Keshava

Keshava ( Sanskrit केशव keśava ) is one of the numerous names of Vishnu . This means his avatar Krishna . Keshava is revered by people who want to avert bad luck or a bad omen. His wife is Kirti or Sri . His skin color is golden and his element ( Tattva ) is the sky or space ( Akasha ).

Keshava Temple in Keshoraipatan , Rajasthan

etymology

Keshava or Kaishava is derived from Kesha (black hair) or from the name of the demon Keshi , who was killed by Krishna. Another derivation is formed from the combination of the letters K (which stands for Brahma ) and A (for Vishnu), as well as the syllables iśa (for Shiva ) and va (for Svarupa - form). Keshava thus unites the three main deities of Hinduism , and he is consequently the lord of creation, maintenance and dissolution of the universe at the same time.

Appearance in scriptures of Hinduism

Keshava nama

In the Keshava nama of the 24 names of Vishnu named after him, Keshava takes first place.

Vishnu Sahasranama

In the Vishnu Sahasranama , the thousand names of Vishnu, Keshava appears in the 23rd and 648th positions. In a commentary on the Vishnu Sahasranama, Adi Shankara describes Keshava as the Avatara Vishnus (i.e. Krishna) with black, long, uncut and beautiful hair who attracts the rays of light within the solar system. As the killer of the demon Keshi, he consists of the three syllables Kah , Ah and Iśa and is thus ruler of the creation, maintenance and dissolution of the universe.

Padma Purana

The Padma Purana also refers to his beautiful, black, unshaven hair.

Bhagavad Gita

Krishna fights with Keshi

In the Bhagavad Gita , Arjuna uses the name Keshava several times in his address to Krishna (eight times in all, verses 1, 30; 2.54; 3.1; 8.22; 10.14; 11.35; 13.1 and 18, 76) and describes him as the slayer of the demon Keshi:

"न च शक्नोम्यवस्थातुं भ्रमतीव च मे मनः
निमित्तानि च पश्यामि विपरीतानि केशव"

"Na ca śaknomy avasthātuṁ brahmatīva ca me manaḥ
nimittāni ca paśyāmi viparītāni keśava"

“I am unable to stand here any longer. I'm dizzy and my mind starts to go crazy. I only see disaster looming, O Keśava, slayer of the demon Keśī. "

- Bhagavad Gita 1.30

The demon Keshi was sent in horse form from Kamsa to kill Krishna, but was overwhelmed by him at Keshighat in Vrindavan on the Yamuna and was killed here (Vishnu Purana 5.15-16). Keśī symbolically represents false pride and mind-undermining doubts, which are compared to a wild horse roaming free.

Mudrarakshasa

Also in Mudrarakshasa , a play from the 4th century, Keshava is depicted as the conqueror of Keshi.

Individual evidence

↑ Margaret Stutley: The Illustrated Dictionary of Hindu Iconography . S. 71-73 .
↑ Maharishi Mahesh Yogi: Maharishi Mahesh Yogi on the Bhagavad-Gita, a New Translation and Commentary, Chapters 1-6 . Penguin Books, 1969, pp. 148-149 (v 54) .
^ Klaus K. Klostermaier: A survey of Hinduism . SUNY Press, 1989, ISBN 978-0-7914-7082-4 , pp. 81 .
↑ PK Mishra: Studies in Hindu and Buddhist art . Abhinav Publications, 1999, ISBN 978-81-7017-368-7 , pp. 362 .

[1] Margaret Stutley: The Illustrated Dictionary of Hindu Iconography . S. 71-73 .

[2] Maharishi Mahesh Yogi: Maharishi Mahesh Yogi on the Bhagavad-Gita, a New Translation and Commentary, Chapters 1-6 . Penguin Books, 1969, pp. 148-149 (v 54) .

[3] Klaus K. Klostermaier: A survey of Hinduism . SUNY Press, 1989, ISBN 978-0-7914-7082-4 , pp. 81 .

[4] PK Mishra: Studies in Hindu and Buddhist art . Abhinav Publications, 1999, ISBN 978-81-7017-368-7 , pp. 362 .