Sages & Others
Madhu
मधु
The Danava Made of Tamas
Who was Madhu?
Madhu (मधु): The Danava Made of Tamas, one of the sages and supporting figures in the Mahabharata. One of the two danavas born in the primeval lotus from drops of water cast by Narayana, sprung from the drop that looked like honey and made of the attribute of Tamas.
Quick Facts
| Sanskrit name | मधु |
|---|---|
| Title / Epithet | The Danava Made of Tamas |
| Faction | Sages & Others |
| Key traits | heavy, brazen, thieving, primordial |
| Notable relationships | Brother: Kaitabha, Slain by: Vishnu, Robbed of the Vedas: Brahma |
| Featured in | 2 stories |
About Madhu
One of the two danavas born in the primeval lotus from drops of water cast by Narayana, sprung from the drop that looked like honey and made of the attribute of Tamas. With his brother Kaitabha he seized the four Vedas as Brahma was creating them and sank with them to the bottom of the waters, so that the Creator, whose eyes the Vedas are, stood blind among his unfinished worlds. Vishnu took a form with the head of a horse to sing them back, and from killing these two he carries the name Madhusudana ever after.
In Their Words
Let the Creator finish his worlds without eyes.
Madhu
Traits
- heavy
- brazen
- thieving
- primordial
Story Appearances
Stories Featuring Madhu
One further tale on this site names Madhu.
Character Arc
- The Drop of HoneyBorn in the lotus from water cast by Narayana
- The Ocean FloorHides the four Vedas where the Creator cannot look
- The NameHis death gives Vishnu the title Madhusudana
Key Relationships
Places in Madhu's Story
Drawn from the stories Madhu appears in.
Related Characters
Others counted among the Sages & Others.