Alhassanain(p) Network for Heritage and Islamic Thought

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pada: (Sanskrit) "A step, pace, stride; footstep, trace."

pada: (Sanskrit) "The foot (of men and animals); quarter-part, section; stage; path." Names the major sections of the Agamic texts and the corresponding stages of practice and unfoldment on the path to moksha. According to Saiva Siddhanta, there are four padas, which are successive and cumulative; i.e. in accomplishing each one the soul prepares itself for the next. (In Tamil, Saiva Siddhanta is also known as Nalu-pada, "four-stage," Saivam.)--charya pada: "Good conduct stage." Stage one, learning to live righteously, serve selflessly, performing karma yoga. It is also known as dasa marga, "path of the slave," a time when the aspirant relates to God as a servant to a master. Traditional acts of charya include cleaning the temple, lighting lamps and collecting flowers for worship. Worship at this stage is mostly external.--kriya pada: "Religious action; worship stage." Stage of bhakti yoga, of cultivating devotion through performing puja and regular daily sadhana. It is also known as the satputra marga, "true son's way," as the soul now relates to God as a son to his father. A central practice of the kriya pada is performing daily puja.--yoga pada: "Stage of union." Having matured in the charya and kriya padas, the soul now turns to internalized worship and raja yoga under the guidance of a satguru. It is a time of sadhana and serious striving when realization of the Self is the goal. It is the sakha marga, "way of the friend," for now God is looked upon as an intimate friend.--jnana pada: "Stage of wisdom." Once the soul has attained Realization, it is henceforth a wise one, who lives out the life of the body, shedding blessings on mankind. This stage is also called the San Marga, "true path," on which God is our dearest beloved. The Tirumantiram describes the fulfillment of each stage as follows. In charya, the soul forges a kindred tie in "God's world" (salokya). In kriya it attains "nearness" (samipya) to Him. In yoga it attains "likeness" (sarupya) with Him. In jnana the soul enjoys the ultimate bliss of identity (sayujya) with Siva. See: jnana, nirvani and upadeshi.

padapuja: (Sanskrit) "Foot worship." Ceremonial worship of the guru's sandals or holy feet, often through ablution with precious substances and offering of fruit and flowers. After the ceremony, the water of the bath, the fruit and other precious substances are partaken of as prasada by the devotees. See: guru, guru bhakti, paduka, prasada, ucchishta.

padartha: (Sanskrit) "Constituent substance." Primary categories or essential elements of existence, defined differently or uniquely by each philosophical school. For example, in the Sankhya Darshana, the padarthas are purusha (spirit) and prakriti (matter). According to Advaita Vedanta, they are chit (spirit) and achit (nonspirit), which from an absolute perspective are taken as the One padartha, Brahman. In Shakta and Saiva traditions, the padarthas are Pati (God), pashu (soul) and pasha (world, or bonds).

paddhati: (Sanskrit) "Foot-path; track; guide." The name of a class of expository writings, e.g., Gorakshanatha's Siddha Siddhanta Paddhati, and the many paddhatis that are guidebooks for ritual temple rites. There are paddhatis for the Vedas and for the Agamas.

padma: (Sanskrit) The lotus flower, Nelumbo nucifera, symbol of spiritual development and the chakras. Because it grows out of mud and rises to perfect purity and glory, it is an apt representation of spiritual unfoldment.

Padma Purana: (Sanskrit) One of the six main Vishnu Puranas.

paduka: (Sanskrit) "Sandals." Sri Paduka refers to the sandals of the preceptor, the traditional icon of the guru, representing his venerable feet and worshiped as the source of grace. Paduka also names one of Vira Saivism's eight aids (ashtavarana) to faith--the practice of drinking the water from the ceremonial washing of the Sivalinga or the guru's feet. See: guru bhakti, padapuja, prasada, satguru, ucchishta.

pagan: Term used negatively by Semitic faiths to indicate a follower of another religion, or of no religion. Also names the pre-Christian religion of Europe, akin to shamanism and other of the world's indigenous faiths, which have survived to this day despite organized persecution. Pagans are gradually surfacing again, and have acknowledged their kinship with Hinduism. See: mysticism, shamanism.

pageantry: A spectacular and grand representation, elaborately decorated show, procession, drama, etc. See: festival.

Paingala Upanishad: (Sanskrit) Belongs to the Shukla Yajur Veda. A 12-verse dialog between Sage Yajnavalkya and his disciple Paingala covering a wide range of topics, including liberation and the five sheaths of man.

panchabhuta: (Sanskrit) "Five elements." Earth, water, fire, air and ether. Also called mahabhuta. See: indriya, tattva.

panchachara: (Sanskrit) "Five rules." The five Vira Saivite codes of conduct.--Lingachara: Daily worship of the Sivalinga. --sadachara: attention to vocation and duty.--Sivachara: Acknowledging Siva as the one God and observing equality among members.--bhrityachara: Humility toward all creatures.--ganachara: defense of the community and its tenets.

Pancha Ganapati Utsava: (Sanskrit) "Five-fold Ganapati festival." A modern five-day festival observed from the 21st through 25th of December. Pancha (five) denotes Ganesha's five faces, each representing a specific power (shakti). One face is worshiped each day, creating 1) harmony in the home, 2) concord among relatives, neighbors and friends, 3) good business and public relations, 4) cultural upliftment and 5) heartfelt charity and religiousness. The festival, a favorite among children, was conceived in 1985 by Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami along with elders of various Hindu sects. It is a time of sharing gifts, renewing ties of family and friendship while focusing inwardly on this great God of abundance. See: Ganesha.

Panchakshara Mantra: (Sanskrit) "Five-syllabled incantation." Saivism's most sacred mantra. See: Namah Sivaya.

