The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Hinduism (2 Vol Set)

Mahavidyas A collective name for ten fierce and powerful manifestations of the Goddess. According to tradition, the goddessSati ...

Saints, 1982; parts of the latter by Justin E. Abbott as The Life of Eknath, 1981, and The Life of Tukaram, 1980. Mahishasura In ...

part of modern Bihar. Despite the community’s size, Maithila brahmins are well known for their commitment to learning and cultur ...

given in the same way to any honored guest as a sign of welcome and respect. Garlands or necklaces made from more permanent mate ...

correspondence between the two calen- dars—and thus, for example, to keep the spring festivals in the spring—it is considered an ...

Mallinatha (14th c.?) Sanskrit scholar and com- mentator noted for his commentaries on the plays written by the poet Kalidasa(5t ...

of Hindu philosophy, manas is one of the stages in the devolution of prakrti (primal matter), resulting in the world that we see ...

sacred to the Goddess that spreads throughout the subcontinent. Each Shakti Pitha marks the site where a body part of the dismem ...

Mandaleshvar (“Lord of the Region”) Term of respect for the ascetics chosen to head the Naga class of the Dashanami Sanyasis in ...

image. In this style, the mandapa is the name for a hall of the temple that is usually between the entrance hall (ardhaman- dapa ...

the early seventeenth century Mandu was one of the important centers for the Rajasthanistyle of miniature painting. The Rajastha ...

desire to ignore and to deny the reality of death, in Benares it is paraded in full view—not to distress or depress people, but ...

dance genres involves acting out episodes from the life of the god Krishna, especially the Ras lilaand his dalliance with his lo ...

come when they gain disproportionate power and use it to their own ends. Manmatha (“churning the mind”) Epithet of the Krishna, ...

being given the mantra by one’s teacher, believed to transmit not only the sounds of the mantra, but the power associated with i ...

treat various legal matters that might come before the king for adjudication. Manu attempts to put all of these under eighteen t ...

Maratha Dynasty (17th–19th c.) Central Indian dynasty in the region of the western state of Maharashtra, particularly along the ...

protective circle around Sita, instructing her that no harm can befall her as long as she stays in the circle. Ravana, in the fo ...

have existed earlier, since it appears in this text fully developed. Marriage, Eight Classical Forms Dharma literature (texts pr ...

that other people’s ill will and envy may unleash malevolent and unseen forces. As with many of the other life transitions, Hind ...