A Yoga glossary focused mainly on Patanjali’s  Yoga Sutras and Hatha Yoga in general. Yoga Sutras references are displayed by Roman numerals (chapter numbers) followed by standard numerals indicating chapter and verse references. This is an ongoing work in progress.

A

A: not, devoid of, empty, free from, or neutral such in apara, abhava, asteya, asatya, alinga, ahimsa, or aklishta, etc..

Abhasa: IV.19
 
Abhava: Absence. Absence of feeling or awareness. The feeling of absence, lack of intentionality or coherent feeling. Non-being. Technically for a samkhya dualist abhava means non-existence and a subjective state of non-feeling indifference. Abhava is not yoga, but is negation, and as such is associated with citta-vrtti. I.10. II.25 (See bhava)

Abhava-pratyaya: An aborted`intention producing unstable/wavering contents of the mind. Lacking in a coherent intention, focus, or mental content such as found in sleep. I.10 Compare with bhava-pratyayo (I.19).

Abhi: a prefix to verbs and nouns , expressing to, towards, in the direction of, into, over, upon. Used as a prefix to verbs of motion expressing the the notion or going towards, approaching, etc. As a prefix to nouns not derived from verbs it expresses superiority, intensity.

Abhibhava: Overpowering in the direction of whence it came. Disappearing, emanating. submergence III.9

Abhighatah: The state of being assailed, attacked, or struck. Experiencing conflict, stress, angst, anxiety attacks, or assault. II.48

Abhijatasya: unblemished, well born, pure born. noble. I.41

Abhimata: agreeable; preferred.

Abhinivesah: Fear of death or attachment to temporal or physical existence. Attachment to impermanence. Attachment to the false idea that true imperishable self resides exclusively in the physical body. Attachment to the concept of ego as self. desire for continuity. A continuity obsession; a deep feeling of insecurity which results from grasping onto a false identifications (be it body, ego, identification with place, time, things, societal status, artificial systems or temporal systems (changing phenomena). One of the principle 5 kleshas.  II.3, II.9.

Abhivyaktir: leading toward becoming distinct; bringing into the field of perception; leading toward discernment. IV.8

Abhiyantara: Internal- inward (see antar). II.50

Abhyasa: Focused endeavor for release. In yoga a regular practice (sadhana) focused upon yogic practices designed to free one from false identifications (the citta-vrtti). . A consistent practice and dedicated self discipline (sadhana) that is process oriented in achieving Now awareness versus not goal orientation. Described together as abhyasa-vairgyabhyam in Sutra I.12 as a single practice. and elaborated upon in I.13 whereas I.14 suggests establishing abhyasa-vairagyabhyam over a long time, until freedom from all craving is realized I.15-16 which leads to non-dual realization I.17-19. Also I.32

Adarsa: III.36

Adhara: base, root, foundation. .

Adhi: Health (Also see vyadhi. I.30.

Adhigama: Attainment, accomplishment, or realization. I.29

Adhimatra: Extreme. Intense. I.23; II.34

Adhisthatritvam: the quality of mastery; literally the quality of over standing. III.39

Adhyatma: The transpersonal natural original non-dual self; the authentic non-dual true self beyond the limitations of and artifices of personality. I.47

Adhyatma yoga: A method of realizing Brahman, not knowing by the mind, but knowing by being. It is an expansion of consciousness from individuality to the absolute, not merely an intellectually or emotionally satisfying background idea. Compare this description with yoga as the evolution and expansion of consciousness from the undifferentiated unborn universal seed source (isvara) to the individual specific jiva (atman).

Adi Primordial, original, topmost, supreme, highest.

Adimatra: very intense: strong; very keen. I.22

Adinath. Supreme and primordial master (nath) of yoga. An honorific title given to Shiva.

Adisu: and so forth. etc.. III.23, 24, 39, 45

Adrsta: That which is not seen or known -- unknown. II.12

Advaita. Non-dual, literally not two. (see dvaita)

Agama: One of the three constituents of pramana. Authoritative; revealed authority. scriptural authority; testimony of a religious authority whom one trusts;   Witnessed by or reliable testimony that attests to a things verity or validity. I.7

Agama has come to mean that which is affirmed, verified or vouched for as correct or right by an accepted external authority system such as the rishis, saints, guru, or scripture. Agama as used in the Yoga Sutras is one element in establishing pramana (belief systems and doctrine). See: Sutra I.7.  

In classical Indian philosophy the agamas refer to the non-Vedic and pre-Aryan orthodox traditions that was indigenous to Bharat (India) maintained in oral traditions in forms of stories or wisdom “myths”.  The agamas as a body of literature include the works of the Tantras, Kaula, and much of the Puranas, in distinction to Vedas and Upanishads. The history of Bharat (India) is a matter of controversy especially among Indian scholars) but what is being differentiated here is the difference between the Vedic and Sanskrit literature and that of an indigenous culture and religion.  In the Agamas, Shiva is usually paramount and is often credited as its source. Classical hatha yoga unquestionably can be understood as Agamic versus Vedic or Samkhya. In Agama shakti asks Shiva questions, but in Nigamas, Shakti is the Source. In the yoga Sutra I.7

Agrya: Focused intent II.41

Ahimsa: Non-violence, non-harmfulness, the act of not only refraining from harm but the act of removing and eliminating harm (himsa). Thus the thought and action that honors well being, happiness, life, and the life force (prana). Living a life honoring and respecting all life forms including acting responsibly so to one's physical body.. II.30, 35.

Ajnatam: not known I:17

Akara: form; shape.IV.22

Akasa (akasha): The most subtle element of the five element system translated as ether (aether) in English. Akasha resides at the throat chakra. It is often described as the connecting element between formless space and matter and pictured as a light emitting plasmic lava (or liquid light) of the most refined and subtle density sometimes referred to as space and sometimes light (or light in space). In the big bang theory, the universe (the elements), out of space, was created all at once but through dharana Contemplation) on akasha, that evolutionary transition between empty or formless space and creation is seen (known), hence akasha dharana or cid-akasha practices are undertaken to effect that transition consciously. Also open or clear sky -- limitless space, or that which shines by its own uninflected light. From akasha the other elements are born. Also see vyoma panchacaka, mahakasha, paramakasha, paravyoma, and vyoma. (III.41, 42).

Akasayoh: Etheric, pertaining to aether. III.42

Akasha Mudra: An unfocused lightly held gazing activity into open space (usually with the head tilted back). Sky gazing.

Aklishta (aklista): Devoid of kleshic association. Producing no kleshas or afflictions: Free or neutral in respect to being afflictive. Non-afflictive, harmless, or benign.  Not associated with any kleshas (mental/emotional afflictions neither leading toward kleshas and duhkha nor arising out of kleshas). Patanjali in I.5 might be implying that some aklishta mind fields can not only be harmless or neutral regarding harm, but perhaps an antidote to the kleshas, such as the generation of positive thoughts and the like, such as found in many yoga practices. Technically we can not read that from the word, aklishta. Regardless it can be said with certainty that any chitta-vrtti whatsoever must eventually be dissolved and cease (nirodha) operation in the mind field in order for union (yoga) to dawn – in order for the fruits of yoga to be fully realized. So doubtless according to the way Patanjali defines the vrttis and the goal of yoga, then any such activities of the mind filed that reduce and tend to dissolve the vrttis (in nirodha) are themselves not vrttis. Hence the four boundless minds (karuna, maitri, mudita, and upeksha), mantra, yantra, yams/niyams, and other authentic yogic activities of body, speech, and/or mind would not be considered a vrtti, but rather serve to create union (yoga). Pada I.5 (also see klishta and klesha)

Akrsnam: not black or not stained/darkened. IV.7

Aksepi: putting or casting aside; withdrawing or suspending. II.51

Alabdha-bhumikatva: A feeling of clueless vacantness; ungroundedness, poiselessness, chronic fickleness of mind. inability to make up one's mind, lack of focus, wandering, state of being lost in transition from the preceding thought to the succeeding thought. losing one's train of thought, chronic denial or missing the point; not being present anywhere; agitation, scatteredness, unstableness, unbalanced, chronically clueless, spaced out or bipolar, the inability to rest or return to in one's core energy, base, ground, or poise. I.30

Alambana: based on an external support: conditional or dependent upon something in the general sense.  I.10, 39 (See salambana). I.10, 38; IV.11

Alasya: physical laziness, languor, sloth. I.30

Alinga: Unmanifest; Devoid of any distinguishable qualities, formless, undesignated, attributeless, undifferentiated, defies description. Unconditioned, natural, primal latent potentia. Vyasa says that alinga refers to the most subtle cause of prakrti, thus unmodified prakrti but others say that it simply relates to the unmanifest param-purusa or isvara. I.45 (see Linga)

Alpam: very little or small IV.31

Aloka: Light, radiance, and splendor not dependent upon temporal existence -- emanating from the formless void.III.5, 25.

Amaroli: A hatha yoga practice where the inner nectar is generated and absorbed. Some say it is an actual drink which one swallows through the mouth.  

Amrita. That which is immortal. Nectar of the Gods. (See soma)

An: Not or free from.

Anabhighatah: Free from conflict, stress, angst, anxiety attacks, or assault. II.48 (see abhighatah)

Anaditvam: beginningless; unborn. IV 10

Anagatam: That which is yet to come; In the future. II.16

Ananda. Bliss or great joy (also see mahasukha). An honorific suffix appended to Swamis in most Swami traditions.  I.17

Anandamaya Kosha: the innermost sheath or core when pierced is experienced as  pure bliss.

Ananta: The infinite or endless. The name of Vishnu's serpent whom he would sleep on. II.47

Ananta asana: A hatha yoga asana that mimics Vishnu resting upon ananta, his serpent.

Ananta-samapattibhyam; Aligning or synchronizing with Unlimited Space, the endless or Infinite Mind: The Great Integrity.II.47 (See samapattibhyam)

Anantaryam: succession; link; causal chain IV.9

Anastam: not made to disappear: not destroyed. See nasta II.22

Anavaccheda: unlimited. infinite. unbound, boundless, unbroken.

An-avasthitatvani: Instability (sthiti means stable). Thus imbalance, stages of oscillation, uncenteredness. inability to rest in stillness and peace. I.30

Anga: limb or integral component of a system, such as in astanga (eight limbs). II.28, 29

Anima The siddhi of becoming smaller than an atom. One of the eight great siddhis. (see mahima)

Anjanata: Reflecting its surrounding conditions, a coalescence or coming together as one quality such as a container and its objects taken as a whole reflects a quality of its own as distinct from its individual contents. I.41.

Annamaya Kosha: Literally the food sheath. The dimension of matter and physicality.  The physical body, manifest body, emanation body. (see nirmanakaya as the emanation body of a Buddha.

Antar: inner, internal: II.50

Antar Dharana: Inner looking: Inner visualizations: Inner vision.

Antar Mouna: Inner silence; mental silence

Antara Kumbhaka: Internal retention of breath and prana. Also called puraka kumbhaka. See abhyantara. II/50

Antaraya: obstacle, obstruction: covering over, occlusion, obstacle. (see citta-viksepa) I.29

Antarangam: The process of moving inward. Interiorization. III.7

Anu: Small, very fine, minute

Anu: A prefix meaning , within this, following from. Simply "within".

Anubhuta: That which has been experienced despite if it is perceived accurately or understood. I.11

Anugamat: Accompanied by I.17

Anugunanam: lending itself toward a specific or suitable quality (measured qualitatively by the gunas); qualitative conditions IV.8.

Anukara: imitation or resemblance; like a projection of an image upon a screen. A projection in likeness but not the real thing; a symbolic representation or image. like a projection of an image upon a screen or a shadow upon the earth. Like a mirage. Phantom like. Like a clear crystal, when the light is removed, the light appears to settle back, coalesce, or dissolve back inside the crystal. II.54 (See vasikara)

Anumana: Inference, logic deduction. Inferential processes leading to a conclusion; One of the components of pramana. I.7

Anumoditah: permitted, approved. II.34

Anupati: sequentially; lineal I.9.

Anupasyah: To be taken as I.20

Anusayi: Associated with; clinging to; dependent upon. That which is associated. That which closely accompanies or is associated with some object; attached to; concomitant. II.7, 8.

Anushasanam: Instruction, guidance, exposition, teachings, clarification, explication, or revelation    I.1

Anusravika: Tradition: scripture, or authoritative source. I.15

Anusthana: following through; that which follows or proceeds from as a result. completing; practice II.28

Anuttamah: unsurpassed; sublime. II.42

Anuttaratantra: Unsurpassed tantra.

Anvayo: Connection; following in succession; a conjunction from one thing to the next; A pervasive association or continuum. III.9

Anyah: other or different from. I.18

Apara: not transcendent: lower or limited: Para means supreme or superior. Placing an "a" before para, makes it not superior or lower than. Para can also man far away (transcendent) so that apara may mean then close (rarer).

Apara-vairagya: Apara vairagya is the lower vairagya which relates to worldly objects and objects in general (and hence samprajnata), while para vairagya relates to the highest vairagya beyond dualistic ways of subject/object duality (and hence is associated with asamprajnata samadhi). In an indirect way all aversion (dvesa) fear, hatred, dislike, repulsion, and the like are also due to raga. In dvesa (aversion) there is always an underlying preference involved (like and hence dislike) -- an attachment to results. So aversion is impossible without raga, and vairagya takes care of both. Apara-vairagya still involves a grasper (asmita) who grasps onto coarse (vitarka) or subtle (vicara) forms (rupa) from which one takes pleasure (ananda). This is distinct from para-vairagya free from association with dualistic form or content (free from processes of pratyaya).

