Glossary of Sanskrit Terms

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‘”‘Energy’ is not a suitable equivalent for ‘Shakti’: In Hindu philosophy, “Shakti” is a sentient principle that possesses distinct personality traits and capabilities such as action, knowledge, and will. It is not appropriate to use “energy” as a synonym for “Shakti” since energy, as understood in scientific terms, is an insentient principle lacking consciousness and personal attributes.Shakti, in Hindu philosophy, is a sentient principle with capabilities such as action, knowledge, and will, and it possesses a distinct personality. In contrast, “energy” as understood in scientific terms is an insentient principle, lacking consciousness and personal attributes.

‘Fire’ is not an accurate translation of ‘Agni’: The term “fire” does not fully capture the depth and significance of the concept of “Agni” in Hindu philosophy. Agni encompasses various meanings across different levels of existence, including the divine entity Agni Devata, the digestive fire within living beings, and the physical manifestation of combustion. In contrast, the word “fire” is often used to refer only to the combustion process and lacks the spiritual and metaphorical dimensions associated with Agni.

‘Fire’ is not an accurate translation of ‘Agni’: The term “fire” does not fully capture the depth and significance of the concept of “Agni” in Hindu philosophy. Agni encompasses various meanings across different levels of existence, including the divine entity Agni Devata, the digestive fire within living beings, and the physical manifestation of combustion. In contrast, the word “fire” is often used to refer only to the combustion process and lacks the spiritual and metaphorical dimensions associated with Agni.

Amen and Om are not interchangeable terms: “Om” and “Amen” have distinct meanings and uses in their respective religious traditions.

In Hinduism, “Om” is the primordial sound representing the foundation of all existence. It signifies the supreme reality and encompasses the entirety of the cosmos. Chanting “Om” is a spiritual practice that connects practitioners with universal consciousness, allowing them to feel a part of the infinite and eternal reality.

On the other hand, “Amen” is commonly used in Christian prayers and signifies agreement or affirmation. It is often translated as “so be it” or “let it be so” and is said at the end of a prayer to express concurrence with what has been prayed. “Amen” serves as a verbal seal of approval on one’s prayers in Christianity.

Therefore, while “Om” is a profound, meditative tool to unite with the cosmic order, “Amen” is a closing affirmation of Christian prayers. The difference in usage highlights each term’s unique spiritual functions and theological implications in their respective traditions.

Atma: It is common for scholars and laypeople to translate the word ‘atma’ as ‘soul’. However, this translation doesn’t fully capture the concept’s true essence as it is understood in Indian philosophy and spirituality.

The core concept of ‘atma’ in Hinduism represents the conscious and intelligent principle that resides within the inert mind-body complex. An individual’s true self is revealed when one strips away all that is temporary, perishable, and bound by spatial and temporal limitations.

The word ‘atma’ comes from the Sanskrit root ‘ata’, which means ‘that which is in constant motion’. Therefore, ‘atma’ is always in movement, transitioning from one body to another across various lifecycles due to the cycle of birth and death.

A central theme in Hindu philosophy is the distinction between ‘atma’ (the unchanging self) and ‘Prakriti’ (the ever-evolving material world). Unlike prakriti, ‘atma’ remains immutable and unaffected by the physical world’s changes.

The Bhagavad Gita describes ‘atma’ as ‘sarva gatah’ (all-pervading), highlighting its presence in all living forms, from the largest to the smallest. This inclusivity contrasts with certain theological positions within Christianity, which historically debated the presence of souls in plants, animals, or even specific groups of people. Hindu dharma, however, acknowledges that every living being, regardless of size or significance, possesses an ‘atma’.

In Hindu tradition, the ‘atma’ transcends gender and physical attributes. It is an inherent aspect of life itself, evident wherever there is a sign of life. The Bhagavad Gita further elucidates this by distinguishing between ‘kshetra’ (the body or field of activity) and ‘kshetrajna’ (the knower of the field, i.e., the ‘atma’).

In Hinduism, ‘atma’ is considered eternal, indestructible, and inherently conscious. Unlike the concept of the soul in some Western traditions, which may or may not be directly associated with consciousness, ‘atma’ is always aware and is the source of consciousness in the psycho-physical body.

Vedanta describes ‘atma’ with three attributes: ‘sat’ (eternal and unchangeable), ‘chit’ (conscious and knowledgeable), and ‘ananda’ (free from suffering). These attributes highlight the deep-seated peace and inherent knowledge within ‘atma’, untouched by physical pain or pleasure.

