Mathana: 22 definitions
Introduction:
Mathana means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Marathi, Hindi. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.
In Hinduism
Yoga (school of philosophy)
Source: Google Books: The Khecarividya of AdinathaMathana (मथन):—Ballāla explains the purpose of practising Mathana as sarvamalaśodhanārtham, “to cleanse away all impurity”. This is clearly not the main aim of the practice since verse 1.64 says that mathana brings about saṃsiddhi and identification of body and self with the universe. In the Khecarīvidyā, it appears that after the probe is inserted into the nasal cavity it is to be moved about by the tonque, which has entered the cavity via the palate.
The word Mathana usually refers either to the rubbing of wood to produce fire, particularly in a sacrificial context, or to the churning of milk to produce butter. It is used in this second sense in the archaic myth of the churning of the ocean of milk by the devas and asuras.
The Jogpradīpakā has the most coherent description of the haṭhayogic Mathana and describes two varieties. In the first (verse 642) the yogin is to rub the śivaliṅga, which is also the agnisthāna, at the root of the palate with his thumb three times a day. In the second (verses 643–653), the yogin is to use a metal peg (kīla dhātamaya) to churn, purify and produce amī (=amṛta) at four places:
- ambikā (‘the frenum’),
- lambikā (‘the tongue’),
- tālu (‘the palate’)
- and ghaṇṭikā (‘the uvula’).
These four places are said to be the teats of Kāmadhenu.

Yoga is originally considered a branch of Hindu philosophy (astika), but both ancient and modern Yoga combine the physical, mental and spiritual. Yoga teaches various physical techniques also known as āsanas (postures), used for various purposes (eg., meditation, contemplation, relaxation).
Purana and Itihasa (epic history)
Source: archive.org: Puranic EncyclopediaMathana (मथन).—An asura on the side of Tārakāsura. Mahāviṣṇu killed him. (Chapter 152, Matsya Purāṇa).
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana Index1a) Mathana (मथन).—A commander of Tāraka's army; the special arm was the noose;1 threw darts on Viṣṇu;2 on horse back;3 Garuḍa was ordered to break his chariot; overpowered by the gadā of Mādhava, Mathana fell dead when Mahiṣa appeared on the scene.4
1b) The divine union of Śakta and Śakti resulting in 25 truths.*
- * Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa IV. 8. 29, 33.

The Purana (पुराण, purāṇas) refers to Sanskrit literature preserving ancient India’s vast cultural history, including historical legends, religious ceremonies, various arts and sciences. The eighteen mahapuranas total over 400,000 shlokas (metrical couplets) and date to at least several centuries BCE.
Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)
Source: Google Books: ManthanabhairavatantramMathana (मथन) (cf. Agnimanthana) refers to the “kindling of fire by friction”.—[There is] an ancient association between the ‘churning’ that takes place in sexual union and the churning that generates fire. [...] The Ṛgveda compares mathana—‘the kindling of fire by friction’ to procreation: Agni is hidden in the kindling sticks (araṇī) as the seed (garbha) is well kept inside pregnant women (garbhin). The Veda declares: “Put it down supinely stretched, you attentive (priest). When impregnated she gave birth to the male (Agni)”.

Shakta (शाक्त, śākta) or Shaktism (śāktism) represents a tradition of Hinduism where the Goddess (Devi) is revered and worshipped. Shakta literature includes a range of scriptures, including various Agamas and Tantras, although its roots may be traced back to the Vedas.
Ayurveda (science of life)
Veterinary Medicine (The study and treatment of Animals)
Source: archive.org: The Elephant Lore of the HindusMathana (मथन) refers to the “tearing” (of natural objects) (which elephants are fond of), according to the 15th century Mātaṅgalīlā composed by Nīlakaṇṭha in 263 Sanskrit verses, dealing with elephantology in ancient India, focusing on the science of management and treatment of elephants.—[Cf. chapter 9, “on kinds of must”]: “10. Tearing (mathana) freely at ant hills, posts, bushes, shrubs, and trees, with excited look, when he walks along straight ahead with hastened footsteps, lifting his trunk high in air, and when, at the time when his girdle is being girded on, he constantly sprays forth water (from his trunk) and bellows, entwining his right tusk (with his trunk), then he shows attainment of (that kind of) must which brings victory”.

