his time. Although the Ashtadhyayi is
considered a masterpiece, it appears to
invite more detailed commentary
because it is written in a series of apho-
risms or sutra. Each of these aphorisms
provides the basis for those which fol-
low. Panini’s ultimate purpose is to give
a complete account of the language in
the briefest possible space. Aside from
expanding and expounding Panini’s
grammar, Patanjali also gives some use-
ful information of his own. The
Mahabhashya contains the earliest
known reference to the Greeks.
Mahabrahman
(“Great Brahman”) In traditional Indian
society, a debased class of brahmins
who officiate at rites for the dead, espe-
cially at the rites performed immediately
after death. In many of these rites the
Mahabrahman is identified with the
deceased person and is fed and given
gifts that are intended to help satisfy the
soul of the deceased. These acts are seen
as transferring the inauspiciousnessof
death from the family to the
Mahabrahman. Such constant associa-
tion with death and its inauspicious
qualities is seen as a highly undesirable
way to make a living; Mahabrahmans
have extremely low social status, despite
being brahmins by birth. As compensa-
tion for taking on such inauspicious-
ness, Mahabrahmans usually demand
high payment from a family. For further
information see Jonathan Parry,
“Ghosts, Greed and Sin: The
Occupational Identity of the Benares
Funeral Priests,” in Man, Vol. 15, 1980.
Mahadeva
(“great God”) Epithet of the god Shiva.
See Shiva.
Mahadeviyakka
(12th c.) Poet-saint and religious leader
in the Lingayatreligious community,
a bhakti(devotional) community cen-
tered on both the worshipof Shiva
as the single supreme god and on the
rejection of all casteregulations. The
Lingayats were formed in the southern
Indian state of Karnataka, where they
still have a considerable presence. The
collections of poetry that form their
most important religious texts are com-
posed in the Kannada language.
Mahadeviyakka was a contemporary of
Basavannaand Allama Prabhu; her sta-
tus in the community is marked by the
suffix akka (“elder sister”). According to
tradition, she was devoted to Shiva at a
very young age and considered him to
be her true husband. This caused great
problems during a brief, unhappy mar-
riage, a mismatch between a carnally
inclined man and a woman who would
have no human lover. She eventually left
her husband, wandering naked as a sign
that she had cast away all attachments.
She later became associated with the
Lingayats, known as the “Lord’s men.”
The theme running through most of her
poetry is love for Shiva, sometimes as
her husband and sometimes as her
adulterous lover, both portraying her
struggles with the world. For further
information see A. K. Ramanujan,
Speaking of Shiva, 1973.Mahakaleshvar
Temple and sacred site (tirtha) in the
sacred city of Ujjainin the state of
Madhya Pradesh. The temple is named
for its presiding deity, the god Shivain
his manifestation as the “Lord of Death.”
Shiva is present at Mahakaleshvar in the
form of a linga, a pillar-shaped image.
The Mahakaleshvar linga is one of the
twelve jyotirlingas, a network of sites at
which Shiva is uniquely present. The
linga is in an underground room,
reached only by traversing a long, dark
passageway. This passage may symbol-
ize the darkness and terror of death.
Worshipat Mahakaleshvar is believed to
protect one from an early or untimely
death, and at death, bring liberation of
the soul (moksha).
The city of Ujjain has a long history
as a sacred, economic, and political cen-
ter. One of the Seven Sacred CitiesMahabrahman