PRACTICIAL LESSONS IN YOGA
ABHYASA—Spiritual practice
AHAM BRAHMA ASMI—I am Brahman
ATMAN—The Self
AVIDYA—Nescience
BANDHA—exercise in Hatha Yoga
BHUMA—the Infinite; the unconditioned; Brahman
BINDU—point; seed
BRAHMAMUHURTA—auspicious time between 4 to 6 a.m.
CHAITANYA—Pure consciousness
CHAKRA—Centre of spiritual energy
CHITTA—Subconscious mind
DHARANA—Concentration
DHYANA—Meditation
EKAGRATA—One-pointedness of mind
GUNA—Quality
ISVARA—Lord, God
JADA—Insentient; non-intelligent
JAPA—Repetition of the Name of the Lord
JIVANMUKTI—Liberation in this life
KAIVALYA—Final emancipation
KAMANDAL—The holy vessel used by a Sannyasin for keeping water
KARMA—Action operating through the Law of Cause and Effect
KIRTAN—Singing the Lord’s Names
KRIYA—Hatha Yogic exercise
KUNDALINI—The primordial cosmic energy located in the individual
LAKSHYA—Goal
MAYA—The illusory power of Brahman
MOKSHA—Liberation
MUDRA—A type of exercise in Hatha Yoga
NADA—A mystic sound
NADIS—Nerve-currents
NIRGUNA—Without attributes
NIRVANA—Liberation
NIRVIKALPA—Without the modifications of the mind
OMKARA—The sacred syllable Om symbolising Brahman
PRAKRITI—Nature, the primitive non-intelligent principle
PRANAVA—Same as Om
PRATYAHARA—Abstraction or withdrawal of the senses from their objects
SABDA BRAHMAN—sound-form of Brahman
SAGUNA—With attributes
SAMADHI—The state of superconsciousness where Absoluteness is experienced
SAMSKARA—Impression in the subconscious mind
SATCHIDANANDA—Existence Absolute—Knowledge Absolute—Bliss Absolute;
Brahman
SAVIKALPA—With modifications
SOHAM—A Vedantic assertion meaning “I am He (Brahman)”
TAPAS—Penance
TAT TVAM ASI—That Thou Art
TATTVA—Principle, Reality
TRIKUTI—Space between the eyebrows
VEDANTA—(Lit.) End of the Vedas; the school of thought based primarily on the Vedic
Upanishads
VIRAT—Macrocosm; the Lord in His form as the manifest universe
VRITTI—A wave of thought, a modification of the mind
YOGA—(Lit.) Union; union of the individual soul with the Supreme Soul; any course
which makes for such union
THE SCIENCE OF PRANAYAMA:
ADHIKARI—Fit aspirant (Uttama: Good; Madhyama: medium; Adhama: inferior)
Agni—Fire
Ahamkara—Ego
Aisvarya—Material or spiritual wealth
Ajna-Chakra—Cavernous plexus
Akasa—Ether, space, sky
Alasya—Lethargy, inertia
Anahata—Cardiac plexus
Anga—Subordinate step, limb
Anima—Subtlety, reducing body in size
Antahkarana—Internal psychic organ, mind
Apana—Vital energy functioning in excretion
Apas—Water
Arambha—A state reached in Pranayama
Asana—Bodily position, posture
Ashtanga—Eight limbs (of Patanjali’s Raja Yoga)
Astika—Believer of God or the Vedas
Asura—Demon, evil tendency in man
Asuri—Devilish
Atman—Divine soul in man, the Supreme Self
Avadhani—Attentive, concentrated
Avastha—State
BANDHA—A lock in Yogic posture
Bandhu—Relative, one connected by relation
Bhakta—Devotee
Bhakti—Devotion
Bhastrika—Bellows (a kind of Pranayama)
Bhati—To shine
Bhava—(Devotional) attitude
Bheda—Difference, splitting
Bija—Seed, source
Bijakshara—Seed-letter containing latent power of Mantra
Brahmachari—Celibate, student of scriptures
Brahmanda—Macrocosm, Brahma’s egg
Brahmarandhra—Head fontanelle at the top of head
Buddhi—Intellect, understanding, reason
CHAKRA—Wheel, plexus
Charu—Boiled milk and rice
Chit—Consciousness
Chitta—Mind-stuff, subconscious mind
DAIVI—Divine
Dama—Control of outer senses
Deva(ta)—Deity
Dhairya—Heroism, valour
Dharma—Duty, virtue, righteous way of living
Dhyana—Deep meditation
Dridhata—Firmness
GAYATRI—A very sacred Mantra in the Vedas
Ghata—A state reached in Pranayama
Granthi—Knot (of nerves or psychic energy)
Grihastha—Householder
HAMSA—Swan, Divine Self
Hiranyagarbha—Cosmic intelligence, cosmic mind, Brahma