‘Atma’ is self-revealing, requiring no external aid for its realisation, much like a lamp does not need another light to be visible. This self-revelation leads every individual to recognise their existence inherently.

Hindu philosophy differentiates between ‘jivatma’ (the individual soul) and ‘Paramatma’ (the supreme soul). While ‘jivatma’ is part of the grand cosmic function, reliant on ‘Paramatma’, it is not a fragment in a physical sense but an aspect of the supreme consciousness.

In summary, translating ‘atma’ as ‘soul’ doesn’t fully convey all its layers of meaning, particularly its intrinsic consciousness and eternal nature, which are absent in the Western conceptualisation of the soul.

Illusion: Maya is often translated as Illusion. Maya in Hindu philosophy is not simply an illusion, as it’s often misunderstood. Rather, Maya is the principle responsible for the manifestation and appearance of the material world. It acts as a force that conditions the atma (soul), shaping the phenomena that we perceive in our everyday life. This concept positions Maya as an integral aspect of Shakti, the divine feminine energy, imbuing it with a distinct personality.
The common interpretation of Maya as merely an illusion overlooks its significant role. While “illusion” in a typical sense refers to something deceptive or a false idea—something that misleads us from the truth—Maya, in contrast, is a vital cosmic function. It constructs the reality in which the atma operates, though this reality is temporary and not the ultimate truth. Maya’s purpose is not to deceive but to provide the context in which the soul experiences life until it realizes its true, eternal nature.

Jive: In Hindu philosophy, the concept of Jiva differs from the Western understanding of the soul. Jiva refers to the Atma, which means the eternal conscious self. However, it is conditioned and influenced by avidya (ignorance) and karma (action and its consequences). The Hindu concept of Jiva acknowledges that it is bound by the cycles of birth and rebirth, experiencing the effects of its actions until it attains liberation.

Contrasting with the Hindu concept of Jiva, the Western idea of the soul, particularly in Christian theology, is often framed around the notion of Original Sin. This belief posits that the soul is inherently flawed from the start, tainted by the sins of the first humans, Adam and Eve. This fundamental sin alters the soul’s purity and its relationship with the divine, a stark departure from the Hindu view of Atma and Jiva.

Therefore, the Hindu Jiva is not just a soul with a sin-based condition but a profound aspect of consciousness that navigates through the consequences of its actions, guided by cosmic law rather than a singular defining sin. This makes the Jiva’s journey towards self-realization and liberation a personal path influenced by its own deeds across lifetimes.

Kaivalya: Kaivalya in Hindu philosophy is a concept quite distinct from the Christian idea of salvation. Kaivalya represents a state of ultimate purity and freedom achieved when an individual becomes completely disentangled from material existence. It is a state of isolated liberation, where the self exists in its pure form, free from the influence of materiality and the cycles of birth and rebirth.
In contrast, salvation in Christian theology primarily involves the deliverance from Original Sin, achieved through faith in Jesus Christ. This salvation is believed to grant the soul entry into heaven, focusing on a redemption that restores the relationship between the individual and the divine, which was severed by sin.
Thus, kaivalya is about the self-realizing its own eternal, unconditioned nature, independent of any external divine grace or intervention. It’s a self-achieved state of liberation through personal insight and spiritual practice, emphasizing self-knowledge over faith.

Maya: Maya is a concept in Indian philosophy that is often misinterpreted as ‘illusion’. However, this interpretation is not entirely accurate as it suggests that Hindu philosophy denies the existence of the physical world, which is not the case.

What Maya Represents: Maya represents a limitation. It causes the individual soul (atma) to become entangled with physical and subtle bodies, creating a sense of bondage. Maya is essential for the diverse manifestations of the material world. In several Hindu philosophical frameworks like Sankhya and Shaiva Siddhanta, Maya is synonymous with Prakriti, nature itself, which is inherently creative. The root of ‘Maya’ means ‘to create’, reflecting its role as the creative force of the divine, Brahman or Bhagavan.

Beyond Illusion: In Advaita Vedanta, Maya is sometimes seen as creating the illusion that the singular reality of Brahman appears as the diverse universe. However, Maya is not an illusion but rather the architect behind it.

The Enigma of Maya: Maya is not just an impersonal force; it embodies the mysterious and powerful energy through which the divine orchestrates the cosmos. Often personified as Maya Devi, this aspect of the divine is so revered that many Hindus name their daughters after her—hardly the namesake for a mere illusion. Maya exhibits dual aspects: ‘nimitta-maya’ (cause-maya), related to individual souls and their delusion or liberation, and ‘upadana-maya’ (material-maya), which constructs the physical universe.

