Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism

prati-•flhäpana 142

prati-•flhäpana

The solemn installation and consecration

of an IMAGE(mürti) through which the

presence of a deity is called down and the

image becomes an object of worship.

pratyähära

(‘withdrawal [of the senses]’)

An important stage in PATAÑJALAYOGA.

pratyak•a (‘perception’)

The first and most important means of

proof. (See alsoPRAMÄŒA.)

pra-vøtti (‘progress’, ‘advance’)

Active wordly life; projection. The

opposite of NI-VØTTI.

prayaÿcitta (‘atonement’)

Action prescribed as penance for viola-

tion of precepts, such as repetition of a

formula or bathing. There are long lists

of prayaÿcittas that match specific

atonements for particular breaches of

the law.

predestination

MADHVAteaches a kind of predestina-

tion, by insisting that certain persons

(nitya baddhas) never reach release.

premä (‘love’)

In GAU¥ÏYAVAIÆŒAVISM, a designation

of the highest form of love for Kø•æa,

which transforms the devotee perma-

nently.

preta (‘ghost’)

An evil spirit, the restless soul of a

departed person who for some reason

or other could not find a way to the

beyond. There is a popular belief that

people who commit suicide or people

who have not atoned for a serious crime

are condemned to haunt the world as

pretas. Texts such as the Pretakalpa of

the Garuõa Puräæagive instructions on

how to meet pretas and what to do to

give them release.

Pøthivï (‘the broad’)

The earth, or the whole world. In the

Vedas she is personified as mother of all

beings. Her name is derived from

PØTHU, who gave her life and thus was

considered her father.

Pøthu

Son of VEŒA, the first rightful

monarch on earth. He is credited with

having introduced agriculture, and

providing his subjects with peace and

plenty.

püjä

Worship, especially of an IMAGE, usually

an offering of fruit, cooked food, water,

incense, flowers etc. Each saƒpradäya

(sect) has elaborate rules for the perfor-

mance of püjä which have to be strictly

followed by the devotees. As an act of

devotion püjä is both service to the deity

and a means to win his/her favour. Püjä

offered daily at the home shrine is a

scaled-down version of the grand ser-

vices performed at temples, especially at

festive occasions. It has to include a

minimum of sixteen acts: avahana (invi-

tation of the deity); äsana (offering a

seat); svagata (greeting); padya (wash-

ing the feet); arghya (rinsing the mouth

and hands); acamanïya (water for sip-

ping); madhuparka (offering water

mixed with honey); snäna or abhi•eka

(bathing or sprinkling); vastra (clothing);

gandha (perfumes); pu•pa (flowers);

dhüpa (incense); dïpa (lamp); naivedya

or prasäda (offering food); nämaskära

or praæäma (prostration); visarjana

(send-off).

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