The meanings of the Sanskrit words given hereunder are not necessarily technical, but commonly accepted in the contexts employed in this work.
| abhyasi: | One practising spiritual discipline
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| adhikari: | The qualified seeker of Truth.
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| ajnana: | Ignorance of the Self.
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| amrita: | Nectar.
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| antahkarana: | See p. 178.
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| anugraha: | Grace.
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| Atman: | Self, Supreme Being, ultimate Reality, Brahman.
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| avidya: | The primal nescience.
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| bhakti: | Spiritual devotion.
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| Brahman: | The vast, the Infinite, the absolute Reality
(Pure Consciousness in nature).
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| Chaitanya: | See Chit.
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| Chakras: | Centres of forces in the body.
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| Chit: | Pure Consciousness, the nature of the Self, of
Brahman.
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| dharana: | Concentration, focusing of attention.
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| Dhyana: | Meditation.
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| Gunas: | The three sets of qualities constituents of the
manifestation — tamas, rajas and sattva.
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| Ishwara: | God the creator.
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| Jada: | Inert, insentient.
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| Jagrat: | The waking state.
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| Japa: | Repetition of a sacred word, or words.
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| Jiva: | The individual, or embodied Self.
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| Jivanmukta: | The Liberated one still living in a body.
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| Jnana: | Knowledge of the Self.
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| Jnani: | Knower of the Self.
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| Karma: | See p. 27 for definition.
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| Kevala Nirvikalpa: | Temporary nirvikalpa; Kevala means
alone, i.e., samadhi alone without the presence of the world.
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| Koshas: | Various sheaths, including the physical body,
which wrap up the Self as Jiva.
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| Laya: | A state of unconsciousness resembling
dreamless sleep.
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| Mantra: | Incantation.
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| Marga: | Path.
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| Maya: | Illusion.
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| Mouna: | Silence, vow of silence.
Mouni: One who is under
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| mouna. Mukta: | One who is Liberated.
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| Mukti: | Final Liberation.
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| Nadi: | Channel, nerve, along which spiritual force
flows.
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| Nirvikalpa: | Samadhi completely free from thoughts
(of the world).
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| Pralaya: | World dissolution
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| Pranayama: | Breath control.
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| Prarabdha: | Destiny (Karma) which is running its course in the present time.
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| Rajas: | The qualities of activity (excitement, wrong
actions, etc.). See Gunas.
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| Sadhaka: | Who practises spiritual discipline.
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| Sadhana: | Spiritual discipline.
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| Sahaja samadhi: | Permanent awareness of the Self, even
when the world is present.
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| Samadhi: | The state of being aware of the Self, or Being.
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| Sankalpas: | Desires, preoccupations of the mind.
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| Sannyasa: | Renunciation (of the world).
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| Sat: | Pure Existence.
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| Sattva: | The qualities of harmony, purity (right
thinking, right acting, etc.). See Gunas.
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| Savikalpa: | Samadhi which retains a certain amount of
thinking.
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| Shakti: | Divine Power.
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| Shastras: | Hindu Scriptures.
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| Siddha: | Who has psychic powers.
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| Siddhis: | Psychic powers.
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| Sphurana: | See p. 142.
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| Srutis: | Upanishads.
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| Sushumna: | The main force channel or nadi which runs
along the spinal column.
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| Sushupti: | The state of dreamless sleep.
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| Svapna: | The state of dreamful sleep.
Tamas: The qualities of darkness, of sloth, etc. See
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| Gunas. Tapas: | Austerities, asceticism.
Tapasvin: The person of
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| tapas, ascetic. Upadhis: | Adjuncts.
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| Upanishads: | The philosophical portions of the Vedas,
and deal solely with the means to Liberation.
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| Upasana: | Worship of form.
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| Vairagya: | Dispassion.
Vairagyi: The man of
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| vairagya. Vasanas: | Habits of the mind, tendencies.
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| Vedanta: | The philosophical system of the Upanishads.
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| Vichara: | Enquiry.
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| Videha: | Without a body.
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| Videhamukta: | The Liberated who has discarded his body.
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Reflections on Talks with Sri Ramana Maharshi 
