Sanskrit Terms Starting with O
Jack UtermoehlShare
This page is an alphabetical list of Sanskrit terms commonly used for teaching and understanding yoga in Western contexts that begin with the letter O.
Index of Sanskrit Terms
Ojas (Vitality)
Definition
Ojas (ΰ€ΰ€ΰ€Έΰ₯) refers to vitality or life force in Ayurveda and yoga. It is the subtle essence of the bodyβs tissues, especially of the immune and reproductive systems. A person with abundant Ojas is strong, stable and energetic; it underlies health, endurance and immunity.
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In Sanskrit ojas means βvigor, vitality.β Ayurvedic texts describe ojas as the ultimate refined essence (sΕ«kαΉ£ma dhΔtu) of all physiological tissues.
It is often said to be the purest form of the kapha dosha, collected in the heart. Classical Ayurveda (e.g. Caraka SaαΉhitΔ) teaches that Ojas sustains life and protects the mind from stress.
HaαΉha yoga (MΔyΕ«khΔ«yΔ Tantra, HaαΉha PradΔ«pikΔ) also mention building ojas through purification and meditation. In yogic terms, strong Ojas stabilizes meditation and keeps the body energized through practice.
Conversely, depletion of Ojas (through over-exertion or poor diet) leads to fatigue and illness. Although Yoga Sutras do not explicitly use the word, the concept underlies the idea of sustaining health for practice.
Many modern teachers advise building ojas (through rest, diet, and moderation) as a foundation for spiritual practice.
Om (Primordial Vibration)
Definition
Om (ΰ₯) is the sacred sound and seed (bΔ«ja) syllable in yoga and Hinduism. It is chanted in meditation and rituals. Om is considered the primordial vibration of the universe, symbolizing the ultimate reality (Brahman) and cosmic consciousness.
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Philosophically, OαΉ is described as the essence of the Vedas and the cosmic sound. UpaniαΉ£adic texts (e.g. MαΉgendratantra) and the MΔndΕ«kya UpaniαΉ£ad analyze its three phonemes (A-U-M) and silence, equating it with waking, dreaming, deep sleep and the Fourth (Turiya).
Patanjali invokes Om as ΔͺΕvara (Yoga Sutra 1.23). In practice, chanting OαΉ calms the mind and aligns the practitioner with universal consciousness.
Unlike a metaphor, in Indian tradition OαΉ is said to be literally identical with the transcendent. The sound appears at the beginning/end of many mantras and texts.
In Yoga context, it is both an object (mantra for meditation) and a symbol: in meditation schools it may be visualized or intoned to instill the sense of unity.
Its usage spans across Upanishads, Bhakti and Tantra, always signifying the ultimate Reality or Self beyond all phenomena.
