Sanskrit is essentially the most historic language on this planet, also known as the “Mom of all languages.” It holds a prestigious place among the many 22 official languages of India and is akin to the traditional Latin and Greek languages.
Most Hindu scriptures are written in Sanskrit, making it important to know the language. Sanskrit, which is over 3500 years outdated, was as soon as thought of a standing image and a mark of class in historic instances.
The importance of Sanskrit in yoga is clear, as most yoga asanas are named in Sanskrit. Moreover, many trendy Indian languages are both immediately derived from or influenced by Sanskrit. To grasp topics like Ayurveda, Yoga, Astrology, or to learn any of the 4 Vedas and different Hindu scriptures, a transparent understanding of Sanskrit is critical.
Past Hinduism, Sanskrit can be the philosophical language of Buddhism, Jainism, and Sikhism, with some texts in these religions written in Sanskrit. Lastly, the common sound “OM,” utilized by yogis, meditators, non secular gurus, and seers to calm down the thoughts and hook up with increased realms, is itself a Sanskrit phrase.
Origin of Sanskrit
The oldest type of Sanskrit, Vedic Sanskrit, is the language wherein the 4 Vedas of the Hindu faith have been written and compiled. The compilation is alleged to have taken place someplace between 1700-1200 BCE and the language is believed to belong to the Indo-Aryan household.
The fundamental Vedas are Rig Veda, Sam Veda, Yajur Vedia, and Atharva Veda which comprise hymns, incantations, philosophies, and steerage for Vedic clergymen. It’s believed that these Vedas are a direct revelation to the seers of the Aryan individuals.
Round 1000 BCE, the Vedic Sanskrit started its transformational section from the primary language to the second language that was meant for faith and studying. Throughout 500 BCE, historic scholar “Panini” labored on grammar which gave delivery to Traditional Sanskrit. That is the language wherein a number of the most well-known dramas, poems, and epics have been written. The classical Sanskrit is the Sanskrit we see and know as we speak.
Sanskrit Alphabets, Grammar, and Vocabulary
Sanskrit has 46 alphabets in its vocabulary which is written in Devanagari script. It’s the similar script wherein most Indian languages are and is written from left to proper. The vowels are nasalized and the vowel size makes the distinction within the phrase that means. Nevertheless, the variety of consonants is debatable but it’s stated that the stock is kind of massive.
The Sanskrit language makes use of prefixes, suffixes, infixes, and reduplication to kind the phrases. Sanskrit grammar consists of three nouns – single, twin, and plural whereas the verbs are broadly categorised into 2 teams – thematic and athematic. So when a Sanskrit sentence is shaped, the verb is often positioned on the finish, nonetheless, there could be sure exceptions to this.
Relation of Sanskrit and Yoga
Similar to Sanskrit, yoga can be an historic apply, the point out of which is present in historic Hindu scriptures. And because the scriptures have additionally been written in Sanskrit, the yoga asanas and methods have to be additionally in the identical language. Furthermore, the teachings and information have been handed on from the instructor to the coed in the identical language, therefore it is usually a type of preserving a practice alive.
One other issue is that sure Sanskrit sounds have therapeutic results. The commonest phrase, OM, is chanted to realize the advantages of the vibrational frequency of the letters ‘a’, ‘u’, and ‘m’. It is usually stated that the vibration of this phrase represents the sound of the whole universe.
Lastly, utilizing Sanskrit phrases in yoga gives readability and maintains the that means of a phrase, which can be misplaced in translation.
11 Widespread Sanskrit phrases utilized in Yoga
Although there’s a multitude of phrases that can be utilized with yoga, the under 11 Sanskrit phrases are used generally in yoga periods.
1. Yoga – Typically pronounced as ‘yo-gaa’, it’s derived from the Sanskrit phrase ‘yuj’ which implies to ‘unite’ or ‘to affix’. Surprisingly, this phrase doesn’t have a direct English title, like another Sanskrit phrases. When practising yoga, you’re in search of to unite your thoughts, physique, and spirit and likewise a union between self and Divine.