Deception and Reality: Maya is akin to virtual reality goggles, crafting a world that seems entirely accurate but is distinct from ultimate reality. It makes us believe we are merely our physical bodies, trapping us in a cycle of rebirth.

The Challenge of Maya: Overcoming Maya is not straightforward and cannot be achieved simply by wishing it away. According to the Bhagavad Gita, while illusions fade when their causes are corrected, Maya requires divine intervention to transcend. Surrender to the divine makes crossing this deceptive threshold easier.

Maya’s Purpose: Ultimately, Maya drives the soul towards divine activity, first by creating desires and then by revealing the transient nature of these material pursuits, guiding the soul towards seeking eternal joy with the divine, leading to liberation (mukti).

Understanding Maya: All attempts to understand the world through material means, as in Western science, are confined within Maya’s realm. Unlike these approaches, Hindu scriptures, revealed by sages who have transcended Maya, offer a path to understanding and freedom from Maya’s grasp.

Illusion vs. Reality: In the Western context, an illusion is a deceptive appearance or a mistaken belief. Maya, however, plays a dual role: concealing the truth and substituting it with something else. This complex operation needs a parallel in Western concepts of illusion, which lack the metaphysical depth in the idea of Maya. Thus, calling Maya an ‘illusion’ fails to acknowledge its true nature as a magnificent and genuine force of the divine.

Maya: Maya in Hindu philosophy is not simply an illusion, as it’s often misunderstood. Rather, Maya is the principle responsible for the manifestation and appearance of the material world. It acts as a force that conditions the atma (soul), shaping the phenomena that we perceive in our everyday life. This concept positions Maya as an integral aspect of Shakti, the divine feminine energy, imbuing it with a distinct personality.
The common interpretation of Maya as merely an illusion overlooks its significant role. While “illusion” in a typical sense refers to something deceptive or a false idea—something that misleads us from the truth—Maya, in contrast, is a vital cosmic function. It constructs the reality in which the atma operates, though this reality is temporary and not the ultimate truth. Maya’s purpose is not to deceive but to provide the context in which the soul experiences life until it realizes its true, eternal nature.

Monotheism: Hinduism cannot be easily divided into Western concepts like monotheism, polytheism, or pantheism. Each category needs to capture the essence of Hindu beliefs and teachings fully.

Monotheism, as it is commonly understood in Abrahamic religions, proposes the existence of a single God without acknowledging the multiple manifestations or forms of that God. Conversely, Hinduism recognises a single ultimate reality, Brahman, that manifests in various forms and avatars. This means that Hinduism incorporates elements of monotheism, such as the worship of a supreme deity, but it also acknowledges and celebrates the many expressions of that deity.

Polytheism in Western religions refers to the belief in many separate and distinct gods. However, Hinduism presents a more integrated view, where multiple deities are understood as aspects of the same underlying reality, Brahman. These deities are not independent and separate; they are interconnected expressions of the same divine principle, each representing different facets of universal functions and qualities.

Pantheism suggests that everything is God, and divine immanence exhausts the concept of God with no transcendence beyond the manifested universe. This contrasts Hindu views, where God (Brahman) is both immanent and transcendent. While the divine essence permeates all existence, an aspect of the divine goes beyond the physical universe.

In Hinduism, the inherent unity and interconnection of all entities manifested and unmanifested, reflect a more nuanced understanding of the divine. The divine reality, Brahman, is not limited to or exhausted by its manifestations in the conscious and unfeeling world. Thus, Hinduism offers a complex, layered understanding of divinity that accommodates diversity within a framework of unity. Any single Western theological category does not adequately describe this concept.

Pantheism: Hinduism cannot be easily divided into Western concepts like monotheism, polytheism, or pantheism. Each category needs to capture the essence of Hindu beliefs and teachings fully.

Monotheism, as it is commonly understood in Abrahamic religions, proposes the existence of a single God without acknowledging the multiple manifestations or forms of that God. Conversely, Hinduism recognises a single ultimate reality, Brahman, that manifests in various forms and avatars. This means that Hinduism incorporates elements of monotheism, such as the worship of a supreme deity, but it also acknowledges and celebrates the many expressions of that deity.

Polytheism in Western religions refers to the belief in many separate and distinct gods. However, Hinduism presents a more integrated view, where multiple deities are understood as aspects of the same underlying reality, Brahman. These deities are not independent and separate; they are interconnected expressions of the same divine principle, each representing different facets of universal functions and qualities.

