Hindupedia, the Hindu Encyclopedia - User contributions [en]

Talk:Manvantara

2016-12-28T02:45:46Z

Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia: Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia moved page Talk:Manvantara to Manvantara

#REDIRECT [[Manvantara]]

Manvantara

2016-12-28T02:45:46Z

Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia: Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia moved page Talk:Manvantara to Manvantara

By Swami Harshananda

Manvantara literally means ‘period of rule or epoch of a Manu’.

The concept of time as given in the purāṇas is mind blowing. Each day of Brahmā, the creator,<ref>It is called ‘kalpa’ by the purāṇas.</ref> includes one thousand Mahāyugas. Each Mahāyuga includes the four well-known yugas:
# Krtayuga
# Tretāyuga
# Dvāparayuga
# Kaliyuga

This day or kalpa is divided into fourteen manvantaras, epochs of Manu or periods of time, ruled by a Manu. Each manvantara has a little more than 71 Mahāyugas.

==Classification of Manus==
The fourteen Manus ruling over these manvantaras of the present kalpa are:
# Svāyambhuva
# Svārociṣa
# Uttama
# Tāmasa
# Raivata
# Cākṣuṣa
# Vaivasvata
# Sāvarṇi
# Daksa-sāvarni
# Brahma-sāvarṇi
# Dharma-sāvarṇi
# Rudra-sāvarṇi
# Ruci
# Bhauma

==Present Manu==
The Manu of the present age is Vaivasvata. He is the son of Surya. He is also known as Srāddhadeva. Each Manu has his own set of gods, Indra, ṛṣis and others. The name of the present Indra is Purandara. The Saptarṣis or the Seven Sages of this manvantara are:
# Vasiṣtha
# Kaśyapa
# Atri
# Jamadagni
# Gautama
# Viśvāmitra
# Bharadvāja

In terms of human years, one Mahāyuga is of the 43,20,000 years duration. Hence the period of a manvantara comes to 308 million human years.

==References==
{{reflist}}
* The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore

[[Category:Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism]]

Manvantara

2016-12-28T02:45:24Z

Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia:

Talk:Maṇḍana Miśra

2016-12-19T16:22:25Z

Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia: Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia moved page Talk:Maṇḍana Miśra to Maṇḍana Miśra

#REDIRECT [[Maṇḍana Miśra]]

Maṇḍana Miśra

2016-12-19T16:22:25Z

Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia: Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia moved page Talk:Maṇḍana Miśra to Maṇḍana Miśra

By Swami Harshananda

Maṇḍana Miśra lived in circa CE 750-800. According to the traditional biographies of Śaṅkara (CE 788-820) like the Sañkaravijaya of Mādhava-Vidyāraṇya (CE 1350), Maṇḍana Miśra was a disciple of the well-known Mīmāṅsā scholar Kumārila Bhaṭṭa (8th century CE). He was defeated by Śaṅkara in disputation and became his disciple. After taking Sanyāsa, he was given the name Sureśvarācārya. His wife also became a sanyāsinī disciple of Śaṅkara under the name Ubhayabhāratī.

However, this has been disputed by the modern scholars. Since Maṇḍana Miśra was the author of a well-known work on Advaita Vedānta, the Brahmasiddhi. It is possible that he also was a Vedāntin, though holding views different from those of Śaṅkara.

According to these scholars, Sureśvarācārya was a different person whose original name was Viśvarupa. The works attributed to Maṇḍana, all on the Mimāñsā, are:
# Vidhiviveka
# Bhāvanāviveka
# Vibhramaviveka
# Mimārhsānukramani

Umbeka, a disciple of Kumārila, has written a commentary on Bhāvanāviveka.

==References==
{{reflist}}
* The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore

[[Category:Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism]]

Maṇḍana Miśra

2016-12-19T16:21:38Z

Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia:

Maṇdala

2016-12-18T18:41:57Z

Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia:

By Swami Harshananda

Maṇdala literally means 'a circular figure that embellishes’.

