Sanskrit Terms Starting with U

Ubhaya (उभय). A simple grammatical adjective that indicates two things together, often implying symmetry.

In yoga naming, it appears in compounds to clarify that the action involves two matching parts, such as both hands, both feet, or both sides in a balanced way.

In broader Sanskrit usage, ubhaya can also imply “both sides” of a contrast, though in yoga teaching it is typically literal and practical.

Its function is clarity: when you see ubhaya, expect the pose or instruction to include two symmetrical elements at the same time.

Udana (उदान). Often explained as “that which rises” or “that which sets in motion.” As a vayu, it describes an upward pranic movement.

Traditional descriptions place udana around the throat and upper chest, supporting swallowing, speech, effort, posture uplift, and the impulse toward upward movement in both body and awareness.

In yogic lore, udana is also associated with the transition of consciousness in deep sleep and at death, described as carrying the mind upward and out.

When balanced, udana is often felt as steadiness, confidence, and clear self-expression. When disturbed, it may show up as scattered energy, throat tension, or voice imbalance.

Practices that involve throat engagement and steady breath, including ujjayi and certain inversions, are often taught as supportive for udana’s upward, clarifying quality.

Uddiyana Bandha (उड्डियान बंध). The name is traditionally translated as “upward-flying lock,” describing the lifting action of the abdominal wall and diaphragm after exhalation.

In hatha yoga, it is taught as a major method for directing prana upward, stimulating the navel region (often associated with manipura chakra), and supporting energetic lift through the central channel.

Practically, the action massages internal organs and is often taught to support digestive fire (agni) and circulation. It is also used as preparation for pranayama and for cultivating steadiness of attention.

Traditional descriptions emphasize precision and gradual training. It is commonly practiced alongside the other major bandhas, mula bandha and jalandhara bandha, depending on the method.

Because it changes internal pressure and involves breath retention, it should be practiced with clear instruction and appropriate contraindications in mind. The release is followed by a smooth, controlled inhale.

Ujjayi (उज्जायी). Commonly explained from ud (intensifying, upward) and jaya (victory), giving the sense of a breath associated with mastery and steadiness.

The audible quality functions as feedback. When the sound is smooth and consistent, the breath is usually steady. When it becomes strained or choppy, effort has overtaken control.

Physiologically, the gentle throat constriction can warm and humidify the air and tends to support focused attention by making the breath easy to track.

In vinyasa and Ashtanga-style practice, ujjayi is used to synchronize movement with breath, creating a meditative rhythm. In seated pranayama, it can be used to lengthen and refine the breath without force.

Many teachers also connect ujjayi with the upward qualities of udana vayu, emphasizing lift through the chest and clarity of mind. The key is subtlety: soft sound, calm throat, steady pace.

Upadeśa (उपदेश). Often explained as upa (“near”) and deśa (“pointing out” or “instruction”), suggesting knowledge given in close presence.

In traditional settings, upadesha implies more than general advice. It points to direct transmission, such as a mantra given by a teacher, a core teaching offered at the right moment, or a correction that changes the student’s understanding.

The word can also refer to doctrinal instruction in formal traditions, including philosophical teachings and methods of practice that require careful guidance.

In everyday yoga usage, upadesha can include practical alignment cues, meditation direction, or ethical guidance, especially when the teacher’s intent is to point the student toward self-knowledge.

The central idea is closeness and precision: instruction that is meant to be received with care because it can shift practice from habit into insight.

Upāsanā (उपासना). Commonly explained as upa (“near”) and asana (“sitting”), conveying the sense of “sitting close” through sustained attention.

In classical Hindu thought, upasana developed into systematic meditations on deities, mantras, and philosophical realities. It can include worship with form and qualities, or contemplation that moves toward formless non-dual focus, depending on the tradition.

In Bhakti and Vedanta frameworks, upasana is often described as a stage or mode of practice where devotion and concentration mature into intimacy with the chosen ideal.

In modern yoga settings, the term may be used for devotional meditation, chanting, kirtan, and mantra-based focus, where the heart’s orientation matters as much as technique.

In yoga conversation, it helps to distinguish meaning: when someone says “the sadhana of upasana,” they typically mean devotional contemplation, not a physical posture.

Upaviṣṭha (उपविष्ट). In broader Sanskrit usage it can mean “seated” in a formal sense, such as students seated before a teacher.

In asana naming, it functions as a clear positional cue: the pelvis is grounded and the shape develops from a stable seated base.

Many seated postures, including forward folds and hip-openers, rely on this grounded base to support breath, spinal length, and relaxed attention.

While some modern teaching adds energetic commentary, the term itself remains descriptive rather than philosophical. It confirms the posture’s seated orientation.

Upaviṣṭhakoṇāsana (उपविष्टकोणासन). Upavistha confirms the seated base, and koṇa describes the “angle” created by the legs.

This posture is commonly taught as a seated forward fold that asks for wide pelvic opening and steady spinal extension. The emphasis is typically on hinging at the hips rather than collapsing through the back.

