A classical dictionary of Hindu mythology and religion, geography, history, and literature / by John Dowson.

Dowson, John, active 1913.

Date:: 1879

Credit: A classical dictionary of Hindu mythology and religion, geography, history, and literature / by John Dowson. Source: Wellcome Collection.

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$manwantara—mArishA. traditions long before. It is commonly called, the Code of Manu, and was current among the [Nlanavas, a class or school of lirali- mans who were followers of the Black Yajur-veda; hut it deals with many subjects besides law, and is a most important record of old Hindu society. It is said to have consisted originally of 100,000 verses, arranged in twenty-four chapters; that Xarada shortened the work to 12,000 verses; and that Sumati made a second abridgment, reducing it to 4000, but only 2685 are extant. It is evident that there was more than one redaction of the laws of the Manavas, for a Brihan or Vrihan Manu, ‘ great Manu,’ and V?'iddha Manu, ‘ old Manu,’ are often referred to. Sir M'. Jones’s translation, edited by Haughton, is excellent, and is the basis of all others in French, German, &a The text has often been printed. MAHWANTAEA (Manu-antara). The life or period of a Manu, 4,320,000 years. MAEICHA A Kakshasa, son of Taraka. According to the Eamayatta he interfered with a sacrifice which was being per- formed by Viswamitra, but was encountered by Rama, who discharged a weapon at him, which drove him one hundred yojanas out to sea. He was afterwards the minister of Eavana, and accompanied him to the hermitage where R^a and Sita were dwelling. There, to inveigle Rama, he assumed the shape of a golden deer, which Rama pursued and killed. On receiv- ing his death-wound he resumed a Rakshasa form and spake, and Rama discovered whom he had killed. In tlie meanwhile Ravana had earned off Sita. MARiCHL Chief of the Manits. Name of one of the Prajapatis. {See, PrajapatL) He is sometimes represented as springing direct from Brahma. He was father of Kasyapa, and one of the seven great .Rishis. See .Kishi ^lARISHA. Daughter of the sage Ka?i<fu, and wife of the Prachetasas, but from the mode of her birth she is called “ the nursling of the trees, and daughter of the wind and the moon.” She was mother of Daksha Her mother was a celestial nymph named Pramlocha, who beguiled the sage Iva7?<fu from his devotions and lived with him for a long time. When the sage awoke from his voluptuous delusion, he drove her from his ])resenco. “She, passing through the air, wiped the perspira- tion from her with the leaves of the trees,” and “ the child she had conceived by the i?ishi came forth from the pores of her skin$