A Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism Klaus K Klostermaie

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¥ÏYA VAIÆŒAVISM.
Madhusüdana (1)
(‘slayer of Madhu’)
One of the VYÜHAS of 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•ad ascribed to Dadhïca, which
teaches a particular VIDYÄ.
Madhva, also Änanda Tïrtha
(1238–1317)
Born in Udipï, Karæätaka, founder of the
school of DVAITA VEDANTA, hostile to
Jains, Buddhists and Advaitins, author
of numerous works (commentaries on
the Brahmasütras, the Bhagavadgïtä,
portions of the Øgveda, and independent
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
BRAHMAN and 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 planetary
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 SATÏ on the funeral pile of
Päæõu.
Madurai
Ancient temple city in South India
(Tamilnädü), dominated by the famous
MÏNÄKÆÏ temple, dedicated to the ‘fisheyed’
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 present
temple were built in the 16th century
under the patronage of the
Nayyakas, successors to the Päæõyas.
Maga
An ancient people, sun-worshippers,
associated with the erection of megalithic
monuments in India, in the Veda
connected with the ŸAKADVÏPA and often
alluded to in the epics and the Puräæas.