The Madhurāṣṭakam ( sa, मधुराष्टकम्), also spelt as Madhurashtakam, is a Sanskrit ashtakam in devotion of
Krishna
Krishna (; sa, कृष्ण ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme god in his own right. He is the god of protection, compassion, tenderness, and love; and is one ...
, composed by the
Hindu
Hindus (; ) are people who religiously adhere to Hinduism. Jeffery D. Long (2007), A Vision for Hinduism, IB Tauris, , pages 35–37 Historically, the term has also been used as a geographical, cultural, and later religious identifier for ...
Vallabha
Vallabhacharya Mahaprabhu (1479–1531 CE), also known as Vallabha, Mahaprabhuji and Vishnuswami, or Vallabha Acharya, is a Hindu Indian saint and philosopher who founded the Krishna-centered PushtiMarg sect of Vaishnavism in the Braj(Vraj) ...
. Vallabha was a
Telugu
Telugu may refer to:
* Telugu language, a major Dravidian language of India
*Telugu people, an ethno-linguistic group of India
* Telugu script, used to write the Telugu language
** Telugu (Unicode block), a block of Telugu characters in Unicode
S ...
Brahmin who propagated Pushtimarg, which emphasizes on the unconditional '' bhakti'' and '' seva'' of Krishna. According to legend, when Krishna himself appeared in front of Vallabha, on the midnight of Shravana Shukla Ekadashi, the philosopher composed the Madhurashtakam in praise of the deity.
He created many other literary pieces including the Vyasa Sutra Bhashya, Jaimini Sutra Bhasya, Bhagavata Subodhini Tika, Pushti Pravala Maryada, and Siddhanta Rahasya, in Sanskrit.
The devotional hymn "Madhurāṣṭakam" of Vallabha was created to lead the devotee in Pustimarga, the Path of Grace, which involves a constant love-filled devotion to Krishna by various acts of homage, such as singing (''
kirtana
Kirtana ( sa, कीर्तन; ), also rendered as Kirtan, is a Sanskrit word that means "narrating, reciting, telling, describing" of an idea or story, specifically in Indian religions. It also refers to a genre of religious performance art ...
''), remembering (''smarana''), conceptualising and beholding (''
darshana
In Indian religions, ''Darshana'', also spelt ''Darshan'', (Sanskrit: दर्शन, , ) or ''Darshanam'' (darśanam) is the auspicious sight of a deity or a holy person.
The term also refers to six traditional schools of Hindu philosophy ...
'') a beatific image of the deity and offering of services (''seva''). According to this philosophy, these acts enable the devotee to enter into the divine presence of Krishna and to experience the deity's real essence (svarupa) which are in fact, succinctly laid down by the Madhurāṣṭakam. Madhurāṣṭakam is regarded play an instrumental role in the realisation of the deity.
Genre
'
The term '' aṣṭakam'' is derived from the Sanskrit word , meaning "eight". An ''aṣṭakam'' is made up of eight stanzas.
''Aṣṭakam'' belong to the genre of lyric poetry, which tends to be short, extremely melodic, and contemplative. It reflects and portrays the poet's own feelings, states of mind, and perceptions about the theme or character in the ''aṣṭakam''.
Context
The thought behind the composition in 'Bhakti mixed with Love', being a typical frame of devotion and dedication in the Bhakti movement. In the loved bhakti frame, the devotee falls in love with the almighty and to the devotee, all the attributes and actions of God appears sweet, as those appear to a lover.
The Madhurāṣṭakam deals with the qualities and deeds of Krishna, all of which have been conceptualized as being dipped in
madhu
Madhu (Sanskrit: ) is a word used in several Indo-Aryan languages meaning ''honey'' or ''sweet''. It is ultimately derived from Proto-Indo-European ''*médʰu'', whence English '' mead''.
Metaphorical use
''Madhu'' has been used for millennia si ...
, meaning honey or nectar. In the eyes of the devotee, everything that pertains to the deity is sweet and graceful, he being the adhipati (sovereign) of all sweetness.
The body of the Madhurāṣṭakam includes many qualities, attributes and motifs associated with Krishna, including the venu flute, cows, the
Yamuna river
The Yamuna ( Hindustani: ), also spelt Jumna, is the second-largest tributary river of the Ganges by discharge and the longest tributary in India. Originating from the Yamunotri Glacier at a height of about on the southwestern slopes of Ba ...
