According to legend, when Krishna himself appeared in front of Vallabha, on the midnight of Shravana Shukla Ekadashi, the philosopher composed the Madhurashtakam in praise of the deity.
The devotional hymn "Madhurāṣṭakam" of Vallabha was created to lead the devotee in Pustimarga, the Path of Grace, which involves a constant love-filled devotion to Krishna by various acts of homage, such as singing (kirtana), remembering (smarana), conceptualising and beholding (darshana) a beatific image of the deity and offering of services (seva).
According to this philosophy, these acts enable the devotee to enter into the divine presence of Krishna and to experience the deity's real essence (svarupa) which are in fact, succinctly laid down by the Madhurāṣṭakam.
It reflects and portrays the poet's own feelings, states of mind, and perceptions about the theme or character in the aṣṭakam.
The Madhurāṣṭakam deals with the qualities and deeds of Krishna, all of which have been conceptualized as being dipped in madhu, meaning honey or nectar.