physiological and spiritual benefits of
meditation and providing people (for a
fee) with a mantraor sacred sound that
would bring them these benefits.
According to TMproponents, meditation
is also supposed to have pacific effects
on the larger environment, and result in
reduced crime, tension, and hatred.
During this period Maharishi
International University was established
at the former Parsons College in
Fairfield, Iowa, as a center to teach TM. In
the late 1970s, Maharishi University
instituted a program training people to
develop the six classical superhuman
powers(siddhis). Since then several dis-
appointed patrons have won lawsuits
against the organization.
Mahasaraswati
In the Devimahatmya, the earliest and
most important source for the mythology
of the Goddess, the text describes this
goddess in three different manifesta-
tions: Mahasaraswati, Mahalakshmi,
and Mahakali. The opening story begins
at the creation of the cosmos. As the god
Brahmaemerges from the lotus sprout-
ing from the god Vishnu’snavel, he is
beset by two demons named Madhu
and Kaitabha, who try to kill him.
Brahma tries to elude the demons, but
because Vishnu is fast asleep, overcome
by the power of the Goddess, he cannot
give Brahma any help. It is only when
Brahma praises the Goddess that she
leaves Vishnu, letting him awake. She
then clouds the demons’ minds so that
they can be tricked (and killed) by
Vishnu. In the pantheon, Saraswatiis
the goddess associated with art, learn-
ing, and culture—anything involving the
life and activity of the intellectual and
aesthetic faculties. Mahasaraswati is
also connected with intellect, emphasiz-
ing her ability to control people’s per-
ceptions. For more information on
Mahasaraswati and the goddesses of
Hinduism, see David R. Kinsley, Hindu
Goddesses, 1986.
Mahat
(“great one”) In the account of evolution
found in the Samkhyaphilosophical
school, mahat is the first evolutionary
stage. It consists of the initial distur-
bance of prakrti (primal matter)
transforming from its original state
of equilibrium. Mahat is called the
“great one” because prakrti remains
unchanged. Mahat is also known
as buddhi, the mental faculty for
awareness, apperception, and decision
making that is believed to be at the root
of mental processes. The mental
processes facilitated by buddhi spur the
development of the next stage in the
evolution, ahamkaror subjective con-
sciousness, after which the division of
the world into subjective and objective
spheres proceeds.Mahavakya
(“great utterance”) Short statements
from the speculative texts known as the
Upanishads, called “great” because they
reveal the true nature of reality and of
the Self. One of the most famous
mahavakya is tat tvam asi(“that thou
art”), expressing the unity of the Self
with Brahman. Other well known utter-
ances are ayamatma Brahman(“This
Self is Brahman”), sarvam idam khalu
Brahman (“Truly, this universe is
Brahman”), aham brahmasmi(“I am
Brahman”), and prajnanam Brahman
(“Knowledge is Brahman”). These great
utterances are most important in the
leap philosophypropounded by the
philosopher Sureshvara. Leap philoso-
phers believe that complete freedom is
possible, but out of our immediate con-
trol, in that it cannot be gained by a pre-
cisely specified sequence of causes and
effects. According to Sureshvara’s under-
standing, when a person whose under-
standing has been purified hears one of
these mahavakyas, the profound truth
in the utterance brings the flash of
insight that brings final liberation of the
soul (moksha).Mahasaraswati