Panchamukha Ganapati: (Sanskrit) "Five-faced Ganapati." A special form of Lord Ganesha with five faces; similar to Siddhi Ganapati.

pancha nitya karma(s): (Sanskrit) "Five constant duties." A traditional regimen of religious practice for Hindus: 1) dharma (virtuous living), 2) upasana (worship), 3) utsava (holy days), 4) tirthayatra (pilgrimage) and 5) samskaras (sacraments.) See: dharma, festival, samskara, tirthayatra.

Pancharatra: (Sanskrit) An ancient name of Vaishnavism. The term literally means "five nights," but may be a corruption of pancharatha ("five vehicles, ways or paths"), thought to indicate five ancient sects in the vicinity of Mathura that eventually merged into one with the worship of Krishna.

Pancharatra Agama(s): (Sanskrit) The most popular of the two major groups of Vaishnava Agamas (the other being the Vaikasana Agamas).

Panchartha Bhashya: (Sanskrit) Commentary by Kaundinya (ca 100) on Lakulisha's Pashupata Sutras, one of the few extant philosophical texts of Pashupata Saivism. It was rediscovered in 1930. See: Pashupata Saivism.

pancha shraddha: (Sanskrit) "Five faiths." A concise summary of Hindu belief exactly correlated to the "five constant practices," pancha nitya karmas. The pancha shraddha are 1) sarva Brahman: God is All in all, soul is divine; 2) mandira: belief in temples and divine beings; 3) karma: cosmic justice; 4) samsaramoksha: rebirth brings enlightenment and liberation; 5) Vedas and satguru: the necessity of scripture and preceptor. See: pancha nitya karma.

Panchatantra: (Sanskrit) The collection of animal stories used by sage Vishnu Sharma to teach the king's sons the "art of practical life." They were written down in Sanskrit in about 200 bce, but existed previously as part of oral tradition. The engaging stories have migrated all over the world to reappear in Aesop's Fables, Arabian Nights, Canterbury Tales and in ancient Chinese and Japanese works. See: folk-narratives, mythology.

panchayatana puja: (Sanskrit) "Five-shrine worship." A system of personal worship, thought to have developed after the 7th century, in the Smarta brahminical tradition, and which is now part of orthodox daily practice for Smartas. The ritual involves the worship of five Deities: Vishnu, Siva, Surya, Ganesha and Shakti. The five are represented by small murtis, or by five kinds of stones, or by five marks drawn on the floor. One is placed in the center as the devotee's preferred God, Ishta Devata, and the other four in a square around it. Kumara, often added as a sixth Deity, is generally situated behind the Ishta Devata. Philosophically, all are seen by Smartas as equal reflections of the one Saguna Brahman, rather than as distinct beings. This arrangement is also represented in Smarta temples, with one in a central sanctum, and the others installed in smaller shrines. Each God may be worshiped in any of His/Her traditional aspects or incarnations, allowing for much variety (e.g., Shakti as Lakshmi, Vishnu as Rama, and Siva as Bhairava). With the addition of the sixth Deity, Kumara, the system is known as shanmata, "six-fold path." This system has laid the foundation for the modern secular or neo-Indian religion, in which Hindus freely add Jesus, mother Mary, Mohammed, Buddha or any other holy personage to their altars. This modern approach has no basis in traditional scripture of any kind. See: Ishta Devata, neo-Indian religion, shanmata sthapanacharya, Smartism.

pandit (pandita): (Sanskrit) "Learned one." Hindu religious scholar or theologian, a man well versed in philosophy, liturgy, religious law and sacred science.

panentheism: "All-in-God doctrine." The view that the universe is part of the being of God, as distinguished from pantheism ("all-is-God doctrine"), which identifies God with the total reality. In contrast, panentheism holds that God pervades the world, but is also beyond it. He is immanent and transcendent, relative and Absolute. This embracing of opposites is called dipolar. For the panentheist, God is in all, and all is in God. Panentheism is the technical term for monistic theism. See: Advaita Ishvaravada, dvaita-advaita, monistic theism, pantheism.

pantheism: "All-is-God doctrine." A term applied to a variety of philosophical position in which God and the world are identical. To the pantheist, God is not a Personal Lord, nor a transcendent or formless Being, but is the totality of all existence, including universal laws, movement, matter, etc. See: monistic theism, panentheism.

papa: (Sanskrit) "Wickedness; sin, crime." 1) Bad or evil. 2) Wrongful action. 3) Demerit earned through wrongdoing. Papa includes all forms of wrongdoing, from the simplest infraction to the most heinous crime, such as premeditated murder. Each act of papa carries its karmic consequence, karmaphala, "fruit of action," for which scriptures delineate specific penance for expiation. Those who have awakened psychic sight can clearly see papa in the inner subconscious aura as a colorful, sticky, astral substance. Papa is seen as dark unrelated colors, whereas its counterpart, punya, is seen as pastels. The color arrangements are not unlike modern art murals. Papa colors can produce disease, depression, loneliness and such, but can be dissolved through penance (prayashchitta), austerity (tapas) and good deeds (sukritya).

There are specific consequences, karmaphala, "fruit of action," that result from each type of transgression of dharma. For example, a man who steals from his neighbors creates a cosmic debt which may be repaid later by having his own possessions taken away. There are also specific penances, prayashchitta, that can be performed for atonement and the accrual of punya (merit) to balance out the papa, the negative karma of the wrongful act. Such disciplines are provided in the various Dharma Shastras and prescribed by knowing preceptors, panditas, shastris, swamis, yogis and village elders according to the varna and education of the individual.

For example, the Laws of Manu give several types of penance for the crime of murder, including 1) making a forest hut and subsisting there on alms for twelve years and using a human skull as one's emblem; or 2) walking 100 yojanas (900 miles), while reciting the Vedas, eating little and remaining continent. A contemporary example: if a man fells a large healthy tree, he may atone by planting ten trees and ensuring that at least one grows to replace it.

