Sanskrit Terms Starting with I

Iḍā – meaning “comfort” – is the left channel of prāṇā flow in haṭha yoga physiology.

Iḍā nāḍī originates in the mūlādhāra (base chakra) and terminates at the left nostril, carrying feminine or lunar qualities of introspection and coolness.

It is often depicted as the silver energy current that balances with piṅgalā (the solar right channel) and merges with suṣumnā (central channel) at the ājñā chakra.

Clearing and harmonizing iḍā through prāṇāyāma and meditation is said to calm the mind and prepare the yogi for deeper inner awareness.

Iṣṭa – from the Sanskrit root iṣ (“to desire”) – denotes something beloved or preferred.

In spiritual practice, one’s iṣṭa can be a chosen form for devotion or meditation.

Cultivating an iṣṭa-devatā (cherished deity) is common in Bhakti Yoga: the aspirant selects a form of God (such as Krishna, Devi, Shiva, etc.) that most resonates with their heart, using that relationship as a gateway to the universal.

By focusing on an iṣṭa, yogis personalize their journey – it’s understood that truth is ultimately formless and one, but approaching it through one’s “desired form” makes the path more accessible and heartfelt.

This concept emphasizes that spiritual growth is not one-size-fits-all; it honors individual temperament in the quest for the divine.

Iṣṭa-devatā (Iṣṭa-deva) is essentially one’s tutelary deity – iṣṭa meaning “cherished” and devatā meaning “divinity.”

It represents the favorite deity of a worshipper, significant especially in Bhakti traditions where personal relationship with the divine is cultivated.

The choice of an iṣṭa-devatā can be influenced by family tradition, astrology, or personal resonance.

Sādhakas (spiritual aspirants) concentrate their prayers, mantras, and offerings on this chosen aspect of God, seeing it as a doorway to the infinite.

Importantly, while the external forms differ (Krishna, Kali, Ganesha, etc.), each ishta devata is understood as a manifestation of the one Supreme.

This concept helps channel one’s devotion and focus – by loving one form fully, the devotee ultimately realizes the formless essence that pervades all forms.

Īśvara – literally “supreme ruler” – is the concept of the divine or God in Yoga.

Patanjali defines Īśvara as a distinct puruṣa (consciousness) untouched by the kleshas (afflictions), karma, and its results.

In other words, Īśvara is pure awareness untainted by ignorance or suffering.

Yoga Sutra I.23 introduces īśvara-praṇidhāna (surrender to Ishvara) as a potent method to still the mind.

Unlike the many deities of Hindu bhakti traditions, Patanjali’s Īśvara is more abstract – often described as the guru of even the ancient teachers, and associated with the sacred syllable OM.

By surrendering the ego’s anxieties and fruits of actions to Īśvara, a yogi cultivates humility and trust, which in turn facilitates the attainment of samādhi.

This idea of Ishvara provides a theistic element in Yoga philosophy: it allows practitioners (even non-theistic ones) to align with a concept of a perfect consciousness or universal self as an aid in their practice.

Īśvara praṇidhāna – literally “devotional surrender to Īśvara” – is listed in Yoga Sutra II.32 as the fifth niyama.

It involves offering up one’s efforts, ego, and achievements to the divine presence (Īśvara).

This surrender is not about helplessness; rather, it is a conscious release of the illusion of total control.

By performing actions without attachment to results (karma-phala-tyāga), the yogi’s mind becomes less agitated by success or failure.

Patanjali even suggests that through deep īśvara-praṇidhāna, samādhi (meditative absorption) can be attained (Yoga Sutra I.23).

In practical terms, this observance invites trust in the universe or one’s chosen higher ideal – for example, beginning one’s practice with a dedication prayer, or mentally offering one’s asana practice to the divine.

Over time, such surrender dissolves excessive egoism and anxiety, allowing grace to guide the practitioner.

It aligns with the Bhakti Yoga approach found in texts like the Bhagavad Gita, where loving devotion and letting go of personal ego lead to inner peace and union with the divine.

Itihāsa signifies the epic narrative tradition – essentially history mixed with legend.

The Mahābhārata (which contains the Bhagavad Gita) and the Rāmāyaṇa are classic itihāsas that impart Dharma (righteous living) through engaging stories of heroes, wars, and adventures.

The Sanskrit word can be broken as iti-ha-āsa, “thus-verily-happened,” implying an authentic account.

However, itihāsas are not history in the dry, factual sense; they weave cosmic truths and yogic teachings into their narratives.

For instance, the Bhagavad Gita (part of Mahābhārata) is essentially a yogic scripture discussing bhakti, jñāna, and karma yoga, taught by Krishna on a battlefield.

Yogis study itihāsa not only for cultural knowledge but for the allegories and teachings on ethics, devotion, detachment, and self-realization embedded within them.

These epics serve as a bridge between philosophy and practice – illustrating how high ideals of yoga can be lived in the complexity of human life.

In a yoga teacher training, references to itihāsa might be used to explain concepts like duty (as Arjuna’s dilemma in the Gita) or the power of devotion (as Hanuman’s devotion in the Ramayana).