Sanskrit Terms Starting with P

The basic meaning of pāda is foot or a step. By extension, pāda can also mean “foot of a verse” or “quarter,” which is why classical texts divide sutras into pādas.

In haṭha yoga treatises, pāda appears in āsana names to indicate foot placement or leg position. In modern yoga usage, it most often simply refers to the feet within posture names or instructions.

There is no deeper doctrinal meaning of pāda beyond these literal and structural senses.

Pāda-bandha is described in modern yoga systems such as Iyengar and Ashtanga as a subtle engagement of the feet. The goal is to lift the inner arches while maintaining even grounding through the soles.

Although classical haṭha yoga texts do not explicitly name a foot lock, the concept arises naturally through alignment and stability in standing postures.

Teachers often cue Pāda-bandha in poses like Tādāsana or Vīrabhadrāsana to create a stable foundation and encourage upward flow of energy. It functions as a practical alignment principle rather than a philosophical doctrine.

The term appears in classical posture descriptions. For example, Haṭha Yoga Pradīpikā instructs grasping the padāgra in forward bends such as Paścimottānāsana.

Beyond identifying a specific anatomical point, padāgra carries no symbolic or energetic meaning in yoga philosophy.

Its usage is purely descriptive, indicating the toes or front of the foot in posture alignment.

The lotus represents purity and spiritual unfolding, as it rises clean from muddy water. In yogic symbolism, chakras are often visualized as lotus flowers with specific numbers of petals.

Padmāsana is named after the lotus shape formed by the legs and is considered a classical meditation seat.

Tantric and Upaniṣadic texts frequently use lotus imagery to describe divine presence and inner awakening. In practical yoga instruction, however, padma usually functions as a descriptive name rather than a philosophical teaching.

Pañca appears in many classical lists, such as pañca mahābhūta (five great elements) and pañca prāṇa vāyus.

The word itself has no symbolic meaning beyond the number five. Any philosophical significance comes from the specific fivefold system being described.

Sanskrit dictionaries consistently define pañca simply as the numeral five.

The five elements are pṛthivī (earth), jala (water), tejas or agni (fire), vāyu (air), and ākāśa (ether or space).

Classical systems such as Sāṅkhya, Yoga, and Ayurveda use this framework to explain sensory experience, bodily constitution, and cosmology.

In practice, yogic techniques may aim to balance these elements, though the term itself simply names the classical fivefold elemental system.

Pañcadaśa appears in contexts such as listing fifteen names, steps, or forms in devotional or tantric literature.

It has no unique doctrinal meaning in yoga philosophy. When encountered, it simply denotes the number fifteen.

Each vāyu moves in a specific direction and region of the body. Prāṇa governs inhalation and chest energy, apāna governs elimination, samāna digestion, udāna upward movement, and vyāna circulation.

This system is described in classical yoga and Ayurvedic texts as a way to understand prāṇic flow.

Practices such as prāṇāyāma, bandha, and mudrā are often taught to balance or redirect the vāyus. Pañcavāyu is a technical physiological model rather than a metaphysical concept.

The term combines parama (supreme) and Śiva (auspicious one). In Kashmir Śaivism and Tantric texts, Paramaśiva is described as unmanifest absolute consciousness from which the universe arises.

Meditation on Śiva may progress from personal deity forms toward Paramaśiva as formless awareness.

The term does not appear in Patanjali’s Yoga Sutras and is specific to Śaiva traditions rather than classical yoga philosophy.

Paramparā emphasizes authenticity and continuity of knowledge. Teachings are considered valid because they are passed through a recognized lineage.

The guru-śiṣya paramparā is foundational across Indian philosophical systems, including Vedanta, Tantra, and yoga.

The term carries no hidden metaphysical meaning beyond structured succession and preservation of wisdom.

The posture resembles the shape of a gate formed by the body. It is commonly taught in modern yoga systems.

Classical haṭha texts do not list Parighāsana by name. Its use is primarily physical, stretching the sides of the body and preparing for deeper lateral movements.

Philosophically, the pose carries no special doctrine beyond its descriptive name.

Parinama comes from the roots pari (“around”) + iṇam (“result”). It appears in Vedanta and Samkhya philosophy, including parinamavada, the doctrine of transformation.

Patanjali’s Yoga system holds that purusha is unchanging, yet it still uses the idea of parinama to describe shifts in chitta and changes in states (avastha).

In practice, teachers use parinama to refer to positive changes yoga can bring, such as bodily alignment, steadier attention, and clearer perception. In Tantra, parinama can also refer to the ritual transformation of substances.

It is often contrasted with vivarta, meaning apparent change. A classical debate, especially in Advaita, is whether creation is parinama (real transformation) or vivarta (appearance). In essence, parinama names a process of change or ripening, with meaning shaped by context.

Parivartana is a noun from pari (“around”) + vrit (“to turn”), so it literally means turning around. It is used in many Sanskrit contexts, from movement and staging to change of state.

