S.V. University Oriental Series No. 21
General Editor : THE DIRECTO^ O.R. INSTITUTE
f
HAYAGRIVA
THE HORSE-HEADED DEITY
IN
INDIAN CULTURE
BY
Prof. D. SRIDHARA BABU
S.V.U.O.R. Institute
PUBLISHED BY
Dr. M. Srimamiarayaea Mwrtf
Director
SRI VENKATESWARA UNIVERSITY
ORIENTAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE
TIRUPATI
1990
S*V University Oriental Series No,, 21
General Editor: THE DIRECTOR, S.V.U.O.R. INSTITUTE
HAYAGRlVA
THE HORSE-HEADED DEITY
IN
INDIAN CULTURE
BY
Prof. D. SRIDHARA BABU
S.V.U.O,R. Institute
PUBtlSHED BY
Dr. M. Srimannarayana Marti
Director
SRI VENKATESWARA UNIVERSITY
ORIENTAL RESEARCH INSTITUTE
TIRUPATI
1990
Sri Venkateswara University 9 Tirupati
First Edition - 1000 Copies
Copies can be had from
THE LIBRARIAN
S.V. University
TIRUPATI-5I7502
Printed at
S.V. University Press
FOREWORD
It is one of the typical features of Hinduism to develop
specific aspects of the highest god and to give them a more or
less autonomous status with a designation, an iconography and
a worship of their own. Within both Sivaism and Isauism
there was apparently felt a need to develop an aspect of God as
the protector of wisdom and learning. Thus Siva maGifests
himself aa Daksi^amurti and Vi^au as the horse-headed Haya*
griva. In spite of the similarity of fuBction s botb deities widely
differ as far as their history, appearance and mythological con-
text are concerned. It is one of the merits of Dr Babe's book
that it. makes us understand the particular features of the horse-
headed god on the basis of his origins in Vedic religious imagery,
i.e. the idea of Vinu, tlie god who in the Brabmanas is idei! ti-
lled with sacrifice (yajia) itself, being decapitated and furnished
with the head of the sun-horse, This myth, connected with the
Pravtrgya ceremony, shows on the one hand Vinu's connection
with the SUB (to be explained, as I believe, as the moon passing
the SUB during the new-moon period and thereby being coaveited
into the sun) and explains on the other hand the special function
of Hayagrlva as a deity of wisdom and learning: The horse-
head is the sun as symbol of illumination, the sun as destroyer
of th darkness of ignorance. Dr. Babu draws also^our attention
to the fact that in the Vedic myth of Dadhyamc Atharvana the
horse-head is connected with the idea of secret knowledge. This
points to the important role to be played by Hayagrlva ie Tan-
trism and even - as was described more than half a century ago
by the Dutch scholar H. van Gulik (Hay agriva. The Mantrayanic
Aspect of Horse-Cult in China s?nd Japan. Leiden, i35)-in
Mantrayana Buddhism, The secret knowledge of the Dadhvanc
myth is called madhu-vidya, and this reminds of the naine
(Madhu) of one of the two demons who rob the Veda and who
are killed by Vinu according to later tradition (the other demon
being called Kaitabha). The connection of the Msdhu-Kaitabha
myth with Hayagrivt may therefore be Id, in spite of the fact
that Vi^au fighting these two demons is rot always imagined Hi
horse-headed (cf. recently A. Bock in Zeitschrift der Peufscfaea
Morgenlaendischen Gesellsclaaff s vol. 137, p. 78-109).
The present study as Hayagrlva-Visiju yields an amazing
wealth of information on a!S aspects of Hayagrlva : on his origin
from Vedic concepts, his mythology according to the Maha
bharala and the Porarias, his iconography in theory and practice,
bis cult and the pattern of his worship, and on the mantras and
stotras dedicated to the god, By carefully collecting all the
available material Dr. Babu has rendered a great service to all
students of Indian rdsgioc.
When in September 1987 I w^rte the first draft of the
foreword to this book, I ended it by expressing my best wishes
to the author and for his scholarly \?0rk in the future, Unfortu-
nate!y 3 my wishes were not fulfilled 2 Sridhara Babu, my dear
Mead and respected colleague through many years, did not even
live to see his study on Hayagrlva to be published. But I am
sure that the book by proving to be useful to many readers will
keep the memory of its learned and noble author alive for a
time.
INDO-IRANSK INSTITUTE
UNIVEKSITETIT i OSLO
Postboks 1035 Blindern . GEORG VON SIMSON
0315 OSLO 3 (Norway)
9th January, 1990
PREFACE
A careful study of the Vedic literature reveal,? that tbe
anthropomorphic characteristics of the Vedic deities got also
mixed up with the traits of animals. Thus the natural pheno-
mena manifested in the form of human beings,, animals and also
the inanimate objects, appear in the evolution of the nature
worship of the Aryans. The nature is not only Aryan's home,
but also Ms seat of supernatural powers, which he wanted to
understand and control. Tbe anioial is a symbol of energy*
which is seeded to subdue nature and overcome evil, while the
human intelligence is the symbol of motivating heroic foree to
bring about the manifestation of energy. Visnu s the chief asso
ciate of Indra in his fight with Vrtra is compared in the Jfgveda
(1. 154. 2, 3} with a dread beast and wide-pacing bull. Later
Visnu emerged as an independent deity, the combination of tbe
characteristics of an animal and also of a human being; it
became a natural development representing the union of energy
and heroic foree. Thus Visnu came to be viewed as lion-headed
deity and also as horse-headed deity, Visnu as a lion-headed
deity with the name narasi^ha (also nrslmha, narasimha. nara*
kesari, etc.) became so popular that it was treated as one of the ten
incarnations (avatttras) of Visiiii, Tbe present monograph of
Prof* D. Sridhara Babu is a detailed investigation of the deve-
lopment of Visnu as a horse-headed deity with the name Haya*
grlva in the Indian Cultural History on the basis of the Vedic,
Puranic, Tantric and Stotra literatures, iconography and ritual.
A careful study of this book does not fail to enthuse its readers
to undertake similar studies. It is, indeed, regretable that
Prof. Sridhara Babu is not ia our midst to share the joy in plac-
ing this book in the hands of its readers.
Born on 3-9-1936 at Konkepudi in Andhra Pradesh in the
traditional family of Vaikhanasas 5 Divi Sridhara Kodaoda-
raoiacharyulu had his early education (1941-1954) upto Inter-
mediate at Maehilipatnam* Taking M.A, degree in Philosophy
ia 1961 from Andhra University, he got his name changed to
IV
D. Sridhara Babu to suit to his fasts, Working for two years at
the Hiadu College, Machilipatnam, he entered into the wide
world searching for a suitable occupation to achieve his aspira*
lions and worked in many institutions till he could get an iovi*
tation from Goettingen (West Germany) in 1969. He took docto-
rate degree in Indology, from Georg August University, Goet*
tingee, in 1974 for his thesis Kingship: State and Religion in
South India prepared under the guidance of Professor HeiB
Bechert. Working in different positions in West Germany till
1977, Prof. Babu returned to India, and joined in April 1977 as
Reader in Philosophy and Comparative Religion in the S.V.U,
Oriental Research Institute. He enjoyed the opportunity to
share his experiences in India and abroad while taking classes
far the post-graduate students of Indian Culture. Fte was eleva*
ted as Professor in 1987 through merit promotion scheme But
his health failed in 19S6 and it gradually deteriorated and he
breathed last by cardiac anesi on 20-12-1988 leaving behiod his
wife Smt. Bfaaskari Devi and daughter Kum, Srisilpa. Many
more contributions with penetrating insight would have come
from his pea, bat the fate has taken him away relieving him of
his sufferings on this earth.
This monograph was given to the Sri Venkateswara Uni-
versity Press on S-9-I982 and it tool nearly seven and half years
to be released. Inordinate delay caused many irregularities and
hence errors 3 omissions and commissions are likely to appear
here and there. Because of the innumerable responsibilities
Prof. Babu had to bear on the one hand and his failing health
OE the other, the proofs coulc not be read fast and regularly,
The Manager of S.V.U, Press deserves to be thanked for com*
pleting the work against all odds. Our thanks are always due to
the University authorities who extend their help in all academic
matters. Prof, Sridhara Babu deserves to be thaaked for his
excellent services rendered to the Institute for over a decade.
May his soul rest in peace*
S.V. University M. SrimaaoarayaEa Marti
Tirupati-517 502 DIRECTOR
12th January, 1990 Oriental Research Institute
CONTENTS -
t
Foreword - Prof* Dr. Georg von Simson ... I
Preface ... iii
Chapter- 1: The Horse-headed form In the Vedlc
Literature 1-12
1. The Vedic origin of the horse-headed form ... 3
2. DadfayaSc Stharvana in the horse-headed form ... 4
3. YajSa-Visnu and Fravargya. ... 6
4. The cosmic form of the Horse in the Asvamedha
sacrifice and its interpretation in terms of Visnu ... 9
Chapter - // : Mythological Legends 13-42
1. The story of the Yedic Pravargya - Puranic
legends . 15
2- References to Hayagflva in the MahnbhQrata
and the Harfvaqtsa ... 21
3. The Demon Jvarasura and Visriu-Hayagrlva . 29
4. Hayagrlva*s emergence and worship according
to the Purlnic Geography ... 31
3 W Hayagrlva in the Puranic list fav&t%ra$ of Vina ... 36
6. Puranic personalities benefitted by the worship
of Hayagrlva . 37
Chapter - /// : Hayagrlv^Vi^tu in Igamas and Tantras 43-57
1. Hayatmaka in the Vaikhanaslgama ... 45
2. (a) Hayagdva in the Scheme of VySha and
Vibhava 46
(b) Hayagrlva in the celestial and terrestrial
regions 48
(e) The significance of Hayaslrsa - PancarStra . 50
VI
(d) Hayagrlva as primary and auxiliary deity . 50
(e) The PaScarltra texts as sources of Yanfraj
Mantra, Nfudra, Salagrasria, etc. of Haya
griva ... 52
3. Hayagrlva reference in the Tantras .. 53
Chapter - / F ; Ic&nograghy 59-86
1. leoaographical features of Hayagrlva from the
textual sources . 61
2. Chronological sequence of the available Haya-
grlva images IB different regions ,.. 65
(a) The earliest available figure of Hayagrlva ... 66
(b) A unique figure of the Gupta-Hayagriva ... 66
(c) A Mathura-Hayagrlva of the later Gupta
period . 67
(d) Hayagrlva figures in Vivartipa sculptures ... 67
(e) Hayagrlva of the Flla period from Bengal 68
(f } Horse-headed figure from Rajasthan ... 68
(g) Hayagrlva sculptures of the Hoyasala
period 69
(h) Sculptures in the Hayagriva temple at
Tiruvcndipuram ... 70
(i ) Hayagrlva figures at Khajuraho in Ceatral
India .. 71
( j) Icons of aikuntha-Visnu with Asvamukha ... 72
(k) The horse-beaded Sakti in the Vaikuntlia
image ... 73
(I } Hayagrlva - Madhava image at Haje ... 74
(IB) A small Hayagrlva sebriiie in the rlyangam
temple ** 76
(n) Hayagrlva image at Kalci ... 76
(o) Haymgrlva-Vis^u in South-East Asia . ... 77
(p) A few rare examples of Hayagrlva Images ,. 78
(q) Hayagrlva in MahlySna Buddhism ,.. 79
Vll
Chapter- V: Hayagriva-cult and religious schools of
Hinduism 87-160
1. Advaitie Traditions - SJankaracarya _ ... 89
2* Vaisnava tradition ... 90
3. Dvaita tradition ... 97
Chapter -VI: Patterns of worship ^ 107-149
L Introduction ' ... 109
2. Services to the Hayagrlvt image ... Ill
3. SSIagrama ... 123
4. Mautra 126
5. Yantra of Hayagrlva ... 141
6. Mudrl - 145
Chapiir-VH: Literature weaved around the deity
Hayagrlva 150-164
1. Mystical and esoteric composition for recita-
tiens 152
2. Dandaka 153
t g A
3. KavGc$ **
4 a M&l&mantra ** 15 *
5. Pan jar a ** -^
6, 5to/ra ** 1S2
PLATES
(referred to in Chapter IV)
L Pre-Gupta Hayagrlva apparently hailing from Mathura
2. Hayagrlva of the Gupta Period
3. (a) Vinu witli human face
(b) YisBii-Varaha
(c) Visnu-Narasimha
(d) Yisnu-Hayagrlva
4. (a) Deogarh Visvarnpa
(b) Hayagrlva detail in Deogarh Visvariipa
(c) Visvarupa, Kanauj, Pratlhira Period, 8th century A,D.
5. (a) Seated Hayagrlva, Nuggahalli
(b) Details of the seated Hoyasala Hayagrlva, Nuggahalli
6. Militant Hoyaslla Hayagriva, Naggahalli
7. Seated Hoyasa f a Hayagrlva, Laksmlnarasiinha Temple,
Nuggahalli
8. Standing benign Hayagrlva of the Hoyasala period, Laksml-
narasimha Temple, Nuggahalli
9. Hayagrlva, VIrabhadra Temple, Ha libid
10. Yoga-Hay agrlva with Yoga-patta, Tiruvendipuram
11. (a) Yoga-Narasimha
(b) Yoga-Hayagrlva with yoga-patta, Tiruvendipuram
12. Hayagrlva with his consort Lakml f Tiruvendipuram
13. Laksmi-Narasimha image
14. Lakmi-Hayagrlva, Kumbakonani
15. Hayagrlva, Khajuraho
16. Asvamukha in a Vaiku^tha-Visnu Image from Kashmir
17. Hayagrlva-akti in the Vaikuntha Image
IX
18. Hayagrlva-Madbava, Assam
19. Hayagriva, Sri Vaikuntha Peruma! Temple, Kanefaipuram
20. Hayagriva, Sri Varadaraja Perumai Temple, Kanchipuram
21 . (a) Hayagrlva-Vj'npi, Khmer
(b) Close-up of Hayagriva-V^nu, Khmer
22. (a) T wo views of dark bronze figure of Hayagtlva, Madhya
Pradesh
(b) Front & back of btoss figure of Hayagriva from South
India
(c} Front & back brooze figure of Hayagriva from South
India
23. A Seated metal image of benign Hayagriva
24. Hayagriva in benign Posture
25. A Wooden Standing Hayagriva
26. (a) Hayagriva embracing bis ft, male counterpart
(b) Hayagrlv-a with the staff
(c) Htyagriva Tjand! Djago
(d) Hayagriva as represented In Taiznkai
(c) Hayagriva, sitting on Lotus on a Rock seat
(f) Hayagriva with staff and flower
(g) Hayagriva on the Water Buffalo,
Hayagrlva in the form of a white horse consuming the offering
made by Vadiraja (p. 99)
CHAPTER I
The Horse-headed form in the
Vedic Literature
8491
L The Vedic origin of the horse-headed form
It is customary to go back to the Vedic literature for
explaining different aspects of Indian religion and culture* So,
in this chapter the origin of the horse-headed form in the Vedic
lore is sought for.
Firstly, we examine the references in the JRgveda to the
horses proper, which stood in high esteem. In many passages
the horse is related with the sun* The most striking example
for this is the steed Dadhikra (Dadhikravan) 1 which is sung in the
four hymns of the Rgveda^ Dadhikra is so characteristically a
steed that tht word is given in the Naighanfuka (1, 14) 3 as the
synonym of horse. The quality of swiftness of this divine steed
is highly praised. Sometimes he is also conceived as winged.
This description is followed from the conception of Dadhikravan,
found in some passages of the Rgveda> where he is compared to an
eagle (4, 38) and also he is spoken of as the swan (hamsa) dwell-
ing in light (4, 40). This description of Dadhikravan may be
figurative in its nature > which suggests the great swiftness of
movement of the steed. But at the sametime these passages
may be the source of origin and inspiration of later constant
association between Hayagriva-Visnu and the divine bird Garni-
man. Also the conception of Garutm&n finds its origin in the
Vedic idea of Tarksya* The comparison of the hofse with th^
swan (hamsa) can also be conceived as the steed for the later
conception of Hayagriva-mantra which is very often called as a
Hamsamanu?
The steed Dadhikravan is praised when Agrti is Middled at
the dawning of Usas (4, 39). Some scholars 6 think
represents, in the form of a steed, the circling ball of tie
This conception finds its support in the fact that the deity
whom Dadhikra is most closely connected, is .E7f or. TJie sppjs
often conceived as a steed or a bird. It is also said tiat;
name of Dadhikr* refers rather to lighten ing. But,
he represents Agni, including his solar and
Such references relating to Dadhikravan indicate that this
itccd is also connected with the sun. Slowly the identification
of the sun with the horse and the horse as the symbol of the sun
as well, gave an element of divine status to the horse. By
degrees the horse symbol that was connected with the sun,
began to be identified with Vfmu, who is himself a solar divinity.
Besides the divine steed Dadhikm we find several instances,
where rar&rpa 7 is referred to as a divine steed, apparently the
sun conceived as the horse. At one instance in the Rgveda (1,
89; 10, 178} Tzrksya is described as a god impelled mighty steed
(v&iin). Another mythical steed called Paidm* is that which the
Aivins are said to have brought to Pedu (I, 119; 7, 71) and which
is, therefore, called Paidva (1, 116; 9, 88). He is several times
described as white in colour (I, 116} and also conqueror invin-
cible in battle, seeking heaven (l s 119). The word Etasa*> ^hich
occurs a few times in the Rgveda (7, 62; 10, 37-49) as an adjec-
tive meaning c swift% more frequently signifies c steed\ This word
occurs sometimes as a proper name* always connected witb the
sun. As Macdonell interprets all these references to the divine
steeds are in one way or other associated with the sun. There
are other references in the Rgveda, where it is suggested that the
horse is used as a symbol of the sun- In one passage (7, 77),
it is indicated that the dawn is said to lead a white steed and in
another (1, 163) it is described that the sacrificial steed is said
to have been fashioned by the gods out of the sun. In addition
to this, the horse appears to be a symbol of the sun in a parti-
cular kind of Soma ritual. 1 * Except the indirect connection of
horses with Vimu as a solar deity these references do not provide
us a basis for a definite conception of the fullfledged horse-
headed form of Vimu at this stage in the Rgveda.
2* Dadhyafic Atharvaija in the horse-headed form
After examining various references to horses with an
clement of divinity in the $gv&da> now we may try to analyse the
refrences therein relating to DadhyaSic Atharvma* 11 who appears
in the horse-headed form for proclaiming mttdhu-vidya to the
twin-gods* Asvlm* The story of the mythical sage Dadhyanc
was developed later in the Taittinya Samhim,^ the
StmMtm?* the Satapatha Brahmana u and the Jfyhada*
There is an interesting story about Dadhyanc. 1 * It was
Indra who taught this wisdom of madhu-vidya to Dadhyanc and
while teaching him he had warned that if he gave away that
secret wisdom to anybodyelse his head would be cut off,
Asvinid&vZs wanted to be enlightened with that wisdom. They
approached Dadhyanc to learn madhu-vidya from him. But,
Dadhyanc, conscious of Indra's threatening, refused to teach
them that wisdom. The Asrins found a way to overcome this
difficulty. In the first place they cut off his head and kept it
carefully in a place. Then they cut off the head of a horse and
fixed it on the trunk of Dadhyanc. It was with the head of *
horse that Dadhyanc taught Asvins madhu vtdya and as soon as
the teaching was over hfs horse head was cut off a$ was fore-
warned by Indra. Then Akvinidevas brought the real head of
Oadhyanc and fixed it in its original place.
In the story of Dadhyanc^ the teaching of madhu*vidy&,
taught in a horse-headed shape, is relevant to us to seek
the development of the horse-headed form and also its associa-
tions with learning and wisdom. Such clear-cut references in
the Rgveda as
"Asvasya s$rs$a pra yadimuvftcc? 9 "
"Dadhice svyam sir ah pr at y air ay atom
sa vQm madhu pra vocat" 18
presuppose the earliest evidence of transplantation of horse-
bead oa humaa trunk for serving a specific purpose. Although
the story of Dadhync is nat even indirectly connected with Visiju
as a solar deity, as it is in the case of references regarding the
divine steeds discussed already in the previous section, but it
bfings us nearer to the conception of half-man and half-horse
zoomorphic form in ancient times. Probably this may be the
source of inspiration for later mythical transplantation - surgery
where the horse-head was fixed on Visnu's trunk by the tame
divine surgeons namely Asvins. The link between the story of
Dadhyanc and the story of the loss of VISHU'S head and its
replacement with a horse-head is found in the Satapatha Br&h*
mana, which we will take into account in the next section*
3. Yajna-Visnu and Pravargya
The seeds of ths conception of Visnu as a horse-headed
deity are found in the Vedic conception of Pravargya. In
different Vedic texts we come across a story regarding the
lQ$$Q?Yajna-Visnu*s head and its replacement done by Afvins.
The earliest elements of tbe story can be traced back to the
Yajurveda i.e. thQKrsnayaj'urvediya Taittinyasamhita (4 4.9)* Later
It sought its expression with different versions in different Vedic
texts such as the Taittirlya Aranyaka (IV and V), the Satapatlia
Srahmma(l4l.l), the Pancavimsa Brahmana (1,5,6) and others. 19
The essence of the legend could be described in the
following manner. Once the gods wanted to perform a sacri-
fice (sarra) desirous of fame (yasaskama). The place of the
sacrifice was Kuruksetra, They performed the sacrifice with an
agreement that they should share among themselves the credit,
which is the result of the performance. Among the gods Yajna-
Vimu or Makha-Visnu became glorious with the fame. Thus, he,
violating the agreement, carried away the whole credit of the
sacrifice with him and by means of his bow he drove back the
other gods Agni, Indra and Vayu who followed him. The
gods wanted to do something against Makha-Visnu as a retalia-
tion. They got the tightened string of the bow, with which
Yajna-Vimu stood firm, bitten off by termites (Vamri). Then
immediately, the bow, which got straightened up, cut ottYaJZtfs
head. Afterwards, the gods felt it necessary to refix Yajna-
Vimtfs head and requested the Asvms to do this job. For
performing this job Asvins, who being surgeons (bhisak) suppos-
ed to be impure, were blessed with a pot-foil of ^ma-juice
(graha-patra) as their share in the sacrifice, which was hitherto
forbidden for them. The Asvms, taking this assurance from the
gods, fixed, the head of the horse to the Yajnaimu's trunk.
This is a reconstructed story based on pieces of information
from different versions of the stories, which appear in different
texts.
Not only from the oft-quoted passage from the Vedic
texts like "yajno vai Visnufc*^ but also from a number of other
passages we come to know that Yajna itself is Vi&nu* 1 We
also understand that the head of yajna that is cut off is itself
nothing but the solar deity itself, as well-expressed in the
passage""0$av ndnyo bhavatu* 9 (thus the head of Visnu became
Aditya) In some passages Aditya is equated with asva, as in
the case of the statement "asau va adityo vrsSsvah"^* According
to Sayana's commentary, this idea is very clear as expressed
particularly in the statement like "asvasya nispadasi"^ In
another context in his commentary on the passage of the
Kathaka (1.4.6) relating to the same story, Sayana brings a
concept of Yajnapurusa, the meaning of which could be under-
stood as Yajna-Visnu in a personified anthropomorphic form.
This fact is relevant to our discussion. The story of the loss of
Yajna-Visnu? s head, which became a sourct of inspiration for
the later puranic legends should not be understood merely for its
story value. Usually, the Vedic nkhyayikas have much symboli-
cal significance in one way or another. Here the story ofPravargya
is interlinked with the ra/a-complex. We have already seen that
Vimu appears as a solar deity in early vedic times. In both the
recensions of Yajurveda, i.e. Sukla as well as Krma, the process
of Ya jna is identified with Vimu. One should understand the
subtle difference between Yajna or Makha as a process of ritiia*
listic performance, and also Yajna or Makha personified as
PJSHM. At the same time the conception of the coherent unity
or identity of Yajna as a process and Yajna as a deity is a neces-
sary requisite to understand the symbolic significance of the
ritual. Although, Visnu is identified with Makha or Yajna hm
has not lost his associations with the sun. When Viffu'*
bead is cut off, it is said in the Satapatha Brahma#a (14.1 Jilft|,
"It fell with (the sound) 'ghrin* and on falling, it became yonder
sun." 25 The association of the horse with the tun connects the
story with the conception of replacing Visnu'srhead witk the
horse's, , - ' >,' /< '.
