MĀGHA A Sanskrit poet who lived in the 7th Century A.D. The only work of his which has come to light is Śiśupālavadha known popularly as Māgha. Upamā Kālidāsasya Bhāraverarthagauravam / Daṇḍinaḥ padalālityaṁ Māghe santi trayo guṇāḥ // This is a very famous verse meaning thus: “The simile of Kālidāsa, the depth of meaning of the words of Bhāravi and the simplicity of language of Daṇḍin are all present in Māgha”. This indicates how great a poet Māgha was. From the last part of this Kāvya it can be surmised that Māgha was the son of Dattaka and grandson of Suprabhadeva. Suprabhadeva was the minister of a King called Dharmadeva. Māgha was born in Gujarat. A literary critic named Jacobi fixes the period of Māgha as the 6th century A.D. while others fix it as the 8th century A.D Māgha has made references to the drama ‘Nāgānanda’ written by Harṣa. Harṣa was a King during the period 606 to 649 and that is why the period of Māgha is fixed after that period.
MĀGHA A month (February). This is so called because it is closely associated with the constellation Maghā. This month is between the months of Pauṣa and Phālguna. Mahābhārata makes some statements about the importance of the month of Māgha.
(i) He who bathes at Prayāga during this month will be free from all sins.
[Śloka 37, Chapter 25, Anuśāsana Parva] .
(ii) He who gives gingelly as gift to Brahmins during this month will never go to hell.
[Śloka 8, Chapter 66, Anuśāsana Parva] .
(iii) If one takes food only once a day during the whole of this month one will be born very rich in the next birth.
[Śloka 31, Chapter 106, Anuśāsana Parva] .
(iv) If one worships Śrī Kṛṣṇa fasting on the Dvādaśī day of Māgha one will get the benefit of conducting a Rājasūya yajña.
[Śloka 5, Chapter 109, Anuśāsana Parva] .
(v) Bhīṣma expressed his desire to Kṛṣṇa to end his life on the aṣṭamī day falling in the bright fortnight of the month of Māgha.
[Anuśāsana Parva, Chapter 167, Śloka 28] .