[[File:maṇdala.jpg|thumb|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==
* 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<ref>Political Science is also called as arthaśāstra or rājyaśāstra.</ref>, 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==
The names of the maṇḍalas include:
* Sarvatobhadra
* Caturliñgabhadra
* Prāsādavāstumaṇḍala
* Hariharamaṇḍala

==References==
{{reflist}}
* The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore

[[Category:Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism]]

Maṇdala

2016-12-18T18:41:09Z

Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia:

BY Swami Harshananda

Maṇdala literally means 'a circular figure that embellishes’.

[[File:maṇdala.jpg|thumb|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==
* 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<ref>Political Science is also called as arthaśāstra or rājyaśāstra.</ref>, 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==
The names of the maṇḍalas include:
* Sarvatobhadra
* Caturliñgabhadra
* Prāsādavāstumaṇḍala
* Hariharamaṇḍala

==References==
{{reflist}}
* The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore

[[Category:Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism]]

Maṇdala

2016-12-18T18:38:26Z

Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia:

BY Swami Harshananda

Maṇdala literally means 'a circular figure that embellishes’.

[[File:maṇdala.jpg|thumb|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==
* 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,<ref>Political Science is also called as arthaśāstra or rājyaśāstra.</ref> 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==
The names of the maṇḍalas include:
* Sarvatobhadra
* Caturliñgabhadra
* Prāsādavāstumaṇḍala
* Hariharamaṇḍala

==References==
{{reflist}}
* The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore

[[Category:Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism]]

Maṇdala

2016-12-18T18:37:29Z

Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia:

BY Swami Harshananda

Maṇdala literally means 'a circular figure that embellishes’.

[[File:maṇdala.jpg|thumb|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==
* 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,<ref>Political Science is also called as arthaśāstra or rājyaśāstra.</ref> 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==
The names of some of the maṇḍalas include:
* Sarvatobhadra
* Caturliñgabhadra
* Prāsādavāstumaṇḍala
* Hariharamaṇḍala

==References==
{{reflist}}
* The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore

[[Category:Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism]]

Talk:Mānasa-sarovara

2016-12-18T18:31:20Z

Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia: Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia moved page Talk:Mānasa-sarovara to Mānasa-sarovara

#REDIRECT [[Mānasa-sarovara]]

Mānasa-sarovara

2016-12-18T18:31:20Z

Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia: Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia moved page Talk:Mānasa-sarovara to Mānasa-sarovara

By Swami Harshananda

Mānasa-sarovara literally means ‘lake that emerged out of Brahmā’s mind or heart’.

One of the most sacred places of pilgrimage for a devotee is the mount Kailāsa and the lake Mānasa-sarovara. The four-faced Brahmā while doing penance in the Himalayas is said to have created it out of his mind (or heart) and hence it is named so.

==Geographical Significance of Mānasa-sarovara==
* It is in Tibet at a distance of 32 km (20 miles) from the mount Kailāsa.
* Several rivers like the Sindhu (Indus), Sutlej and Brahmaputra originate from here.
* Its water is crystal clear and very cold.
* It is 90 meters (300 ft.) deep.
* It abounds in swans and ducks.
* There are eight maṭhas or monasteries on its banks.
* Some of the monasteries contain the images of gods like Kālī.
* It is situated at a height of 4500 meters (15,000 ft.) above the sea-level.

==Worship of Mānasa-sarovara==
* A bath in it is considered to be highly meritorious.
* Its actual circumference is 89 km (55 miles). However, the route of circumambulation is 113 km (70 miles).
* Those who visit this lake, often undertake the circumambulation of the mount Kailāsa also, which takes about 2 to 3 days.
* There is a twin lake called Rākṣasatāl, where Rāvaṇa is said to have performed tapas (austerity) to please Lord Śiva.

==References==
{{reflist}}
* The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore

[[Category:Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism]]

Mānasa-sarovara

2016-12-18T18:30:46Z

Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia:

Talk:Mānasāra

2016-12-18T18:26:54Z

Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia: Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia moved page Talk:Mānasāra to Mānasāra

#REDIRECT [[Mānasāra]]

Mānasāra

2016-12-18T18:26:54Z

Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia: Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia moved page Talk:Mānasāra to Mānasāra

By Swami Harshananda

Architecture, town planning, building construction, iconography and allied topics were well-known to the people right from the most ancient times. The epics and the purāṇas contain innumerable references to the same. One of the most standard works containing a well-organised body of this knowledge also called as Śilpaśāstra is the Mānasāra of an unknown author.

==Contents of Mānasāra==
The book has 70 chapters and 10,000 lines in Sanskrit. It goes into great details about all the aspects of architecture, town planning and iconography including casting of images in metals. Sixteen types of village and town plans are described.

==Duration of Mānasāra==
The original work might have been composed during the Gupta period CE 320-525. The extant, redacted version, work probably belongs to 11th to 15th centuries.

==References==
{{reflist}}
* The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore

[[Category:Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism]]

Mānasāra

2016-12-18T18:26:09Z

Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia:

Talk:Mānasa-pratyaksa

2016-12-18T18:23:23Z

Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia: Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia moved page Talk:Mānasa-pratyaksa to Mānasa-pratyaksa

#REDIRECT [[Mānasa-pratyaksa]]

Mānasa-pratyaksa

2016-12-18T18:23:23Z

Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia: Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia moved page Talk:Mānasa-pratyaksa to Mānasa-pratyaksa

By Swami Harshananda

Mānasa-pratyaksa literally means ‘direct perception by the mind’.

==Mānasa-Pratyaksa Definition==
Perception of objects in order to get knowledge about them is an important topic discussed in the philosophical systems. Normally, the mind gets direct knowledge of an object through the five organs of knowledge or jñānendriyas. However, sometimes knowledge can arise in the mind directly also. For instance, when we see a rose from a distance, the mind can also comprehend its smell from previous experiences. This is called ‘mānasa-pratyakṣa’.

==Mānasa-pratyaksa, as per Mīmānsā Philosophy==
According to the Kumārila’s (CE 700) school of Mīmānsā philosophy, a person gets the knowledge of himself as the soul or Self different from the body directly in his mind as the “I” consciousness. This is termed as ‘mānasa- pratyakṣa’ by that school.

==References==
{{reflist}}
* The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore

[[Category:Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism]]

Mānasa-pratyaksa

2016-12-18T18:23:01Z

Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia:

Talk:Manasā

2016-12-18T18:21:10Z

Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia: Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia moved page Talk:Manasā to Manasā

#REDIRECT [[Manasā]]

Manasā

2016-12-18T18:21:10Z

Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia: Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia moved page Talk:Manasā to Manasā

By Swami Harshananda

Manasā literally means ‘created by mind’.

Manasā is the goddess controlling all the reptiles, especially the snakes. Her worship is very common in Bengal and Assam. The tale narrates that when the people of the world were unable to bear the affliction created by snakes, they approached the great sage Kaśyapa. Snakes were his off springs. For assistance, he created the goddess Manasā by using his mental powers (manas = mind) as the presiding deity and controller of the reptiles.

==Life of Manasā==
She pleased Śiva and Viṣṇu through her severe austerities and obtained several boons from them. Jaratkāru was her another name. She was married to a sage whose name also was Jaratkāru. They gave birth to a son named Āstika. He later on succeeded in stopping the sarpayāga or serpent-sacrifice of the king Janamejaya, the son of Parīkṣit.

==Different Names of Manasā==
She is known by many other names that includes:
* Trijagadgaurī
* Sivā
* Vaiṣṇavī
* Nāgamātā
* Viṣaharā
* Mṛtasañjīvanī
* Siddhayoginī

Repetition of her twelve names is said to give full protection against the poisonous reptiles.

==Idol of Manasā==
* Her idols show her as a goddess with two arms, one holding a snake and the other in abhayamudrā.
* She may also be shown with four arms and a seven-hooded snake, as a parasol, along with her husband, sage Jaratkāru, and her son Āstika.

==References==
{{reflist}}
* The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore

[[Category:Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism]]

Manasā

2016-12-18T18:20:00Z

Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia:

Talk:Māhsāhara

2016-12-18T18:13:40Z

Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia: Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia moved page Talk:Māhsāhara to Māhsāhara

#REDIRECT [[Māhsāhara]]

Māhsāhara

2016-12-18T18:13:40Z

Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia: Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia moved page Talk:Māhsāhara to Māhsāhara

By Swami Harshananda

Māhsāhara literally means ‘meat as food’.