.HI, ,- , * v
We have to understand the significance of the par^playtdl
by Asvins in fixing the head to the headless Yajna*Vi$ju^ whic^ is
also symbolically woven within the story. As the diyipie
surgeons, it is clear, that they possess the skill of transplantation,
as it is illustrated in the story of Dadhyafcc. Thfe element that
connects the story of Dadhycffic with the itory of M^thf^M^m^m
the idea of madhu*vidya> The Satapatha Brahmana liaks
8
of these stories in an interesting manner, When Vimu, the
great! hero> has fallen and while he lost his head, the vital sap
(rasa) flowed ^ from him. Among the gods Indra reached him
first, and applied the sap to his body limb after limb. While
doing this he became possessed of the glory of Vimu. It is said
that he who knows this secret acquires the glory which Indra
had possessed. Further, the Satapatha Brahmana (14.1.1.13)
mystically explains that Indra being possessed of Makha became
Makhanats because according to it Makha (sacrifice) indeed is
the same as Visnu. This secret of pure essence of the madhn-
vidya or the secret of pravargya or in ritualistic terms the pot of
boiled milk and ghee, through which the head of sacrifice could
be put on again, and through which this sacrifice becomes
complete, is known to Dadhyatic Itharvam* Indra was conscious
of the knowledge of DadhyoZc regarding this sacrificial mystery,
which he wanted to keep always as a secret. So, he threatend
Dadhyanc not to reveal it to anybody. When Mukha-Vimu lost
his head, the gods went on worshipping and toiling far a while
with that headless sacrifice, probably until they requested
Asvins to put on again the head of Makha -Vimu* We know
already how Asvins got tte knowledge of the madhu~vidya
through Dmdhyanc Atharvana. What is the purport of the secret
wisdom at all ? In this context, it is the soma sacrifice that is
identified with 'Vis$u. In this sacrificial process ths fallen head
of Vtmu stands symbolically for the mah&vlra pot, with which
the pmvargya ceremony is performed, the performance of which
fe sapposed to be the primary part of the s^wia-sacrifice, like the
head as an important part of the whole body. Anyone who
possesses the knowledge of Pravargya would be able to add the
head to the headless sacrifice through pravargya. Because the
Asvins were in possession of that knowledge, they could trans-
plant the head to Makha -Visnu in both the ways concrete as
well as symbolical-concrete in the sense of fixing the head on a
personified deity and symbolical in the sense of adding the
primary ceremonial part to the incomplete aw?iasacnfice to
make it complete.
In the Vedic literature, the transplantation of horse-head
on Yisnvfs trunk is not much directly emphasised. The ritua-
listic aspect of it is much focussed upon in a symbolic way
expressing the fact that headless Yajna is made complete with
the performance of pravargya, Tha Identification of pravargya
with the head of the deity and its further identification with
the head of a horse is the basis for the conception that Vf&tu is
refixed with the head of a horse. This idea has been much
developed with new details ia the puranic literature,
4, The Cosmic form of the Horse in the Asvamedha
sacrifice and its interpretation in terms of Visnu.
Asvamedha, as Rajasuya, is one of the important vedic
sacrifices, usually performed by kings. It is a yfiga performed
in order to get absolved of all sins, fixing a victory card on the
head of a sacrificial horse, which is allowed to roam about
freely. If anyone stops the horse and ties it, the king should go
and defeat him in the battle and bring back the horse. Finally
when the horse returns it symbolizing the unopposed sovereignty
of the king, it is sacrificed with certain rites.
!
As usual and typical to the vedic tradition, the sacrificial
horse in the Asvamedha ceremony is elevated and deified witk
BOtt stical elements. For our discussion the description of thfc
torse's cosmic form where each of its limbs stands for a particular
aspect of the cosmos is important. The Krsnayajurvediya Taittt*?
riya Sawhita offers us such a description in cosmic terms wheie
the head of it is. depicted as the dawn, the eye as the sun, tic
breftth'.-ashthe wind, etc. (VIL 5.25). In the end of this pass&ge
it is said that the birth place of the horse, indeed, is the Ma> it*
kindred is the sea - "asvasya yonfh samudro bandhuk" (VII. 5.25).
The commentary on this passage by Sayana starts With the
setttettct "Evam vidhasya viradrupasya samu$ra eve y&nih Mm-
rutib. sWmy&k utpadyate jagadasmaditf salmudrah paramffirii.
na Hi ariy&smad ay am vtead utpattum arhatL Sa efa sy@
mmbkah stttihtturityarthah. Evam upasitS papakmyad^tm
Virat pr&ptisca kramamuktih&tuk.*. ...... /
^
In this passage S&yana categorically expresses Ike sour dl
e fettle hDUCse^ tht ocean as param'&iman. Further he inierprtlfel
that ilis cosmic form .of the sacrificial horse could only be undtif^
tern^ of the cosmic form of param&ttnan. Tbo* latter is
10
not only the source but also sustains that which it produces. If
one worships its cosmic form in such a manner, he obtains the
cosmic form itself through the destruction of all sins. And
finally he states that the attainment of the cosmic form is the
cause of gradual release (kramamukti).
Sankara is the source of inspiration for Sayana in inter-
preting the idea of the ocean from which the cosmic horse has
originated as the paramatman himself Sankara, in his com-
mentary on the first passage of the Bfhad&ranyakopantsad**
says
"samudra eveti paramQtms bandhur banibanam badhyate*
sminnit* /
samudro yonih k&ranam utpattim prati /
evamasau suddhayanih suddhasthUniti stuyate /
'apsuyonirva asvdh* iti iruteh prasiddha cva v# samudro
yenilf "/
The identification of samudra with Par&mWmm and visualis-
ing the sacrificial horse in cosmic form, equating the horst
with Paramatman is necessary for the process of the worship*
This identification bridges the ritualisticformalism of the BrMhmatta
literature and the spiritual wisdom of the upanisads. It is inte-
resting to note that this interpretation of the idea of the sacrifi-
cial horse conceived in cosmic form for upssana purposes is
found not only in the concluding chapter of the Krsqayajurvediya
Taittirlya Samhtia but also in the beginning of the Brhad$raiiya
kpanisad.
Taking the clues from Ssyana's interpretation of tie
cosmic form (VirMrupa) in terms of Paramfttman, some Vaim&va
scholars 27 understand the afore-mentioned concept as Ffatu*
who i&pammatman and all-pervasive divine force himself. With
this interpretation they tried to link the cosmic form of the
Asvamedha horse with Hayagriva-Visnu. But it is not clear that
the intention of the passage is to indicate such an interpretation.
It is definite that the horse of the Asvamedha sacrifice is raised to
the status of cosmic form symbolically and mystically. Here
the Universe is conceived as a horse and Visnu is also conceived
as an all-pervasive divine existence. One can derive the concept
n
of HayavisHu through a combination of both of them. But such
process of symbolization is not limited to the horse in the Asva*
medha alone. It vividly expresses itself in different contexts in
the Indian tradition where a deity or a sacrificial animal or a
ritualistic process, is mystically expressed in cosmic terms.
* This process of mystic symbolization is to be found even
in the later mythological literature where the legend of horse-
headed Vimu is narrated.
Later the Vai&iava acholars also understand certain wards
of the Vedic literature such as gandharva, hamsa, Vditya, vacas-
pati, vakpati, etc., in terms of the horse-headed form of Vi&nu.
Although it is clear that the horse-headed form of Vtenu at a
full-fledged and independent deity is not well established in the
Vedic texts, such interpretations are intended only to seek the
origin of one's OWQ deity in t>e Vedic lore and to establish its
aptiqu,ity in the hoary past, .Understanding .certain key terms
in an ancient text in terms of one's own favorite philosophical
theory pr a r^li^ious doctrine oy a deity of one's own choice is not
unknown to the Indian tradition. th$ interpretation of certain
words in terms of horse -headed form of F^z^are^foimd^ in
Abhinava Rahganmhtfs commentary on tfte Hayanira Upa-
khyana Raghavendra yatf cornments*on MadhvZcftrya'b inter-
pretation on the hymns o f the Rgveda in which it is interpreted that
Vlsnu is the centra* ftgure of H hymns. He alsofeels rlhat all the
hymns in it are addressed to K/situ. He refers to, the
n interpreting,,ttte
Chapter I : REFERENCES
1. Cf., A.A. Macdonell, The Vedic Mythology, Delhi 197U p. 148.
2t R.V. 4, 38-40; 7, 44.
3. Yaska's Nirukta and Nighantu, Tanjavur 1973, Pt. I, p. 10,
4. See for details in the chapter VI on worship regarding the association
of Hayagriva-mantra with Garutman.
5. See the chapter VI.
11
A*A. Macdonell, Tke Vodic Mythology, p. 149
7. ibid*.
0. ibid,
10. Cf, Oldenbeig, Die Religion de* Vela, p #1*
f. Uillefotandt, A. Vedisctiie Myth^lqglt, HUdes 1965* pp. 141-142
12. V.K4(4).
13. XIX. 4.
14. IV, 1.5; XIV. 1*1; Xltl-4.
15. II. 5, 1649. f
16. RY* W7, 116(12)
|7 ibid.
IS*. RV. 1. 17*117(22}.
19. IB. LtS.22; KJIW B.VtR, 5-7 ;
'#, SB.
6J; Tm 1 47;
15.
KL % 1% L 1.1(2),
^.''"UlipiillAwi notes on Htyagrfw % Sri V.
2S. At>feioia iUnftiiatltt, Htyailra Upakliyfeft,
CHAPTER 11
Mythological Legends
1. Introductory
Hayagrlva legends are found in the Mahabharata and in
many PurQnas* The accounts found in them are conflicting*
But they provide us valuable material regarding the origin of
Hayagrtva-conctpt and the exttnt of the cult of this deity in
ancient India. It is a general practice to treat the material
contained in the Mahftbharata in the beginning before the
puranic literature. But I deal here with the legends found in
the Devi Bhagavata and the Skandapurana at the outset of this
chapter, because they show a continuity of the pravargya legend
of the Vedic texts with some variations.
We have seen in the Vedic literature that the incarnation
of the horse-hetdcd one is not attributed to Visnu but to Yajna
or Makha. We know also Yajna> according to the Taittirlya
Araqyaka is nothing but a proto-form of Vtsqu. The legend that
appears in the Panctvimsa Brthmana, the Taittirlya Samhita, the
Taittiriya Kranyaka and the Satapatha Brahman* etc*, in the
varied versions, is developed even in the Pur&ats with changes
in details of the story.
2. The story of the Vedic Pravargya - Puranic legends
a) The Devi Bhagavata
la continuation of the legend which is found in the Vedic
literature in Connection with Pravargya % we come across & simi-
lar story in the Devi BhSgavata, where we find a Hayagriva, a
demon killed by his namesake Vlmu-Hayagrlva. The origin of
the event of the separation of Vimu's head from his trunk is also
found in the Devi Bhagavata. First we shall examine the details
of the ttory.
Once Mahftvititu desired to rest for some time to recoup
himself from the fatigue, which resulted from the long fight for
thousands of years with the demons. At that time the gods
made preparations to perform a sacrifice. Because Mahsvtmu
was the master of sacrifices performed in honour of the gods, they
16
could not begin it without his presence. So Brahma and others
went to Valkuntha, the abode of Visnu to meet and invite him*
But they could not find him there. Then Brahma and others
could see through their power of meditation where Vlsnu was *
Finally they went to the place where he was in deep Yogic
slumber and waited there for a long time. But Vhnu did not
awake. Then Brahma had a plan that flashed in his mind to
awake Visnu* It was to create termites (vamri) to eat the end of
the drawn bow. When they ate away the end of the bow planted
on the ground, the chord connecting the two ends of the bow
would break, the bow would straighten up and the quick
abrupt jerk of it would awaken Vhnu. According to his plan
Brahms created termites (vamri ).' The termites argued that the
benefit of awakening Lord Vimu from deep sleep would go only
to the gods, while the sin of awakening a sleeping person would
fall upon them. In this context the following puranic verse is
found :
nidrabhangah kathftcchedo damfaty&h pMttheAuumt "j - * }
sfsumStrvibhedasca brahmuhaty$am$m srmtaih //
The Devi Mk^&yata 1 .5.20*
"To disturb one deep in sleep, to interrupt a story,
to separate husband and wife, also mother and
child from each other the results of these deds
are similar to the killing of a Brahmin (brafamahatym)S 9
Brahma conceded the fairness of their argument and
accepted that, in future, a part of the benefit of the Yajna shall
g0 to the termites. It was after this the sacrificitl offering
(havfa) which in the course of being submitted to the fire falls qa
the sides of the pit of fire became the share of the termites. The
promise of Brahma pleased the termites and they did their Job
entrusted by Him. The bow of Vfsnu straightened up wltii &
terrific sound. The gods were terrified; the whole uniyer^wfts
shocked; the earth experienced a convulsion and the oceans too
were agitated. Moreover the head of Vhm ;Whidt was wit from
the trunk rose high up into the sky. When Braim^amd other gods
opened their eyes they found only the body of Ffsff* lying tliere
without the head. They were much worried about the unexpected
outcome. Brahma ordered the Ferfw to praise Devi in the form
17
of AfahSntityZ for solving this problem. The latter consoled the
gods and told them that the curse given by Mafallak$ml is the
cause for this happening. She also enlightened them regarding
the significance of ths loss of Vhn^s head viz., the facilitating of
the destruction of the demon Hayagriva. Further she instructed
the gods to approach Vihakarman to fix a horse-head on V!^}u y s
trunk to serve the purpose.
The significance of Visnu in the horse-headed form Is
substantiated by two important factors. In ordinary course
nothing happens in this universe without a cause. This occur-
rence is caused by a curse given to Vi$t}u, This is typical to the
pura^tc explanations of puzzling situations. This happening
has mot only fulfilled the purpose of the curse given by Maha~
lak$mi but also became benificial to the world due to the
destruction of the wicked demon who bagged a boos from Devi
oaly to be killed by a horse-headed being.
Now, we take up the event of the curse of Maha!ak$mi>
which caused the loss of Vimu's head, Mahavimu onc@ looking
at the face of Laksml simply laughed witout any apparent reason.
fcaksmi, thinking that Vimu was ridiculing her becaus he had
an eye on some other woman more beautiful than she, lost her
temper. She became angry and cursed Visnu that his head
should be severed from his body. This horrible curse which
would cause her to be a widow is symbolically explained in the
following way. Being overpowered by the influence of Tama&i-
sakti, which entered her, Mahalakqmi thought that another
woman as a co-wife would cause her more pain than being a
widow. So she might have cursed unwittingly because of the
influence of the Goddess and for also serving a universal divine
purpose, viz., the destruction of the demon Hayagriva?
The following is the legend of the demon Hayagriva*
After renouncing all enjoyments he controlled his senses and
abstained from food. He began to do penance on the banks of
the river Sarasvati* He repeated incessantly the one-syllable
M&ya-bija mantra of Devi in the form of TUmasUaktL After
passing a thousand years, the Devi appeared before him and
asked him to select any boon he wished. The demon Hayagrim
849-2
18
wanted to become invincible to the demons as well as to the gods
and be deathless. At that time Devi told him that such a boon
was out of the question, because death is an inevitable pheno-
menon to every being that is born. Then, knowing that Devi
was not in favour of his desire for immortality, he wanted
another boon as an alternative Viz., that he should not be killed
by anyone but a horse-headed being. Finally this boon was
granted to him by Devi.
The demon Hayagrlva, having got this boon, became
naughty and over-confident. Because there h none in the three
worlds to kill him, he started tormenting all seers and gods. As
he could be killed only by the horse-headed being, the attack on
him became fruitless.
As narrated before, the gods requested Viivakarman to put
a horse-head on Vi&u's trunk. According to the instructions of
Devi for killing the indomitable asura-Hayagrlva, Visvakarman
quickly cut off with his axe, the head of a horse and transplanted
it on the headless body of Vi^u. Thus, it is said that Vistiu
became a horse-headed one by the grace of Mahamays. Accord-
mg to Devi's plan, the horse-faced Vimu killed the demon by her
force. The reading of the whole story that is narrated In the
fifth chapter of the fifth skandhaof the D* vl Bhagwata would
produce & great merit in any man. It can liberate him also
certainly froin all sorts of difficulties.* Further, the Purana in
it^phalasruti slokas prescribes that hearing or reading of Mahz-
may&s glorious deeds, pure and sin-destroing, gives all sorts
of wealth. One can understand that the ipirit of the purana is
to praise the glory of Devi, in the form of
The story of the Joss of Virnu** head, found in the vedic
texts, is expanded in the puranas with their typical reasoning
and fantacy by including the stories relating to the curse of
Mahalaksml and relating to the promise in the form of a boon
given to Devfs worshipper, the demon Hayagrlva, These two
important events are connected with the main story, in which
Devi played an important and glorious role.
19
b) The Skanda Purana
We come across in the Skanda Purana a version of the
origin of the deity Hayagriva. In it we find an impact of the
Vedic pravargya legend. The story of Vimu-Hayagnva appears
in the DharmZranyakhanda of the Skanda Purana (Ch. XIV-XV).
There we have a dialogue among Yudhisthira, Vyasa, Skanda and
Isvara. Yudhisthira inquires about the penances done by Visnu.
Vyftsa tells him about Visnus severe penance in a pilgrim centre
called Dharmaranya. Skanda questions how Hari had performed
ptnance in the Dharmaranya, where a tirtha called Devasaras
existed. Isvara said that there in this holy place the horse-
headed Visnu did his penance for regaining His original form by
getting rid off His horse-head. Then Skanda asks how and why
the great Hari became horse-headed one. 6 In course of the dialogue
among these purlnic personalities, Vyasa narrates that at one
time the gods wanted to perform a sacrifice on the earth. They
decided to invite Hart and went to Vaikuqtha, the milk-ocean
and also the nether world in search of Him for this purpose. But
Hari could not be found anywhere. On enquiry they came to
know that only Brhaspati could tell gods with his divine vision
where Hari could be found. The gods finally went to Hari and
found Him absorbed in deep meditation (Yogarudha) with a
tentioned bow in his arm. They, failing to bring him to senses,
requested a kind of insects (vamri) present there to eat away the
string of the bow for serving the purpose of awakening Hari
The v^^ri-insects speak of sin of awakening a person who is in
deep sleep. 7 Here the same verse as one finds in the Devi
Bhagavata in the same context is reproduced.
Not only on the basis of the sin involved in awakening a
person but also due to the wish that they should have a share in
Yajna, the vamri-insects expressed their unwillingness to under-
take this task. Getting a promise from the gods that the insects
will be provided with a share in Yajna, they fulfilled their wish of
the former. The cord being cut, severed unexpectedly the head of
Hari, which at once went to the Heaven. 8 Then the gods request-
cd the help of Viivakarman to put a head on the body of Vtfpi.
VUvakarman demanded the head of Visnu for this purpose and
also requested to have share in Yajna for undertaking the job of
20
transplanting a head on Vimn*s trunk. But gods could not
provide Visnu" s head to Visvakarman because they could not find
it anywhere. On behalf of gods, Brahma promised a sfar*re in
the sacrifice to Visvakarman, It was then mid-day, Visvakarman
found handy horses of the Sun and cut off one of their heads
and joii *d it very efficiently to the trunk of Ffsnu* Thus, Visnu
became Hayagrlva. Seeing Visnu in that form, the gods started
to praiss Him. la course of this praise ths association of
KijSjw'th Fi'apwis extolled with the epithets like "Yajnapatf*
etc,, which is very important in this context. 9
Than Brahms, and other gods performed successfully a
satra s icrifice and also offered shares of sacrifice to the vaipri*
insects and Visvakarman, When the Yajna was over Vis$u-Haya-
griva went to a holy place called DharmSranya and did penances
there. By the blessings of Lord Siva, Visnw got back his former
head.
In this Pursiia also, we get a different reason for the curse
which c iused Visnu to loose his head and to become a horse-
faeaded one, a legend that is structurally altogether different
from that of the one mentioned in the Devi Bhagavaia. Once
upon a time BrahmS, being proud, started a dispute in Mis court
for concluding who is the greatest one among trimurtis-BrahmG 9
Vi^nu and Mahes r ara* First he questioned the gads about this.
But they expressed their inability to answer it, Visnu said that
cvervbjdy in the three worlds is overpowered by Visnumaya. It
became evident that Mahavimu was in every respect superior to
all the others* Brahma did not relish this and cursed that Viqtw
should lose his head. 10 Thus, this curse, accordisg to this
Purana, caused the incarnation of Vl^nu as a hdrse- headed
person.
It is clear that the above-mentioned stories appear in
both the Devi Bh&gavata and the SkSnda Puran a regarding the
details of the origin and the purpose of the horse-headed form
of Ffsf u with slight variations. In the Devi Bh&gavata, Den
played an important role but not in the SkSndapurana, where
the Lord Stva plays a part in blessing the horse-lieaded Vimu for
regaining His original form. The person who fixes the horse's
21
head on Visnus trunk is Viivakarman in both the Puranas, but
the word *tva$& Is used for Visvakarman in the Devi Bh^gavata.
The peculiarity of the transplantation of horse's head in the
Skandapnraim is that the head of one of the Sun's horses was cut
off and fixsd to the body of Visnu. Reminding one of the Vedic
legend of Pmvargya. In both the cases the termites demanded a
share in the sacrifice, whereas Visvakarman also wanted to have
a share in the sacrifice for undertaking the task of fixing the
head of Visnu^ which reminds us the demand of Asvins in the
Vedic texts. The stories of the origin of the horse-headed form
of Vhm are connected with the curses given by Mahalaksmt and
Srahm in the Devi Bhagavata and the Sk8ndapur$$a respectively.
Th purpose of tae emergence of the horse-headed form of Vi$fu
differs in these texts. In the Devi BhUgavata, the purpose of
killing of the d^mon-Hayagriva by Vt$fu-Havagrtva is seived
whereas there is no reference to the demon Hayagriva in the
Sk&ndapurtni) in which the purpose of the participation of Viffu
ia a horse-head form in the sacrifice is stressed. When the
Yajna is over, the story regarding Hayagriva practically ends
exeept for the event of Viypi regaining his original head by the
grace of Lord Siva in the D'harmftranya*
2. References to Hayagr iva In the Mahabharata and
the Harlvamsa
Having dealt with the legends of Hayagriva which show a
line of evolution of the story developed ttiematlcaHy out of the
Vedic context, we proceed now to the Mahabharata. As far as
the Mah&bhSrata is concerned, we find the legend of Hayagriva
as altogether different from the previous ones in its tone and
content, The main story of Hayagriva in the Mahabharata stres-
ses the important point that Vt&nu in the horse-headed form is
the recoverer and promulgator of the Vedas, stolen by the demons
Madhu and Kaifabha, which fact led him to become the Lord of
learning and wisdom* The central theme here is neither the
destruction of the demon Hayagriva nor the participation of
Visnu in a Yajna in his horse-headed form, but the revival of the
Vedas,
The names -ASvastras (MBh. XII. 126,3), Hayatras (MBh.
V. 97,5) and VadavGmukha (MBh, XII. 329,48) appear promi-
22
nently in the Mahabh&rata as epithets to denote Vi^nu-Hayagrlva.
Especially the name Hayamukha (MBh. I. 23.16) is used to refer
to Garuda. This reminds us of the Vedic references relating to
tark$ya> a winged horse. We also come across certain references
to persons called by a name Hayagnva. This shows the settle-
ment of a story of a particular deity surrounded by a legend for
making use of it by later generations as a proper name.
Before dealing with the main Hayagrlva story in the
Mahabharata, we shall discuss certain references to the horse-
headed deity found in different contexts.
1. In the Mahnbharata (MBh. V. 97-5), Narada describes
the nether world (patala) which lies in the middle of the world
of snakes. He says that here in the world of Patala, on every
auspicious occasion, the horse-headed deity with golden com-
plexion rises and fills the world that is called swarnabha, filled
with waters, with the Vedic hymns. In the Bombay edition of
the Mahabharata, the reading in this context is :
aim adityo hayasirah kftk parvant parvatii /
uttisthati suvarnabhant varbhirftpurayan jagat //
The word "dtvyo" instead of "zdttyo" is used in the critical
edition. 11
If we adopt this reference of the Bombay edition with
o* as an epithet to Hayaslras, it indicates the association
of the horse-headed one with the sditya, This reminds us of
the general connection between the Sun and the steed and also
of the ideatilcation of Vimu as a later stratum of composition,
when the horse-headed form has already settled down together
with the conception of the revival of the Vedas.
2. Similarly in another instance, we find the association of
the Vedas with the horse-headed deity. In the Mahtlbharata
(XII. 126.3), where the name Hayasiras is alternated with that of
Asvasiras, a seer tells us about a beautiful region called Badari,
the abode of Nara and NsrZyana* The passage under considera-
tion is as follows: "Where (Badari), O King ! Asvasfras reads the
eternal Vedas' 9 .
23
3. We find another aspect of the horse-headed one in the
Mahabharata (XII, 326 56), which brings to our memory Visytts
association with Yajna. In this context Visnu appears before
the sage Narada and says, "In the shape of a horse-headed one in
the north-western ocean, I receive good oblations to the gods
(havya) and offerings to the manes (kavya), brought with
devotion."
4. At one instance in the Mahabharata (XII. 329-48} we
come across the horse-headed one as a fire-spitting swallower.