Aparigraha: Literally non-grasping. Non-greed, non-covetousness, non-miserliness. The attitude of enough, completeness, sufficiency or fulfillment unconditionally (that is, not being a result of an indulgence being satiated – a pleasure achieved at the prompting of desire. Unconditional happiness with one’s present situation without any desire for more; non-accumulation, non-craving. Generosity is the antidote for parigraha. As a characteristic of being fully present here and now. See also santosha for comparison.

Aparamrsta: untouched: not touched, unaffected.

Apattau: arising; manifestation; a condition. IV.22

Apatti: IV.22

Apetasya: free from; gone beyond; departed IV.31

Api: Also, even, though. IV.9

Apratiasamkramayas: undivided; unfragmented, unbroken; incorrupt able, pure. IV.22

Apunya: devoid or empty of merit. Non-meritorious action. II14 (See punya).

Apura: . flowing forth of abundanceIV.2

Ardhanareswara Half Shiva and half Shakti in one body.  Sometimes described as the androgynous form of Siva – both male and female.   

Artha. Purpose, meaning, aim, object of intention, direction.or goal. Origin: Cultivation or gathering together for sustenance, i.e. food, wealth, etc.

Arthamatra: Sole meaning and purpose in life. Personal (jiva) code or personal dharma. Artha means purpose or meaning while matra means entire, only, unequivocal, lone, or sole. III.3

Arthatvat: Due to its purpose. A reference to the quality of its purpose or intention. I.49

Arupa: formless (See rupa and sarupya).

Asamprajnata: Acognitive/non-cognitive or transcognitive; Devoid of the limitations of I/it object relations (pratyaya). The end of pratyaya (dualistic cognition). Free from ordinary dualistic modes of cognition. Asamprajnata occurs when the vrttis entirely cease to function. This state requires no support (alambana). Asamprajnata is an objectless undefiled open samadhi. There are many kinds of asamprajnata, but two categories may be useful to delineate. One is asamprajnata with seed (samskaras) such as is defined as sabija samadhi (samadhi with seed).The other is nirbija samadhi (samadhi without seed) and devoid of samskaras. Here samskaras can no longer produce kleshas, karma, or further duhkha.

Asamprajnata occurs when the chitta-vrtti sleep and non-dual transpersonal great awareness self awakens. Asamprajnata is a formless awareness such as practiced by advanced yogis as emptiness meditation where the mind is no longer preoccupied with content/objects of thought nor does even the idea of a separate observer who observes the object clouds one's conscious awareness. In asamprajnata the sublime emptiness of separate existence is realized so that subject/object duality is entirely eradicated and the seer rests as total integration (yoga). In comparison, samprajnata (cognition with content) is a limited state of cognition. Asamprajnata samadhi is the end of striving.  First presented in I.18 (Also see samprajnata I.17).

Asampramosah: retention; a lingering memory: the act of holding or recollection; not being lost or stolen away. I.11.

Asamprayoge: Disentanglement; decoupling, disengagement, disjunction. Asamprayoge decouples the false associations with objects of attachment ( samyoga as false identification) caused by habituation to the citta-vrtti. The remedial process applied to samyoga freeing the practitioner from asmita-raga and asmita-dvesa, while facilitating swarupa (unconditioned true self nature). It is the mechanism where the yogi decouples from the false (false associations/identifications) while samprayoga is the association process of connecting with the real. Both asamprayoge and samprayoga are useful activities when directed by the self swarupa or headed in that direction (swadhyaya), whereas samyoga is the false identification governed by asmita (the sense of separate self or ego ownership) . (See samprayoga and samyoga) II.54

Asamsarga: non-contact: dissociation; non-infection; decoupling; disengagement; indifference; immunity. freedom from association, II.40

Asana: Seat,  posture, attitude, stance in life,  or position (mental or physical). In meditation the seated posture for meditation. In hatha yoga the various psychophysical movements which activate the innate latent evolutionary potential (kundalini). II.29, 46

Asanga: free from attachment. not-related; disconnected; Name of a Mahayana Buddhist Sage who wrote the Uttara Tantra which promulgated the Tathagatagarbha (Buddha-nature) doctrine. III.39

Asannah: Imminent presence; very near or close. I.21

Asaya (ashaya): domain, seat, abode, dwelling. A resting place or storehouse. I.24, II.12

Asevito: Assiduously undertaken for a sustained duration. I.14

Asisa: passion: impulse or desire [for continuity]. IV.10

Asmita: Literally I-am-ness.Also the idea of ownership. Identification with form and objects as an independent self. One of the five chief kleshas (afflictions). Self involvement; Self centeredness; Limited ego consciousness where one's view of the world i tainted by the bias of a separate self. The delusion of asmita produces a basic insecurity as the kleshic separate self is impermanent and hence a e need to feel better about oneself (self aggrandizement, pride, status, fame, power, greed, etc., are the results. Ego attachment, delusion of separate self;  the dualistic fixation on a separate self, vanity, and arrogance is the basic delusion that separates the grasper (grahitir) from union (samadhi). Instead of being an integral part OF creation/creativity, one separates oneself as being apart FROM it. I.17

Asmita has many other side manifestations such as close-mindedness, provincialism, parochialism, narrow-mindedness,  indifference, snobbishness, rudeness, disdain, arrogance,  aloofness, above it all haughtiness, fullness of self,  judgmental, condemnational, distance, chilliness, like a cold fish, cold hearted, coldness, egotistical, snobbish, snooty, snotty, stuck-up, supercilious, superior, uppity, aloof, forbidding, hard-boiled, hard-hearted, incuriousness, laid-back, offish, on ice, reserved, standoffish, stuck up, supercilious, thick-skinned, unapproachable, unconcerned, unfriendly, uninterested, unresponsive, unsociable, unsympathetic, uppity, withdrawn, blue-blooded, courtly, holier than thou, assuming, audacious, autocratic, biggety, bossy, bragging, cavalier, cheeky, cocky, cold shoulder, conceited, contemptuous, cool, flippant, domineering, high-handed, imperious, know-it-all, lordly, overbearing, peremptory, pompous, presumptuous, pretentious, proud, puffed up, self-important, smarty, boastful, sniffy, snippy, stuck up, superior, swaggering, uppity, vain, domineering, rude, presumptuous, pushy, curt, high-and-mighty, insolent, lofty, lordly, offhand, dismissive, pedantic, contumelious, cheeky, upstaging, headstrong, inflexible,  intractable, intransigent, irreconcilable, obdurate, perverse, pig-headed, dogmatic, tyrannical, controlling,  impolite, stern, autocratic, vainglorious, egomaniacal, putting on airs, affectation, etc.   I.17;II.3, II.6; IV.4.

Asraya IV.11

Asrayatva: Respective correspondence or an alignment in a relationship, interdependence. II.36

Asteya: Literally, free from steya (theft), misappropriation, or dishonesty. One of the five yams in ashtanga yoga.  Non-stealing, non-expropriation; honesty; integrity, not taking anything without it being given or being paid back (reciprocated in kind). Such as giving thanks or being grateful to the Great Mother as an example. Asteya represents the non-predatory mindset. Steya, thievery has many forms but on the level of the mind it looks at things and people as objects to be exploited, manipulated for the satisfaction of the ego. Asteya on the other hand cultivates the transpersonal non-dual self realized being and eventually becomes its natural spontaneous expression. In the beginning a newbie simply acknowledges, reduces, and slowly restrains ones accumulated habits of steya eventually acknowledging their source. As these tendencies are weakened, then the spontaneous expression of Self more freely manifests naturally. II.30, 37.  

Asti: IV.12

Asukla: not white, not pure. IV.7 (see sukla)

Asya: I.40

Asuddhi (ashuddhi): not pure, sullied. (see suddhi) II.28, II.43

Atha: Now. Atha: Now. Used at the beginning of a very profound or precious/sacred and timeless treatise dear to the heart. Atha connotes a profound beginning or timeless intimacy such as a sacred presence. Atha can be postulated as a NOW awareness -- the presence of a primordial intelligence beyond the ordinary imposed limitations of a fragmented or flat plane linear sense of place or sequential ordering of time -- multi and trans-dimensional.  I.1

Atadrupa: Not in its own original form; modified or corrupted; perverted . I.8

Atma(n). Sometimes translated as the soul. When understood as *not* existing as an  independent ego or jiva (as a disconnected self)  apart from Brahman the eternal absolute Self), then the truth of this Atman and Brahman being inseparable is Truth (So ham). For Patanjali the idea of the false self or ego (asmita) is not atman, but rather the true nature of atman is swarupa -- the true nature of "self'. When the yogi knows this as the innate true self (swarupa) when the citta-vrtti are annulled) then he/she recognizes this truth transpersonally in all -- in all our relations.

Shiva (as Paratman) embodied and manifested through the soul can also be labeled as Atman. It is the clothing (Maya) of Brahman which covers or occludes Brahman self luminous effulgence and thus obstructs the realization of the jiva (in jivamukti or liberation in the body). Thus confusing Brahman with Maya the Para (Paratman) is obscured, but in pure vision there is no difference between Atman and Paramatman as the veil has become dissolved. The Atman is not necessarily embodied in material form. The pure form (material or energetic) of Brahman when consciousness and energy are supremely wedded. (See: Brahman and Jivamuktan) II.5, 21, 41: IV.13, 25.

Atmata: quality of appearing as a single entity or self. Pertaining to the unitive awareness or presence. Inseparable unity. (see atma) II.6

AUM: The pranava or primordial sound vibration of isvara which contains all the sounds and energy vibrations of the universe. See OM.  Pada I

Aushadhi: Herbs  The Goddess as Mother of Herbs and medicine.

Avarana: covering, veil, obstacle, blockage, concealment. II.52; III.43; IV.31

Avastha: condition

Avasthana: abiding: residing, resting inside, dwelling, settling in, being, standing on its own without need for any external support.  I.3,  I:14

Avesa: entrance III.38

Avidya. Ignorance, the opposite of vidya (pure vision). The primary klesha (mental/emotional affliction/poison). The act of ignoring or denying reality as it is, thus spiritual blindness, delusion, confusion, ambiguity, dullness, or stupidity. The primary state of mental/spiritual obscuration. Avidya in the yogic sense is not a lack of book knowledge or material data, but a lack of awareness and attention to the true nature of mind. Its is thus also a distraction from true vision and being. From avidya stem the misconception of self as separate from an it (the primordial split) and hence the illusory predicament of “I am” (asmita) as being separate from the whole. thus “I crave” completion/union (desire or raga), “I fear or hate” (dvesa, and so on for all of the 840,000 permutations of the kleshas. In hatha yoga avidya occurs energetically when the central channel (sunya or sushumna)  is blocked. When the obscurations are removed, then kundalini is activated and flows effortlessly.

Aviplava: unbroken, continuous, uninterrupted, steady. II.26

Avirati: Obsessive sense indulgence; imbalance as being inclined toward the extreme of over indulgence in sensual gratification; extreme dissipation or obsession in the realm of worldly temporal pleasure as a serious distraction, dissipation of energy and consciousness into neurotic sense indulgence or distractions, attraction to external, frivolous, or superficial material objects or the involvement in the illusory world of subject/object duality ("I/it" delusion) in search of union and satisfaction; an externalized and compromised materialistic consciousness [the opposite of uparati -- which is the first stage of vairagya). Also the opposite of pratyhara. I.30

Ayur (Ayuh, Ayus): Vital power, life, life time. II.13

Ayurveda: Many thousand year old wholistic healing system indigenous to India which employs wholistic energetic models of healing based on purification and harmonization. Ayurveda utilizes marma therapy, oils (oleation), herbs, massage, fasting, sweating, and other purification, balancing,  strengthening methods. It’s philosophy is usually described in both tantric and samkhya terms. Ayurveda is very similar to yogic healing models (with subtle differences).       

B

Bahir: external III.8

Bahirangam: external component III.8

Bahya: external, outward, usually referring to the out- breath. See rechaka, prasvasa, and pracchardana. II.50 (also see antar)

Bahya Kumbhaka: Holding the breath outward. Also see Rechaka Kumbhaka. II.50

Bandha: To gather together, to bind, seal a leak, to gate and redirect. A bandha acts a bounded gate, a valve or levee.. III.1, 38.

Bhakta. A devotee (see also prem).

Bhakti Yoga. Often associated with chanting or praising the benevolence of gods such as chanting. Communing with god through devotional acts, prayer, offerings, music, praise, and/or dance. The path of spiritual or divine love and devotion. Acting as the arms, legs, voice and hands of love. See also: Seva and  Karma yoga   

Bhasma. Ash. Also see: Vibhuti).

Bhasya: A commentary. Regarding the Yoga Sutras a commentary or amplification that render the sutras comprehensible usually having a specific agenda.

Bhaumah: Strengthened form of bhumi. Relating to an event, a stage, platform, plain, or the earth. II.31 See Bhumi

Bhava: Intent. In bhakti yoga a loving/devotional intent or the setting of the mood. Because intent is often causal in shaping an outcome (in the process of becoming), it is also thus linked to the definition of the process of coming into existence/becoming, and hence even extended to the existence of a state being (already having come into existence). However on a causal level feeling bhava should first be recognized as intent, a spiritual mood, disposition, demeanor, a reflection of our present experience, feeling presence, or a spiritual aura which ia generated or held by a devotee or container of truth (a yogi). A pwoerful aspect of spiritual bhava is that it is transcognitive (asamprajnata) as it is capable of propelling one instanteously beyond subject/object duailsm where objects or content of the mind (pratyaya) appear to exist. . Thus it is capable of t destroying pratyaya/asamprajnata thinking. Bhava can be immediately accssed as an experiential and intelligent state or *feeling* -- as a spiritual intention coming from the Heartmind or entering into the Heartmind as a divine resonance -- a shift into a state of transpersonal absorption, like the bhava of spiritual love, devotion, and purpose not necessarily being capable of being articulated with words or explained through linear/logical concepts.

A state of beingness and continuity which includes the subjective state, but not necessarily excludes objective ability. Divine countenance -- the face and presence of divine love both as an aspiration and its expression/manifestation; hence its reflection as in giving darshan. The visage of isvara/Maheshvara or the param-purusa. Being consciousness as manifested in love/bliss (SatChitAnanda). The evidence of consciousness. Conscious Experience of Being, Conscious beingness.

Bhava is the seat and its expression of the transverbal and transcognitive spiritual feelings, spiritual affections, spiritual love, the heart, and imperishable soul. As such it can come from a communion with beingness as an intimate part of nature ( prakrti-layanam) -- as *advice* from the cosmic mother as the divine creatrix clothing and revealing the purusa which is beginningless and and self luminous, or it can come directly from purusa if one is disembodied. Here one could say that this bhava is the countenance of purusa. Bhava is spiritual purport -- the uninterrupted continuum of transverbal, transconceptual (nirvikalpa) , and transcognitive (asamprajnata) "heart-sense" due to arriving home to the seat of pure being, swarupa, abiding in our true original unconditioned place (svasthanam) or true beingness as Sat -- as in Sat-Chit-Ananda (chit here representing purusa).

For the philosophical dualist. intellectual, or reductionist however bhava is reduced merely as *existence* and *being* as well as "lower" feelings are most often considered both inferior, disturbing, and undesirable -- one may even feel repulsed or afraid of such. So in that framework their common definition of bhava often is a dead material existence lacking innate intelligence implying an attachment to an existential world and/or the body as inferior, while their preference is non-existence, which they associate with liberation from existence. I.19, I.28, I.29, I.33, III.48, 49. See also II.25 (abhava) and I.10 Abhava-pratyaya.

Bhava-pratyayo: An acognitive (asamprajnata) samadhi which remediates dualistic cognition transforming ordinary objective awareness, by aligning it with the practitioner's true non-dual purpose or intent. The non-dual union of Sat-Cit-Ananda. I.19. Also see bhava and abhava (I.10).

Bhavana: Cultivated intent. Focused concentration on an object so that one absorbs it, or is absorbed into it. The result of such absorption or focused intent. A state of reflection or contemplation. One's demeanor or affective/subjective experience I.28, 33. (also ee bhava)

Bhaya: Fear.

Bhoga. Pleasurable experience. Enjoyment of the senses or sensual pleasure. Considered by some renunciates to be an obscuration, but to a tantric it is a path to liberation as one confronts the mechanism of attachment and becomes liberated by it. To a tantric every thing is a part of the divine manifestation (Self) -- the Self penetrating the entire cosmos II.13, 18

Bhranti-darshana: confused view, false views, false beliefs, false identifications, false conclusions, adherence to blind and/or stubborn beliefs, confusion, and delusion I.30

Bhukti:  The path of enjoyment and liberation. (See bhoga).

Bhumi: plateau, stage, plane, level, graduated step, phase. II.27, III.6

Bhur: earth

Bhuvana: The cosmos; the created world or universe: sky, heavens, atmosphere, phenomena, existence.. III.26

Bhuta. Elementals. Most notably the five (pancha) primary (pancha-mahabhutas) elements, space (akasha), air (vayu), fire (tejas), water (apas), and earth (prithvi).  (See tattvas and doshas) II.18

Bindu: The point within all points,  dot,  drop, point, dot,  semen, endocrine and/or glandular secretions, substance. Thigle in Tibetan, inner juice. In the body body and Ayurveda associated with semen, and hence ojas and virya. . In tantra the precedence for Nada (cosmic sound). 

Bija: Seed. Seed point, hence origin or beginning. In mantra a seed syllable or sound. I.25

Bodhi: awoke

Bodhicitta: The mind or intent to awake. The awakening mind. In Buddhism the intent to awake in order to awake all sentient beings.

Bodhisattva: One who incorporates or embodies the bodhicitta.

Brahma: The creator god of the Cosmos -- the great progenitor. The first god principle of the Hindu Trinity (trimurt). . Brahma is self-born The God of creation/generation. Hence the source of the generative force. Father of the eleven Prajapatis, the fathers of man(see Prajapati). Brahma has gradually become displaced in importance in India by Vishnu and Shiva, which may explain the degradation of the term, Brahmacharya, to mean sexual celibacy, while originally it meant being joined to Brahma. This is an indicator that creation itself has become denigrated in later day Hinduism. II.38
 
Brahmacharya: From Brahma, the creator/progenitor and acharya (teacher) or charya (chariot). Hence to link with Brahma as the mentor/director of the chariot --as the teacher (acharya). Charya also thus means to link or wed as in marriage. Thus one links with Brahma (the creative force) in marriage -- the creator of life. Thus Brahmacharya means to harmonize, join, unite and attune to the generative, generational, evolutionary, and creative forces of the universe and to be instructed thenceforth. None other than living a life of integrity and continence with the primal creative evolutionary/force. Hence the creative and procreative forces are joined in harmony with virya (vigor and strength) as the effect. (See: virya and I.20) Also this can mean being wed to, receiving instruction, or walking in attunement with Brahman -- marriage or union with Brahman.

Brahmacharya has been made to become demeaned and superficially reduced to mean mere sexual abstinence. This has occurred for many reasons. One reason is the misunderstanding/confusion about the word, continence. One pointed devotion does not mean that one does not perform natural functions such as eating, sleeping, defecation, coughing, sneezing, drinking coffee, drinking alcohol, smoking cigarettes, engaging in sexual intercourse, etc, rather it means that one constantly have brahma in mind and not dissipate one's creative power and strength. Indeed virya is a common term which is not limited to a sexual interpretation (see below). Since sexual desire is a severe distraction for the youth, Brahmacharya has too often become limited to sexual continence, but the idea here is much larger than sexual repression, rather it means the practice of resting the mind and body in steady continuous communion with Brahma. Thus Brahmacharya has as much to do with sexual thoughts or activities as does thoughts of gluttony or greed. because sexual contact and discharge brings about great bliss, disconnecting young people from their feelings at an early age is a well known technique for disempowerment, guilt, and control and hence this myth has become exploited by the exploiter/manipulator class in terms of distracting humans to serve neurotic ersatz rewards. Such is a severe perversion to the spiritual purport of this sutra. II.38

Brahman: A concept in Vedanta as the all encompassing Infinite Self  which has no bounds. Reality. In the Self realized state, Brahman and Atman are one in Truth. In the deluded state the jiva (self) is disconnected from the Atman’s true position with Brahman through illusory obstructions due to ignorance. Maya is likened to the clothes of Brahman. She thus can hide Brahman or reveal him. As the clothes of Brahman, Maya can be understood as shakti or prakrti, while Brahman as Maheshvara or Purusa, It could also be said by some, that Siva/shakti taken as a whole equals Brahman, but others will disagree maintaining that Brahman can not be contained in form. This for many is a mere technical objection as Siva (Maheshvara) is taken as universal undifferentiated consciousness while shakti is taken as differentiated consciousness, both being united as siva/shakti.

Brahman is thus defined as the supreme Self (purusa), immortal universal consciousness, seemingly
(1) related to each individual body/mind complex
(2) manifesting as the Self of the Lord omniscient and omnipotent, and ultimately
(3) Brahman-without-attributions -- Supreme Self in its own glory.     

Buddha: The awakened one: vast awakening.  One who has awoke. Most commonly associate with Shakyamuni Buddha who awoke to his true nature at approximately 500 BC. 
 
Buddhi (buddhei): Individual intelligence. The intellect or intellectual powers. Considered a dim reflection of Mahat (cosmic transpersonal Universal Intelligence. IV.21 -22

C

Ca:  and

Caturtah: fourth II.51

Chakra (cakra): Wheel, center, sphere or realm. An energy center. A spinning wheel of energy. An energetic vortex.  III.30

Chandra: The moon; cooling, receptive, and reflective; "Tha" as in Ha-tha" yoga. The left nostril. The Ida nadis.

Chaitanya: Spiritual consciousness; Heart Consciousness.

Chetana: Consciousness. Also see Chaitanya

Chid-akasha: (cit-akasa): The inner subtle space of consciousness. Cid-akasha dharana is an awareness practice involving concentrating the energy at the third eye or crown. (See akasha)

"Arjuna, when the Shakti loses her power, the body becomes bereft of form and becomes invisible to the world. But then the body looks like a banana tree which, shedding its outer skin, stands bare in its core or like the sky which has put forth limbs (291-295). When the body assumes this form, the yogi is called the sky-rover. When he attains to his state, his body works wonders in the world. When he walks leaving a trail behind him, then the eight miraculous powers wait upon him at every step. But of what avail are these powers to us? O Arjuna, the elements of earth, water and fire get dissolved in the body. the earth is dissolved by water, water by fire, and the wind dissolves the fire in the heart. Then the wind alone remains, but in the form of the body; and that too becomes absorbed in the sky of the Brahmarandhra (296-300). She retains her shakti form until she becomes one with Brahman.

Now she is not known as Kundalini, but takes on the name 'aerial' (maruta). Then leaving the jalandhara bandha and breaking open the end of the sushumna nadi she enters the cidakasha of Brahmarandhra. Placing her foot on the back of Omkara, she then crosses the second stage of speech known as pashyanti. Then she pierces the half crescent matra of Om and enters the cidakasha, as the river enters the sea. Making herself steady in the Brahmarandhra with the conviction that 'I am Brahman there. then with the destruction of the veil of the five great elements results the union of Shiva and Shakti. And she along with the cidakasha becomes merged in the bliss of Brahman, just as the sea water being transformed into clouds (by the process of evaporation) and the clouds pouring down into the rivers, ultimately rejoin the sea, in the same way the embodied self, by means of the human body, enters the abode of Brahman and becomes united with it.

At this stage all doubt or discussion whether there is duality or unity comes to an end. When a person experiences this state in which the cidakasha becomes merged in akasha, he becomes one with it (306-310). This state cannot possibly be expressed in words so that it can be explained in conversation. O Arjuna, even Vaikhai, the fourth form of speech which boasts of its power of expressing a thought remains mute in this case. Even the makara, (the third syllable of Om) finds it difficult to enter the region behind the eyebrows. Similarly, the vital breath prana experiences difficult to enter the region behind the eyebrows. Similarly, the vital breath prana experiences difficulty in entering the cidakasha. When it gets merged in the cidakasha, the expressive power of words comes to an end, and then even the akasha becomes attenuated, so that one finds it difficult to trace it in the deep waters of the unmanifest state of the Absolute. Of what avail are words then? (311-315).

This state cannot be certainly brought within the scope of words or of hearing: this is the absolute truth. If fortune favours a person and he cares to experience it, he becomes one with it. Then nothing remains to be known, O archer, and any further talk about it would be fruitless. It is a state from which words turn back, in which desire ends and which is beyond pale of thought. This is the beautiful state of mental absorption, the youthful state of samadhi in which the yogi becomes one with Brahman.It is beginningless and unfathomable (316-320). It is the origin of the universe, the fruit of the Yoga-tree and the very sentience of bliss. It is that in which the state of emancipation, all beginning and end get merged. This Brahman is the origin of the five great elements, the light of light, in short, o partha, it is my own essence. When the non-believers persecuted the band of my devotees, I became incarnate and assumed the beautiful human form with four arms. In order to attain the indescribable bliss of this form men strove ceaselessly and became full of bliss (321-325). Those who practiced this method of Yoga described by me became purified and achieved a capability equal to mine. There bodies appear brilliant, as if they are fashioned out of the essence of the supreme spirit, cast in the mould of the human form. Once such experience illumines the mind, the entire world of appearance vanishes. Then Arjuna said, "O Lord, what you say is all true; by following the path preached by you, one clearly goes to the abode of Brahman. I have now come to realize from your talk that those who practice this Yoga assiduously, surely attain to Brahman (326-330). This realization has dawned on me after hearing you. Then how can one who has actually experienced it not become one with it? There is nothing strange about it, but please listen for a moment to what I have to say.

The Yoga described by you certainly appeals to my mind; but I may not be able to practice it for want of competence. I shall fain follow that path, if I could pursue it to the end with all the strength at my command. But if you feel that this Yoga is beyond my capacity then tell me a path which is well within my limited capacity (331-335). With this thought uppermost in my mind, I asked you about this. I have listened carefully to the Yoga which you have preached. But is it possible for anyone to practice it or only one with requisite capacity can follow it? Then Shri krishna replied, O Arjuna, what a question to ask! The practice of this Yoga conduces to liberation. But even in the case of any ordinary work, can one perform it without capacity on his part? One can assess the capacity of a person only from the success of his undertaking. Only if there is such ability, the work undertaken is completed (336-340). But this capacity is not a thing which can be had merely because it is desired. Tell me, is there a mine of ability from which you can extract it? Only a person who performs his prescribed duty with disinterestedness can attain this capacity, is it not so? You yourself could acquire this capacity by following this device. In this way Shri Krishna cleared the doubt of Arjuna. He further said, O Partha, there is, however, one rule about this capacity that it cannot be attained by one who does not perform his prescribed duty"

Sri Jnaneshwar, from 'The Jnaneshwari" (his commentary on the Bhagavadgita, Chapter 6

Cit (Chit) or chit/citi): Pure Consciousness or pure awareness: Universal Unconditioned Absolute Primordial All Pervading Consciousness: Consciousness of the spiritual self; the seer without bias; Witness consciousness or purusa as in Sat-cit-ananda. IV.22, 34

Cit-prana or chit-prana): The concentrated mind where consciousness and the prana are consciously unified and focused as one activity. Where the mind goes the energy follows. That mind (cit)  may also in turn be directed by the energy (prana); i.e., the cit-prana moving the cit-prana, the mind and prana directing the mind.

Citi-sakti (Chit-shakti): The power (potential) of consciousness and the omniscient all pervading intelligent consciousness combined; The power of higher awareness. The innate energy surrounding and supporting consciousness. The conscious power. The fruition or activation of the universal absolute consciousness potentia. The potenized union of consciousness and energy such as in Siva/Sakti, purusa/prakrti, Brahman/Maya, undifferentiated and differentiated consciousness; etc.   IV.34

Citta (chitta): mind field, field of consciousness.

Citta-nadi: River of the mind-field

Citta-parikarmas: processes which refine, purify, prepare, and sensitize the mind through diligent practices. 

Citta-prasadanam: Making the mind pleasant, sweet, wholesome, and ripe. An open, joyfilled, and purified Heartmind (see prasadanam) I.33 Also see I.47

Cittasya: mindfield: Mengtal, relating to mind, mentation process, or consciousness., III.12, 38.

Citta-vrtti (chitta-vrtti): The wavering, whirling, spinning, vacillations, agitations, modifications, fluctuations, machinations, restlessness, tumult, perturbation, aberrations, blurring, biasing, tilting, and other fractual process of the field of consciousness. The ordinary dualistic situation of the mind where the confused observer (ego) identifies with the whirlings. A state of mind where the observer associates and identifies with temporal permutations of consciousness..See vrtti. Introduced in I.2 of the Yoga Sutras.

D

Daksina (Dakshina): The south. In yoga the right side of the body. Compare with uttar (the left side of the body or North.

Darsana (darshan): Vision; view; what is seen or revealed. I.30; II.6, 41; III.32.

Darsin: IV.25

Daurmanasya: depression, dejection, despair, sorrow, a soorow mind, or grief I.31

Desa: place. location II.31, 50; III.1, 53; IV.9.

Deva Devata): God or angle realm who abide in deva loka. II.44 (See ishta-devata)

Devanagari: Literally the script of the gods. The written script (alphabet) which is used to write Sanskrit.

Dharana: Focused concentration or contemplation  upon a specific object (mental or physical – inner or outer) II.53; III.1
 
Dharma: Truth or reality. Sometimes refers to the teachings which reveal the truth and lift the clouds of delusion and ignorance; e.g., Buddha dharma. Secularly, dharma is the recognition and honoring of one’s  duty. “It is my dharma” is a statement of it is my honorable duty. Dharma can also mean practice or discipline, like a yogi is practicing dharma. The six yogas of Naropa are often called the six dharmas of Naropa, and so forth. Dharma leads to truth and hence out of falsehood, illusion and into Reality – our true nature. The causative law; the truth: essential nature; true personal duty.III.13, 14.

Dharmadhatu: The formless "realm" or self luminous infinite space of the adi Buddha (Dharmakaya being the formless body of the primordial Buddha}. The true nature (dharma) of phenomena (dhatu)

Dharmakaya: The adi (primordial) aspect of the Buddha that is formless. Absolute nascent reality- Ultimate imperishable formless self effulgent nature that underlies all of of existence and non-existence. See dharmata.

Dharma-megha: Rain cloud of Dharma. Rain cloud of pure virtue; rain cloud of virtue, rain cloud of virtual reality, rain cloud of truth. Compare with Rtam-bhara tatra-prajna in I.48

Dharma-megha in IV.29-30 reads: "Thus freed from selfish motivation while abiding steadily (sarvatha) in self luminous discriminatory awareness ,the rain-cloud of natural law (dharma-megha) is accumulated (prasankhyane) and absorbed (samadhih) thus the cessation of samskaras, klesha, and karma are realized." IV.29-30

Dharmata: (Sanskrit) The true nature of mind as-it-is. Emptiness as swarupa-sunyam. Ground for being, the all pervading essence of everything; unifying spiritual reality; the absolute from which all proceeds. The essential or true nature of all phenomena. Omnipresent emptiness (sunyata). It is cogent to realize that emptiness is not bland indifference, rather it is pregnant with wisdom, compassion, luminosity and bliss. See Sunya and Dharmakaya for more.

Dharmi: Dharma holder. III.13, 14.

Dhyana: objectless meditation where objects of thoughts are dissolved. The seventh limb of ashtanga yoga immediately preceding samadhi (union). state preceding samadhi. I.39; II.11, II.29; III.2, 11, 39; and  IV.6

Diptr: Splendor, radiance, light. II.28

Divya: Divine, sublime, ultimate, transcendent, complete, superlative. III.41

Dosha (Dosa): Winds, pneuma, or energetic vectors in the body according to Ayurvedic medicine. More commonly the three (tri) doshas (vata, pitta, and kapha). Vata is formed by a combination of akasha (ether) and vayu (air). Pitta is formed by a combination of fire (tejas) and the fluid and viscous part of water (apas). Kapha is formed by the combination of earth prithvi and the cooling property of water. The Ayurvedic practitioner uses various methods to restore balance in the three doshas. III.50

Drashtr: The one who sees; Seer; the potential for censoriousness (also see citta shakti); I.3; II.17, 20; IV.23

Drastuh (drasta): The seer; one who sees; the observer.. One who has observed, seen, or looked

Drdha: Firmness; Firm of ground: I.14

Drg: The process of seeing that is attributed to the separate self or a separate egoic observer; the seer attributed to asmita (as a separate or independent self) II.6

Drgha (Dirgha): long, lengthened duration, spread or extended. II.50

Drghakala (dirghakala): A long sustained duration.

Dristhi : To stare, gaze, to see. (see drsi)

Drk (drk shakti): the power of consciousness: the power of the seer (seer potentia). Also see drg II.6

Drs: II.6

Drseh (Drsi) : From the seen; the vector or ability of seeing. II.20, 25.

Drshya (Drsya): plural- that which is seen: -- the seen; visible, some object which is perceptible or cognized; recognizable; observed. II.17, 18, 21, 23; IV.21

Drsta: That which is seen or known. I.15; II.12

Drsyatva: IV.19

Drsyaya: of the seen. of the apprehensable, of the knowable. II.21

Drsta-adrsta: Seen or not seen -- known or not known. II. 12

Duhkha: Suffering, distress, misery, discomfort, stress, malaise, conflict, tension, trouble, grief, sorrow, anguish, agony, anxiety, disturbance, mental or emotional pain, mental or emotional dis-ease associated with dvesa (aversion), a klesha. Chief among the kleshas is avidya (ignorance) – ignorance of one’s true self nature. Thus causally attachment (raga) or its sister, aversion (dvesa) since they are both due to ignorance (avidya), hence on a primary level it can be said that attachment or aversion to samsaric existence (by the ego sense or asmita) produces duhkha (suffering) because the ego becomes attached to what is pleasant or flattering to ego pride, what the ego likes or prefers, and to that reinforcement which is associated with pleasure (sukha). Hence what the ego dislikes, or is not flattering to itself, it deems as painful to the ego and hence the klesha of dvesa (aversion) becomes activated -- fear and hatred become invoked. It can also be said that because of what appears as painful to the ego sense, aversion and thus other kleshas then arise, just as they arise from attachment or attraction to temporal pleasures (raga). Raga and dvesa are the two primary factors that drive the samsaric wheel of cyclic existence.

When the human being appears to be suffering from delusion (ego sense) it is common that we mistake suffering as pleasure, where much of what we call pleasure is merely neurotic pabulum, compensatory gratification, a temporary narcotic, and/or diversion for an estranged, tortured, fearful, or craving to escape. As such it is a disharmony/displacement due to lack of integrity (lack of yoga). Thus the ego often habitually grasps onto the perpetuation of its own suffering unknowingly until the delusion is dissolved through self illumination -- a transpersonal non-dual universal awakening occurs which illumines the true nature of the mind. In that sense any craving/desire is a disturbance signaling discomfort, anguish, need, or misalignment/disharmony sometimes self torture, but because of ignorance (non-recognition) and programmed insensitivity, the ego often mistakes the anguish and craving as the promise of pleasure/reward because a tangible gratification to the ego craving may be in sight. Hence dysfunctional cycles of suffering (samsara) are habituated. Hence Patanjali places duhkha in the context of being the result of the kleshas (non-recognition or avidya being the foremost), the citta-vrtti, samskaras, and negative karma (all of them form the complex of cyclic existence (samsara).

Similarly duhkha is the result of the distracting and/or disturbing (viksepa) movements of the citta-vrtti separating the practitioner from NOW awareness by placing one's awareness and energy into the future or the past (or both). (See I.30 and 31 for more on viksepa). On an energetic level, duhkha is caused by obscurations of the energy (prana) running through the nadis and chakras. The channels are chakras and obfuscated, knotted, or blocked thus preventing a direct connection with ultimate eternal reality from freely manifesting. When these channels are twisted or knotted, then there is dis-ease, discomfort, and disconnection/separation called spiritual self alienation or isolation. When the energy flows freely, then the disconnection is remediated and universal unity consciousness or healing consciousness (cit) unites with beingness (sat). That is another way of stating that the fundamental delusion of ego bias and distortion has has been defeated allowing for selfless love/bliss to be freely expressed in action -- in Sat Cit Ananda.

In Buddhism duhkha (suffering) is the first noble truth. It does not say that all of life is suffering, rather it states that egoic life based on raga and dvesa in regard to material objects brings forth suffering. Suffering exists and it is not wise at all to ignore it, numb it out, pretend that it does not exist, wish it away, deny it, nor negate it. Rather we must have the courage (nobility) to look suffering square in the face without aversion nor artifice. Then the suffering will no longer drive the wheel of samsara (cyclic existence built upon of suffering). I.31, 33; II.5, 8, 15, 16, 34 .

Dvaita: Dualistic.  A system of thought, such as samkhya, which divides “reality” by dividing them up into two opposing forces. A belief that reality consists of irreconcilable opposing forces such as good and evil, disharmony, strife, conflict. inherent dichotomy, irony, contradiction, or confusion. See samkhya (a school of dualism) for more. See advaita for the resolution.

Dvesa: One of the three most basic kleshas (dvesa, raga, and avidya). In general dvesa is translated as aversion, dislike, or repulsion. Most commonly hatred and fear. Dvesa includes anger, disdain, loathing, bigotry, prejudice, vindictiveness, scorn, rage, haughtiness, revulsion, dislike, fear, repulsion, jealousy, contempt, condemnation, repugnance, derision, ridicule, mockery, blame, denunciation, satire, abhorrence, revulsion, dismay, insecurity, inhibition, cowardice, withdrawal, extreme passivity, catatonia, nihilism, disassociation, paranoia, violence, cruelty, abuse, exploitation of others, sadism, patronage, condescension, disparagement, demonization, disapprobation, or any similar type of revulsion. II.3, 8.   

Dvandva: Pairs of opposites or extremes, like tamas or rajas, yin or yang, female or male, shakti or shiva. samsara or nirvana, let or right, Mon or sun. high or low, etc. In short imbalance or dualistic existence which contain conflict, irony, dichotomy, confusion, ambiguity, and unresolved restlessness. Many people become inured to a state of imbalance, restlessness, and conflict, and working against something as it is a predictable and familiar "reality". Hence they tend to perpetuate it as "reality". It becomes part of their belief system, (pramana-vrtti). II.48

E

Eka: one II.41, III.2

Ekatra: taken together as an integral unit. III.4

Ekagrata: one-pointed focus. III.11, 12

Ekgrata-parinama: III.12

Ekagratayoh: one-pointedness III.11

Etena: From those III.13

Eva: Indeed, also, since, (see iva) III.3

F

G

Gati: proceeds from, sequenced procession: II.49

Gnosis: see rigpa: recognition of our natural primordial uncontrived state as-it-is; The realization of jnana

Grahana: The act of grasping, apprehending, comprehending, cognition, seeing, or observing an object. I.41

Grahyeshu: the object which is grasped, seized, apprehended, that which is cognized, seen, or observed. I.41

Grahitr: Grasper, taker, one who apprehends an object, one who sees or cognizes; the observer I.41

Guna: qualities or attributes. The evolutes of nature (Prakrti) in the Samkhya classical Indian philosophic framework used to breakdown, define, describe, characterize, and explain differentiated reality of the created universe (creation). The three gunas or fundamental qualities (raja, sattva, and tamas) are broken down to form the 5 elements (tattvas) and the rest of so called “material reality”. In Ayurveda the elements are grouped together to form the three doshas (see doshas). It is sufficient to understand that Patanjali uses the term gunas as the way nature is broken down, reduced, or fragmented into increasingly smaller parts, systems, or objects. In the mountain yoga tradition these parts can only be known as part of a whole -- in relationship, not just between each other but in All Our Relations. Thus the yogi compensates through the means of self awareness for the relative biased position of the observer and the object, in order to gain the universal true perspective of "things as-it-is in reality, just as Einstein formulated the law of relativity to compensate for the relative bias of the observer and the observed. I. 16; IV.8,  IV.13, IV.32,  See nirguna and saguna. Also see raja, sattva, and tamas.

Guru: "Gu" means darkness and "ru" means to remove. Literally to remove the darkness. In yoga darkness is related to to the obscurations (kleshas), the chief one is confusion (avidya) and the citta-vrtti which veil, obscure, and cloud the innate light (wisdom/prajna). Thus guru most often is associated with some thing or some one who removes the darkness or shines light on the darkness, or best who evokes the dormant inner light within the sadhak allowing that to shine forth innately once activated. In yoga the teacher of the even the most ancient teacher resides within as our intrinsic creative/evolutionary seed potential -- as the unification and fruition of love and clarity -- as universal and transpersonal buddha-nature, Maheshvara/Isvara -- the param-purusa I.26

H

Hana: escape or abandonment. Denial, avoidance, nullification. II.25, 26

Hetu: cause Also see Phala (effect) II.14, 17, 23, 24; (IV.11)

Hetuvat: having as its cause. motive, reason, II.14

Heyas: Eliminates, annihilates, silences, annuls, removes, or cancels out. II.10, 11, 16, 17

Hlada: joyful, pleasurable. II.14

I

Ida: One of the three major psychic nerves (nadis) which is associated with apana, tamas, right brain receptivity, the afferent nerves, female, intuitive wisdom, left side of the body, left nostril, "tha", parasympathetic function, and the moon. The ida balances out pingala allowing the the sattvic energy to flow in the central channel (sushumna). (See pingala and sushumna)

Indra: Hindu god of the wind. Chief god of the Vedas.

Indriya: the sense organs. II.18, 41, 43, 54, 55; III.13, 47.

Indriyanam: The energetics of the senses. The energy of seeing, hearing, smelling, tasting, feelings, and perceiving. II.18, 41, 43, 54, 55.

Ishta: intimate, inner

Ishta-devata; Inner deity (ultimately isvara). Originally one's own innate divine or spiritual nature which resides in all of creation. Inherent Buddha nature/potential or intrinsic seed for self awakening (bodhicitta). One's inherent connection to the all inclusive Universal Ocean or Great Integrity or One Thing (ek tattva). Similarly and more commonly ishta-deva has become to mean to bhaktis as devotion to one's chosen favorite deity (or one that has been chosen by one's guru) as an approximation or personification of the ultimate reality. Hence it is sometimes referred as one's "personal" deity which is an oxymoron according to raj yoga, because isvara is universal and untainted as well as omnipresent, hence it is transpersonal, intimate, and holographic, but not merely personal. II.44

Isvara (ishvara): "Ishta" means intimate and "svara" means master, hence ishvara means the inner master who is always intimately available here and now. "

Isvara is the purest (a-para-mrshta) aspect of pure undifferentiated universal consciousness (purusa) which is untouched and unaffected by taint (klesha), karma, and the seed germs (asayair) that result (vipaka) from ordinary desire and propensities. Isvara] is the indwelling seed and origin (bija) of absolute (nir-atishayam), unsurpassed, and complete omniscience (sarvajna). Unlimited by time (kalena) this absolute boundless integrity (anavacchedat) is the primal (purvesham) eternal teacher (guru) even (api) the teacher of the most ancient teachers. In the non-dual schools isvara is all penetrating, all pervading, omnipresent, all inclusive, unlimited, and eternally present (kalena), yet isvara remains eternally pure and unchanged by such contact. Likewise in I.26 Patanjali unequivocally says that isvara's sound vibration is om and that all differentiation is created from that emission. So does not isvara's emanation permeate all of creation? Isvara is found within the unobscured instantaneous eternal moment -- always here and now -- ever accessible to those devoted. Isvara is expressed and represented by the vibratory energy contained in the pranava (the sacred syllable, om)." Sri Patanjali. Isvara and Maheshvara (Siva) have been equated as the param-purusa. As the seed potentia (bijam) for ultimate awareness and awakening, isvara is the bodhicitta -- the mind of awakening -- the universal inner master implicate in all of creation and activated/empowered through the practice of yoga.. I.23-27; II.1, 32, 45. (Also see ishta-devata and purusa)

Isvara pranidhana: Surrender, dedication, or devotion to isvara -- the intimate inner master which is all pervading or ishta deva. I.23-27; II.1, 32, 45.

Itara: whereas. itara itara, when appearing together, means "this" contrasts with "that". III.17

Itaratra: At other times: otherwise. I.4

Itaresam: others IV.7

Iva (eva) : Like, similar to. thus; since; also; similarly. I.41 (see eva)

J

Jadi: birth (see jati)

Jah: born, related to birth. I.50; III.52, 54; IV.1, 6.(see also janman and jati)

Jal: water III.48

Jal  neti: Cleansing of the nasal pharynx with salt water

Jal basti:  Water enema

Jalandhara Bandha: Commonly called the throat lock which opens the passage way from the heart chakra (anahat) through the valve in the throat (the vishuddi chakra) to allow the upward flow of energy to extend upward to the ajna chakra (third eye) and/or talu and/or kurma chakras. jalandhara bandha prevents the energy and nectar dissipating outward  out from the upper regions.

Janma (janman): Life, birth – arisen existence -- of the living. II.12. 39; III. 52-54; IV.1 (see jati and jah)

Japa: repetition of a sound or mantra. I.28

Jati (jadi): birth II.13, 31, III.18, 53; IV.2, 9. (see also janman, jadi, and jah)

Javitva: III.48 (see jaya)

Jaya: victorious. victory. II.41; III.5, 39, 40, 44, 47, 48

Jayante: III.36

Jayat: Victory or success III.5

Jna: I.25

Jnana (jnanam): knowledge I.8, 9, 38, 42; II.28; III.16, 17, 18, 19, 22, 25, 26, 27, 28, 35, 52, 54; IV.31

Jnana yoga: literally the yoga of knowledge. Often associated with methods such as found in the Vashista Ramayana, Vedanta, Sw. Vivekananda, Sri Ramana, etc. Also classically the technical study of the Vedas as being the key to self realization. See this short commentary discussing swadhyaya and jnana yoga in relation to Pada II. Also see this discussion on Jnana Yoga on the HeartMind Introduction to Yoga page.

jnana-dipter: knowledge bearing light; radiant knowledge; II.28

Jnanasya: knowledge of or pertaining to. IV.31

Jnanasya-anantayaj: Knowledge of the eternal and infinite IV.31

Jnanasyanantyaj-jneyam: knowledge of the infinitity of mind. All which can be known IV.31

Jnani: One who has knowledge

Jnata: IV.17, 18

Jnatrtvam: the quality stemming from being a knower; III.49

Jneya: to be known. The gerundive form of jna (know). IV.31

Jugupsa: disinclination, act of repelling, dislike. II.40

Jvalana: III.40

Jyoti: Self luminous inner light. Effulgent joyful light. III.32

Jyotismati: I.36 (see jyotis)

K

Kaivalyam: Freedom; Unconditional and hence Natural Liberation: Liberation which is not dependent upon anything else (hence unconditional). This is the result when causes and conditions no longer dictate the liberated being's manifestation or expression, wherein all personal karma is burned up and only one's true transpersonal universal purpose reigns (Sarva artham) without obstruction (sarva-jnanam) . As it is NOT a liberation from any "thing" (as it is transcognitive/non-dual), rather it is an absolute unconditional liberation, not dependent upon causes and conditions, thus it is realized when the storehouse of karma has been burned up (hence samsaric cyclic existence has ended). Then the intrinsic seed potential (isvara) is now manifesting into fruition.

The samkhya interpretation is one of estrangement, negation, isolation from existence, or a catatonic absolute aloneness. Such is bondage. That is reductionist to the extreme if not nihilistic. On the other hand the mountain yogi definition of freedom is unfabricated natural, all inclusive, all pervading, unlimited, integrative and entirely unbounded. Thus kaivalya is a totally uncontrived freedom without any element of escape, repulsion, aversion, nor sense of separate self (ego); nor attachment or attraction to isolated phenomena (an unconditional and unfabricated natural freedom). Kaivalya is transpersonal, transconceptual (nirvikalpa, asamprajnata (acognitive), and non-dual. Nirbija Samadhi, Sahaj Samadhi, Jivamukti, and/or Buddhist Nirvana, except there is no release from any "thing" . Kaivalyam is the chapter title of Pada four of Patanjali's Yoga Sutras.

Kaivalyam is thus is the designator that attempts to describe in words that boundless self luminous unitive experience which remains after the final release from all samsaric states of isolation, conflict, tension, spiritual alienation, or the delusion of separate existence whose condition is called duhkha, or disease, pain, stress, angst, or suffering (derived from the kleshas). Hence kaivalyam is the end of duhkha, but not the result of aversion from it. It is sublime Integrity not a lack of integrity or a fractionalization. It being the end of a sense of separate "I", hence the ego sense (asmita) often habitually grasps onto the perpetuation of its own suffering unknowingly until the egoic delusion is dissolved through self illumination -- a transpersonal non-dual universal awakening. Duhkha is the result of the distracting movements of the citta-vrtti separating the practitioner from NOW awareness by placing one's awareness and energy into the future or the past (or both); hence kaivalya arrives after the citta-vrtti are stilled and thus the self luminous all encompassing natural spaciousness of the unconditioned true nature of mind is allowed through.

On an energetic level, kaivalya is sublime numinous openness -- all the channel (nadis) and chakras) are opened\, while duhkha is caused by obscurations of the energy (prana) running through the nadis and chakras. In samsaric existence (duhkha) the channels are chakras and obfuscated, knotted, or blocked thus preventing a direct connection with ultimate eternal reality (in kaivalya) from freely manifesting. Kaivalya is not dependent upon these channels and chakras, yet they are opened when this unification self arises. When these channels are twisted or knotted, then there is dis-ease, discomfort, and disconnection/separation called spiritual self alienation or isolation. When the energy flows freely, then the disconnection is remediated and universal unity consciousness or healing consciousness (cit) unites with beingness (sat). That is another way of stating that the fundamental delusion of ego bias and distortion has has been defeated allowing for selfless love/bliss to be freely expressed in action -- in Sat Cit Ananda . II.25, III.50, 55;  IV.26, 34.

Kala : Time I.14,26; II.31, 50

Kalena: by or from time.

Kali: Hindu goddess who is associated with Siva. Kali slays the ego with her sword and wears a garland of decapitated skulls (depicting the ego) Kali brings forth a non-nonsense quick and painless ego death. She is the destroyer of fear and attachment (along with Siva).

Kanda:

Kantha: throat – throat chakra

Kantha kupa: The pit of the throat

Karana: Cause. Causal origin, motive force, the effective means, the causal reason, III.18, 38

Karita: caysed to be done. I.34

Karma: Simply action. The law of cause and effect that states that every action has a result and every result has a cause. Negative actions have negative results. Positive actions produce positive results. Results can in the future become causes for future results, etc. Duhkha (suffering/sorrow) in samsara is the result of actions driven/governed by the kleshas (afflictive emotions), Happiness is the result of actions from pure vision (vidya) and prajna (transcendental wisdom). I.24; II.12; III.22; IV.7, 30.

Karmaasaya: Resting place for karma. The place that karma is accumulated and stored. II.12 (see asaya)

Karuna: Compassion, boundless love. One of the four boundless minds of the Brahma Viharas. I.33

Kathamta: the what and how of events and things. II.39

Kaya: Body. II.43.

Kevala: Non-deliberate; pure; unmingled and unconditional (also see sahita and sahaj)

Khyateh (khyati): The act of seeing or awareness; In its heightened form knowledge or realization. A type of wisdom, stage of realization, a position, or view. An understanding; Reflective state of cognition. I.16. II.5, 26, 28; III.49; IV.29 (compare with viveka-khyati)

Klesha: Emotional/mental affliction, poison, taint, hindrance, obscuration and/or obfuscation. The chief klesha being avidya (confusion/ignorance produced from the false identification when the ego identifies as a separate independent self hence the creation of duality and spiritual self estrangement. The chief kleshas besides ego ignorance (avidya), are self/ego pride or sense of ownership (asmita), aversion (dvesa) which includes fear and hatred), attachment and attraction (raga),  and attachment to the body and sensual world which also can be phrased as the fear of death, where the ego fixates upon the body or sensual world (abhinivesah). There exist 840,000  combinations and permutations of the kleshas besides the former, jealousy, greed, anger, arrogance, willfulness, self centeredness, vindictiveness, haughtiness, superiority, pomposity, prejudice, bigotry, intolerance, disdain, and so on. Many of the kleshas are compounded such as in the tendency to ridicule and belittle others as being stupid, thus deluding the ego that one is smarter/better is a combination of pride (asmita) and dvesa (aversion), but really this need (raga) comes from ignorance (avidya). Kleshas are caused and in turn cause chitta-vrtti. Acting upon kleshas are the cause of negative karma (results) or suffering (duhkha).  I.24; II.2, 3, 12, 13; IV.28, 30. (Also see klishta and aklishta)

Klishta: Pertaining to the kleshas; Afflictive, poisoned, impurity,  or tainted; Both produced from afflictions (kleshas) and/or capable of producing more afflictions (kleshas); associations with tainted mind states; kleshic. Vrttis can create kleshas which lead to duhkha (mental/emotional pain, suffering, trouble, distress, etc.). Likewise the kleshas can produce and reinforce the vrttis. I.5 (see also aklishta and klesha). Inherent in the word, klishta, is the root, klish, which means affliction or suffering. Hence suffering/pain is assumed when some one is afflicted with a klesha. However because of ignorance (avidya) many people are attached to the kleshas and confuse the affliction as something desirable or good. So then Patanjali reminds us that all the kleshas are duhkha (painful), including greed, jealousy, fame, feelings of superiority, and other accoutrements of the ego.  I.5   

Kosha: Sheath or covering

Krama; Sequence; A sequence of events or actions. III.15, 52; IV.32, 33

Kriya: Purification activity. Preparation activity. A cleansing activity. In hatha yoga, the shat karmas. II.1, 18, 36;

Kriya Yoga: In Patanjali's Yoga Sutras kriya yoga consits of tapas, isvara pranidhana, and swadhayya. Kriya yoga is designed to catalyze samadhi by attenuating the kleshas. II.1, 2, 36.