IDA—Psychic nerve-current flowing through nostril; lunar
Indriya—Sense of perception whether physical (Karma Indriya) or internal current (Jnana Indriya)
Ishta—Object of desire, chosen ideal
JAPA—Repetition of a Mantra
Jivanmukti—Liberation while still in body, the state of Jnana or Knowledge, Wisdom of Brahman
Jivatman—Individual soul
KALA—Ray, part, aspect
Kapala—Skull
Kamala—Lotus
Karma—Action (Sanchita: accumulated; Prarabdha: to be worked out in this life; Agami: being
freshly formed)
Karuna—Mercy
Kevala Kumbhaka—Cessation of breath spontaneously
Khechari Mudra—Applying elongated tongue to the posterior palate in Hatha Yoga
Kriya—Action
Kumbhaka—Period between in-and-outgoing breath
Kundalini—Serpent-power coiled up at the Muladhara Chakra
Kutir—Living quarters (of a Sadhaka)
LINGA SARIRA—Subtle body
MADHYAMA—Pranayama with 32 Matras
Mahima—Siddhi of making oneself huge
Manas—Mind
Matra—A second, time-measure
Mitahara—Moderate diet
Moksha—Liberation, release
Mudra—Symbolic hand-position
Mumukshutva—Intense longing for liberation
NADI—Astral tube carrying Prana
Nauli—Abdominal churning exercise
Nirvikalpa—Without modification of the mind
Nishkama—Selfless, unselfish
Nishpatti—Consummation, ratio
PADMA—Lotus
Para—Super, higher, (highest)
Paramahamsa—The highest class of Sannyasins
Parichaya—A state reached in Pranayama
Pindanda—Microcosm
Pingala—Psychic nerve-current in right nostril, solar
Pralaya—Dissolution of the cosmos
Prana—Vital energy, life-breath, life-force
Pranava—The mystic syllable ‘OM’
Pranavadin—One who advocates the theory of Prana
Pranayama—Breath-control
Prasvasa—Expiration of Breath
Pratyahara—Abstraction of senses
Prithvi—Element of earth with density and fragrance characteristic to it
Puja—Worship, adoration
Puraka—Inhalation
SADHAKA—Spiritual aspirant
Sadhana—Spiritual practice
Sahaja—Natural, true, native
Sahasrara—1000 petalled lotus at the crown of head
Sakti—Power
Sama—Control of mind, tranquillity
Samadhi—State of superconsciousness, perfect absorption of mind in Yoga
Sambhavi—A Yogic technique of concentration
Sampat—Quality, wealth
Samsara—Life through repeated births and deaths, process of worldly life
Samskara—Impression, prenatal tendency
Sandhya—Junction (of sunrise and sunset)
Sannyasa—Renunciation of social ties, 4th state in Hindu life
Santi—Peace, quietness
Sastra—Scripture, word of authority
Satavadhani—One who does 100 things at the same time
Shatchakras—The six Chakras or nerve-plexuses
Sraddha—Faith
Sthula—Gross
Suddhi—Purity
Sukshma—Fine, subtle, indivisible
Surya—Sun
Sushumna—Nerve-current in spinal canal from Muladhara to crown of head
Svaha—Word uttered while offering an oblation, offering to God, exclamation used in offerings
TAMAS—Darkness, inertia, dullness
Tandri—Drowsiness
UDANA—Vital force near the throat
Upanishad—Vedantic scriptures, end of Vedas
Urdhvareto-Yogi—A Yogi whose energies have been sublimated into spiritual power
Utsaha—Cheerfulness, enthusiasm
VAIRAGYA—Indifference, disgust for worldly things and enjoyments
Vajra—Firmness, thunderbolt
Vak—Speech
Vasana—Subtle desire
Vayu—Wind, vital air, Prana
Vichara—Enquiry into nature of Self or Truth
Virya—Seminal fluid
Visuddha—Laryngeal plexus
Viveka—Discrimination
Vritti—Thought-wave, mental whirlpool
Vyana—All-pervading Prana
Vyavahara—Worldly activity, phenomenal, relative world
YAAMA—A period of three hours
Yajna—Sacrifice
Yatra—Pilgrimage
Yoga—Union with God
Q: Where can you find eternal happiness?
A: In your own Atman within.
Q: Which is the most troublesome organ?
A: Tongue.
Q: Who is your terrible enemy?
A: Mind.
Q: Who is your best friend?
A: Satsanga or association with the wise.
