-12_Glossary to Record of Yoga

GLOSSARY TO RECORD OF YOGA

This glossary includes all Sanskrit words occurring in the selections from the Record published in the present issue, except for a few terms which are common in Sri Aurobindo's writings and do not have a special sense in the Record. (For these terms, see the Glossary to the Sri Aurobindo Birth Centenary Library.)

Words are defined here only in the senses in which they are used in the Record. Terms with a complex meaning in relation to Sri Aurobindo's personal sadhana are explained in some detail, quoting wherever necessary from unpublished portions of the Record. For a fuller discussion of some terms, reference is made to the Sapta Chatusthaya (designated SC). Familiarity with the Sapta Chatusthaya is essential for understanding the terminology of the Record. The "scribal version", published in Archives and Research, vol.10, no.l (April 1986). is the most complete explanation of this system.

In this glossary, Sanskrit words are spelled according to the standard international system of transliteration, which will be familiar to readers of Sri Aurobindo's published works.

abhimana — pride, self-esteem, egoism.	akalyana — misfortune, evil, adversity.
abhyasa — practice, repetition.	akasa — ether, the subtlest of the live elemental
adesa — command: particularly, the divine	states of matter: immaterial ethers may also
command received by Sri Aurobindo in	be referred to by the word. The role of the
Alipore jail to accomplish a certain mission	element akasa in the perfecting of the bodily
in life for the upliftment of his country and	system is discussed under arogya. Rupa and
the re-establishment of the sanatana dharma.	lipi seen in the akasa — which in this con-
This mission had four divisions: literary.	text means usually a subtler ether revealing
religious, political and social	itself through the physical atmosphere —
adesasiddhi — fulfilment of the adesa relating	are distinguished from the citra and stha-
to Sri Aurobindo's world-work.	patya types, which appear on a background:
adesavani — voice of divine command	all rupa and lipi, however, are formed from
adhogati—a downward tendency opposing	akashic material", of which there are seven
the forces of utthapana in the body.	kinds: prakasa, agni, varna, jyoti, tejas,
adhyaya — chapter.	dhuma and chaya.
ahaituka — without any special cause, sponta-	alasyam — laziness.
neous: (physical ananda) not associated with	amangalam — that which is (in appearance)
an initiating stimulus. (The description of	bad, inauspicious, unfavourable
the various physical anandas as ahaituka	amrtam — immortality.
must be distinguished carefully from the	ananda — bliss, spiritual delight, ecstasy; in a
use of the word in the term ahaituka ananda.	technical sense, ananda is distinguished in
sometimes abbreviated "ahaituka": see	the Record from rasagrahana and bhoga as
next.)	the highest form of bhukti, that which is ex-
ahaituka ananda — "delight without any	perienced throughout the system". Seven
cause", the subjective ananda (sec ananda)	gradations of ananda are enumerated cor-
corresponding to the mental plane.	responding to the seven planes of existence
aisvarya — one of the three "siddhis of power" :	(see SC VII); the last six of these, from pre-
effectiveness of the will acting as a command.	mananda to sadananda. are termed "sub-
without any special concentration as in	jective" while the first, kamananda, is objec-
vasita.	tive or physical ananda. As a component of
aisvaryaprayoga — employment of aisvarya.	the sariracatustaya (SC IV), ananda means

