Dictionary

Amrita (Sanskrit: अमृत, IAST: amṛta), Amrit or Amata in Pali, (also called Sudha, Amiy, Ami) is a Sanskrit and Pali word that means “immortality” It is a central concept within Indian religions and is often referred to in ancient Indian texts as a nectar Its first occurrence is in the Rigveda, where it is considered one of several synonyms for soma, the drink of the Devas Amrita plays a significant role in the Samudra manthan, and is the cause of the conflict between Devas and Asuras competing for amrita to obtain immortality...

The Amritabindu Upanishad (Sanskrit:अमृतबिन्दु उपनिषद्) is one of the minor Upanishads of Hinduism It is one of the five Bindu Upanishads, attached to the Atharvaveda, and one of twenty Yoga Upanishads in the four Vedas The text is notable for condemning “bookish learning” and emphasizing practice, as well as for presenting a six limbed Yoga system which match five stages of the eight stage Patanjali’s Yogasutras and offering a unique, different sixth stage...

Anahata (Sanskrit: अनाहत, IAST: Anāhata, English: “unstruck”) or heart chakra is the fourth primary chakra, according to Hindu Yogic, Shakta and Buddhist Tantric traditions In Sanskrit, anahata means “unhurt, unstruck, and unbeaten” Anahata Nad refers to the Vedic concept of unstruck sound (the sound of the celestial realm) Anahata is associated with balance, calmness, and serenity

Ānanda (Sanskrit: आनन्द) literally means bliss or happiness. In the Hindu Vedas, Upanishads and Bhagavad gita, ānanda signifies eternal bliss which accompanies the ending of the rebirth cycle. Those who renounce the fruits of their actions and submit themselves completely to the divine will, arrive at the final termination of the cyclical life process (saṃsāra) to enjoy eternal bliss (ānanda) in perfect union with the godhead. The tradition of seeking union with God through loving commitment is referred to as bhakti, or devotion....

Ānanda Mārga (“The Path of Bliss”, also spelled Anand Marg and Ananda Marg) or officially Ānanda Mārga Pracāraka Saṃgha (organization for the propagation of the path of bliss), is a world-wide socio-spiritual organisation founded in Jamalpur, Bihar, India, in 1955 by Prabhat Ranjan Sarkar, known as Sri Sri Anandamurti It is also the name of the philosophy and life-style propounded by Sarkar, described as a practical means of personal development and the transformation of society...

Ananta (Devanagari: अनन्त) literally means “unending” and has additional meanings in the context of Indic religions

Anasakti yoga is a philosophy and way of life advocated by Mahatma Gandhi that essentially encourages non-attachment to anything in the material world. Anasakti yoga is the practice of letting go of any attachment to the results of one’s actions. It is thought that through non-attachment, liberation from suffering can be achieved. The practitioner is no longer bound by attachment to the material world and, therefore, finds eternal life. People who practice Anasakti yoga are still completely engaged in and dedicated to their actions and work, but without any attachment to the outcome....

Impermanence, also known as the philosophical problem of change, is a philosophical concept addressed in a variety of religions and philosophies In Eastern philosophy it is notable for its role in the Buddhist three marks of existence It is also an element of Hinduism In Western philosophy it is most famously known through its first appearance in Greek philosophy in the writings of Heraclitus and in his doctrine of panta rhei (everything flows)...

Impermanence, also known as the philosophical problem of change, is a philosophical concept addressed in a variety of religions and philosophies In Eastern philosophy it is notable for its role in the Buddhist three marks of existence It is also an element of Hinduism In Western philosophy it is most famously known through its first appearance in Greek philosophy in the writings of Heraclitus and in his doctrine of panta rhei (everything flows)...

Anjana (Sanskrit: अञ्जना), also known as Anjani and Anjali, is the mother of Lord Hanuman, one of the heroes of the Indian epic, the Ramayan.

Antaḥkaraṇa (Sanskrit: अन्तःकरण, meaning the inner organ or inner instrument) is a concept in Hindu philosophy, referring to the totality of two levels of mind, namely the buddhi (the intellect or higher mind) and the manas (the middle levels of mind) which, according to theosophy, exist as or include the mental body Antaḥkaraṇa has also been called the link between the middle and higher mind, the reincarnating part of the mind...

Pramana (Sanskrit: प्रमाण, Pramāṇa) literally means “proof” and “means of knowledge” In Indian philosophies, pramana are the means which can lead to knowledge, and serve as one of the core concepts in Indian epistemology It has been one of the key, much debated fields of study in Hinduism, Buddhism and Jainism since ancient times It is a theory of knowledge, and encompasses one or more reliable and valid means by which human beings gain accurate, true knowledge...

Anupalabdhi (Sanskrit: अनुपलब्धि) means ’non-recognition’, ’non-perception' This word refers to the Pramana of Non-perception which consists in the presentative knowledge of negative facts

Anvaya refers to the logical connection of words, as to how different words relate with each other to convey a significant meaning or idea Literally, Anvaya (Sanskrit: अन्वय) means - positive; affirmative or nexus; but in grammar and logic this word refers to - ‘concordance’ or ‘agreement’, such as the agreement which exists between two things that are present, as between ‘smoke’ and ‘fire’, it is universally known that - “where there is smoke, there is fire”...

Apāna, one of the five vital Prāṇas