supposed to be circumscribed by ‘five
topics’ (pañcälak•ana): sarga (creation),
pratisarga (dissolution), manvantara
(world periods), vamÿa (genealogies),
vamÿänucarita (stories about the deeds
of the descendants of the dynasties men-
tioned). In fact they contain a great
amount of additional material on the
four aims of life (puru•ärthas), especial-
ly DHARMA and mok•a (LIBERATION),
vows (vratas), RITUALS, places of
PILGRIMAGE(tïrthas) and other matters.Mähär
Member of a (formerly) OUTCASTEcom-
munity occupied with cleaning.Maharsi (‘Great Ø•i’)
Honorific title applied to the mythical
PRAJÄPATISand to historical personalities
(e.g. RAMANAMAHARÆI).mahat (‘the great one’)
According to SÄßKHYAthe first entity
produced from the interaction of
PURUÆA(2) and PRAKØTI(spirit and mat-
ter), the origin of everything else in the
universe. Also identified with buddhi,
intellect.mahätma (‘great soul’)
Honorific for highly meritorious people,
such as Mahatma GANDHI.mähätmya
A class of writings eulogizing a god, a
person, a place or a text.mahä-väkyas (‘great sayings’)
Four brief statements considered by
some Vedäntins to embody the gist of
the Upani•ads and to convey LIBERATION:
tat tvam asi (‘That you are’),
Chändogya VI, 8, 7; aham brahmäsmi
(‘I am brahman’), Bøhadäraæyaka I, 4;
ayam ätma brahma(‘This self is brah-man’), Bøhadäranyaka II, 5, 19);
prajñänam brahma(‘Wisdom is brah-
man’), Aitareya III, 1, 13). A great deal
has been written about these
mahäväkyas in the context of the expo-
sition of various schools of VEDÄNTA.Mahä-vïra (‘great hero’)
Honorific title applied to many person-
alities in Hinduism, Buddhism and
Jainism; epithet of the 24th
Tïrthänkara, the founder/reformer of
Jainism.Mahä-yogi (‘the great ascetic’)
An epithet of ŸIVA.Mahesh Yogi Maharishi
See INTERNATIONAL TRANSCENDENTAL
MEDITATIONSOCIETY.Maheÿvara (‘the great Lord’)
An epithet of ŸIVA.Mahï-däsa (‘slave of the earth’)
A celebrated Vedic ø•i (sage), son of the
sage Viÿäla and Itarä, a Südra girl.
Neglected by his brahmin father, he was
taught by earth (Mahï). He became
known as Aitareya (Itarä’s son) and is
the author of the Aitareya Brähmaæa,
Äraæyaka and Upani•ad.Mahïpati (1715–90)
Biographer of the saints of Mahärä•flra
from Dhyandeva onwards in the
Bhaktavijayaand Bhaktalïlämøta.Mahi•äsura (‘buffalo demon’)
A mighty demon defeated by the god-
dess. (See alsoDEVÏ; DURGÄ; KALÏ.)Mahmud of Ghazni (971–1030)
The first Muslim invader, who under-
took major raids into India, defeatedMähär 110Encyclo - Letter M 10/2/03 9:50 am Page 110