The Madhurāṣṭakam (Sanskrit: मधुराष्टकम्), also spelt as Madhurashtakam, is a Sanskrit ashtakam in devotion of Krishna, composed by the Hindu Bhakti saint Vallabha. Vallabha was a Telugu Brahmin who propagated Pushtimarg, which emphasizes on the unconditional bhakti and seva of Krishna. According to legend, when Krishna himself appeared in front of Vallabha, on the midnight of Shravana Shukla Ekadashi, the philosopher composed the Madhurashtakam in praise of the deity.

He created many other literary pieces including the Vyasa Sutra Bhashya, Jaimini Sutra Bhasya, Bhagavata Subodhini Tika, Pushti Pravala Maryada, and Siddhanta Rahasya, in Sanskrit.

The devotional hymn "Madhurāṣṭakam" of Vallabha 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 and offering of services (seva). According to this philosophy, these acts enable the devotee to enter into the divine presence of Krishna and to experience the deity's real essence (svarupa) which are in fact, succinctly laid down by the Madhurāṣṭakam. Madhurāṣṭakam is regarded play an instrumental role in the realisation of the deity.

Genre

The term aṣṭakam is derived from the Sanskrit word aṣṭa, meaning "eight". An aṣṭakam is made up of eight stanzas.

Aṣṭakam 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 aṣṭakam.

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 God appears sweet, as those appear to a lover.

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

The body of the Madhurāṣṭakam 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 Krishna have been labelled as 'sweet' in the astakam.

Text

See Sanskrit for details of pronunciation.

Devanagari IAST English Translation
॥ मधुराष्टकम् ॥Eight Stanzas on Sweetness
वल्लभ आचार्यvallabha ācāryaVallabha Acharya
अधरं मधुरंadharaṃ madhuraṃ(His) lips are sweet
वदनं मधुरंvadanaṃ madhuraṃ(His) face is sweet
नयनं मधुरंnayanaṃ madhuraṃ(His) eyes are sweet
हसितं मधुरम् ‌।hasitaṃ madhuram(His) smile is sweet
हृदयं मधुरंhṛdayaṃ madhuraṃ(His) heart is sweet
गमनं मधुरंgamanaṃ madhuraṃ(His) gait (walk) is sweet
मधुराधिपतेरखिलं मधुरम् ‌॥ १ ॥madhurādhipaterakhilaṃ madhuram (1)Everything is sweet about the Lord of Sweetness
वचनं मधुरंvacanaṃ madhuraṃ(His) words are sweet
चरितं मधुरंcaritaṃ madhuraṃ(His) character and deeds are sweet
वसनं मधुरंvasanaṃ madhuraṃ(His) dress (garment) is sweet
वलितं मधुरम्‌ ।valitaṃ madhuram(His) posture is sweet
चलितं मधुरंcalitaṃ madhuraṃ(His) movements are sweet
भ्रमितं मधुरंbhramitaṃ madhuraṃ(His) wandering is sweet
मधुराधिपतेरखिलं मधुरम्‌ ॥ २ ॥madhurādhipaterakhilaṃ 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 मधुरंnṛtyaṃ madhuraṃ(His) dancing is sweet
सख्यं मधुरंsakhyaṃ madhuraṃ(His) friendship (company) is sweet
मधुराधिपतेरखिलं मधुरम्‌ ॥ ३ ॥madhurādhipaterakhilaṃ madhuram (3)Everything is sweet about the Lord of Sweetness
गीतं मधुरंgītaṃ madhuraṃ(His) song is sweet
पीतं मधुरंpītaṃ madhuraṃ(His) drinking is sweet
भुक्तं मधुरंbhuktaṃ madhuraṃ(His) eating is sweet
सुप्तं मधुरम्‌ ।suptaṃ madhuraṃ(His) sleeping is sweet
रूपं मधुरंrūpaṃ madhuraṃ(His) beautiful form is sweet
तिलकं मधुरंtilakaṃ madhuraṃ(His) Tilaka (Sandalwood paste mark on the forehead) is sweet
मधुराधिपतेरखिलं मधुरम् ‌॥ ४ ॥madhurādhipaterakhilaṃ madhuram (4)Everything is sweet about the Lord of Sweetness
करणं मधुरंkaraṇaṃ madhuraṃ(His) deeds are sweet
तरणं मधुरंtaraṇaṃ madhuraṃ(His) conquest (liberating) is sweet
हरणं मधुरंharaṇaṃ madhuraṃ(His) stealing is sweet
रमणं मधुरम् ‌।ramaṇaṃ madhuram(His) love-sports are sweet
वमितं मधुरंvamitaṃ madhuraṃ(His) oblations (offerings) are sweet
शमितं मधुरंśamitaṃ madhuraṃ(His) countenance is sweet
मधुराधिपतेरखिलं मधुरम्‌ ॥ ५ ॥madhurādhipaterakhilaṃ 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 madhurāand sweet are Yamuna's rippling waves
सलिलं मधुरंsalilaṃ madhuraṃHer water is sweet
कमलं मधुरंkamalaṃ madhuraṃand sweet are the lotus flowers also
मधुराधिपतेरखिलं मधुरम् ‌॥ ६ ॥madhurādhipaterakhilaṃ 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 मधुरंyuktaṃ madhuraṃ(His) union (meeting) is sweet
मुक्तं मधुरम् ‌।muktaṃ madhuram(His) deliverance is sweet
दृष्टं मधुरंdṛṣṭaṃ madhuraṃ(His) sidelong glances are sweet
शिष्टं मधुरंśiṣṭaṃ madhuraṃ(His) etiquette is sweet
मधुराधिपतेरखिलं मधुरम् ‌॥ ७ ॥madhurādhipaterakhilaṃ 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 मधुरंdalitaṃ madhuraṃ(His) destruction is sweet
फलितं मधुरंphalitaṃ madhuraṃ(His) accomplishment (fruition) is sweet
मधुराधिपतेरखिलं मधुरम्‌ ॥ ८ ॥madhurādhipaterakhilaṃ madhuram (8)Everything is sweet about the Lord of Sweetness

Madhurāṣṭakam 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 Madhurāṣṭakam comprises an elegant and intoxicating theme for dance drama.

See also

References

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