Medhā
Medhā, “the intelligence that retains”
Grammar: feminine noun: intelligence, the power of the mind to hold what it learns.
Meaning: the buddhi (intelligence) that has the power of retention (dhāraṇā): the intelligence that grasps and keeps what is learned.
In the scriptures: in the kośa (lexicon) that Agnideva gives, medhā is buddhi that has the power of retention (Agni Purāṇa, Chapter 360).
In the Ṛgvidhāna, which Pushkara teaches Paraśurāma, the Vedic ṛks have their uses in japa and homa. One who desires medhā should recite daily the three ṛks beginning “Sadasaspatim”. Again, taking brāhmī, one should recite the two sūktas connected with Brahma; one who takes the roots of the brāhmī and śatāvarī creepers, each separately, with water or with ghee, gains medhā and Lakshmī (Agni Purāṇa, Chapter 259).
Related terms: Buddhi · Dhāraṇā · Sarasvatī · Ṛgvidhāna · Brāhmī
Other meanings
Medhā has more than one meaning in the Purāṇas and Itihāsas. Besides the meaning above, it names those listed here, each with where it is told.
- Medhā, son of Priyavrata: Medhā is one of the sons of Priyavrata. Agni Purāṇa, Chapter 107
- Medhā, the devī: Medhā is worshipped with Sarasvatī (Ch 21), is one of the dharma-patnīs, the mothers of the world, asked to give the king abhisheka (Ch 167), and is one of the names by which Indra praises Devī Lakshmī (Ch 237). Agni Purāṇa, Chapters 21, 167, 237
Sources
- Agni Purāṇa, Chapters 21, 107, 167, 237, 259, 360