Vedanta Philosophy

Spiritual Practice

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Monastic Life

Glossary of Sanskrit Terms

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Sadhana Spiritual discipline.

Samadhi The superconscious state in which one experiences one's identity with the ultimate Reality.

Samskara Tendencies inherited from previous births which form a person's propensities in this life.

Sannyas Final monastic vows in which the spiritual aspirant completely renounces everything for the sake of realization of the ultimate Reality.

Sarada Devi, Sri (1853-1920) Sri Ramakrishna's wife, also known as Holy Mother. Both Ramakrishna and Sarada Devi lived completely celibate lives; both were ideal monastics and ideal householders. Sarada Devi was the embodiment of spiritual motherhood; her life was devoted to loving service and self-sacrifice. She is seen by many as an incarnation of the Divine Mother.

Satchidananda Existence (sat), Knowledge (chit), and Bliss (ananda) absolute; Brahman, the absolute Reality.

Sattva The guna which expresses itself as calmness, purity, and wisdom.

Shakti God as the Mother of the universe. Shakti is the power of Brahman, the personification of primal energy.

Shankara or Shankaracharya The great Vedanta philosopher who lived in the eighth century A.D., and revived Advaita Vedanta in India after a thousand years of Buddhist influence. Though he lived only thirty-two years, he organized a monastic system that is still in existence today. His enormous literary contribution includes commentaries on the Brahma Sutras, the principal Upanishads, and the Bhagavad Gita. He also wrote his own philosophical works such as the Vivekacudamani ( the Crest-Jewel of Discrimination) and the Upadeshasahasri. In addition, Shankara composed hymns, prayers, and various minor works on Vedanta philosophy.

Shiva God in his aspect of destroyer of the universe. He is the third person in the Hindu trinity, the other two being Brahma, the creator, and Vishnu, the preserver. In his personal aspect, Shiva is the ideal yogi, the embodiment of renunciation, absorbed in eternal meditation in the Himalayas. He is known for his compassion: those who find refuge nowhere else—even snakes and demons—find shelter in Shiva. To save the world Shiva drank the poison which surfaced during the creation of the world. Since it stayed in his throat, he is called the "blue-throated one." Shiva is also the Absolute, the Supreme Reality. He is the transcendent aspect of God, while Kali, or Shakti represents the relative, dynamic aspect.

Shraddha Firm faith guided by reason.

Sravana Hearing or listening to the highest spiritual truth.

Sri An honorific prefix used before the name of a deity, holy person, or book. It is also the Hindu equivalent of "Mr."

Suresvara A philosopher-sage of India who was a direct disciple of Shankara. He wrote treatises on Advaita Vedanta in such books as Naishkarmya Siddhi, Manosollasa, and Varttika.

Swami Lit., "Lord." Title of monks who have taken final vows of renunciation, sannyas.

Swamiji In the tradition of the Ramakrishna Order, Swamiji refers to Swami Vivekananda. It is also a respectful way of addressing any swami.

Tamas The guna which expresses itself as dullness, stupidity, and inertia.

Tantra The religious philosophy in which the Divine Mother of the universe, or Shakti, is worshiped as the ultimate Reality.

Tantras The scriptures which are identified with the worship of the Divine Mother.

Tantric Pertaining to Tantra; a follower of Tantra.

Turiya Lit., "the fourth." The superconscious state which is beyond the three ordinary states of consciousness: waking, dreaming, and dreamless sleep. It is the state of unitary consciousness, pure bliss. According to Shankara, this is not a state; it is the Atman.

Upasana Meditation; literally "sitting near." Meditation is "sitting near" God.

Upanishads The sacred scriptures which appear at the end of the Vedas and constitute their philosophical portion. The Upanishads form the philosophical basis of Vedanta.

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