physical ananda, which is of five varieties	prana. The inferior method involving all
(sec kamananda).	the five elements "leaves a deposit which
ananda bhumi — the world of bliss, a svarga-	has to be dematerialised, or else produces
bhumi.	symptoms of tejasic and jalamaya irregular-
anandaloka — the world of bliss. In the Record,	ity before it completes its process". This
Sri Aurobindo distinguishes a supreme	imperfect assimilation necessitates elimina-
anandaloka, part of the "Eternal Mani-	tion (visrsti); as assimilation is perfected
festation", and another which is part of the	there can be a "diminution or disappear-
"mental series".	ance of excretive activity".
anandam brahma — (realisation of) Brahman	asamata — inequality.
as the self-existent bliss and its universal	asiddhi — imperfection, failure, denial of pro-
delight of being: a member of the brahma-	gress in yoga, relapse; the power which
catustaya (see SC VI).	works for imperfection in yoga or any part
Ananda Mimamsa—"inquiry into the nature	of the yoga.
of bliss", a Sanskrit work.	asraddha — lack of faith.
anandasiddhi— the perfection of ananda.	atmaprakasa— self-luminous, self-luminosity.
anantaguna — possessing infinite quality.	atmaprasada — a state of clearness, purity and
anarambha — non-initiation of action.	contentment in the whole self.
anima— "subtlety", one of the three physical	atmatrpta — self-contented.
siddhis (see SC III under "Ashta Siddhi").	bala bhava — girlish aspect.
In connection with Sri Aurobindo's pro-	balaka (bhava) — childlike aspect.
longed exercises for the development of	balaka Krsna— child Krishna.
utthapana, stiffness and pain in the body	bhasa — language; development of the linguis-
indicated a failure of anima.	tic faculty, a part of sahitya.
annam — matter, the physical being.	bhasasiddhi— perfection of linguistic faculty.
annamaya — physical.	bhauta — physical; relating to the balance and
unrtam— falsehood.	functioning of the five elements (akasa,
untardarsi— "seeing within"; samadhi in the	vayu, tejas, jala, and prthivi) which con-
waking state in which there is internal	stitute the physical body; relating to the
vision, generally with the eyes closed.	three physical siddhis (laghima, mahima
anumanta — giver of the sanction.	and anima).
anumati — consent, sanction.	bhautasiddhi — a collective term for the three
aparigraha — freedom from the idea of posses-	physical siddhis of the astasiddhi (laghima,
sion.	mahima and anima; see SC III), on which
apriyam — that which is unpleasant.	utthapana is based.
arambha — initiation of action.	bhava — being; becoming; state of being;
arogya — health; freedom from disease or dis-	psychological condition; subjective experi-
turbance (roga) in the physical system; a	ence; feeling; mood; attitude; tempera-
member of the sariracatustaya (see SC IV,	ment; aspect; any of the various relation-
where three stages of arogya are described.	ships between the individual soul and the
culminating in immortality in the body).	Divine.
Two conditions for the siddhi of arogya	bhoga — enjoyment, possession: desireless en-
frequently referred to in the Record are a	joyment in the prana, the second of the
change in the method of digestive assimila-	three stages of bhukti.
tion and a transformation of the action of	bhukti— liberated enjoyment, the third element
the kamacakra. Perfect assimilation would	of the last catustaya (SC VII); it has seven
occur when the elements vayu, tejas, jala	levels corresponding to the seven planes of
and prthivi in the body assume their right	existence, and three forms (rasagrahana.
action as "movements and states of the	bhoga and ananda), each with three inten-
akasa"; food can then be drawn at once	sities (rati, ratna and râtha).
into the akasa by the power of the purified	brhat — vast; the vastness of the supramental

