Kriya
/ˈkriː.jə/noun
A ritual action, practice, or technique, especially one used in Hindu or yogic traditions.
Did you know?In Sanskrit philosophy, kriya is not merely meditation: it is purposeful action, and Kriya Yoga became especially famous through 19th-century teachers such as Lahiri Mahasaya.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*kwer-
“To make or do; a proposed ancestral root connected with Sanskrit kṛ.”
Vedic Sanskrit
Sanskrit
kṛ
“To do, make, perform, or accomplish.”
Classical Sanskrit
Sanskrit
kriyā
“Action, activity, performance, or a ritual act.”
Medieval Sanskrit
Sanskrit
kriyā
“A religious rite, disciplined practice, or purposeful spiritual action.”
19th Century
English loanword
kriya
“A Sanskrit term used in English-language discussions of yoga and Hindu practice.”
Modern English
English
kriya
“A yogic technique or ritual practice, especially in the expression “Kriya Yoga.””