The following is a detailed description of the horse-headed one
In this fdrm. Formerly Lord Narayana became the great seer
Vadavamukha for the benifit of the mankind. While doing
penance on Mount Meru, he summoned the occean to him,
When it did not come, he transformed it into liquid water by the
glow of his own body and at the same time he made its water
salty like his own sweat. Further he also said to the ocean that
its water would be undrinkable. But he suggested a way out of
this curse, viz., when it is drunk by a being called V8$ava-
mukha, its water would become sweet. Apparently the epithet
Vadavamukha is connected with Visnu through the incarnation of
Nftrayana in the form of Hayagnva. We have also references
to the epithet Vadavamukha connected with the fire-god 12 and
also Lord 6iva. 1 *
In the Santiparva of "the MahnbhSrata, we learn how
Visnu as the horse-headed one brings back the stolen Vedas and
how he kills the thieves Madhu and Kaffabha* The important
events of the story are as follows. Vaisampfiyana inquired about
the origin of the horse-headed one, who was mentioned before
as a receiver of offerings to both the gods and manes (havya-
kavya). As an answer to this inquiry the story of Hayagriva is
here narrated.
Once, the Lord Brahmct was seated on a thousand petalled
lotus together with Vedas. At that time Madhu and Kaitabha*
who were born as personifications of the qualities of tamas and
rajas respectively according to the wish of the Lord Narfiyana,
were attracted by the shining Vedic texts. They robbed the
Vedas by force from Brahma and took them away to the world of
24
rasfttala. Because the Vedas were considered to be the eyes of
wisdom to Brahma, he felt that lie had lo&t his sight when he lost
the Vedas. He started to pray for the aid of Vfsnu for bringing
back the stolen Vedas, Visnu> who awoke from His yogic slum-
ber 9 was determined to regain the Vedas, He assumed a new
form with His divine power, which is nothing but the horse-
headed one. Then shining like the Moon, with a beautiful nose.
Lord Visyu went to the place where the Vedas were hidden. He
thus entered into the nether world and began to recite the Vedic
hymns in a melodious voice. The two demons were attracted
by the melodious recitation of the Vedic hymns and went to
find out the origin 0f these sweet sounds, leaving the Vedas behind.
In the meantime Vi&qu went to the place where the Vedas were
kept by demons, took possession of them and gave them
back to Brahma. The two demons came back having searched
in vaia for the divine singer. Not finding the Vedas where they
were kept, they guessed that they were stolen by Vhitu* They
looked for F/s**w and challenged Him to battle. In His horse*
headed form Vfsnu defeated them. The story ends with the
words "There did the majestic Han formerly assumed the form
with the horses head. This boon-giving Lordly shape is cele*
brated as an ancient form of His." u
An element of allegory is licked with the story of Haya*
killing of Madhu and Kaifabha. Mention has already
been made that both Madhu and Rmfabha are symbolic represen-
tations of the qualities, the passionate-fa/^ and inetttamas 3
which qualities are always inherently opposed to the luminous
pure-fttf/yg, a quality, which is symbolic of Vimu, This motif is
maintained through out the story. It is stated that both the
demons possessed the qualities -rajas and iamas, because they
were originated from them* Symbolically the Vedas represent
the knowledge through which sattva-hood Is obtained. Why
should these Vedas be stolen by the demons ? Before the crea*
lion of the Universe the creater Brahma became proud of
his possession of knowledge in the form of the Vedas. Vimu
wanted to make him realise his true status by removing his ego,
He created the demons Madhu and Kaitabha symbolising tamos
and rajas f who always wanted to grab and rob the treasure of
25
the Vedic knowledge. The confrontation between Lord Viqnu
in the form of the horse-headed one and the demons Madhu and
Kaitabha is nothing but a battle between the ja//wiquality on
the one side and the qualities of rajas and tamas on the other.
In this battle the Sattva obtains victory. Vhnu in this legend is
described as a Supreme person, whose treasure is spotless pure
sattva (niqk&lmanena sattvena sampannam) (MBh. XII. 335.59).
There are differences in the accounts regarding the origin
and purpose of the demons Madhu and Kaitabha. According to
the Devi Bhftgavata 1 * these two demons were born from the ear-
wax which flowed out of both the ears of Mahsvisttu, who slept
on the surface of the primeval waters is the beginning of time,
when there was no earth or any other planet. According to the
Mahabhamt a lotus flower grew from the navel of Mahavisnu
and from the flower was born Brahmff. In that flower there
were two drops of water created by MahSviyfu, one drop as
sweet as honey, from which Madhu with the attributes of tamas
was born 9 and the other drop, which was hard^ Kaifabha with
the attributes of rajas was born. la
In contrast to the legend in the Mah&bharata, in the
legend of the Devi Bhftgavata we do not find Vimu in the horse-
headed form in this context. We have already stated what
purpose the horse-headed one served in the Devi Shagavata. As
far as the demons Madhu and Kaifabha are concerned^ as usual,
the story is developed there for glorifying Devi, from whom they
acquired the boon that death should befall only as and when they
desire. Here also the event of the theft of the Vedas by them is
mentioned. Only Visnu, plays the role of the destroyer of these
demons but without assuming the horse-headed shape.
It is important to note here how the puranic .characters
appear in two different legends with similar or dissimilar func-
tions. In this context, a casual reference should be made to the
theft of the Vedas* According to one legend it is not the
demons Madhu and Kaitubha who have stolen the Vedas but the
demon Hayagriva, who was punished for this offence by Lord
in the incarnation of fish.
26
It is customary to raise the status of a deity by giving a
cosmic form to him, in which the different aspects of the uni-
verse are included in a pantheistic manner. Reminding us of
conceiving mystic cosmic form of the asvamedha sacrificial
horse in the Vedic texts which is interpreted as the cosmic form
of Visfiu, even the legend of Hayagriva in the Mahabharata pro-
vides us with a description of the cosmic form of His. When
Vlsnu took a horse-headed shape. He is described in terms of the
cosmic form as follows: "His head was the firmament with lunar
mansions and stars. His hair was long, radiating like the rays
of the Sun. His ears were the atmosphere and the under world
whereas his forehead was the earth. The rivers Ganga and
Sarasvati were his lips while his eye-brows were two great
oceans. The Moon and the Sun were his eyes, while his nose is
said to have been twilight. The holy syllable "Om" was his
notion, lightening was his tongue and his teeth are said to have
bsen the ancestral fathers who drink the soma juice. The Goloka
and the Brahmaloka were the lips of the exhalted one and his
neck was the night of doom,** IS Thus, the horse-headed Lord,
who is the ruler of everything in the universe, is praised in terms
of the above descriptions.
Similar descriptions of the cosmic form of Vtsnu in his
horse-headed shape are also found in the Harivamsa. The text
is as follows : < Haing been praised in this way by different
saints aad ascetics, the great Han remembered and assumed his
vast body with the horse's head. The Vedas made up his shape,
his body consisted of all the gods ; in the middle of his head was
&>, in his heart was Bmhmn; the rays of the sun were his hair,
the sun and the moon were his eyes ; the Vasus and Sadhyas
were his legs, and in all Ms joints were the gods. A&ni was his
tongue, the goddess Satya his speech, while his knees were
formed by the Maruts and Vawna. Having assumed this form, a
great wonder to the gods, Vfsnu, with eyes that were red with
anger, thrusted the great asura down. 19
Mention has been already made regarding the demon
Hayagriva in the Devi BhSgavata. The important matter for our
discussion on this subject is the conception of the demon Haya-
griwz which appears in different texts in different contexts. In
27
the Mahabharata (1. 65,23 and 1) we find the conception of
demons, in whose names the word that means 'horse* appears.
Mentioned among the sons of Danu, who were called DanavBs,
next to Sambara, are Puloman and Kesin and others as also Asva~
siras, Asvagriva, Asvasahkha, Asvapati etc. Here we do not clearly
know whether one of the demons in whose name the word asva
appears, is identical with the demon Hayagriva mentioned in
another place in the Mahabharata (V. 128.49) where Vidura des-
cribes the miraculous power of $rlkrna to Duryodhana, and says
among other things : 'While sleeping on the vast deep waters,
he killed Madhu and Kaitabha and in another birth Hayagriva
too was slain. *The Mahabharata has already given us the under-
standing that both Madhu and Kaifabha were killed on account
of their theft of the Vedas. We do not know whether Hayagriva
was punished for a similar transgression or for any other offence.
This passage gives no further details, and only implies the
slaying of the demon Hayagriva who is barely mentioned in the
Mahabharata as an enemy of Lord Visnu. It became a source of
inspiration for the development of a legend around ths demon
Hayagriva in the later texts. Thus, the demon Hayagriva occupies
a prominent position in the Harivamsa and later in the Devi
Bbagavata and other texts.
In the Harivamsa (3L68-70) the demon Hayagriva is men-
tioned as an enemy of all gods, especially of Lord Visnu, who, in
his incarnation of Vamana, measures the universe with his
three steps. Among other demons the asura-Hayagrlva also
opposes Visnu.
We have already seen that Visqu killed the demon Haya-
griva in his incarnation offish. After the narration of the fight
between Visnu (matsya) and the demon Hay&griva the story of
the great deluge is related in great length in the Harivamsa-
purana* Thanks to the warning of the fish form of Visnu, the
good king Satyavrata and the seven seers are the only ones who
escaped from this great deluge. This legend is concluded with
the following details. When the danger of destruction due to
the great deluge was over, Han, having killed the demon
Hayagriva, brought the Vedas back to the creator Brahmft. This
28
incident tells us of the temporal sequence during which the
incarnation of Hayagriva took place. The same story is related
in the Agnipura^a and the Mastyapuran* In the Mastyapur&qa
(eh. 53), it is said that when the ^orld was burnt down in a
great dissolution, Vtmu in the form of a horse recompiled the
four Vedas > VedUngas, Nyayavlsmra, Mimainsa and the Dharma-
sastra. Although this passage keeps the association of the
deity Hayagriva with learning and wisdom ia the form of Vedas
and Vedangai etc., it seems that this is obviously a later eloba-
ration of the Hayagriva legend, because of its inclusion of the
later texts in the li.it along with the Vedas, The important point
to note here is the way how the demon Hayagriva appears as an
opponent to Vi&%u in his different incarnations.
The demon Hayagriva is also one of the participants in
the legend of the great Tarak&~battle. Once the demons invaded
the gods. At that time Vtyju came to their rescue. The Hart*
vamfa (33-15) says: c *Tfaea the demon Hayagriva appears in
the chariot drawn by a thousand horses, crushing the enemies/*
Finally this demon was destroyed
Elsewhere it is narrated that the mighty demon Naraka
being over-confident offended the gods. He marched to the
battle with his four commanders viz, Hayagriva, Nisunda>
Pancanad and Afura. 2Q The Hartvam&a describes how the
demon Hayagriva bravely fought with the Lord Vi^u who was in
the form
So far we have dealt with the story of Hayagriva-Vimu as
a, protector and reviver of the Vedas as told in the Mah&bharata,
We have also discussed details regarding the demon Hayagriva^
who gained a prominent position in the Harivaifisa*puraita 9 and'
his enemity to the Lord Visnu in different incarnations. Here we
encounter a problem regarding the demon Hayagrtva who
appears in different contexts. It is not clear whether we have
one and the same demon Hayagriva who appears ID different
situatioas or we have different Hayagrlvas. One may say that the
same demon Hayagriva appears ia different life times to oppose
Lord PiFfpiii who incarnates himself in different life times,
29
For example^ the suggestion of the incarnation of ffaya-
grlva as Kestn will illustrate this point. The Visnupura^a 11 gives
an older version of the story of Ke&in who is not at all connect-
ed with file dem3o Hayagnva* He is there simply a demon in
the shape of a horse, summoned and sent by Kamsa to kill the
two children Kfsna and Balarama. But this demon was eventu-
ally destroyed by Kfyta. The fact that Kesfn as well as Haya-
grlva, by their names and descriptions suggesting a horse's form
and their role as enemies of Visnu, gives us a scope for identi-
fying them as one and the same through different life times, as it
is described in the HarimMa (44-67) . Such identifications of
legendary personalities through different lives are very frequent
in the Indian epic tradition,
3. The Demon Jvarasura and Visijn-HayagtlYa
In contrast to the Independent lints of development of
the Hayagflva story, one in continuation of the Yedie pravargya
and the other, Hayagrim-Vi^u as the destroyer of Madhu and
Kaifbha, we have a third version of the Hayagriva-stoiy in the
Kalika purQqa* It is of comparatively a later origin. According
to the KatikU pwfya, Hayagriva, who is also known as Eaya-
&iras and AsvaHras, killed the fever*demoa (jv&rftsura) and
stayed at Manikuta hill for the good of all men, gods and
demons (KP. 81.77). Being afflicted with fever (para) and
because of his killing of the fever-demon, Hayagriva~Vi$m took
a recovery bath in a lake situated nearby. This lake was called
*apunarbhava* because a dip into it would put an end to re-
birth (KP. 81.74 ff).
The same^wrSiya refers to the old pur&qtc motif of killing
of the demon Hayagrlva by F%n in the waters of the Vfddha-
ganga and on the bank of the Brahmaputra, where the temple of
Visvanatha was situated. It is said that Vl^u, the Lord of the
world, after having killed the demon-Hayagriva, went to the hill
Maqikttta and settled down there (KP. 83.24 f). In this contexts
the word 'Jagatpati 9 which means the Lord of the world but not
Hayagriva or Hayattras is used to refer to !$$!*. In spite of
this, in the verse immediately following the description of
30
*JagatpatV of the Maqikuta hill, which is a well-known centre of
Hayagnva Madhava even now at Hajo in Assam, there is a
reference to the worship of Garudadhvaja with Hayagrivamantra.
These factors point to the likelihood that the killer of the
demon Hayagnva is none but Visnu Hayagriva himself. The
development of this motif is not new, but the killing o f jvara*
sura by Hayagriva adds a new element to the existing versions.
On the whole we have three important lines of develop-
ment of the story of the horse-headed one. First, the stories
exhibit the continuation of the Vedic theme ofpravargya with
alterations, depending on the fertile imagination ofpurBqic com-
posers. This is an illustration of unilinear evolution of a legend
from one basic theme with certain additions and ommissions in
course of time. Second, the story that is narrated in the Maha-
bh&rata seems to have gained much more liold on the Indian
tradition in course of centuries because of the fixation of the
concept of Hayagriva in the minds of worshippers as a bestower
of learning and wisdom. This conception took its roots in the
Mahabhsrata story of Hayagriva as the reviver of the Vedas. This
version has nothing to do with the Vedic theory of pravargya.
Third, in the Kalikapurma the event of the killing of the fever-
demon by Vlmu^Hayagriva is an independent version. Here the
destruction of the fever-demon seems to be the specific purpose
of the incarnation of the horse-headed form of Visnu.
These three versions had separately been developed with
distinct features serving different purposes. This may be des-
cribed as multi-linear process of the development of legends re
lating to one puranic deity or character. Although these ver-
sions are independent of each other with their own distinct fea-
tures, they exhibit the intensive mutual influence and impact
among themselves. Among these versions the legend of Haya~
grim in the Mahabhftrata obviously seems to be the earliest one,
at least as far as the mythological lore is concerned.
The later texts together with the additions of curses and boons
typical to the puri^lc fantacy for the purpose of glorify some
god or goddess of their peculiar sectarian choice. Regarding the
story of the KSlik&pur$a y where Hayftgrlva acts as the killer of
Jvarasura we find a trend of incorporation of a local legend rest-
31
rioted to the eastern part of India, particularly Assam. The
appearance of the ancient motif of the demon Hayagriva in the
KQltka pursna, in addition to that of the destruction of Jvarasura
may presuppose that this purana simply compiled these two
versions without any sense of consistency. It is also possible
that the authors of this purana might have thought that both the
aforementioned killings of the two demons were the playful acts
of a'single deity in the same incarination in different situations.
4. Hayagriva's Emergence and Worship according
to the puranic Geography
In this section, we shall discuss references in the Maha
bhnrata and in the different puranas regarding the regions and
places, with which Hayagnva-Visttu is associated, in the light of
puranic geography. We know the story in the MahUbharata
which narrates the theft of the Vedas by Madhu and Kaffabha
who took their booty, the Vedas, to the nether world called
Pamia (XII.335ff). This event might have prompted the purl -
flic character Narada to state that the horse-headed one fills the
world called Suvartta with the recitation of the Vedic hymns on
every auspicious occasion. 28 This mention includes the descri-
ption of the Patala which lies in the middle of the world of
snakes. Continuing this motif of the emergence of the incar-
nation of Hayagriva in deep waters when there was no
current creation proper, a reference is made in the Mah&bhurata
where the horse-headed one receives offerings made to the gods
and the manes in the north-western ocean. 24 In the story of the
horse-headed one in the form of VadavUmukha, it is the Mount
Mem which is the centre of the world, according to the puranic
conception, where Vadavamukha in the form of a seer did his
penance. At present, ignoring places of the legendary puranic
conception, according to its cosmography, we refer to the place
Badarf, which is even now existent as a well-known pilgrim
centre in the extreme north in the Himalayas and its association
with Hayagnva. It is said, in a passage of the Mahftbharata that
A&vasiras reads the eternal Vedas in a beautiful region called
Badari, the abode of Nara and Namyana.
32 .
The Mahnbharata and also the Vamanapurana refer to the
regions of the Pdmcalajanapala, (Kampilya, modern Kainpel a
village ia the Farokkabad district of U.P., was the capital 'of
Southern PzScato - while AMcchatra In the same state was that
of the northern Pnncala) as being sacred to Hayagrlva** The
Vamanapumna (57.25-27) refers to a sacred place named Ah*
tirtha* 1 near the city of Mahodaya of the modern Kanauj. Here
the demon king PrahlMa worshipped the horse-faced god (/r*-
nganana) and then reached the Pane! country to which refer-
ence has been already made* 8 *
The region Bhadraiva, where the worship of Vi$nu took
place ia the form of the horse-headed one, has been mentioned
by different puranic texts. It is one of the island continents,
caturdfipavasvmati. According to the conception of 'catardvlpa-
vasumatl', the earth with four island continents, was
shaped like a lotus having the Mount Mem as its pericarp
(kar%ik8), and the four island continents as its four petals.
These are : 1. the EMTU or Uttarakuru in the north, 2. the
Jambu otJSharata in the south, 3. Shadrssv^ in the east and
4. Ketumala in the west. 28 We have another conception of tha
earth with seven islands, *saptadvtpava$uman\ where the Jambhn-
dvipa was devided into seven such island continents which
included both Bhadrasva and Ketumala. ,* According to a few
pura^ie references found in the Vnyu (ch. 33-34), the Matsya
(Ch, 130) and the Mzrkaqdeya (ch. 54) 5 Pnyavrata, the king of
Jambudvlpa, divided the kingdom among his sons. In this
account also, Bhadr&iva (malyavadw^a) and Ketumala (gandha-
madanavarqa) regions are found. With this informative back-
ground regarding the region Bhadrmva of ancient cosmography
we come to the individual references to it, associated with the
deity Hayagrtva. The ViffupurSya (II. 49-50) mentions that in
the region called Bhadratoa, Vi&nu is worshipped as a horse-
headed one, in the KetuwMla in the form of a boar, in Bharata.
in the form of a tortoise and in Kuru in the form of a
fish, while he is found in the cosmic form (Vttvarupa) every-
where- This sort of geographical location, where the worship
of various forms of Vimu were in vogue, is also supported by a
passage found in the M5rka$deyapurtt%a (ch. LIV. 31). The
same pumqa further states : "In Bhodr3$v# 3 the Lord JanZrdana
33
has a horse's head and four arms, resembling a horse and he has
three eyes.' Except for the peculiarity of the three eyes, the
description of the horse-headed one, specially connected with
the BhadrSsva region, holds good also in this context.
We learn from the Sklndapurana that Kurma, a form of
Visnu, is the presiding deity of Bharata, as other gods presided
over other regions, eg., Asvasiras in BhadrSsva, Varaha in Ketu-
mala and Matsya in the North (probably uttarakwu)* 1
The VsmanapurSna speaks of a different place, where
Hayagnva is worshipped. In addition to the already referred
place Mahodaya (Kanauj), this purana (ch. 36, VV. 23-25) says
that Hayagnva is worshipped on the river Krsna. This purana
attributes'the name of Bhadrasva to the horse of Visnu, but not
to a particular region called BhadrSsva, already mentioned.
Now, we turn to the eastern region of India where the
Manikuta hill is always associated with the deity Hayagriva,
according to the KslikapurSna (81-75) . The KalikapurSna gives
an account of the region Ksmarilpa (modern region of Assam,
which extends as far west as the river Karatoya in the Bogra
district, Bengal). Among others, it contains the names of
Manikuta&vlNllaparvata. We have already seen that Vi&u-
Hayagrtva, after killing Jvarasura, retired to the Mount Manikuta
(KP. 83.24). On the mount Nila the well-known Kamakhyapttha
is situated. The Mount is now in the vicinity of Gauhati. The
river Lauhitya passes through the mountains Manikuta and
GandharrtSdana of Bharatavarsa. It has been mentioned already
that according to the KslikapurSna, Visnu in His Hayagriva torm
not only killed the fever-demon but also the demon Hayagriva.
Both these occurrences which were compiled in this purana took
place on the mount Manikuta. This factor gives some idea of
the antiquity of the Hayagriva-Madhava image on the mount
Manikuta, which is at modern Hajo, near Gauhati in Assam. In
this context we have to understand more details regarding tne
Mount Manikafa, where Hayagriva-Mzdhava is worshipped even
now and also the puraaic idea that river Lauhitya passes nearby
this holy centre. It is clear that Lauhitya is nothing but another
name for the river Brahmaputra. 33 According to the Kalika*
849 3
34
puraqa (67.41-42) it is a great tirtha and is conceived as divine^
The river Brahmaputra in ancient literature and epigraphic
records is mentioned as Lauhitya and is associated with the
region of Pr^gjyotisa- Kamarupa. From this, it appears Brahma-
putra is a modern name, perhaps used from the days of the
Kalikapurana where it finds mention as an alternative name for
Lauhitya. Once this river passed through the hills the Gandha-
madana and the Manikuta which was located on the eastern bank
of Lauhitya. According to the Kamarupa buranji, the Brahma-
putra took north-west course from a place west of the modern
Saraighat bridge and east of Sualkuchi. and flowed passing via
modern Hajo; then turning west it reached Baratiaghat, where
it received the Munasa river and then had a south-western bend
via the modern Manasa river. At that time Sualkuchi was to
the south of the river. It is only at the time of Nara-Namyaqa
that the river was flowing via south of Sualkutci up to the present
mouth of the Mfinasa river which is still called Baralia. The
dead bed of the river, now silted up, is still called Brahmaputra^
and during the summer the flood waters passing through it and
the lands under water give it the appearence of a large river.* 4
It is not out of place to locate one of the demons, who
bears the name of Hayagrlva connected with the region of
Kamarupa In the KalikSpurana it is not clearly stated who this
demon Hayagriva was? In the Naraka legend, Hayagriva, as in
the UaMbharata (II. 83) and the Harivamsa (II. 63), is an asura
leader and a great general of Naraka' s army. Naraka, with the
help of this demon Hayagnva defeated the gods thrice and was
able to snatch away the kundalas of Adfti, the mother of the
Gods ^KP. 41. 12-15); cf., also KP. 41. 53 if). Further this
purana (41. 7 and 41 . 86) says that the demon Hayagrlva was the
keeper of the northern door of the fortified city of Naraka and
was killed by Krma. It is possible that the destruction of the
demon Hayagriva might have been caused in the same pragjyotua
region by Krma. by whom the demon king Naraka was also slain.
The name of Havagriva associated with Madhava, who is
worshipped on the Manikuta hill, brings us nearer to the story
of the incarnation of Krsna. However, all these factors prompt
us to think that the Assam region is one of the important centres
of ffayagrivQ worship for a few centuries.
35
We have already referred to the holy place Dharmaranya
and its association with Visnu-Hayagriva, mentioned in the
Skandapurana. This purana informs us that Hayagriva was wor-
shipped by Vadava brahmins in the Dharmaranya along with
other deities. The Dharmaranya is located near the river Sabar-
matl or ancient Svabhramatl in the Gujarat state. The Dharma-
ranya, where the horse-headed Visnu performed austerities, is
also identified as a place in Sitapur destrict in Uttar Pradesh.
This was the place, where Visnu was relieved of his horse-head,
and where he regained his original head. According to the
purana, the same place became a great tlrtha because of this
event. Although some scholars 85 view that the story seems to
be a later concoction by the modha brahmins to add to the
importance of the place of the Dharmaranyaksetra^ it shows a
fact how the people of this particular region were influenced by
this deity Probably this story might be a base for serving their
interest. However, it offers us the information regarding the
extent of Hayagriva cult in a particular region, according to the
puranic geography.
The mention of the incarnation of Hayagriva in the
Nilamatapurana, which has orginated in Kashmir, points to the
recognition of the J?0j0grv0~4ncarnation in Kashmir. A holy
place called Haya&rsa is mentioned in the Nllamatapur&na (vv.