In posture names, it functions as a descriptive term. When you see it, expect a movement of turning, whether that is the torso revolving in an asana or a broader turning point described in text.

Unlike parinama (transformation of effect or outcome), parivartana is more literal and directional. It is a general Sanskrit word, not unique to yoga.

Parivrtta comes from the same turning root used in words for rotation, meaning something is turned or faces the other way. Many asanas have parivrtta versions where the spine and torso twist.

Modern teaching often links twists to digestive support and a sense of wringing and renewal, yet the Sanskrit term itself stays straightforward. It signals the shape of the pose.

There is no separate philosophical concept behind “revolved.” It is a descriptive marker within posture naming.

In yoga asana names, parsva refers to the lateral side, such as Parsvottanasana and Parsvakonasana. The spelling parsva vs parshva is a matter of transliteration. The meaning remains the same.

It is not a philosophical term by itself. It is anatomical and directional, telling you how to orient the body to the side.

This asana is a variation of Balasana (Child’s Pose). It is commonly translated as a “revolved child pose” and is also widely known in English as Thread the Needle.

In practice, one arm threads under the opposite side of the body, turning the chest sideways. It is used to release tension in the shoulders, upper back, and spine, and it is often taught as a calming counter-pose.

Classical hatha texts do not name this specific posture. The Sanskrit naming reflects modern asana catalogs and remains primarily descriptive.

In Utthita Parsvakonasana, “utthita” means extended, “parsva” means side, and “kona” means angle. The full name means Extended Side Angle Pose.

The term is descriptive, identifying the geometry of the posture. Classical medieval yoga texts do not present this pose by name; it is widely associated with 20th-century modern asana systems.

Any deeper meaning comes from how the posture is practiced. The Sanskrit name itself is a naming convention describing shape and orientation.

Paschimottanasana literally means “western stretch pose.” In yoga usage, “paschima” is interpreted as the back side of the body, and “uttana” indicates an intense extension.

Classical hatha texts describe this asana and present it as a key forward bend. The Sanskrit name reflects its function: an intense stretch along the posterior chain.

Modern teachers often use it for the cooling effect of forward bends and for training steadiness. The name itself remains primarily anatomical and directional.

In yoga and Ayurveda usage, pascima can denote the western direction or the dorsal aspect of the body. In hatha contexts, it commonly points to the back side being stretched or engaged.

When it appears in asana names, it primarily labels the posterior region. The meaning is directional and anatomical rather than esoteric.

Historically, Patanjali’s identity is complex and may reflect one author or a tradition of compilation. He is venerated as the compiler of the Yoga Sutras, commonly dated within roughly the period 200 BCE to 200 CE.

The sutras synthesize earlier yogic ideas into a concise framework that later commentators expanded. In many yoga lineages, Patanjali is honored as a root authority, and teachers often cite “Patanjali says” when referencing sutra teachings.

As a Sanskrit term, “Patanjali” functions as a proper name rather than a technical concept. Its importance comes from the text and tradition associated with it.

This pose is an inversion balanced on the forearms. The name evokes the image of the legs fanning like peacock feathers.

In practice, it builds shoulder stability, core strength, and balance. While peacock symbolism exists in Indian culture, the posture’s Sanskrit name functions primarily as a descriptive image within modern asana practice.

Classical medieval hatha texts do not generally list this specific inversion by name. Its widespread presence is associated with modern yoga training systems.

Classical yoga anatomy describes three primary nadis: ida, pingala, and sushumna. Pingala is associated with solar qualities and with outward, activating energy.

Many pranayama frameworks connect pingala with right-side breath patterns and with the energizing aspect of the nervous system. Practices like alternate-nostril breathing are commonly taught as a way to balance ida and pingala to support steadier flow through the central channel.

In summary, Pingala is the solar energy channel in yoga physiology, used as a technical model for breath, energy, and mental tone.

The Sanskrit root of pitta is linked with heat and bile. Ayurvedic literature describes pitta as composed of fire (tejas) with a watery component that allows digestion and metabolic action.

Pitta is commonly associated with the small intestine and stomach, governing enzymes, temperature regulation, and the capacity to transform food into energy.

When pitta is elevated, it is often associated with inflammation, irritability, and overheating patterns. In yoga contexts, pitta is frequently mentioned alongside vata and kapha to personalize lifestyle and practice choices, even though the Yoga Sutras do not teach dosha theory directly.

Plavini is derived from the root plu, “to float.” In this pranayama, the practitioner swallows air to inflate the belly, then completes deep inhalation.

Classical sources such as the Gheranda Samhita list plavini among pranayama techniques, though it is rarely practiced today and is considered advanced.

Traditional descriptions sometimes include dramatic claims about buoyancy and extended floating. In practical terms, plavini is an unusual variation involving air retention and abdominal control, requiring expert guidance.