Glossary

A major Indian river flowing through central India, known for its devastating floods.

Buddhist term for Mahasamadhi, or Nirvana, the complete dissolution of the Self, the ultimate goal of spiritual seekers.

Lit. great king, a respectful form of address for an Indian monarch or spiritual leader.

Great seer, a title of respect for an adept yogi.

An important festival in India, celebrated on the night before the new moon in the month of Magha, or February-March, each year. On this night spiritual seekers observe an all-night vigil filled with chanting and meditation, keeping their spines upright to support the upsurge of spiritual energy. At Isha, this night is colorfully celebrated in the presence of Sadhguru, drawing thousands of meditators from all over the world.

Lit. great soul.  Title of respect given to people held in high esteem, especially saints.

The Great Lord, another name of Shiva, the destroyer in the classic triad of Hinduism, the other two gods being Bhramha and Vishnu.

The killing of  a certain asura or demon in Indian mythology.

Garland or Necklace.

Refers to a region, an area within the body or the cosmos.  Also represents consecrated space and is thought to be the body of one’s chosen deity.  The mandala is used  to worship that deity and, through complex visualization practices, to become one with it. Also refers to the physiognomic cycle, a time period of forty days, the natural period of many physiological processes in the body.

The third chakra, located a little below the navel.  It provides the whole body with the vital energy needed for survival.

A sound, syllable, word or phrase endowed with special power.  Mantras are most effective on the path of liberation when given by the preceptor through initiation.

Of mantra; one who is an adept in the use of mantras.

Lit. Lord of the Fish.  A yogi of celestial proportions who lived around the tenth century A.D.  The Guru of Goraknath, he is believed to have been an incarnation of Shiva himself. 

Delusion, the veil of illusion which conceals one’s true nature, or conceals reality. It is used in contrast with the absolute reality. 

A large, colorful festival.

A Rajput princess of the medieval period who, intoxicated by her devotion for Lord Krishna, spent most of her life as a wandering saint, singing praises of the Lord. A poetess and mystic, her life story and bhajans are extremely popular even today.  

An Indian state in the north-eastern region.

Release, liberation, final absolution of the Self from the chain of death and rebirth. The highest goal of all spiritual seekers.

The first chakra, the psychoenergetic chakra located at the perineum. Source of the central channel (Sushumna-nadi) of the life force.

Sound, tone, vibration, music.

Channel through which the life force, or prana, flows in the energy body.  There are 72,000 nadis interconnecting the chakras.  The three main nadis are named Ida, Pingala, and Sushumna.   

Lit. serpent. Symbol of the Kundalini coiled at the base of the spine; one of the secondary types of life forces (prana). 

People belonging to a certain spiritual sect in North India, who are known to wander naked in the Himalayas with just vibhuthi smeared on the body, even during the coldest winter seasons.