Practical Sanskrit Part 1

(Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5)

A rudimentary knowledge of Sanskrit is indispensable in discussing Jyotish. I learned this during my practice as a Vedic astrologer for the last eighteen years. Sanskrit also helped me deal with Hindu priests for the pujas and homams (fire sacrifices) I have had done at various Hindu temples over the last ten years or so. Sanskrit is also extremely useful in Ayurveda and in understanding, and discussing, Vedic philosophy and religion.

The main problem with Sanskrit is Sanskrit itself. It is HARD! And I am considered fairly good at foreign languages. Sanskrit is, quite simply, the most difficult language that I have ever been associated with. But it is also the most useful foreign language that has come my way. Do we see a quandary here or what? Useful, but hard, hmm. What to do?

So that you, dear readers and lovers of Vedic philosophy, will not have to struggle quite as much as I have in learning Sanskrit, I have prepared this little guide of some of the most useful Sanskrit words (in my opinion). I hope you can use it to more easily communicate with priests, astrologers, Vaidyas, swamis and others.

I speak no modern Indian languages. I tried learning Hindi but it was a grand failure. However, I seem to be able to communicate quite well with priests whose English is D+ at best. I use a combination of simple English phrases peppered with many appropriate Sanskrit words. And they seem to understand me quite well.

This guide is basic. Proper pronunciation is another issue and you are on your own. I suggest you take a course in Sanskrit if you need to learn proper pronunciation, or get an expert skilled in Sanskrit to pronounce choice phrases into a tape recorder for you. This list does not feature the devenagari alphabet, either, so I leave these details up to you.

