A Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism Klaus K Klostermaie

111 Manasä
Hindu princes and annexed large areas
in north-western India. He is responsible
for the destruction of the famous
SOMANÄTHA temple 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 disciple
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•ad was named.
Makara
A large aquatic animal (alligator, crocodile,
dolphin?), the VAHANA (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 VIÆŒU and 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 VAIÆŒAVAS to
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 Mahäsabhä
(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 meditation
(the first being ÿravana [listening]
and the third nididhyäsana [contemplation,
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 comparable
to the scholastic sensus communis,
the faculty that mediates
between the senses and the mind
proper.
Manasä, also Manasä 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.