The degree of papa accrued from an action depends on various factors, including the karma, dharma and spiritual advancement of the individual, the intent or motivation, as well as the time and place of the action (for example, unvirtuous deeds carry great demerit when performed in holy places). Papa is the opposite of punya (merit, virtue). See: evil, karma, penance, punya, sin.

papa-duhkha: (Sanskrit) "Sin and suffering." See: karma, papa, sin.

papman: (Sanskrit) "Evil; sin." See: evil, papa, Satan, sin.

para: (Sanskrit) "Supreme; beyond." A term referring to the highest dimension of whatever it precedes--as in Parasiva or Parabrahman. (Sometimes para, as in Parashakti.)

parable: A short, simple story illustrating a moral or religious principle.

Parabrahman: (Sanskrit) "Supreme (or transcendent) God." A synonym for Nirguna Brahman, Absolute Reality, beyond time, form and space. Same as Parasiva. See: Brahman, Parasiva.

paradox: "Side-by-side opinion or thought." An apparent contradiction according to conventional logic and reason.

Parakhya Agama: (Sanskrit) A subsidiary Saiva Agamic text (Upagama).

parama: (Sanskrit) "Highest; supreme." See: para.

paramaguru: (Sanskrit) "Senior preceptor." The guru of a disciple's guru.

paramahamsa: (Sanskrit) "Supreme swan." From hamsa, meaning swan or, more precisely, the high-flying Indian goose, Anser Indicus. A class of liberated renunciates. See: hamsa.

Paramatman: (Sanskrit) "Supreme Self," or "transcendent soul." Parasiva, Absolute Reality, the one transcendent Self of every soul. Contrasted with atman, which includes all three aspects of the soul: Parasiva, Parashakti and anandamaya kosha. See: atman, kosha, soul.

Parameshvara: (Sanskrit) "Supreme Lord or Ruler." God Siva in the third perfection as Supreme Mahadeva, Siva-Shakti, mother of the universe. In this perfection as Personal, father-mother God, Siva is a person--who has a body, with head, arms and legs, etc.--who acts, wills, blesses, gives darshana, guides, creates, preserves, reabsorbs, obscures and enlightens. In Truth, it is Siva-Shakti who does all. The term Primal Soul, Paramapurusha, designates Parameshvara as the original, uncreated soul, the creator of all other souls. Parameshvara has many other names and epithets, including those denoting the five divine actions--Sadasiva, the revealer; Maheshvara, the obscurer; Brahma, the creator; Vishnu the preserver; and Rudra the destroyer. See: Nataraja, Sadasiva.

parampara: (Sanskrit) "Uninterrupted succession." A lineage. See: guru parampara.

parartha puja: (Sanskrit) "Public liturgy and worship." See: puja.

Parashakti: (Sanskrit) "Supreme power; primal energy." God Siva's second perfection, which is impersonal, immanent, and with form--the all-pervasive, Pure Consciousness and Primal Substance of all that exists. There are many other descriptive names for Parashakti--Satchidananda ("existence-consciousness-bliss"), light, silence, divine mind, superconsciousness and more. Parashakti can be experienced by the diligent yogi or meditator as a merging in, or identification with, the underlying oneness flowing through all form. The experience is called savikalpa samadhi. See: raja yoga, Shakti, Satchidananda, tattva.

Parasamvid: (Sanskrit) In Siddha Siddhanta the highest, transcendental state of Siva. A synonym of Parasiva.

Parasiva: (Sanskrit) "Transcendent Siva." The Self God, Siva in His first perfection, Absolute Reality. God Siva as That which is beyond the grasp of consciousness, transcends time, form and space and defies description. To merge with Him in mystic union is the goal of all incarnated souls, the reason for their living on this planet, and the deepest meaning of their experiences. Attainment of this is called Self Realization or nirvikalpa samadhi. See: samadhi, Siva.

Parvati: (Sanskrit) "Mountain's daughter." One of many names for the Universal Mother. Prayers are offered to Her for strength, health and eradication of impurities. Mythologically, Parvati is wedded to Siva. See: Goddess, Shakti.

pasha : (Sanskrit) "Tether; noose." The whole of existence, manifest and unmanifest. That which binds or limits the soul and keeps it (for a time) from manifesting its full potential. Pasha refers to the soul's three-fold bondage of anava, karma and maya. See: liberation, mala, Pati-pashu-pasha.

pashu: (Sanskrit) "Cow, cattle, kine; fettered individual." Refers to animals or beasts, including man. In philosophy, the soul. Siva as lord of creatures is called Pashupati. See: pasha, Pati-pashu-pasha.

pashupalaka: (Sanskrit) "Herdsman." A person who protects, nourishes and guards. A name for a Hindu chaplain or missionary.

Pashupata Saivism: (Sanskrit) Monistic and theistic, this school of Saivism reveres Siva as Supreme Cause and Personal Ruler of soul and world, denoted in His form as Pashupati, "Lord of souls." This school centers around the ascetic path, emphasizing sadhana, detachment from the world and the quest for "internal kundalini grace." The Karavana Mahatmya recounts the birth of Lakulisha (ca 200 bce), a principal Pashupata guru, and refers to the temple of Somanatha as one of the most important Pashupata centers. Lakulisha propounded a Saiva monism, though indications are that Pashupata philosophy was previously dualistic, with Siva as efficient cause of the universe but not material cause. It is thought to be the source of various ascetic streams, including the Kapalikas and the Kalamukhas. This school is represented today in the broad sadhu tradition, and numerous Pashupata sites of worship are scattered across India. See: Saivism.

Pashupata Sutra(s): (Sanskrit) The recently rediscovered (1930) central scripture of the Pashupata school of Saivism, attributed to Lakulisha. It covers asceticism at great length, and the five subjects of Pashupata theology: effect, cause, meditation, behavior and dissolution of sorrow. It urges the ascetic to go unrecognized and even invite abuse. See: Pashupata Saivism.

