In this episode of “5 Minutes,” Dr. Robert Svoboda explores seven Sanskrit words for love.

The first word is rati. Rati is the name of the wife of the Indian Cupid, or Eros, whose name is Kamadeva. The word rati means carnal desire, so it refers to a very intense and passionate form of love.

The next word is kama. Kama is the husband of Rati, and kama means strong desire or lust. It can also be understood as a form of love, but one that is strongly activated by desire.

The next word is anuraga. Anu means something smaller or specific, while raga can mean a musical mode, the colour red, inflammation, passion, or something by which one is completely overwhelmed. This passion does not necessarily have to be sexual, but it is intense, active, and deeply felt.

The next word is more often used as a verbal root than as a noun. That root is van. It carries the meaning of gaining or winning, as in wanting to win the love of someone. From the same root also comes the word vana, meaning forest, though the connection between the two is not clear.

The next root is ranja, which is also mainly used as a verb. Ranja means to become coloured or to colour something. When two people participate in the experience of love, life can become more colourful. This word continues to be used in languages other than Sanskrit to express strong emotion and passion.

Then we have the root pri. From pri come the words prema, priya, and priti, all of which relate to love. They can refer to romantic love, while prema is also often used for love of a deity or love between family members.

The final word is sneha. Sneha is related to the word snigdha, which means oily or unctuous. It suggests the kind of love that is nourishing and freely given, like oil being applied to the body. Sneha is often associated with maternal love. It is not possessive or demanding, but naturally flows towards the one who receives it.

There are many forms of love and many Sanskrit words to describe them. In the end, they all lead back to love.