Keshava
Keshava (Sanskrit: केशव keśava) is a name of Vishnu from the Hindu tradition. Keshava means Parabrahman according to Hindu scriptures. The name appears as the 23rd and 648th names in the Vishnu sahasranama of the Mahabharata. Keshava is also venerated by those persons wanting to avert bad luck or ill omens. His consort is Keerti (Lakshmi).[1]
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Etymology[]
Keshava means "The one with beautiful long (unshorn) hair" or "Killer of the Keśī demon". According to the Padma Purana, the name refers to Krishna's long, beautiful looking unshorn hair.[3] Referring to Sangraha Ramayana of Narayana Panditacharya, Authors Meenakshi Bharat and Madhu Grover says that "The name Keshava refers to Vishnu. The letter 'Ka' refers to Brahma and 'Isha' refers to Shiva. The word Keshava refers to one who animates both Brahma and Shiva".[4]
In Sanskrit literature[]
A very popular verse from Vedic literature which says Keshava as the ultimate Supreme Being.
आकाशात् पतितं तोयं यथागच्छति सागरम् ।
सर्वदव नमस्कारः केशवं प्रतिगच्छति ॥
ākāś��t patitaṃ toyaṃ yathāgacchati sāgaram
sarvadeva namaskāraḥ keśavaṃ pratigacchati
Meaning: Just as the rainwater falling on the earth reaches the ocean, in the same way, offerings (namaskara) made to various deities ultimately reach only one God Keshava (Vishnu).[5][6]
In Bhagavad Gita Arjuna uses the name Keshava[7] for Krishna a number of times, referring to him as the 'Killer of the Keshi demon': "I am now unable to stand here any longer. I am forgetting myself, and my mind is reeling. I see only causes of misfortune, O Kesava, killer of the Keśī demon." (Bhagavad Gita 1.30). The demon Keshi, in the form of a horse, was sent by Kamsa to kill Krishna but was overpowered and slain (Vishnu Purana 5.15-16).
References[]
- ^ The Illustrated Dictionary of Hindu Iconography, Margaret Stutley, p.71, 73
- ^ "Standing Vishnu as Keshava". The Met Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History. Retrieved 6 February 2020.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ Alain Daniélou (1991). The Myths and Gods of India: The Classic Work on Hindu Polytheism from the Princeton Bollingen Series. Inner Traditions / Bear & Co. p. 154. ISBN 9780892813544.
- ^ Bharat & Grover 2019, p. 205.
- ^ Balasubramanian Narayan Aiyer (1999). Principles and Practice of Hindu Religion. Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan. p. 24. ISBN 9788172761424.
- ^ R. K. Madhukar (1 January 2014). Gayatri: The Profound Prayer. Motilal Banarsidass. ISBN 9788178224671.
- ^ Maharishi Mahesh Yogi on the Bhagavad-Gita, a New Translation and Commentary, Chapter 1-6. Penguin Books, 1969, p 148-149 (v 54)
Sources[]
- Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend (ISBN 0-500-51088-1) by Anna Dhallapiccola
- Bharat, Meenakshi; Grover, Madhu (2019). Representing the Exotic and the Familiar: Politics and perception in literature. John Benjamins Publishing Company. ISBN 9789027261908.
External links[]
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