The food that a human being consumes may be of two types. They are:
# Sasyāhāra - vegetarian food
# Māhsāhāra - non-vegetarian food, flesh or meat

Though māhsāhāra was quite common in the earlier ages, it was gradually superseded by sasyāhāra because the latter came to be considered as more sāttvik. Hence vegetarian meal was more conducive to spiritual pursuits. The spread of Vedāntic ideas, Jainism and Buddhism significantly contributed to this trend.

==References==
{{reflist}}
* The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore

[[Category:Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism]]

Talk:Māsabhakṣaṇa

2016-12-18T18:12:09Z

Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia: Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia moved page Talk:Māsabhakṣaṇa to Māsabhakṣaṇa

#REDIRECT [[Māsabhakṣaṇa]]

Māsabhakṣaṇa

2016-12-18T18:12:09Z

Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia: Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia moved page Talk:Māsabhakṣaṇa to Māsabhakṣaṇa

By Swami Harshananda

Māsabhakṣaṇa literally means ‘eating of flesh’.

It has been a subject discussed in the dharmaśāstras. During the early Vedic period, and also during the period of the Upaniṣads, flesh-eating, including beef, seems to have been quite common. It was a part of the madhuparka usually offered to an honored guest<ref>Aśvalāyana Gṛhyasutra 1.24.25</ref>.

Apart from the kṣattriya kings even the sages like Yājñavalkya have been mentioned as consuming meat<ref>Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa 3.1.2.21</ref>. Animals immolated in sacrifices like horse, ox, goat and ram were cooked and eaten<ref>Aitareya Brāhmaṇa 6.8</ref>.

However, as the Aryans moved towards the Indo-Gangetic plains and cultivation of food-crops picked up in momentum, eating of the flesh of animals gradually reduced and was even looked down upon. The growth of Jainism and Buddhism also delivered a powerful blow to this practice.

Development of the doctrine of ahinsā, gradual replacement of the Vedic sacrificial religion by the paurāṇic modes of worship and the Bhāgavata-sect, contributed to the disappearance or minimization of the practice of eating meat. Protection of the cow, the roots of which are found even in the Ṛgveda<ref>Ṛgveda 1.164.27; 4.1.6; 8.69.21</ref>, became an article of faith with the whole society. Now, even those who have been meat eaters for ages, have either given it up or take it only occasionally and not daily.

==References==
{{reflist}}
* The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore

[[Category:Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism]]

Māsabhakṣaṇa

2016-12-18T18:11:39Z

Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia:

Talk:Makara

2016-12-18T17:48:22Z

Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia: Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia moved page Talk:Makara to Makara

#REDIRECT [[Makara]]

Makara

2016-12-18T17:48:22Z

Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia: Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia moved page Talk:Makara to Makara

By Swami Harshananda

Makara literally means ‘that which harms human beings’.

Makara is a mythological sea-monster and generally represented with the tail of a fish and the trunk of an elephant. Since its representation is seen even in the Bārhut stupa (1st century B. C.) in Madhya Pradesh, it can be taken as an ancient symbol.

In iconographical works, it is often shown as the mount or vehicle of the river-goddess Gaṅgā. In some sculptures, makara is shown like a crocodile.

Viṣṇu is often shown as wearing kuṇḍalas (ear-rings) shaped like a makara. Hence he is called ‘Makarakundaladhara’, ‘the wearer of ear-rings shaped as a makara’. Sometimes Śiva is also shown as wearing it, but only on one of the ears. The other ear has patra or a leaf as the ornament.

The tenth rāśi or zodiacal sign is also known as Makara.

==References==
{{reflist}}
* The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore

[[Category:Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism]]

Makara

2016-12-18T17:47:56Z

Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia:

Talk:Maitreyi

2016-12-18T17:43:45Z

Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia: Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia moved page Talk:Maitreyi to Maitreyi

#REDIRECT [[Maitreyi]]

Maitreyi

2016-12-18T17:43:45Z

Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia: Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia moved page Talk:Maitreyi to Maitreyi

By Swami Harshananda

The Bṛhadāranyaka Upaniṣad<ref>Bṛhadāranyaka Upaniṣad 2.4 and 4.5</ref> has immortalized Maitreyi by depicting her as a woman of high spiritual aspirations who cared more for mokṣa or emancipation than for the worldly wealth. She was the first wife of the great sage Yājñavalkya, the second being Kātyāyanī.