2. Asana – It’s pronounced as ‘aah-sa-nah’ and it means pose or seat. This phrase is the commonest because it comes within the names of virtually all of the yoga pose names. Each scholar and yoga practitioner will come throughout this phrase in every yoga session. It’s a most vital a part of hatha yoga and entails a number of bodily motion.
3. Namaste – Pronounced as ‘na-ma-sthey’, it’s the frequent type of greeting within the Hindu faith. The Sanskrit translation of the phrase is ‘I bow to you’, nonetheless, by way of yoga, it might probably additionally imply ‘the divine gentle inside me bows to the divine gentle inside you’. It’s fairly actually the Indian model of claiming ‘hi there’ or ‘hello’.
4. OM – One other frequent phrase, used as a chant is OM and is pronounced as ‘ohhmmm’. In keeping with the Hindu custom, this phrase is the unique sound and the sound that’s the creator of different sounds of the universe. You’ll usually discover this phrase on the partitions of the yoga or meditation studios, within the properties of most Hindu households, and even in eating places.
5. Prana – The life pressure current in every of us is pronounced as ‘praa-nah’. The Sanskrit that means of prana is ‘breath’ and it flows in all dwelling beings. This idea is current in nearly all of the cultures of the world equivalent to Ki in Japanese, Holy Trinity in Christianity, Chi in Chinese language, and many others.
6. Bandha – It’s pronounced as ‘bahn-da’ and it means a ‘tight lock’. The bandha is a method to constrain the movement of prana by constriction of the muscle mass and inner focus. It’s usually used throughout pranayama and chakra yogas to take care of the movement of vitality. Some frequent bandhas are Mula Bandha for Root Chakra, Uddiyana Bandha for Photo voltaic Plexus Chakra, and Jalandhara Bandha for the Throat Chakra.
7. Dhyana – The phrase is pronounced as ‘theeaa-nah’. The literal translation is ‘focus’ and it’s a type of enjoyable meditation that’s usually used as a warm-up earlier than a yoga session. The Dhyana can be the seventh limb of Patanjali’s eight limbs of yoga.
8. Chakra – The pronunciation of this phrase is ‘chuck-rah’. In Sanskrit, chakra interprets to ‘wheel’ and within the perspective of yoga, they’re spinning wheels of vitality which might be current alongside the backbone. Every chakra spins clockwise and has a selected emotion, colour, and aspect connected to it. Varied yoga asanas are directed to maintain the chakras in steadiness or activate them.
9. Mudra – It’s a symbolic hand gesture and is pronounced as ‘mooh-druh’. These hand gestures are an important a part of yoga as they assist in regulating the prana and properly regulating your doshas.
10. Mantra – It’s pronounced as ‘mun-truh’ which implies phrases or group of Sanskrit phrases which have non secular significance and resonance. These Sanskrit sounds have a profound impact on the thoughts throughout meditation or yoga. OM is the commonest of all of the mantra that’s chanted earlier than, throughout, or after the yoga or meditation periods.
11. Guru – the phrase is pronounced as ‘goo-roo’ which implies a instructor. If we break up the phrase, ‘Gu’ means remover and ‘Ru’ means ignorance or darkness. Therefore a guru is a realized one that helps you take away your ignorance by imparting divine information. For this reason yoga lecturers are referred to as gurus as they’re serving to you attain your bodily and psychological well-being.
Sanskrit Glossary of Yoga
1. Sanskrit Phrases Beginning with A
Abhyasa (ah-bee-yah-sah) – repetition or fixed apply. Willful and focuses non secular apply.
Adho (ah-doh) – downward. The time period is utilized in a yoga asana Adho Mukha Svanasana or Downward-facing Canine pose
Ahimsa (ah-himn-saa) – nonviolence or non-harming. The termed was embodied by Mahatma Gandhi
Ananda (ah-nun-dah) – the very best state of being or bliss.
