Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism

Mätøkas 116

in today’s Kerala. The women own the

property, and inheritance is from mother

to daughter. Relationship and descent

are traced from women. Husbands

often do not live with their wives but

come only to visit. (See alsoEQUALITY OF

WOMEN; WOMEN.)

Mätøkas, alsoMätøs (‘mothers’)

The divine mothers; the spouses of

Vi•æu, Ÿiva, Brahmä and other deities.

While often a large or an indefinite

number of ‘mothers’ is mentioned, the

‘seven mothers’ (saptamätøkäs) Brahmï,

Maheÿvarï, Kaumärï, Vai•æavï,

Mahendrï, Varähï and Cämuöõä are

often found represented together as a

unit in temples.

Matsya (‘fish’)

The first of Vi•æu’s AVATÄRAS, associat-

ed with the salvation of MANU(2) from

the Great FLOOD.

Matsya Puräæa

One of the older Puräæas, so called

because it is said to have been revealed to

MANU(2) by the MATSYA AVATÄRAof

Vi•æu, although it is mostly a ŸAIVAwork.

Maurya

A royal dynasty founded by

Candragupta (in 323 BCE) at Pataliputra

(modern Patna) in MAGADHA. Tra-

ditionally there were ten Maurya kings

whose rule lasted for 137 years. In the

Vi•æu Puräæathe list reads: Candra-

gupta, Bindusära, Aÿokavardhana, Suyaÿas,

Daÿaratha, Sangata, Ÿäliÿüka, Soma-

ÿarman, Ÿaÿadharman and Bøhadratha.

Maya

A DAITYA, considered the chief architect of

the ASURAS, the counterpart of VIŸVA-

KARMAN(2) (architect of the DEVAS). The

Mahäbhärata mentions that he built a

palace for the PÄŒ¥AVAS. He is reputed to

be the author of the Maya-mata, an exten-

sive handbook on architecture.

mäyä

(‘deceit’, ‘fraud’, ‘illusion’, ‘deception’)

Personified as the bewitching power of

VIÆŒUin the form of a beautiful woman

at the time of the CHURNING OF THE

OCEAN, which deprived the demons of

AMØTA. In Vedänta, especially in

ADVAITA, mäyä comes to mean the uni-

versal illusion that veils the minds of

humans.

Mäyon, alsoMäyavan

(‘the one who possesses mäyä’)

Tamil names for VIÆŒU.

meat eating

The Øgveda and later Vedic writings

indicate that meat eating (even beef)

was common in ancient India, especial-

ly in connection with animal SACRIFICES.

When Jainism and Buddhism protested

against the killing of animals both for

ritual and commercial purposes,

VEGETARIANISMalso became popular in

Hinduism, particularly among

VAIÆŒAVAS, who ceased to perform ani-

mal sacrifices. Beef eating must have

ceased long before MANU(2), because

the MANU-SMØTIprovides for punish-

ments for killing a COWalmost as severe

as those for killing a brahmin. Ÿaivas

and Ÿäktas continue to eat meat, espe-

cially goat and chicken, but also buffalo

and deer. (See also FOOD.)

Medätithi (c. 825-900)

Author of a celebrated commentary on

the MANU-SMØTI.

medha (‘sacrifice’)

This can be an element in words such as

aÿvamedha (horseSACRIFICE), as well as

the quality that makes an animal fit for

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