When Yājñavalkya decided to renounce worldly life and take to the monastic life, he called both of them and announced his decision of not only about his leaving the house as a recluse but also about the dividing his property between them. Though Kātyāyanī was happy with getting her share of the property, Maitreyi was more interested in the sake due to which her husband was renouncing the world. On hearing that he was doing so for attaining mokṣa or liberation from transmigratory existence, she begged him to teach the same to her also. She rejected the other offer of worldly wealth and possessions.

Then follows a long discourse by Yājñavalkya on the existence and attainment of the ātman for whose sake people love one another. These two sections of the Upaniṣad are known as Maitreyi Brāhmana.

==References==
{{reflist}}
* The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore

[[Category:Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism]]

Maitreyi

2016-12-18T17:43:15Z

Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia:

Talk:Maitrayaṇiya Upanisad

2016-12-18T17:40:03Z

Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia: Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia moved page Talk:Maitrayaṇiya Upanisad to Maitrayaṇiya Upanisad

#REDIRECT [[Maitrayaṇiya Upanisad]]

Maitrayaṇiya Upanisad

2016-12-18T17:40:03Z

Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia: Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia moved page Talk:Maitrayaṇiya Upanisad to Maitrayaṇiya Upanisad

By Swami Harshananda

Maitrāyanīya Upaniṣad is one of the more ancient Upaniṣads assigned to the period 2000 B. C. It is not classed among the major ones, since it was originally taught by the sage Maitri and belongs to the Maitrāyanīyaśākhā (śākhā = recension) of the Kṛṣṇa Yajurveda<ref>It is also known as the Maitri Upaniṣad.</ref>. The longer version as available now has seven prapāṭhakas or chapters and 73 mantras, both in prose and in poetry.

==Content of Maitrāyanīya Upaniṣad==
The Upaniṣad starts with the story of the king Bṛhadratha who renounced his kingdom and did severe austerities to realize the ātman. A sage named Śākāyanya came to his place whereupon the king fell at his feet and begged him to teach the Ātman. Being pleased with his earnest entreaties, the sage started teaching him.

The Vālakhilyas, the tiny sages, had got this wisdom from Kratu Prajāpati and the sage Maitri taught the same to Śākāyanya.
The various and varied teachings of this Upaniṣad may be summarized as follows:
* The ātman, though encased in the body, is really free. This ātman is full of many blessed qualities and enlivens the body with consciousness
* The whole creation has emerged out of Prajāpati <ref>Prajāpati is the Lord of creatures.</ref>
* In this body there are two selves, the jīva (individual Self) and the para (Supreme Self)
* The Para or Brahman is attained by vidyā (knowledge), tapas (austerity) and cintā (meditation)
* There are several gods like Agni (fire), Vāyu (air), Āditya (sun), and the trimurtis (Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Rudra) but they are all manifestations of the same Brahman
* Praṇava or Oṅkāra
* Three worlds bhuh, bhuvah and suvah
* Gist of the Gāyatrī mantra
* Taking food compared to a sacrifice
* Importance of time as a cosmic element
* Some methods of yoga which are similar to the ones described in the Yogasutras of Patañjali (200 B. C.)
* Description of the muktapuruṣa or the liberated person
* Mention of the kings of the Solar and the Lunar dynasties
* Knowledge of astronomy
* Familiarity with the Sāṅkhyan metaphysics
* Indication about the existence of the fine-arts like drawing and dramaturgy

==References==
{{reflist}}
* The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore

[[Category:Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism]]

Maitrayaṇiya Upanisad

2016-12-18T17:39:15Z

Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia:

Talk:Maitrāyaṇiya Samhitā

2016-12-18T17:21:56Z

Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia: Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia moved page Talk:Maitrāyaṇiya Samhitā to Maitrāyaṇiya Samhitā

#REDIRECT [[Maitrāyaṇiya Samhitā]]

Maitrāyaṇiya Samhitā

2016-12-18T17:21:56Z

Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia: Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia moved page Talk:Maitrāyaṇiya Samhitā to Maitrāyaṇiya Samhitā

By Swami Harshananda

Maitrāyaṇiya Samhitā is the part of the Kṛṣṇa Yajurveda. It is said to have 85 śākhās or recensions. However, only four are available till now. Out of this, the Maitrāyanīya Samhitā is the second. It is a mixture of prose and verses. It has 2144 mantras out of which 1701 have been borrowed from the Ṛgveda itself.