Ashram (ah-shrum) – a yoga faculty or hermitage
Ashtanga (ush-tun-ga) – eight-limbed yoga. The eight-limbed path as described by Patanjali in Yoga Sutra. Additionally, Ashtanga Vinyasa Yoga is an athletic a part of hatha yoga.
Ayurveda (ayoor-ved-ah) – the science of life. In as we speak’s context, it’s a holistic type of medication involving vegetation which have minimal unwanted effects.
2. Sanskrit Phrases Beginning with B
Balak (baa-luck) – boy or a male pupil
Bhagavad Gita (bhug-vud-gee-taa) – an historic guide which particulars about yoga, that is part of the well-known Hindu epic Mahabharata.
Bhagavan (bhug-va-nuh) – the Lord, Creator
Bhakti (bhak-tee) – cultivating love and devotion to the divine with out query.
Bija (bee-juh) – seed. Supply. The bija mantras are core sounds with non secular energy. OM is one such generally used bija mantra.
Brahma Nadi (bruh-muh-nuh-dee) – an brisk channel alongside the backbone that’s associated to connecting the human experiences with common consciousness.
Buddhi (bood-hee) – the seat of knowledge. The best type of thoughts.
3. Sanskrit Phrases Beginning with C
Chandra (chun-drah) – the moon
Chaitanya (chey-tun-yuh) – absolute consciousness
Chaturanga (chat-u-run-ga) – the yogic plank pose
Chinta (chin-tah) – fear
Chiranjivi (chi-run-jee-vi) – an individual who has gained immortality
Chit (chih-tuh) – the acutely aware way of thinking. Emotional and feeling part of the thoughts
4. Sanskrit Phrases Beginning with D
Dana (daan) – charity, the facet of selfless giving
Dasa (daas) – servant or slave
Devanagari (they-vuh-naa-giri) – the left to proper script of sanskrit and different Indian languages.
Dharma (dhur-mah) – the aim and path of life that may result in peace, reality and enlightenment
Drishti (drish-tee) – a focus to set your gaze and improve focus and focus throughout yoga apply. It is usually the divine imaginative and prescient.
Dukha (du-khuh) – the sensation of unhappiness, grief
5. Sanskrit Phrases Beginning with E
Eka (eh-kuh) – to indicate no 1 in Sanskrit. Additionally utilized in many yoga poses equivalent to Eka Pada Rajakapotasana, or One Leg Pigeon Pose.
Ekanta (eh-kaan-tuh) – seclusion or solitude
Ekata (ehk-tuh) – oneness or homogeneity
6. Sanskrit Phrases Beginning with G
Gagana (guh-gun) – the sky
Ganapati (gun-uh-puh-ti) – a Hindu God that bestows success
Graha (gruhuh) – planets
Granthi (grun-thee) – tie or knot. One of many 3 blockages within the central vitality movement which hampers the trail of enlightenment in tantra yoga.
Guni (goo-nee) – an individual with qualities
7. Sanskrit Phrases Beginning with H
Halasana (hul-ah-suh-nuh) – a yoga asana that imitates a plough (hala)
Hanuman (huh-noo-maan) – a strong monkey god who’s a Lord Rama devotee. He helped Lord Rama battle the Ravana.
Hasta (hus-tuh) – hand or arm. Hasta mudras are hand gestures which might be used throughout yoga and meditation
Hatha (huh-tuh) – forceful path. yoga carried out to steadiness the solar and moon vitality
Hridaya (hree-duyah) – the center
8. Sanskrit Phrases Beginning with I
Iccha (ich-chah) – need or want
Idanadi (ee-dah-nuh-dee) – the vitality channel to the left of Brahma Nadi that connects the foundation chakra to the left nostril
Indra (in-druh) – a Hindu god of rain and ruler of heaven. The phrase can even imply thoughts or soul.
Itihasa (ee-tee-ha-suh) – historical past, epic equivalent to Mahabharat or Ramayana
Iyengar (eye-yen-gur) – a well-liked yoga fashion that makes use of props like ropes, blankets, blocks and belts. It emphasised element, precision and alignment of asanas
9. Sanskrit Phrases Beginning with J
Japa (jup-uh) – repetitive chanting of mantras or prayers. A method to prepare the thoughts to pay attention and never have stray ideas. It’s usually carried out with beads.
Janma (jun-muh) – delivery, coming into being
Jati (jaa-tee) – class, species
Jiva (jee-vuh) – particular person soul
Jnana (juh-naa-nuh) – a yogic path to non secular knowledge and information
Jyoti (ji-yo-tee) – gentle, illumination, luminosity
10. Sanskrit Phrases Beginning with Okay
Karma (kur-mah) – the legislation of trigger and impact. We’re solely answerable for our actions and the results we face.
Kirtan (keer-tun) – a devotional singing, chanting of hymns and mantras in a gathering
Kosha (ko-shuh) – a overlaying of the soul or sheath
Kriya (kree-yah) – bodily motion. Specific set of workouts in hatha yoga.
Kumbhaka (koom-bha-kah) – the holding of breath throughout pranayam
Kundalini (kun-duh-lee-nee) – the coiled vitality on the root chakra that rises on awakening
11. Sanskrit Phrases Beginning with L
Lajja (luj-jah) – disgrace or shyness
Lakshya (luck-shyuh) – objective, goal, focus level
Lila (lee-laa) – the divine play
Linga (lin-guh) – gender, image, signal
Lobha (low-bhuh) – greed
12. Sanskrit Phrases Beginning with M
Mahan (maa-haan) – the good
Maharaj (maa-haa-raa-juh) – king
Mala (maa-laa) – rosary. Beads used for japa.
Manas (maa-nus) – the rational thoughts that processes senses and fundamental data.
Mandala (mun-daa-laa) – a geometrical round design that represents the cosmos. Generally utilized in meditation
Maya (maa-yaa) – an phantasm, the delusion of the thoughts to the worldly powers
Moksha (mok-shuh) – remaining enlightenment, the last word liberating of soul
13. Sanskrit Phrases Beginning with N
Nabhi (naa-bhee) – navel
Nadi (nah-dee) – the channel of vitality pressure within the physique, psychic present
Nidra (nid-raa) – sleep, in a deep sleep state
Nirodhah (nee-rodh) – self-discipline, restriction, taming
Nirvana (neer-vaa-nuh) – liberation
Niyama (nee-yum) – the second limb of Patanjali’s eight-limbed yoga. It’s a set of practices or guidelines that takes us on the trail of self-purification.
Nritya (nree-tyuh) – dance, the dance of Lord Shiva is named Tandav Nritya.
14. Sanskrit Phrases Beginning with O
Ojas (oh-jus) – non secular vitality or vigour
Omkara (om-kaa-ruh) – similar to Om, it symbolises the sound on the creation of universe
15. Sanskrit Phrases Beginning with P
Pada (puh-duh) – foot or leg
Patanjali (puh-tun-juh-lee) – an historic Indian seer, thinker and sage who compiled the Yoga Sutra.
Prakriti (pruh-kri-tee) – nature, primal nature of a being
Prajna (pruhg-nuh) – the very best consciousness and consciousness
Pranayam (prah-nah-yah-muh) – the acutely aware managed path of respiration. It is usually a standard yoga apply.
Pratyahara (pruh-tyuh-huh-ruh) – withdrawal from the bodily senses throughout meditation
Purna (poo-rnuh) – absolute, full, full
16. Sanskrit Phrases Beginning with R
Rachnatmak (ruch-naa-tuh-muck) – nice creativity, capacity to think about, revolutionary and create authentic concepts
Rakta (ruk-tuh) – blood
Ratna (rut-nuh) – jewel, gem
Rishi (ree-shee) – seer, the one who seeks the reality
Rudraksh (roo-drak-shuh) – actually interprets to Eye of Shiva. They’re seeds of berries which might be stated to be holy and are worn as beads in arms, neck and used as japa mala.
17. Sanskrit Phrases Beginning with S
Samadhi (sum-ah-dee) – the very best objective of the unitive state with the divine by meditation.
