Glossary

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Glossary

 

Panchakala niyama  |   Panch Agni Vidya  |   Para  |   Para Brahmand  |   Phana ye phana  |   Pin desh  |   Pradhana  |   Prajna  |   Prakrti  |   Prakrutilaya  |   Praana  |   Pralaya  |   Pranahuti  |   Pranayama  |   Prapatti  |   Prapanna  |   Prasada  |   Prateeka  |   Pratyahara  |   Pratyak  |   Prkrti/Prakrti  |   Pravrutti  |   Puja  |   Purusha  |   Poorna  |   Purusha  |   Purushartha  |  


Panchakala niyama
The discipline of worship of God at the five times-the early morning (abhigamana), morning (upaadaana), midday (ijya- offering of worship), afternoon study of the scriptures and teaching others (svadhyaaya), and night-time when retiring (samadhi). All these are sacramental duties for the abhyasi on the path of Prapatti or saranagati - i.e. self - surrender.
Panch Agni Vidya
Literally means the Wisdom of the Five Fires. The five fires are in the five elements of Earth, Water, Fire, Air and Ether.A person who has traveled upto the Pind desh in spiritual journey is supposed to a master of the wisdom of the five fires and is one with control over the motor and sensory organs.
Para
Transcendent- the other- Ultimate Godhead beyond apara-the universe.
Para Brahmand
This is the region above the Brahmand mandal. This is the region upto which forms have some meaning though they lose their importance sooner one enters the Brahmand mandal.
Phana ye phana
Living dead. This is the condition when a man is absorbed in absorbency. A condition where the body consciousness as well as soul- consciousness is lost.
Pin desh
The region of the Chest upto neck consists of five centres related to the five fires and the region is called Pind desh. This is because these centres control the physicalexistence of a person.
Pradhana
Chief. Pre-eminent. Also the primal source of the material world. prakruti.
Prajna
Deep understanding-insight derived from meditation which is unmeditated by the mind and the senses. The third state or susupti of the Mandukya Upanisad.
Prakrti
Mutable of Kshara Nature comprising the three gunas-sattva, rajas and tamas. Its state of avyakta is when these three are in equilibrium. 22 modifications or vikrutis issue out of this according to Samkhya darsana.
Prakrutilaya
Mergence into the avyakta condition of prakruti in equilibrium, beyond all vikrutis.
Praana
Ultimate principle by which all exists or live.
Pralaya
The state of dissolution. This state is literally the goal of all aspirants when their individual egoistic existence end and the beginning of the life Divine starts.
Pranahuti
The offering of the supreme prana to the individual by the Guru for his ujjivana or spiritual awakening and growth. It is the spiritual feeding of the breath to the heart of the abhyasi. It is the initiation; the Transmission of spiritual life-breath.Ahuti ( offering in homa or sacrifice) is Prana is also done for the five Pranas that control existence. They are Prana, Apana, Vyana, Udana and Samana. These are not however offered in Raja yoga sadhana.
Pranayama
Breath-control. This comprises of three stages, the puraka- infilling, kumbhaka- the retention and the rechaka- the out-throwing or expelling. This is said to purify the naadis.
Prapatti
Surrender of oneself to the Divine. It has five or six angas or steps: anukula samkalpa-willing and helpful to union with or surrender to God;pratikula-varjanam the renunciation of the obstructions to self-giving; goptrutvavaranam-choice of the protector or saviour namely God alone and none else; rakshisyatiti visvasah-the faith that the Divine or Saviour can really protect or save or redeem; atmanikshepa- the placing of oneself at the feet of God and Sri; and kaarpanya- extreme feeling of non-dependence on one' s own ability, or dejection born out of helplessness orakinchanata or being nothing, and dread born of that bhaya. A yogin of the prapatti- maarga is expected to fulfill all the six conditions so as to be able to earn God' s grace.
Prapanna
A person in the condition of Prapatti.
Prasada
The food that is taken after offering it to the Divine. It means also Tranquility. Dhatuh-prasada: God' s grace.
Prateeka
Icon which represents or sybolises the Godhead; image.
Pratyahara
Withdrawal of the senses from objects of senses. It also means the enjoyment of foods by the senses which are other than those which they are accustomed to. Divine offerings are the saattvika foods to which the senses should be accustomed. Each sense and mind has its own appropriate food, which sustains it.
Pratyak
Peculiar to oneself. Pratyag-atman -the individual self.
Prkrti/Prakrti
See Maya. The female partner in the creative process. See also Purusha.
Pravrutti
Clear mode of mind: inclination, attachment to activity.
Puja
Worship of God-adoration of God which purifies the individual. In Raja Yoga it means doing meditation as prescribed.
Purusha
The Self. The Male partner of Prkrti- the dance of these two is said to be the creativeprocess. The brighter side of God. Think of the burning point of a lamp as Purusha and shedding light as Maya. The aspirant swims along this light to reach the burning point.
Poorna
The full; the Ultimate Being.
Purusha
Person. The soul principle of Samkhya. Purushottama. The Divine Self in the Gita.
Purushartha
Goals of the embodied soul (purusha) such as artha (wealth), kaama (desire for pleasure), dharma (righteousness or justice or law) and Moksha (liberation. Kainkarya or Service to God here and yonder is the fifth purushartha prescribed by Visitadvaita and Agamas.