mahatma: (Sanskrit) "Great soul.

mahatma: (Sanskrit) "Great soul." Honorific title given to people held in high esteem, especially saints. See: atman. mahavakya: (Sanskrit) "Great saying." A profound aphorism from scripture or a holy person. Most famous are four Upanishadic proclamations: Prajanam Brahma ("Pure consciousness is God"--Aitareya U.), Aham Brahmasmi ("I am God"--Brihadaranyaka U.), Tat tvam asi ("Thou art That"--Chandogya U.) and Ayam atma Brahma ("The soul is God"--Mandukya U.).

mahesha: (Sanskrit) "Great God." Term used by Vira Saivites to mean charity, seeing all as God. See: shatsthala. Maheshvara: (Sanskrit) "Great Lord." In Saiva Siddhanta, the name of Siva's energy of veiling grace, one of five aspects of Parameshvara, the Primal Soul. Maheshvara is also a popular name for Lord Siva as Primal Soul and personal Lord. See: Cosmic Dance, Nataraja, Parameshvara. Maitreya: (Sanskrit) One of four known disciples of Lakulisha. See: Pashupata Saivism.

Maitri Upanishad: (Sanskrit) Belongs to the Maitrayaniya branch of the Krishna Yajur Veda. A later Upanishad covering Aum, outer nature, the Self, control of the mind, etc. mala: (Sanskrit) "Impurity." An important term in Saivism referring to three bonds, called pasha--anava, karma, and maya--which limit the soul, preventing it from knowing its true, divine nature. See: liberation, pasha.

mala: (Sanskrit) "Garland." A strand of beads for holy recitation, japa, usually made of rudraksha, tulasi, sandalwood or crystal. Also a flower garland. malaparipaka: (Sanskrit) "Maturing of the malas." See: anava, karma, mala. Malati-Madhava: (Sanskrit) A Sanskrit play by Bhavabhuti (ca 500). Primarily a love story, it contains incidental descriptions of the Kapalika Saivite sect of ascetics. malice: Ill will; desire or intent to do harm to another, generally without conscience. See: mahatala.

manana: (Sanskrit) "Thinking; deep reflection." See: self-reflection. manas: (Sanskrit) "Mind; understanding." The lower or instinctive mind, seat of desire and governor of sensory and motor organs, called indriyas. Manas is termed the undisciplined, empirical mind. Manas is characterized by desire, determination, doubt, faith, lack of faith, steadfastness, lack of steadfastness, shame, intellection and fear. It is a faculty of manomaya kosha, the lower astral or instinctive-intellectual sheath.

See: awareness, indriya, instinctive mind, manomaya kosha, mind (individual).