Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism

Mänasa, alsoMänasa-

sarovara

A lake in the Himälayas on Mount

Kailäsa, believed to be native place of

swans who return there every year to

breed.

Mänasära

An ancient treatise on architecture, pro-

viding much detail with regard to the

building of houses and temples, the

making of sculptures and the laying out

of towns.

Mänava Dharmä-ÿästra

See MANU-SMØTI.

Mandäkinï

The GA¢GÄ, especially the part that

flows through KEDARNÄTH(2).

maæõala (1) (‘circle’, ‘orb’)

One of the ten sections of the Øgveda.

maæõala (2)

Complex geometric design, used in

(tantric) rituals, to involve the entire

cosmos. It is used in the ground plan of

the Hindu temple, which is seen as a

miniature cosmos.

maæõala (3)

Consecrated enclosed space, or any cir-

cular arrangements of religiously mean-

ingful objects, e.g. Braja-maöõala, the

area covered by places reminiscent of

Kø•æa around Mathurä–Vøndävana;

rasa-maæõala, the circular platform on

which the rasa dance is performed.

maöõala-nøtya (‘round dance’)

The dance of the GOPÏSaround Kø•æa

and Rädhä, as desribed in the

Bhägavatam.

Maæõana Miÿra (eighth century CE)

Celebrated exponent of Purva

MÏMÄßSÄ, whom ŸA¢KARA(2) defeated

in a long debate.

Mandara

The mountain that the gods and ASURAS

used as stick during their CHURNING OF

THE OCEAN. It has been identified with a

mountain of that name in Bhägalpur.

Mändhätø

An ancient king after whom the

Mändhätø period (traditionally set at

2750–2550 BCE) has been named. Some

peculiar myths surround him. His

father, Yuvanäÿva, having been child-

less for a long time, conceived him after

drinking some consecrated water and

gave birth to him from his right side.

When Mändhätø grew up he had three

sons as well as fifty daughters, all of

whom were married to an old sage

called Saubhari, who had assumed a

youthful form.

maæõira

See TEMPLE.

Mäæõukya Upani•ad

One of the principal Upani•ads, which

teaches the four stages of CONSCIOUS-

NESSand being. Gauõapada’s Kärikäs

(glosses) on it were the seminal text for

the development of Ÿaökara’s ADVAITA

VEDÄNTA.

Maögala

The planet Mars, identified with

KÄRTTIKEYA, the god of war. Son of Ÿiva

and the earth, he is also called

Bhümiputra (son of the earth) and

Lohita (red). Maögalavära (Tuesday) is

named after him.

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