Composing…
कीर्तन
kīrtana
Glorification through song; second of the nine modes of bhakti. Often call-and-response with chorus, instruments (mridanga, harmonium, kartal).
कीर्तन; नाम-गायन।
Hindu thought is built from a vocabulary of carefully-distinguished terms. Words like kirtan are not loose translations — each has a precise scriptural genealogy, a specific role in ritual or philosophy, and often a counterpart that completes its meaning. Many of the major Hindu darśanas (Sāṅkhya, Yoga, Vedānta, Mīmāṃsā, Nyāya, Vaiśeṣika) refined their vocabulary over centuries; the same Sanskrit term can carry different shades in different schools.
Kirtan sits within a cluster of related concepts — sankirtan, navadha-bhakti, bhajan. Reading these together gives you the actual texture of the idea, rather than treating it as an isolated definition. Each Sanskrit term in this glossary is cross-linked to the others it presupposes.
Where useful we cite the primary scriptural source — the Upaniṣad, sūtra, or smṛti passage where the term is given its classical sense — alongside trusted modern dictionaries (Monier-Williams, V.S. Apte, Sanskrit Heritage). For practical questions about usage in pūjā or daily life, ask a paṇḍita in your tradition.
Group singing of God's names; central practice of Gaudiya Vaishnavism. Five forms: nama, rupa, guna, parikara, lila. The Hare Krishna Mahamantra is the standard nama-sankirtan.
Devotional song. Tradition includes pad/dohas of Mira, Surdas, Kabir, Tulsidas, Tukaram, Eknath, Narsinh Mehta, Tyagaraja. Often sung as group satsang.
Posture; the third limb of Patanjali's yoga. Patanjali defines it simply as 'sthira-sukham' (steady and comfortable). The Hatha tradition expanded this into the asana system known globally today.
Devotional song. Tradition includes pad/dohas of Mira, Surdas, Kabir, Tulsidas, Tukaram, Eknath, Narsinh Mehta, Tyagaraja. Often sung as group satsang.
Seed; bija-mantras are seed syllables — single-syllable mantras that contain the energy of a deity. Examples: Om, Hrim, Klim, Shrim, Aim, Hum, Phat. Used at the start of longer mantras.
Concentration; the sixth limb of Patanjali's yoga; binding the mind to one place, object, or idea.
Meditation; sustained, uninterrupted contemplation of one object. The seventh limb of Patanjali's yoga, between dharana (concentration) and samadhi (absorption).
The yoga of forceful disciplining of body and breath — asana, pranayama, mudra, bandha, shatkarma, nadanusandhana. Foundation of modern global yoga. Hatha = ha (sun) + tha (moon) = uniting opposites.
Repetitive recitation of a mantra. Three modes: vaikhari (audible), upamshu (whispered), manasika (mental — most powerful). Counted on a mala of 108 beads.
(1) Patanjali's threefold preliminary practice: tapas, svadhyaya, ishvara-pranidhana (YS 2.1). (2) Modern Kriya Yoga of Lahiri Mahasaya / Yogananda — pranayama-based meditation technique.
Awaiting paṇḍita verification before final publication. If you spot an inaccuracy in the Sanskrit, IAST, or interpretation, please write to us.