Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism

111 Manasä

Hindu princes and annexed large areas

in north-western India. He is responsi-

ble for the destruction of the famous

SOMANÄTHAtemple in Gujarat and

many other Hindu sancturies, which he

plundered. His name is a symbol of

fanaticism and hostility to Hindus.

Maitreya (‘friendly’)

A ø•i (sage), the son of Kuÿarava, a dis-

ciple of PARÄŸARA, one of the main

interlocutors in the Vi•æu and

Bhägavata Puräæas.

Maitreyï

One of the wives of YAJÑAVÄLKYA,

famous for conducting philosophical

conversations with her husband. (See

also GÄRGÏ.)

Maitri

Ancient mystical philosopher, after

whom the Maitri Upani•adwas named.

Makara

A large aquatic animal (alligator, croco-

dile, dolphin?), theVAHANA(vehicle) of

VARUŒA, often represented on Hindu

temples.

Makära (‘the five ms’)

Requisites for tantric worship (taboos for

Hindus generally): madya (wine); mäƒsa

(meat); matsya (fish); mudrä (a particular

variety of parched grain); maithuna

(extramarital sexual intercourse). (See also

TANTRA(2).)

Mäl (‘great’)

Tamil name for VIÆŒUand KØÆŒA.

mala (‘impurity’)

Moral or physical pollution, especially

bodily secretions, which makes one

unfit for worship.

mälä

A garland, used to honour and decorate

the image of a god, or a person; a string

of beads, used to recite mantras or

names of deities, such a tulsïmälä, made

of beads from the wood of the TULASÏ

plant, employed by many VAIÆŒAVASto

recite the MAHÄMANTRA. Mäläs usually

have a specific number of beads (often

108 or a fraction thereof).

Malaviya, Pandit Mohan

(1861–1946)

Founder and first vice-chancellor of

Benares Hindu University (1915). He

was the co-founder of Hindu Mahä-

sabhä (1909), a right-wing political

party with the aim of establishing a

Hindu rä•flra (rule) in India. He was

also editor of Hindustan Times.

manana (‘reflecting’)

The second step in the process of medi-

tation (the first being ÿravana [listening]

and the third nididhyäsana [contempla-

tion, trance]).

manas (‘mind’)

Understanding, intelligence. In Indian

philosophy manas is different from

citta, caitanya (CONCIOUSNESS) and

ätman(SELF) or puru•a(spirit). Manas

is the instrument through which sense

impressions affect the ätman. It is com-

parable to the scholastic sensus com-

munis, the faculty that mediates

between the senses and the mind

proper.

Manasä, alsoManasä devï

(‘snake-goddess’)

The sister of ŸEÆA, the serpent king, she

is endowed with special powers to

counteract the poison of serpents; also

called Vi•aharä, ‘destroyer of venom’.

She is very popular in South India.

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