Glossary

A major industrial city in Tamil Nadu, a South Indian state.

A small town in the state of Andhra Pradesh, India.

A generic term used to describe a class of celestial beings.  Also referred to as God in Hindu mythology.

Goddess, the feminine aspect of the Divine.

 Spiritual path set forth by Gautama, the Buddha.

Maintaining mental focus. One of the eight limbs of yoga.

Theological debate.

The royal tutor of the Pandavas and Kauravas, princes of the Indian epic Mahabharatha.

Meditative state. One of the eight limbs of yoga.

A powerful energy form consecrated by Sadhguru exclusively for the purpose of meditation, at Isha Yoga Center.

Defect or blemish. Specifically refers to defects in the physical, mental or energy bodies.

A well known Russian author and philosopher who lived in the nineteenth century.

A traditional Indian festival of color, dance and music that lasts nine days, culminating in the celebration of the victory of good over evil.  The celebration of this festival in Mysore attracts thousands of people from all over the country.

Ancient Jewish sect of ascetics and mystics which existed from the second century B.C. to the second century A.D.  A secret school of mysticism which is known to have aided Jesus during his life.

Quarterly newsletter published by Isha Foundation.

A class of celestial beings who are usually gifted with extraordinary talents such as music and dance.

Refers to Mahatma (great soul) Gandhi, an Indian nationalist leader, considered the father of the freedom movement.  His peaceful, non-violent methods of protest were revolutionary, and brought an element of spirituality into public life.

A major Indian River.  Originating in the Himalayan glaciers, it is held extremely sacred.  The legend says that it is a heavenly downpour routed through the locks of Shiva.  Water from this river is carried to all parts of the country for religious rituals, including those of birth and death.  It is also customary to cremate the dead on the banks of the river Ganga or immerse the bodies in the river itself. 

Place of origin of the river Ganga in the Himalayas.

Lit. song. Refers to the Bhagavad Gita, one of the most sacred teachings of the Hindus.  This central episode of the epic Mahabharatha is a dialogue between Lord Krishna and his chief disciple Arjuna, on the battlefields of the Kurukshetra.  Krishna imparts to the warrior-prince Arjuna his knowledge on yoga, asceticism, dharma and the manifold spiritual path.

Knowledge, perception, discrimination. One of the four kinds of yogas.

An Indian state on the western coast known for its pristine beaches.

Lit. cow-face.  A place in the upper Himalayas, the location where the glacier forms the river Ganga.  The glaciatic form has melted in such a way that it resembles the face of a cow.  

 A great spiritual master who was one of the disciples of Matsyendranath.  He is believed to have lived sometime between 900 and 1225 A.D.