The words this book uses most

Sanatana Dharma: the eternal way. The tradition’s own name for itself.

Veda: the four root texts. The seers heard them. Nobody wrote them.

Upanishad: the last part of each Veda. The philosophy. The word means ‘sitting near’ a teacher.

Shruti and smriti: what was heard (the Vedas) and what was remembered (everything after).

Rishi: a seer. One who saw a truth already there.

Brahman: the one reality behind everything. No form, no edges.

Atman: the same reality as it is in you. The witness.

Jivatma: the Atman while it wears a body and a name. You, now.

Devata: a power of the one reality, given a face. Sun, fire, rain, speech.

Murti: a form the mind holds on to. Better ‘form’ than ‘idol.’

Dharma: what upholds. The right action of a thing, from fire to a daughter.

Karma: action, and the track action leaves behind in you.

Samsara: the wheel of birth and death. It has an exit.

Moksha: the exit. Freedom. The river reaching the sea.

Yoga: skill in action and evenness of mind. Postures are one limb of eight.

Tapas: effort which builds heat. Austerity, discipline, practice.

Yagna: a daily act of giving back. The fire ritual is one form of it.

Shastra: a text of teaching, or a field of knowledge. ‘The shastra says’ means ‘the texts say.’

Guna: one of the mind’s three settings. Clarity, drive, rest.

Shanti: peace. Said three times at the end of every prayer, for everyone.