that involves slightly constricting the throat to create a soothing sound)
Kapalabhati – breath of fire (a rapid and forceful exhalation with passive inhalation, often used in Kundalini and other forms of yoga)
Nadi Shodhana – alternate nostril breathing (a balancing breath technique where inhalation and exhalation alternate through each nostril)
Ujjayi Pranayama – ocean’s breath (also referred to as the “ocean’s breath” due to its sound resembling ocean waves)
Sitali Pranayama – cooling breath (breathing technique that involves inhaling through a curled tongue to cool the body)
Dirgha Pranayama – three-part breath (breathing into the lower abdomen, ribcage, and chest to fill the lungs completely)
Bhramari Pranayama – vibrational breath (a breathing technique that involves humming while exhaling to create vibrations in the body)
Namaskara – salutation, greeting (often used in yoga to describe a respectful greeting or acknowledgment of the divine within)
Namaste – I bow to you (a common greeting in yoga, signifying the recognition of the divine within another)
Pranam – bow, obeisance (a form of salutation, often in a spiritual or respectful context)
Nasagra – tip of the nose (often used in the context of breathing exercises like Nadi Shodhana)
Antar – internal, within (used in reference to internal processes, like Antar Kumbhaka or internal retention of breath)
Bahir – external (often used to refer to external processes or external breath retention)
Sheetkari – cooling breath (a pranayama technique involving breathing through the teeth to cool the body)
Sheetali – cooling breath (a pranayama technique involving breathing through a rolled tongue to cool the body)
Nadanusandhana – sound meditation (meditation or focus on sound, typically on the inner sound or “Om”)
Bhastrika – bellows breath (a type of pranayama that involves rapid, forceful inhalations and exhalations)
Moorchha – breath suspension or fainting (a pranayama technique where the breath is held to induce a state of calmness or even unconsciousness)
Bheda – piercing (in yoga, often used in the context of breathing exercises that pierce through mental distractions)
Kaya – body (often used in reference to the physical body or aspects related to physical practice)
Adhara – support, base (often used in reference to the foundation or support of a pose or practice)
Bhairava – terrifying or fierce (a name of Shiva, often used in reference to a fierce form of meditation or spiritual practice)
Shambhavi – related to Shiva, or the auspicious one (often used in reference to Shambhavi Mudra, a form of meditation or gaze associated with Shiva)
Hridaya – heart (often used in reference to the heart center or Hridaya Yoga, the yoga of the heart)
Nasikagra – tip of the nose (often referred to in Nadi Shodhana or alternate nostril breathing)
Khechari – the flying posture or the practice of placing the tongue on the soft palate, thought to bring about spiritual awakening
Bhujangini – female serpent (a term referring to the serpent pose, or “Bhujangasana,” often symbolizing energy awakening)
Unmani – a state of mind where one is unaware of external distractions, associated with advanced meditation states
Vipareeta Karani – inverted action (a yoga pose, often called Legs Up the Wall, that reverses normal body positioning)
Pashinee – related to animals, often associated with animal-like postures or behaviors in yoga (such as in the “Paschimottanasana” or “Pashinee” pose)
Tadagi – bellows (a breathing exercise or pranayama, also referred to as Bhastrika or bellows breath)
Maha – great or supreme (often used in reference to “Maha Mudra” or “Maha Yoga,” meaning great or supreme techniques)
Ashwini – related to horses or the horse pose (often referred to as “Ashwini Mudra,” a technique involving contraction of the anal muscles)
Vajroli – associated with the practice of controlling the flow of semen (a technique in yoga for energy control)
Sahajoli – a state of effortless energy control, often associated with the spontaneous practice of yoga
Shatkarma – the six cleansing techniques in yoga, which are designed to purify the body and mind
Jala Neti – water cleansing (a yogic practice using water to cleanse the nasal passages)
Sutra Neti – thread cleansing (a method of cleansing the nasal passages using a thread)
Shankhaprakshalana – a yogic technique involving the cleansing of the digestive system through water ingestion and specific movements
Varisa Dhauti – a cleansing technique using the ingestion of water for purification of the digestive tract
Laghoo Shankhaprakshalana – a simplified version of Shankhaprakshalana for digestive system cleansing
Vatsara Dhauti – a cleansing technique involving the swallowing and regurgitation of air to cleanse the stomach and intestines
Agnisara Kriya – a yogic cleansing technique that involves the rapid movement of the abdominal muscles to increase heat and stimulate digestive energy
Vahnisara Dhauti – a technique where the practitioner generates heat in the body through a specific breath and abdominal movement, purifying the digestive system
Swana – dog (often used in reference to “Svanasana” or “Adho Mukha Svanasana,” the downward dog pose)
Vama Dhauti – a cleansing technique involving the ingestion of water and its regurgitation to cleanse the stomach
Kunjal Kriya – a cleansing practice that involves drinking and then vomiting saltwater to detoxify the body and cleanse the digestive system
Vyaghra Kriya – tiger technique, which involves a specific breath and posture to stimulate the digestive fire
Vastra Dhauti – a technique of cleansing the stomach using a cloth, where the cloth is swallowed and then pulled out to cleanse the digestive tract
Nauli – a yogic practice involving the isolation and rolling of abdominal muscles to purify the digestive system and activate energy
