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Glite Dictionary
Mara

Mara

2 9.9
A figure in Hindu stories who ends mortal life
  • proper noun
  • Literature
: Mara
  • Many stories in Hindu texts describe how Mara tries to distract those seeking spiritual knowledge.

Examples

  • According to Hindu beliefs, Mara is the god of death who tempts individuals away from enlightenment.

  • In Hindu mythology, Mara represents death and is often seen as the enemy of life.

  • A thin ribbon of green lines the Mara River in Kenya.

    Academic text (2011)

  • Within these 13 acres, called Enapuiyapui Swamp, lies the future of the Serengeti-Masai Mara ecosystem.

    Academic text (2011)

  • A Mara River run dry would lead to die-offs of the Serengeti-Masai Mara's herbivore populations.

    Academic text (2011)

  • The Mara is an important waterway connecting Kenya's famed Masai Mara with Tanzania's Serengeti, fusing them into one ecosystem.

    Academic text (2011)

Synonyms

Namtar
vsMara
  • Literature
1 9.9

A demon who brings disease and death as the messenger of the underworld queen

is a Hindu death figure with divine status, not a demon herald
Yama
vsMara
  • Literature
1 9.9

God who rules the world of the dead and judges their souls

is a Hindu death figure opposite to desire rather than an underworld ruler
Namtaru
vsMara
  • Literature
9.9

A Mesopotamian demon who brings death as the messenger of the underworld goddess Ereshkigal

is a Hindu death figure with divine status, not a demon messenger

Antonyms

Kama
  • NSFW
17 9.5

The Hindu god of love and desire

Surface Forms

Mara main

Etymology

The name Mara comes from an old Sanskrit word meaning 'death' or 'killer'. A helpful way to remember it is to think of the English word mortal, which also talks about death, so Mara is the figure who ends life and opposes Kama, the god of desire.