Marga
/ˈmɑːrɡə/noun
A spiritual path or way to liberation in Hinduism and related Indian religious traditions.
Did you know?Hindu traditions describe several margas, including jnana marga—the path of knowledge—bhakti marga—the path of devotion—and karma marga—the path of disciplined action.
Etymological Timeline
Proto-Indo-European
PIE
*merg-
“A reconstructed root associated with a boundary, edge, or limit; its connection to Sanskrit mārga is proposed but not completely certain.”
Ancient Sanskrit
Sanskrit
mārga
“A road, path, way, or route; later, a spiritual way toward religious liberation.”
Classical Indian philosophy
Sanskrit
mārga
“A method or disciplined path of spiritual practice, especially a path leading toward moksha.”
Medieval and Modern Indian languages
Hindi/Sanskrit
mārga / mārg
“A road, route, method, or religious path.”
Modern English
English
marga
“A borrowed term for a spiritual path or way to liberation, especially in Hindu contexts.”