Some of its mantras find a place in the Kāthaka and Taittiriya Samhitās also. This Samhitā has four kāṇḍas or books each divided into prapāṭhakas or subsections. The following are the contents:
# Prathama or Ādima Kānda: It has eleven prapāṭhakas. Some Vedic sacrifices like Darśapurṇamāsa, Cāturmāsya and Vājapeya are described here.
# Dvitīya or Madhyama Kānda: This contains thirteen prapāṭhakas dealing with some Kāmyeṣṭis<ref>Kāmyeṣṭis are the desire-motivated sacrifices.</ref>, Rājasuya and Agniciti<ref>Agniciti is the rite of piling the fire-altar.</ref>.
# Tṛtīya or Upari Kānda: This comprises of sixteen prapāṭhakas. Sacrifices like the Aśvamedha and Sautrāmaṇi are described here.
# Caturtha or Khila Kānda: It contains fourteen prapāṭhakas. This section deals with many important and necessary accessories and rites connected with the sacrifices described in the other three sections.

==References==
{{reflist}}
* The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore

[[Category:Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism]]

Maitrāyaṇiya Samhitā

2016-12-18T17:21:15Z

Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia:

Maitrāyaṇiya Samhitā

2016-12-18T17:20:23Z

Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia:

By Swami Harshananda

Maitrāyaṇiya Samhitā is the part of the Kṛṣṇa Yajurveda. It is said to have 85 śākhās or recensions. However, only four are available till now. Out of this, the Maitrāyanīya Samhitā is the second. It is a mixture of prose and verses. It has 2144 mantras out of which 1701 have been borrowed from the Ṛgveda itself.

Some of its mantras find a place in the Kāthaka and Taittiriya Samhitās also. This Samhitā has four kāṇḍas or books each divided into prapāṭhakas or subsections. The following are the contents:
# Prathama or Ādima Kānda: It has eleven prapāṭhakas. Some Vedic sacrifices like Darśapurṇamāsa, Cāturmāsya and Vājapeya are described here.
# Dvitīya or Madhyama Kānda: This contains thirteen prapāṭhakas dealing with some Kāmyeṣṭis,<ref>Kāmyeṣṭis are the desire-motivated sacrifices.</ref> Rājasuya and Agniciti.<ref>Agniciti is the rite of piling the fire-altar.</ref>
# Tṛtīya or Upari Kānda: This comprises of sixteen prapāṭhakas. Sacrifices like the Aśvamedha and Sautrāmaṇi are described here.
# Caturtha or Khila Kānda: It contains fourteen prapāṭhakas. This section deals with many important and necessary accessories and rites connected with the sacrifices described in the other three sections.

==References==
{{reflist}}
* The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore

[[Category:Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism]]

Talk:Māheśvarasutras

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#REDIRECT [[Māheśvarasutras]]

Māheśvarasutras

2016-12-18T17:15:04Z

Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia: Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia moved page Talk:Māheśvarasutras to Māheśvarasutras

By Swami Harshananda

Māheśvarasutras literally means ‘aphorisms of Maheśvara Śiva’.

Grammar is the science of any language. Greater the perfection, more refined will be the language. Indologists, especially those who are adepts in the Sanskrit language have opined that the Astādhyāyi of Pāṇini (350 B. C.) is the best grammar that any language has produced.

Tradition believes that the letters of the Sanskrit alphabet were given by Lord Maheśvara or Śiva himself to Pāṇini by playing on his ḍamaru (small drum) fourteen times. Thus the fourteen sutras known as the Māheśvarasutras embodying all the alphabets were created.

These sutras are so ingeniously composed that they can be utilized for several grammatical processes. The last letter in each of these fourteen sutras is called ‘it’. It has to be omitted in the various grammatical processes. However, they serve the purpose of indicating the letters included up to them. For instance, ak means the letters a, i, u, ṛ, lr, from the first two sutras.

There are forty-two combinations which are possible and have been used in the original sutras and commentaries. These Māheśvarasutras are also known as Akṣaramāmnāyi and Caturdaśasutri.