Pantheism suggests that everything is God, and divine immanence exhausts the concept of God with no transcendence beyond the manifested universe. This contrasts Hindu views, where God (Brahman) is both immanent and transcendent. While the divine essence permeates all existence, an aspect of the divine goes beyond the physical universe.

In Hinduism, the inherent unity and interconnection of all entities manifested and unmanifested, reflect a more nuanced understanding of the divine. The divine reality, Brahman, is not limited to or exhausted by its manifestations in the conscious and unfeeling world. Thus, Hinduism offers a complex, layered understanding of divinity that accommodates diversity within a framework of unity. Any single Western theological category does not adequately describe this concept.

Polytheism: Hinduism cannot be easily divided into Western concepts like monotheism, polytheism, or pantheism. Each category needs to capture the essence of Hindu beliefs and teachings fully.

Monotheism, as it is commonly understood in Abrahamic religions, proposes the existence of a single God without acknowledging the multiple manifestations or forms of that God. Conversely, Hinduism recognises a single ultimate reality, Brahman, that manifests in various forms and avatars. This means that Hinduism incorporates elements of monotheism, such as the worship of a supreme deity, but it also acknowledges and celebrates the many expressions of that deity.

Polytheism in Western religions refers to the belief in many separate and distinct gods. However, Hinduism presents a more integrated view, where multiple deities are understood as aspects of the same underlying reality, Brahman. These deities are not independent and separate; they are interconnected expressions of the same divine principle, each representing different facets of universal functions and qualities.

Pantheism suggests that everything is God, and divine immanence exhausts the concept of God with no transcendence beyond the manifested universe. This contrasts Hindu views, where God (Brahman) is both immanent and transcendent. While the divine essence permeates all existence, an aspect of the divine goes beyond the physical universe.

In Hinduism, the inherent unity and interconnection of all entities manifested and unmanifested, reflect a more nuanced understanding of the divine. The divine reality, Brahman, is not limited to or exhausted by its manifestations in the conscious and unfeeling world. Thus, Hinduism offers a complex, layered understanding of divinity that accommodates diversity within a framework of unity. Any single Western theological category does not adequately describe this concept.

Salvation: Kaivalya is often translated as Salvation. Kaivalya in Hindu philosophy is a concept quite distinct from the Christian idea of salvation. Kaivalya represents a state of ultimate purity and freedom achieved when an individual becomes completely disentangled from material existence. It is a state of isolated liberation, where the self exists in its pure form, free from the influence of materiality and the cycles of birth and rebirth.

In contrast, salvation in Christian theology primarily involves the deliverance from Original Sin, achieved through faith in Jesus Christ. This salvation is believed to grant the soul entry into heaven, focusing on a redemption that restores the relationship between the individual and the divine, which was severed by sin.

Thus, kaivalya is about the self-realizing its own eternal, unconditioned nature, independent of any external divine grace or intervention. It’s a self-achieved state of liberation through personal insight and spiritual practice, emphasizing self-knowledge over faith.

Soul: Soul in English is often translated as Jiva. In Hindu philosophy, the concept of Jiva differs from the Western understanding of the soul. Jiva refers to the Atma, which means the eternal conscious self. However, it is conditioned and influenced by avidya (ignorance) and karma (action and its consequences). The Hindu concept of Jiva acknowledges that it is bound by the cycles of birth and rebirth, experiencing the effects of its actions until it attains liberation.

Contrasting with the Hindu concept of Jiva, the Western idea of the soul, particularly in Christian theology, is often framed around the notion of Original Sin. This belief posits that the soul is inherently flawed from the start, tainted by the sins of the first humans, Adam and Eve. This fundamental sin alters the soul’s purity and its relationship with the divine, a stark departure from the Hindu view of Atma and Jiva.

Therefore, the Hindu Jiva is not just a soul with a sin-based condition but a profound aspect of consciousness that navigates through the consequences of its actions, guided by cosmic law rather than a singular defining sin. This makes the Jiva’s journey towards self-realization and liberation a personal path influenced by its own deeds across lifetimes.

Space’ is not an accurate translation of ‘Akasha’: According to Hindu cosmology, Akasha is not just physical space but originates from the shabda tanmatra and serves as the substratum for sound. It is regarded as the source or basis of space rather than space itself. In everyday usage, “space” refers to the three-dimensional expanse around us, and in scientific contexts, it may even involve additional dimensions. Thus, Akasha encompasses a broader, more foundational concept than the conventional understanding of space.

Awaken the Divine Within You!