Vedic Glossary — Sanskrit Terms from the Gita & Upanishads

The inner Self or soul; the eternal essence that is not born and does not die.

Central to the Upanishads and the Gita's teaching on self-knowledge.

The ultimate, formless reality underlying all existence; the Absolute.

Described in the Upanishads as sat-chit-ananda: existence, consciousness, bliss.

Righteous duty, law, or the inherent nature of a thing. One's dharma is the right action in a given role and moment.

The central question Arjuna faces in the Bhagavad Gita.

Action and its consequences. In the Gita, karma yoga is selfless action performed without attachment to results.

Krishna teaches that action is unavoidable; the bondage comes from attachment to the fruit.

Liberation from the cycle of birth and death; freedom from ignorance and suffering.

The goal of the three yogas: karma, bhakti, and jnana.

Devotion and loving surrender to the Divine.

Chapter 12 of the Gita is entirely devoted to bhakti yoga.

Knowledge, especially the direct knowledge of the Self and Brahman.

Jnana yoga is the path of discrimination and wisdom.

The three modes of material nature: sattva (clarity), rajas (activity), and tamas (inertia).

Explained in Gita Chapter 14; all behaviour can be understood through these qualities.

The cycle of birth, death, and rebirth; the conditioned worldly existence.

Moksha is release from samsara.

Union, discipline, or skill in action. In the Gita, yoga is the art of living with a steady mind.

The Gita offers many yogas: karma, bhakti, jnana, dhyana, and more.

The power of illusion that makes the changing world appear permanent and the Self appear limited.

Understanding maya is part of waking up to the true nature of reality.

Non-violence in thought, word, and deed.

A foundational virtue in Hindu, Buddhist, and Jain ethics.