Pashupati: (Sanskrit) "Herdsman; lord of animals." An ancient name for Siva, first appearing in the Atharva Veda. This form of Siva, seated in yogic pose, was found on a seal from the 6,000-year-old Indus Valley civilization. See: Pashupata Saivism, Saivism.

Pashupatinatha mandira: (Sanskrit) Foremost temple of Nepal, linked to the ancient Pashupata sect of Saivism.

patala: (Sanskrit) "Fallen or sinful region." The seventh chakra below the muladhara, centered in the soles of the feet. Corresponds to the seventh and lowest astral netherworld beneath the earth's surface, called Kakola ("black poison") or Patala. This is the realm in which misguided souls indulge in destruction for the sake of destruction, of torture, and of murder for the sake of murder. Patala also names the netherworld in general, and is a synonym for Naraka. See: chakra, loka, Naraka.

Patanjali: (Sanskrit) "Possessed of reverence." A Saivite Natha siddha (ca 200 bce) who codified the ancient yoga philosophy which outlines the path to enlightenment through purification, control and transcendence of the mind. One of the six classical philosophical systems (darshanas) of Hinduism, known as Yoga Darshana. His great work, the Yoga Sutras, comprises 200 aphorisms delineating ashtanga (eight-limbed), raja (kingly) or siddha (perfection) yoga. Still today it is the foremost text on meditative yoga. See: Kailasa Parampara, raja yoga, shad darshana, yoga.

path: Marga or pantha. A trail, road or way. In Hinduism there are various ways that the term path is used.--path of enlightenment/salvation/moksha: The way to the ultimate goals of Self Realization and liberation.--universal path: The spiritual path conceived as being followed by all of existence, marching on its way to Godhood.--path of dharma: Following principles of good conduct and virtue.--the two paths: The way of the monk and that of the householder, a choice to be made by each Hindu young man.--peerless/highest path: The spiritual path (or the path of renunciation) as the noblest of human undertakings.--the straight path: The way that goes directly to the goal, without distraction or karmic detour.--on the path: someone who is seriously studying, striving and performing sadhana to perfect the inner and outer nature.--our right path in life: The best way for us personally to proceed; personal dharma, svadharma. --"Truth is one, paths are many:" Hinduism's affirmation for tolerance. It accepts that there are various ways to proceed toward the ultimate goal. See: dharma, pada.

pathaka: (Sanskrit) "Reader, reciter." An inspired reader of scripture and sacred literature.

Pati: (Sanskrit) "Master; lord; owner." A name for God Siva indicating His commanding relationship with souls as caring ruler and helpful guide. In Saiva Siddhanta the term is part of the analogy of cowherd (pati), cows (pashu, souls) and the tether (pasha--anava, karma and maya) by which cows are tied. See: Pati-pashu-pasha, Siva.

Pati-pashu-pasha: (Sanskrit) Literally: "master, cow and tether." These are the three primary elements (padartha, or tattvatrayi) of Saiva Siddhanta philosophy: God, soul and world--Divinity, man and cosmos--seen as a mystically and intricately interrelated unity. Pati is God, envisioned as a cowherd. Pashu is the soul, envisioned as a cow. Pasha is the all-important force or fetter by which God brings souls along the path to Truth. The various schools of Hinduism define the rapport among the three in varying ways. For pluralistic Saiva Siddhantins they are three beginningless verities, self-existent, eternal entities. For monistic Saiva Siddhantins, pashu and pasha are the emanational creation of Pati, Lord Siva, and He alone is eternal reality. See: pasha, Saiva Siddhanta, soul.

Paushkara Agama: (Sanskrit) Subsidiary text (Upagama) of the Matanga Parameshvara Saiva Agama, containing 977 verses divided into 90 chapters. A mostly philosophic treatise dealing with God, soul and world and the instruments of knowledge.

penance: Prayashchitta. Atonement, expiation. An act of devotion (bhakti), austerity (tapas) or discipline (sukritya) undertaken to soften or nullify the anticipated reaction to a past action. Penance is uncomfortable karma inflicted upon oneself to mitigate one's karmic burden caused by wrongful actions (kukarma). It includes such acts as prostrating 108 times, fasting, self-denial, or carrying kavadi (public penance), as well as more extreme austerities, or tapas. Penance is often suggested by spiritual leaders and elders. Penitence or repentance, suffering regret for misdeeds, is called anutapa, meaning "to heat." See: evil, kavadi, papa, prayashchitta, sin, tapas.

pendant: An ornament or piece of jewelry attached to a necklace. See: wedding pendant.

perfections: Describes a quality, nature or dimension that is perfect. God Siva's three perfections are Parasiva, Parashakti and Parameshvara. Though spoken of as three-fold for the sake of understanding, God Siva ever remains a one transcendent-immanent Being. See: Siva.

Periyapuranam: (Tamil) (Sanskrit) Twelfth book of the Tirumurai. Story of the 63 Saiva Nayanar saints of Tamil Nadu, written by Sekkilar (ca 1140). See: Tirumurai.

personal dharma: Svadharma. An individual's unique path in life in conformance with divine law. See: dharma.

Personal God: See: Ishta Devata, Parameshvara.

perspective: Point of view in understanding or evaluation.

pilgrimage: Tirthayatra. Journeying to a holy temple, near or far, performed by all Hindus at least once each year. See: tirthayatra.

pinda: (Sanskrit) "Roundish mass; body; part of the whole, individual; microcosm." In worship rites, small balls of rice set aside daily in remembrance of ancestors. Philosophically, and emphasized in Siddha Siddhanta, the human body as a replica of the macrocosm, mahasakara pinda, also called Brahmanda (cosmic egg), or simply anda (egg). Within the individual body of man is reflected and contained the entire cosmos. Each chakra represents a world or plane of consciousness with the highest locus in the head and the lowest in the feet. "Microcosm-macrocosm" is embodied in the terms pinda-anda. Siddha Siddhanta Paddhati lists six pindas, from the garbhapinda, "womb-born body," to parapinda, "transcendental body." See: Brahmanda, microcosm-macrocosm.

pingala: (Sanskrit) "Tawny channel." The masculine psychic current flowing along the spine. See: kundalini, nadi, raja yoga.

pir: "Holy father." Muslim title for a religious leader; applied to leaders of a few Gorakshanatha monasteries.

pitha: (Sanskrit) "Seat; pedestal." 1) The base or pedestal of the Sivalinga, or of any Deity idol. 2) A religious seat, such as the throne of the abbot of a monastery. 3) An aadheenam, ashrama or matha established around such a seat of spiritual authority. See: Sivalinga.