consciousness.	ghana — dense.
buddha — mental; the mental plane.	guna —quality.
caitanya — consciousness.	hasyam — "laughter", the final member of the
caksusa ananda — visual ananda: delight in	samatacatustaya (SC I): it is "an active
things seen with the physical eyes.	internal state of gladness and cheerfulness
canda — fierce, intense.	which no adverse experience mental or
candata— fierceness, intensity.	physical can trouble".
Candibhava— the force of Kali (Candi, "the	hasyasiddhi— the perfection of hasyam.
fierce one") manifest in the temperament.	indriya — sense-organ.
This was originally the third element of the	ïsa— Lord.
sakticatustaya; as such, it was later replaced	isita — one of the three siddhis of power":
by the more inclusive devibhava or daivi	effectiveness of the will acting not as a com-
prakrti with the Mahakali bhava as one of	mand or through the thought, as in aisvarya.
its four aspects. However, this aspect of	but through the citta in a perception of want
devibhava retained a certain preeminence in	or need or "a sense that something ought
the Record since "the method chosen for	to be".
fulfilment" of the work was essentially	isvarabhava— lordship, the temperament of
Mahakali's.	the ruler and leader; a quality common to
chayamaya — (rupa or lipi) consisting of chaya	all four aspects of Daivi Prakriti (see SC
("shadow"), one of the seven kinds of akashic	11), carrying with it a sense of the Divine
material.	Power.
citra — "pictorial" rupa or lipi; subtle images	jagati— "the universal motion", the world.
or writing seen on a background rather than	jagrat — waking; samadhi in the waking con-
in the akasa, and as two-dimensional pic-	sciousness.
tures rather than in relief (see sthapatya).	jalavisrsti — urination.
cit-tattva — the principle of cit (consciousness).	jnana—knowledge; divine thought, the first
damyam — tameness.	element of the vijnanacatustaya (see SC III).
dasya(m) — the state of being a servant of the	jnani— man of knowledge.
Divine; submission, spiritual surrender; it	Jnata purusa — the soul or conscious being as
has several stages (variously defined at dif-	the knower.
ferent periods of the Record) leading up to	Kadambari— name of a Sanskrit prose
direct and imperative control of all parts of	romance by Bana (7th century A.D.).
the being by the Master of the Yoga. See	kala — time.
the third paragraph of the Record of 1 July,	Kalibhava — the force of Kali manifest in the
1912, for an explanation of the terms	temperament.
"simple", "double", and "triple" dasyam	Kalikrsna— the dual realisation of Krishna
which Sri Aurobindo was using at this time.	and Kali (sec Krsnakali), with emphasis on
dasyabhava — the attitude of the servant; the	Kali.
relation of servant and master.	kalpanamayi prakrti — plane of subtle Nature
devata — deity.	in which imagination is the dominant for-
dharanasakti—faculty of holding.	mative power.
dhatu — Sanskrit verbal root.	kalyanasraddha — confidence in the divine
drsti — vision; subtle sight (see rupa): revela-	grace and help and a general sense of
tion, direct vision of the truth, a power of	mangalam; an element of cittasakti (SC II,
jnana.	"Shakti").
dvaitabhava — sense of duality.	kama — "desire"; as a component of the
dvandva — any pair of contraries.	karmacatustaya (SC V), the Divine En-
ekas tisthati viras tisthati — he stands alone.	joyment" which accompanies divine activity
he stands as a hero.	(karma). "Kama" is often an abbreviation
Gauri — "the white one", a name of the god-	of "kamananda". The term refers also to
ess Parvati, consort of Shiva.	an ideal quality of the Sudra in which desire

becomes a seeking after the bodily well-	formed from any of the seven kinds of
being of the world and self-indulgence	etheric material and may manifest either in
changes to "the joy of God manifest in	the akasa or in the form of citra or sthapatya
matter" (SC II, "Viryam").	on a physical background. The degree of
kamacakra — the subtle centre of desire; in	formal perfection of the lipi is regularly
the Record, this term refers to svadhisthana,	noted in the Record in terms of a certain
the second cakra. Strength in this centre is	number of specific qualities such as vivid-
necessary in order to be able to support the	ness, stability (duration in the field of vision),
full intensities of the kamananda.	simultaneity (manifestation together of all
kamananda — "sensual delight", the form of	the letters or words of a lipi), etc. The signi-
physical ananda associated with the spiritual	ficance of the numbers Sri Aurobindo some-
transmutation of the sex-energy. As ka-	times saw in lipi is explained in Archives and
mananda is the physical ananda par excel-	Research, vol.10, no.l (April 1986), pp. 110-
lence, the same word is also used as the	11.
generic term for physical ananda with its	lipikausalya — skilfulness of lipi.
five varieties: kamananda (in the specific	lipsa — seeking, tendency, reaching out (to-
sense), visayananda, tivrananda,	wards self-fulfilment of any kind).
raudrananda and vaidyutananda.	madhura (bhava) — the "sweet" relation with
karma — action, work; "the Divine Action",	the Divine which is the most intense and
a member of the karmacatustaya.	blissful, the relation of lover and beloved.
karmadeha — a personal vital-physical atmo-	Magha — Sanskrit author, writer of the poem
sphere created by one's past karma.	Sisupalavadha.
karmahina — inactive.	mahima — "greatness", a siddhi which gives
karmakama — the combination of karma and	unhampered force to the workings of mind
kama, divine action and divine enjoyment.	and body (see SC III under "Ashta Siddhi").
which together form the "objective half"	manasa buddhi mental reason (distinguished
of the karmacatustaya (SCV).	from vijnana-buddhi or intuitive reason).
karmani akarma — inaction in action.	manas tattva — mind-principle.
karmi— man of works.	mangala(m) — that which is good, auspicious,
karta — doer.	favourable.
kartrtva abhimana — the egoism of the worker ;	manomaya — mental.
the illusion of being the doer of one's ac-	mesquin (French) — petty.
tions.	mithyagraha — misconception.
kavya — poetry.	mithyaropa — misplacement.
Krsnakali— the dual realisation of Krishna	mukti — liberation of the spirit and nature, the
and Kali. Ishwara and Shakti, constituting	second element of the last catustaya (see
the "subjective half" of the karmacatustaya.	SC VII).
ksiprakarita — acting swiftly.	nabhi cakra — the subtle centre located at the
laghima — "lightness", a siddhi by which it is	level of the navel, which governs the "larger
possible "to get rid of weariness and ex-	vital"; it is referred to in the Record as the
haustion and to overcome gravitation" (SC	"central" cakra. Strength in this centre is
III, "Ashta Siddhi").	necessary for arogya in the stomach as well
le resultat decisif (French) — the decisive re-	as for bearing the full force of kamananda.
sult.	nastikya-buddhi — the atheistic mentality.
lilamaya purusa — the playful aspect of the	nirananda — undelight.
supreme Personality.	nirapeksa — freedom from desire, expectation
lipi — writing seen in subtle vision or the	and dependency; disinterestedness, non-at-
power of such vision; it is properly an in-	tachment.
strument of vijnana, though it may come	nirguna sad brahman — the impersonal aspect
from any plane, and is closely connected	of the Eternal as pure Existence without
with trikaladrsti. Like rupa, lipi may be	qualities.

nirukta — etymology; study of the origins and	first of the three stages of bhukti.
development of language, a part of sahitya.	ratha — the highest of the three intensities of
nirveda — despondency, indifference.	rasagrahana, bhoga or ananda.
nirvisesa — non-specific; a term applied to	rati — pleasure; the lowest itensity of rasa-
various forms of ananda in a sense similar to	grahana, bhoga or ananda.
ahaituka.	ratna — the second intensity of rasagrahana,
niscaya — certainty.	bhoga or ananda.
papapunyamanapamanapriyapriyavivarjanam	raudrananda — fierce or intense ananda (more
dispelling the sense of sin and virtue, honour	intense than tivrananda); it is the form of
and dishonour, love and hatred.	physical ananda (see kamananda) which is
Paratman — the supreme Self.	associated with the conversion of pain to
patala — the underworld.	pleasure.
prakamya — a siddhi of knowledge by which	roga — disease; disturbance or imperfect func-
the mind and senses surpass the ordinary	tioning in the bodily system; the force of
limits of the body (see SC III under "Ashta	disease considered as a force of asiddhi
Siddhi").	hostile to arogya.
prakamya-vyapti — the combined working of	rtva viliyante — strike and are dissolved.
the two "siddhis of knowledge", prakamya	rupa — forms, often symbolic or predictive
and vyapti, which "constitute what the Euro-	images, seen in subtle vision (drsti) either in
peans call telepathy".	samadhi or the waking state; also, the
prakasa — clearness, light; clearness of the	faculty of such vision, regarded in the
thinking faculty, an element of buddhisakti	Record as a means of knowledge of con-
(SC II, "Shakti"); the divine light of knowl-	siderable importance. Minute attention is
edge into which saliva is to be converted in	paid to such details as the exact constitu-
the process of liberation from the three	tion of rupa from the various kinds of etheric
gunas (SC VII, "Mukti").	material (see akasa). This material is further
pranamaya — vital.	analysed according to three orders of "full-
pranamaya jagat — vital world.	ness": "crude" (the primary state), "dense"
Pratijna — promise; "programme".	or ghana ("material developed into sub-
pratistha — support, base.	stance of consistency") and "developed"
pratisthita — securely established.	("when the substance has developed lifelike
prayoga — use, application; setting in motion.	appearance of reality").
directing, discharging (as of an arrow);	rupadrsti — vision of forms (rupa).
employment of any of the "siddhis of power"	Sadharmya — becoming of one law of being
(aisvarya, isita, vasita).	and action with the Divine.
premabhoga — premananda in the stage of	sahaituka — having a cause: (physical ananda)
bhoga.	associated with an initiating stimulus, such
premananda — "ananda of love", one of the	as a touch of some kind on the body.
seven levels of ananda, corresponding to the	sahitya — literature; literary work including
vital-emotional plane.	poetry, prose and scholarship, an important
prerana - impulsion, inspiration; a direct in-	part of Sri Aurobindo's karma (see adesa).
dication of what is to be thought, fell or	sakti— force, power; the divine Power who
done; as part of literary karma, it is inspira-	executes the will of the Ishwara, often re-
tion received directly (silently) rather than	ferred to in the Record as Kali (see SC V):
through heard communications or lipi.	the "power of the instruments", a rectifica-
prthivi—earth; the solid state of substance:	tion of the working and heightening of the
one of the five elements whose correct	capacity of mind, heart, life and body, part
balance and action in the body is essential	of the sakticatustaya (sec SC II).
to arogya.	sakti-prayoga — exercise of spiritual power.
rasagrahana(m) — seizing by the mind of the	salokya — dwelling in the same status of being
rasa or principle of delight in things, the	as the Divine.