108 Sanskrit Phrases For Discussing Jyotish and Pujas That I Have Found Useful

Number	Sanskrit	English

1.	Murti	Form (or statue) - usually of a deity.
2.	Deva	God.
3.	Devi	Goddess.
4.	Devata	Divine beings.
5.	Puja	Worship (in which fruits, flowers, and mantras are offered).
6.	Japa	Rhythmic repetition of a mantra.
7.	Abhishekam	Ritual washing of the statue (murti) of a devata during which mantras, fruits, flowers, water, and other liquids are offered.
8.	Yagya	Fire sacrifice (however, in English, this word is often used to include japa, puja and abhishekams also).
9.	Parayana	Many repetitions of a holy verse.
10.	Kundali	A Vedic astrology birth chart.
11.	Nakshatra	The Moon's nakshatra or star placement at birth.
12.	Karma	Action (used in Vedic philosophy to indicate the results of past actions [good or evil} that we are now experiencing.
13.	Phala	Fruit (used to indicate the results of one's previous actions).
14.	Kripa	Grace (guru kripa is the grace of the guru; devata kripa is the grace of a god or goddess).
15.	Sankalpa	Holy intention (the purpose or desired result of a yagya or puja).
16.	Purohit	Priest.
17.	Yajamana	The sponsor of a yagya; he who receives most of the good results of a yagya. He who pays for the yagya.
18.	Manas	Mind.
19.	Dakshina	Donation (the tip given to a priest for services rendered).
20.	Atman (atma)	Individual soul (alma in Spanish).
21.	Brahman	The Absolute; the hidden, underlying ground of the Universe.
22.	Muhurtha	Auspicious time for starting something.
23.	Papa	Sin.
24.	Acharya	Teacher.
25.	Mudra	Holy gesture.
26.	Amba	Mother (refers especially to the Divine Mother of all that is).
27.	Sarva	All or everything (sarva devata means all the gods).
28.	Sara	Essence (mantra sara means the essence of the mantra).
29.	Ratna	Gem or jewel.
30.	Lila	Play (usually used as divine play; this universe is all Veda Lila (the play of the Vedas)
31.	Veda	Knowledge.
32.	Dharma	The path of Truth or righteousness for an individual (very hard to translate into English.)
33.	Loka	Place.
34.	Maha	Great.
35.	Stotra	(Holy) verse.
36.	Somya	Benign and gentle; pleasant.
37.	Tattva	Reality.
38.	Maya	Illusion.
39.	Sattva	Purity (the highest and best of the three gunas).
40.	Bhoga	Enjoyment (of worldly pleasures).
41.	Buddhi	Intellect.
42.	Mantra	A holy word of phrase; a word of Power.
43.	Yantra	An image of power; a visual mantra.
44.	Gotra	Traditional family group; applies especially to higher caste Hindus.
45.	Punya	Religious merit; that which comes from doing good deeds.
46.	Purna	Whole.
47.	Nama	Name.
48.	Rupa	Form.
49.	Chit	Consciousness.
50.	Ananda	Bliss.
51.	Hrdaya	Heart.
52.	Shata	One hundred.
53.	Eka	One.
54.	Pancha	Five.
55.	Mata	Mother.
56.	Havan	Fire sacrifice (homam is the same thing; the word yagya may also indicate the same).
57.	Havan kund	Fire pit where a havan is performed.
58.	Kama	Desire (may also indicate sexual desire).
59.	Artha	Wealth.
60.	Moksha	Liberation (or Enlightenment).
61.	Mukti	Liberation (the same as moksha).
62.	Shakti	Divine energy.
63.	Bhakti	Devotion.
64.	Ahamkara	Egotism (the sense of individuality that, eventually, must leave so that one can realize one's Divine, eternal nature).
65.	Labha	Gain (especially refers to financial gain).
66.	Mrtyu	Death.
67.	Amrit	Immortality.
68.	Tat	That (Supreme Truth).
69.	Mukhi	Face.
70.	Siddhi	Psychic powers.
71.	Bala	Strength.
72.	Mamsa	Flesh (of an animal or person).
73.	Chatur	Four.
74.	Tri	Three.
75.	Kala	Time.
76.	Gyana	Knowledge.
77.	Smrti	Memory (also - holy texts based on the Vedas).
78.	Shravana	Hearing (also a nakshtra found in Capricorn).
79.	Vidya	Knowledge.
80.	Sri (shri)	The simplest mantra of Mother Divine.
81.	Guru	Spiritual master.
82.	Chela	Disciple.
83.	Go	Cow.
84.	Sarpa	Snake.
85.	Ashwin	Horse.
86.	Gaja	Elephant.
87.	Hamsa	Swan.
88.	Dvaita	Dualism.
89.	Advaitya	Non-dualism.
90.	Yatra	Course.
91.	Yatri	One who goes on a pilgrimage.
92.	Bhumi	The earth (also the Earth goddess).
93.	Putra	Son (or child).
94.	Aksha	Eye.
95.	Pada	Foot.
96.	Hasta	Hand.
97.	Pushpa	Flower.
98.	Dupam	Incense.
99.	Deepam	Light (as in candle offered during a puja).
100.	Jyoti	Light.
101.	Ojas	Vitality.
102.	Mantri	Minister (like the King's right hand man).
103.	Mala	Garland (necklace - which usually has 108 beads that are used for counting mantras during japa).
104.	Amurta	Without form.
105.	Mula	Root.
106.	Shastras	Scriptures.
107.	Kartri	The doer; the actor; he who performs karmas.
108.	Jiva	Living being.

For those of you who may know some Sanskrit, please forgive any errors that may have crept into this essay. They are all mine. This is all based on my experience and a couple of years of underachieving Sanskrit study. Also, thanks go to "Sri Lalita Sahasranama" (The Thousand Names of the Divine Mother) for helping me to remember some Sanskrit words that I wanted to include in this list.

The more you use Sanskrit, the easier it gets and the better you'll like it. The study of Sanskrit is, in my experience, one of the quickest ways to grow spiritually and purify your consciousness.

Peace.

From the September, 2004 issue of Michael Laughrin's North American Jyotish Newsletter. Click to subscribe to this free Jyotish newsletter.

Practical Sanskrit Part 1
Practical Sanskrit Part 2
Practical Sanskrit Part 3
Practical Sanskrit Part 4
Practical Sanskrit Part 5
Mantras for the Planets and More