Q: Who is your real father?
A: Guru.
Q: Which is the best language?
A: Language of the heart.
Q: Which is the best virtue?
A: Brahmacharya.
Q: Which is the worst intoxicant?
A: Lust.
Q: Which is the sacred river?
A: Brahma Jnana.
Q: Who is the real king?
A: A Jivanmukta or liberated sage.
Q: Which is the best Dharma?
A: Selfless service.
Q: Which is the worst quality?
A: Anger.
Q: Which is the best thing in this world?
A: Pain (because it is the eye-opener, it goads you to seek liberation.)
Q: Which is the best food?
A: Hearing of the Srutis or Upanishads.
Q: Who is the best man?
A: A kind-hearted man.
Q: Who is the worst man?
A: A selfish man.
Q: Where is the worst hell?
A: In the mind filled with jealousy, crookedness and hatred.
Q: Where is the best heaven?
A: In the heart filled with love, mercy and generosity.
Q: Which is the best science?
A: Brahma-Vidya or the science of Atman.
Q: Which is the most precious thing in this world?
A: Vairagya or dispassion.
Q: Who is the strongest man?
A: He who practises Ahimsa, he who can bear insults, injuries and persecutions with a smiling face.
Q: Who is a weak man?
A: An irritable man.
Q: Who is the happiest man?
A: A Tyagi or a man of renunciation.
Q: Who is the most miserable man?
A: A rich man.
Q: Who is the most beautiful man?
A: A Yogi.
Q: Who is the ugliest man?
A: A greedy man.
Q: Who is a beggar?
A: He who has desires.
Q: Which is the biggest ocean?
A: Ocean of Bliss (Brahman or Atman).
Q: Which is the most dangerous thing in this world?
A: Company of a worldly man.
Q: Which is the greatest temptation?
A: Woman for a man, man for a woman.
Q: Which is the most desirable thing?
A: Brahma Jnana.
Q: Who is the best engine driver?
A: God.
Q: Which is the most wonderful machine or engine?
A: Mind.
Q: Which is the biggest factory in this world?
A: Mental factory.
Q: Who is a real drunkard?
A: He who is intoxicated with the pride of wealth and learning.
Q: Who is a real blind man?
A: He who has no inner divine eye or the eye of intuition.
Q: Who is the real cobbler?
A: He who thinks that the body is Atman and talks always of matters concerning the body.
Q: What is your foremost duty?
A: To find out this hidden driver of this body-engine to love Him, to live for Him, to serve Him, to know Him, to realise Him, to live in Him and merge in Him.
Q: Why did the All-merciful God create pain in this world?
A: Pain is the only blessing in this world. It is an eye-opener. Man would never attempt to attain salvation if there had not been any pain in this world.
Q: How can I know whether I have purity of mind or not?
A: If you have Vairagya (dispassion or indifference to sensual enjoyments), that is a sign of Chitta Suddhi or purity of mind. No sensual desires or Vasanas will arise in the mind.
Q: What is the purpose of God creating the world?
A: This is a transcendental question or Atiprasna. You will know the purpose when you attain Self-realisation or Brahma Jnana. The finite mind that is conditioned in time, space and causation cannot get an answer to a question that relates to transcendental matters.
Q: What is the use of repeating the Mantra again and again?
A: It gives force. It intensifies the spiritual Samskaras.
Q: When I concentrate, so many thoughts arise in my mind. How can I avoid them? Can I suppress them?
A: Do not try to suppress them with force. The thoughts will manifest with redoubled force. They will rise up frequently also. You will tax your will and waste your energy. Be a silent witness of these thoughts. Say unto yourself: I have no concern with these thoughts. Be indifferent. All useless worldly thoughts will die by themselves.
Q: How to prevent bad dreams?
A: Study any religious book. Meditate for half an hour just before retiring to bed. You will have no bad dreams.
Q: What are the signs of a person who has no Ahamkara or egoism?
A: He will not identify himself with his body. He will be free from pride, likes, dislikes, jealousy, anger and hypocrisy.
Q: Why does evil exist in the world?
A: Change the angle of vision or Drishti. All evils will disappear. Evil is negative good. Evil exists to glorify good. It has a raison detre, reason for its existence. Evil and good are relative terms.
What is good at one time is evil at another time. What is good for one is evil for another. Understand this and become wise. Behold the one Atman in all forms and beings. Evil and good are mental creations. Transmute evil into good by Atma-Drishti. There is good in evil also.
Q: How to lead the life of unity?
A: This is attained by service, charity, sharing what you have with others, cultivating cosmic love and realising the one Atman seated in the hearts of all, through constant Brahmachintana or meditation on Atman.