Manyu (deity)
{{Short description|Hindu deity}}
{{Infobox deity
| type = Hindu
| name = Manyu
| image =
| caption =
| affiliation = Rudras
| texts = Rigveda
}}
Manyu ({{Langx|sa|मन्यु|lit=passion}}) is a war god in Vedic Hinduism. He is a deity referenced in the Rigveda, with hymns dedicated to him in the eponymous Manyu Sukta.{{cite book|title=The Mysore Orientalist, Volume 18|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=vwdkAAAAMAAJ|page=161|publisher=Oriental Research Institute, University of Mysore|year=2004}}{{cite book|title=Vicāravaibhavam|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=q8coAAAAYAAJ|author=V. R. Panchamukhi|publisher=Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha|year=2000|page=227|quote=The commentary Manyu Sūkta by Sri Dhirendratirtha interprets Manyu as Narasimha - who is the internal controller of Rudra and who is the embodiment of knowledge.}}
Literature
{{Hindu mythology}}
= Vedas =
The hymns of the Rigveda extol Manyu as the "slayer of foes", "self-existent", "wielder of the thunder", and "much-invoked". Manyu is identified with deities such as Indra, Varuna, and Agni. These hymns urge Manyu to grant treasure and wealth, strength in battles, and overwhelm the enemy with terror.{{Cite book |last=Griffith |first=Ralph T. H. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XhxaDwAAQBAJ&dq=manyu+rigveda&pg=PA505 |title=The Hymns of the Rigveda |date=1920 |publisher=Jazzybee Verlag |isbn=978-3-8496-7241-6 |pages=505 |language=en}}
The Atharvaveda also mentions the deity in a hymn dedicated to Kama.{{Cite book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=pAspAAAAYAAJ&dq=manyu+rigveda&pg=PA6-IA5 |title=The Pandit |date=1895 |publisher=E.J. Lazarus |pages=6 |language=sa}}
= Brahma Purana =
The Brahma Purana describes the origin of Manyu. It states that a terrible war was once waged between the devas and the asuras, in which the former were defeated. The devas are stated to have travelled to the Gautamī river valley, where they performed a penance to propitiate Shiva. The destroyer deity is said to have produced Manyu from his third eye, and presented him to the devas. In the subsequent battle that followed, Manyu's assistance allowed the devas to gain victory.{{Cite web |last=www.wisdomlib.org |date=2015-07-28 |title=Manyu: 15 definitions |url=https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/manyu |access-date=2022-11-11 |website=www.wisdomlib.org |language=en}}
= Bhagavata Purana =
Shiva is referred to as Manyu in the Bhagavata Purana.{{Cite web |last=www.wisdomlib.org |date=2022-08-13 |title=Appeasement of Rudra—Revival of Dakṣa [Chapter 6] |url=https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/book/the-bhagavata-purana/d/doc1127090.html |access-date=2022-11-11 |website=www.wisdomlib.org |language=en}}
= Associations =
Manyu is also described to be one of the eleven Rudras.{{Cite web |last=www.wisdomlib.org |date=2019-01-28 |title=Story of Rudra |url=https://www.wisdomlib.org/hinduism/compilation/puranic-encyclopaedia/d/doc241891.html |access-date=2022-11-11 |website=www.wisdomlib.org |language=en}}
Some philosophers like Madhavacharya have posited that Manyu is merely an epithet of Narasimha, an avatar of Vishnu.{{Cite book |last=Panchamukhi |first=Vadiraj Raghawendracharya |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=q8coAAAAYAAJ&q=manyu+narasimha |title=Vicāravaibhavam |date=2000 |publisher=Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha |pages=216, 227 |language=en}}