, gopis, and Krishna's lila. These symbols and motifs related to the life and deeds of Krishna have been labelled as 'sweet' in the astakam.
Text
See
Sanskrit
Sanskrit (; attributively , ; nominally , , ) is a classical language belonging to the Indo-Aryan branch of the Indo-European languages. It arose in South Asia after its predecessor languages had diffused there from the northwest in the late ...
for details of pronunciation.
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Devanagari
Devanagari ( ; , , Sanskrit pronunciation: ), also called Nagari (),Kathleen Kuiper (2010), The Culture of India, New York: The Rosen Publishing Group, , page 83 is a left-to-right abugida (a type of segmental writing system), based on the ...
, align="center" style="background:#f0f0f0;", IAST
, align="center" style="background:#f0f0f0;", English Translation
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, ॥ मधुराष्टकम् ॥, , madhurāṣṭakam , , , Eight Stanzas on Sweetness
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, ''वल्लभ आचार्य'', , ''vallabha ācārya'', , ''Vallabha Acharya''
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, अधरं मधुरं, , adharaṃ madhuraṃ, , (His) lips are sweet
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, वदनं मधुरं, , vadanaṃ madhuraṃ, , (His) face is sweet
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, नयनं मधुरं, , nayanaṃ madhuraṃ, , (His) eyes are sweet
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, हसितं मधुरम् ।, , hasitaṃ madhuram, , (His) smile is sweet
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, हृदयं मधुरं, , hṛdayaṃ madhuraṃ, , (His) heart is sweet
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, गमनं मधुरं, , gamanaṃ madhuraṃ, , (His) gait (walk) is sweet
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, मधुराधिपतेरखिलं मधुरम् ॥ १ ॥, , madhurādhipaterakhilaṃ madhuram (1), , Everything is sweet about the Lord of Sweetness
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, वचनं मधुरं, , vacanaṃ madhuraṃ, , (His) words are sweet
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, चरितं मधुरं, , caritaṃ madhuraṃ, , (His) character and deeds are sweet
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, वसनं मधुरं, , vasanaṃ madhuraṃ, , (His) dress (garment) is sweet
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, वलितं मधुरम् ।, , valitaṃ madhuram, , (His) posture is sweet
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, चलितं मधुरं, , calitaṃ madhuraṃ, , (His) movements are sweet
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, भ्रमितं मधुरं, , bhramitaṃ madhuraṃ, , (His) wandering is sweet
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, मधुराधिपतेरखिलं मधुरम् ॥ २ ॥, , madhurādhipaterakhilaṃ madhuram (2), , Everything is sweet about the Lord of Sweetness
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, वेणुर्मधुरो, , veṇurmadhuro, , (His) flute-playing is sweet
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, रेणुर्मधुरः, , reṇurmadhuraḥ, , (His) foot-dust is sweet
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, पाणिर्मधुरः, , pāṇirmadhuraḥ, , (His) hands are sweet
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, पादौ मधुरौ ।, , pādau madhurau, , (His) feet are sweet
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, नृत्यं मधुरं, , nṛtyaṃ madhuraṃ, , (His) dancing is sweet
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, सख्यं मधुरं, , sakhyaṃ madhuraṃ, , (His) friendship (company) is sweet
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, मधुराधिपतेरखिलं मधुरम् ॥ ३ ॥, , madhurādhipaterakhilaṃ madhuram (3), , Everything is sweet about the Lord of Sweetness
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, गीतं मधुरं, , gītaṃ madhuraṃ, , (His) song is sweet
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, पीतं मधुरं, , pītaṃ madhuraṃ, , (His) drinking is sweet
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, भुक्तं मधुरं, , bhuktaṃ madhuraṃ, , (His) eating is sweet
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, सुप्तं मधुरम् ।, , suptaṃ madhuraṃ, , (His) sleeping is sweet
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, रूपं मधुरं, , rūpaṃ madhuraṃ, , (His) beautiful form is sweet
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, तिलकं मधुरं, , tilakaṃ madhuraṃ, , (His) Tilaka (Sandalwood paste mark on the forehead) is sweet
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, मधुराधिपतेरखिलं मधुरम् ॥ ४ ॥, , madhurādhipaterakhilaṃ madhuram (4), , Everything is sweet about the Lord of Sweetness
