Ayurveda glossary & terms

Ayurveda has many specific terms. Below you will find the meaning of some of these words. Most of them are in Sanskrit, the language of the advanced Vedic culture from which Ayurveda originates.

A B C D G J K L M N O P R S T U V Y

A

Abhyanga
oil massage, ideally performed in sync by 2 therapists; one of the treatment steps of a panchakarma cure.

Agni
digestive fire, digestive power.

Aap
Sanskrit term for the element water, the liquid.

Akasha
Sanskrit term for the element space, the boundless.

Alochaka pitta
a sub-dosha of pitta. Its main location is the visual system, including the eyes and the visual cortex in the brain.

Ama
waste products and toxins that have accumulated in the body and block the proper functioning of body and mind.

Amalaki (also called amla)
a berry highly valued in Ayurveda. It has 5 of the 6 basic tastes (sweet, sour, astringent, bitter, pungent) and the special ability to balance all 3 doshas.

Amrit
nectar of life.

Apana vata
a sub-dosha of vata. Its main location is the lower abdomen, the large intestine down to the rectum, the bladder, uterus, prostate, kidneys, sexual organs, hips and groin.

Arishta
see asava.

Asana
see yoga asana.

Asava
liquid preparation of fermented herbs and spices.

Asthi dhatu
bone tissue; hair and nails are part of it. It is the 5th dhatu, formed from rasa, rakta, mamsa and meda.

Avalambaka
sub-dosha of kapha. Main location in the heart, chest, lungs and the middle and lower back.

Ayurveda
“the science of a long and healthy life”. Ayurveda has its origins in the Vedic culture that flourished in India thousands of years ago. Its aim is the balance of body and mind, the basis of a healthy and happy life. Ayurveda is the oldest and most comprehensive health system in the world.

Ayus
life, lifespan.

B

Bhasma [b’hasma]
special Ayurvedic mineral-based preparations, used as rasayanas.

Bhodaka kapha [b’hodaka]
sub-dosha of kapha. Main location in the tongue, throat, palate and salivary glands.

Bhrajaka pitta [b’hrajaka]
sub-dosha of pitta. Its main location is the skin.

C

Churna
powder, spice blend.

Classical Vedic culture
the oldest evidence of the classical Vedic culture of the Indus dates back 5,000 years. It is said to have lived in perfect harmony with nature, its inhabitants experiencing “heaven on earth”. It had very precise knowledge in many fields: health, surgery, anatomy, astronomy, mathematics and the development of consciousness. Ayurveda also originates from it.

D

Dal
dish made from pulses.

Dhatu
body tissue. Ayurveda distinguishes 7, which follow one another from the coarsest to the finest: rasa, rakta, mamsa, meda, asthi, majja, shukra.

Dhatu agni
responsible for forming the body tissues. There are 7 dhatu agnis (fires) in total, corresponding to the 7 dhatus.

Dosha
there are 3 doshas in total. The word can be roughly translated as “basic active principles”. The 3 doshas are called vata, pitta and kapha and play a fundamental role in nature as well as in our body and mind. Their natural proportion varies from person to person. When all three are in balance, we enjoy good health and radiate natural beauty. Rebalancing doshas that are in excess is one of the most important tasks of Ayurveda.

G

Gandharva Veda
“the eternal music of nature”.

Garshan
dry massage with silk gloves.

Ghee
clarified butter.

Guna
Ayurvedic term for “quality”.

J

Jyotish
Vedic astrology.

K

Kapha
one of the 3 basic active principles (doshas) of nature. Kapha is responsible for structure and consists of the subtle elements earth and water.

Kalash
“vessel”; “Amrit Kalash” means “the vessel that contains the nectar of life”.

Kledaka kapha
sub-dosha of kapha. Its main location is the upper part of the stomach.

L

Lassi
yoghurt-based drink.

M

Maharishi
“maha” means “great” and “rishi” “seer”, “one who knows the Veda through inner vision”.

Maharishi Amrit Kalash
the most important of the rasayanas.

Maharishi Ayurveda
the complete and original form of Ayurveda, revived under the direction of Maharishi Mahesh Yogi in collaboration with renowned Indian Ayurveda experts.

Maharishi Mahesh Yogi
Vedic master and scholar, founder of Maharishi Ayurveda.

Majja dhatu
nerve tissue, bone marrow and brain cells. It is the 6th dhatu.

Mamsa dhatu
muscle tissue. The 3rd dhatu.

Meda dhatu
fatty tissue. The 4th dhatu.

Transcendental Meditation
the development of consciousness is an essential part of Ayurveda. Transcendental Meditation is a Vedic technique of consciousness for attaining deep rest. Despite – or precisely because of – being completely simple and effortless, it is particularly effective. This has been confirmed by numerous scientific studies.

