This Sanskrit term means “great, mighty, powerful, lofty, noble” (John Grimes, A Concise Dictionary of Indian Philosophy: Sanskrit Terms Defined in English, rev. ed. [Albany: State University of New York Press, 1996]). It is familiar to Theosophists from its use as a prefix in many terms, such as MAHA-CHOHAN, MAHATMA, and MAHAYANA. The Sanskrit term is cognate with Latin magnus (whence English magnate), Greek megas (whence English megawatt and megalopolis), and Anglo-Saxon michel (whence Scottish mickle, “great, much”).

JOHN ALGEO

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