83-95) as one of the sixty eight tfrthas visited by the seer
Kasyapa, during his pilgrimage; K&syapa, according to this
purana, (vv. 96b, 101) reaches Kanakhala during the course of his
journey and is advised by Nila to proceed northward to see the
holy places of Madra and Himavan, as he has already visited the
places in the East, West and South. The list referred to in the
above mentioned statement of Nila and the places mentioned
therein are mostly of Northern and Central India. Nila*s
assertion may be taken in the context of places situated to the
east, west and south of Kanakhala. u The holy place Hayaslrsa
in the list may be the same as Hayamukha, identified by Cunnin-
gham 87 aad others with Daundikhera, about 104 miles north-
west of Allahabad This pilgrim centre may probably be
associated with the incarnation of the Horse-headed one. It is
possible also that a temple was built in his honour in this place,
or some legend concerning with Visnu-Hayagriva might be
36
associated with it. The Kashmiri NilamatapurQna not only
mentions this holy place Hayaslrsa but also gives a prominent
position to the incarnation of Visnu in the form of the Horse-
headed one among others, which shows the extent of the cult of
Hayagrlva in that region.
5. Hayagrlva in the puranic-list of avataras of Visiju
The tradition of the incarnations of Visnu was in a fluid
sta*e in ancient times and later it crystalized into the conception
of ten incarnations (dasftvatftra). The list of them varies from
one text to the other. It is interesting to note that Hayagrlva
was not included in the list of the ten incarnations of Vimu> but
he, as a form of Vi$nu> occupies an important place in a good
number of pur anas.
a) The VimupurQita
In the Vtsnupurana (V, 17. 11) Vhntfs horse-headed form
Is described as one of his incarnations. It is stated there : "He,
the unborn, who has preserved the world in the various forms
such as fish, tortoise, boar, horse, lion etc., will this day speak
to me" 3S The commentary on this passage says that here the
horse stands for Hayagriva,
b) The Matsyapurana
According to the Matsyapurana (ch. 53) the Hayagrlva-
avatara preceded the MatsyavatSra, supposedly the first of the
usual list of the avataras. It is said that when the world was
burnt down in a great deluge, Visnu> in the form of a horse,
recompiled the four Vedas and Vedangas, etc. This conception
may hold good in the case of the beginning of one kalpa after
the great deluge of a previous one.
cj The Varnanapurana
Hayasirsa, according to the Varnanapurana , is predomi-
nently mentioned as the third incarnation. No incarnation after
VQmana is mentioned in this text. The word avatara is rarely
used here in connection with Vtsnu's incarnations, but the word
prdurbh&v in its stead is found.* 1
37
d) The Garudapurana
According to the Garudapurana (ch. 202) different mZrtts
of Vimu are mentioned as follows : Matsya, Trivikrama, Vamana,
Narasimha, Rama, Varaha, Narayana, Kapila, Datta Hayagriva,
Mdkaradhvaja, Narada, Kunna, Dhanvantari, $esa, Yajna, Vyasa,
Buddha and Kalkin, the last two being in the protection of people
froai the pasandas and also from the sins of the Kali age. This
long list may not be intended to indicate a fixed list of avataras
of Visnu, but it seems that their intention is to mention different
images representing different forms ofVisnu.
e) The Bhagavatapur&na
In the Bhagavatapurana (II. 7, 11) we have the following
passage : "In ray (Brahms) sacrifice (satra) the noble horse-
headed one was the sacrificial male (yajnapurusa) of a golden
complexion, full of incantations and sacrifices, whose soul was
the gods and from whose nostril sweet words were created when
he breathes and he recovered the trace of the Vedas that have
fallen out from ray mouth in the terrible waters." While com-
menting on this passage, the commentator OR the Bhagavata,
Srldhara remarks th&tHayairas, the horse-headed one, must be
understood as Visit's descent as Hayagriva-avatara. This and
'other references in this puraqa (VII. 9. 37, XL 4. 17 & V. 18.
1-6) show consistently that the process of evolution of the con-
ception of Hayagrlva as Visnu's incarnation is fully developed
and well established. The story of Hayagriva became an impor-
tant one in the Hindu mythology and also in the methods of
Hindu worship at the time of Srldhara (rldharasvamin). This
commentator of the 14th century A-D. in his commentary on the
first verse of the Bhagavatapurana says categorically that the
inclusion of the story of Hayagriva is a necessary feature of a
true Bhagavata, Substantiating this conception he quotes a
verse from a purana the name of which he has not mentioned 4
6. Puranic personalities beaifitted by the worship of
Hayagriva
a) Galava in the Mahabharata.
There are certain stories \ntbcMahabh8rata (V. 118 ff)
and other texts where we find legends relating to the glory of
38
Hayagriva and how this deity benifited a few puranic persona-
lities one way or another.
It has been assured that whosoever hears or memorizes the
legend of Hayagriva, his studies and intellectual efforts never be-
come fruitless* For example, a Brahmin seer, found in the
Mahabharata named Galava, an inhabitant of the Pancftla
country, 41 on being instigated by Siva worshipped Hayagriva and
thereby mastered the krama style of reciting the Vedas. Galava
is mentioned io another context and there it is said that this
Brahmin seer has become the first master of the krama st> le and
was also responsible for the discovery ofsiks%, a vedanga, which
is supposed to be the science that deals with the proper pronun-
ciation of words and principles of euphony.
B) Agastya In the Brahm3ndapurana
The deity Hayagriva appears in the BrahmnndapurQna
where we do not find any references to legends describing his
origin and victorious achievements, but in it he appears as the
revealer of ths secret glory of the Goddess LaltiB, with her
mantra, nyasa, homa, puja, purascarana and also sahasranama of
the Devi to the sage Agastya. He exhibits himself before Agastya
with four arms (Ch. V.V. 9). 42 Two important factors are pro-
minent in the dialogue between Hayagriya and Agastya in the
fifth chapter of the Brahmandapttrana. Firstly, Hayagriva's
function here is to voice the glory of the mother-goddess in the
form of Lallta. This is somewhat similar to the legend in the
Devi Bhagavata, where Devi in the form of Tamasisakti plays an
important role. There it is said that Hayagriva received the sec-
ret of wisdom from Devi. This occurence exalts the level of Devi
over the status of Hayagriva^ atypical feature peculiar to the
Puranas of sectarian nature. Secondly, Agastya, who is sup-
posed to be the knowerof the essence of all branches of learning
and a great Brahman-realiser and who is also said to be the
cause of the initial Aryanisation-process of South India, is des-
cribed as one of the persoas benifited by the appearance of
Havagrim before him.
In the beginning of the dialogue, Agastya addresses Haya
griva with epithets like 'asvanana* 'mahabuddhe *sarva$astravi$&~
39
rada* (O ! hcrse-headed one, O! God of great intellect, O !
Lord! the proficient in all branches of knowledge). These
addresses remind us of Hayagriva's association with learning and
wisdom, a point which might have inspired the composer of the
Brahmandapurana to mouth through Hayagtiva the glory of the
goddess Lalita, Agastya demands that he should be initiated
into the secret of the Lalitfisahsranama as also into the know-
ledgs regarding the origin of the goddess Lalita, her con nation
the destruction of Bhandasura, the greatness of Sricakra and the
fifteen lettered mantra, nyasa, homa, puja, purascarana, etc.
already taught him by Hayagrlva regretted that he was provided
previously with the sahasranamas of the goddesses Mantrlnt and
Dandinl but not with the sahasranama of Lalita. He further said
"O compassionate one! Hayagrlva 1 Now a doubt occurs to me
in this regard as to whether you have forgotten about it or be-
came silent knowingly? Do you think that I do not deserve to
listen to these thousand names? What is the reason for your
silence? Could you enlighten me by telling the cause of it ?"
Hayagrlva responded to Agastya by saying that he did not initi-
ate him into this knowledge because it was considered to be a
great secret. He assured Agastya that he would definetly initi-
ate him into this secret wisdom because he finds him fit. It is
said that a preceptor should not initiate matters of great secret
even to his disciple according to tradition. Moreover it should
be introduced only to an upasaka and one of utmost purity. He
also narrated a story regarding the origin of the Laliffisahsranama.
Once, the goddess Lalita out of compassion to do good for her
worshippers, summoned Vagdevl and Vasim and others and said
"Look ! Listen to my words. By my grace you are shining with
the great power of speech and you are also entrusted with the
duty of giving that power to my worshippers. You know the
secret of my Sricakra and you are interested in the thousand
names of mine, so I order you to prepare a stotra of thousand
names dedicated to me, which serves the important purpose of
pleasing my worshippers." Having listened to this command
Vagdevl, Vasini and others composed a stotra incorporating the
secret names of Devi. This benediction with various nariies be-
came \vell-known as 'rahasyanBmasahasra*. This was recited
when once the goddess was seated on a throne of lion. All the
40
gods with their consorts as well as all forms ofSaktis such as
Mantrinl, Datidini, etc. attended the court of the goddess Lalita*
Divine beings, the humans and siddhas were all present, In the
presence of this audience, Vagdevi, Vasint and others stood and
praised the goddess Lalita with the thousand names composed
by them. Devi, pleased with their performance, addressed the
gathering by instructing them that those who devoted to her
should always be listened to the Sahasranama and should propa-
gate it always among the worshippers. The story was retold by
Hayagriva to thv sage Agastya for the purpose of bringing a
great spitirual fervour as well as religious significance to it.
This dialogue is constituent part of the l//tam-Khanda of the
Brahmandapurana, known as Lalitasahasranamapurvabhaga. 43
Chapter II: REFERENCES
1 DB. I. 5. 74 and 107.
2. ibid. I. 5. 75-85.
3. ibid. I. 5. 86-103.
4. ibid. L 5. 104-111.
5. ibid* 1. 5. 112.
6. SP. HI. 14, 1-7.
7. ibid. III. 14. 5J; Cf. DB. I. 5. 20.
8. ibid. Ill, 14*50-60.
9. ibid. III. 15. 1-28.
10. ibid. III. 15. 32-42.
11. MBh. V. 99. 5 (Bombay Edition).
12. Cf. F. Washburn Hopkins, Epic Mythology, Strassburg 1915, p. 180.
13. SivF. (Vol. II), Varanasi 1970, p. 549.
14. MBh. XII. 335. 1-69.
15. DB. X.11.5ff.
16. MBh. XII. 335. 22.
17. Bh. P. VIII. 24. 8 & 9.
18* MBh. XfT. 335. 44-49,
41
19. The Harivamta purSna.
20. ibid. 91-19.
21. VP. V. 15 (transl) H.H. Wilson, London 1840, p. 537 ff.
22. KP. Ch. 81-83; see also in the chapters on Vaisnavism in 'The Kalika
PtirSna A socio- cultural study', Thesis by Dharmcndra Chutia,
Gauhati 1970.
23. MBh. V. 97-5.
24. ibid. XIL 326. 56.
25. ibid. XIL 126. 3.
26. Cf. V.P. Joshi, Hayagriva in Bralimicical iconography in: J1SOA,
Calcutta Vol. Ill, 1972-73.
27. We find another place called 'Ativvtirtha* on the ASvakranta mountain
in Kaniakhya near Assam (Yogimtantra, Uttarakhanda, Ch. 3), s v.,
"aSvatlrtha" in the "Geographical Encyclopaedia of ancient and
Medieval India, pt. I, Indie Academy, Varanasi 1967; A mention of a
holy place called t avairasthana > in the Mahabharata (VI. 80, 32} may
be connected with the horse-headed one. A&valsirasthana is a sacred
place in ancient India. Arjuna dreams of going to 'jSiva with Krsna
and in that dream they visit this place also (MBh. VII. 57-28). Accord-
ing to the Kurmapitrana, there is a sacred place named *asvaratha-
tlrtha\ where Lord Namyana resides in the form of Hayasiras. The
identification of this place is uncertain.
28. Cf., V.P. Joshi -in: JISOA, Vol. III. p. 40.
29. Kirfel, Die Kosmographie der Inder, p. 215; s.v., 'BhadraSva* : D C.
Sircar, Studies in the Geography of Ancient and Medieaval India,
Delhi 1971, pp. 17 ff. and The geographical encyclopeadia of ancient
and medieval India, pt. I. Varanasi 1967. pp. 54 ff.
30. ibid,
31. Brhatsamhita of Vamhamihira Vii. i. 11-17; A.B.L. Avasthi, Studies in
the Skandapurana, pt. I, Lucknow, 1976.
32. Cf,, Discussions on 'Brahmaputra' in "The Kalikapurana - A Socio-
* Cultural -study" (Thesis) Gauhati, 1970.
33 Cf. Mandasor Stone pi Her inscription of Yosodharmadeva (c. 525
to 535 A.D.) I. 5; see R V, Pandey, Historical and Literary inscriptions,
p. 137 and Aphsad stone inscription of Adityasena (c. 672 A.D.) V. 14;
ibid., p. 151.
34. Cf. -The Kalikapurana, A socio-cultural study" (Thesis) Gauhati
1970, p. 704 ff
35. Cf. J.C. Ghosh, Hayagnva Worship in Assam, in JARS,
36. Cf. Vedakumari, Nllamatqpurana, p* 42*
42
37. Cunningham, Ancient Geography, p. 443; NX. Dey, Geographical
Dictionary, p. 75.
38. ^Matsyakurmavarah^svasimharupadibhih*'.
39. Cf. R.C. Hazra, Studies in the Puranic records on Hindu rites and
customs, p. 78.
40* "Grantho 5 stadasa sahasro dvSdasaskanda sammatah /
hayagrlva brahmavldya yatra vrtravadhas tatha" //
gayatrya ca samarambhas tad vai bhagavatam viduh //
41. Identified as the modern region of the districts of Merut and Farukka-
bad U.P. See Joshi*s above mentioned article.
42. See Ch. IV in this book for iconographical details*
43. TheBrahmandaPurana, Venkatesh Press, Bombay; Sri Lalitasahasra-
namabhasyarn, (ed & transl) P Suryanarayana Sarma, Madras 1970.
CHAPTER III
Hayagriva-Visnu in
*
Agamas and Tantras
When the horse-headed deity has taken root and settled
in the puranic literature, it has become part of the business of
the Agamas and the Tantras to provide instructions for prepar-
ing an image of this deity and also to furnish various methods
of worshipping it. The central theme in the Agamas is the wor-
ship of a god in the form of an image. In course of centuries,
the Agamic religion has branched off into three schools viz.,
Vaisnava, Saiva and Sakta, giving prominence to Visisu, Siva and
Saktt respectively. Hayagriva as a form of Visnu finds a fitting
place in the Vahnava Agamas, which are subdivided into Vaikh-
nasa and Pancar&tra* In the history of Vaisqavism both the
Vaikhftnasa and Pancaratra schools occupy a unique and promi-
nent place because their literature contains pure theology asso-
ciated with the philosophy of qualified non-dualism (Visisfa-
dvaita}. These schools attach importance to the image of the
Lord as being fit for adoration (arcSvatara) and teach the ritua-
listic practices together with the underlying metaphysical and
mystical conceptions. It is not th* mere image that only deserves
worship. The Tantric elements in the Igamas offer us infor-
mation regarding the mystical syllables attributable to the deities
in the fTmofm<wtrffS 9 the magical diagrams in the form of yant-
ras, and the holy stones in the form of salagramas, etc. Once a
form of a particular deity is fixed in the tradition, formalisation
of methods of worship become necessary. The essential feature
of both the Agama as well as the Tantra texts is to provide such
an information to the worshipper.
1. HayainiaKa in the Vaikhanasagama
In the ValkhMnasa literature, we find references to the
horse-heaAed form of Visnu in Marici's Vinmnnrcanakdpa
(ch. 20) IUM! JLIsyapa's jmnakayda (ch. 37). Marlci mentions
Hayatmaka ;(Le. hor&e-faced Visnu), when he deals with the
nviaranade^QS in the place of kSutuka image. There, Hayatmaka
i&descfiftwift'-* deit y m white complexion appearing in yellow
clothes, accompanied by his eonsorts NilZ and F^ He is
ptaised with tfoe utterance : 'hayatmakam devesMm sarwnwdam
46
Kasyapa's Jnanakanda also refers to the horse-faced Visnu
with the epithet Hayatmaka. In the chapter regarding the regu
lar worship (nity&rcand) , we find a mention of different forms of
Visnu to whom flowers are to be offered. The following is a pas-
sage to the point :* In the ceremonial worship he (worshipper)
should deposit (a a flower) in each of the four directions begin-
ning with East, (and moving) clock-wise for Subhadra, Hayat*
maka, Vamadeva and Punyadeva."
In the Vaikhsnasa school, the Paramatmikopamsad 9 2 on
which the famous commentator Srlnivasa Diksita wrote his
Bhasya, is of special importance. In this work, the passage
"sQrasvato Vu esd devo yam na va hayah Pftramfttmikah bhayo 9 bhayo
v& sarvam sandkusie avaha" occurs. Here Visnu in the form of
Hayagriva is; referred to* Srlnivasa Diksita, commenting on this
passage, says that Visnu is worshipped as Hayagriva. This Hsya~
griva cannot be an ordinary horse and yet be the basis of all
branches of wisdom. The word sarasvata is equated with the
Supreme Diviiie Being in the form of Ocean. This reminds us of
passage in Slyana's commentary, already referred to, 3
2. a) Hayagriva in the Scheme of Vyuha and Vibhava
central theme of the PalcarStra religion is that the
Suprectae God manifests himself in five- fold forms, viz., % para.,
vj&ha 9 -rtt>haHi 9 antaryamin and area. The spirit of this classifica-
tion of the manifestations of the deity is to attempt to bring tfae
supreme transcendent God-head into 'living and loving touch
with the mundane world*. The para is the first form of the
god-head, and is also referred to as *the best of purusas* and
*the highest light, seen in meditation'. 5 It is described that
yykw-%sude$a is said to have sprung from Para-vamdeva* The
appearance i>f qualities (gi*#a)in LaksmI and Narayana (Vasu-
d^va) denotes the beginning of the process of vyiZha 7 In the
vyitar system Vfcudeva, characterised by the six gimas, 8 is the
first v$3kd*' 'Worn the Vyuha of Vasudeva, emanates Samkarsaita
ifl wbom-wisdoin (jnana) and strength (bala) alone get manifested.
From >$&Ms<ai&aaa ^>omes Pradyumna, whose qualities are wealth
(afsmrya) and potency (virya). From Pradyumna emerges Ani-
47
ruddha to whom belong power (sakti) and light or brilliance
(tejas).
From the point of view of the LsksmitantrcP (11.27-35),
all these vyuha forms are said to proceed from Laksmi, whereas
the Vihagendra Samhita^ maintains that they emanate from
VIsudeva himself. Vibhava is the next manifestation, which is
otherwise known as avatara. According to the Pnncaratm system,
the relation between Vyuha and Vibhava is different from the
puranic conception of avatsra. The only Supreme Being the
Pancaratrins visualise is the trascendent one and he is not in
anyway directly related to the world. Therefore, the Panca-
r&tra Samhita texts explicitly describe the incarnations as either
all springing from Aniruddha 11 or some from Vssudeva and the
rest from the other vyuhas. 12 We should note here that the
supreme being does not incarnate himself by descending to the
mundane world as it is conceived in the puranas. The Panca-
r&tra Samhita texts do not maintain that the Supreme being, lay-
ing aside its transcendent and unmoving nature, assumes
directly those incarnations in finite forms. So, in contrast to the
puranic conception, the Pancaratra system allows only the
vibhavas (avatZra) to emerge from vyuhas.
The incarnation of the ho^se-headed form of Visnu can
also be fitted into the PsncarQtra vyuha mould. A few Panca-
r&tra texts refer to Hayagrtva as an emanation from Samkarsana-
vyuha whereas the Mahabharata describes Aniruddha as the
source of the horse-headed one.
According to the Vtiv&mitra Samhita, Hayagriva emanates
f rom SSmkarsana (SamkarsaqSt hayagnvah). According to this
text, Vlsvamitra was asked by the sage Kasyapa about Samkar-
sana who was born in different forms. 13
We find support for this view even in the text called the
Srlvisifutilaka, where it is stated :
purusadyasca catvclro jfttas samkarsanZdapi/
samkarsanad hayagriva jm&jnanamayo harihll (ch.II, P 13).
Here it is said that Hayagrtva as Hari (Vimu) full of knowledge
has emanated from Saamkarsana. The quality of the jnana
48
(knowledge) of Samkarsana is well represented in this context in
the vibava manifestation of Hayagriva.
A similar idea that Hayagriva, as a form of Visnu, emerged
from Samkarsana, is also found in the Padma Samhita (11.35*).
We read the following lines in the Jn&napada of this text :
samkarsana hayagnvo sankhodara nrketarl
In the Mahabharata, Visnu in the form of Hayasiras, who
brought back the Vedas stolen by Madhu and Khaitabha, is det-
cribed as the Anlruddhamnrti, a vytiha form Visnu, with a change
only in the head part of the deity. 14 When Madhu and Kaitabha
saw Visnu in Yoganldra> they attempted to attack him. In this
context the author of the Mahabhftmta refers to Visnu by the epi-
thet 'Anintddha* instead of by the term Hayagriva. 15 On tih#
basis of this leference, P. Gangadhar in his article "Iconography
of Hayagriva, a new light*" 16 says that Hayagriva is an emanated
form of the vyuha known as Anlruddha. Further he follows a line
of argument which places the incarnation of Hayagriva at the
very beginning of Brahma's creation. However, he thinks that
the ten incarnations recur in every kalpa. As many kalpas form
a Brahma's life-time, he considers the Hayagriva incarnation of
Visnu to be a form which appeared prior to the occurance of the
ten incarnations, Generally it is believed that the fish incar-
nation as the first and the foremost in the usual list of incar-
nations. However, the Mahsbharata conception of linking vyuha
and vibhava in the case of Hayagriva is quite different from that
of the Pancarfitra Samhltas.
b) Hayagrim in the celestial and terrestrial regions
i) The special celestial region named after Hayagriva.
In the Indian tradition we have many celestial regions cal-
led lokas. Among them there are upper and lower lokas. Bhu
Bhwart Svar. Mahar, Jana. Tapo and Satya are the urdhvalokas
and Atala, Vitala, Sutala, Tafatala, Mahatala, Rasmala and
PStala are the adholokas. Apart from this tradition we have
also celestial regions named after the puranic characters and
49
deities. For example, Dhrava, 17 a person who appears in the
Visnupurana and the Bhugavata, was given a special celestial re-
gion, It is higher than all the planets and is generally called
Dhruvatara. The Hayagrivaloka is comparable in conception
and content to Goloka, 18 the abode of Sri Krsna.
We have a reference to the Hayagrivaloka in the Sanat-
kumara Samhita. 19 The world of Hayagriva is located in the
North, reminding us of the fact that the northern direction is
allocated to Hayagriva as Vimanadevata or asanadevata The
following are further details of the Hayagrivaloka, a detailed
descriptive account of which is in this Samhtta. The width of
the lokais hundred yojanas and is equal to its length. It shines
all over with well-arranged ramparts (prakara) studded with
pearls. It has four golden towers. This Hayagrlva-loka form-
ing a nucleus in the centre is surrounded by further celestial
regions of the same shape in eight directions with ten regions
above and ten below. Thus all together there are one hundred
red celestial regions centered around the Hayagrivaloka. There is
a big pleasure-mountain called 'Lokaloka' and on it flows the
river named 'Prasravani*. The mountain is full of Peepal trees
(asvattha). The area on the out-skirts of this loka is called
*Tungagandhi\ It is even and auspicious. On the mountain there
are four splendid towers made of iron (Krsnaloha) the door-
keepers are Trinetra in the South, Bkisana and Rocana in the
West, and Pramoha and Visvaka in the North. The names of
these towers are the following : Niyom, Nivaya, Sulaya and
Pralaya. The arched doorways of the respective directions are
called Sandhana, Pradhana, Sudhana, and Dhana. Away from
the Southern tower there is located a celestial region called
Somaloka which runs into a hundred yojanas and is a hundred
yojanas away from Hayagrivaloka.
ii) Hayagriva worship in rhe Terrestrial regions :
We have already examined how different forms of Visnu
are worshipped in different terrestial regions, according to the
puranic geography. Bhadrasva is the abode where Hayagriva is
worshipped. Mention of Bhadrasva is also made in the Panca-
rmra texts. The Naradiya Samhitx says that Hari is worshipped
849 4
50
as Hayasirsa and HayayogI in Bhadrasva* 1 It is interesting to
note that the epithet 'Hayayogi* is used here for Hayagriva.
c) The significance of Hayasirsa Pancaratra
The title of the Hayasirsa Pancaratra text demonstrates
the popularity of the cult of the hprse-faced form of Visnu and
the special status it enjoyed in the Pancaratra school. In the
twenty five Pancaratra works enumerated in the text, the Haya*
slr&a PQncaratra stands as the foremost. 22
The origin of the horse-headed form of Vimu as the reviver
of the Vedas is told in a dialogue between Brahma and Siva and
was retold by Bhrugu to Markandeya. The legend of Hayagriva,
narrated here is in tune with that of the Mahabharata. From
the evidences of the names of the provinces forbidden in religious
consecration ceremonies viz, Kacca, Kaveri, Konkana, Kama-
mpa, Kalihga, Kancl, Kasrnira, Kosala and Maharastra* We can
conjecture that this work was composed somewhere in the North-
ern part of India. This is corroborated by the fact that Hayasirsa
Pancaratra is available in the Kasmira and Nagari (Northern
Indian) scripts only. These scripts only are recommended for
transcriptions of this sacred text (1, 3, 3-4).
