Dictionary

Pandharpur (Pronunciation: [pəɳɖʱəɾpuːɾ]) is a well known pilgrimage town, on the banks of Chandrabhaga River in Solāpur District, Maharashtra, India Its administrative area is one of eleven tehsils in the District, and it is an electoral constituency of the state legislative assembly (vidhan sabha) The Vithoba temple attracts about a million Hindu pilgrims during the major yātrā (pilgrimage) in Ashadh (June–July) A small temple of Shri Vitthal-Rukmini is also located, which is as old as the main Vitthal-Rukmini Mandir, in Isbavi area of Pandharpur known as Wakhari Va Korti Devalayas and also known as Visava Mandir...

Para Brahman (Sanskrit: परब्रह्म, romanized: parabrahma) in Hindu philosophy is the “Supreme Brahman” that which is beyond all descriptions and conceptualisations It is described as the formless (in the sense that it is devoid of Maya) that eternally pervades everything, everywhere in the universe and whatever is beyond Param Brahma is conceptualised in diverse ways In the Advaita Vedanta tradition, the Param Brahma is a synonym of nirguna brahman, i.e, the attribute-less Absolute...

Parā Vidyā (Sanskrit: परा विद्या) is a combination of two words – parā, in Hindu philosophy, means - existence, paramount object, the highest point or degree, final beatitude; and vidyā means - knowledge, philosophy, science, learning, scholarship Para Vidya means – higher learning or learning related to the Self or the Ultimate Truth i.e transcendental knowledge Vedanta affirms that those who gain the knowledge of the Self attain kaivalya, they become liberated, they become Brahman...

Paramahamsa (परमहंस), also spelled paramahansa or paramhansa, is a Sanskrit religio-theological title of honour applied to Hindu spiritual teachers who have become enlightened The title literally means “supreme swan” The swan is equally at home on land and on water; similarly, the true sage is equally at home in the realms of matter and of spirit To be in divine ecstasy and simultaneously to be actively wakeful is the paramahamsa state; the ‘royal swan’ of the soul floats in the cosmic ocean, beholding both its body and the ocean as manifestations of the same Spirit...

Paramahansa Yogananda (born Mukunda Lal Ghosh; January 5, 1893 – March 7, 1952) was an Indian Hindu monk, yogi and guru who introduced millions to the teachings of meditation and Kriya Yoga through his organization Self-Realization Fellowship (SRF) / Yogoda Satsanga Society (YSS) of India, and who lived his last 32 years in America A chief disciple of the Bengali yoga guru Swami Sri Yukteswar Giri, he was sent by his lineage to spread the teachings of yoga to the West, to prove the unity between Eastern and Western religions and to preach a balance between Western material growth and Indian spirituality...

Paramatman (Sanskrit: परमात्मन्, IAST: Paramātman) or Paramātmā is the Absolute Atman, or supreme Self, in various philosophies such as the Vedanta and Yoga schools in Hindu theology, as well as other Indian religions like Sikhism Paramatman is the “Primordial Self” or the “Self Beyond” who is spiritually identical with the absolute and ultimate reality Selflessness is the attribute of Paramatman, where all personality/individuality vanishes

The guru–shishya tradition, or parampara (“lineage”), denotes a succession of teachers and disciples in Indian-origin religions such as Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism and Buddhism (including Tibetan and Zen traditions) Each parampara belongs to a specific sampradaya, and may have its own gurukulas for teaching which might be based at akharas, gompas, mathas, viharas or temples It is the tradition of spiritual relationship and mentoring where teachings are transmitted from a guru “teacher” (Sanskrit: गुरु) or lama to a śiṣya (Sanskrit: शिष्य, disciple), shramana (seeker), or chela (follower) after the formal diksha (initiation)...

The guru–shishya tradition, or parampara (“lineage”), denotes a succession of teachers and disciples in Indian-origin religions such as Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism and Buddhism (including Tibetan and Zen traditions) Each parampara belongs to a specific sampradaya, and may have its own gurukulas for teaching which might be based at akharas, gompas, mathas, viharas or temples It is the tradition of spiritual relationship and mentoring where teachings are transmitted from a guru “teacher” (Sanskrit: गुरु) or lama to a śiṣya (Sanskrit: शिष्य, disciple), shramana (seeker), or chela (follower) after the formal diksha (initiation)...

