| Term | Meaning |
| Sadhak | Seeker or spiritual practitioner |
| Sadhana | Spiritual or devotional practice |
| Sadhvi | Female sadhu who has renounced the worldly life |
| Saguna | Manifested, having form and/or qualities |
| Sama | Restraint of mind |
| Samadhi | Super-conscious blissful state or communion with the God |
| Samsara | Worldly life |
| Samskaras | Karma impressions on mind - combination of Trigunas |
| Sanatana Dharma | Law of Eternal or Universal Righteousness |
| Sanchita Karma | Accumulated account of actions, Accumulated total credit and debit Karma balances in account. Both and maintained separately. |
| Sandeha | Doubt |
| Sankalpa | Thought or will |
| Sankalpa-Vikalpa | Will and doubts |
| Sannyasi | Monk |
| Santosh, Santosha | Contentment |
| Sanyas, Sanyasa | Renunciation, renounced life |
| Sanyasin | Female monk |
| Sashtras, Sastras | Scriptures |
| Sat-Chit, Satchit | Existence-Consciousness |
| Satchidananda Brahman | Identify oneself with the infinite "I", the Bliss, the Atman |
| Satchidananda, Sat-chid-ananda | Existence-consciousness-bliss |
| Satsanga | Company of the holy |
| Sattva | Divine purity |
| Sattvic | Divine, holy |
| Satya, Sathya | Truth |
| Satya-Achara | True living. This is opposite of false living (mithya-achara) |
| Sauca, Shucha, Sucha | Internal and external purity |
| Seva | Divine service, Service performed at Guru"s Ashram or Math |
| Shakti | Energy, Divine power |
| Shankh | Conch |
| Shanti | Peace, tranquility |
| Shlokas, Slokas | Verses |
| Shraddha | Faith |
| Shruti | Not of human agency - they are supposed to have been directly revealed. Shrutis are the sacred text revealed directly by God to Man (Rishis) |
| Siddhis | Supernatural, divine powers |
| Smaran, Smarana | Remembering |
| Smruti | Memory |
| Sraddha | Faith, belief |
| Sreyas Marga | Spiritual path, This is opposite to Preyas Marga (sensual life) |
| Sukh | Happiness |
| Sushumna (Nadi) | Sushumna is one of three important Nadis of human energy center. The other two are Ida and Pingala. Nadis are astral tubes or subtle energy channels carrying abundance of Prana. Human body carries 72,000 Nadis that are not visible to naked eye. Kundalini is one of the primary components of man"s "subtle body", which consists of 72,000 nadis (subtle energy channels), chakras (psychic centres), prana (subtle energy), and bindu (drops of essence).
Kundalini travels thru Sushumna. Kundalini Yoga is about purification of 72,000 Nadis. When Sushumna is pure, then only will the Kundalini pass through it. The progress of kundalini through the different chakras leads to different levels of awakening and mystical experiences, until the Kundalini finally reaches the top of the head, Sahasrara chakra, attaining the Self-Realization or enlightenment or moksha. When kundalini is taken to the Sahasrara (the crown of the head), when she is united with Lord Siva, perfect Samadhi (super-conscious, blissful state) ensues. Here the Yogi drinks the nectar of immortality. |
| Swadhyay, Swadhyaya | Study of scriptures and literature written by realized sages. Svadhyaya is also inquiry of the nature of Atman
(Self), or "Who am I?". It is the fourth anga (limb) of Niyama (discipline) in Raja Yoga. It is recitation of mantras (sacred formulas) also. Svadhyaya is Satsanga (company of holy ones). Svadhyaya clears doubts, it strengthens the faith, it induces strong yearning for liberation or aspiration, it gives encouragement and illumination. . It inspires the mind and fills it with Sattva (divine purity). It helps concentration and meditation. |
| Swaroop | Own-self, the essential nature of Brahman |