Tuesday 26 July 2011

Maadhava

(16) सर्व  कार्येषु माधवं, Sarva Kaaryeshu Maadhavam
And in all Activities, propitiate Maadhava


There are innumerable ways in which the naama Maadhava can be explained. Foremost among them is to see it as “Maa + dhava” – “मायाः धवः माधवः, Maayaah Dhavah Maadhavah”. He who is the Lord of Lakshmi (Maa) is Maadhava. The Lord and Lakshmi are eternally together and should be worshipped in the same way, one with the other. Since the Lord gets His powers because of being associated with Maa, He is Maadhava. In the Udyoga Parva of the Mahabharatha it is said “मधुविद्या वबोधत्वात् धवत्वाद्वा श्रीयोनिशं, मौनाध्यानाच्च योगाच विद्धि भारत माधवं, Madhuvidyaa Vabodhatvaat Dhavatvaadva sriyonisham, Mounaadhyaanaacha yogaacha viddhi bhaaratha Maadhavam”. He who is attained through the Madhu Vidhya practice of Mauna (Silence), Dhyaana (meditation) and Yoga is Maadhava. It can also be said, He who is endowed with Mauna, Dhyaana and Yoga is also Maadhava. The Harivamsa on the other hand praises Maadhava as the lord of Knowledge in “मा विद्या च हरे: प्रोक्ता तस्या ईशो यतो भवान, तस्माद् माधव नामासी धवः स्वामीति शब्दित:, Maa vidyaa cha hareh prokthaa tasyaaa eesho yathi bhavaan, Tasmaad Maadhava Naamaasi Dhavah swameethi shabdhitah”. Translated it means “Oh Hari, you are the master of ma (Knowledge) and hence you are praised as Maadhava”. Since He was born as Krishna, in the race of Madhu, He is called Maadhava too – “मधुकुले जातत्वात माधवः, Madhukule Jaatatvaat Maadhavah”. ‘Ma’ could also be taken as earth, or nature or Maaya and hence He is the Lord of them too. Finally it is said “मा धवः यस्य स माधवः, Maa Dhavah yasya sa Maadhavah”, i.e He who has no other Lord above Him is also Maadhava.

Maadhava, the Lord of Lakshmi
I think, the various explanations of Maadhava are sufficiently enough to explain why we ought to think of Him in all our day-to-day activities. He is the Lord of Lakshmi, who gives us the materials that are required for our daily sustenance – food, water and money. He is the Lord of Knowledge, which is perhaps the greatest gift of mankind. He is also the Lord of Maaya, who controls our every action. And He is also the Lord of the Earth who gives us room to live and grow our food. Without Him, would sustenance even be possible? He is the silent observer who is the eternal witness of our activities. Even as Vishnu says to Narada in a Hindi poem called Priyatam that I read in my ninth standard, it is not necessary that we constantly remain in His meditation alone, but by seeing Him in and amidst all the work that we carry out, He is more than satisfied.

माधवो माधवो वाचि, माधवो माधवो हृदि स्मरणति
साधवः सर्वे सर्व कार्येशु माधवं || - नरसिम्ह पुराण
“Let Madhava be on one’s lips and let Maadhava be in one’s heart,
All of the Saadhus also remember Maadhava, in all their undertakings”-Narasimha Purana

PhalaShruthi
 षोडशैतानी नमानी प्रातरुत्थाय य: पठेत्
सर्वपाप विर्निमुक्तो विष्णुलोके महीयते
Shodasaithani Naamaani, Praathar uthaaya ya padeth,
Sarva paapa vinirmuktho, Vishnu lokam samopnuyath.

“He who recites these sixteen sacred names of Vishnu, every morning at the crack of dawn,
Will get absolved from all his sins, and will attain Vishnu Loka on leaving his mortal coils.

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