The guru–shishya tradition, or parampara (“lineage”), denotes a succession of teachers and disciples in Indian-origin religions such as Hinduism, Jainism, Sikhism and Buddhism (including Tibetan and Zen traditions) Each parampara belongs to a specific sampradaya, and may have its own gurukulas for teaching which might be based at akharas, gompas, mathas, viharas or temples It is the tradition of spiritual relationship and mentoring where teachings are transmitted from a guru “teacher” (Sanskrit: गुरु) or lama to a śiṣya (Sanskrit: शिष्य, disciple), shramana (seeker), or chela (follower) after the formal diksha (initiation)...

Parashakti (IAST: Paraśakti, Sanskrit: पराशक्ति) or Parā is one of the three chief goddesses in Trika system of Kashmir Shaivism along with Aparā and Parparā In Siddhantic perspective, Parashakti is the counterpart of Paramshiva Paramshiva is used to describe the ultimate form of Shiva Parashakti is the power of this primordial Shiva, who is emanated by Paramshiva Adi Parashakti is used to describe the ultimate form of Parvati Parashakti is all-pervasive, pure consciousness, power and primal substance of all that exists and it has Mahamaya-form unlike Parashiva which is formless...

Parashurama (Sanskrit: परशुराम महार, romanized: Paraśurāma, lit ‘Rama with an axe’), also referred to as Rama Jamadagnya, Rama Bhargava and Veerarama, is the sixth incarnation among the Dashavatara of the god Vishnu in Hinduism He is believed to be one of the Chiranjeevis (Long-Lived Ones or Immortal Ones), who will appear at the end of the Kali Yuga to be the guru of Vishnu’s tenth and last incarnation, Kalki He carried a number of traits, which included not only aggression, warfare and valor, but also serenity, prudence and patience...

Parvati (Sanskrit: पार्वती, IAST: Pārvatī), Uma (Sanskrit: उमा, IAST: Umā) or Gauri (Sanskrit: गौरी, IAST: Gaurī) is the Hindu Goddess of power, nourishment, harmony, devotion, and motherhood She is Devi in her complete form Along with Lakshmi and Saraswati, she forms the Tridevi Parvati is the wife of the Hindu god Shiva She is the reincarnation of Sati, the first wife of Shiva who immolated herself during a yajna (fire-sacrifice)...

Pashupata Shaivism (Pāśupata, Sanskrit: पाशुपत) is the oldest of the major Shaivite Hindu schools The mainstream which follows Vedic Pasupata penance are ‘Maha Pasupatas’ and the schism of ‘Lakula Pasupata’ of Lakulisa There is a debate about pioneership of this schism and the Goan school of Nakulish darshan believes that Nakulish was pioneer and Lakulish and Patanjalinath were his disciples while Gujarat school believes that Nakulish and Lakulish are one...

Patañjali (Sanskrit: पतञ्जलि) was a sage in Ancient India, thought to be the author of a number of Sanskrit works The greatest of these are the Yoga Sutras, a classical yoga text There is doubt as to whether the sage Patañjali is the author of all the works attributed to him as there are a number of known historical authors of the same name A great deal of scholarship has been devoted over the last century to the issue of the historicity or identity of this author or these authors...

Vayu (Sanskrit pronunciation: [ʋaːjʊ], Sanskrit: वायु, IAST: Vāyu) is a primary Hindu deity, the lord of the winds as well as deity of breath and the spiritual father of Hanuman and Bhima. He is also known as Anila (‘air, wind’), Vyāna (‘air’), Vāta (‘airy element’), Tanuna (’the wind’), Pavana (’the purifier’), and Prāṇa (’the life force’). Indian author Vanamali says, “Vaishnavites or followers of Vishnu, believe that the wind god Vayu underwent three incarnations to help Lord Vishnu....