In short: this glossary explains the Sanskrit and class terms you meet in yoga, from asana to shanti, in plain English. Each entry gives common spellings, the Devanagari script and scholarly transliteration where we could verify them, a literal translation, a short definition and how the word is used today. Terms with a full guide of their own, such as the yamas or chakras, link straight to that guide.
Yoga comes with its own vocabulary. In a single class you might hear a teacher say namaste, cue a drishti, mention prana and close with Om shanti. Most of these Sanskrit yoga terms come from classical texts, some come from Hindi and other modern languages, and a few, like “Mysore style” or “RYT,” are modern class and training labels. This glossary sorts them out so you can follow along, read the texts with more confidence and use the words respectfully.
How to use the glossary
- Search or browse A to Z. Type a word in the search box, or jump to a letter in the index below. Different spellings are listed with each entry, so “pranayam,” “pranayama” and “prāṇāyāma” all lead to the same place.
- Filter by type. Narrow the list to Sanskrit terms, pose names, breathing, meditation, philosophy, class terms, equipment, training or retreat terms.
- Go deeper. Every entry ends with a link to the guide that covers the topic in depth. If a term already has its own full guide (for example the yamas, chakras, mudras or pranayama), the index links straight to it instead of repeating it here.
What each entry tells you
| Field | What it means | Example (namaste) |
|---|---|---|
| Term and other spellings | The usual English spelling, plus variants you may see | namaste; namaskar, namaskara |
| Devanagari | The word in the script used for Sanskrit and Hindi | नमस्ते |
| IAST | The scholarly transliteration, with marks that show exact pronunciation | namaste |
| Literal translation | What the parts of the word mean | “a bow to you” |
| Definition | A short, plain-English explanation | A respectful greeting |
| Context | Where and how the word is used, then and now | Everyday greeting in India; often said at the end of a yoga class |
Read the full example in our entry on what namaste means.
A quick guide to pronouncing Sanskrit terms
Scholars write Sanskrit in Latin letters using IAST, the International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration, a scheme formalized in 1894 that lets a reader reproduce the original script exactly. You don’t need to master it, but a few marks make a big difference:
- A line over a vowel (ā, ī, ū) makes it long. Āsana starts with a long “aa,” as in “father”; a plain a is short, like the “u” in “but.” That is why “asana” sounds closer to “AH-suh-nuh” than “uh-SAH-nuh.”
- c is “ch.” Cakra is pronounced “chakra,” and brahmacarya “brahmacharya.”
- ś and ṣ are both close to “sh.” So śānti is “shanti” and Kṛṣṇa is “Krishna.”
- An h after a consonant means a puff of breath, not a new sound. In haṭha the “th” is a breathy t, not the “th” of “thin.” Likewise bh in bhakti is a breathy b.
- Dots under letters (ṭ, ḍ, ṇ) mark sounds made with the tongue curled back. English speakers can say them as ordinary t, d and n and still be understood.
- ṛ is a vowel, said roughly like “ri.” That is why ṛṣi is usually spelled “rishi.”
On this site we use the simple English spelling in running text (pranayama, Ujjayi, chakra) and give the IAST form once, where it helps. Both are correct; the marks are just more precise.
Good terms to learn first
If you are new to yoga, these words will carry you through most classes and retreats:
- Asana: a posture, originally a seat for meditation. Browse them all in our pose directory.
- Prana: breath and life force, the root of pranayama, the regulation of breath.
- Om: the sacred syllable often chanted at the start or end of class.
- Drishti: a gaze point that steadies attention in a pose.
- Namaste: the respectful greeting that often closes class.
- Shanti: peace, often chanted three times.
- Sankalpa: an intention or resolve, used in yoga nidra.
- Sadhana: your regular, personal practice.
Planning a retreat or ashram stay? Learn satsang, kirtan, seva and sangha before you go; our guide to staying at an ashram explains how these fit into a typical day. Thinking about teaching? RYT and RYS and Mysore style are explained too, with links to our teacher training guides.
How we check each term
We verify Sanskrit spellings, Devanagari and literal meanings against the Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary (1899), the standard reference, through the University of Cologne’s free online edition, and we check usage against translations of the original texts, naming the translator. Where traditions disagree, or where a popular meaning is a modern one, the entry says so. If we cannot confirm a form, we leave it out rather than guess. Spotted something we should fix? Tell us through our contact page; our editorial standards explain how corrections work.
Using these words respectfully
Many terms here are sacred within Hindu, Buddhist and Jain traditions; others are everyday words in Hindi and other living languages. Learn what a word means before you use it, avoid turning sacred words into slogans, and remember that the people who use them every day are the best guides to how they are meant. Our yoga philosophy section gives the wider context for the ideas behind the words.
Frequently asked questions
What language are yoga terms in?
Most are Sanskrit, the classical language of the yoga texts. Some, like namaste in everyday use, are shared with Hindi and other modern Indian languages, and a few, such as Mysore style or RYT, are modern English labels.
Why are Sanskrit words spelled in different ways?
Sanskrit is written in Devanagari, and there are several ways to put it into Latin letters. Scholars use IAST, which adds marks such as ā or ś; everyday English drops the marks and often adds letters, so cakra becomes chakra and śānti becomes shanti.
How do you pronounce asana?
The first a is long, as in father, and the other two are short, so it sounds roughly like AH-suh-nuh rather than uh-SAH-nuh.
Do I need to learn Sanskrit to do yoga?
No. Knowing a handful of terms helps you follow classes and read about yoga, and learning what a word means is a simple way to show respect for the traditions it comes from.
Sources
- Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries (Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary, 1899), University of Cologne (accessed October 6, 2026)
- International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration, Wikipedia (accessed October 6, 2026)
- Yoga Sutras of Patañjali (Edwin Bryant): asana as a seat, Internet Encyclopedia of Philosophy (accessed October 6, 2026)
- namaste, Cambridge Dictionary (accessed October 6, 2026)
Facts checked on October 6, 2026