yoga – “union”

s’ayaana – a lizard

A

aakarNa\-dhanuraasana – the shooting bow posture

aasanasthamh – posture-stood

aayatana – position

abhaya  – fearlessness

abhi - fearless

abhimana - pride, haughtiness

abhyasa - practice (spiritual)

acarya - instructor, guru

adhomukha – face downwards

adhomukhashvaanaasana – the downward dog stretch posture

agni sara -  A practice of yoga where the lower abdomen is drawn in and up with the breath

ahamkaara – ego, self love

ahan - day

ahankara - ego

ahimsa – nonviolence

anantaasana – Ananta’s posture

Apana-vayu – downward moving vayu

ardhachandraasana – the half-moon posture

ardhanavaasana – the half-boat posture

ardhapadmaasana – the half-lotus posture

ardhamatsyendraasana – the half spinal-twist posture

ardhashirshhaasana – the half headstand posture

ardhasarvaangaasana – the half-shoulderstand posture

ardhasalabhaasana – the half-locust posture

arjava – straightforwardness

Atman – the self, the soul

ayama – to stretch

ayurveda – science of life
baddhahasta\-shirshhaasana – the bound hands headstand posture

B

bandha\-padmaasana – the bound lotus posture. Also the bondage of the human condition to finite existence.

bhadraasana – the auspicious posture

bhakti – devotion, love (of God)

bhakti yoga – union through devotion

bhastra – one of the eight types of breath control used in Hatha Yoga

bheruNDaasana – the formidable posture

bhujan.gaasana – the cobra posture

bhujaasana – the arm posture

brahmacharyaasana – the posterior stretch posture

Buddha – “the enlightened one”

C

chakras – centers of energy, located along the spine and considered a part of the subtle body

chit – consciousness or awareness

chakraasana – the wheel posture

D

daNDaasana – the staff posture

darshana – visionary states regarded as a result of meditation

daya – compassion to all beings

dharma – truth in action, righteousness, morality.
driDhaasana – the side relaxation posture

drishti – “pure seeing”

E

eka pada shirshasana – foot-behind-the-head pose

G

garbhaasana – the fetus posture

garuDaasana – the eagle posture

gomukhaasana – the cow-faced posture

gorakshaasana – the cowherd posture

granthi -knot. Psychospiritual blockages of energy within the body

guru – A teacher. An authority of great knowledge or skill.

guptaasana – the hidden posture

H

halaasana – the plough posture

ha.nsaasana – the swan posture

hasta\-paadangushhThaasana – the hand-to-big-toe posture

hatha yoga – a form of yoga involving body postures

hridaya – heart; spiritual center of the body

I

ichcha – desire; will

indriya – senses

J

jaanu\-shirshhaasana – the head-knee postur

jagrat – waking state

Jana Yoga- yoga of knowledge

japa – repetition of a sacred word or syllable

jaThara\-parivartanaasana – the belly-turning posture

jiva – living being or life

jivanmukti- finding spiritual freedom while alive

K

kaakaasana – the crow posture

kaalabhairavaasana – Lord Kalabhairava’s posture

kandaasana – the upward ankle-twist posture

kapotaasana – the dove posture

karma – “action” or “deed”

Karma Yoga – yoga of service, the spiritual path of action

kirtan: chanting, devotional songs, mantras that are sung
karNapiDaasana – the ear-press posture

kathikaasana – the front-stretching posture

khaNDapiTaasana – the ankle-twist posture

krauJNchaasana – the heron posture

kshetra – temple; in Yoga, field of the body

kendra – center; heart

kevala kumbhaka – retention of breath leading to stilling of the mind

krama mukti – liberation by degrees

krishhNaasana – the Krishna posture

kukuTaasana – the cockerel (rooster) posture

kumbhaka – retention of breath

kundalini – primordial cosmic energy located in the individual

kurmaasana – the tortoise (leg-lock) posture

L

laya – in Yoga, absorption of breath and mind in the heart

lolaasana – the swing posture

M

maalaasana – the garland posture
Maha Rishi – a sage

maitri- loving-kindness, friendliness, friendship

makaraasana – the crocodile posture

manas – mind

maNDukaasana – the frog posture

mantra – A prayer or song of praise commonly used to refer to any word, phrase, or prayer used for meditation.

