Index and Glossary of Sanskrit and other Indian Terms

Note to the Index

This index comprises references from all original prose writings of Sri Aurobindo, that is, most of the material in the following volumes of the Sri Aurobindo Birth Centenary Library :

1) Bande Mataram

2) Karmayogin

3) The Harmony of Virtue

9) The Future Poetry

10) The Secret of the Veda

11) Hymns to the Mystic Fire

12) The Upanishads

13) Essays on the Gita

14) The Foundations of Indian Culture

15). Social and Political Thought

16) The Supramental Manifestation

17) The Hour of God

18-19) The Life Divine

20-21) The Synthesis of Yoga

22-24) Letters on Yoga

25) The Mother

26) On Himself

27) Supplement

Poems, other literary works, and translations have not been indexed; however some references from prose sections of the following volumes have been included :

5). Collected Poems

29) Savitri

The reader is advised to consult the Contents of the Centenary Library on pages 16-19 of this volume if he is not familiar with the material contained in the volumes listed above.

In the Introductory Note to this volume we have mentioned several factors which must be taken into consideration when making a relative evaluation of Sri Aurobindo's writings. The user of this index is urged to read that note and also to study the Bibliography on pages 19-44 of this volume and the Bibliographical Notes at the end of each of the volumes in order to acqullint himself-with the period and the nature of the material with which he is dealing. He should also take note of the context of the passage to which he refers, especially while consulting such books as The Life Divine, where Sri Aurobindo often presents at some length a position which is not his own.

In the index the volume number is printed in bold type, the page numbers in roman type. Thus the first reference (17: 27) is to page 27 of Volume 17, The Hour of God.

References are made to the subject treated per se. Thus while the whole of Volume 13, Essays on the Gita, deals with the Gita, only the pages of the book where the Gita has been discussed as a distinct entity have been listed under the main heading Gita; so also “Yoga” in The Synthesis of Yoga, “India” in The Foundations of Indan Culture, “Spiritual evolution” in The Life Divine, etc.

The index is structured according to the usual system : main heading, subheading and sub-subheading. Note that:

(1) Certain large or complex terms have, for convenience, been represented by two or more main headings distinguished from one another by superior figures (e.g. Ascent1 and Ascent2).

(2) References without subheadings fall into two main categories: (a) large general discussions of the subject, and (b) very brief but significant references.

(3) Subheadings are given only as a first indication and should not be considered as exhaustive statements of how the subject is treated on a given page.

(4 ) Certain subjects have been placed under broad generic main headings, e.g. “sun”,. under Symbol, specific symbols; “sonnet” under Poetry ; “Hindu-Mahomedan question” under Indian National Movement; etc.

(5) Literary works are placed under the author after other subheadings, if any.

Cross-references are given in bold type at the end of many entries. Here see also indicates an identity or close relationship between the terms in question, cf. (compare) a more indefinite relationship, and the asterisk (*) that at the designated main heading only are listed a number of related terms.