The status of the Pancaratra system Is also raised by the
narration of the origin of Hayagriva-a.va.ta.ra.. When the stolen
Vedas were brought back by Visnu~-Hayagrlva 9 the story goes
that Brahma requested him to narrate the doctrine of the Ptinca-
ratragama which were taught by Visau himself in ancient times.
Thus the genesis of the scripture (s&stravatara) finds its proper
place in the first chapter of this work.
d) Hayagriva as primary and auxiliary deity
i) Hayagriva image as a primary deity
According to the Pancaratra texts, Hayagriva as a primary
deity exhibits the chief feature of bestowing wisdom to the wor-
shippers. The legend of Hayagriva's retrieval of the Vedas is
the main source of inspiration for the image of Hayagriva. This
fact is well-demonstrated in the prescription that a book or a
manuscript ought to be placed in one of its hands. The descrip-
51
tion of the Hayagrlva image is found la the Pauskara Samhtia,
the Sesa Samhita, the Padma SamMta, Hayasirsa Samhim, the
Parasara Samhita, the Isvara SamhitZ etc. We shall deal the
iconographica! details of the image of Hayagnva in the chapter
on Iconography.
if) Hayagrlva as an auxiliary deity
We have also references of secondary importance relating
to Hayagrtva figures. Sometimes we find images of Hayagrlva
as a door keeper (dvarap&laka] , as a figure to be put on a temple
tower vimana (Vlmandevata], accompanying deity (Parivara
devata] and so on.
In the Visvaksena Samhita, in the context of allotment of
seats for gods during the procedure of performing Puja, the
northern direction is allotted to Hayagriva. 23 This allotment of
the northern direction to Hayagrlva sounds similar to the pres-
cription of direction to the same deity among Vimanadevatas. In
the Naradlya Samhita also we find that the Northern direction is
allotted to the deity Hayasirsa (Hayagrlva) as one of the vimana-
devatas, whereas the eastern direction is allotted to Srldhara.
Such an allotment, according to the Naradlya Samhita> is pres-
cribed only for the second level (tala) of the Vimana^
The Visvamitra Samhita 25 (XXI 5 vv. 68-69) prescribes that
on the first level (tala) of the construction (prasada) Varaha,
Narasimha, Sridhara and Hayavaktra should be placed in the four
directions and Garitda or similar figures should be kept in the
four corners.
Usually, the vimaaadevatas are also known as the deities
in-charge of the different directions (dinmurtis). Eevn in the
Kapinjala Samhita Hayasirsa is one of the dinmurtf images placed
in the Northern direction. 26 In another Samhita it is stated that
the deity in the sanctum sanctorum should be placed in the East,
Varnha in the South, Narasimha in the West and Hayasirsa in the
north as dinmurtis. 27
Even in the process of worship the peculiar feature is that
the seat of Hayagrlva is allotted only in the North according to
the Sanatkumara Samhita. 2 *
52
We come across Hayagriva as dvarapfilaka in the temple of
Vaisnavi saptamatrkas. The list of saptamatrkas vary from text to
text. According to the Naradlya Samhita Vaglsvari Kriya> Kirti,
Laksmi Srsti, Vidyaland Kanti are seven matrika goddesses facing
the Southern direction. It is said that Sridhara and Hayavaktra
are the doorkeepers (dwrapalaka) in the temple of these matr-
kas.
According to the Padma Sainhiffi in course of a discus-
sion regarding accompanying deities (parivara devata), we find
a mention of Hayagriva together with Surya, Candra and others
to be located in the second court-yard (avarana},
The Jayakhya Samhita gives us an interesting piece of
information typical to the tantric ideology. In Tantrism we have
a few male deities with their female counter-parts, reminding us
of the Sakta and Sakti doctrine of the Tantras. In the same
fashion, the horse-headed deity has his female counter-part with
the name &f\VaglsvarL The dhyaanu Sloka of this goddess des-
cribes her features. She carries a white conch-shell and a lotus
comparable to the jasmine flower and the moon (kunda and Indu}
of pure white colour. Further she carries a book in one of her
hands and exhibits the boon-bestowing gesture (Varada) with
another hand. She is considered to be the power (Sakti) of the
Lord. Her essence is sound, i.e. Vedas (Vlbhoh sabdatmika
saknh).
e) The Pttncamtra texts as sources ofYantra, Mantra Mudm,
Salagrama etc. of Hayagriva
Basides images, mystical diagrams are also used in the
process of .worship. For such mystical diagrams, we find texts
like Vrddhapancaratra and others as the source,
The various panaar&tra texts provide us also with the
information regarding the mystical syllables (mantra) of Haya~
griva* In such a list we may include the Visnutilaka, the Padma
Samhita, the Kaptnjala Samhita and other texts. The hand-
gesture with the name of Hayagriva (Hayagriva-mudra) is also
described by the Pancaraira work 3 the San&tkumara, Samhita.
53
Hayugrtva salagramas are also described in different texts of
pancaratra. All these topics will be discussed in detail in the
chapter devoted to the objects and methods of Hayagriva
worship.
III. Hayagriva Reference in the Tantras
We can derive materials regarding mantra, yantra and
various forms of worship regarding Hayagriva from the Tlntric
texts such as the Laksmltantra the Saradatilakatantra, the Meru-
tantra and the Yogimtantra.
a) The Laksmltantra
First, we refer to the Laksmltantra^ 1 a Pancaratra text
with all tantric paraphernalia, giving prominence to the mother
goddess LaksmI with her various forms. In this text, several
images and the process of the mental sacrifices are described.
Various abstract ideas are mystified and conceived in terms of
spiritual symbolism as well as in human and semi-human divine
forms Dharma, JnSna, Vairagya and Aisvarya have human
forms with fair complexion, a lion's face and very energetic and
Adharma, AjnSna, Avairagya and Anaisvarya are also endowed
with human forms and are supposed to be red in colour.
In the same context the four well-known vedas are referred to
as possessing the combined form of horse and man. This refer-
ence evidently is to the deity Hayagriva^ the bestower of learning
and restorer of four vedas from the demons.
b) The Snradatilakatantra
The Saradatilakatantra 32 describes the horse-faced god, as
pure white in colour like the night of the Sarat season and like
a conch-shell decorated with ornaments and studded with pearls.
He is described as seated keeping his two hands on knees and
holding with the other two upper hands a disc and a conch-shell.
This description seems to be closer to the mediiative posture; of
the deity, suiting the purpose of the process of worship described
in the text: where we also come across some details regarding the
mantra, mudra, japa, homa., etc. of the horse-headed deity.
54
The Merutantra
The Merutantra 33 also provides us with the information
regarding mantra, purascarana, yantra etc- of Hayagnva. In it
he is described, as usual, as in image with a calm appearance,
camphor like white in colour, decorated with various ornaments,
carrying a rosary, a book and a lotus etc. in his hands. The
text deals with the different forms of mantras with varied num-
bers of letters in their compositions i.e* ek5ksari y astaksarl
anustap, gay at n.
d) The Yoginltantra
In the Yoginltantra 341 one finds many detailed descriptions
of the magical powers of Vimu Hayagnva. The ninth chapter
of the text is mainly devoted to the history and the workship of
the figure of Visnu Hayagriva which is even now worshipped by
the name of Hayagriva-M&dhava, in the temple on Manikuto
Hill, near the village of Hajo in Assam state. This text is com-
posed in the form of a dialogue between Siva and Parvati. The
method of worship of this deity seems to be similar to the left
wing tradition (vamacnra} of the Sakti-cult. It is said that in
the kamarupa (Assam) region one should not give up eating meat
and one should not maintain celebacy as a vow. It is also men-
tioned that contact with men is natural for women-folk. If one
quite eating the meat of a swan, a pigeon, a tortoise or a wild
boar, it would bring great misery to him. The worship of Haya-
grlva-Madhava at Hajo in Assam was significantly influenced by
the Vftmacara tantric tradition, typical to the Assam region
(Kzmarupd) as mentioned in the yogmitantra* For example, meat
of different animals along with vegetables and fruits were offered
to the deity. Such a textgal evidence it very important in pro-
viding information regarding Fwmacara Stikteya type of worship
of the deity prevalent once but now no longer in vogue* The
field study and analysis of the practices of the present day tem-
ple tell us that the practices are more recently influenced by
Vaimava movements, particularly of Sahkaradeva and others.
The Vaisnava element of the present-day worship of the deity
forbids all non-vegetarian offerings typical to the tantric tradi-
;ion.
55
e) The &3ktadarsana
A work called Saktadarsana, supposed to be written by an
author called Hayagrlva, associates the Sakti-cult with the con-
cept of Hayagrlva. This work is also known as the Hayagrlva-
brahmavidya. In the text the phrase Vrz HayagrlvaW appears often
as the final word, in the context of the discussion of different
philosophical schools, The author appears to be a legendary
person. He is traditionally believed to be the author of a system
of philosophy known as 'the &akta-darsana\ f the doctrines of
which are very similar to those propounded by the worshippers
of Sakti. The text is composed in the form of sutras. So, it
probably belongs f.o the sutra period which is generally under-
stood to be between 500 B.C. to 500 A.D. The Parasurama Kalpa-
sutra is often stated as an ancient authoritative work in the
Snkta philosophy. In it much stress is laid upon rituals. Noth-
ing definite can be stated regarding its author and time* Scholars
in general think that we cannot be sure that the Parasurama
Kalpa-Sutra is earlier than the time of the Sakta Darsana of
Hayagrlva presently under consideration. There is another work
consisting of about four hundred sutras, attributed to the sage
Agastya. These are definetly of a later time than of the apho^
risms of Hayagrlva, as there is a reference to the former in the
latter. The system of philosophy propounded in Hayagriva's
work is a form of Monism or Advaitism associated with tantric
practice, Here Hayagriva may be the proper name of a person
or it may be that some one wrote the text under the pseudo name
of Hayagrlva. As in the case of Visnu Hayagriva playing an
important role in praising the glory of Devi in the Devi BhSgavata,
the Brhmanda Purana and a few Tantric texts such as the yogini-
tantra and the Meru Tantra, the Sakta Darsana brings the Haya*
grlva cult closer to the
Chapter III: REFERENCES
1. According to the Vaikhanasagama texts there are five kinds of images of
the deity worshipped in the temple-complex : i) dhruvabera or mula-
bera, ii) kautukabera, iii) utsavabera, iv) snapanabera and v) balibera
2. The Paramatmikopanisad* Sri Vaikhanasabhagavacchastra grantha-
mala, Nalluru 1928, p. 64.
56
3. See Ch. I.
4. S,R. Bhatt, A Philosophy of Pancaratra, Introduction, Madras, 1968,
p. 38,
5. The Padmatantra I. 3. 16 ff.
6. The Paramaprakasa I* 2. 3. and The Padmatantra, Pada I, Adhyayall,
7. The Lakstrfftantra, III. 9; II. 27-35 and also IV. 25.
8. The six qualities of Lord Vasudeva are the following : wisdom (Jnana)>
strength (bala), wealth (aisvarya}* potency (virya)> power (Sakti] and
brilliance (tejas)*
9. The Laksmttantra, II, 27-35*
10. The Vihagendra samhita, II. 15.
11. The Laksmitantra II. 55,
12. The Padamatantra. 1.2.81 ff.
13. The^r^vSmf/re Sainhita, IV. v, 26, p. 20,
14. The Mahabharata (T.R. Krishnamacar's edition), ch.357; v. 64 (svetam
Candravisuddhabham aniruddhatanausthitam)
15. Ibid.
16. A paper published in the quarterly Journal of Mythic Society, Vol.
LVIII, No. 1-4, pp 5-9.
17. Cf. Vettam Mani s Puranic Encyclopedia, pp. 5-9.
18 TheBrhat Brahma Samhita, 3rd section. I. 1-207 and cf. Vettam Mani,
Puranic Encyclopedia p. 294.
19. The Sanatkumara Sathhit a, IndrarStram* ch. VII vv 57-67.
20. See the same chapter (ch. Ill d.l).
21. Bahurupadharo Visnuh tan nivasibhir ijyate
Hayaftrso hayayogl bhadra$ve pujyate harih I j Ch, IX. v. 122, /?. 103*
22. 'Adyam samastatantranQ m hayatiram Prakirtitam*.
(The Hayastrsa Pancaratra ! 2. 2-6.)
23. Sridharam pastime de&e
uttare hayatilrsakam /
Agneye bhargavam ramam
nairutyam rSmameva ca / / Ch. XVII. v. 37.
57
24. Prat icy am sndharo devo
hayaslrsastatottare <
Dvltale tu vise soy am
Kirtyate munisattama I ; Ch. XIV, v. 106.
25. Undeniane Sankara Bhatta (ed.;, The Visvamitra SamhitB, K.S, Vidya-
pitha. Tirupati, 1970.
26. VarSham narasimham ca
sndharam hayasirsakam /
PurvSdi kramayogena
kalpayet sadhakottamah // Ch. 10. vii. 76,
27. Purve sthanadhipam devam
daksine tu varahakam //
pas cime narastmham tu
nttare hayasirsakam / ;
28. JJayavaktrasamam kuryat
uttarasySm yatha vidhi I
Tatac&bhimukhasthapyas
catvaro diksitah kramat // Ch. IV, v. 24.
29. Vagisvan kriya kirtih
Laksmissrstlstathaiva ca j
Vidya kantisca saptaita
niataro daksinQnanah / /
sridharatn hayavaktram ca
asam vai dvarapalakan I Ch. XIV, vv.225-226 a.
30. The Padma Samhita, Kriyapada Ch, X. vv. 100-104.
31. The Laksm1tantra 9 Ch. 36, vv. 16-17.
32 The Saradatilakatantra, Ch. 15. vv. 69-80.
33. The Merutantra, ch. 28. vv. 10-52.
34 The Yogiriltantra, ch 9.
35. The Saktadarsana, The authorship is ascribed to Hayagriva. This
work is also called Hayagtfvabrahmavidya,
849- 5
CHAPTER IV
Iconography
L Icono graphical features of Hayagnva from the
textual sources
In course of the long art-history of India, Hayagriva as a
form of Fisnu appears in plastic representations not in abun-
dance. Before we examine the sculptural pieces of Hayagriva
since the pie-Gupta period, we deal with the iconographical des-
criptive details found in different texts such as Pursna, Agama,
T&ntra, Stlpasastra and other works;
(1) The Pur anas
a) The Visimdharmottarapurana
The Visnudharmottarapurana speaks of Hayagriva as a
part of samkarsana who is one of the vyuha forms of Vasu-
deva-Visnu. 1 The traits of knowledge (jnana) and strength
(bala) predominant in Samkarsanavyuha are also the natural
characteristics of Hayagriva. The Visnudharmottarapurana
recommends that Hayagriva should be represented with the face
of a horse and eight hands; in four of the hands he should carry
conch, discus, mace and lotus and the remaining four hands
should be placed upon the heads of the personified forms of the
four Vedas, a feature which reminds us of the legend of the
restoration of the Vedas from the demons by Hayagriva. His
feet should be placed on the out-stretched palms of the goddess
Earth.
b) The Agnipurana, The Matsyapurana and the Brahmanda-
pur ana.
Both the Agmpurana 2 and the Brahm&ndapurana 3 mention
this deity with four hands. The Agnipurana describes
the four hands of the deity holding discus, mace, conch and a
manuscript, with his left leg placed on the divine serpent
(sesanaga), while the right is on the tortoise (kurma). The
Matsyapurana also supports this view. Although the Brahmanda*
purana* accepts the description of the deity with four arms it
slightly differs from the description of the deity found in the
Agni Pur&na and the Matsya Purana, in particular, regarding the
arrangement of the objects in different hands. It mentions
conch, discus, rosary and a book as the objects to be placed in
the four hands.
c) The Garudapurana
The Garudapurana 5 describes Hayagriva as white-hued like
a conch-shell, jasmine flower or the moon, effulgent like
silver, four-armed holding a conch-shell, a discut , a club and a
lotus, decorated with a garland of forest flowers, of a beautiful
mouth and cheeks, and clad in a yellow garment.
(2) The Agamas
a) The Pamkara Samhita
The Pauskara Samhita^ (XXIV, 356) prescribes that the
Hayagriva figures should be made with a horse face, whereas
the rest of the parts of the body should exhibit human features. 7
Generally Hayagriva is shown with two or four arms and occa-
sionally with eight or twelve arms. Usually he carries different
objects in his hands peculiar -to Vimu* ^Depending on the
number of arms, the number and arrangement of the objects
vary. In addition to the standard items carried by Visnu,
manuscript or rosary are the special items to be added to the
list of objects to be held by this deity, because he is considered
to be the bestower of knowledge and the recoverer of the Vedas
from the demons,
b) The Sesa Samhita
In the Sesa Samhita* Hayagriva is described as the deity
with full of ornaments and holding five discs (pancacakradhara)*
This peculiar description of holding five discs is not found else-
where. 9 The white coloured horse-faced deity (asvanana), the
Lord of the Universe, according to the Sesa Samhiia (XXII,
22-23), is seated on a white lotus with the round face of the
fullmoon functioning as a background halo, making a gesture
(mudra) with one hand and holding a book (Pustaka), a conch
shall (samkha) and a disc (cakra) with the other three and
spreading the fragrance of pure knowledge (nirmalabharati-
parimala).
63
c) The Padma Samhita
The Padma Samhita (Kr. XXII, 2-7) describes Him as
the horse-faced one (asvavaktra) whose colour is white, and who
has four arms, one with the varada-gesture, the other ones hold-
ing a book of wisdom (vtjnanapustaka), a rosary (aksasutra) and
a conch shell (mmkha).
d) The Hayaslrsa Samhita
In the Hayaslrsa Samhiffi 11 (XXV, VV. 16-25), Hayagriva
himself says that his image should be made with four arms
arranging in them a conch-shell, a disc, a ciub and the Vedas
and seated on a blue-lotus together with his consort, with his
left leg on the serpent king Sesanaga and the right leg on the
back of a tortoise (kurmaprstha). 12
e) The Parasara Samhita
In the Parasara SamhitQ, 13 different verses give different
features of Hayagrlva with different arrangement of objects in
his hands :
1) 'I salute Bayagriva, holding a disc, a lotus (in his hands),
decorated with many ornaments, accompanied by his consorts
Srldevi and JShudevi. 914 Here Hayagrlva seems to have two hands.
2) e l salute Hayagriva, wearing a crown and holding a
conch-shell^ a disc, a club, a lotus and a book of wisdom. 15
Here five objects only are mentioned. This number seems to be
odd because usually the number of arms of a deity is in even
numbers.
3) e l worship the Lord Hayagrlva, holding a conch, a disc
a club, a lotus, a book of wisdom, a noose -(pasa) and a goad
(ankusa}* 16 Here too the number of objeets is odd.
4) *1 worship Hayanana, holding a disc, a conch, a club,
a lotus, a noose, a bow, a sword, and a book of wisdom.* 17
Here the arrangement of different objects in the eight hands
seems to be correct. Thus we have here an eight armed horse-
faced deity (asthabahu-Hayagrlva}.
64
5) *I worship every day the well-ornamented Hayagriva,
who is the Lord of Sn'devf, Bhudevi and Niladevi decorated with
a vanamalS-gaTlsmd, holding in his arms a conch, a disc, a club,
a lotus, a book of wisdom, a noose, a goad s fire, a shield stud-
ded with diamonds etc, (vajradikheta} and a spear (kunta). 1
Here we have the description of a ten-armed Hayagriva. We
can presume that the varada or abhaya mudra may be a feature
of the sixth or the eighth hand, although this fact is not explicitly
mentioned.
f) Colour of Hayagriva according to the P&ncaratra texts
The Isvara Samhita 19 describes Lord Vaglsvara, the beauti-
ful and calm (vara and saumya) horse- faced one (vajivaktra)
with a white complexion^ and four hands holding a conch-shell.,
a lotus, a white rosary (sitaksamala) and a book. 20
Generally the Samhitas and that Hayagriva" s complexion is
white. In course of the Lord's discourse addressed to Sri (the
Goddess Laksmi) on his various forms and colours in the
the Sriprasna Samhita 21 it is said that Hayagriva' s colour is
white (Varalaksdbhd] whereas Anantcfs is milk-white (ksiravarnd).
Garuda's is golden (kancana] and Rudra*s is red sonita 22
In the dhyanasloka of the Sesa Samhita. Hayagriva is des-
cribed as the deity shining with a white complexion (svetavarna)
comparable to the colours of the divine Ganges (mandakini)>
ambrosia (amrta} 9 lotus (abja) 9 jasmin (kunda], water-lilly
(kumuda], milk (fcstra) and moon (indu}* The deity is seated on
white lotus (svetaravinda) with a full-moon as a halo (purita
candramandala}* 23 It is interesting to note here that all these
objects are white in colour .
In the Padma S&inhiffi the colour of Hayagriva is compared
with that of pure Quartz which is a kind of white crystal (spha~
tika)* He wears a white upper cloth (dhauta vastronanya] and
radiates white lustre (sitaprabha} 2 *
In the Isvara S&mhita Hayagriva s white complexion is
compared to the colour of the snow-covered Himalaya mount-
ains (tuhinacala} 25 whereas the Vfsttutilaka compares his com-
65
plexioawith the colour of the quartz-mountain (sphaiikacal)a. 26
Very rarely we find the description of the colour of Hayagnva as
other than white. Only the Sanatkumara Sathhita mentions his
colour as red (raktanga}. 21
(3) The Silpasastra texts and other sources
a) The Silparatna
The Silparatna 2 * says that the seat of the deity should be
made of the golden hued pipal tree. The seated figure should
have a white complexion similar to that of the moon. The deity
is said to hold his right hand in a preaching gesture (vyakhyana-
mudra) expounding sastra to his disciples.
b) The Gaturvargaciniamani
The Caturvagaclntamani 29 supports the conception of the
Visnudharmottarapurana regarding the number of hands of the
deity 3 and it mentions the eight handed form of the deity.
II. Chronological sequence of the available Hayagnva
images in different regions
It is well-known that Visnu-Hayagriva is represented with
a horse-head and also with the symbols of Visnu. It is appropri-
ate to discuss here about other figures in Hindu Iconography
which are represented with a horse-head. The tenth incarnation
of Vlsnu Kalkin > yet to come, is sometimes portrayed with a
horse's head on human body with two arms or four. This may be
due to a false understanding of Kalkin' s association with a horse.
Kalkin is supposed to be portrayed as a handsom man, riding a
horse which has two large wings. In a few dasavatard represent-
ations of later origin, Kalkin is represented with a horse-head.
In these figures the usual features of Hayagriva carrying a manu-
script and a rosary are not found. Among the several hybrid
forms, half animal and half human, we find certain divi-
nities such as kinnera, kiinpurusas^ vidyadharas, gandharvas etc;
Among them one of the well-known horse-headed fiigures is thai
of Tumbura. It is always represented with two hands usually
one of the hands holding a musical instrument called vma.
66
a) The earliest available figure of Hayagrlva
The plastic representations of the incarnations of Vismi
in the pre-Gupta period is ennched by a figure of Hayagrlva,
apparently hailing from Mathiira (Fig. I). This sculpture is
placed in the Bharat Kala Bhavan, the museum of the Banaras
Hindu University at Varanasi. Till recently it has escaped
the attention of the scholars. For First time N.P. Joshi noticed
it. He made a study of it and published a paper entitled "Haya-
griva in Brahminical Iconography*'. 30 This piece is an arche-
tectural fragment showing an almost square compartment within
two miniature pillars. And in this shrine-like square compart-
rnent $ we find the figure of a four-handed god who sits cross-
legged and carries a club (gadl) and a disc (cakra) in the upper
hands, his normal light hand resting on his belly and the left
holding an elongated object ; the identity of which is uncertain
According to N.P. Joshi, three possibilities can be entertained
regarding the identification of this object, (1) it might be a water-
vase as seen in some of the contemporary figures of Visnu; (2)
it might be a conch-shell (satkkha), again very common with Visnu
and (3) it can be a representation of manuscript. To identify it as
a manuscript is appropriate in the case of a Hayagrlva figure. A
similar manuscript that can be seen in the hands of a Jaina
Sarasvatl figure from Mathura, attributed to the same period,
is also suggetted as a supporting evidence for this contention.
This is obviously a figure of Hayagriva-Visnu, as is clear from
its emblems. In the figure the head of a horse bears neither a
crown nor a halo. The figure is not well-ornamented and the
vanamala-garland is visible only in parts. Basing on the features
of the figure and the style of the sculpture, N.P. Joshi assigns
the figure to the early Kushana period between c. 1st to 2nd
century A.D. At present this figure is supposed to be the first
available of the eajliest figures of Hayagriva.
b) A unique figure of the Gupta-Hay a^riva.
