GLOSSARY

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z

L

Laghu: Light, small, minute.
Lassi: Buttermilk, drink made by mixing water in yogurt and churning it.
Lavana: Salty taste of flavor.
Lavana-bhaskara: An Ayurvedic powder popularly used to enhance digestion.
Lakshmi: In Hindu mythology Laksmi is considered to be the goddess of fortune and beauty. The consort of Lord Vishnu, she is the created energy of the lord and the divine mother of all universe, the cosmic power of physical abundance, fortune and wealth. Lekhaniya: They are the natural substances that remove fat from the body by scraping the nonessential adipose tissue. The natural herbs used here are good for cellulite removal also.
Lord Shiva: In the Hindu godhead trinity he is the Lord. In literal terms, Shiva means good or auspicious. Also known as Rudra and many other names Shiva has eight qualities in all, namely, purity, knowledge, independence, omniscience, omnipotence, freedom from mala, benevolence and the bliss.

M

Ma: In Hindu mythology ma means the goddess of wealth, Lakshmi. According to ayurveda, ma is the giver of heart i.e. the heart comes form the mother and thus the way of one's thinking, his way of life, feelings, memory that is circulated throughout his body is the gift form ma.
Madhyama: In Sanskrit this word means trunk of the body. In ayurvedic terminology it refers to the sound rising form the heart that is felt by the ears and not heard.
Majja: It means the bone marrow. Being one of the seven dhatus it is soft and has the main function of filling up the asthi and nourishing the shukra.
Malas: It means the waste products that are excreted out of the body by some or the other phenomenon. It primarily includes urine, feces and sweat.
Madhura: It means sweet.
Mantram: These are the sacred words or phrases that have a spiritual significance and power. These are of two types: one that is expressed or said by voice and are heard whereas others are non- uttered but are repeated internally.
Marmas: These are the nerve crossings where nerves come to the fascia and relate to the vital human body organs. Marmas are the 365 vital energy points in the body of which 108 are of great importance in ayurveda. They are also called door receptors.
Maya: Literal meaning is illusion whereas in spiritual terms it refers to god's creative energy, cosmic illusion. The illusion here is not an illusion in terms of it being unreal but in terms of the divine acts, sport or lila played by the cosmic deities.
Meda: It is the fat tissue supported by mamsa dhatu. The main function of this one of the seven bodily tissues is to support the human body and lubricate it. Meda's presence in excess can cause obesity and physical weakness.
Moksha: It means liberation, freedom in every aspect and every way of life.
Madakari: That which causes intoxication.
Madhura: Sweet taste of flavor, pleasant, charming, delightful.
Madya: Any intoxicating drink or substance.
Mahabhuta: Big elements, gross elements, being great.
Mahad tattva: Intellect, great principle.
Mahendra: A great king or leader, the great Indra. Indra is the king of demigods
Majja-vaha srotas: Channels transporting bone marrow.
Malinikarana: The act making impure, staining.
Mamsa-vaha srotas: Channels transporting muscles.
Manas: Mind.
Manda: Slow.
Mandagni: Weakened state of digestive fire.
Medha: Mental power, intelligence, wisdom, and prudence.
Medo-vaha srotas: Channels transporting fatty tissue.
Medya: That which enhances wisdom, mental power and intelligence.
Mithya-yoga: Wrong use, wrong employment.
Matsaya: Fish
Moong ki daal: A variety of green dry beans used for cooking or making sprouts.
Mrudu: Soft, delicate, tender.
Mudra: A sign, position, image commonly practiced in Yoga or religious worship.
Mutra: Urine.
Mutra-vaha srotas: Channels transporting the urine.

N

Nadi: Pulse, any tubular organ such as vein or artery.
Nasya: Herbal medication of nasal is called nasya. In the medictaion the excess bodily humors that accumulate in the sinus, throat, nose or head is eliminated by the means of the nearest possible opening, the nose.
Naimittika: A cause to achieve a specific result.
Nanatmaja: A result (disease) caused by single factor (dosha).
Neem: Margosa tree, Latin name: Azadirachta indica.
Netra: Eye.
Nidana: Cause of disease and investigating it.
Nidra: Sleep.
Nija: Innate, one's own, internal.
Niruha (Basti): An enema not of an oily kind.
Niyama: Restrain, regulate, to fix upon, control, check.

O

Ojas: Vigor, strength and vitality that is the essence of all tissues (dhatus). It means the life sap or the essence of immune system and spiritual energy. Ojas is a protoplasmic substance called the albumin and globulin that is formed during the biosynthesis of bodily tissues and strengthens the tissues. As ghee is the pure essence of milk, in the same way, this protoplasmic biological substance is the pure essence of biological tissue. In the churning process to make ghee, agni is created, electricity is created, which ionizes and separates the molecules of butter from buttermilk. In the same way, the end product of digested food plus agni(fire or warmth, body heat) creates the nutritional precursor called ahar rasa. Rasa dhaatu agni transfers the immature ahar rasa into mature sthayi rasa. Asthayi means mobile, unstable, unprocessed, and immature. Sthayi means stable, permanent, and mature. In that transformation, dhatu waste products, dhaatu by products and ojas is created.

P

Pachaka: It is the combination of bile and pancreatic juices located in an area between the stomach and the duodenum. It is one of the five subtypes of pitta and when malfunctions it causes burning sensation, increases appetitie, thirst, insomnia and jaundice.
Pachaniya: These are the natural substances that help in proper digestion.
Pakya: It is a Sanskrit word meaning decoction, boiling, and fermentation.
Panchakarma: According to ayurveda, this refers to the five cleansing therapies i.e. vaman, virechan, basti, nasya and rakta moksha. In literal terms these internal purification refer to vomiting, purgation, decoction enema, oily enema, and nasal medications.
Pitta: It is one of the three doshas i.e. the bile humor, entire hormones, enzymes, co-enzymes and agencies responsible for the physiochemical processes of the body.
Prakruti: According to the Samkhya definition this means unconscious, inherent relationship between self and matter. In other words it means one's life consumption. Prana: Literally meaning outgoing moving air, this is first of the five-vaayu subdoshas and is responsible for respiratory functions and regulating inhalation.
Pranayama: It is a breathing exercise for purifying the blood and vitalizing the inner organs. The three aspects of this exercise are inhalation, retention and exhalation with the aim of increasing the span of each aspect and more controlled.
Pratyahara: It is the fifth stage of yoga and means withdrawal and liberation of mind from the sense sand the objects.
Prayatna: It is a Sanskrit word meaning effort. Effort of vata is light, rapid whereas pitta's effort is sharp, penetrating and skillful and kapha's effort is heavy, dull and sleepy. Puraka: It is the inhalation aspect of pranayama i.e. the in breathing process.
Purgative: These are the herbs, natural substances that stimulate the bowel movement by eliminating the impurity from the lower part of the body.
Paneer: A type of fresh cheese made by curdling milk.
Para-ojas: High quality or superior vital fluid located in the heart.
Pariksha: Examination, inspection or investigation.
Pasava: Animal type, belonging to cattle or animal family.
Pascata karma: Post action, therapies induced after the main action (therapy).
Pichila: Slimy, lubricous, slippery, smeary.
Pippali: Long pepper, Latin name: Piper longum.
Pitta: Fire, bile, one of the three main biological energy in the body.
Prabhava: Effect, prominent, peculiar or special action of an herb.
Prajna: Wisdom, intelligence, knowledge.
Prajnaparadha: Not using intellect, offending the wisdom.
Prakopa: Vitiation, aggravation.
Prapti: Obtaining, attaining.