Keshava

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Kesava redirects here. For Kannada grammarian and poet, see Kesiraja.

Keshava (Sanskrit: केशव) is a name of Krishna from within Hindu tradition. (Keshav is the Hindi pronunciation). Keshava appears as the 23rd and 648th names in the Vishnu sahasranama. Lord Keshava is venerated by those persons wanting to avert bad luck, or ill omens. His consort is Keerti.[1]

Contents

[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.
  • child who is blessed with amazing ability

[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 a number of times, 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 Kesi, 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

  1. ^ The Illustrated Dictionary of Hindu Iconography by Margaret Stutley p.71 73

[edit] See also

[edit] External links

v • d • e
Hinduism
 This Hinduism-related article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it.
Languages