Pitriloka: (Sanskrit) "World of ancestors." The upper region of Bhuvarloka. See: loka.

pitta: (Sanskrit) "Bile; fire." One of the three bodily humors, called doshas, pitta is known as the fire humor. It is the ayurvedic principle of bodily heat-energy. Pitta dosha governs nutritional absorption, body temperature and intelligence. See: ayurveda, dosha.

plague: To distress, afflict, trouble or torment.

plane: A stage or level of existence; e.g., the causal plane (Sivaloka). See: loka.

Pleiades: A cluster of stars in the Taurus constellation, six of which are now visible from Earth. This group of stars is known in Sanskrit as Krittika, an important nakshatra for Lord Karttikeya and believed to be this Deity's place of origin before He came to the star system of Earth. See: Karttikeya.

pliant: Flexible, adaptable, not rigid.

Plotinus: Egyptian-born philosopher (205270), one of the Western world's greatest known mystics, who extended and revived the work of the Greek philosopher Plato in the Roman Empire. His philosophy, known as Neo-Platonism, posits concentric levels of reality, not unlike the Hindu cosmology of lokas, with a central source of sublime existence and values and an outer sheath of physical matter. Man, he said, is a microcosm of this system, capable of attaining the sublime inner state through enstasy. He practiced and taught ahimsa, vegetarianism, karma, reincarnation and belief in Supreme Being as both immanent and transcendent. His writings, in six volumes, are called the Ennead. He was apparently familiar with Hindu wisdom through reading Life of Apollonius, a biography which narrated a young Greek renunciate's travels through India.

pluralism (pluralistic): Doctrine that holds existence to be composed of three or more distinct and irreducible components, such as God, souls and world. See: dvaita-advaita.

pluralistic realism: A term for pluralism used by various schools including Meykandar Saiva Siddhanta, emphasizing that the components of existence are absolutely real in themselves and not creations of consciousness or God.

polygamy: Practice of having more than one spouse.

polytheism: Belief in or worship of many Gods. See: monotheism.

pomp: A dignified or brilliant display. Splendor and pageantry.

pontifical: Having to do with pontiffs, or high priests. Having all the dignity, respect and influence of a spiritual leader endowed with great honor and authority. See: ordination, Shankaracharya pitha.

potent: Having power, authority. Effective, able.

potentialities: A state of latency, something that has power but is not developed or manifest, such as a talent yet to be matured.

pradakshina: (Sanskrit) "Moving rightward." Worshipful circumambulation, walking clockwise around the temple sanctum or other holy place, with the intention of shifting the mind from worldly concerns to awareness of the Divine. Clockwise has esoteric significance in that the chakras of muladhara and above spin clockwise, while those below spin counterclockwise, taking one down into the lower regions of selfishness, greed, conflict and turmoil.

pradosha: (Sanskrit) The auspicious 3-hour period, 1H hours before and after sunset. Pradosha especially refers to this period on the 13th (trayodashi) tithi of each fortnight, an optimum time of the month for meditation. Its observance, prepared for by fasting, is called pradosha vrata. See: fast, tithi.

pragmatic: Practical. Concerned with application, not theory or speculation.

prakriti: (Sanskrit) "Primary matter; nature." In the 25-tattva Sankhya system--which concerns itself only with the tangible spectrum of creation--prakriti, or pradhana, is one of two supreme beginningless realities: matter and spirit, prakriti and purusha, the female and male principles. Prakriti is the manifesting aspect, as contrasted with the quiescent unmanifest--purusha, which is pure consciousness. In Shaktism, prakriti, the active principle, is personified as Devi, the Goddess, and is synonymous with Maya. Prakriti is thus often seen, and depicted so in the Puranas, as the Divine Mother, whose love and care embrace and comfort all beings. In Saivite cosmology, prakriti is the 24th of 36 tattvas, the potentiality of the physical cosmos, the gross energy from which all lower tattvas are formed. Its three qualities are sattva, rajas and tamas. See: odic, purusha, tattva.

pralaya: (Sanskrit) "Dissolution, reabsorption; destruction; death." A synonym for samhara, one of the five functions of Siva. Also names the partial destruction or reabsorption of the cosmos at the end of each eon or kalpa. There are three kinds of periods of dissolution: 1) laya, at the end of a mahayuga, when the physical world is destroyed; 2) pralaya, at the end of a kalpa, when both the physical and subtle worlds are destroyed; and 3) mahapralaya at the end of a mahakalpa, when all three worlds (physical, subtle and causal) are absorbed into Siva. See: cosmic cycle, mahapralaya.

pramukha: (Sanskrit) "Turning the face toward." Head; foremost." Leader, guide; such as the family head, kutumba pramukha. See: joint family.

prana: (Sanskrit) Vital energy or life principle. Literally, "vital air," from the root pran, "to breathe." Prana in the human body moves in the pranamaya kosha as five primary life currents known as vayus, "vital airs or winds." These are prana (outgoing breath), apana (incoming breath), vyana (retained breath), udana (ascending breath) and samana (equalizing breath). Each governs crucial bodily functions, and all bodily energies are modifications of these. Usually prana refers to the life principle, but sometimes denotes energy, power or the animating force of the cosmos. See: kosha, tattva.

Pranagnihotra Upanishad: (Sanskrit) A minor Upanishad which explains how to transform the external ritual of the fire sacrifice into pranagnihotra, "the sacrifice offered in the prana fire" of one's own being.