Sanskar (suns-kaar) – the developed habits or unconscious impressions which have been realized from ancestors and private expertise
Satya (sut-yuh) – the reality, actuality
Savasana (shuv-ah-suh-nah) – the corpse pose. The ultimate rest pose in a yoga or meditation class the place you lie flat on the bottom
Shakti (shuck-tee) – the female divine vitality. energy, pressure, vitality
Shanti (shaan-tee) – peace, calm. A typical mantra chanted in yoga or meditation periods
Surya namaskar (soo-ryuh-nuh-mus-kaa-ruh) – the solar salutation. An intense yoga apply with a number of yoga asanas which might be carried out in a movement.
18. Sanskrit Phrases Beginning with T
Tapa (tuh-puh) – warmth constructing, depth created by intense self-discipline and austerity.
Tantra (tun-tuh-raa) – a yoga kind that focuses on the energetic facet of yoga with stress upon japa of mantra and chakras
Tattva (tuht-vuh) – aspect, precept, essence
Tivra (tee-vruh) – intense, sharp, eager
Trataka (traa-tuh-kah) – regular gaze. An open eye type of meditation the place you stare upon some extent or candle flame with out blinking to enhance non secular imaginative and prescient.
Tulsi (tul-see) – the Indian Holy Basil.
Tyaga (tee-yah-guh) – sacrifice, renunciation
19. Sanskrit Phrases Beginning with U
Ujjayi (ooj-juh-ee) – victorious respiration. One of many frequent pranayama methods
Upanishad (oop-nee-shud) – the portion of Vedas that imparts non secular information, final realization and reality.
Upasana (oo-paa-suh-nah) – actually means to take a seat close to. Additionally means devotion to God
Utthita (oo-tee-thah) – prolonged. Refers to asanas the place you prolong or stretch your physique past the common variation
20. Sanskrit Phrases Beginning with V
Vairagya (vai-raa-gyuh) – the yogic apply of detachment and renunciation of worldly issues
Vata (vuh-tuh) – one of many three doshas or constitutions of the physique that’s associated to the aspect of air.
Vayu (vaa-yoo) – wind, air, important breath
Vedas (vey-dahs) – the oldest hindu scriptures which have particulars concerning yoga, chakras, doshas, and many others. they’re 4 predominant vedas, Rig Veda, Sama Veda, Yajur Veda, and Atharva Veda.
Vidya (vee-dyah) – information
Vinyasa (vin-yaa-suh) – the sequence of two or extra asanas which might be carried out in a fluid movement and synchronized respiration methods. The commonest vinyasa is the Solar Salutation.
Viveka (vee-vey-kah) – clear sight
21. Sanskrit Phrases Beginning with Y
Yamas (yah-mah) – the rules or set of practices that permit us apply ethical restraint in direction of liberation.
Yantra (yun-truh) – a geometrical design to invoke non secular awakening
Yatra (yaa-trah) – journey, pilgrimage
Yoni (yo-nee) – womb, supply, feminine organ of technology. The yoni mudra helps us obtain a calmness of thoughts and detachment from the chaos of the outer world. Yuga (yoo-guh) – the division of time within the Hindu faith. As per the Hindu faith there are 4 yugas- Krita, Treta, Dvapara and Kali. Ranging from the first yuga, every yuga’s size is decreased by 1/4th. The period of all of the yugas are 12000 divine years and every yuga is split into 360 human years. The proportion of every yuga could be divided into 4:3:2:1.
Remaining Thought
Sanskrit is a language that’s troublesome to be taught as a result of particular phonetics, nonetheless, studying any completely different language wants endurance. In case you are profitable, you’ll perceive the that means of every phrase that you’re utilizing repeatedly and likewise have the ability to expertise a way of readability.
It is going to appear as in case you are on a non secular journey and can assist your understanding of the tradition. And who is aware of, that when you get a dangle of the language, you could possibly perceive the underlying that means of every yoga asana on the next stage!