Āyurveda (आयुर्वेद, ayurveda) is a branch of Indian science dealing with medicine, herbalism, taxology, anatomy, surgery, alchemy and related topics. Traditional practice of Āyurveda in ancient India dates back to at least the first millenium BC. Literature is commonly written in Sanskrit using various poetic metres.
In Buddhism
Mahayana (major branch of Buddhism)
Source: Wisdom Library: Maha Prajnaparamita SastraMathana (मथन) refers to making fire by “friciton”, according to the 2nd century Mahāprajñāpāramitāśāstra chapter 32.—Accordingly, “thus, when one is making fire by friction (mathana), first the flame takes fire on the soft grass (mṛdu-tṛṇa) and dried cow dung (śuṣkagomaya) and, as the strength of the fire increases, it is able to consume big pieces of moist wood. It is the same for the concentration of loving-kindness (maitrī-samādhi): at the beginning, when one make the vows for loving-kindness (maitrī-praṃidhāna), one applies them only to one’s friends (mitra); but when the mind of loving-kindness has grown, enemies (amitra) and relatives (bandhu) become mixed up and one sees them all as experiencing happiness: this is because the dhyānas or samāpattis of loving-kindness have grown and are becoming complete”.

Mahayana (महायान, mahāyāna) is a major branch of Buddhism focusing on the path of a Bodhisattva (spiritual aspirants/ enlightened beings). Extant literature is vast and primarely composed in the Sanskrit language. There are many sūtras of which some of the earliest are the various Prajñāpāramitā sūtras.
Languages of India and abroad
Pali-English dictionary
Source: BuddhaSasana: Concise Pali-English Dictionarymathana : (nt.) churning; disturbance.
Source: Sutta: The Pali Text Society's Pali-English DictionaryMathana, (adj. nt.) (fr. math) shaking up, crushing, harassing, confusing Miln. 21 (+maddana); DhA. I, 312; PvA. 265. (Page 518)

