Keshava

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Keshava and Keshav (केशव) are alternate names for Lord Krishna from within Hindu tradition. Keshava is the Sanskrit form of the name, Keshav the Hindi pronunciation. Keshava appears as the 23rd and 648th names in the Vishnu sahasranama. Kesava (Sanskrit) is the first of the 24 epithets of Lord Krishna.

Contents 1 Scriptural References 1.1 Vishnu Sahasranama 1.2 Padma Purana 1.3 Bhagavad Gita 2 References 3 See also 4 External links

[edit] Scriptural References

[edit] Vishnu Sahasranama

According to Adi Sankara' s commentary on the Vishnu sahasranama, Keshava has three meanings:

• one whose Kesa or locks are beautiful
• The Lord of creation, preservation, and dissolution.
• one who destroyed the asura or demon Kesi in the Krishna avatar.

It also means

• one who is endowed with the rays of light spreading within the orbit of the sun
• one who is endowed with divine powers of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva.

[edit] Padma Purana

• The one with beautiful long hair

According to the Padma Purana the name refers to Krishna's long, beautiful looking hair.

[edit] Bhagavad Gita

• Killer of the Keśī demon

In the Bhagavad Gita Arjuna uses the name for Krishna, referring to Him as the 'Killer of the Kesi 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 Kesin, in the form of a horse, was sent by Kamsa to kill Krishna but was overpowered and slain (Vishnu Purana 5.15-16).

[edit] References

• Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend (ISBN 0-500-51088-1) by Anna Dhallapiccola

[edit] See also

• Krishna
• Govinda
• Madhava
• Gopala
• Chaitanya

[edit] External links

• Krishna.com
• The Killing of the Kesi Demon

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