Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism

107 Maga

disputes with proponents of other

doctrines.

Madhu

A demon slain by Kø•æa.

madhurasa (‘sweet love’)

The highest stage of emotional devotion

(bhävana bhakti) in the teaching of

GAU¥ÏYAVAIÆŒAVISM.

Madhusüdana (1)

(‘slayer of Madhu’)

One of the VYÜHASof Vi•æu.

Madhusüdana (2)

An epithet of KØÆŒA.

Madhusüdana (3) (14th century)

A celebrated teacher of ADVAITA

VEDÄNTA, author of the Khaöõanakhaæõa

Khädya.

madhu-vidyä (‘honey knowledge’)

A section in the Bøhadäranyaka

Upani•adascribed to Dadhïca, which

teaches a particular VIDYÄ.

Madhva, alsoÄnanda Tïrtha

(1238–1317)

Born in Udipï, Karæätaka, founder of the

school of DVAITAVEDANTA, hostile to

Jains, Buddhists and Advaitins, author

of numerous works (commentaries on

the Brahmasütras, the Bhagavadgïtä,

portions of the Øgveda, and indepen-

dent treatises) in which he tries to prove

that ŸRUTI, which for him also includes

such works as the Vi•æupuräæa and

Ägamas, reveals the dual reality of

BRAHMANand ÄTMAN. Madhva was a

staunch VAIÆŒAVA. His teaching is also

known as biƒba-pratibiƒba, ‘image

and reflection’, suggesting that the

ätman is a mirror image of God. The

way to liberation is self-surrender to

Vi•æu through active love which centres

on ritual worship of God’s image.

Madhya-deÿa (‘middle country’)

Described in the Manusmøti as the land

between the Himälayas and the

Vindhya mountains, east of Vinäÿana

and west of Präyäga. It is also called

Äryävarta, the ‘land of the Äryas’, and

its customs were considered models for

proper behaviour.

Mädhyandina (‘midday’)

An important Vedic school, a branch of

the Vajasaneyi ÿäkhä, connected with

the Ÿatapatha Brähmana. It developed

its own approach to astronomy and

derives its name from its making noon

the starting-point for calculating plane-

tary movements.

Mädrï

Sister of the King of the Madras and

second wife of PÄNDU; her twin sons

were Nakula and Sahadeva. She chose

to become a SATÏon the funeral pile of

Päæõu.

Madurai

Ancient temple city in South India

(Tamilnädü), dominated by the famous

MÏNÄKÆÏtemple, dedicated to the ‘fish-

eyed’ Goddess and her consort

Sundareÿvara. Many classical texts sing

the glory of Madurai and millions of

pilgrims visit the Mïnäk•ï temple every

year. The major structures of the pre-

sent temple were built in the 16th cen-

tury under the patronage of the

Nayyakas, successors to the Päæõyas.

Maga

An ancient people, sun-worshippers,

associated with the erection of mega-

lithic monuments in India, in the Veda

connected with the ŸAKADVÏPAand often

alluded to in the epics and the Puräæas.

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