N

Nasya
one of the 5 purification procedures of panchakarma, a nasal treatment that acts on the sinuses and the whole head area.

Nidra
“sleep”.

O

Ojas
the finest substance produced by perfect digestion, linking consciousness and body.

P

Pachaka pitta
sub-dosha of pitta. Main location in the stomach, duodenum and small intestine.

Panchakarma
means “the 5 treatments” and refers to the Ayurvedic cure, excellent for eliminating ama (toxins) and balancing the doshas.

Pitta
one of the three basic active principles (doshas) in nature. Pitta is responsible for metabolism. It consists mainly of the subtle element fire, with a little of the subtle element water.

Prabhava
Ayurvedic term for “special effect”.

Prana
subtle energy, found among other places in the breath and the nervous system.

Prana vata
sub-dosha of vata. Main location in the head, throat, tongue, mouth, nose and chest (including the heart and respiratory organs).

Prithvi
Sanskrit word for the element earth; the solid, what creates structure.

R

Raga
a piece of music from the Gandharva Veda.

Rajas
mental dosha (one of the three gunas). In a mind shaped by rajas, motivation, passion and identification predominate. Rajasic foods are stimulating and can overstimulate the nervous system.

Rakta dhatu
blood tissue. According to Ayurveda, it develops from the 1st tissue, rasa.

Ranjaka pitta
sub-dosha of pitta. Main location in the liver, bile, pancreas, duodenum and spleen.

Rasa
Ayurvedic term for “taste”.

Rasa dhatu
the first tissue, the plasma produced by digestion; it nourishes and builds all the following dhatus.

Rasayana
blend of Ayurvedic herbs and minerals.

S

Sadhaka pitta
sub-dosha of pitta. Its main location is the heart.

Samana vata
sub-dosha of vata. Main location in the gastrointestinal tract and the shrotas (channels) for transporting doshas, sweat and fluids.

Sanskrit
the language of classical Vedic culture. The Ayurvedic treatises are written in Sanskrit.

Sattva
mental dosha (one of the three gunas), “purity”. In a mind shaped by sattva, harmony, peace and knowledge predominate. Sattvic foods are fresh and full of vital energy.

Shirodhara
pouring of oil onto the forehead. One of the treatments of the Ayurvedic cure.

Shleshaka kapha
sub-dosha of kapha. Main location in the joints, the skin and the whole body.

Shukra dhatu
reproductive cells and organs. It is the last and therefore the subtlest of the dhatus. A person’s fertility therefore depends on the proper functioning not only of this dhatu but also of the 6 preceding ones.

Smriti
“remembering, returning to consciousness”.

Sthapatya Veda
the science of classical Vedic culture dealing with the construction of buildings in harmony with the laws of nature, to ensure health and happiness for their occupants.

Sub-dosha
subdivision of a dosha; each dosha can be divided into 5 sub-doshas, active in specific regions of the body.

Sushruta Samhita
classical Ayurvedic text dealing mainly with surgery.

T

Tamas
mental dosha (one of the three gunas). In a mind shaped by tamas, heaviness, resistance and ignorance predominate. Tamasic foods include foods that are hard to digest, canned foods and industrial ready-made products lacking vital energy.

Tarpaka kapha
sub-dosha of kapha. Main location in the head, nervous system, spinal cord, sinuses and olfactory organs.

Tej or Tejas
Sanskrit term for the element fire; the principle of transformation.

U

Udana vata
sub-dosha of vata. Main location in the navel, chest, throat, neck, respiratory tract, sinuses and maxillary sinus.

V

Vaidya
Ayurvedic scholar, Ayurvedic physician.

Vata
one of the three active principles (doshas) in nature. Vata is responsible for movement. It consists of the subtle elements ether (space) and air.

Vayu
Sanskrit term for the element air; the principle of movement.

Veda
“knowledge”, “the universal source of order in nature”. The word “Veda” means knowledge of all the laws of nature, their structuring dynamics and their mechanisms of transformation. These laws govern the infinite complexity of creation in perfect order and thus ensure the evolution of life. The Veda is totality, complete rest and complete dynamism, comprehensive, infinite knowledge.

Vipaka
Ayurvedic term for the “post-digestive taste (effect)”.

Virya
Ayurvedic term for the “effect during digestion”.

Vyana vata
sub-dosha of vata. Its main location is spread throughout the whole body.

Y

Yoga asana
physical exercises and postures (“asanas”) to develop and harmonise body and mind and to experience the subtler levels of thought connected with the experience of “unity” (“yoga”).