By Swami Harshananda
Maṇdala literally means 'a circular figure that embellishes’.
File:Maṇdala.jpg
Maṇḍala
The word ‘maṇḍala’ has been used in various senses in the scriptures and allied works depending upon the particular field of knowledge.
Different Denotations of Maṇḍala[edit]
- In the Ṛgveda it is the name of the ten books or sections into which it is divided based on the subject content.
- In the ritualistic field, it is a circular diagram containing squares and triangles, generally prepared with colored powders. When consecrated, it acts like a fence or border protecting the ritual from evil influences and forces.
- A temple when viewed from above, represents a maṇḍala.
- In the works on political science[1], maṇḍala is a part of a king’s territory. A maṇḍala is made up of four deśas, each deśa containing 100 villages. In some works, this definition has been reversed, making the maṇḍala a subdivision of deśa.
Synonyms for Maṇḍala[edit]
The names of the maṇḍalas include:
- Sarvatobhadra
- Caturliñgabhadra
- Prāsādavāstumaṇḍala
- Hariharamaṇḍala
References[edit]
- ↑ Political Science is also called as arthaśāstra or rājyaśāstra.
- The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore