Madhurastakam

The Madhurastakam (Sanskrit: मधुराष्टकम्, madhurāṣṭakam) is a Sanskrit composition in devotion of Krishna, composed by the Hindu Bhakti philosopher-poet Sripad Vallabha Acharya. Sripad Vallabhacharya flourished under the patronage of the Vijayanagara King Sri Krishnadevarya in the late fifteenth century Andhra State and created many other literary pieces including the Vyasa Sutra Bhashya, Jaimini Sutra Bhasya, Bhagavata Tika Subodhini, Pushti Pravala Maryada and Siddhanta Rahasya in Sanskrit.

The devotional hymn "Madhurastakam" of Sri Vallabhacarya 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), remembering (smarana), conceptualising and beholding (darshana) a beatific image of the deity upon singing of the Madhurastakam, and offering of services (seva). These acts enable the devotee to enter into the divine presence of Sri Krishna and to experience the Lord's real essence (svarupa) which are in fact, succinctly laid down by the Madhurastakam. Hence, Madhurastakam plays an instrumental role in the realisation of the Lord.

Astakam as a Form and a Genre

See also: Astakam

The term "Astakam" is derived from the Sanskrit word aṣṭan, meaning "eight". An astakam is made up of eight stanzas.

An Astakam 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 Astakam.

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 the Lord God appears sweet, as those appear to a lover.

The Madhurastakam deals with the qualities and deeds of Lord Krishna, all of which have been conceptualised as been dipped in madhu, meaning honey or nectar. In the eyes of the devotee, everything that pertains to Lord is sweet and graceful, he being the adhipati (Lord and Godhead) of all sweetness.

The body of the Madhurastakam includes many qualities, attributes and motifs associated with Krishna, including the venu flute, cows, the Yamuna river, gopis, and Krishna's lila. These symbols and motifs related to the life and deeds of Lord Sri Krishna have been labelled as 'sweet' in the astakam.

Text

See Sanskrit for details of pronunciation.

Devanagari IAST English Translation
॥ मधुराष्टकम् ॥.. madhurāṣṭakam ..Eight Stanzas on Sweetness
वल्लभ आचार्यvallabha ācāryaVallabha Acharya
अधरं मधुरंadharaṁ madhuraṁ(His) lips are sweet
वदनं मधुरंvadanaṁ madhuraṁ(His) face is sweet
नयनं मधुरंnayanaṁ madhuraṁ(His) eyes are sweet
हसितं मधुरम् ‌।hasitaṁ madhuram .(His) smile is sweet
हृदयं मधुरंhṛdayaṁ madhuraṁ(His) heart is sweet
गमनं मधुरंgamanaṁ madhuraṁ(His) gait (walk) is sweet
मधुराधिपतेरखिलं मधुरम् ‌॥ १ ॥madhurādhipaterakhilaṁ madhuram .. 1 ..Everything is sweet about the Lord of Sweetness
वचनं मधुरंvacanaṁ madhuraṁ(His) words are sweet
चरितं मधुरंcaritaṁ madhuraṁ(His) character and deeds are sweet
वसनं मधुरंvasanaṁ madhuraṁ(His) dress (garment) is sweet
वलितं मधुरम्‌ ।valitaṁ madhuram .(His) posture is sweet
चलितं मधुरंcalitaṁ madhuraṁ(His) movements are sweet
भ्रमितं मधुरंbhramitaṁ madhuraṁ(His) wandering is sweet
मधुराधिपतेरखिलं मधुरम्‌ ॥ २ ॥madhurādhipaterakhilaṁ madhuram .. 2 ..Everything is sweet about the Lord of Sweetness
वेणुर्मधुरोveṇurmadhuro(His) flute-playing is sweet
रेणुर्मधुरःreṇurmadhuraḥ(His) foot-dust is sweet
पाणिर्मधुरःpāṇirmadhuraḥ(His) hands are sweet
पादौ मधुरौ ।pādau madhurau .(His) feet are sweet
नृत्यं मधुरंnṛtyaṁ madhuraṁ(His) dancing is sweet
सख्यं मधुरंsakhyaṁ madhuraṁ(His) friendship (company) is sweet
मधुराधिपतेरखिलं मधुरम्‌ ॥ ३ ॥madhurādhipaterakhilaṁ madhuram .. 3 ..Everything is sweet about the Lord of Sweetness
गीतं मधुरंgītaṁ madhuraṁ(His) song is sweet
पीतं मधुरंpītaṁ madhuraṁ(His) drinking is sweet
भुक्तं मधुरंbhuktaṁ madhuraṁ(His) eating is sweet
सुप्तं मधुरम्‌ ।suptaṁ madhuram .(His) sleeping is sweet
रूपं मधुरंrūpaṁ madhuraṁ(His) beautiful form is sweet
तिलकं मधुरंtilakaṁ madhuraṁ(His) Tilaka (Sandalwood paste mark on the forehead) is sweet
मधुराधिपतेरखिलं मधुरम् ‌॥ ४ ॥madhurādhipaterakhilaṁ madhuram .. 4 ..Everything is sweet about the Lord of Sweetness
करणं मधुरंkaraṇaṁ madhuraṁ(His) deeds are sweet
तरणं मधुरंtaraṇaṁ madhuraṁ(His) conquest (liberating) is sweet
हरणं मधुरंharaṇaṁ madhuraṁ(His) stealing is sweet
रमणं मधुरम् ‌।ramaṇaṁ madhuram .(His) love-sports are sweet
वमितं मधुरंvamitaṁ madhuraṁ(His) oblations (offerings) are sweet
शमितं मधुरंśamitaṁ madhuraṁ(His) countenance is sweet
मधुराधिपतेरखिलं मधुरम्‌ ॥ ५ ॥madhurādhipaterakhilaṁ madhuram .. 5 ..Everything is sweet about the Lord of Sweetness
गुञ्जा मधुराguñjā madhurā(His) gunja-berry necklace is sweet
माला मधुराmālā madhurā(His) flower garland is sweet
यमुना मधुराyamunā madhurāYamuna river is sweet
वीची मधुरा ।vīcī madhurā .and sweet are Yamuna's rippling waves
सलिलं मधुरंsalilaṁ madhuraṁHer water is sweet
कमलं मधुरंkamalaṁ madhuraṁand sweet are the lotus flowers also
मधुराधिपतेरखिलं मधुरम् ‌॥ ६ ॥madhurādhipaterakhilaṁ madhuram .. 6 ..Everything is sweet about the Lord of Sweetness
गोपी मधुराgopī madhurā(His) gopis (damsels of Vraja) are sweet
लीला मधुराlīlā madhurā(His) frolickings are sweet
युक्तं मधुरंyuktaṁ madhuraṁ(His) union (meeting) is sweet
मुक्तं मधुरम् ‌।muktaṁ madhuram .(His) deliverance is sweet
दृष्टं मधुरंdṛṣṭaṁ madhuraṁ(His) sidelong glances are sweet
शिष्टं मधुरंśiṣṭaṁ madhuraṁ(His) etiquette is sweet
मधुराधिपतेरखिलं मधुरम् ‌॥ ७ ॥madhurādhipaterakhilaṁ madhuram .. 7 ..Everything is sweet about the Lord of Sweetness
गोपा मधुराgopā madhurā(His) gopas (cowherd friends) are sweet
गावो मधुराgāvo madhurā(His) cows are sweet
यष्टिर्मधुराyaṣṭirmadhurā(His) cane (herding-stick) is sweet
सृष्टिर्मधुरा ।sṛṣṭirmadhurā .(His) creation is sweet
दलितं मधुरंdalitaṁ madhuraṁ(His) victory is sweet
फलितं मधुरंphalitaṁ madhuraṁ(His) accomplishment (fruition) is sweet
मधुराधिपतेरखिलं मधुरम्‌ ॥ ८ ॥madhurādhipaterakhilaṁ madhuram .. 8 ..Everything is sweet about the Lord of Sweetness

In popular culture

Madhurastakam has been a very popular devotional song. Renowned singers, including the classical legend M. S. Subbulakshmi and semi-classical singer K. J. Yesudas have given classical and semi-classical renditions of the song. In the Odissi dance tradition, the Madhurastakam comprises an elegant and intoxicating theme for dance drama.

See also

References

    External links

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