Pranalinga: (Sanskrit) "Living mark." Personally experiencing God in the Sivalinga. A term used especially in Vira Saivism. See: Sivalinga, Vira Saivism.

pranamaya kosha: (Sanskrit) "Life-energy sheath." See: kosha, prana.

pranama: (Sanskrit) "Obeisance; bowing down." Reverent salutation in which the head or body is bowed.--ashtanga pranama: "Eight-limbed obeisance." The full prostration for men, in which the hands, chest, forehead, knees and feet touch the ground. (Same as shashtanga pranama.)--panchanga pranama: "Five-limbed obeisance." The woman's form of prostration, in which the hands, head and legs touch the ground (with the ankles crossed, right over the left). A more exacting term for prostration is pranipata, "falling down in obeisance." See: bhakti, namaskara, prapatti.

pranatyaga: (Sanskrit) "Abandoning life force." A term for suicide but without the connotation of violence expressed in the more common terms svadehaghata, "murdering one's body," and atmaghata, "self-murder." See: death, suicide.

Pranava: (Sanskrit) "Humming." The mantra Aum, denoting God as the Primal Sound. It can be heard as the sound of one's own nerve system, like the sound of an electrical transformer or a swarm of bees. The meditator is taught to inwardly transform this sound into the inner light which lights the thoughts, and bask in this blissful consciousness. Pranava is also known as the sound of the nadanadi shakti. See: Aum, Siva Consciousness.

pranayama: (Sanskrit) "Breath control." See: raja yoga.

pranic body: The subtle, life-giving sheath called pranamaya kosha. See: kosha.

prapatti: (Sanskrit) "Throwing oneself down." Bhakti--total, unconditional submission to God, often coupled with the attitude of personal helplessness, self-effacement and resignation. A term especially used in Vaishnavism to name a concept extremely central to virtually all Hindu schools. In Saiva Siddhanta, bhakti is all important in the development of the soul and its release into spiritual maturity. The doctrine is perhaps best expressed in the teachings of the four Samayacharya saints, who all shared a profound and mystical love of Siva marked by 1) deep humility and self-effacement, admission of sin and weakness; 2) total surrender in God as the only true refuge and 3) a relationship of lover and beloved known as bridal mysticism, in which the devotee is the bride and Siva the bridegroom. The practice of yoga, too, is an expression of love of God in Saiva Siddhanta, and it is only with God's grace that success is achieved. Rishi Tirumular states: "Unless your heart melts in the sweet ecstasy of love--my Lord, my treasure-trove, you can never possess" (Tirumantiram 272). It is in this concept of the need for self-effacement and total surrender, prapatti, that the members of all sects merge in oneness, at the fulfillment of their individual paths. Similarly, they all meet in unity at the beginning of the path with the worship of Lord Ganesha. See: bhakti, grace, pada, surrender.

prarabdha karma: (Sanskrit) "Action that has been unleashed or aroused." See: karma.

prasada: (Sanskrit) "Clarity, brightness; grace." 1) The virtue of serenity and graciousness. 2) Food offered to the Deity or the guru, or the blessed remnants of such food. 3) Any propitiatory offering. See: sacrament, Vira Saivism.

Prashna Upanishad: (Sanskrit) Belongs to the Atharva Veda and is divided into six sections addressing six questions asked of sage Pippalada by his disciples, regarding life, Realization and the mantra Aum.

prashnottaram: (Sanskrit) "Question-answer (prashna-uttaram)." A term used in Dancing with Siva for catechism, an interrogatory summation of religious doctrine.

Pratyabhijna: (Sanskrit) "Recognition or recollection," from "knowledge" (jnana) which "faces" (abhi) the knower and toward which he eventually "turns" (prati). A concept of Kashmir Saivism which denotes the devotee's recognition, as a result of the guru's grace, of the Truth that ever was--that Siva is indeed everywhere, and the soul is already united with Him.

Pratyabhijna Darshana: (Sanskrit) The philosophical name for Kashmir Saivism.

Pratyabhijna Sutra(s): (Sanskrit) A foundational Kashmir Saiva scripture, 190 sutras.

pratyahara: (Sanskrit) "Withdrawal." The drawing in of forces. In yoga, the withdrawal from external consciousness. (Also a synonym for pralaya.) See: raja yoga, mahapralaya, meditation.

prayashchitta: (Sanskrit) "Predominant thought or aim." Penance. Acts of atonement. See: penance, papa, punya.

prayojaka: (Sanskrit) "Facilitator; employer; manager." A person who instigates, promotes. Also a name for a coordinator of religious outreach activities and literature distribution.

prayopavesha: (Sanskrit) "Resolving to die through fasting." Self-willed death by fasting. See: death, suicide.

precede: To come before in time, importance, influence or rank.

precinct: An enclosed or delimited area. Also the grounds surrounding a religious edifice.

precursor: Forerunner. A person or thing that goes before.

Premaiva Sivamaya, Satyam eva Parasivah: (Sanskrit) "God Siva is immanent love and transcendent Reality." A Saivite Hindu affirmation of faith. See: affirmation.

prenatal: Existing or occurring before physical birth, or relating to the time before birth. See: samskaras of birth.

preservation: The act of maintaining or protecting. One of the five cosmic powers. See: Nataraja.

preside: To be chairman at a gathering, in a position of authority within a group. To have charge of; to dominate.

Pretaloka: (Sanskrit) "World of the departed." The realm of the earth-bound souls. This lower region of Bhuvarloka is an astral duplicate of the physical world. See: loka.

prevail: To be strong and victorious; overcome all obstacles. To exist widely.

Primal Soul: The uncreated, original, perfect soul--Siva Parameshvara--who emanates from Himself the inner and outer universes and an infinite plurality of individual souls whose essence is identical with His essence. God in His personal aspect as Lord and Creator, depicted in many forms: Nataraja by Saivites, Vishnu by Vaishnavites, Devi by Shaktas. See: Nataraja, Parameshvara.