==References==
{{reflist}}
* The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore

[[Category:Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism]]

Māheśvarasutras

2016-12-18T17:14:39Z

Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia:

Talk:Maheśvara

2016-12-17T07:44:53Z

Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia: Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia moved page Talk:Maheśvara to Maheśvara

#REDIRECT [[Maheśvara]]

Maheśvara

2016-12-17T07:44:53Z

Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia: Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia moved page Talk:Maheśvara to Maheśvara

By Swami Harshananda

Maheśvara literally means ‘the Great Lord’.

==Maheśvara, an Apect of Śiva==
‘Maheśvara’ is one of the names and aspects of Śiva. Iconographical works describe him as:
* Wearing a jaṭāmukuṭa, crown of matted hair
* Fair in complexion
* Adorned with the crescent moon on the head and having four arms
* Holding paraśu (axe) or taṅka (hammer) and mṛga (deer)
* Other two arms assuming the gestures of abhaya (protection) and varada (bestowal of boons)
* may be shown as having triśula (trident) ḍamaru (hand-drum), kapāla (skull-cup) and nāga (a serpent)
* has three eyes
* may also be shown as riding his bull along with his spouse Pārvatī and the two sons Gaṇeśa and Kārttikeya

==Maheśvara, an Author==
Maheśvara is also the name of a Dharmaśāstra writer who lived around CE 1550. He is the author of a commentary on the dāyabhāga system of dividing property.

==References==
{{reflist}}
* The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore

[[Category:Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism]]

Maheśvara

2016-12-17T07:44:24Z

Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia:

Talk:Mahāvākyopaniṣad

2016-12-17T07:39:51Z

Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia: Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia moved page Talk:Mahāvākyopaniṣad to Mahāvākyopaniṣad

#REDIRECT [[Mahāvākyopaniṣad]]

Mahāvākyopaniṣad

2016-12-17T07:39:50Z

Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia: Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia moved page Talk:Mahāvākyopaniṣad to Mahāvākyopaniṣad

By Swami Harshananda

Mahāvākyopaniṣad is one of the minor Upaniṣads and is assigned to the Atharvaveda. There are only twelve mantras mostly in prose. Parts of this Upaniṣad are identical with the Purusasukta and the Nārāyanopanisad.

The four faced Brahmā, the creator, is the teacher of this Upaniṣad. Having found a worthy disciple, he starts teaching this secret and sacred knowledge to him. He advises him to give it only to the pure soul who is introvert in nature and who pleases the teacher by devoted service.

There are two types of people in this world:
# Those who consider this world to be real - They while entertaining desires and ambitions take to the pravṛttimārga, the path of Vedic sacrifices and get into bondage.
# Those who know that it is not real - They are endowed with the eye of wisdom. They take to the nivṛttimārga or the path of renunciation and seek mokṣa or liberation. They realize Brahman and become free even here and now.

The ātman (inside) which is the same as Brahman is not dark but brilliant light. This is realized by the repetition of the Hamsamantra (hamsah so’ham) by identifying the spirit in the sun with one’s own Self. This realization of the most brilliant ātman/Brahman cannot be compared to samādhi,<ref>Samādhi means perfect concentration.</ref> yoga-siddhi<ref>Yoga-siddhi means perfection in yoga.</ref> or manolaya.<ref>Manolaya means dissolution of the mind.</ref> It is actually an experience of oneness with Brahman.

Verses 8 to 10 are identical with the verses 16 to 18 of the Puruṣasukta. They describe the God-vision of the perfected sage. The eleventh verse describes the identity of the light of the sun and the light of the ātman inside brought about through meditation with Praṇava or Om.

The last section (12th mantra or verse) gives the phalaśruti, the benefits and results of studying this Upanisad. It is the same as the total destruction of sins and dissolution into Lord Viṣṇu.

==References==
{{reflist}}
* The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore

[[Category:Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism]]

Mahāvākyopaniṣad

2016-12-17T07:39:15Z

Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia:

Talk:Mahāśānti

2016-12-17T05:49:21Z

Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia: Apurva Mahendra Bhangdia moved page Talk:Mahāśānti to Mahāśānti

#REDIRECT [[Mahāśānti]]