marga- path or tract

matsyaasana – the fish posture

matsyendraasana – the posture of Matsyendra

maya – illusion

mayuraasana – the peacock posture

medha – intellect

mitha – non-existent

mritaasana – the corpse posture

moksha – liberation

moola – root; source

muladhara – root place, the Root Chakra

mudraa – a hand pose

mukta – one who is liberated

mukta\-hasta\-shirshhaasana – the freehand headstand posture

muktaasana – the liberated posture

mula bandha – performed by contracting the muscles of the anus sphincter

muladhara chakra – The first major energy center, located near the coccyx at the coccygeal plexus.

muulabandhaasana – the ankle-twist posture

N

naabhipedaasana – the upward ankle-twist posture

naavaasana – the boat posture

nada – sound; vibration; tone

nadi- yogic nerves conveying the life force; main ones are Ida, Pingala and Sushumna

naishtika brahmacharya – lifelong celibacy

nana – diversity

nataraajaasana – the Lord of the Dance posture

nityasya – eternal in existence

O

onkaraasana – the OM posture

P

paadahastaasana – the balancing forward bend posture

paadaasana – the foot above posture

paarshva\-dhanuraasana – the sideways bow posture

paarshva\-shirshhaasana – the headstand posture

paarshva\-sarvaangaasana – the sideways shoulderstand posture

paarshva\-halaasana – the lateral plough posture

paarshvaakakaasana – the sideways crow posture

paashaasana – the noose posture

padmaasana – the lotus posture

parighaasana – the locked gate posture

parvataasana – the mountain posture

pashchimottoanaasana – the back-stretching posture

pavanamuktaasana – the knee squeeze posture

Prana-vayu – a vital air that moves in the chest

purvottanaasana – the front-stretching posture

S

saalamba\-sarvaangaasana – the supported shoulderstand posture

samadhi - bliss, trance, superconscious state

samakonaasana – the sideways leg-splits posture

Samana-vayu – equalized movement of air.

sankaTaasana – the dangerous posture

sarvaangaasana – the shoulderstand posture

setu\-bandhaasana – the bridge posture

s’akti\-chaalinii – the nerve-power posture

shalabhaasana – the locust posture

shavaasana – the corpse posture

shayanaasana – the repose posture

shirshhaasana – the head-stand posture

shirsangushhThaasana – the deep lunge posture

siddhaasana – the adept’s posture

suurya\-namaskaara – the homage to the sun posture

sukhaasana – the easy posture

sundara – beautiful

supta\-jaanu\-shirshhaasana – the supine head-knee posture

supta\-paschimottanaasana – the supine back-stretching posture

supta\-paadaangushhThaasana – the supine big toe posture

supta\-baddha\-padmaasana – the supine bound lotus posture

supta\-vajraasana – the supine thunderbolt posture

svastikaasana – the prosperous posture

T

tittibhaasana – the firefly posture

tolaangulaasana – the balance posture

tolaasana – the scales posture

trikoNaasana – the triangle posture

U

Udana-vayu – forces air out of the lungs

ugraasana – the posterior stretch posture

ushhTraasana – the camel posture

utkaTaasana – the the hunkering posture

uurdhva\-prasaarita-ekapaadaasana – balancing forward posture

uurdhva\-hastattanaasana – the up-stretched arms posture

V

vaamadevaasana – Vamadeva’s posture

vaataayanaasana – the horseface posture

vajraasana – the thunderbolt posture

vakraasana – the curved posture

viirabhadraasana – the arrow posture

viiraasana – the hero posture

viniyogaH – distribution (of various limbs, postures)

vipariitakaraNii – the upside-down posture

vrikshaasana – the tree posture

vrishchikaasana – the scorpion posture

Vyana-vayu – distribution of energy in entire body

Y

yashhTikaasana – the stick posture

yogaasana – the anchor posture

yogadaNDaasana – the yogiñs staff posture

Numbers

Here are some numbers in Sanskrit that you may hear in a Yoga class from a more traditional teacher.

1 ekam

2 dve

3 trini

4 catvari

5 panca

6 sat

7 sapta

8 astau

9 nava

10 dasa

11 ekadasa

12 dvadasa

13 trayodasa

14 caturdasa

15 pancadasa

16 sodasa

17 saptadasa

18 astadasa

19 navadasa

20 vimsati

samasthiti (same state) means return to the basic standing position