Primal Sound: In Hinduism, sound is the first manifestation, even before light, in the creative scheme of things. The Primal Sound is also known as Pranava, the sound of the mula mantra, "Aum." See: sound.

Primal Substance: The fundamental energy and rarified form from which the manifest world in its infinite diversity is derived. See: Parashakti.

principle: An essential truth, law or rule upon which others are based.

pristine: Pure, unspoiled; original condition.

procreation: The process of begetting offspring.

procurer: Provider.

progeny: Offspring, children; descendants.

prohibit (prohibition): To forbid or prevent by authority.

prominent: Conspicuous, noticeable at once. Widely known.

promiscuity: The state or character of engaging in sex indiscriminantly or with many persons.

prone: Tending or inclined toward.

pronged: Having one or several pointed ends.

propel: To push, impel, or drive forward.

prophecy: Divination. Act or practice of predicting the future.

propound: To set forth. To put forward for consideration.

protocol: Customs of proper etiquette and ceremony, especially in relation to religious or political dignitaries.

protrude: To jut out or project.

province: Sphere, area or division.

prow: The forward part of a ship; any similar projecting or leading part.

prudent: Careful. Showing wisdom and good judgment in practical matters.

psalm: A sacred hymn, song or poem.

psychic: "Of the psyche or soul." Sensitive to spiritual processes and energies. Inwardly or intuitively aware of nonphysical realities; able to use powers such as clairvoyance, clairaudience and precognition. Nonphysical, subtle; pertaining to the deeper aspects of man. See: mysticism, odic.

puja: (Sanskrit) "Worship, adoration." An Agamic rite of worship performed in the home, temple or shrine, to the murti, sri paduka, or other consecrated object, or to a person, such as the satguru. Its inner purpose is to purify the atmosphere around the object worshiped, establish a connection with the inner worlds and invoke the presence of God, Gods or one's guru. During puja, the officiant (pujari) recites various chants praising the Divine and beseeching divine blessings, while making offerings in accordance with established traditions. Puja, the worship of a murti through water, lights and flowers in temples and shrines, is the Agamic counterpart of the Vedic yajna rite, in which offerings are conveyed through the sacred homa fire. These are the two great streams of adoration and communion in Hinduism. Central steps of puja include: 1) achamana, water sipping for purification; 2) Ganapati prarthana, prayers to Ganesha; 3) sankalpa, declaration of intent; 4) ghanta, ringing bell, inviting devas and dismissing asuras; 5) avahana, inviting the Deity ; 6) mantras and dhyana, meditating on the Deity; 7) svagata, welcoming; 8) namaskara, obeisance; 9) arghyam, water offerings; 10) pradakshina, circumambulation; 11) abhisheka, bathing the murti; 12) dhupa, incense-offering; 13) dipa, offering lights; 14) naivedya, offering food; 15)archana, chanting holy names; 16) arati, final offering of lights; 17) prarthana, personal requests; 18) visarjana, dismissal-farewell. Also central are pranayama (breath control), guru vandana (adoration of the preceptor), nyasa (empowerment through touching) and mudra (mystic gestures). Puja offerings also include pushpa (flowers), arghya (water), tambula (betel leaf) and chandana (sandalpaste). --atmartha puja: Karana Agama, v. 2, states: Atmartha cha parartha cha puja dvividhamuchyate, "Worship is two-fold: for the benefit of oneself and for the benefit of others." Atmartha puja is done for oneself and immediate family, usually at home in a private shrine.--parartha puja: "Puja for others." Parartha puja is public puja, performed by authorized or ordained priests in a public shrine or temple. See: pujari, yajna.

pujari: (Sanskrit) "Worshiper." A general term for Hindu temple priests, as well as anyone performing puja. Pujari (sometimes pujari) is the Hindi form of the Sanskrit pujaka; pusari in Tamil. Archaka is another term for the officiant priest in the southern tradition. Purohita is a Smarta brahmin priest who specializes in domestic rites. See: puja.

pulsate: To beat or throb in rhythm, as the heart.

pundit: See: pundit.

punarjanma: (Sanskrit) "Reincarnation." From punah, "again and again," and janma, "taking birth." See: reincarnation.

Punjab: (Sanskrit) The area of ancient India between the Indus and Sutlej, below Kashmir. It is now divided between India and Pakistan. It was a center of Saivism until Muslim invasions. The modern Indian state is 19,445 square miles in area with a population of 18 million.

punsavana: (Sanskrit) "Male rite; bringing forth a male." Traditional sacrament performed during early pregnancy in prayer of a son. See: samskaras of birth.

punya: (Sanskrit) "Holy; virtuous; auspicious." 1) Good or righteous. 2) Meritorious action. 3) Merit earned through right thought, word and action. Punya includes all forms of doing good, from the simplest helpful deed to a lifetime of conscientious beneficence. Each act of punya carries its karmic consequence, karmaphala, "fruit of action"--the positive reward of actions, words and deeds that are in keeping with dharma. Awakened psychics who have developed clairvoyant sight can clearly see the punya accrued in the inner subconscious aura as a colorful, free-flowing, astral, light-energy, pranic substance. Punya is seen as light-hued, pastel colors, whereas its counterpart, papa, is seen as shades of darker colors which are usually static and immovable. These arrangements of the papa shades and punya hues are not unlike the free-expression paintings found in modern art. Punya colors produce inner contentment, deep joy, the feeling of security and fearlessness. Papa can be dissolved and punya created through penance (prayashchitta), austerity (tapas) and good deeds (sukritya). Punya is earned through virtuous living, following the multi-faceted laws of dharma. Punya depends on purity of acts according to various factors including 1) the karma and evolution of the individual, 2) degree of sacrifice and unselfish motivation and 3) time and place. For example, virtuous deeds, sadhana, tapas and penance have greater merit when performed in holy places and at auspicious times. The Tirukural (105) states that "Help rendered another cannot be measured by the extent of the assistance given. Its true measure is the worth of the recipient." In other words, a small act done for a great and worthy soul carries more punya than even a large act performed for a lesser person. (Opposite of papa.) See: aura, karma, papa, penance.

