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.