Pali is the language of the Tipiṭaka, which is the sacred canon of Theravāda Buddhism and contains much of the Buddha’s speech. Closeley related to Sanskrit, both languages are used interchangeably between religions.
Marathi-English dictionary
Source: DDSA: The Molesworth Marathi and English Dictionarymāthaṇa (माथण) [or णी, ṇī].—f (mathaṇēṃ) A large open-mouthed ḍērā or earthen vessel. Used in churning and to hold water.
Source: DDSA: The Aryabhusan school dictionary, Marathi-Englishmathana (मथन).—n Churning. Fig. Discuss- ing. Killing.
Marathi is an Indo-European language having over 70 million native speakers people in (predominantly) Maharashtra India. Marathi, like many other Indo-Aryan languages, evolved from early forms of Prakrit, which itself is a subset of Sanskrit, one of the most ancient languages of the world.
Sanskrit dictionary
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionaryMathana (मथन).—a. (-nī f.) [मथ् ल्यु ल्युट् वा (math lyu lyuṭ vā)]
1) Churning, stirring up.
2) Hurting, injuring.
3) Killing, destroying, a destroyer; मुग्धे मधुमथनमनुगतमनुसर राधिके (mugdhe madhumathanamanugatamanusara rādhike) Gītagovinda 2.
4) Rubbing.
-naḥ Name of a tree (gaṇikārikā, used in producing fire by attrition).
-nam 1 Churning, stirring round, agitating.
2) Rubbing, friction.
3) Injury, hurting, destruction.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English DictionaryMathana (मथन).—n.
(-naṃ) 1. Churning. 2. Rubbing. 3. Injury. m.
(-naḥ) A tree, the wood of which is used to produce fire by attrition, (Premna longifolia.) E. math to churn, to stir or rub, aff. lyuṭ .
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English DictionaryMathana (मथन).—[math + ana], n. Churning, [Pañcatantra] v. [distich] 28.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English DictionaryMathana (मथन).—[feminine] ī (ā) afflicting, injuring, destroying; [neuter] the act of afflicting etc., whirling, churning.
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary1) Mathana (मथन):—[from manth] mf(ī, once ā)n. rubbing, stirring, shaking, harassing, destroying (with [genitive case] or ifc.), [Mahābhārata; Rāmāyaṇa] etc.
2) [v.s. ...] m. Premna Spinosa (the wood of which is used to produce fire by attrition), [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]
3) [v.s. ...] n. the act of rubbing, friction, [Bhāgavata-purāṇa]
4) [v.s. ...] stirring or whirling round, churning or producing by churning, [Mahābhārata; Rāmāyaṇa; Purāṇa]
5) [v.s. ...] hurting, annoying, injury, destruction, [Rāmāyaṇa; Ratnāvalī]
Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English DictionaryMathana (मथन):—(naṃ) 1. m. A tree (Premna longifolia). n. Churning.
Source: DDSA: Paia-sadda-mahannavo; a comprehensive Prakrit Hindi dictionary (S)Mathana (मथन) in the Sanskrit language is related to the Prakrit words: Ghusulaṇa, Mahaṇa.
[Sanskrit to German]
Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family (even English!). Closely allied with Prakrit and Pali, Sanskrit is more exhaustive in both grammar and terms and has the most extensive collection of literature in the world, greatly surpassing its sister-languages Greek and Latin.
Hindi dictionary
Source: DDSA: A practical Hindi-English dictionary1) Mathana (मथन):—(nm) churning; stirring.
2) Mathanā (मथना) [Also spelled mathna]:—(v) to churn; to stir deeply; to batter; to agitate; to probe profoundly, to make an in-depth study.
...
Kannada-English dictionary
Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpusMathana (ಮಥನ):—
1) [noun] the act of beating, shaking (curd) in a churn to form butter; churning.
2) [noun] a tormenting or being tormented.
3) [noun] the killing in a brutal manner; slaughter.
4) [noun] he who slaughters; a slaughterer.
5) [noun] a rubbing of one object against another; friction.
6) [noun] a physical struggle; a fight.
7) [noun] the result of cogitation; concerted thought or reflection.
8) [noun] a deliberating or considering carefully.
Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.
See also (Relevant definitions)
Partial matches: Yu, Matha, Mata.
Starts with (+1): Matana-kakuravam, Matana-kamecurapu, Matana-kamiyapu, Matana-kantacelai, Matanacalakai, Matanacattiram, Matanakamam, Matanakamappu, Matanakamecuram, Matanakamecuvaram, Matanakitam, Matanalilai, Matanalinkam, Matananul, Matanapatakam, Matanappu, Mathanacala, Mathanakula, Mathanapada, Mathanaparvata.
Full-text (+67): Pramathana, Madhumathana, Puramathana, Nirmathana, Unmathana, Arishtamathana, Mathanacala, Manomathana, Mundamathana, Keshimathana, Dakshamathana, Nimmathana, Samudramathana, Makhamathana, Pralambamathana, Kandarpamathana, Abdhimathana, Amutamatanam, Mattanam, Dakshamakhamathana.
Relevant text
Search found 21 books and stories containing Mathana, Matha-yu, Māthaṇa, Mathanā; (plurals include: Mathanas, yus, Māthaṇas, Mathanās). You can also click to the full overview containing English textual excerpts. Below are direct links for the most relevant articles:
Garga Samhita (English) (by Danavir Goswami)
Verse 8.13.44 < [Chapter 13 - A Thousand Names of Lord Balarāma]
A Descriptive Catalogue of the Sanskrit Manuscripts, Madras (by M. Seshagiri Sastri)
Page 196 < [Volume 16 (1913)]
Thirty minor Upanishads (by K. Narayanasvami Aiyar)
Tirumantiram by Tirumular (English translation)
Verse 2653: Lord is in Guru's Monastery < [Tantra Nine (onpatam tantiram) (verses 2649-3047)]
Verse 508: Do not Give to Unworthy; the Giver and the Receiver Both < [Tantra Two (irantam tantiram) (verses 337-548)]
Verse 1664: Ten appurtenances of Siva Yogins < [Tantra Six (aram tantiram) (verses 1573-1703)]
Skanda Purana (by G. V. Tagare)
Chapter 20 - Viṣṇu Fights with Daityas < [Section 2 - Kaumārikā-khaṇḍa]
Chapter 16 - Tāraka and Devendra Prepare for War < [Section 2 - Kaumārikā-khaṇḍa]
Chapter 68 - Piśāceśvara (piśāca-īśvara-liṅga) < [Section 2 - Caturaśīti-liṅga-māhātmya]
Nrisinha Stotra < [The Divine Strotras]