A single example of Hayagriva figure, belonging to the
gupta-period presently in the possession of the archaeological
museum at Mathura, 31 is also brought to the attention of scho-
lars by N.P. Joshi. (Fig. 2) 32 This figure is an architectural
fragment showing 'trivfkrama* at one side and a mutilated Haya~
67
griva Sit the adjacent one. In the catalogue of the Mathura
Museum V.S. Agarwala 33 took notice of the Trivikrama side of
this piece but not that of Hayagrlva which has obviously escaped
his attention. Here the deity Hayagrlva is four-armed and car-
ries a mutilated club in the upper right hand. The lower right
arm is raised to the shoulder in the posture of abhayamudrs. The
upper left is now totally broken. N.P. Joshi suggests 34 that it
might have carried a disc. In the lower left hand we find a
conch-shell. Although the horse's head is partially mutilated,
it gives a good appearance of a Visnu-Hayagriva even with its
existing features typical to Visnu.
c) A Mathura-Hayagrlva of the later Gupta period.
The Hayagrlva tradition at Mathura continued in the later
Gupta period. As an example, we have a rotating image from
Mathura carved on four sides showing Vtsnu in a human form,
Varaha, Narasiniha and Hayagrlva on the respective sides. This
figure of Mathura period assigned to the c. 7th century A.D, is
iconographically a highly interesting figure (Fig. 3a 3 3b 5 3c and
3d). This tells us also that the horse-headed form ofVisnu
assumed a special importance together with other incarnations
viz., of Varaha and Narasimha. The identification of the figures
on the fourth side as Hayagrlva was not certain according to the
composers of the text of the catalogue of the Museum for Indian
Art, Berlin, 35 but the available figures of the Gupta and the
pre-Gupta period show that one can identify it definitely as
Hayagrlva.
d) Hayagrlva figures in Vikvarupa sculptures
It is of a special significance to note that Hayagrlva figures
get an appropriate place in the visvarupa sculptures of Deogarh, 36
Mandasor, Samalaji and Kanauj. K.M. Munshi, in his work
'Saga of Indian sculpture 3 . 37 published a visvarupa figure (fig. 4 (a)
and 4 (b) from Kanauj of about the 8th century A,D m which
one finds a small Hayagnva figure only with two hands. This
figure holds a beaded rosary in the right hand and an indistinct,
object in the left. This Visvarupa figure possesses the four
animal parts viz., the wild boar, the man-lion, the fish and the
tortoise, above his shoulder illustrating his four incarnations -
68
Varaha> Narasimha, Matsya and Kilrma* Another two-armed
Hayagrlva Is also found behind the crown of a three-faced
Visvartipa-Visnu image from Samalaji of c. 9th century A.D, 38
From Baijanath, in Kumaon, we have a magnificient,
Visvarupa-Visnu image which is very similar in style to that of
Kanauj. 39 This eight-armed Visvarupa figure is standing on the
hands of the Earth Goddess who is sitting between his feet. The
entwined snakes (Nsga) are put at either side of the pedastal in
salutation posture. The God exhibits a protection-bestowing
posture (abhayamudra) and also carries a sword, a mace and an
unidentifiable object in the right hands and a shield, a disc, a
bow and a conch-shell in the left hands. The personified figures
of weapons (ayudhapurusa] flank him. Just over his crown
(makuta) is Hayagrlva and the rest of the images hold lotuses in
their hands,
e) Hayagrlva of the Pala period from Bengal.
William Cohn in his ''Asiatische Plastik-Heydt Collection
Catalogue' 340 refers te a Pala image of Hayagrlva with only two
hands, He reports that the faces are to some extent mutilated.
This figure belongs to the collection of Luzac & Co., London.
He assigns rhis figure to the period of Pala Kings i.e., c 8th or
9th century A.D, This figure stands as an evidence to the extent
of Hayagriva-cu.lt in Bengal,
/) Horse-headed figure from Rajasthan
R.C. Agrawala reports and illustrates in his article,
namely "Three unique and unpublished sculptures of Hayagrlva
from Rajasthan" 61 three interesting Hayagrlva images detable
to the 9th and 10th century A.D. All these figures are with four
arms and in a standing pose having basket-like crowns (karatida**
makuta} on their heads. These are discovered at Atru in Raja-
sthan, now preserved in the Kotah Museum 42 in the same state.
These horse-faced figures vary in their features and in the
art angements of different objects in different hands. The weapons
held in different hands are quite different. For example, Varada,
a lotus like mace, a serpent and zkamandalu in no. 262; varada;
a lotus like mace, a manuscript and a kamandalu in no, 263.
69
Varada, lotus iike mace, a manuscript and Kamandalu in No. 264.
The boon bestowing posture (Varada) and a water jar (kamandalu)
are common to all the three figures, Curiously the first figure
holds a serpent in one of its hands. Only the Agmpurana stipu-
lates that the left leg of Hayagriva should be placed on the
divine serpent (sesanaga). None of the iconographical texts
mention Hayagriva 9 ,? association with a serpent. T.V. Maha-
lingam 43 suggests that it may be taken as an indication of the pos-
sible association of Hayagriva with Samkarsana-Vyuha who is
said to be connected with the serpent Lord Ananta.
R.C. Agrawala reports also in the above mentioned article
that he noticed during his tours in Bhilwara region of Mewar
three-faced male and female images at Bijolian (Bijolya), the
central face of which was that of horse, and the side ones those
of a boar and a lion respectively. These are quite unusual
sculptures of the chauhana period in Rajasthan- Regarding the
female counter-part of Vaikuntha-Vimu figares, we do not have
many examples. The consort of Vaikuntha does not seem to have
acquired sueh importance. Among the Pancaratra works only the
Jayakhya Samhlta (VL77) prescribes her worship. An image
found in Bijolian stands as a rare example of the consort of
Vaikuntha 4 * This female three-faced image is represented like
Vaikuntha with three faces, but the central face, instead of being
human, is that of a horse. This may indicate the representation
of Sakti or the female couter-part of the Hayagriva form of Vfsnu.
Kalpana Desai is of the opinion that the appearance of a horse-
head in such a figure is merely due to the influence of Hayagriva
worship in Rajasthan where this image is found; 45
g) Hayagriva sculptures of the HoyasQla period
Among the enchanting decorative pieces of Hoyasala sculp -
tures s we have a few Hayagriva figures. At the Laksmlnarashhha
temple in Nuggahalli, Mysore Siate, two beautiful sculptures 4 6
have been preserved representing Hayagriva-Vimu with the res-
pective four and eight arms. The first piece of sculptuee (Fig.
(5a and 5 b) shows Hayagriva with four arms, sitting cross-leg-
ged upon a lotus-throne. The objects which he holds in his hands
have been damaged. The one right hand shown crossed before
70
the breast 3 the gesture of wisdom (Jnanamudra ) s the thumb and
middle finger touching each other. The uplifted right hand shows
the rosary (aksamala). This figure represents a benign peaceful
and calm meditative posture of the deity,
The second one is a piece of sculpture where the profiile
of the eight-armed figure of militant Hayagrlva is represented
(Fig. 6). In it he wears a beautiful crown on a clearly recogni-
sable horse-head. The figure seems to represent the performing
of a dance of victory on the corpse of his enemy which lies
stretched out upon the ground. The deity is richly decorated
with ornaments as usual as in the case of sculptures of the Hoya-
sala style. In the four right hands he carries a club, an arrow, a
disc and a sword, In the four left hands he possesses a conch-
shell, a shield, a bow, a lotus. This Hoyasala piece of sculpture
is specially interesting because it possesses the signature of the
sculptor named Maliitamma of the 13th century. 47 Next to the
signature of the artist the pedestal of the statue shows an inscrip*
tion which declares that this figure is a representation of the god
Hayagrivv. There are some more examples of Hayagrlva figures
from Nuggahajli and Halebid (Figs. 7. 8,9).
h) Sculptures in the Hayagnva temple at Tiruvendipuram
A special temple dedicated to Hayagnva is located on hil-
lock in Tiruvendipuram where the great Vaimava reilgious leader
Vedanta Desika spent a considerable number of years in his life.
Vedanta Desika's devotion to Hayagnva is well-known. The
temple at Tiruvendipuram near Cuddalore in South Arcot Dist
rict of Tamil Nadu is supposed to be a great centre of Hayagnva
worship in South India. The main temple in this place is dedi-
cated to Devanatha and the shrine of Hayagnva is a separate one,
built on a small hill nearby. Among the sculptures of Hayagriva
one figure shows the horse-faced deity in a yjgic posture with
crossed legs and a Yogapatta binding the legs 40 (Fig. 10). We
also find other deities appearing in similar meditative posture
with yogapatia e.g. Yoga Narhsimha (Fig. 11 (a) and 11 (b)
Daksinamurti, Ayyappan etc., in yoga posture. The front pair of
arms are placed on the knees while the back left and right carry
a disc and a conch-shell with flames rsspectively. The conspi-
71
cuous ears are exhibited on the fore-head to give the impression
of complete horse-head. In this figure the usual yajnopavitais
missing. One of the threads in the necklace on the left chest is
extended beneath the hanging pendant and goes round the sto-
mach. This posture is that of a 'yogasana* with a 'yagapatta*.
In this posture, the legs are crossed at the ankles and in order
to assist the worshipper to keep his knees raised, a band (yoga-
patta) is tied aroud his legs, encircling his hips. A traditional
verse of praise (stotra] which describes the iconographical
details of yoga-Narasimha is also applicable to Yoga-Hayagriva,
The verse is as follows :
Yogapatta samSsinam janunyasta karadvayam /
Samkhacakro dharam devam Yoganandam upasmahe //
Another figure of Tiruvendipurarn shows Hayagriva with
LaksmI [12(a), 12(b) and 12(c)] 49 in the characteristic posture.
The deity occupies a seat which is a double padmQsana over a
Bhadrasana with its left leg bent at the knee, the right hanging
down, the upper two hands holding the conventional objects, a
disc and a coach-shell, the lower right in the preaching gesture
(vyakhyanamudra) , and the left holding LaksmI who is seated on
his left lap with a bud in her hand. Similar iconographical
features are found in the figures of Laksrainarlyana, Laksmi-
nrsimha, (Fig. 13) etc. We have an example of Lakshmi-Haya-
grlva figure from Kumbakonaih which has the holy thread
yajnopavlta^ a necklace, a band around the stoiroch (Udara-
bandha), a crown (kirttamakuta) etc. (Fig. 14).
i) Hayagriva figures at Khajuraho in Central India
In the treasure of sculptures at Khajuraho, we have a few
images of Hayagriva. The Laksmana temple at Khajuraho has
the four-armed standing horse-headed Vimu in a niche of the
pradaksanapatha. The deity is flanked by the personified figures
of weapons (ayudhapurusa). Out of the four arms only the
right two arms survived, the lower one in the boon-bestowing
posture (varadamudra) and the other holding a mace (gada).
Both the left hands are mutilated. Along with this foure-armed
image of Hayagriva belonging to the llth century at Khajuraho
we also have a two-armed Hayagriva image with a bull-vahana. 51
72
In one of his hands he holds a water vessel [kamandalii] and the
other is in either abhayamudra or varadainudra.
) Icons of Vaikuntha-Visnu with Asvamukha
Images of Vaikuntha-Visnu with side heads of a lion and a
boar together with the central human face are well-known to the
students of Indian iconography. The Vaikuntha figure is an
attempt at harmonizing some of his incarnations under the
principal form of Visnu. In the Kushana period we find the
earliest extant depiction of the Vaikuntha caturmurti aspect of
Visnu, an example of which exhibits now in the Mathura
Museum, 52 in which the side heads were still human in form. As
R.C. Agrawala 53 , and other scholars 54 pointed out, it was during
the Gupta period that the animal heads came to be associated
with such Vaikuntha icons. Details of the features of the
Vaikuntha figures are given in the Jayakhya Samhlta 55 and the
Vimudharmottara purana, 56 which are supposed to be the icono-
graphical texts belonging to the Gupta period. It seems that the
Narasimha and the Varaha forms of Visnu played an important
role in Visnu worship in that period.
Although the above mentioned iconographical texts do not
refer to a horse-head in the Vaikuntha figures, we come across a
few such figures with the horse-head. We have a unique image
of the Sakti of Vaikuntha from Bijolon of Rajasthan, 57 which
has side-heads of a lion and a boar, the central one being that
of a horse'. The museum at Khajuraho has preserved as interst*
ing Vaikuntha-Visnu with side heads of a lion and a boar. The
fourth head on the back is that of a horse instead of a demon,
which was a usual feature of some Vaikuntha figures. It is inter-
preted that different aspects of the Vaikuntha image represent
different vyuhas. If the central human face represents Vasudeva,
both the lion and boar heads symbolise the vyuhas of Samkarsana
and Pradyumna respectively. The horse-head behind this figure
is described as the fourth vyuha, Aniruddha. This interpreta-
tion is based on the statement of the Mahabharata which is as
follows : "Anfrudha appeared before Brahma with a horse's head
bearing a danda and a Kamandalu" 9 . 59 The horse-head which
appears on the back of the . Vaikuntha image in Khajuraho
73
Museum 60 shows the settled conception of the horse-headed
deity as a form of Visnu.
A host of Vaikuntha figures are exhibited In the Museum
at Srinagar (Kashmir), probably because the. Vafkuntha-cult was
quite popular in Kashmir during the early medeieval period*
Among them we find an unusual specimen, which is important
from the point of view of the Hayagriva-cult (Fig. 16). This
Vaikuntha figure 61 of immense iconographical interest as it
exhibits the face of a horse instead of that of a lion on the left
side. Both Narasimha and Hayagriva represent the Samkarqaita
aspect of the vyfiha theology, the essence of which is knowledge
and strength. It is suggested that this similarity between the
Narasimha and Hayagriva forms of Visnu might have led the
sculptor to replace the lion's head with that of a horse. How-
ever, -only a more stronger motivational spirit behind the pre-
sence of a horse-head in the Kashmirian Vaikuntha figure might
be the wide prevalence of the Hayagriva-cult in those regions.
k) The horse-headed Sakti in the Vaikuntha image
According to the Jayakhya Samhifa^ 62 the female counter-
part of Vaikuntha caturmuti is represented by four Goddesses
viz. Laksmi, Kirti, Jaya and Maya. The iconographical details
of the consorts of different aspects of Vaikunthamurti are not
described vividly in the text. But Laksmi occupies the eastern
side of mandate, Kirti the southern, Jaya the western and May3
the northern. Similarly Visnu occupies the eastern side, Nara-
simha the southern, Kapila the western and Varaha the northern
side of the Vaikuntha image. 63 Rare image of the standing con-
sort of Vaikunfha, which possesses a horse-face in the front,
having eight hands, was found in the Undesvara Mahadeva
temple of Bijolian in Rajasthan. 64 Generally Vaikuntha images
have a human face in the front. We may think that the popula*
rity which Hayagriva worship enjoyed in the Rajasthan might
have led the votaries of the Hayagriva~cuh to replace the human
face of Visnu with that of a horse. In discussing the Hayagriva
images in Rajasthan we have alredy referred to the images which
are preserved in the Kotah Museum* The image of Laksmi-
tha having a Hayagnva face in the front is described im
849-6
74
the Jayakhya Samhita. The Jayakhya Samhit&s reference regard-
ing the consort of Vaikuntha and her horse-face are a clear
evidence that the Hayagrlva cult was widely prevalent in Kashmir
where this text is supossed to have been composed. Besides the
Bijolian specimen., we have another sandstone image of the con-
sort of Vaikuntha, found from the Site Museum of the Sahasra-
linga lake, Patan, in northern Gujarat (Fig. 17). This is an
eight-armed standing goddess with a Rudra face in the centre,
the remaining two faces of a lion and a boar are seen on the
right and the left respectively. It is suggested 65 that the fourth
face representing the Hayagrlva aspect of the Saktt is to be
imagined, The huge body, heavy head, ornaments and other
features suggest that this image belonged to the Chalukhya
period in Gujarat 3 12th century A.D. 66
In addition to the Vaikuntha image at Bijolian and at the
Sahasralinga-lsike, patan in northern Gujarat, the images of the
consorts of Vaikuntha and the images of Vaikuntha are also
available from Kadawara (Sourashtra), Palanapura and Sandera
(North Gujarat),
1) Hayagriva-Madhava image at Hajo
We have already seen the Hayagrlva-Madhava temple at
Hajo in the light of references from the K&tikapurana and the
Yoginitantra, the dates of which are said to be c. 10th and 16th
centuries respectively. The wooden images of Krma t Balabhadra
and Subhadra of Puri and the story of their origin was recounted
in the BrahmapurQqa, which influenced the Yoginitantra, The
latter was written when the worship of Hayagriva-Miidhava was
taken up under the patronage of the Koc kings of Kamarupa -
Assam. The text of the Yoginitantra presents an interesting
account 67 of the origin of the Hayagnva-Mfidhava image, the
legend of which bears a similarity to the origin of the image tf
Jagannatha of Puri. It has been said that Indradyumna, the
king of Orissa, dreamt one night that a big tree would be float-
ing along the sea-shore and he would have to cut it into seven
pieces in the morning. Out of them two pieces were to be
brought to Kamarupa country, of which the image of Hayagriva
and Mathyakhya Madhava were to be made. An Assamese work
75
by Snrftmacandradasa, called 'Maniktita*, 6 * contains also the
same tale narrated in the Yoglnttantra.
Another peculiar feature of this image at Hajo is that it
is worshipped not only by the Hindus as Hayagriva-Madhava
but also by the Buddhists as Mahamunf (Lord Buddha). The
Buddhists from Sikkim, Bhutan, Tibet and the adjoining terri-
tories of China used to visit this temple on some special occa*
sions during the year. Some reports of the British officers and
the views of Uraesh Chandra Talukdar expressed in his book
"The plaee of Mahaparinibhina of Gautama Buddha", 69 sub-
scribe to the idea that the image was originally that of Lord
Buddha and was later mutilated and transformed into an image
of Hayagriva-bfadhava. According to Capt. E.T. Dalton, 70 < the
Brahmins call it *Mahamuni\ the great sage. It is in fact simply
a colossal image of Buddha in stone, and perhaps, of all the idols
now occupying the holiest places in temples, the only aboriginal
one. Its modern votaries with a view to conceal the mutilation
have given it a pair of silver goggle-eyes, and hooked, gilt or
silvered nose, and the form is concealed from view by pieces of
cloth and chaplets of flowers. But, remove these and there is no
doubt of the image having been intended for the ee ruler of all,
the propitious, the asylum of clemency, the all-wise, the lotus-
eyed, comprehensive Buddha". Attempts are also made to
show that the puranic Manikuta hill at Hajo is Kusabati, which
is the place of Mahaparinibbana of Gautama Buddha. Accord-
ing .to this line of thinking, the Hyagriva-Madhava figure (Fig. 18)
is in fact a Buddha image, broken and mutilated, was fitted
with an artificial horse-head said to be made of a compound of
eight substances of which resin is the main and was kept tied
with a piece of polished wood, that can be seen from a distance.
And with a white cloak over the body there is no means of veri-
fying this, because observers are not allowed to peep into it. It
is narrated by some people whenever the artificial part of the
image gets damaged it is secretly repaired by the priests at
fight.
The image of Hayagriva-MSdhava does not show striking
features of a horse. Whether we believe it or not it seemi to be
76
of a diffirsot origin. The temple of Hayagrlva at Hajo is a living
one and attracts still thousands of pilgrims. Although the deity
therein is being worshipped by the Buddhists of Sikkim, Bhutan
and other regions., it cannot definetly be stated that the Haya-
griva-Madhava temple was at anytime some sort of a Buddhist
shrine. The king Narayana of Cooch (koc), Bihar, is said to
have found the temple in an entirely deserted and dilapidated
condition and was in the midst of an almost unapproachable
thick forest. He got it repaired and endowed it with land,
priests, musicians and dancing girls in 1550 A.D, Later in
1583 A.D. Raghuddvaoftrayana, king of Kamarupa (1581-93)
patronised the reconstruction of the temple on a large scale.
The great Vaimava saints of Assam visited Hajo and paid their
obeisance to Hayagriva-Madhava, One of them is Madhavadeva.
When the place came under the Ahom kings, they also made
generous donations in honour of this deity. An interesting
phenomenon is that Hayagrlva-Madhava was a recipient of a
similar generous benevolence from the Muslims who held the
country for some time.
m) A small Hayagrlva shrine in the Srlrangam Temple
In the Srlrangam temple of RahganStha 13 the pavitra-
mandapa In the second (known as Kulasekhara) enclosure has a
shrine with a single cell for Hayagrlva. It contains a Hayagrlva
image as the main figure which is about 2' 3 6" in height, and has
four arms, the two upper ones holding a conch-shell and a disc,
while the lower ones are in abhaya and varada postures. This
image has to accompany the main image in the procession on
festive occasions.
n) Hayagrlva images at Kanci
In Kalcipuram we find a Hayagrlva image in the North
faccade of ardhamandapa in the Vaikunfhaperumftl temple
(Fig. 19). 74 This temple belongs to the period of Nandivarmanll
(Pallavamalln) of the 8th century A.D. 75 Here we have a stand-
ing Hayagrlva with four arms. The upper two arms carry ' a
conch and a disc, one of the lower two is in t ka$yavalambitaha$td >
and it is not clear what the other hand holds but it probably is
in dbhayamudra . The figures above are flying divine beings in
77
saluting posture. We are unable to identify the figures In the
lower portion in front of Hayagriva. A sitting figure with two
hands in front of Hayagriva may be identified with a high degree
of probability as the sage Agasthya before whom the Lord Haya-
griva appeared in Kancl, according to the Brahmandapurana.
In the VaradarQjaperumsl temple at KaEci also we come
across a figure of Hayagriva (Fig. 20.) with two hands on a pillar
before whom we find a figure in a salating-posture folding the
hands (namask&ramudra) with great devotion. The identification
of the saluting-figure is also problematic. Tentatively we may
identify this figure also as the sage Agastfaya, because of the
association of Agastya with Lord Hayagriva at KaSci as narrated
in the Brahmandapur&na
o) Hayagriva-Visnu in South-East Asia
P. Dupont refers to an image with a horse-head belonging
to the pre-Angkorian period (c. 6th century A.D 76 .) This has
been identified with kalkin. It is not known whether this identi-
fication is correct or not, because objects or weapons in the hand
are not to be found due to the image's mutilated condition. But
other references in South-East Asia prompt us to believe that
this is the earliest example of Hayagriva-Visnu in that region.
Next Veronica Ions 77 illustrates a horse-headed figure in
polished sand stone belonging to Kornpong Thorn ofthelOth
century (Figs. 2 (a) 2 (b). This is a very good example of the
horse-headed Vimu from Khmer. This figure possesses only (wo
hands but is badly mutilated. Because of this we do not know
which objects these hands carried. Currently this is in the
Musee-Guimet, Paris. Identifying it as an example of Kalkin
is not unusual among scholars as it was done by Varonica Ions
and oihers. On the basis of the Hayagriva figures with two hands
in the Indian context of art history, it is not inappropriate to
consider this figure as an example of Hayagrlva-Visnu, and not
as ai? illustration of Kalkin, the last one in the dasavatara
scheme,
78
We have at Linteau de Banteay Srei another example of
the horse-shaped Visnu which is shown on a harizontal beam,
fighting with demons, Madhu and Kaitabha and reviving Vedas.
The iascriptional sources of 10th and 1 1th centuries also
speak of the Hayagrlva incarnation. The inscription of "prasat
sankhah*" which dates from the reign of Suryavarman 1(1002-
1050 A.D.) mentions that a Brahmin. Vaglsvara Pandita, installed
the images of Linga, Uma } Murari> Trivikrama> Vajlmukha and
Trailokyasara (which indicates the Buddha). Here the word
Vajimukha may be identified as Hayagrlva. The king Jaya-
varman VII (1181-1220 A.D.) erected an image of Hayasiras at
Prah Khal of Ankor.
In the Combodian statutary we do not know any represent-
ation of Hayagrlva avatara. But in the temple of Bantay srei, as
we have already seen } the God with the head of the horse is re-
presented as fighting with Madhu and Kaitabha for the purpose
of reviving the Vedas.
p) A few rare Examples of Hayagrlva images
Hayagrlva images are not profusely represented in various
Museums. We find some examples of Hayagrlva metal images
[Fig. 22 (a), 22 (b) & 22 (c)] hailing from South India, Madhya
Pradesh (Central India) exhibited in the Museum of Art and
Archaeology > University of Missouri- Colombia, U.S.A. These
figures are illustrated and their features are discussed by Betty
D. Robins in her article "Hayagrlva - A minor Incarnation of
Vinu in "MUSE". 7 *
We have a nice example of a seated metal image of benign
Hayagrlva with a manuscript and abhayamudrl along with disc &
conchshell In his four hands in the collection of Museum of
Indian Art in Berlin, (West Germany) [Fig 23]. Almost with
similar features with slight stylistic variation we find a metal
figure of Hayagrlva in benign posture from Pondicherry state
(Private collection) [Fig, 24].
