A Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism Klaus K Klostermaie

135 Pätañjala Yoga
Janamejaya. When YUDHIÆfiHIRA retired
from the throne, Parik•it followed him
as king of Hastinäpura. He died from a
snake-bite. In the interval between the
bite of the snake and his death, the
Bhägavata Puräæa was recited to him.
(See also MAHÄBHÄRATA.)
Parliament of Religions
A gathering of representatives of all
major religions, which took place in
Chicago in 1893 in connection with the
celebration of the 400th anniversary
of Columbus’ discovery of America.
Swami VIVEKÄNANDA, the Hindu delegate,
made a great impression through
his speeches and became well known
thereafter as an exponent of ADVAITA
VEDÄNTA.
pari•ad
A gathering of brahmins for the purpose
of studying and interpreting the Vedas.
The term has also been appropriated by
groups such as the VIŸVA HINDU
PARIÆAD, giving it the more general
meaning of ‘association’.
Pärvatï
(‘daughter of the mountains’)
An epithet of the consort of ŸIVA, mother
of the six-headed KÄRTTIKEYA and the
elephant-headed GAŒEŸA.
päÿa
(‘noose’)
A designation (in certain schools of
ŸAIVISM) of the bond that ties people to
this finite existence and hinders them
from reaching the Lord.
paÿu
(‘bovine’)
A designation (in certain schools of
ŸAIVISM) of the unenlightened and unemancipated
human condition.
Päÿu-patas
A Ÿaivite sect, said to have been founded
by Ÿiva and later reorganized by
Lakulin, the reputed author of the Päÿupata
Sütra. The teaching is classified as
bhedäbheda (difference–non-difference)
and deals with five categories: käraæa
(the cause, i.e. the creator, maintainer
and destroyer of the universe); kärya
(effect; created things); yoga (the way to
achieve emancipation); vidhi (regulations
and injunctions); and dukhänta
(the final bliss).
Paÿu-pati (‘Lord of animals’)
An epithet of ŸIVA, used to express his
lordship over all living beings, collectively
called paÿu, ‘bovines’.
Pätäla (‘netherworlds’)
Not to be confused with Western
notions of netherworlds or hells (NÄRA-
KA). The seven netherworlds, called
Atala (white), Vitala (black), Nitala
(purple), Gabhastimat (yellow), Mahätala
(sandy), Sutala (stony) and Pätäla are
huge realms (each extending 10,000
yojanas – c. 130,000 km – beneath the
surface of the earth), inhabitated by
DÄNAVAS, DAITYAS, YAKÆAS and great
NÄGAS (1), filled with magnificent
palaces and all kinds of treasures.
NÄRADA (2), after visiting them,
described them as more delightful than
Indra’s heaven.
Pätañjala Yoga
Also called Räja Yoga, the ‘royal’ path,
it is based on the YOGA SÜTRAS, ascribed
to PATAÑJALI. Making use of the terms
coined by SÄßKHYA and taking over its
worldview, the Yoga Sütras describe the
practice of the process of discriminative
knowledge that leads to the liberation
of the embodied spirit. Yoga is not mere
theory, it also implies physical training,
willpower and decisions. It deals with
the human situation as a whole and
aims at providing real freedom, not just
a theory of liberation. Although much