anāśrita

 Anāśrita (अनाश्रित) in Sanskrit broadly means “independent,” “unsupported,” or “detached,” referring to something or someone that does not rely on any other thing for existence or support

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General Definition

In Sanskrit dictionaries, anāśrita is an adjective formed from the 

negative prefix “an-” and the root “āśrita,” meaning "resting on" or

"dependent." Thus, anāśrita literally translates as “not dependent”

or “self-reliant”. It can describe someone or something that is

independent, detached, non-inherent, or able to exist without

external support 

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Philosophical Contexts

• Samkhya Philosophy: In Samkhya, anāśrita is used to describe 
• puruṣa (consciousness) or mūlaprakṛti (primordial matter) as
• independent or unsupported entities. For example, puruṣa is
• considered “unsupported” because it has no cause or dependency, 
• unlike the evolutes of prakṛti, which are āśrita (dependent) 
• on their source 

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Linguistic Usage

• As an adjective: It can describe beings, things, or philosophical 
• principles that are self-contained, independent, or detached.
• Compound forms and compounds: In textual Sanskrit, anāśrita 
• can appear as a tatpurusha compound emphasizing independence 
• or not being reliant on something else 

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• Broader contexts: The term is also applied metaphorically to 
• spiritual practitioners or principles that are self-reliant and not
• conditioned by external factors.
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Summary

Anāśrita = independent, unsupported, detached, or self-reliant, 

and is used across Sanskrit literature, philosophy, and religious

texts to denote autonomy or non-dependence. Its significance 

ranges from describing philosophical concepts in Samkhya to 

general use in Sanskrit grammar and spirituality 

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