symbolic form Shiva is thus both male
and female—an appropriate form for a
deitywho is famous for transcending
any and all duality.
Philosophy
The Euro-American conception that
there is a fundamental distinction
between philosophy and religion
reflects unique historical and cultural
circumstances that have no parallel in
many other cultures. The Western philo-
sophical tradition is rooted in Greek
thought and culture, whereas Western
religious traditions primarily have been
shaped by ideas coming out of the
Jewish tradition. The ideas from these
two different sources developed side by
side in Western culture, sometimes in an
uneasy alliance and sometimes at odds
but they were always seen as separate. In
many other cultures, this distinction does
not exist, and such imported concepts
become less helpful in encountering
these cultures. Indian and Hindu culture
have a long history of critical and specula-
tive thought, which could be called philo-
sophical. Yet such thought is never
exercised simply for its own sake, but
always with an underlying religious pur-
pose—to enable one to gain the ultimate
religious goal, final liberation of the soul
(moksha). The different perspectives on
how to do this, known as darshans, are
usually designated as “philosophical
schools.” See also six schools.
Pilgrimage
See tirthayatra.
Pilgrimage Places
See tirtha.
Pillar Edicts
Set of inscriptionscommissioned by the
Mauryan emperor Ashoka (r. 269–32
B.C.E.), containing official pronounce-
ments on royal policy, and advice and
instructions to his subjects on a variety
of topics, including religious toleration.
Although these edicts were found in
widely separated places, the text in each
edict was fairly consistent throughout
the Mauryan empire. The pillar edicts
were inscribed on pillars of polished
Chunarsandstone and placed on the
major roads running through the
empire, where they would have been
visible to passersby. In this respect they
were different from the rock edicts,
which were carved into large boulders in
places near the borders of the Mauryan
empire, thus symbolically defining its
boundaries. See also Maurya dynasty.Pinaka
In Hindu mythology, the name of the
archery bow belonging to the god Shiva.Pinda
(“lump”) A ball of cooked rice or other
grain, one of the important objects used
in rites for the dead. A pinda is offered to
the departed spirit each day for the first
ten days after death, in the belief that
the ten pindas progressively help form a
new body for the dead person (a sec-
ondary meaning of the word pindais
“body”). Pindas are also used in the
memorial rite known as shraddha,
which can be performed years after the
actual death; in this rite, the performer
offers pindas to his or her ancestors as
symbolic nourishment.Pindadan
(“giving pindas”) In general usage, a syn-
onym for the memorial rite known as
shraddha. It is given this name because
an important element in shraddha is
offering the balls of cooked grain,
known as pindas, considered symbolic
nourishment for the ancestors.Pindara River
A Himalayan tributary of the Ganges.
The Pindara River flows west from the
Pindari glacier and joins the
Alakananda River at the town of
Karnaprayag. As with all the HimalayanPhilosophy