Krodha: anger II.34

Krta: done, completed. II.34

Krtartham: An accomplished or completed purpose II.22

Ksana: instant, moment. III.9; IV.33

Ksayat: Destruction, decrease II.43.

Ksaye: destruction, loss, diminution, dwindling, annihilation. II.28, III.11

Ksina (Kshina): subsided, faded, waned, stilled, attenuated, or dimished. I.41

Ksina-vrtti: One whose vrttis have susided or have faded I.41

Ksiyate: vanishes, is dissolved or destroyed. II.52

Kumbhaka: stsis, suspended, mom-moving, held, stopped, in limbo. II.50

Kundalini:

Kurma: Literally turtle: A chakra located deep at the root of the tongue or below the Adam's apple.. Some say it is in front of the occiput toward the chin or half way between the chin and the occiput.  Another name for Vishnu when he took the form of a tortoise. Vishnu's serpent (sesho) rested on top of Kurma and was chuned by the devas and asuras to churn the ocean of milk creatinng nectar and pison (which Siva drank). Hence kutma is sometimes said to reside in Vishnu loka and its nadi (kurma nadi) loosens up the Vishnu Granthi. Kurma is also one of the ten primary pranas (vayus) that run in the body controlling the eye region according to both Ayurveda and yoga. CShapter 5 in the Siva Samhita. III.25.

L

Labdhi (labdha): To recognition, apprehension derived or obtained from, gotten, . II.23, (See upalabdhi)

Labha: Obtained: ascertained: apprehended. gotten II. 38, 42

Laghu: small, little, light, easy, relaxed, effortless. III.42.

Laksana: designator, referent, indicator, sign. III.13

Laksman:

Laya Yoga: Tantric yoga where many elaborate dharana techniques are utilized to transform the bodymind – to effect positive change. Such techniques can incorporate   visualizations, sound, yantras, mantras, pratyhara, pranayama, asana, bandha, and mudra all together or separate. The prana-vidyas as well as all the dharanas can be classified as laya yoga. 

Linga(m): Manifestation, emanation, differentiated, having marks and attributes. Siva's sexual organ representing presence, solidity, or adamantine hardness. See alinga).

Lobha: greed. Feeling of lack or insufficiency causing constant craving. Dissatisfaction. II.34

M

Madhya: Middle: medium: intermediate. I.22

Mahakasha: The heat and light associated with the center of the sun. One of the five subtle spaces in vyoma panchaka practice (also called vyoma panhcaka dharana.

Mahamoha: The great stupor and confusion. Associated with the ten types of avidya associated with raga (attachment). 

Maha: great; exalted: sublime

Mahan: great or exalted person: sublime being

Mahant: Master II.31, III.43

Mahat: The universal transpersonal intelligence. The source of individual buddhi (intellect/intelligence) which is a small spark from Mahat. Mahat is the first evolute of creation (prakrti or shakti).

Mahatattva: to the greatest magnitude; most large I.40

Mahatmya: exalted or sublime glory   

Mahavakya: Literally, the great speech or utterances. These are attributed to sublime  sages and taken from the Upanishads. Examples are:  OM TAT SAT; TAT TVAM ASI, SAT CHIT ANANDA, an so forth.

Mahavratam: The great vow. Referring to the yams in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras II.31

Mahima: the power (siddhi) to become as large as the universe. (see anima)

Maitri (metta):   Loving kindness and boundless friendliness toward all beings. The spontaneous manifestation that embodies natural  friendliness. One of the four Boundless Minds of the Brahma Viharas. I.33, III.23

Mala: Blemish or impurity. A corrupting influence.  IV.31

Manas: The term used to denote the ordinary mind associated with the ego and limited consciousness. I.35, II.53, III.48.

Maneh (mani): A sparkly gem, precious reflective jewel, or reflective pure crystal. I.41

Mantra: IV.1

Mara: Delusion, denial, self falsity, pretense, dishonesty, guise, contrived personality, artifice, masquerade.

Marma: an energy access point in the body. 

Matra: Only, sole. lone. singular I.43;  II.20; III.3, 39;   IV.4

Matrasya: only. III.49

Megha IV.29

Mithya: illusory, false, erroneous, a sham I.8

Mithya jnana: faulty knowledge, mistaken thought processes, erroneous views/ I.8

Moha: stupor, somnolence, and specifically the confusion associated with I-am-ness (ego delusion). II.34

Mrdu: slow to middling; in-between; mild to weak; feeble.  I.22; II.34

Mudita  Sympathetic Joy; One of the four boundless minds, where we spontaneously rejoice in the happiness of others. We are baturally happy because of anotehr's happiness. One of the Brahma Viharas. I:33

Mula: Root, base, II.12, 13

Muladhara chakra: The root chakra associated with the element earth. Usually yellow in color shaped as a square or some times red. Seed syllable is lam.

Murdhhan: III.32

N

Nabhi: Navel

Nabhi Chakra: navel chakra; Manipura chakra, fire (agni) chakra.  III.30

Nadi: Psychic nerve, channel, or energy flow; a passageway through which energy and/or consciousness flows; a river
           
Nadi shodhana: (also nadi shuddhi): a hatha yoga kriya or preliminary pranayama practice which utilizes alternate nostril breathing to purify, regulate, and balance the flow of the prana in the left (ida) and right (pingala) nadis. 

Nairantarya: Directed from within; Innate and continuous; uninterrupted: without break or disruption. I.14

Nasikagra dristhi: focused concentration at the tip of the nose. A mudra which stimulates muladhara

Nasta: expelled, banished, exorcised, destroyed. II.22
           
Nauli: a preliminary cleansing activity in hatha yoga which stimulates the fire in the abdomen at the (manipura chakra)

Neti: a hatha yoga kriya which cleanses the nares (nasal passageways, forehead, sinus, eyes, and ears (ajna chakra)

Nibandha: that which binds together. holds together, seals, activates a valve that redirects a leak, seals a leak, makes whole. completes. creates integrity and wholesomeness. I.35 See bandha

Nidra: One of the five main categories of vrttis. In general, sleep. Isolation or occlusion of the 5 senses and the mind (sixth sense). Also sleepiness, drowsiness, stupor; trance state; semi consciousness, unconsciousness, there existing many stages and characteristics of  sleep   I.6, I.10, I.38)

Nigrahya: unconceivable. ungraspable. inscrutible, incapable of being possessed, owned, nor apprehended. IV.33

Nir: Prefix meaning without, devoid of, free from, beyond.

Nirankar: without form (see sakara).

Nirbhasa: self effulgent; self lumnious. shining forth I.43, III.3

Nirbija samadhi: samadhi without seed -- without falling back into dualistic existence. I. 51; III.8

Nirbijsya: seedless: III.8

Nirguna: without qualities; beyond qualities or attributes: incapable of being defined or described in terms of attributes. Attributeless. (see guna and saguna)

Nirmanakaya: The manifestation/emanation body of Buddha

Nirodha: Cessation, cancellation, dissolution, stillness, or nulling as a noun. As a process in yoga it is the action of dissolving, purifying, refining, pacifying, unclenching, stilling, canceling, purifying, or emptying the citta-vrittayas. It is a process of  reduction/reducing eventually purifying/eliminating, coming into a phase of subtle refinement and rest eventually. In the yoga Sutras (I.2) the cessation (nirodha) of the chitta-vrtti through a balancing process of release, unwinding, calming, purifying, unspinning, unbiasing, and cancellation of the spinnings of the ordinary mental processes (manas and buddhi) allowing Universal Purusha consciousness to take over.  As a final result of the process it is the unspun, unmodified, unlimited, pure original primordial state which is the culmination of yoga. Yogas citta-vrtti nirodha is thus the process of nullification, elimination, and cessation reduction of the wavering/fluctuations and disturbances of the mind-field and also it’s final state where the wavering/fluctuations cease altogether revealing our true unobscured nature. I.3 I.12, 51; III.9

Nirodha parinama: a transformational stage or activity that brings about cessation of the citta-vrtti   III.9

Niratisayam: Unsurpassed, unexcelled, matchless

Nirvana: Unconditional liberation: Beyond samsaric existence or ignorance (avidya). See kaivalyam.

Nirvikalpa: transconceptual: beyond ideation. Devoid of intellectual fabrications and compounded thought processes. Devoid of vikalpa (vikalpa one of the five vrttis).

Nirvicara; Devoid of vicara.  Even beyond the most subtle form. Beyond even any referent of mentation. asamprajnata devoid of subject/object duality. Formless. See: vicara and compare with nirguna. I.44, 47

Nirvikalpa samadhi: a preliminary samadhi (sate of union) where the field of consciousness is free of conceptual thought.

Nirvitarka: Without or devoid of vitarka  (gross/coarse form of mentation), See vitarka or savitarka. I.43

Nivritti: Devoid of (or the cessation of) vrttis; free from disturbances or unrest of the mind. On the path to liberation. Nir vrtti: IV.30
           
Niyama: The second limb of astanga yoga. Yama means the end, while niyama means to begin -- to bring into existence positive activities of body, speech, and mind which can be external and internal, coarse and subtle, inner and outer which bring forth union, hence niyama have less of a negative connotation than yama, yet like any activity they do have opposites. Patanjali says that the niyams act as remedies for coarse (vitarka) vrtti and kleshas (pratipaksa-bhavanam).

Niyam as the end of death, is rebirth. "Ni" (as in niyam), means that which is inherent or underneath. As such the niyams clarify, complement, and expand upon the yams. What is underneath the yams, is the niyams. What is revealed is yoga. These five (niyams) activities to engage upon in life which lead toward and reflect the union of samadhi are saucha (purity). santosha (peacefulness), tapas (spiritual passion), swadhyaya (self study), isvara pranidhana (devotion or surrender to our highest self). These are expressed  spontaneously and naturally when one is in harmony/united. Functional. productive, and effectual skillful activities for a sadhak to engage upon that will stimulate success and harmony in yoga (see yama). II.29, 32, 33, 34, 40, 41, 42, 43, 44, 45.

Nityatvat: perpetuity; eternity; endless. IV.10

Nyasa: extending, projecting, casting, applying, putting forth III.25
           
 

O
           
           
Om: (See aum) Also the bija mantra the  ajna chakra

P

Pada: foot. chapter (in Patanjali's Yoga Sutras).

Pancha: five

Panchatayah: Five fold categories I.5

Panka: mud III.39

Para (param): Transcending beyond, sublime, supreme, of the highest order, freedom from, beyond, more than this, other than. I.16; II.40; III.19, 35, 38; IV.24

Para-vairagya: Apara vairagya is the lower vairagya which relates to worldly objects and objects in general (and hence samprajnata), while para vairagya relates to the highest vairagya beyond dualistic ways of subject/object duality (and hence is associated with asamprajnata samadhi). In an indirect way all aversion (dvesa) fear, hatred, dislike, repulsion, and the like are also due to raga. In dvesa (aversion) there is always an underlying preference involved (like and hence dislike) -- an attachment to results. So aversion is impossible without raga, and vairagya takes care of both. Apara-vairagya still involves a grasper (asmita) who grasps onto coarse (vitarka) or subtle (vicara) forms (rupa) from which one takes pleasure (ananda). This is para-vairagya free from association with dualistic form or content (free from processes of pratyaya).

Paraih: others II.40

Param (parama): Ultimate, highest, most, sublime. supreme form of para. I.40; II.55

Paramakasha: One of the five subtle spaces of vyoma pachaka practices associated with the deepest space at the center of twinkling
star-like light whose center is empty/void (sunya). See akasha and panchakasha and parvyoma.

Paramanu: The infinitesimal: minutest, smallest See anu. I.40

Param-purusha: The highest and most pure self, isvara I.24 (See purusa)

Paramamahatattva: The sublimely large. Infinitely huge. See Mahatattva. I.40

This great Purusha, brilliant as the sun, who
is beyond all darkness, I know him in my
heart. Who knows the Purusha thus,
attains immortality in this very birth.
I know of no other way to salvation.

Paravyoma: the spiritual sky, space, or abode

Pari: all around. all encompassing.complete. I.43

Paridristo: overview. To see from the larger picture. II.50

Parinama: change, transformation or an activity that brings about transformation. II.15; III.9;. 11, 12. 13; IV.14, IV.32,  IV.2,

Paritapa: Pain, agony, anguish, heat, torment II.14 (See tapa)

Parisuddhau: Complete purification; most pure. I.43

Parvani: division, segments II.19

Paryavasanam: Leading all the way or extending all the way up to the end. I.45

Paschima: The West, west side. In yoga the back side of the body. Compare with purna, East, or front of the body.

