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{{Short description|Epithet for Hindu god Vishnu and Krishna}}
[[File:Krishna Killing the Horse Demon Keshi.jpg|thumb|Keshava (Krishna) slays Keshi]]
{{Use dmy dates|date=May 2016}}
{{Use Indian English|date=May 2016}}
{{other uses}}
'''Keshava''' ([[Sanskrit]]: {{lang|sa|केशव}} ''{{IAST|keśava}}'') {{Translation|‘one who has beautiful long hair’}} is an
epithet of [[Vishnu]] in [[Hindu]] tradition.<ref>{{Cite web |last=www.wisdomlib.org |date=2009-04-12 |title=Kesava, Keshava, Keśava, Keśavā: 30 definitions |url=https://www.wisdomlib.org/definition/kesava#vaishnavism |access-date=2022-08-02 |website=www.wisdomlib.org |language=en}}</ref> Keshava means [[Parabrahman]], according to [[Hindu]] scriptures. The name appears as the 23rd and 648th names in the [[Vishnu sahasranama|Vishnu Sahasranama]] of the [[Mahabharata]]. Keshava is also venerated by those persons wanting to avert bad luck or ill-omens. His consort is Keerti ([[Lakshmi]]).<ref>''The Illustrated Dictionary of Hindu Iconography'', Margaret Stutley, p.71, 73</ref>
{{Vaishnavism}}
{{Hinduism}}

==Etymology==
Keshava means "the one with beautiful long (unshorn) hair" or "killer of the [[Keshi (demon)|Keshi demon]]". According to the [[Padma Purana]], the name refers to Krishna's long, beautiful, looking unshorn hair.<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=1HMXN9h6WX0C&pg=PA154|page=154|title=The Myths and Gods of India: The Classic Work on Hindu Polytheism from the Princeton Bollingen Series|author=Alain Daniélou|publisher=Inner Traditions / Bear & Co|year=1991|isbn=9780892813544}}</ref> Referring to Sangraha Ramayana of [[Narayana Panditacharya]], Authors Meenakshi Bharat and Madhu Grover says that "The name Keshava refers to Vishnu. The letter 'Ka' refers to [[Brahma]] and 'Isha' refers to [[Shiva]]. The word Keshava refers to one who animates both Brahma and Shiva".{{Sfn|Bharat|Grover|2019|p=205}}

== Literature ==
[[File:Keshava.metmuseum.jpg|thumb|Representation of Vishnu as Keshava. His consorts Sridevi and Bhudevi are on either side. Above him are representations of Vishnu's ten avatars.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.metmuseum.org/toah/works-of-art/18.41/|title=Standing Vishnu as Keshava|last=|first=|date=|website=The Met Heilbrunn Timeline of Art History|url-status=live|archive-url=|archive-date=|access-date=6 February 2020}}</ref>]]
A verse from the [[Vishnu Sahasranama]] mentions Keshava:

{{quote|
आकाशात् पतितं तोयं यथागच्छति सागरम् ।<br>
'सर्वदव नमस्कारः केशवं प्रतिगच्छति ॥'<br>

''ākāśāt patitaṃ toyaṃ yathāgacchati sāgaram''
''sarvadeva namaskāraḥ keśavaṃ pratigacchati''}}

{{quote|Just as the rainwater falling on the earth reaches the ocean, in the same way, offerings (''namaskara'') made to various deities ultimately reach only one God Keshava ([[Vishnu]]).<ref>{{cite book|title=Principles and Practice of Hindu Religion|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YMrXAAAAMAAJ|page=24|author=Balasubramanian Narayan Aiyer|publisher=Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan|year=1999|isbn = 9788172761424}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=-3blDwAAQBAJ&pg=PA147|title=Gayatri: The Profound Prayer|author=R. K. Madhukar|publisher=Motilal Banarsidass|date=1 January 2014|isbn=9788178224671}}</ref>}}

In [[Bhagavad Gita]], [[Arjuna]] uses the name Keshava<ref>Maharishi Mahesh Yogi on the Bhagavad-Gita, a New Translation and Commentary, Chapter 1-6. Penguin Books, 1969, p 148-149 (v 54)</ref> for [[Krishna]] a number of times, referring to him as the 'killer of the [[Keshi (demon)|Keshi demon]]':

{{Blockquote|text="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."|title=[[Bhagavad Gita]]|source=Verse 1.30}}

The demon [[Keshi (demon)|Keshi]], in the form of a horse, was sent by [[Kamsa]] to kill [[Krishna]], but was overpowered and slain ([[Vishnu Purana]] 5.15-16).

== References ==
{{reflist}}

==Sources==
*''Dictionary of Hindu Lore and Legend'' ({{ISBN|0-500-51088-1}}) by Anna Dhallapiccola
*{{cite book|title=Representing the Exotic and the Familiar: Politics and perception in literature|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=c7-9DwAAQBAJ|first1=Meenakshi|last1=Bharat|first2=Madhu|last2=Grover|publisher=John Benjamins Publishing Company|year=2019|isbn = 9789027261908}}

== External links ==
*[http://www.krishna.com Krishna.com | All About Krishna]
*[https://web.archive.org/web/20060213225050/http://srimadbhagavatam.com/10/37/en1 The Killing of the Kesi Demon]

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[[Category:Titles and names of Krishna]]
[[Category:Names of Vishnu]]

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Keshava - Revision history

ImportMaster at 22:50, 15 December 2022