ahaṅkāra(अहङ्कार)

I-making

aham, “I” + kāra, “making.”

akṣara(अक्षर)

that which does not perish

a- (“not”) + kṣara (from kṣar, “to flow, to perish”).

Not merely “undying.” A syllable is also called akṣara: a unit that does not perish.

akṣaya(अक्षय)

that which does not dwindle

a- (“not”) + kṣaya (kṣi, “to dwindle, to destroy”).

Not thin “inexhaustible.”

amṛta(अमृत)

deathlessness

a- (“not”) + mṛ, “to die.”

Not thin “nectar.”

asat(असत्)

non-being

a- + sat. What is not.

āstikya(आस्तिक्य)

affirmation that it is

From asti, “it is.”

Not thin “trust.”

ātman(आत्मन्)

self

Related to an, “to breathe”: the breathing one, the inner self of a living being.

Not a ghost-soul added from outside.

avyakta(अव्यक्त)

the unmanifest

a- (“not”) + vi-añj, “to anoint, to make visible.”

bhakta(भक्त)

one who shares-in

bhaj, “to share, to partake.”

Plural phrase: those who share-in.

Not thin “devotee.”

bhakti(भक्ति)

sharing-in

bhaj, “to share, to partake.”

Not thin “devotion.”

bhāva(भाव)

coming-to-be

bhū, “to be, to come to be.”

Not a thin “feeling” or a thin “nature.”

Brahmā(रह्मा)

the creator god

Masculine from the same bṛh, “to be vast.”

Not the neuter entity brahman.

brahman(ब्रह्मन्)

the vast

bṛh, “to grow, to swell, to be vast.” Neuter entity.

Not the person Brahmā. Not a brāhmaṇa.

brāhmaṇa(ब्राह्मण)

a person of that class

One who belongs to brahman as a class name.

Not the entity brahman, and not the person Brahmā.

buddhi(बुद्धि)

understanding

budh, “to wake, to know.”

dāna(दान)

giving

dā, “to give.”

dharma(धर्म)

the holding

dhṛ, “to hold, to uphold.” That which holds a thing in its way.

Not a one-word “religion.”

dhyāna(ध्यान)

thinking-upon

dhyai, “to think upon.”

Not a thin “meditation” as a slogan.

guṇa(गुण)

strand

A strand of prakṛti: sattva, rajas, tamas.

Plural phrase: strands.

Not a thin “quality” or “mode.”

jagat(जगत्)

that which keeps going

gam, “to go.” Reduplicated ja-gat: going again and again.

Not a separate word for “world.” This world is named by that going.

jñāna(ज्ञान)

knowing

jñā, “to know.”

Not a thin “knowledge” as a pile of facts.

jñāna-yoga(ज्ञान-योग)

the yoking of knowing

jñāna (jñā, “to know”) + yoga (yuj, “to yoke”).

jñānin(ज्ञानिन्)

one who knows

jñā, “to know.” + -in.

kāla(काल)

time

kāl, related to driving on; time as what drives.

karma(कर्म)

what is done

kṛ, “to do.”

Not a thin “action” as a slogan.

karma-yoga(कर्म-योग)

the yoking of what is done

karma (kṛ, “to do”) + yoga (yuj, “to yoke”).

kṣara(क्षर)

that which perishes

kṣar, “to flow, to perish.”

Opposite of akṣara.

kṣaya(क्षय)

dwindling

kṣi, “to dwindle, to destroy.” The dwindling; the coming-to-an-end.

Not a time-span. Not a clean “completion.” Not thin “wasting.”

kṣetra(क्षेत्र)

the field

kṣi, “to dwell.” A field, a place of dwelling. The body as field.

kṣetrajña(क्षेत्रज्ञ)

the knower of the field

kṣetra + jña (jñā, “to know”).

loka(लोक)

seen-space

lok, “to see, to shine.” A seen-space; a realm.

Not the same word as jagat.

manas(मनस्)

mind

man, “to think.”

māyā(माया)

measuring-out

mā, “to measure, to form.” The measuring-out, the making-appear.

Not mere “illusion.”

mokṣa(मोक्ष)

release

muc, “to release.”

Not thin “salvation.”

pāpa(पाप)

what is ill

pāpa: evil, a bad deed.

Not a Christian “sin” imported whole.

prakṛti(प्रकृति)

making-forth

pra- + kṛ, “to make.” The making-forth.

Not a thin “nature.”

pralaya(प्रलय)

dissolution

pra- + lī, “to melt, to dissolve.”

prāṇa(प्राण)

breath

pra- + an, “to breathe.”

puṇya(पुण्य)

the auspicious

puṇ, related to purifying; the auspicious, the clean-of-stain.

Not a thin “merit” as a score.

puruṣa(पुरुष)

the person

Often analysed as the one who lies in the stronghold (the body). The Person, as against prakṛti.

rāga(राग)

colouring-passion

rañj, “to colour.” Colouring as clinging.

rajas(रजस्)

colouring

rañj, “to colour.”

Not a thin “passion” as the only sense.

sādharmya(साधर्म्य)

same-holding

sa, “same” + dharma (dhṛ, “to hold”). Sharing the same holding.

Not a thin “nature.”

sampad(सम्पद्)

endowment

sam- + pad: a falling-together; an endowment.

Not a thin “nature.”

saṃsāra(संसार)

wandering

sam- + sṛ, “to run, to flow.” The wandering on.

sarga(सर्ग)

sending-forth

sṛj, “to emit.”

Not a thin “creation.”

sat(सत्)

being

as, “to be.” What is.

sattva(सत्त्व)

being-clear

sat, “being” + -tva. As a guṇa: the clear strand.

Not a thin “goodness.”

siddhi(सिद्धि)

fulfilment

sidh, “to reach, to succeed.”

śraddhā(श्रद्धा)

the placing of the heart

śrat (“heart”) + dhā, “to place.”

Not thin “trust.” Not thin “belief.”

svabhāva(स्वभाव)

one’s own coming-to-be

sva, “own” + bhāva (bhū, “to come to be”).

Not a thin “nature.”

tamas(तमस्)

darkness

tam, “to be dark.”

tapas(तपस्)

heat-practice

tap, “to heat.”

tattva(तत्त्व)

that-ness

tad, “that” + -tva. The that-ness of a thing.

Not a thin “truth.”

tyāga(त्याग)

abandoning

tyaj, “to abandon.”

vijñāna(विज्ञान)

knowing-apart

vi- + jñā, “to know.” To know apart; distinct knowing.

viparivartate(विपरिवर्तते)

turns fully around

vi- (“apart, fully”) + pari (“around”) + vṛt, “to turn.”

Not a thin “turns round.” Not “turns back” (that is ni-vṛt).

yajña(यज्ञ)

offering

yaj, “to offer.”

yoga(योग)

yoking

yuj, “to yoke, to join, to harness.”

Not a vague “practice.”

yogī(योगी)

the yoked one

yuj, “to yoke.” The nominative people know is yogī (योगी).

Plural phrase: the yoked ones.

Not the stem yogin.