There is an example of a wooden popular image of Haya-
grlva illustrated by R,H, Van Gulik in his book on Hayagrlva 79
[Fig. 25],
79
g) Hayagrlva in Mahay ana Buddhism
In Mahayana Buddism, Hayagrlva is incorporated as a
special deity. Particularly he appears as a god in the
Mahayanic Pantheon without having any contrasting demonic
form of the horse-headed one as in the Hindu Mythology.
Thus the concept and cult of Hayagrlva got its acceptance
by the Buddhist religion in India and later it migrated to such
distant countries, influenced by Buddhism, as Tibet, China and
Japan. R.H. Van Gulik in his work called "The Mantrayana
aspect of Hayagrlva-cult in China and Japan (Leiden, 1935)
discussed in detail the migration Hayagrlva form and its repre-
sentation in the Buddhist Countries. The important feature of
the Buddhist Hayagrlva figures is that we do not find the repre-
sentation of it with the horse-head and human trunk as a Zoo-
marspic form. From the head of the figure of Hayagrlva in the
human form, either benign or ferocious^ one or many emerging
heads of ths horse are depicted. Sometimes Mahayana Buddhist
Hayagrlva figures appear embracing their female counterparts
(sakti). A few examples are illustrated here to have a glimpse
of the Buddhist Hayagrlva Figures [Fig. 26 (a), Fig.26(b), Fig.
26(c), Fig. 26(d), Fig.26(e), Fig, 26(f), Fig 26(g)] hailing from
Tibet, China, Japan etc. namely (1) Hayagrlva embracing his
female counterport, (2) Hayagrlva with the staff, (3) Hayagrlva
of Tjandi Djago, (4) Hayagrlva as represented in theTaizukai,
(5) Hayagrlva with staff and Lotus flower and (7) Hayagrlva on
the Water-buffalo.
Chapter IV : REFERENCES
I, The Visnudharmottarapurana. ed. (Miss) Priyabala Shah, Khanda III,
Vol. I, Baroda, 1958. p. 240 [Gaekwad Oriental series, No. 130]* The
verses are the following ;
murtimat prthivlpala has tap a da smitacchavih I
nilambaradharah karyo devo haya&irodharah //
viddhi sarnkarsanahgam vai devam hayatiirodharam /
kartavyo 'stbhujo devah tatkaresu catusvatha //
fathkhacakragadapadman sQkaran kSrayet budhah /
karah kSrya vedanam dehadharinSm //
80
devena murdhni vinyastah sarvabharanadharina \
asvagrlvena devena pura vedah samuddhrtah //
vedahrtadanavapungavabhyam
rasataladdevav arena tena /
samuddhrta yadavavamsa mukhya
turahgamiirdhna purusottamena /I
2. The Agnipurana, Vol. I, ch. 49, w. 26-27, Translated by Manmohan r
natha Dutt Sastry (Chowkhomba Sanskrit Series, Benaras 1967) (First
published in 1903).
3. The Brahman da pur ana, Venkatesa Press, Bombay, IV. 5,9. vv 35-40.
4. Ibid.
5. The Garudapurana, Translated by Manmoiiannath Dutt Sastry, Banaras
1968, (Chowkhamba Sanskrit Series. Vol. LX VIII}.
6. The pauskaraSamhita, Bangalore, 1934.
7. VajivSktrah smrta veda Sampurna naralaksanah j Ch. XXIV. 35 b
8. The Sesasamhita... ~~ ...
9. Sarvabharana bhusahgam
Sacchidanandavi graham / /
Panca cakradharam devam
hayagrivam nrkesaHm \
(XXIX* 18b - 19a)
I0 The Padma samhita, Bangalore, 1927. 2 vols (Telugu script) and also
an edition published by the Sadvidya press, Mysore, 1891 (Telugti
script).
11. The Hayasirsa Samhita, Adikanda, Varendra research society, Raja*
shahi, 2 Vols. 1952 and 1957.
3 2* Sesan&gadhrtam padam vSmam karyam mamanagha /
daksinam kurmaprsthasthnm padam kuryat sadalva me II
$amkha cakra gada veda panim va karayet mam /
ahavaktram caturbahum evameva vyavasthitam //
puskarSsana madhyastham devldvitlya samyutam /
evam mamarca kartavya... .
The Hayaslrs-a SarhhitaY 'Adi* XXII : 24-26 (Adyar mss) - quoted from
Danial SmitVs -Valsnavvi iconography.
13. The Parasara Sarahita.
14. Hayagrlvam aham vande cakra padmadhar am vibhttm /
Snbhiiml sahitam devam sarvabharana bhusttam //
The Parasara. XXVIL 6
15. Sainkha cakra gada padma jnanapustaka dhSrinam /
Hayagrlvam aham vande kintadivibhusitam //
The Parasara. XXVII, 10
16. Sarhkha cakra gada padma Jnanapustaka dharinam /
Paa"hku$a dharam devam hayagrlvam aham hhaje //
Parasara, XXVII, 14
17. Cakra Sahkha gada padma paa Sarangasi dharinam /
JnanSdi pustaka dharam hayanana harini bhaje / /
Parasara XXVII, 18.
18. Sahkha cakra gada padma jnanapustaka dhSrinam I
Paahkhu$&gniyajradikheta kunta dharam vibhum //
Srlbhuriiladhipam devam vartama'la virajitam !
Hayagrlvam bhaje nit yam sarvabharana. bhusitam //
Parasara XXVII, 22-23.
19* The Isvara ^m/rf/S^Sudarsana Pr^ss, Kaaci 1923 (in Devanagari) and
Sadvidya Press, Mysore 1890 (in Telugu script).
20. Tatya sthulataram ruparn stuii it tatpraptaye param / :
Tuhinacala sankasam saumyavaktram catufbfiujam H
Kamarthavudvahantam ca samkha padmacchalena ca /
Ssdhumarge sthitanaih tu samyacchantam dhiya ca tau // :
Sitaksamala garbham tu varapanim atah samacaret /
(The Jsvara SamhW, XXII, 247-249a.)
21. The Snprasna Samhita* Mangarilasa Press, Kumbhakooani, 1904 (in
grantha script)
22* Ananto kslravarnah syat garudah kancanaprabhah /
Rudrah tionttavarnah syad hayagnvo valarksabhah
23. Klim kavacam hnm astram Svetavarnam caturbhujam /
sadahgam sat svarair yasya purvoktam samsmararijapct /
vande puritacanSramandalagatam tivetaravindasanatn
mandakinyamrtabja kunda kumudaksirendhbhasamharimt
82
Mudrapustaka Samkhacakravidhna Srldhntmad bhujamhndalam,
NiryannirmalabhQrati pSraimalam ViSveSam a svananam /
(The esa Samhita, XXII- 22-23)
24. The Padmasarahita, Bangalore 1927. 2. Vols. (Telugu scr/pt) and Sad-
vidya press, Mysore. 1891 {Teluga script)
25. tuhinacalasankaSam saumyavaktram caturbhujam - Isvara Samhita XXII
247b
26 Hayagrivam ahamvande ttphatikScalasannibham - Visnutilaka
27. a&rjan mSnasam putram raktangam tu caturbhujam - The Sanatkumara
Samhita, India - III. 60a
28. The Silparatra, Ch- 23, v. 15 [Trivendrum Sanskrit Series No. 98; 1929]
The verse is the following : .
K^Trodanvadudara vicivalayairatyastasitikrte
hemasvath suradrume manimaye simhasane projjvale /
aslnam hayavaktramindu vapusara vyakhyana mudranvitam
sifyebhyah pratipfdayantamanisam sastrani vidyamvham //
29. Hemadri, The Caturvargacintamam, Bibliothooa Indica Series f 72,;
Vol* II, pt. I, p. 120.
The verses are as follows :
Miirtiman prthivi hastanyastapadah sitacchavih /
mlambaradharah karyo devo hayasirodharah
Vindyat samkarsanarhsena devo hayasirodharah /
Kartavyostabhujo devah tat karesu caturthatah //
saihkham cakram gadam padmam svakarankarayed budhaih /
catvaras ca karah karya vedanam dehadhSrinah //
devena murdhni vinyaastSh sarvabharanadharinah /
30. N,P. Joshi, Hayagrlvain Brahmin ical Iconography, in: The Journal
of the Indian Society of Oriental Art, Vol. V, pp. 36-42 (V.S. Agar-
wala commemoration Volume, pt. II* 1972-73J.
3U The Archaeological Museum, Mathura No. 36: 2664.
32. N.P. Joshi, 'Hayagriva in Brahminical Iconography ...p. 38.
33. V.S. AgrawaK * A catalogue of the images of Brahma, Visnu and Siva
in Mathura Art 1 in : The Journal of U.P, Historical Society. Vol.
XXIL 1949. p. 113,
83
34. N.P. Joshi. 'Hayagriva in Brahminical Iconography' p* 38.
35. Herbert Haertel, Volker Moeller and G Bhattacharya, "MUSEUM
FUR INDISCHE KUNST, BERLIN", Katalog, 1971. (Stastlichc
Musessum Preubischer Kulturbesisstz, Berlin),
36. Fig. No. 96 In the catalogue, 45 cm. hight, Kat. no. 1. 10* 110.
36. Thomas S. Max. Well, The Deogarh Visvarupa-a structural analysis, in:
aarp (Art and Archaeological Research papers) London Dec; 1975, (Ed*
by Dalu Jones and George Michel}'
37. K.M. Munshi, Saga of Indian Culture, Bombay, 1957. pi, 66*
38. U.P.Shah, Sculpture from Samalaji and Rode, in: Bulletin of Baroda
Museum, Vol. XIII, 1960, p. 66 ff fig. 48.
39. KP.Naut/yal, An interesting Visnu image from Baijanath. in : Bul-
letin of Deccan College Research Institute, Vol. XXII, p* 170 ff.
40. William Cohn, Asiatische Plastik Heydt collection catalogue, Berlin,
1932, p. 127; cf. Stella Kramrisch, pala and sena sculptures, Rupam
1929 and also French, the art of Pala empire of Bengal, London, 1928,
41. R.C. Agrawala, Three unique and unpublished sculptures of Hayagriva
from Rajasthan in: Jouranl of the Oriental Institute, Baroda, Vol. XI
No. 3, pp. 281-282.
42. Nos. 1950/nos. 262-264
43. T.V. Mahalingam, Hayagriva-the concept and the cult, in :
The Adyar Library Bulletin VoL XXIX, pts. 1-4, p. 197.
44. Benerjee, ADRIS, Interesting images from South East Rajasthan, in :
Lalitakala, 12, pp. 21-25 and see also V,S. Parekh, A rare sculpture of
the consort of Vaikuntha in : Journal of the Oriental Institute Baroda,
vol. XXV, March-June 1976, Nos. 3-4, pp. 390-392. .
45. Kalpana Desai, Iconography of Visnu. New Delhi, 1973. p* 47 and for
further details see also the same author's note on the image of consort
of Vaikuntha in : Lalitakala, No. 13. pp, 51-52.
46. Cf T A* Gopinatha Rao, Elements of Hindu Iconography, VoL I, pt. 2,
Madras 1914, pp. 240-261 (Appendixc* p. 58) and also Report of the
archaelogical Department for the year 1912-13, Mysore, pp. 2-3*
84
47. M. Seshadri, Ruvari Mallitarnma, in:. The half yearly journal -of
Mysore University Vol. XVII, 2, March 1958, pp. 31-33 :
Ruvari. Ma 11 itamma, the most eminent and outstanding sculptor of
many figures in the Hoyasala temples of Mysore region, appears to have
been first patronised by Amrtesvara Dandanayaka, who got the tem-
ple of Amrtesvara built an Arnrtapura in the Tarakere Taluk, Mysore
state in 1196 A.D. during the reign of Bhalla II, Not only on this tem-
ple, but also he worked on the Kesava temple at HarnahalH and another
temple of Kesava at Somanathapura, the Laksmlnarayana temples at
Javagal in the Hassan District and at Nuggahalli where we have the
image of Hayagnva with sculptor's signature. He produced many such
magnificient pieces of sculptures in well-ornamented decorative Hoya-
sala style.
48. Cf. T.V. Mahalingam, Hay agrlva-the concept and the cult Fig, I.
49. Ibid. Fig. II.
50. Cf. Kalpana Desai* Iconography of Visnu* New Delhi. 1973. pp. 143-
144. Fig. 103.
5L U. Agarawaia Khajuraho Sculptures and their significance* Delhi
3 964* p. 42.
52. Cf. Kalpana Desai, leonography of Visnu, Fig. 31. illustration of
Caturmurti, C 4th century AD*
53. R,C. Agrawala, unusual Icons of Vaikuntha Visnu with Asvamukha,
in : Journal of the Oriental Institute. Vol. XXV, Nos. 3-4; March &
June, Baroda 1976, pp. 887-9.
54. Kalpana Desai, Iconography of Visnu.. p, 39
55 The Jayakhya Samhita, Gaekwad Oriental Series, No. LIV, patala. 6.
V.77.
56, The Visnudharmottarapurana, Vol. I, III, 44, vv. 9-13.
57, See above Fn, 41 of this chapter.
58, See below fn. 60,
^
59* The Narayamya section of Moksadharma in the &antiparva of the
MahSbharata (cri, ed. III. 27. v. 86)
60, V.S. Pathak's article in the journnl of MPIP, II Bhopal (p. 14) suggests
it to be a balFs head but the mistake was duly corrected by K Deva
85
(Ibid, Fn. 4 on p. 14) and also see the same fn* 4 in p. 14 of the same
source : The photograph of this image is published by R.A. Awasthi in
the book Khajuraho ki Devapritimaye, Agra 1967, p. 68.
61. R.C Agrawaia, unusual icons of Vaikuntha-Visnu with Asvamukha
in : Journal of the Oriental Institute, Baroda, Vol. XXV, Nos. 3-4, pp.
387-389.
62. The JaySkhya Samhita* 1931 , VI. 77.
63. The JaySkhya bamhlta* XIII, 108-9.
64. Benerjee ADRIS, Interesting images from South-east Rajasthan, in :
Lalita Kala, 12, p. 21-25, ps, XV &XVL fig. 1, 2, 8; see also Kalpana
Desai's detailed note on this image was previously noticed by Bandar -
kar in the progress report of the Archaeological Survey of India, Western
circle at Poona for 31st March 1905, p, 53.
65. V.S. Parekh, A rare sculpture of the consort of Vaikuntha, in: Journal
of the Oriental Institute, M.S. University of Baroda, VoL XXV, nos.
3-4, March & June 1976, p. 391.
66. Ibid, p. 392.
67. JohnDowson, A Classical history of Hindu Mythology, Religion,
Geography and Literature pp. 189-90.
68. Pandita Hemachandia Goswami, in his typical selections from Assa-
mese" literature, VoL II, pt. 3. Calcutta University 1924 includes
a few verses from this work which is there named Hayagrtva-
Madhava in the heading and the Yogimtantra in the body of the text.
This date of composition is distinctly given as 1608 aka (1686 AD) and
the place of composition is mentioned as Gadagrama, the capital of old
Ahome kingdom.
69- Umesh Chandra Talukdar, The plaee of Mahaparinibbana of Gautama
Baddha, Calcutta, 1957.
70. Cap. E.T Dolton, Notes on Assam Temple ruins, in : Journal of Asiatic
Society, Bengal, 1855, p, 19.
71. Maheswar Neog, Hayagriva worship in Assam in : Journal of Kuppu-
swamy Research Institute, Madras Vol. 22. pp, 31-40.
72. Cap. E.T. Dolton p, 10.
73. V.N. Han, Rao, The J^rlrangam Temple, Art and Archaeology, Tirupati
1967. p. 24 (Sri Venkateswa University Historical series. 8)
86
74. K.V. Raman, Sri Varadarajaswamy Temple-Kane i, New Delhi 1975
p. 171 and K,V. Soundara Rajan, Indian Temple Styles, New Delhi
1972, p. 106.
75. K.V Soundara Rajan, Tho Art of South India, Tamilnadu and Kerala
Delhi 1978, pp. 7,80 and 98.
76. P, Pupont, La Statuaire Pre Angkorienne, Ascoma 1955 and see also
Kamaleswar Bhattacharya, Les Religious Brahmaniques Dans V Epi-
graphie et I/ Iconographies, Ecole Francaise D* Extreme Orient, Paris,.
1961 (Publications de L' Ecole Francaise d' Extreme - Orient Vol.
XLK},
77. Veronica Ions, Indische Mythologie, Erail Vollmer Verlag, Wiesboden
1967, p,25.
78. Betty D, Robins, Hayagnva-A minar Incarnation of Visnu in , MUSE,
Annual of the Museum of Art and Archaelogy, University of Missour,
Colombia, USA, Number Three 1979] pp. 42-28.
79. R.H.Gulik, The MantraySna aspect of Horse-cult in China & Japan,
EJ, Brill, Leiden, 1935.
CHAPTER V
Hayagrlva-cult and religious
schools of Hinduism
89
In tbis chapter we deal with the extent of the Hayagrlva-
cult and the influence it has exercised on the great religious
schools of Indian tradition. The well-known Acaryas of the
Vedantic tradition came into contact with the magical touch of
Hayagrlva-Visnu in one context or other. Some have inter-
preted a few vedic words in terras of Hayagrlva. Others have
direct touch with Hayagrlva as their personal deity acting as an
object of worship showing grace on them; In the case of Alvars,
the early Vaisnava saints of Tamil region, the praise of the horse-
headed form of Visnu among others is not unknown. In the
following pages We shall try to mention various references
regarding this farm of Visnu with their significance.
/. Advaitic Tradition - Sankaracarya
ankarlcarya interprets the word 'tirthakara 9 in terms to
mean Hayagrlva in his commentary on Sri VisnusahasranQma-
stotra 1 . Here the word 'tirthakara' is interpreted as the pro-
pounder and preceptor (praneta and pravakta) of the fourteen
vidyls 2 which belong to the vedic tradition and also the scrip-
tures which are non-vedic in their nature. Sankara mentions
here that the Lord Visnu, having killed the demons Madhu and
Kaitabha taught the knowledge of Vedaa and other allied
Vidyas to Brahmft (Virtnci) in the beginning of creation (sarga)
and preached also the non-vedic knowledge to the enemies of
gods for deceiving them. He says that this conception is in
accordance with the puranic tradition. The peculiarity of this
interpretation, although that it is according to the puranic tradi-
tion, is to show Hayagrlva as a source of scriptures within and
without the purview of the Vedic sanction. This interpretation
brings to our memory the Puranic references relating to Haya-
grlva as a reviver and propounder of the Vedic wisdom and also
particular to his teaching of it at the time of the beginning of the
creation. There is no mention of his exposition of the non-
Vedic scriptures. This factor reminds us of the references
regarding the incarnation of Visnu such as the Buddha, who was
supposed to be a teacher of the non-Vedic wisdom in order to
mislead the recipients of the teaching. The word vancana
(frairit) that is used in the commentary demonstrates this
point.
849 7
90
//, Vaisnava Tradition
Naturally, Valsttava preachers and saints have due regard
for the horse-headed deity as a form of Visnu :
a) NammalvQr
The earliest mystic Tamil Vaisnava saint of South India
namely Parankusa (Nammalvar), otherwise known as Sathakopa-
muni who is one of the twelve Aivar saints, mentions and prai-
ses the incarnation of Hayagrlva in his second sataka of Tiru-
vaymop. 3
b) Tfrumangafalv&r
In the Periyatirumop of Tirumangai Alvar, we have two
verses regarding the glory of Hayagrlva as follows :
"Look! (here is) the lord, who came in the form of the
horse-faced one, taught the meaning of the Vedas together with
all the aspects (kala), when these seven worlds were covered by
darkness (ignorance) and the sages together with the demons
were in a state of confusion." 4
"(O Lord!) Once taking the form of horse-faced one, you
taught the vedas to Brahma, seated on lotus, saying that the
" are important to the Vedas, please protect me.** 5
c) Kulatekhara Alvar
One of the greatest devotees of the royal origin Kulase-
khara Alvar, in his well-known work, the Mukundamala refers
to Hayagrlva, mentioning the Lord's victory over Madhu and
Kaitabha , 6
d) Y&munac&rya
Yamunlcarya, the grandson of the great Vaimava
saint Nathamuni and also the paramaguru of RumftnujacSrya,
mentions the incarnation of Hayagrtva in an indirect manner
relating the event of the theft of the Vedas and the regaining of
them by destroying the demons who have stolen them, 7
91
e) R&mnnujacarya
In a few biographical accounts of Ramanujacarya, We
find his association with the Lord Laksmi-Hayagriva. Accord-
ing to Andhrapurna's work, the "YatirZiavaibhava"*, Muvvaya-
rappadi's 'Guruparamparaprabhava* 9 and other texts, Ramanuja-
carya during his visit to Kashmir wanted to acquire the BodhQ-
yanavrtti) on which his commentary on the Brahmasutras is
based, fr@m the Saradapitha at Srinagar (Kashmir). But he was
not allowed to take it. In different Raraamija's biographies
there are discrepancies regarding this event, but it is a general
conception that RImanujacarya's disciple Kuresa could memo-
rize the whole Bodhayanavrtti with his intellectual power. An
important incident is that Ramanujacarya was blessed with
both the manuscript of Bodhnyanavrtti and also an image of
Laksmi-Hayagriva directly from the hands of the Goddess
Sarasvati.
In Guruparamparaprabhava, 10 it is said that Tirukkuru-
haippiran Pilian, the spiritual son (jnanaputrd) of Emberumanar
(Ramanuja) got the image of Lord Laksmf-Hayagriva, given by
Sarasvati to Ramanujacarya in Kashmir, as a gift. Thus the
role of the supernatural elements played in the biographies of
the great religious leaders is not a rare factor in the Indian
tradition
The story of Ramanujacarya getting the image of Haya-
grlva is also mentioned in a work called the * AmrtasvadinV
composed by Srimadabhinavaranganatha Brahmatantra Parakala-
swami 11 and Andhrapuma's 'RamSnuja-asthottara-satanama-
stotra\ n
f) Vedantadesika
Vedantadesika 13 is a well-known Vaisnava scholar and a
very famous devotee of Hayagriva. His Hayagrlva-stotra had a
wide range of appreciation. He got initiated into the mysticism
and esotericism of the garudamantra by his Guru Atreya Ramanuja
before his death about A.D. 1295. Since then Vedantadesika,
occupying Achlrya*s seat of Kancipuram started an active pn>
pagation of Sribhasya and Srivaimava spiritual doctrines. For
92
some reason he shifted his scene of activity from Kanclpuram to
Tiruvafaindrapuram (Tiruvendipuram). There he repeated the
garudamantra very intensively and completed his spiritual prac-
tice of it, which might have impelled him to take his seat of
activity at Tiruvahlndrapuram, supposedly a quieter place than
KIEclpuram, the populous capital city of the then Cholas. It
is said that VedantadeSika was initiated into the Hayagriva-
mantra by Garuda. According to the biographical accounts,
Vedantadesika at Tiruvahlndrapuram was charmed by the sur-
roundings of that place with the stream of Gadilam of Garudanadi,
on the banks of which stand even today the DevanUyaka temple
and also the neighbouring Hayagnva temple. It was there in
those serene surroundings that he meditated upon Garuda by
whom he was initiated into the Hayagnvamantra. According to
a tradition, he was engaged in a vast literary activity during his
stay at Tiruvahlndrapuram. He is said to have composed devo-
tional literature in Sanskrit and Tamil. Some of his well-known
Sanskrit poems such as the Devanayakapancasati, the ffayagrival
stotra, the Acyutasataka, the GopalavimsatL and the Garuda-
pancasati were composed there. Particularly the Hayagrivastotm
is a hymn on Lord Hayagnva containing thirty two stanzas
mostly composed in upajati metre. Probably it is the first
poetical work of Vedantadesika. Even today, ths seat, where
Vedantade^ika sat and composed the Hayagrivasiotra is shown
to the visitors by the Srivaisnavas at Tiruvehlndrapuram. The
Hayagriva-stotra is recited even now by the Srivaisnavas of
Tiruvahlndrapuram during the Brahmotsava celebrations of the
deities there. This hymn commanded a reverencial respect by
Snvaimavas as they considered it to be the poetical idealisation
of the esoteric secret wisdom of the Hayagnvamantra. This also
inspired a few scholars to comment on it. Mahacarya, the
famous critic and philosopher, seems to be very fond of this
hymo and highly appreciates it in his 'Vafbhavaprakasika.* It
has bsen commented upon by VeJanmru Srlnivasaclrya and
Srisaila Tirumalaiaambi Raghavacharya in Sanskrit. Its Tamil
interpretations by Kuruchi GopIIa Tatacarya and Garaya
Venkaticlrya are well known. According to Vedantadesika,
conception depicted in his hymn on Hayagrlva, the God of learn,
ing is the iadweller of his heart, the soul of his soul, and the
inner ruler immortal. He Visualises the God of learning as a
93
divine light who leads him on the path of virtue, truth and
happiness. Then he sees his deity in the form of a Gum, who
illumines the heart of the aspirant with the spark of wisdom.