Many teachers describe a naturally introspective quality in forward folds, since the torso turns inward and the breath becomes easier to feel. The pose is often used to settle the nervous system.

Traditional energetic language sometimes connects the fold with samana vayu through the navel region, though the primary function of the name remains physical description of shape and position.

Props and modifications are common. Sitting on a folded blanket and using a strap can help maintain length and clarity without forcing depth.

Ūrdhva (ऊर्ध्व). A straightforward spatial qualifier meaning up, rising, or elevated.

In asana names it clarifies alignment and direction, as in Urdhva Mukha (upward-facing) or Urdhva Dhanurasana (upward bow).

The term can also appear in meditation language to suggest lifting the gaze or directing awareness upward, though its primary role remains descriptive.

When you see urdhva in a pose name, expect a cue of lift: rising through the spine, facing upward, or extending toward a higher line.

Urdhva (upward) + mukha (face) + svana (dog) + asana (posture). The name is descriptive: the chest and gaze lift like a dog looking up.

It is commonly taught within Surya Namaskar sequences. Compared with Cobra Pose, Upward-Facing Dog tends to be more intense because the legs are lifted and the arms bear more load.

Key teaching points usually include length through the spine, broad collarbones, and steady shoulder placement to avoid dumping into the lower back.

Some teachers describe it as supporting the upward qualities of prana, since the shape encourages lift through the chest and throat. Energetic language varies by lineage, while the name itself remains an alignment cue.

As with all strong backbends, the intention is steady openness without strain, keeping the breath smooth and the neck long.

Uṣṭra (उष्ट्र). A direct noun for the camel, used in pose naming to evoke the image of the shape.

In yoga, its primary relevance is linguistic: it helps decode Ustrasana as “camel posture.” Any symbolism is optional and teacher-dependent rather than inherent in the word.

As with many animal-based pose names, the term functions as a visual reference that supports memorization and teaching clarity.

Outside yoga context, ustra is simply the animal name, used in Sanskrit literature wherever camels are mentioned.

Utkaṭa (उत्कट). The word can carry shades of meaning like strong, forceful, formidable, or fierce, emphasizing intensity beyond the ordinary.

In asana naming, it signals muscular demand and sustained engagement, often building heat in the legs and hips and requiring focused attention.

Teachers sometimes link the felt experience of utkata with tapas, since these postures cultivate inner fire through disciplined steadiness.

Beyond this, utkata is not a separate philosophical doctrine. It functions as an adjective that tells you the posture or effort is vigorous.

As a teaching cue, it invites the practitioner to embody determined steadiness while maintaining clear breath and stable attention.

Utkata (fierce, powerful) + kona (angle) + asana (posture). The name emphasizes the strong, angled stance of the legs.

Physically, the posture strengthens the thighs and glutes while opening the hips and groins. The upright torso and open chest can also train postural lift and breath capacity under load.

The common name “Goddess Pose” is a modern naming layer that evokes grounded strength. The Sanskrit itself is primarily descriptive of intensity and leg angle.

Energetic language often links this stance with stability and lower-body power, though those associations are interpretive rather than required by the word.

As a practice, it is often used to build endurance, heat, and confidence, while training the practitioner to stay calm within strong sensation.

Uttāna (उत्तान). The term emphasizes full extension, often understood as a purposeful stretch rather than collapse.

In asana naming, it frequently indicates a forward fold or lengthened shape where the practitioner actively reaches and elongates through the spine and legs.

The “up” nuance sometimes feels counterintuitive in a fold, yet it can be understood as the action of lifting and lengthening through the back body even while hinging forward.

Functionally, it is a mechanical cue that the posture requires active stretch. Any symbolism is secondary to the alignment instruction.

Uttāna (intense stretch) + asana (posture). The name cues purposeful extension through the legs and spine during the fold.

In teaching, the emphasis is often on hinging from the hips and maintaining spinal length, allowing the hamstrings and calves to lengthen without rounding or strain.

Forward folds are commonly described as settling for the nervous system and supportive for inward attention, especially when breath stays smooth and unforced.

Symbolically, the shape can be viewed as a gesture of humility and surrender. The Sanskrit term itself stays practical, directing the student toward active elongation rather than collapsing.

In sequences, Uttanasana is frequently used as a reset posture after standing work, returning attention to breath, legs, and spinal line.

Utthita (उत्थित). The word carries the sense of rising and extending, and in asana names it signals active reach rather than passive placement.

Poses with utthita typically require deliberate lengthening through the limbs and spine, often with an uplifted chest and clear line of energy through the body.

It can also appear in broader Sanskrit usage to mean “arisen,” as in waking or getting up, though yoga usage is mostly anatomical and directional.

As a naming cue, it often distinguishes a more dynamic, extended version of a posture from a simpler or more compact form.

In practice, utthita reminds the practitioner to keep extension present even when the body is folding, twisting, or reaching.