Madhava (Vishnu)

Madhava (Sanskrit: माधव, romanized: Mādhava) is one of the primary epithets of Vishnu and Krishna. The word Mādhava in Sanskrit is a vṛddhi derivation of the word Madhu (Sanskrit: मधु), which means honey. It is a title of Krishna, referring to his lineage as 'he who appeared the Madhu dynasty'.[1]

Vishnu, the bearer of the epithet
Krishna worshiped as Madhava with his chief consort, Radha, at ISKCON Mayapur

In the Bhagavad Gita, Arjuna addresses Krishna as Madhava (meaning "lord of fortune"; not to confused with a secondary name, Madhusudana, which means "slayer of the demon Madhu").[2]

According to Adi Shankara's commentary on the Vishnu Sahasranama and the Narada Pancharatra, Madhava means the consort (dhava) of the mother (ma), referring to Lakshmi, the goddess called the 'mother of the universe'. Alternatively, it means the 'one who is fit to be known through Madhu-vidya', or can mean the 'one who is the lord of ma, or knowledge.[3]

Literature

In the Skanda Purana, Shiva mentions Madhava as an epithet of Vishnu, described as the one who holds the conch, discus and mace.[4]

In the Garuda Purana, the hymn to Vishnu composed by Markandeya includes the verse, "I crave the mercy of Madhava and of Janardana, what shall Death do unto me?"[5]

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Closeup of Vishnu, seated in the lotus position on a lotus. From depiction of the poet Jayadeva bowing to Vishnu, Gouache on paper Pahari, The very picture of devotion, bare-bodied, head bowed, legs crossed and hands folded, Jayadeva stands at left, with the implements of worship placed before the lotus-seat of Vishnu who sits there, blessing the poet.
Supreme deity
Vishnu / Krishna / Rama
Important deities
Dashavatara
Other forms
Consorts
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Holy scriptures
Puranas
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Teachers—acharyas
Related traditions

In the Harivamsa Purana, during the episode of Krishna's elopement with Princess Rukmini, the epithet is mentioned during his battle against Rukmi:

Although Rukshmi was very careful the highly powerful and valiant Madhava cut off the standard of his car and the head of his charioteer from his body.

— Harivamsa Purana, Chapter 61

See also

References
  1. www.wisdomlib.org (2009-04-12). "Madhava, Mādhava, Mādhavā: 29 definitions". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 2022-08-02.
  2. Maharishi Mahesh Yogi on the Bhagavad-Gita, a New Translation and Commentary, Chapter 1-6. Penguin Books, 1969, p 37 (v 14)
  3. "Narada Pancharatra [relj32kmyvn1]". idoc.pub. Retrieved 2022-08-02.
  4. www.wisdomlib.org (2021-04-16). "Greatness of Mādhava [Chapter 299]". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 2022-08-02.
  5. www.wisdomlib.org (2015-04-16). "The hymn to Vishnu composed by the holy Markandeya [Chapter CCXLIII]". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 2022-08-02.
  • Cited from Sri Vishnu Sahasranama, commentary by Sri Sankaracharya, translated by Swami Tapasyananda, available at Sri Ramakrishna Math, Chennai.
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