Light on Yoga: The Bible of Modern Yoga

Klesa

Kona.

Krauncha

Krishna.

Kriyii

Krkara

Krta.

K�atriya
K�ipta
Kukkuta •
Kumiira­
sambhava
Kumbha
Kumbhaka

Kundalin'i

Kurma

Laghu

Laksmana.

Laksm'i.

Lalata

Lanka

Pain, anguish, suffering.

An eagle.

Glossary 523

A bird like a heron, the name of a mountain.

The most celebrated hero in Hindu mythology. The

eighth incarnation of Visnu...

An expiatory rite, a cleaning process.

Name of one of the subsidiary vital airs, whose

function is to prevent substances going up the nasal

passages and throat by bringing on sneezes and

coughing.

N arne of the first of the four ages of the world of

men.

A member of the warrior class.

Distracted, neglected.

A cock.

See Kartikeya.

A water pot, a pitcher, a chalice.

Kumbhaka is the interval of time or retention of

breath after full inhalation or after full exhalation.

The Kundalini'.. (kund.. ala=the coil of a rope; Kun-.

9-alini' =a coiled female serpent) is the divine cosmic

energy. This force or energy is symbolised as a coiled

and sleeping serpent lying dormant in the lowest

nerve centre at the base of the spinal column, the

Miiladhara-chakra. This latent energy has to be

aroused and made to ascend the main spinal channel,

the Su�umJ?.a piercing the chakras right up to the

Sahasrara, the thousand-petalled lotus in the head.

Then the Yogi is in union with the Supreme Uni­

versal Soul.

A tortoise. It is also the name of one of the subsidiary

vital airs whose function is to control the movements

of the eyelids to prevent foreign matter or too bright

a light going into the eyes.

Little, small. It also means handsome.

A brother of Rama, hero of the epic Ramaya�a.

The goddess of beauty and fortune, consort of

Visnu...

The forehead. It is also the name of a chakra.

The kingdom of the demon king Rava�a. It 1s

identified with Ceylon.