Sama — quiet, peace, rest; the divine passivity	catustaya) or of any movement of the yoga;
into which tamas is to be transformed.	an occult or supernormal power (see SC III
samadhi— yogic trance, a means of "increasing	under "Ashtasiddhi" for the enumeration
the range of consciousness"; the last member	of these and their threefold classification).
of the vijnanacatustaya (SC III).	smarta sruti — inspired knowledge having the
samanvita karma — action imbued with peace.	nature of remembrance (smrti).
samas — same as sama.	smrti — memory; the faculty of jnana "by
samata-hasyam — equality and gladness, a	which the knowledge hidden in the mind
combination of the first and fourth members	reveals itself to the judgment and is recogn-
of the samatacatustaya (SC I).	ised at once as the truth".
Samyama — concentration, directing or dwel-	sparsananda — physical ananda initiated by
ling of the consciousness by which one	touch.
becomes aware of all that is in the object;	sraddha — faith in the Lord and his Shakti, the
identification.	final element of the sakticatustaya (SC II).
sani — secure possession.	sruti — "hearing", inspiration; reception of
sannyasocita bhava — spiritual state suitable	the vibration or word of the truth, a faculty
for the renunciation of life and action.	of jnana.
sarira (ananda) — see sarirananda.	sthapatya — "architectural" rupa or lipi, i.e.
sarira mukti — physical mukti, especially libera-	vision of things seen in relief on a back-
tion of the body from the dualities (dwan-	ground as if sculptured.
dwas) of the prana and from the gunas of	sthula — gross; the gross physical plane of ex-
rajas and tamas.	istence.
sarirananda — physical ananda (see kama-	suddha (ananda) — see suddhananda.
nanda).	suddhananda — "pure ananda", the subjective
sarirayatra — the "pilgrimage of the body",	ananda corresponding to the ananda plane
i.e. physical life on earth.	proper.
saririka ananda — physical ananda (see kama-	Suddhata — purity.
nanda).	suddhi — purificaion; "a total purification of
sarvam brahma — the Brahman that is the All.	all the complex instrumentality in all the
an aspect of the "fourfold Brahman" (see	parts of each instrument"; the initial ele-
SC vi).	ment of the last catustaya (see SC VII) and
sarvavastusu isvara — the Lord in all things.	the condition of mukti.
sastra — systematic knowledge.	suksma — subtle; the subtle planes of exist-
sattvasthiti — abiding in sattva, the guna of	ence; the subtle parts of man's being.
light and purity.	suksmadrsti — subtle sight.
satyadharmaya drstaye — for the law of the	suksma indriya — any of the subtle organs of
Truth, for sight (Isha Upanishad 15).	sense which belong to the subtle body and
satyapratijna — true promise.	are the means of subtle vision and experi-
sauca — purity.	ence.
saundarya(m)—beauty; physical beauty as	susupta samadhi — the third ("deep sleep")
an clement of the yogic perfection of the	state of samadhi.
body (see SC IV).	svapna — dream, dream-vision; often short
saundaryabodha - awareness of beauty in all	for svapna samadhi.
things.	svapna samadhi — the second ("dream") state
savisesa — specific; a term applied to ananda	of samadhi (see SC III under "Samadhi").
in a sense similar to sahaituka.	svarajya — self-rule.
sayujya — contact of the individual being in	svarga — Heaven.
all its parts with the Divine.	svargabhumi — a heavenly world.
siddhi — perfection; accomplishment of the	tapas — force, spiritual power, will; concentra-
aims of yoga (as such, it is the final element	tion of energy to effect an end; the divine
of SC VII, sometimes called the siddhi-	force of action into which rajas is to be

