In plain words
‘Mā - na - va’. ‘Mā’ means ignorance, ‘na’ means without, ‘va’ means conducting oneself. So the one who conducts himself without ignorance is the mānava.
The story of Puṇḍarīka
Embodiments of Prema! Who do you think the young are? You think they are those of tender age, those in their youth. Youth does not depend on age or on bodily strength. Those who have good qualities such as Prema, forbearance, sympathy, Satya and Dharma are the true young. Only when all such young people unite will the world be saved. The young women and men are the very foundation of this world. It is not enough for young men to exercise and build up their muscles; they must strengthen the intellect too. If you honour your parents, God Himself will come to you. While Puṇḍarīka was pressing his parents' feet, Pāṇḍuraṅga came and said, “Well, Puṇḍarīka, I have come.” “Oh, You have come, Lord? Sit on this brick for a little while. When I have finished serving my parents I will talk with You,” said Puṇḍarīka, and picking up a brick that lay beside him, he threw it that way. To test him, Pāṇḍuraṅga said, “You silly fellow, when I, Pāṇḍuraṅga Himself, have come in person, what is this, that you will serve your parents instead of talking with Me?” Then Puṇḍarīka: “Lord! Why did You not talk with me all this time? Where were You until now? And where am I? The ones who bore me, raised me, fed me and protected me are my parents. So I will first serve them, and then serve You,” he said. Delighted at his Bhakti towards his parents, Pāṇḍuraṅga: “My son! This is true Bhakti. This is the true principle of Prema,” He said.
Without practising this eternal and true principle of Bhakti, some people perform pūjās mechanically. No fruit at all comes from such pūjās. Pūjās are not what matters to God; loving your parents is what matters. The Veda teaches, “Let your mother be God to you, let your father be God to you...”