Pasthanam: presence II.37 (See upapasthanam)

Phala: Effect as in cause and effect (karma). Fruits, results. or consequences. II.14, 34; IV.11

Pingala: One of the main nadis (psychic nerves/channels) . Located on the right side of the body and crossing over at the third eye to the left brain, the pingala is associated with the upward moving prana vayu, rajas, the efferent nervous system, the sympathetic nervous system, "Ha", will power and intellectual activity, logical mechanical function, the male energy, and the sun. Pingala is the channel where the prana vayu resides and is regulated via pranayama. See Ida and Sushumna)

Prabhu: grace. IV.18

Pracara: that which comes forth and shows itself and manifests. III.38

Prachchhardana: Exhalation or the expulsion of breath. See prasvasa and rechaka. I.34

Pradhana: III.48

Pradurbhava: emergence; to appear. manifested appearance: an emanation becoming visible or audible, manifestation. III.9

Prajapati: The Hindu god aspect who is the creator of humans. See Brahma.
 
Prajna: Innate or inborn wisdom. Inner wisdom. Insight. Transcendental wisdom beyond the intellectual processes. Transconceptional (nirvikalpa) natural wisdom. I.20, 48, 49; II.27; III.5.

Prakasa (prakasha): The shining of light, self illuminating, splendor,  brilliance. II.18, 52; III.21, 43.

Prakrti: Nature, creation, evolution, shakti. mother nature,  IV.2, 3,

Pramada: Impatience, carelessness, inattentiveness, lack of respect and presence. Negligence. I.30

Pramana: Authority, standard of measure; Right measure. Often traditional or orthodox knowledge: Accepted conventional wisdom. One of the five categories of vrtti consisting of pratyaksha, anumana, and agama. common English translations of the word, pramana are valid cognition, valid proof, valid theory, proven theory, proven conclusion, judgment, right knowledge, but they most often proved to be politically correct views, conventionally agreed upon  beliefs, orthodox doctrine, ideology and doctrine. In short fixated beliefs or "isms", even if proven, limit and occlude the field of consciousness (citta) and thus are vrttis. An example is a common scientific theory, based on data (pratyaksha), inference and logic (anumana) or even some lab experiment proposing a hypothesis or theory. Then through peer review (agama) it is formulated as a law or "reality". It is a law, theory, or reality entirely based on these artificial compounded criteria. But what Patanjali is saying is that Reality is much BIGGER than our "view" of it. Pramana apparently is a law or proven theory UNTIL new data or better means of observation is developed. Then new theories are postulated, and new ways of verifying the theory are developed. Another very common example is with those who have a religious agenda. ideology, dogma, or doctrine to superimpose upon reality and upon other people. They are zealots and often intolerant bigots who have a great need to believe that they are right, correct, superior, and good, while others are bad, wrong, incorrect or inferior. These are cookie cutter easy conclusions formulated by mass produced dogmatists on a mission -- sometimes called fundamentalists, evangelists, crusaders, or bigots. Such "right views" or "proven theories" form a politically correct doctrine which creates a very strong attachment to thoughts about the world and self, hence a strong tenacious citta-vrtti is structured which is very resistant to unclenching or release/cessation. I.6 -7.

Prana: Energy. In the body, the life force energy.

Prana Vayu: The specific pranic wind in the body that responsible for upward movement. Prana vayu is regulated through the pingala nadi. 

Pranava: The primal sound vibration from which all sound vibrations and words stem. Sound from before time. Original sound. Aum (OM). Pranavah is derived from "pra" (before) and nava (from the root, sound). I.27

Pranayama: To become aware of and subtly work with the prana: to extend/lengthen (ayama) the breath and prana (life force), thus the covering of the light is dissolved. II.49 -52

Pranasya: Life force in the form of the breath I.34

Pranidhana: Devotion, dedication, surrender, listening for guidance. I.23 II.1, 32, 45
                      
Pranam: To bow forth. to honor. To curb the ego: An opportunity to lose the ego. .

Pranava: AUM I.27

Pranidhana: I.23; II.1, 32, 45

Pranta: brought forward toward its eventual fruition or completeness; pushing the envelope; working your edges. Pranta implies going beyond the existing frontier or breaking a known boundary. Literally breaking/moving forward; discovering a new .edge. border, ledge, or boundary etc. Relating to the process of moving into new territory. As such in yoga, pranta connotes the breaking of old boundaries. In fact, the eight limbs of astanga yoga are seamless; i.e., they are interconnected by seven open doorways. II.27

Prapti: attainment

Prasad (Prasada): A very wholesome gift bestowed through grace, intense pleasantness, joyfulness, spiritual nutriment, sweetness, brilliance, and clarity. I.33, I.47

Prasanta: pacified or still quiesence. III.10

Prasadanam: Grace filled, boundless sweetness, happiness, wholesome, and pleasant joyfulness. Citta-prasadanam is a sweet disposition, favorable, wholesome, and very pleasant countenance or feeling where the field of consciousness is permeated with non-dual boundless love, kindness, compassion, and equanimity toward all beings. I.33 Also see I.47

Prasnyam: Relating to prana (energy or life force). Often also relating to the breath which strongly is associated with prana. I.34

Prasvasa: The exhalation, expiration. (also see svasa. rechaka, and prachchhardana) II.49

Prati: Moving away from something. Against, in opposition to.. II.22  

Pratipaksa: Contrary to: the opposite side. Contemplating or implementing the opposite. II.33, 34

Pratipaksa-bhavanam: The application of pratipaksha to remediate the obscurations caused by coarse citta-vrtti (vitarka-badhane) such as the practice of yam/niyams. II.33, 34. (See virtarka-badhane)

Pratiprasava: Prati means to turn back into the source. It is essentially centripetal motion; Returning to the center or origin or involution. Reversing the process of de-evolution. It is a valuable process in dhyana where a kleshic thought (citta-vrtti) is turned back upon itself using its own momentum against itself. This is also a well known technique in martial arts of inverse propagation. In yoga II.10;  IV.34 (Compare to pravrtti)

Pratisedha (pratishedha): The act of remediation. counteracting (usually negative) forces.I.32

Pratistham: resting place; dwelling, base, foundation free from outside disturbances. Steady abiding. I.8

Pratistha: Steadfastness. Established resting place. IV.34

Pratisthayam: to stand firm as the remedy. To turn back or to manifest the opposite. Placing the mind, energy, and intention in a steady non-conflicting state; firmly established; free from disturbing influences; unshakeable; to stand strong, The fruit arising from pratipaksa-bhavanam. II.35-38

Pratiyogin: In regard or correlated to. Correspondingly. Compared with. Mutuality. IV.33

Pratyahara: The fifth limb of astanga yoga which brings the awareness and energy (cit-prana) back into its inner energy center (hara) preventing it from wandering and dissipating in the apparently dualistic external world of the senses (upon apparently perceived separate objects of thought). Pratyhara is not just withdrawing the senses from sense objects, but also observing the mind and energy, hence staying centered in the energy body. In pratyhara the observer withdraws the cit-prana that is directed at objects (both external or objects of thought) back into the core/center. As such it is a powerful practice that kick starts dharana. Pratyhara is the middle step in harnessing one’s inner forces and redirecting them when needed,  so that the essential innate energy is no longer dissipated outward into the realm of desire (dualistic world of sense objects). One learns through pratyhara to bring attention back to the core/heart -- reconnecting within and circulating the core energy as a spiritual catalyst. That provides for strength, greater health,  inner harmony, concentration, activation, purification, and transformation eventually leading to non-dual integration or samadhi by fueling dharana and dhyana . II.29, 54, 55.

Pratyak: bringing the mind and energy back inside. Inward focus. Introversion, interiorization I.29

Pratyak-cetana: The process of accessing inward consciousness, inner awareness, insight. The introspective process by drawing back and internalizing consciousness and energy from the exterior world of the senses or object relations (mental or physical) and then using that to focus inside upon the innate seed potential while activating it. In hatha and laya yoga this is drawing back the cit-prana to irrigate the nadis removing interior obstructions and obstacles and activating the higher centers of awareness (chakras). See also pratyhara). I.29

Pratyaksa: Direct perception of an object by the senses. The act of apprehending or cognizing a specific object, When applied to sense objects, it can be said to be the direct bare apprehension of a sense object or a bare/naked sense awareness prior to mental processing/interpretation by the intellect (buddhi) or individual mind (manas). It is the first step of apprehension and comprehension which produces reification. Normally pratyaksa refers to the way the senses collect data from the sense world (physical world) regarding specific information, thus it provides the raw data for samprajnata (cognition based on specific content verses unspecific or general). It is not to be confused with the samadhi of non-dual naked awareness free from conceptualization processes (which occurs in asamprajnata samadhi). When applied to a mental object it is the act of apprehending an apparent object of the mind where the object(s) form an apparent specific and limited content occupying the mind, but the overall non-dual context or perspective is occluded; as in the idiom “Not knowing the forest for the trees”. Pratyaksa refers to normal dualistic object relations where there is a specific object which is apprehended forming the contents of the mind of a seemingly separate observer who is observing the specific object. This is common dualistic observation or "normal" perception "about" events, things, or normal observations. It is not the higher forms of knowing, direct gnosis, prajna, viveka-khyater, samyama, or samadhi I.7  
           
Pratyaya: "Conditioned-ness"; The ordinary conditioned state of mentation. A cognitive state which is the result of causes and conditions coming together (coalescing). Ordinary dualistic cognition where the mind of the observer is boxed in by a limited domain of observation. This occurs when the ordinary mental function is bent around an object of cognition. To put this another way, pratyaya is the ordinary static state when awareness is obsessed/possessed by I/it dualism (cognition of an object without awareness of the object in relationship to the process of the cognition or the relative situation of the cognizer). Such is not understood via cognitive investigation, but via mindfulness which is fructified via dhyana (meditation). Pratyaya is often translated as an intention toward any object of thought; a thought which is not objectless, or any ideation process which is contrived by the mind. To a non-meditator it may appear bizarre that any state of mind can be devoid of any object or content without inducing unconsciousness, but to a meditator pratyaya signifies the limitation of subject/object duality (a fragmented and alienated state due to an artificial imposition of a separate self who observes a separate object within the overall context of a fragmented world (phenomena). Pratyaya accompanies the samprajnata or dualistic state (see samprajnata such as in I.17). The conscious transcognitive state (asamprajnata) is associated with non-dual deep penetrative wisdom (Such as in I.18 and I.19).

Pratyaya belongs to ordinary dualistic mentation belonging to mechanical intellectual and logical (buddhi) reasoning and conceptual (vikalpa) processes of analysis/perception based on individualized content. Thus a cognitive situation is assumed (samprajnata) taken within the limitations of buddhi (the intellect) and dictated by asmita (egoic ownership). Pratyaya is a limited awareness based on the effect, but ignoring the overall cause and context. An assumption of a subject/object duality is the mistake of a "separate self" (ego) and a separate object as having inherent independent existence. Within this limited context (egoic) pratyaksha is the activity in which sense data is obtained, while pratyaya is the process and result which the data is categorized, placed, remembered, and retrieved.

Also the process of reification (the fallacy of treating an abstraction or fancy as a real thing). Cognitive thought processes which place an object in a categorizes them in relationship to other objects. Ordinary dualistic object relations. Thought process Here the contents of the mind found in dualistic apprehension (pratyaksha) processes from which there has further been imposed a compounding thinking process on top of that; i.e., the  conceptualization processes, where there exists an apparently separate object and a separate self who observes that object, and the contents of the thought process so that the ideation process is triggered ("I" am, therefore "it" is). Reification is the constructive or generative aspect of perception, by which the experienced percept contains more explicit spatial information than the sensory stimulus on which it is based. As such reification is the manipulation of facts indirectly in an attempt to represent the truth of the facts, within an understandable context. Reification is the consideration of an abstraction or an object as if it had human (as pathetic fallacy) or living (reification fallacy) existence and abilities; simultaneously it implies the thingification of social relations.

Typically reification involves separating out something from the original context from which it occurs, and placing it in another context, in which it lacks some or all of its original connections and seems to have powers or attributes which in truth it does not have. Thus reification involves a distortion of consciousness. Reification in thought occurs when an abstract concept describing a relationship or context is treated as a concrete "thing", or if something is treated as if it were a separate object when this is inappropriate because it is not an object rather it is a compounded “reality’ created/fabricated by the mental processing. Although based on valid data and supported by logic. and even conventional agreements, it still is an error of cognition.

After basic awareness of the object (direct perception), then the mental processing/interpretation by the intellect (buddhi) or individual mind (manas) often occurs placing the object of cognition within a predetermined context (perspective or value system) . This is called normal dualistic cognition most often related to the citta-vrtti or pramana-vrtti, smrti-vrtti, viparyaya-vrtti, or vikalpa-vrtti) thus adding bias to the awareness. That is how the citta-vrtti limit self realization (see I7-11). When applied to a mental object it is the act of apprehending an apparent object of the mind where the object(s) form an apparent limited content or domain thus combined with a limited context or perspective, however the non-dual context is still occluded. Pratyaksha first (obtaining the raw data as in naked awareness) can be very useful if not colored/distorted by the citta-vrtti, but for the conditioned mind (one who has forgotten Self and has not practiced dhyana or yoga in order to reconnect) pratyaya then follows (processing the data) in normal dualistic mentation where the object forms the content of the ideation hence distorting "reality". The ordinary human being is not able to discern between what they are observing (reality-as-it-is) and what their mind fools them into thinking "what-is", until they learn to abide in naked universal awareness (swarupa-sunyam which is samadhi) -- abiding in their innate natural state before patterned conditioning  I.10, 18, 19: II.20; III.2, 12, 17, 19, 35, IV.27.

