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San Diego College of AyurvedaSanskrit class, 8 Jan 2011
Overview of SanskritSanskrit is defined by SanskritSanskrit words are mostly derived from verbal roots with prefixes and suffixesSanskrit words tend to have a wide variety of potential meanings based on context
Sanskrit in AyurvedaAll primary texts are in SanskritTranslations are accurate but sometimes terse
ObjectivesCover basics of pronunciationCover some basic terms
Pronunciation
Why use diacritics?Some sounds are not present in EnglishLong and short vowels are important
Diacritics or no diacritics?Diacritics are used in Sanskrit course materials to help you gain the right pronunciation.
Sanskrit alphabet (varëa-krama)
Vowels and endings
a अ ä आ i इ é ई u उ ü ऊ å ऋ è ॠ ÿ ऌe ए ai ऐ o ओ au औ aà A& aù A"
Consonants
Velar ka क kha ख ga ग gha घ ìa ङ
Palatal ca च cha छ ja ज jha झ ï ञRetroflex öa ट öha ठ òa ड òha ढ ëa णDental ta त tha थ da द dha ध na नLabial pa प pha फ ba ब bha भ ma म
Semivowels ya य ra र la ल va व
Sibilants / fricative ça श ña ष sa स ha ह
Sandhi – combining words
ExternalYou’ll see this if you look at stanzas from books like Caraka-saàhitä
InternalCommon when making compoundsCompounds are usually hyphenated in the Sanskrit course material
Examplesmedas = fatmedo-dhätu = fatty tissueñaö = sixñaò-rasa = six tastes
Word list – 8 Jan 2011
äyurveda – from äyus meaning life, and veda meaning knowledge.
Äyurveda can be understood to mean knowledge of all the components of life and their interactions.
präëa – vital force which circulates throughout the body. Also refers specifically to
one of the five types of primary circulation, the life-sustaining intake of breath
dhätu – basis or foundation. In äyurveda this refers to a category or collection of
tissues
rasa – taste, liquid, blood plasma. This is a key term and appears in many different
contexts
ekam, dvi, tri, catur, païca, ñaö, sapta, añöa, nava, daça – Numbers from one to ten: one, two, three, four, five, six,
seven, eight, nine, ten
prathama, dvitéya, tritéya, caturtha, païcama, ñañöha, saptama, añöama, navama, daçama – Ordinal numbers: first, second,
third, fourth, fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, ninth, tenth
jan – Verbal root "to give birth or give rise to". This occurs frequently as a suffix, e.g.
rasaja-vyädhi, disease which arises due to [imbalance of] blood. As a noun, it becomes janma or birth. One of the many words for "mother" is janané (the one who gave birth [to you])
doña – defect, something which is to be balanced or rectified; in äyurveda, this
generally refers to one of the three doñas (tridoñas): väta, pitta, kapha
rakta – the color red, blood
mäàsa – muscle, meat
medas – fat. In sandhi with other words this usually becomes medo or medaù
asthi – bones
majjä – bone marrow
çukra – semen, seminal fluid
sapta-dhätu – the seven basic tissues or substances of the
physical body. These are considered to have an order of derivation, and appear below in that order
rasa-dhätu – blood plasma and extravascular fluid in general
rakta-dhätu – blood (red blood cells)
mäàsa-dhätu – muscular tissue
medo-dhätu – fatty tissue
asthi-dhätu – bone and cartalaginous tissue
majjä-dhätu – bone marrow tissue
çukra-dhätu – the vital reproductive essence which manifests as semen in
men and facilitates ovulation in women
ojas – refined essence of vitality
stana – female breast (mammary)
stanya – that which is related to the mammaries and lactation
åtu – season, menstruation (the "monthly season" or menses)
ärtava – that which is related to the menstrual cycle
çiras – the head. Becomes çiro in combination with other words
çirodhärä – a type of treatment involving a flow (dhärä) of liquid on the
head
sirä – veins
tvac – skin. Becomes tvak, tvacä, and other forms in combination with other words
puréña – stool
mutra – urine
sveda – sweat
nidrä – sleep
tandrä – lethargy or laziness
svapna – dreams, the state of dreaming (sleep)
indriya – the senses
manas – mind, the function of like and dislike, the center of sense perception where
pleasure and pain are experienced.
ätman – the self or soul. Ätmä is the singular form, and in compounds becomes ätma.
Ätmä in the sense of "self" can also refer to mind or body depending on context, but almost always means the soul or nonmaterial identity around which the layers of mind, intellect, ego, senses, and physical body are wrapped.