Purana: (Sanskrit) "Ancient (lore)." Hindu folk narratives containing ethical and cosmological teachings relative to Gods, man and the world. They revolve around five subjects: primary creation, secondary creation, genealogy, cycles of time and history. There are 18 major Puranas which are designated as either Saivite, Vaishnavite or Shakta. See: folk narratives, mythology.

Pure Consciousness: See: Parashakti, Satchidananda, tattva.

purgatory: A state or place of temporary punishment or expiation. A hellish condition that is not eternal. Purgatory is actually more fitting than the term hell as an equivalent for the Sanskrit Naraka. See: hell, loka, Naraka.

puritan: A person who is overly strict or rigid regarding morals and religion.

purity-impurity: Sh aucha-ashaucha. Purity and its opposite, pollution, are a fundamental part of Hindu culture. While they imply a strong sense of physical cleanliness, their more important meanings extend to social, ceremonial, mental, emotional, psychic and spiritual contamination. Freedom from all forms of contamination is a key to Hindu spirituality, and is one of the yamas. Physical purity requires a clean and well-ordered environment, yogic purging of the internal organs and frequent cleansing with water. Mental purity derives from meditation, right living and right thinking. Emotional purity depends on control of the mind, clearing the subconscious and keeping good company. Spiritual purity is achieved through following the yamas and niyamas, study of the Vedas and other scriptures, pilgrimage, meditation, japa, tapas and ahimsa. Ritual purity requires the observance of certain prayashchittas, or penances, for defilement derived from foreign travel, contact with base people or places, conversion to other faiths, contact with bodily wastes, attending a funeral, etc. Purity is of three forms--purity in mind, speech and body, or thought, word and deed. Purity is the pristine and natural state of the soul. Impurity, or pollution, is the obscuring of this state by adulterating experience and beclouding conceptions. In daily life, the Hindu strives to protect this innate purity by wise living, following the codes of dharma. This includes harnessing the sexual energies, associating with other virtuous Hindu devotees, never using harsh, angered or indecent language, and keeping a clean and healthy physical body. See: dharma, papa, penance, punya, yama-niyama.

purnima: (Sanskrit) "Full." Full moon. See: Guru Purnima.

purohita: (Sanskrit) "Front-most; leader; family priest."A Smarta brahmin priest who specializes in home ceremonies. See: Smarta, pujari.

pursue (pursuit): To go with determination after a goal. To follow.

purusha: (Sanskrit) "The spirit that dwells in the body/in the universe." Person; spirit; man. Metaphysically, the soul, neither male nor female. Also used in Yoga and Sankhya for the transcendent Self. A synonym for atman. Purusha can also refer to the Supreme Being or Soul, as it sometimes does in the Upanishads. In the Rig Veda hymn "Purusha Sukta," Purusha is the cosmic man, having a thousand heads, a thousand eyes, a thousand feet and encompassing the earth, spreading in all directions into animate and inanimate things. In the Sankhya system, purusha is one of two supreme, beginningless realities: spirit and matter, purusha and prakriti, the male and female principles. It is the quiescent unmanifest, pure consciousness, contrasted with Prakriti, the manifesting, primal nature from which the cosmos unfolds. In Saiva cosmology, purusha is the 25th of 36 tattvas, one level subtler than prakriti. Beyond these lie the subtle realms of shuddha maya. Transcending all the tattvas is Parasiva. See: atman, jiva, prakriti, soul, tattva.

purusha dharma: (Sanskrit) "A man's code of duty and conduct." See: dharma.

purushartha: (Sanskrit) "Human wealth or purpose." The four pursuits in which humans may legitimately engage, also called chaturvarga, "four-fold good"--a basic principle of Hindu ethics.--dharma: "Righteous living." The fulfillment of virtue, good works, duties and responsibilities, restraints and observances--performing one's part in the service and upliftment of society. This includes pursuit of truth under a guru of a particular parampara and sampradaya. Dharma is of four primary forms. It is the steady guide for artha and kama. See: dharma.--artha: "Wealth." Material welfare and abundance, money, property, possessions. Artha is the pursuit of wealth, guided by dharma. It includes the basic needs--food, money, clothing and shelter--and extends to the wealth required to maintain a comfortable home, raise a family, fulfill a successful career and perform religious duties. The broadest concept of wealth embraces financial independence, freedom from debt, worthy children, good friends, leisure time, faithful servants, trustworthy employees, and the joys of giving, including tithing (dashamamsha), feeding the poor, supporting religious mendicants, worshiping devoutly, protecting all creatures, upholding the family and offering hospitality to guests. Artha measures not only riches but quality of life, providing the personal and social security needed to pursue kama, dharma and moksha. It allows for the fulfillment of the householder's five daily sacrifices, pancha mahayajna: to God, ancestors, devas, creatures and men. See: yajna.--kama: "Pleasure, love; enjoyment." Earthly love, aesthetic and cultural fulfillment, pleasures of the world (including sexual), the joys of family, intellectual satisfaction. Enjoyment of happiness, security, creativity, usefulness and inspiration. See: Kama Sutras.--moksha: "Liberation." Freedom from rebirth through the ultimate attainment, realization of the Self God, Parasiva. The spiritual attainments and superconscious joys, attending renunciation and yoga leading to Self Realization. Moksha comes through the fulfillment of dharma, artha and kama (known in Tamil as aram, porul and inbam, and explained by Tiruvalluvar in Tirukural) in the current or past lives, so that one is no longer attached to worldly joys or sorrows. It is the supreme goal of life, called paramartha. See: liberation, moksha.