Samskara
(संस्कार)Literal Meaning
Sacrament; refining impression
Etymology & Sanskrit Root
From Sanskrit 'sam' (thoroughly) plus 'kri' (to make); both the traditional life-cycle rites (16 samskaras from birth to death) and the deep mental impressions accumulated by past actions that shape character.
Spiritual Insight & Context
The double meaning is deliberate — the outer ritual samskara (like naming or marriage) is meant to reinforce the inner samskara, cultivating good mental impressions that carry forward across lifetimes.