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pada: Sanskrit word meaning the feet; the world.

padma: Sanskrit word meaning lotus; chakra.

Padmapada: a disciple of the great Vedantic teacher Adi Shankaracharya. Padmapada was intent only on service to his master; he could not pay attention to the lessons, which earned the scorn of his fellow students at first, until Shankara opened their eyes to his greatness.

pancha: Sanskrit word meaning five.

pancha bhuta: Sanskrit word meaning the five basic elements or constituents.

pancha klesha: Sanskrit word meaning the five afflictions as described in sage Patañjali’s Yoga Sutras.

pancha mahabhuta: Sanskrit word meaning the five gross elements: bhumi (earth), apa (water), anala (fire), vayu (air), kham (ether).

pancha pandava: Sanskrit word meaning the five Pandava brothers.

panda: Sanskrit word meaning all the qualities born of knowledge.

Pandavas: the friends of Krishna and the soul. They are always at war with the Kauravas or negative qualities.

para, param: Sanskrit word meaning supreme.

parable: an earthly story with a heavenly meaning, used by prophets and sages such as Jesus, Buddha, Ramakrishna, etc.

paramahamsa, paramhansa (Sanskrit word meaning “supreme swan”): the swan is the only creature that is capable of separating milk from water once they have been mixed together. Similarly, a paramahamsa is the realized master who, having attained the supreme yogic state, or nirvikalpa samadhi, can always distinguish between the Real (sa) from the unreal (ham).

Paramahamsa Hariharananda: the greatest living realized master in Kriya Yoga, is a legend among the spiritual seekers and has attained nirvikalpa samadhi since 1948.

Paramahamsa Yogananda: the foremost disciple of Swami Shriyukteshwarji, who brought the message of Kriya Yoga from India to the West in 1920. Author of the Autobiography of a Yogi.

Parabrahman (Sanskrit word meaning “supreme absolute”): the Absolute—indestructible,  imperishable, and supreme.

Parashara: a great sage, father of Veda Vyasa.

paravastha (Sanskrit word meaning “supreme (para) stage (avastha)”): super-conscious state above the perishable body; the state of extreme tranquility.

Pashupati (Sanskrit word meaning “Lord (pati) of animals (pashu)”): a name of Shiva.

Patañjali:  the author of the Yoga-Sutras, a classical text dealing with concentration and its methods in raja yoga.

pingala: Sanskrit word meaning a nerve channel on the right side of the sushumna in which the vital air passes through. It corresponds to the rajasic quality of nature.

pitri yajña: Sanskrit word meaning praying for the liberation of diseased and departed souls, especially the parents.

prajña: Sanskrit word meaning wisdom.

prajñanam brahmam: Sanskrit word meaning one of the four great pronouncements of the Vedas which summarized the essence of the Upanishads, meaning:  “Wisdom is Brahman (the absolute God)”.

prakriti (Sanskrit word meaning “creative force”): the veil of nature, or the material substratum of creation, consisting of the three gunas.

prana (Sanskrit word meaning “life”): life-force or breath; one of the five main pranas (vital energies), responsible for absorption.

pranayama (Sanskrit word meaning “restraint (ayama) of prana”): regulation of breath through control of the life force (prana); the fourth limb of Patañjali’s ashtanga yoga system.

pranic: that which relates to the life force or breath (prana).

prasada (Sanskrit word meaning “grace”, “clarity” or “tranquility”): that which comes from God as His grace, gift, and greetings; consecrated food.

Prashna Upanishad: one of the principal Upanishads. Prashna means “question”.

prasthana (Sanskrit word meaning “exit”): sacred books for liberation.

prasthana trayi: Sanskrit word referring to the three sacred books for liberation, viz. the Upanishads, the Brahma Sutras and the Bhagavad Gita.

pratyahara (Sanskrit word meaning “withdrawal”): principles of self-control; the fifth limb of Patañjali’s ashtanga yoga system.

prema: Sanskrit word meaning love for God.

puja: Sanskrit word meaning ritualistic worship.

punya: Sanskrit word meaning auspicious; good; merit.

pura: Sanskrit word meaning city; house.

Puranas (Sanskrit word meaning “ancient”): one of the scriptures of India composed of metaphorical tales.

purnima: Sanskrit word meaning full moon; also refers to the full moon day or holi celebration in India.

Puru: a royal dynasty in India.

purusha: Sanskrit word meaning the indwelling Self.

purushottama (Sanskrit word meaning “the supreme (uttama) Self (purusha)”): God.

Putana: an impure woman, a demoness who tried to poison baby Krishna.

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