transformed; until it is purified from desire	their results". The practice of "secondary
and preference, it is "tejasic" tapas which	utthapana" involved the prolonged suspen-
contains an element of "stress" and is a	sion of various limbs in the air with the aim
source of error.	of overcoming subjection to the law of
tejas — force, brilliance; energy of a type in-	gravitation and other physical laws.
ferior to tapas and on which tapas is esta-	vaidyutananda — "electric" ananda, one of the
blished; mental light; "fire", one of the	five types of physical ananda. Sri Aurobindo
five elemental conditions of matter whose	says of it in the Record : "It comes as a bliss-
balance in the body is essential to arogya.	ful electric shock or current on the brain or
tivra (ananda) — see tivrananda.	other part of the nervous system and is of
tivrananda — intense or thrilling ananda, one	two kinds, positive or fiery and negative or
of the five types of physical ananda (sec	cold."
kamananda).	vani — voice (of the Master of the Yoga or from
tivrata — keenness, intensity.	lower divine sources); it comes from above
traigunya — the threefold mode of the lower	and is to be distinguished from subtle speech
Nature.	from outside.
traigunyamaya — consisting of the activity of	varnamaya — (rupa or lipi) composed of varna
the three gunas.	("colour"), one of the seven kinds of akashic
trailokyadrsti - vision of the three worlds	material.
(mental, vital and physical).	vasita — one of the three "siddhis of power";
trigunatita — beyond the three gunas.	concentration of the will on a person or
trikaladrsti — "vision of the three times";	object so as to control it.
direct knowledge of the past, present and	vijnana(m) — ideal knowledge, the supra-
and future (particularly, in the Record, the	intellectual faculty; in the course of the
future); as an element of the vijnanaca-	Record, the meaning of vijnana becomes
tustaya (SC III), it is jnana "applied to the	more and more precise and follows the
facts and events of the material world".	ascending movement of the Yoga, gradually
triste (French) — unhappy.	approaching Sri Aurobindo's definitive real-
tyaga ― inner renunciation; action with a re-	isation of the nature of the Supermind.
nunciation of desire.	vijnanamaya — of the nature of vijnana; ideal,
udasinata — indifference.	supra-intellectual, gnostic.
ugrata ― forcefulness, intensity, violence; a	vijnana-siddhi — perfection of the elements of
quality of Candibhava or Mahakali bhava	the vijnanacatustaya (SC III).
(SC II).	virya — energy, strength of character; soul-
upalabdhi—experience.	force expressing itself through the fourfold
urdhvagati — an upward tendency in the body	personality (brahmana, ksatriya, vaisya,
produced by the forces of utthapana.	sudra), an element of the sakticatustaya.
utsaha — effort.	visayananda — ananda of the senses, one of the
utthapana ― "the state of not being subject to	five types of physical ananda.
the pressure of physical forces", an element	visistadvaita — qualified monism.
of the sariracatustaya(SC IV); the term in-	visrsti — evacuation, excretion; its diminution
cludes but exceeds the phenomenon of	is regarded as a sign of improved assimila-
levitation. Perfect utthapana results from	tion and progress in arogya.
the combined working of the three physical	visuddhi — purity; same as Visuddhata, "a
siddhis, laghima, mahima and anima. "Pri-	general purity of the thinking faculty", an
mary utthapana", as defined during a cer-	element of buddhisakti (SC II, "Shakti").
tain period of the Record, meant a general	visvagati — the power acquired in the dream
liberation of the mental and physical being	state of samadhi by which one can travel in
"from exhaustion, weariness, strain and all	a subtle body to distant places or other

worlds.	yadrcchalabhasantosa — being satisfied with
viveka ― intuitive discrimination, a faculty of	whatever comes by chance.
jnana (SC III).	yatharthya — truth, real nature.
vyapti — telepathic reception or communica-	yat kinca jagatyam jagat — "whatever is indi-
tion, a "siddhi of knowledge"; see SC III	vidual world of movement in the universal
under "Ashta Siddhi".	motion" (Isha Upanishad 1).
vyapti-prakamya — see prakamya-vyapti.