Indian Antiquary Vol 52

Author(s): Richard Carnac Temple, Stephen Meredyth Edwardes, Krishnaswami Aiyangar
Publisher: Swati Publications

Page 492

MEG
130
MIT
Meghanada-The river Megnâ in East Bengal. The river Brahmaputra in its southerly course towards the ocean after leaving Assam is called the Megnâ. Meghavahana-The river Megnâ in East Bengal. Same as Meghanâda. Mehatnu-A tributary of the Krumů, modern Kurum (Macdonell and Keith's Vedic Index of Names and Subjects, vol. II, p. 180; Rig-Veda, X, 75). Same as Mahatna. Mekala-The mount Amarakantaka, in which the river Nerbuda has its source; hence the Nerbuda is called Mekalakanyakâ (Amarakosha). It is a part of the Vindhya range. Melezigerls (of the Greeks)-The town of Målvan situated in the island called Medha in the Ratnagiri district of the Bombay Presidency. The Channel which separated the island from the mainland has now dried up (Revised Lists of Antiquarian Remains in the Bombay Presidency, vol. VIII, p. 204). Sir R. G. Bhandarkar identifies it with Jayagaḍ (Early History of the Dekkan, sec. viii).
Meros Mount-The mountain called Mar-koh near Jalalabad in the Punjab, which was ascended by Alexander the Great (McCrindle's Invasion of India by Alexander the Great," p. 338). For the route of Alexander the Great when he invaded India, see JASB., 1842, p. 552-Note on the Passes into Hindoostan by H. T. Prinsep. Meru-See Sumeru-Parvat (Skanda P., Vishnu Kh., III, ch. 7). Minakshi-Madura, one of the Pithas where Sati's eyes are said to have fallen. The temple of Minakshi Devi (Devi-Bhagavata, VII, ch. 38), is situated within the town. It is said to have been built by Visvanath, the first king of the Nyak dynasty, in 1520 A.D. (Fergasson's Hist. of Indian and Eastern Architecture, p. 364). See Mathura. Human sacrifices were offered to the goddess (JASB., VII, pt. I, p. 379). The Madura temple is one of the largest and most beautiful temples in Southern India. There are golden flag-staffs called Arunastambha or Sonár Tálgachh (golden palm-tree) in front of every temple in Southern India. The Aruna-stambha is a form of sun-dial for indicating the exact time of worship of the gods, though its real significance has now been forgotten; it now merely serves as an ornament to the temple.
Misraka-Misrikh, a celebrated Tirtha, in the district or Sitâpur in Oudh: the hermitage of Dadhichi Rishi [Padma P., Svarga (Adi), ch. 12]. But it appears to be a Kurukshetra Tirtha.
Mitanni-See Mitravana.
Mithila-1. Tirhut. 2. Janakpur (see Bideha). It was the capital of Bideha (Bhagavata, pt. IX, ch. 13). It is called Miyulu in the Buddhist annals (see Spence Hardy's Manual of Buddhism, p. 196). From the middle of the fourteenth to the middle of the sixteenth century, a dynasty of Brahman kings reigned in Mithila and the sixth of the line was Siva Simha. Vidyapati flourished at his court (JASB., 1884, p. 76 and colophon to his poems). He gave to the poet a village called Bisapi in Pargana Jarail on the Bâgvatî in 293 Lakshmana era or in 1400 A.D. His capital was Gajarathapur. The Mithila University, which was a Brahminical university, flourished in the 14th century A.D., after the destruction of the Vikramasilâ monastery by Bakhtiyar Khilji. Its glory was supplanted by the rise of the university town of Navadvipa.
Mitravana-1. Multan. Same as Sâmbapura. Kanarak in Orissa is also called Mitravana or Maitreyavana in the Kapila-samhita (Dr. Mitra's Antiquities of Orissa, vol. II, p. 146; Skanda P., Prabhasa Kh., I, 100). 2. Mitanni of the Tel-el-Amara inscription appears to be a corruption of Mitravana, one of the three "original seats" of Sun-worship: modern Mesopotamia (Bhavishya P., I, 72, 4; see Havell's Hist of Aryan rule in India, p. 41).