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, करणं मधुरं, , karaṇaṃ madhuraṃ, , (His) deeds are sweet
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, तरणं मधुरं, , taraṇaṃ madhuraṃ, , (His) conquest (liberating) is sweet
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, हरणं मधुरं, , haraṇaṃ madhuraṃ, , (His) stealing is sweet
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, रमणं मधुरम् ।, , ramaṇaṃ madhuram, , (His) love-sports are sweet
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, वमितं मधुरं, , vamitaṃ madhuraṃ, , (His) oblations (offerings) are sweet
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, शमितं मधुरं, , śamitaṃ madhuraṃ, , (His) countenance is sweet
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, मधुराधिपतेरखिलं मधुरम् ॥ ५ ॥, , madhurādhipaterakhilaṃ madhuram (5), , Everything is sweet about the Lord of Sweetness
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, गुञ्जा मधुरा, , guñjā madhurā, , (His) gunja-berry necklace is sweet
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, माला मधुरा, , mālā madhurā, , (His) flower garland is sweet
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, यमुना मधुरा, , yamunā madhurā, , Yamuna river is sweet
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, वीची मधुरा ।, , vīcī madhurā, , and sweet are Yamuna's rippling waves or wind blowing there is sweet
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, सलिलं मधुरं, , salilaṃ madhuraṃ, , Her water is sweet
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, कमलं मधुरं, , kamalaṃ madhuraṃ, , and sweet are the lotus flowers also
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, मधुराधिपतेरखिलं मधुरम् ॥ ६ ॥, , madhurādhipaterakhilaṃ madhuram (6), , Everything is sweet about the Lord of Sweetness
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, गोपी मधुरा, , gopī madhurā, , (His) gopis (damsels of Vraja) are sweet
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, लीला मधुरा, , līlā madhurā, , (His) frolickings are sweet
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, युक्तं मधुरं, , yuktaṃ madhuraṃ, , (His) union (meeting)/Strategy is sweet
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, मुक्तं मधुरम् ।, , muktaṃ madhuram, , (His) deliverance is sweet
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, दृष्टं मधुरं, , dṛṣṭaṃ madhuraṃ, , (His) sidelong glances/Bad people/Enemies are sweet
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, शिष्टं मधुरं, , śiṣṭaṃ madhuraṃ, , (His) etiquette/punishment is sweet
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, मधुराधिपतेरखिलं मधुरम् ॥ ७ ॥, , madhurādhipaterakhilaṃ madhuram (7), , Everything is sweet about the Lord of Sweetness
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, गोपा मधुरा, , gopā madhurā, , (His) gopas (cowherd friends) are sweet
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, गावो मधुरा, , gāvo madhurā, , (His) cows are sweet
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, यष्टिर्मधुरा, , yaṣṭirmadhurā, , (His) cane (herding-stick) is sweet
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, सृष्टिर्मधुरा ।, , sṛṣṭirmadhurā , , (His) creation is sweet
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, दलितं मधुरं, , dalitaṃ madhuraṃ, , (His) destruction is sweet
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, फलितं मधुरं, , phalitaṃ madhuraṃ, , (His) accomplishment (fruition) is sweet
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, मधुराधिपतेरखिलं मधुरम् ॥ ८ ॥, , madhurādhipaterakhilaṃ madhuram (8) , , Everything is sweet about the Lord of Sweetness
In popular culture
Madhurāṣṭakam has been a very popular devotional song. Renowned singers, including the classical legend
M. S. Subbulakshmi
Madurai Shanmukhavadivu Subbulakshmi (16 September 1916 – 11 December 2004) was an Indian Carnatic singer from Madurai, Tamil Nadu. She was the first musician ever to be awarded the Bharat Ratna, India's highest civilian honour. She is ...
and semi-classical singer K. J. Yesudas have given classical and semi-classical renditions of the song. In the
Odissi
Odissi (), also referred to as Orissi in old literature, is a major ancient Indian classical dance that originated in the temples of Odisha – an eastern coastal state of India.Vaishnav Parivar : A informative portal about Pushtimarg, Vaishnavism (neovedanta)
Vaishnavism
16th-century Sanskrit literature
Krishna in popular culture