anākāra

 Anākāra (अनाकार) in Sanskrit primarily means “formless” or “shapeless” and is often used as an epithet for the Supreme Being or to describe a state beyond material forms.

Etymology and Literal Meaning

The Sanskrit word anākāra is a compound of ‘an’ (negation) 

and ‘ākāra’ (form, shape), literally translating to “without form” 

or “formless”

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 . It serves as an adjective applicable 

to masculine, feminine, or neuter nouns, reflecting the absence of 

physical or conceptual structure 

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Usage in Philosophical and Religious Contexts

Hinduism

In Hindu yogic and philosophical texts, anākāra denotes that which is

beyond form, often used to describe Samādhi (a deep meditative 

absorption) and Paratattva (the highest reality). The Amanaska Yoga

treatise, for instance, qualifies the ultimate reality as anākāra, 

highlighting its transcendent and non-conceptual nature 

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Sanskrit Dictionaries

• Monier-Williams and other Sanskrit dictionaries consistently define 
• anākāra as shapeless, formless, and epithet of the Supreme Being

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• It also appears in Prakrit-related forms such as Aṇagāra or Aṇākāra

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Summary

In essence, anākāra is a concept that transcends material or conceptual 

forms, whether applied to the ultimate reality in Hinduism. Grammatically,

it is an adjective formed by negating the word “ākāra” (form) and

emphasizes formlessness, shapelessness, and

transcendence

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This term is central to meditative and philosophical discourse in

Sanskrit literature, reflecting a universal notion of the ineffable,

immaterial, and fundamental essence underlying existence.