Madhyama Nauli – a variation of Nauli where the practitioner moves the muscles of the abdomen from side to side, rather than isolating a single muscle
Vama Nauli – a variation of Nauli where the practitioner moves the left side of the abdominal muscles
Dakshina Nauli – a variation of Nauli where the practitioner moves the right side of the abdominal muscles
Basti – a yogic practice similar to an enema, where water is used to cleanse the colon and lower intestines
Sthal Basti – a form of Basti using the water in a specific posture to cleanse and stimulate the digestive system
Moola – root, often referring to Mula Bandha (root lock) or Mula Shodhana (root purification)
Moola Shodhana – the purification of the root energy (Mula) through a combination of practices such as breathwork and bandhas
Vyutkrama – a cleansing technique involving the use of water for nasal irrigation, performed in an opposite manner to Jala Neti
Sheetkrama – a cooling breath practice that involves the inhalation of air through the mouth in a controlled manner to cool the body
Trataka – a concentration practice involving gazing at a fixed point (often a candle flame) to improve focus and calm the mind
Bindu – point, often referring to the “bindu” in yoga as a point of focus or the central point in spiritual practice
Ida – the lunar, cooling energy channel (left channel in the yogic system of Nadis)
Pingala – the solar, heating energy channel (right channel in the yogic system of Nadis)
Yoga – union, to yoke or join
Nirodha – cessation, control, restraint
Drashta – the Seer, the witness
Rupa – form, shape, appearance
Pratiprasava – involution, returning to the source
Viparyaya – misconception, mistaken knowledge
Vikalpa – imagination, verbal delusion
Nidra – sleep
Pramana – valid knowledge, right perception
Sabda – sound, word, testimony
Anumana – inference, logical reasoning
Agama – scriptural authority, traditional knowledge
Dridha – firm, steady, stable
Raga – attachment, desire
Dvesha – aversion, avoidance
Bhava – state of being, feeling, becoming
Virama – cessation, stopping completely
Shraddha – faith, trust, conviction
Virya – energy, strength, effort
Prajna – wisdom, discernment
Tivra – intense, strong
Samvega – urgency, zeal, earnestness
Mridu – mild, soft, gentle
Madhya – moderate, middle
Adhimatra – very intense, utmost
Avyasa – eternal, timeless (often referring to Ishvara)
Arthabhavanam – contemplation of meaning
Pratibandha – obstacle, obstruction
Vyadhi – illness, disease
Styana – mental stagnation, apathy
Samshaya – doubt, hesitation
Pramada – carelessness, negligence
Alasya – laziness, idleness
Avirati – craving for sensual pleasures
Bhranti-darshana – false vision or perception
Alabdha-bhumikatva – inability to reach a meditative state
Anavasthitatvani – instability or falling back from progress
Vicara – subtle thought, reflection
Vitarka – gross thought, analytical reasoning
Vishaya – object (of perception or meditation)
Alambana – support, object of focus
Prakasha – illumination, clarity
Maitri – loving-kindness, friendliness
Mudita – joy, sympathetic joy
Upeksha – equanimity, non-reactivity
Prashvasa – exhalation, breath out
Shvasa – inhalation, breath in
Angamejayatva – unsteadiness of the limbs
Daurmanasya – despair, negative thinking
Samapatti – assimilation; the merging of the mind with the object of meditation
Shunya – void or emptiness
Pratibimba – reflection or mirrored image
Savitarka – meditation with reasoning or conceptual thought
Nirvitarka – meditation without reasoning or conceptual thought
Savichara – meditation with subtle inquiry or reflection
Nirvichara – meditation beyond subtle inquiry, pure contemplation
Sukshma – subtle
Vyutthana – outward movement of the mind; distraction
Nirbija – seedless; a state of meditation without any mental impressions
Viveka – discernment; the ability to distinguish between the real and the unreal, the eternal and the temporary
Lingamatra – mere indication; the subtlest impression or trace of something
Asamprajnata – superconscious state; absorption beyond the mind and all mental modifications
Bija – seed; the potential or cause from which something arises, often used in the context of karma or mantra
Abhinivesha – fear of death or clinging to life
Vipāka – result or fruit of actions
Aśaya – latent impressions or karmic residues
Jāti – birth or life condition
Āyus – lifespan
Bhoga – experience or enjoyment
Heya – that which is to be avoided or overcome
Hāna – the act of removing or letting go
Hetu – cause or source
Pariṇāma – transformation or change
Apūrva – unprecedented, unseen cause (karmic result)
Dṛśya – the seen or observable (the world of form)
Dṛṣṭa – seen, visible, experienced
Adṛṣṭa – unseen, invisible, not yet experienced
Aviplavā – uninterrupted, steady, continuous
Prayatna–śaithilya – effort combined with relaxation
Ananta – infinite or endless (often referring to a divine being or serpent)
Abhyantara – internal
Deśa – location or place
Kāla – time
Saṅkhyā – number or count
Viṣaya – objects of the senses
Jāti – class, species, or inherent nature
Lakṣaṇa – characteristics or features
Pariṇāma-traya – the three transformations (form, time, and condition)
Dharmī – the underlying substance or essence
Taranga – wave or fluctuation (of consciousness)
Atīta – past
Anāgata – future
Pariṇāma – transformation or change
Krama – sequence or progression
Saṅkara – mixture or confusion
Purve – previous ones or prior knowledge
Citta – mind or field of consciousness
Grahana – reception or grasping (of knowledge or perception)
Śarīra – body
Cakṣuḥ – eye (sense of sight)
Dhruva – pole star or fixed point
Tārā – stars
Gati – movement or course
Tāraka – crossing over or liberation
Bhūtas – elements
Laya – dissolution
Pratyaya – perception or idea
Vedana – feeling or sensation
Sannidhya – presence, nearness, being spiritually or energetically close
