Swami

Swami is a primarily Hindu honorific, loosely akin to "master". It is derived from the Sanskrit language and means "owner of oneself", denoting complete mastery over instinctive and lower urges. It is a title added to one's name to emphasize learning and, of course, mastery of a specific field of knowledge, most often religious and/or spiritual. Many great yogis and gurus (teachers) of the Hindu tradition hold the title of Swami along with their names, as Swami Vivekananda or Swami Sivananda.

In the Bengali language, the word (pronounced SHA-mi) while carrying its original meaning, has a dual meaning as 'husband'.