MAHADEVA – An epithet of Siva
Mahadeva means the great god. It is one of the many titles or epithets of Siva.
MAHABHARATA – One of the two Epics; a scripture
The Mahabharata is an epic of enormous proportions—a hundred thousand verses, making it arguably the largest such poem in existence. It has traditionally been said to have been dictated by the sage Vyasa to his divine scribe, Ganesa, who wrote it all down using his single tusk as the…
MAGIC, BLESSINGS, CURSINGS
Many myths mention the use of magic directly. The myth of Bala, an asura (demon), mentioned that he knew and taught ninety-six kinds of magic to trouble the devas (divinities). Hanuman was said to practice the eight superhuman powers (ashtha siddhis). The asuras had a life-restoring magic (mritansanjivani) that they…
MADRI, MADRAVTI – One of the two wives of Pandu
Madri was the second wife of King Pandu and was a mother of two of the five Pandava brothers. When she was lent a magical incantation by Kunti (the king’s first wife) that would allow her to have a child by any deity she focused on, Madri concentrated upon…
LINGA, LINGAM – A symbol of Siva
There is scholarly agreement that there was worship of the male generative organ in the Indus Valley civilization. Both archaeological remains and explicit references to “worshippers of the phallus” in the Rigveda support such an interpretation. However one interprets Siva’s origin—as from the Indus Valley, from tribal religion, within the…
LILAVATI – A prostitute
In the Padma Purana Lilavati (charming) was a prostitute in the krita yuga (first age, also called satya yuga). She went to another town looking for better clients. She noticed devotees celebrating a festival at the temple. When she inquired, Lilavati learned that it was the celebration of the birthday…