Ishvara
/ˈɪʃvərə/noun
A Sanskrit term meaning lord, master, ruler, or a personal deity, especially in Hindu philosophy and yoga.
Did you know?In Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras, Ishvara is described as a special purusha—an untouched spiritual consciousness—and devotion to Ishvara is presented as a path toward meditation and liberation.
Etymological Timeline
Vedic Sanskrit
Sanskrit
īś
“To own, possess, be powerful, or rule; the verbal root underlying the concept of lordship.”
Late Vedic Sanskrit
Sanskrit
īśvara
“Lord, master, ruler, or one who possesses power.”
Classical Sanskrit
Sanskrit
Īśvara
“A divine lord or supreme ruler; in different traditions, God, Shiva, or the personal deity.”
Early Common Era
Sanskrit
Īśvara
“A central theological term in Hindu philosophical and devotional texts, including Yoga and Vedanta.”
Medieval Indian languages
Prakrit/Pali
Issara
“A regional form meaning lord, master, or powerful person.”
Modern English
English
Ishvara
“A transliterated Sanskrit term used in scholarship, yoga, Hindu studies, and spiritual writing.”
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