Pratyaya-virama: or virama-pratyaya (See virama-pratyaya). One of the most important practices in yoga. It effects asamprajnata samadhi (non-dual awareness), whereby pratyaya (dualistic cognition) ceases. It is similar to nirodha-parinama. If this fails, then one needs to practice (sadhana) more. If it is successful, then there is no need for further practice effecting asamprajnata samadhi. I.18

Pravibhaga: distinction, separation. III.17

Pravrtti: Moving forward and outward, spinning forward, centrifugal, efferent as distinct from centripetal.  (Compare with pratiprasava)  I.35

Prayag: The meeting of two rivers to form a third. The meeting place of ida and pingala nadis. An ancient place of worship and devotion at the confluence of the Ganga (ida), Jamuna (pingala), and Saraswati (sushumna) rivers (located at the modern city of Allahabad). The Ganga (white) and Jamuna (black) are visible running on the surface of the planet, while the Saraswati is invisible. See Siva Samhita Chapter 5.

Prayatna: Persevering effort, the application of a sustained or continuous endeavor over time. (see yatna) II.47

Prithvi: The earth element; earth tattva. One of the pancha bhutis.

Punah: again; repeated. III.12

Punya: merit or virtue. Meritorious action I.33, II.14 (also see apunya)

Puraka: In pranayama a controlled inhalation. (See svasna and abhyantara)

Puraka Kumbhaka: Retention or cessation of the breath after inhalation. (See rechaka). Also see antar and bahya kumbhaka)

Purna: Complete

Purusha (purusa): The true self; pure absolute consciousness; witness consciousness; the innate imperishable true self; undifferentiated consciousness; unmanifested consciousness; the universal observer --Isvara or Maheshvara.

Most simply put, purusa has become to mean the generalized word for self, but who is this "self" is a very large question in Eastern spirituality[ i.e., what is your true self nature (swarupa) devoid of delusion, masks, and false identification? Since in the West there are many answers, the word, purusa is best translated as imperishable or absolute true self, as the universal intrinsic seed awareness. In yoga, thus we refer to the param-purusa the greatest and most pure Self. In India as time went by its definition changed depending on the school of thought. Samkhya philosophical dualists translate it as an isolated consciousness separate and withdrawn from the world (and hence undefiled by the gunas). That's similar to many Western concepts of an alien/separate God. Although the assumption of dvaita (dualistic) samkhya philosophy became dominate in Indian academic and intellectual circles, such an assumption is not integrative (it is not the yogic definition). Samkhya will assume that this dissociated and non-present purusa is the true "self" and hence attempt to dissociate from life, the body, and existence (what they call prakrti) in order to attain such.

However the Yoga Sutras are not so reductionist (rather it is integrative), albeit samkhya dualists will claim ownership and authority to the term, purusa. It must be pointed out that Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras uses the term in a yogic way, where yoga stands out as an integrity independent of samkhya. This is a controversial subject of doctrinal dispute. Among many problems inherent in the dualistic approach is that purusa is defined as being a separate "thing" or entity (ego) outside of the universe, hence such a definition appears needlessly limiting if not an extremist abstraction. If however we take purusa as omnipresent, all pervading, and omniscient then we can understand prakrti as being its container, while at the same time not being corrupted by prakrti (purusa still maintains its formless and absolute status. The following seems to be an adequate resolution in my opinion. Purusa is the stainless ever-pure conscious principle which is ever free and unlimited (the spiritual noumenon) ultimate omniscient conscious principle underlying all of creation and beyond creation. In a syncretic manner then it is this same Conscious Principle wedded with existence Prakrti), but not altered by it. Purusa thus is formless and unborn, yet universal, implicate and all pervading as the innate potentia, Therefore it is revealed in and by all (when our own inner sight/eye is opened) as the awareness innate in beingness while co-existing in its pure formless state of stainless pure absolute consciousness. We will find in Indian thought many different interpretations of the word, purusa. The most ancient Vedic meaning of the word, purusa, is integrative as it is found in the oldest Veda, the Rg Veda, Book X, Chapter 90 (Purusa Sukta) which defines the interpenetrating quality of Ultimate Reality (purusa) and the universe as:

"Purusa alone is this entire world, both past and future: he is also the lord of immortality when he mounts above (to heaven) for food."

In sutra I.16 Patanjali says that this inner sight is opened through abhyasa-vairagyabhyam until para is experienced (para-vairagya). In short yoga activates our potential to manifest isvara as cit-sakti (see IV.34). In I.24 Patanjali says that isvara (Maheshvara) is the highest and most pure purusa, hence in yoga purusa is identifiable with isvara and accordingly with Maheshvara (Siva who is wedded with shakti) which fits more closely with the Vedic and Tantric definitions of purusa than samkhya. For more see this introduction at the beginning of Kaivalya Pada and`especially this discussion entitled, Purusa can not be Owned or Bought. See Professor Whicher's commentary on Prakrti and Purusa

I.16, 24; III.35. 49, 55; IV.18, 34. (also see param-purusa).

Purva: A referent to former, previous, prior, predecessor, ancient, or unborn (before birth). Mre commonly the east (teh place where the sun arises) and in yoga the front of the body. I.18, 26; III.7, 18 See pashima (west) or the back of the body.

Purvaka; accompanied by; Something that proceeds from the prior; I.20; II.34.

Purvebhyah: preceding or prior in order/sequence. III.7

Q

R

Raga: Attachment; attraction, clinging to pleasure or the anticipation of what might appear as pleasurable. One of the chief kleshas. Desire toward apprehending an object. Lust, craving, arousal which draws one out into the dualistic sense world. Attachment to self and/or objects of desire.

Raga is based on ego delusion (a separate self who craves, desires, or loves a "thing". Here temporal dualistic craving, preference, and love are often confused with spiritual or divine love. They are quite different, the former being conditional while the latter unconditional. For example, the ego may love chocolate, prefer warm weather, love people who are supportive and agree with them, or love good tasting food. Such is neither good nor bad, but simply conditional and dualistic raga as long as one's happiness is dependent upon it. It also may increase dvesa *aversion) when such desires, preferences, or conditions are not met. On the other hand spiritual love is unconditional and non-manipulative. One simply loves all beings in the sense that they naturally care for their well being, happiness, and spiritual welfare regardless if they can actually effect such or not wisely. It is wise to love this way, but the ordinary person is obsessed with ego delusions so that they require practices to break up those old patterns and to let in the light and love. I.7 (See vita-raga)
           
Rahita: without
           
Raj yoga or Raja yoga: Literally, the king of yogas, meaning it is the superior method. It is the yoga as described by Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras that focuses on dhyana as the highest limb before samadhi.
           
Rajas: fiery, stimulating, one of the three gunas (rajas, sattva, tamas)

Ram: Bija (seed) syllable for the manipura chakra. Ripening and heating energy. The name of Lord Rama (of the Ramayana).
           
Ramayana: the epic story of the life of Rama written down by Valmiki and turned into pure honey by Tulsi Das

Rasa: Juice: juju; the spice of life. II.9

Ratna: a gem or jewel. II.9, 37

Rechaka: A controlled exhalation - See pracchardana, prasvasa, svasna and bahya

Rechaka-kumbhaka; External retention. holding the breathing out after exhalation. (See bahya kumbhaka)

Rigpa (Tib.): recognition of our true nature: instant presence; being truly present; sacred presence; gnosis; jnana; abiding in our natural timeless state; recognition abiding in the timeless now; pure vision (vidya versus avidya (marigpa tibetan).

The beginning of recognition is an awareness of dualistic thought mechanisms, the egoic or conditioned mind, but rigpa as pure vision is awareness of the primordial state, the true universal transpersonal nature of your own mind (sacred presence).

Rishi (Rshi): a sage or wise man usually depicted as living in a forest hermitage.

Rtam-bhara: Bearing sublime and seamless truth. Pregnant and bearing dharma as ultimate truth. Compare with Dharma-megha in IV.29-30. "Thus freed from selfish motivation while abiding steadily (sarvatha) in self luminous discriminatory awareness ,the rain-cloud of natural law (dharma-megha) is accumulated (prasankhyane) and absorbed (samadhih) thus the cessation of samskaras, klesha, and karma are realized." I.48

Rudha: arises from, having grown strong; firmly established. II.9

Rudra: A Hindu God found in the oldest Vedas. After the Aryan invasion of India (sometime after 1700 BC, Rudra became identified with the native deity of Bharat (ancient India), Shiva. See Shiva/Siva
           
Rupa: form. Also se sarupya (I.4) and arupa (formless). I.8, 17. II.23, 54. III 3.3, 21, 46. IV.34

Rupakaya: Form body of a buddha. Rupakaya includes the nirmanakaya (emanation or physical body of the Buddha) and the sambhoghakaya (enjoyment body) or energy/illusory body of the Buddha. When these bodies are aligned with the dharmakaya (formless body of the primordial buddha, then a living buddha manifetss here and now.

Rupatvat: form, image; possessing form IV.9

S

Sa: with; accompanied by.

Sabda (Shabda): Word, but in ancient times the spoken word: Speech; and in its more subtle meaning, sound and even more subtly as a sound vibration. I.9, 42  

Sabija: With seed. See bija. I.46
           
Sabija samadhi: samadhi with seed. temporary samadhi (see nirbija samadhi)
           
Sadhak: A yogic practitioner, One who engages in sadhana  
           
Sadhana: Yoga practice usually referring to a regular yogic program characterized by self discipline (as distinct from an externally imposed dictates). Sadhana is not practice in the sense of being distinct from the event of the "real thing" (as if one were simply practicing for a future event). Rather in process oriented sadhana one is moving in sadhana ever more closely toward total integration (samadhi) which is experienced and deeply felt in every movement and moment of the sadhana. As such sadhana is skillful means leading to full accomplishment, proficiency, and liberation.

Sadharanatvat: commonality: generally accepted. II.22

Saguna: with qualities. (see guna)

Sahaj: natural and spontaneous

Sahaj Samadhi: Our natural state. A samadhi which is entirely unconditioned, natural, and uncontrived. This samadhi is eternally accessible to the wise. This can occur naturally and spontaneously when past karma has been burned. Many consider this the highest and the most complete samadhi.

Sahajoli mudra: practice involving physical contraction of muscles around the urethra and directing the energy upward; a technique for raising energy
           
Sahasrara chakra: The 1000 petaled lotus. A concentration point is at the crown of the head representing the permanent for,less state of pure consciousness (siva), the pure, unchanging state of energy and consciousness; state of inner effulgence or enlightenment.

Sahita: willful or deliberate action. Conscious control via the will and intellect; Deliberate imposition of control or force by imposed by ego (as opposed to natural (see kevala or sahaj to compare).

Saithilya: loosening, unwinding, unraveling, or relaxing. Unbounded, not tight or rigid. II.47; III.38

Sakala: Over time

Sakar: with form (see nirakar)

Salambana with support III.20 (see lambana)

Sakti (Shakti, saktir, or saktyo):The intelligent kinetic power, force, ability, or activity behind nature, all phenomena, or creation. The intelligence attributed to shakti is not assigned by man, but is pre-existing, innate in nature. Where shakti is the kinetic energy as power, Siva is the potential energy behind shakti. Siva and shakti are inseparable. Siva being beginningless eternal formless) while shakti takes on infinite form and shapes. Thus in tantra shakti is associated with Uma, Parvati, Durga, and Kali, while in other systems with prakrti and/or maya (here Maya referring to Siva's clothing or veil). II.6, 23, III.21 IV.34.

Sam, sama, or san: a prefix meaning total, complete harmony or equality. Also the word, sama, is used to indicate equivalence, balance, relationship, or mutuality between two apparently separate objects (or rather objects of thought) as in the process of comparison. But in reality all things are interconnected, hence the separation existed only in the mind as an error of cognition. In fact, everything is interconnected, complete, and parts of the unifying whole -- the whole being the sum of its parts. In a conventional sense the orange is not the apple, but in the wholographic sense all interconnected things are defined by their relationship to everything else. Hence the apple is found within the complete interconnected experience of the orange; just as the orange and the apple and the entire universe is found within the complete interconnected experience of the apple. In fact beginningless time is found NOW in the present as an open doorway.

Samadhi: sama (wholeness or completion) plus dhi (dhyana) equals completion of meditation (dhyana).Samadhi is wholeness, wholesomeness, holographic integration on all levels which isthe culmination of yoga (which means to join together and make whole). It is the experience of "everywhere Infinite Mind" in All Our Relations. Integration; universal presence as swarupa-sunyam with nothing left out - void of fragmention, corruption, or discrete taints of alienation or disparity.

Samadhi is the realization of the culmination of union -- the end pf yoga. If yoga is to connect together the apparently fragmented objects of thought, then a shift occurs where all our relations are experienced as aligned, interconnected, wholesome, wholographic, and complete. That experience is samadhi which occurs after the dissolution of the vrttis, false identification (sarupyam), ignorance (avidya), the egoic sense of separate self (asmita), and all the mental/emotional afflictions (kleshas). thus allowing the shift inconsciousness which merges with primordial divine consciousness as that Great Integrity and as its expression in the NOW.

It is not a limited union (such in samyoga), but a full and complete transpersonal and non-dual non-exclusive all encompassing union with all including source. Samadhi is a state realization -- a total integration and oneness (singularity) of the body, mind, breath, universe, and intrinsic source seed awareness from beginningless time here in the eternal Now devoid of attachment and aversion. The embodied union of undifferentiated consciousness (Maheshvara/Purusa)