Bhaktivedanta Narayana Gosvami
From the book “Sri Vraja-maṇḍala-parikramā”:
In Tretā-yuga, the sages and other residents of Madhuvana were terrified by the atrocities committed by the Madhu demon, who, after performing severe austerities, had obtained a trident from Śaṅkarajī. As long as that trident remained in Madhu’s hands, no demigod, demon or human being could defeat him. Although Madhu was a prince in the dynasty of the Sungod (sūrya-vaṁśa), he became cruel and devoid of good conduct due to bad association. His father rejected him and banished him from the kingdom. Madhu lived in Madhuvana, where he established a new kingdom in which he harassed the citizens. Māndhātā, the highly illustrious king of the sun dynasty, wanted to punish Madhu and therefore he attacked him, but he was slain by Madhu’s trident.
Before his death, Madhudaitya gave that trident to his son, Lavaṇāsura. He told him that as long as this infallible trident remained in his hands no one would be able to kill him; rather, it would kill all his enemies.
Trident in hand, Lavaṇāsura’s tyranny was even more cruel than his father’s. The great sages of Madhuvana and surrounding areas, distressed by his atrocities, went to Śrī Rāma in Ayodhyā and humbly prayed for protection. They informed Śrī Rāma of Lavaṇāsura’s might and of his infallible trident that rendered him invincible. They explained that killing him would not be possible as long as he had his trident at hand.
In Ayodhyā, the Supreme Lord Śrī Rāmacandra coronated His younger brother Śatrughna as the king of Madhuvana. Śatrughna asked Lord Rāmacandra for the powerful deity of Śrī Varāha, that Rāmacandra had brought from Laṅkā, and his elder brother happily agreed. Śatrughna then went with the sages to the āśrama of Vālmīki Ṛṣi and, after receiving his blessings, proceeded to Madhuvana. Bow and arrows in hand, Śatrughna arrived at the entrance of Lavaṇāsura’s cave at a time when Lavaṇāsura had gone hunting in the woods, and had left his trident behind in the cave. When the demon returned, carrying dead elephants, deer and other animals, Śatrughna challenged him to battle and a fierce fight ensued. In desperation, Lavaṇāsura tried to get hold of his trident, but Śrī Śatrughna, the highly valorous warrior and subduer of his enemies, was able to obstruct him, and with his sharp arrows he succeeded in cutting off his head. Śatrughna then re-established the deserted Madhupurī and installed Lord Varāhadeva there. This Ādi-varāhadeva is still present at the very same location in present day Mathurā, which lies within Madhuvana.
Rajashekhara Dasa
From the book “Chaurasi-kosa Vraja Mandala Parikrama”:
This is said to have been the cave (gufa) where the demon Madhu once lived when he ruled the Madhuvana forest. It is also said that Madhu’s son Lavanasura also lived in the same cave. Local people say that this cave goes underground for a few miles, but because the cave, over the period of many years, is continually shrinking, it is now far too narrow and dangerous to venture inside. Many demons preferred to make their homes in deep labyrinthine caves with a number of exits for easy escape in case of being attacked. There is now a shrine in the cave entrance dedicated to the monkey-god Hanuman.
According to the Ramayana and various Puranas, the demon Madhu lived in an opulent palace within a city which he had built in the Madhuvana forest known as Madhu Puri, which was later inherited by Madhu’s son Lavanasura. Thus the cave may have been the demon’s residence prior to him building the city of Madhu Puri.