There is an interesting story in the life of Vedanta Degika
which narrates an event of horse eating away the grain. Here
the horse stands for Hayagrlva. Once Vedanta Desika crossed
the river Kaverl and went to a brahmin-locality for getting food
by begging. Before he could return to perform his worship of
the Lord, the river was swollen with floods quite unexpectedly.
Therefore, he was forced to remain on the otherside itself. The
Lord Hayagrlva^ his favourite deity, entered in afield and was
eating the grains in the form of a usual horse. The owner of
that feild, not knowing whose horse it was, tied it to a pole-
Next morning when the floods receded, Vedanta Desika returned
back to his home and commenced the worship of his beloved
God. But he could not see the idol of Hayagrlva there and was
much worried about this. By his superhuman vision, he could
visualise everything that happened and repented for the offence
that he has committed with regard to the daily offering of food
to be made to the Lord. He could not offer the 'naivedya 9 to
the deity because he was dissuaded by the floods of fiver and he
was detained unforeseeingly on the otherside of the river. At
this juncture Vedanta Desika, sang the following verse :
Hayavadana bhagavato mayi yadi karuna syat
anargala sapadi /
Atra sametya sucam me nirakarisyatyasamsayam
ksipram // 14
(If the horse-faced Lord has abundance of mercy
for me, he is sure to come back here and remove
my grief quickly.)
Immediately after reciting this verse, the white gallopping horse
passed through the street and entered the house of Vedanta
DeSika and finally disappeared very near to his altar of Worship.
All people were astonished to see this miraculous event and
became deeply devoted to Vedaanta Desika.
94
g) The Parakala Mutt
Hayagriva is the presiding deity for the pontiffs of the
Parakala Mutt, 15 which belongs to the Vadagalai sect of Vaisna-
vism in South India. According to a legend the founder of the
Parakala Mutt had associations with Vedanta Desika at KaEci-
puram. We already know how an important role Vedanta-
desika's great devotion played in his life. Along with the image
of Lafcsminsrayana, the idol of Laksmlhayagrlva commands a
great respect and devotion and stands as a source of inspiration
for the pontiffs of the Mutt. At present the head quarters of
the Mutt is stationed at Mysore, where the beautiful image of
Laksmlhayagrlva gets daily worship and is also honoured with a
special kinds of worship during festive occasions. For along
time the pontiffs of the Mutt and also the deities therein enjoyed
royal patronage. The royal family of the Wodayars at Mysore
showed a great devotion to the deity Hayagriva.
There are various royal orders (sannads) with different
dates given by the Wodayars which give us information regard-
ing Hayagriva together with Laksminarftyana as the donee for
receiving various gifts. 16 In one of such sannads it is mentioned
that on the occassion of a solar eclipse a gift of land was made
for the services of the gods Hayagriva and LaksminarSyana. 17
Another 'sannad 9 of Kdshnaraja Wodayar III reports that the
Swami of the Mutt, Brahmatantra Ghantavatdra Parakalaswami as
the donee. The donar granted the payment to the Parakala
Mutt from the income of certain taluks for the expenses of the
services of the gods of the Mutt* 8 Another sannad of the same
ruler states that the king is supposed to have ordered a grant of
454 'Varahas* for the feeding of sixty two Brahmins on the
Tirupati hill every day in the presence of Lord ffayagriva. 19 Not
just from the rulers of the Wodayar family but also from other
Rajas the deities of Mutt got gifts. Once during the religious
tour of the svimi, the Raja Pallanayaka, Raja Damana Gopala
Nayaka and Bahari Balwant Asaf Jha, made a gift of Sirgur
Devapura village to the deities of the Mutt.20 xh e Ra j a of
Vanaparti and his spouse Rani Sankaramma and others made
offerings of the two golden jewels to the deity Hayagriva and
also a grant of the village of Rangapur. 21
95
Whenever the dignitaries come to visit the pontiffs of the
Parakala Mutt, it was customary to offer worship to the deities
of the Mutt. As an illustration the Raja of Karvetinagar once
escorted the swami of the Mutt and performed the worship of
Hayagriva, 22 Sometimes the Hayagriva-woiship used to take
place in the royal palace at Mysor on such occasskms the swami
of the Mutt, with all the royal peraphernalia and escort entered
the fort through the northern gateway, installed the deity Haya-
griva in the Ambsvitis (a hall in the palace) and worshipped
the deity. Occasionally the worship of Hayagnva is conducted
in the palace at noon-time* Dolotsava is also performed after
the evening worship (Zradhana). 2 * Not only special puja was
performed by the swami of the Parakala Mutt in the Royal
Palace but also on special requests the swami used to perform
the worship of Hayagnva in private houses. On the invitation
of Sri Tirumalai Srinivasachariar the Swami was led to Srinivasa
Gopalachariar's residence where he performed various religious
rites and the worship of Hayagriva. 24
During his travels for the propagation of Vaisnavadharam,
His Holiness of the Parakala Mutt takes with him the Hayagriva
image, For example when he proceeded to Brahmagiri and
thence to Talakaveri the swami descended from his palanquin
and deposited the Hayagriva image in a pavilion constructed for
the purpose there. Then, having bathed and performed his
ablutions, he performed abhiseka to Hayagnva with the sacred
waters of the river KaverL Afterwards he took the tirtha himself
and distributed it among the others. 25 Sometimes during the
long journeys the Swami used to meet other swamijis belonging
to other monesteries. In 1851 His Holiness of Parakala Mutt
met the Swami of UdipL In their get-together the worship of
Lord Hayagriva has aa appropriate and prominent place. 26
It is very interesting to note that at times the pontiffs of
the Parakala Mutt expressed their strong devotion to Lord
Hayagnva by adding certain titles to their names. For example
Srimadabhinava Ranganatha Brahmatahtra Parakala MahadeSika
had the title "Sri Laksmi-hayagriva divya padukaievaka (the
servant of the holy sandals of Lord Laksmi-Hayagrtva, 21
96
Particularly the great devotion to Lord Hayagdva by the
royal patrons at Mysore is exhibited by the various practices of
the Mutt on different occasions. On the occasion of the birth
day celebrations of the members of the Royal family as well as on
other festive occasions and also at the time of deaths in the
Royal family, the pontiffs of the Mutt played an important
religious part by sending tirtha, prassda and mantrsksata to the
Palace. Not only on these special occasions but also every day
the Royal family members sent material for worship to the Mutt
but also received daily the flowers offered the day before to
Hayagrlva (nirmalya)^ tirtha&&&prasada. The practice continued
until recent years, when it went out of vogue due to the change
in the status of the royal family of Mysore.
We have to mention here a very important event which
tells us the story how a great German scholar Rudolf Otto was
attracted towards the image of Lord Hayagrlva. During the visit
to India of Rudolf Otto of Marburg (Germany) and J.N. Heinrich
Frick, on 13th December 1927, 28 an interview with His Holiness
of Parakila Mutt was granted to acquaint themselves with the
tenets of Ramanuja's philosophy. Rudolf Otto was immencely
pleased with His Holiness* elucidation of the system and reques-
ted him to give the Swami's own portrait that might adorn the
walls of the University of Marburg. He also requested that an
image of Lord Hayagriva in silver be made to be sent to the
University of Marburg for its valuable collection. Then the
Swami of Parakala Mutt on 16th December 1929 sent to the
professor through Sri Subramahnya Ayyar, retired Registrar of
Mysore University, his portrait as well as a silver image of
Hayagriva and a few Sanskrit verses written in Devan&gari script
composed by way of blessings to "the universal religious confe-
rence" convened by Prof. Rudolf Otto. 29
It is appropriate here to reproduce the letter of Prof.
Rudolf Otto and J.N. Heinrich Frick after receiving the afore-
mentioned objects 30
Marburg, the 10th of December 1930
To
His Holiness, the Parakalasvamin,
Parakalamatha, Mysore,
97
Your Holiness f
In the name of the University of Marburg and of the
"Religionskundliche Sammlung" we render our sincerest thanks
to You for the generous and beautiful gifts of the fine silver
image of Hayagriva-Narnyana and of your own portrait, which
you have sent to our collection. They give us a deep impression
of the noble symbolism of Indian religion and of the personality
of one of its most important representatives and patriarchs.
They help us, to show to our students, how religion expresses
itself in India in refined symbols as well as in noble human
characters. It is our sincere wish, to introduce our students
into the rich spiritual life and culture of Indian as well as other
Asiatic religions. And we beg to recommend our collection to
Your further interest for this purpose.
With due reverence 5
The Directors of the Religious
Collection of Marburg :
( ) Seal of Religionskundiche Sammlung
Der Universitaet Marburg
(Sd.) D.Dr. RUDDLF OTTO
(Sd.) J.N. HEINRICH FRICK
Der Kurator
Der Universitaet Marburg :
(Sd.) GEHETiMER OBERREGIERUNGSRAT
( ) Seal of Der Kurator
Der Universitaet Marburg a/L.
///. The Dvaita Tradition
(a) Sri MadhvUcharya
_The founder of the Dvaitasampradaya, Madhvlcharya
alias Anandatlrtha refers to the deity Hayagriva in a few con-
texts. In his work Tantrasara 31 he describes the deity with four
hands, holding a conch, the rosary, a book and exhibiting the
nanamudra with the fourth hand. The commentary on the text
(verses 53, 54) 32 mentions the mantra of Hayagriva and also the
reward to be obtained by the repetition of mantra. We come
98
across references to the story of Hayagriva and his victory over
Madhu and Kaitabhat for reviving Vedas in Anandatirtha's
MahSbharatatatparyaniraaya, 33 It is an interesting point to note
that we do not find Hayagriva as one of the presiding deities in
any of the eight Mutts founded by Anandatlrtha and entrusted
to his different disciples who became their pontiffs. Although
Anandatirtha refers to Hayagriva in his works, the god did not
gain a special status in his life and work as he did in the case of
Vadiraja from whose time onwards he played an important role
in the Dvaita tradition.
(b) Vadiraja
Saint VIdirIja, the disciple of Vyasaraya, was a great
devotee of Hayagriva and composed a number of verses under
the nom-de-plume Hayavadana to honour his beloved deity.
The events of Vadiraja's life are narrated in his work of an
autobiographical nature, the Svapnabrnd&vanakhyana. 34 Various
instances in the life of Vadiraja show his intensive devotion to
Hayagriva and also the strength he got out of it.
Once an icon-making goldsmith wanted to make a good
idol of Ganesa in an alloy of five metals (pancaloha). He
prepared a mould and then poured molten metal into it. After-
wards he opened it but to his surprise he found in it not Gayefa
but an icon of a horse-faced deity with four hands. He was
perplexed by this and threw the image aside in his workshop to
melt it again for remaking a Ganesa figure. The wonder was
that the icon did not cool even after a few days. Loosing his
patience, without waiting any longer, he began to crush it on an
anvil with a heavy hammer. But the cast would neither lose it
shape nor cool down. The goldsmith was much disappointed
and gave up this effort. On the same day during the night, he
had a dream in which he was told how Lord*s grace was showered
on him by the icon of the horse-headed deity. He was coun-
selled not to try to destroy it any more but to give to an young
recluse, who would come for it the next day. That young
recluse who received the icon from the goldsmith was Vadiraja.
According to a legend, this idol of Hayavadana is still being
worshipped in the ri Sode Mutt, being given the honoured
99
place by the side of the presiding deity of the Mutt, Varaha. It
is said that this event regarding the svarnakara made the entire
goldsmith-community of South canara to become an ardent
followers of Vadiraja, 35
Another important incident in VadirajVs life was the
consumption of the 'naivedya* by the Lord in the form of a white
horse. Because a horse is fond of lentils Vadiraja would get a
special dish cooked with bengalgram-dal, dried grapes, copra,
cardamoms, ghee, jaggery, and bananas and offer it as 'naivedya*
to Lord Hayavadana daring the puja time every day. Vadiraja
held over his head in a vessel naivedya called 'Hayagriva maddi* ,
a preparation of beagalgram with other ingradeints putting it in
a vessel. The Lord would come out of the idol, unseen by others
as a beautiful white horse, put its hooves on Vadiraja's shoulders
from behind and eat the 'naivedya*. Vadiraja in the ecstasy of
this unique experience composed the Dasavatarastotra> celebrat-
ing the ten incarnations of Vimu in asvadhati (horse-trot) metre,
which with its rythmic alliteration gradually reaches its gallop-
ping climax at the time of Lord Hayavadana consumes the
naivedya. This was supposed to be the regular recitation of
Vadiraja at the time of offering the naivedya,
An interesting event relating to this direct consumption
of the 'nahedya* by the Lord is narrated. The temple priests
always wondered at the reduced quantity of the naivtdya* that
Vadiraja swami used to bring out the shrine. They thought that
the swamiji himself must have eaten some part of the food
meant for the Lord. They could not believe that the image of
the Lord accepted the naivedya from the devotee. One day they
decided to teach Vadiraja a lesson and mixed some poison in
the "Hayagriva maddi". As usual, the Swami closed the doors
of the shrine at the time of the offering of the food. After the
Lord had eaten he removed the bowl from his head and was
surprised to see empty vessel. He questioned his Lord why he
did not leave some 'prasada 3 for his devotees. The priests who
were awaiting outside to watch the developments could not
believe their eyes when the Swami opened the doors of the shrine
and stepped out muttering "No prasada for us today. He has
left absolutely nothing for us 53 . The priests entered the shrin e
100
and found that the bowl lias been licked clean and the image of
the Lord had turned blue* Only then they realised that their
swamiji had actually been feeding the lord with the 'naivedya*
everyday. They hurriedly approached him and fell at his feet
confessing their quiet.
Another story 36 is told about the playful (Ilia) activities
of the horse-headed deity as the beautiful white horse. When
Vadirlja was camping at Pandaripur it happened so that the
white horse would go out to the nearby fields and eat away some
of the tender bengalgram plants. One day the farmer found
that the white horse destroying his crop. He chased it and
followed it to determine the owner. He saw the horse entering
the abode where Vadiraja was staying. The farmer angrily com-
plained to the saint about the activities of the white horse which
he thought had belonged to him. VIdirIja understood the
situation and visualised that it was the sportive play of his Lord
Hayagriva, He told the farmer that he had no horse of any
colour whether black or white. The farmer searched VIdiraja's
premises but there was no horse at all to be found. He was
astonished at this because he had himself followed the horse to
the place. For him it is really mysterious. He doubted his own
senses and wondered whether he was experiencing an illusion or
a hallucination. He begged Vadirajaswami to clear the mystery.
VIdiraja told him that it was the luck of the farmer to see Lord
Hayavadana in the form of the beautiful white horse. If the
farmer needed proof of his good fortune of the darshan of the
Lord, Vadiraja said the farmer should see the next morning how
the plants have been eaten away by the horse. The next day the
farmer saw that all the bengalgram plants that the white horse
had eaten before bore gold lentils. Finally 3 the farmer apolo-
gized and donated the entire farm to the Mutt of Vadiraja.
Another event 37 in the life of Vadiraja also is concerned
with the Lord Hayagriva as a white horse. During the Vadiraja's
stay at the outskirts of Belur a white horse was regularly enter-
ing an adjoining farm to eat away the tender bengalgram plants.
The farmer wanted to seize the horse but did not succeed. It
would run towards where Vadirlja staying and disappeared. On
verification he found that there was no horse with Vadiraja. He
101
met the Swami and asked for an explanation about this. Vadi-
raja answered him by explaining the playful activities of the
Lord in the form of a white horse. The farmer insisted that he
should see the Lord once more, but Vadiraja advised him that
he had seen much more than any mortal eyes had seen. He said
that he insisted he could see the Lord again at the cost of his
eye-sight. By the insistence of the farmer Vadiraja asked him
to come the next morning during the puja time. When he came,
the Swami asked him to keep one eye open and keep the other
fully closed, with a packing of butter on to keep it cool. As
usual the beautiful horse came out of the idol and started eating
the "naivedyc? held on Vadiraja's head keeping its forelegs on
his shoulders. Such a spectacular scene was witnessed by the
farmer. The eye which had seen this enchanting divine sight
became completely blind. In this immense happiness the farmer
donated his farm to Vadiraja.
Once in Belur some Pathan robbers came to plunder all
the possessions of Vadiraja at night. Vadiraja's desciples and
followers ran away in great fear, leaving Vadiraja to protect
himself and also the image of his beloved God. Instead of
robbing him, the Pathans came to the Swami and surrendered
themselves to him saying how a number of fully armed men on
white horses were seen all around him in protection of the saint
and the Mutt 38
Once Vadiraja visited Mathura and Gujarat. At the
former place he composed a work called ' Madhvastaka* while
carrying a fasting penance for six months to propitiate Srlkrsna.
Regular pQrayana and also recitation of MadhvQstaka relieved
miraculously the long standing illness of a Yogi called Srikrisna-
yati, who defied all treatment before. He became an ardent
desciple of Vadiraja. Even during the trip in Gujarat Vadi-
raja's profound scholarship and piety impressed the people there
where he has many followers even today. During this journey
in Gujarat he could secure the famous Hayagrivasalagrama at
Dwaraka. 39
Vadiraja gave detailed instructions to his disciples regard-
ing the Brnd&vati) a constuction made with tulasi plant on the
102
burial of some Hindu monks to be constructed after his death.
He instructed a person called Narasappa Nayaka who used to
spend most of his time in Sode during his last days about the
design of the Brndavan for him. But Narasappa Nayaka died in
1598 A.D. and his successor Ramachandra Nayaka, who was also
a great devotee of Vadirlja, carried out all the instructions
about the Brndavan with great reverence. In the plan of the
Brndavan appropriate places werealloted to various incarnations
of Vimu starting with Kurma, Varaha etc. The place alloted to
VadirajVs beloved deity Hayagrlva was just in front of the Mula
BrndQvan where Vadiraja was supposed to be burried. Such was
the association of the Lord Hayagrlva with Vadiraja even after
his death. 40
Raghavendra Swami of Mantrdlaya
Sri Raghavendra f Mantralaya is also associated with the
deity Hayagriva. Sri Raghavendra 41 at the age of 70 years was
staying in a small village called MaEchala on the banks of the
river Tungabhadra. As suggested by his Guru the Diwan
Venkanna got a fine Brndavan made out of a stone lying near
Madhavara, five miles away from Malchala on which the Lord
Srirama is said to have taken rest for some minutes* One of the
popular legends says this sacred stone on which Rama rested for
a while would be worshipped for 700 years. This is the only reason
for selecting this particular stone for Brndavan by the Swamiji
rejecting the artistic and finely finished Brndavan got ready by
Venkanna for his beloved Guruji.
The news that Sri Raghavendra would enter the Brndavan
within a short period spread for and wide. Venkanna Pant had
n?ade excellent arrangements for the auspicious and sacred
ceremony of his guru's entrance into sam&dhi. Numerous devo-
tees and disciples assembled at the small, village to grace the
occasion and to have the last Darsan of the guruji. All formali-
ties were observed by the priests and the learned men of the
Samsthan Sri Raghavendra handed over the charge of the
Mutt to one of his deserving disciples calling him by the name
103
"Yogendrtf 9 . The Guruji entered Brndavan alive in August 1671;
(Sri Virodhikrt Sravana bahula Vidlya).
Appannacharya, the most affectionate disciple of Sri
Raghavendra and an erudite scholar and a poet, was not present
at Mamchala when his Guruji entered Brndavan. He was in the
village Bicchale on other duty and when the news of the Guru's
entrance into Brndavan reached him it was a shock to him which
he could not bear or believe. He was helpless.
Longing to have the Daran of his great and beloved
Guru, hurriedly he walked his way to the Mantralaya composing
stanzas extempore and proclaiming the greatness and kindness
of Sr! Raghavendra. The stanzas of prayer describe in detail
Sri Raghavendra, his actions, his superhuman powers and his
ability to fulfil the diverse desires of his disciples and devotees.
By the time Appannachlrya reached the Mutt he found
the Brndavan of the Guru closed and was disappointed in his
aspiration to have the last Darshan of the Guru. He could not
bear the separation. The prayer song also was nearing comple-
tion. He stood with his looks fixed at the Brndavan and slowly
tears flowed down his cheeks. The Guru who had known the
state of mind of his beloved disciple responded from the Brnda-
van and uttered the following words :
"SBksi Hayasyotrahi" * 2
It means that the God Hayavadana whom he was praying
at that time inside of his mind would be the witness for all that
has been said in the prayer song composed by Appannacharya.
With these words of blessings the prayer song was completed by
the Guru and it was of some solace to Appannacharya. Even
today the prayer song is recited by all the devotees of the Great
Guru every day.
Chapter V : REFERENCES
1. ThsVisnusahasranamasfotra* ed. by R, Rama SastrL, Oriental Research
Institute, Mysore 1961.
104
2. ibid. p. 456,
3. The Tiruvaymoli (2-8-5), Vol. I Madras, p. 24, v. 5,
4. The Periyatimmoli, Commentary by P.B. Annangaracharya, Kanchi-
puram 1971, VII. 8.2. p. 165.
5. ibid.V. 3.2. p. 15.
6. majjanmanah phalam idam madhukaitabhareh /
mat prarthanlya mad, anugraha esa eva I
kslrasagaratarahga^lkarasara tarakita carumurtaye I
bhoga bhogi &ayaritya$ayine mftdhavaya madhu vidivise namah //
7. In the beginning of the stottaratna, Yamunacarya writes :-
t as mat namo madhu ji dan ghri saroja tattva I
jnanQnuraga mahimati&ayUnta slmne \ I
8. The yatfndravaibhava* Nadigaddavaripalem (A.P)
yad bhasyam avrtya nidhaya murdhni
Snbhasyam etat varabhasyakrtam
iti ca tasmai pradade ca devi
bhasyam hayagrivam apt svaklyam
grhnan hayagrivam apt pranamya
kulagatam tarn Varadam ca nit yam
arSdhyam anyamatSni jitva
Sflvehkatadrim punar asasQda,
9. Muvvayirappadi's Guruparamparaprabhavam, ed. Komanduru Anantha-
charya, Sri Vanibhushanam Press, Triplicane, Madras 1913.
10. ibid. p. 97 and Cf., Nathamuni Ayyangar. Hayagrlva avatar a tattva-
praknSa* ViSisthadvaita SabhS, Bangalore 1968, pp. 77-78.
11. bhasyam yasyanUamya laksmanamuneh kautuhalad bharati /
sutranam idam Uttamam Vivaranam niscityamananugam //
VaglSasya nijapriyaya nikhilSn vedan pradstu^ubham /
murtim svena sadarcitam samadactadhyasmai saflyanmunih //
12. RndhmpuTnaiRamanuJasth0ttaraatanamastotra, ed. by P.B. Annaoga-
racharya, Kanchipuram 1942, p. 74, vv. IS to 20.
bhasSdattahayagrivah bhssyakaro mahaya&ah /
pavittfkrtabhubhagah kurmanatha prakaSakah // (v, 19)
13. Dvitiya Brahrnatantraswarni, Srtmad VedantadeSika divyacaritam,
translated by Vidvan Yamunacharya, Freedom Press* Madras 1970.
14. ibid, p. 39.
15. N, Des'ikacharya, The Origin and growth of the Parakala Mutt, The
Bangalore Press, Bangalore 1949.
16. ibid. p. 62 (the sannad dated 2-1-1817)
10)
17. ibid. p. 65 (dated on 21-1-1819)
18. ibid. pp. 67-68 (1830 A.D.)
19. ibid.
20. ibid. p. 66 (1819 A.D.)
21. ibid. p. 88 (dated on 11-4-1848)
22. ibid. p. 82 (dated on 2-12-1815)
23. ibid. p. 78 (dated on 17-7-1839)
24. ibid. p. 307 (dated on 1-6-1927)
25. ibid, p, 93 (dated on 1-12-1850)
26. ibid. p. 95 (dated on 9-1-1851)
27. ibid. pp. 205-207 (dated on 15-10-1925)
28. ibid. p. 314 (dated on 13-12-1927)
29. ibid. p. 328 (dated on 16-12-1929)
30. ibid. p. 315 (dated 10-12-1930)
31. Madhvacharya, Tantrasara, Belgum edition 1891, Ch. 4 v. 54:
Vande titrahgavadanam tiaSibimba samsthSm /
candravadntamamrtatmakaraih samantat II
andantaram bahirapi pratibhasamantam /
Sankaksapustaka subodhayutsbjabahum / /
32. ham haya&irase namah hSm hayagrlvaya namah /
ham hayalrsaya namah ham haya&lrse namah //
sarvae vidyapradestharnah prativadl jayapradah /
vimuktisSdhanah kant ibuddhl. sthairyapradah sad a //
33. Anandatfrtha, Mabsbharatatatparyanirnaya, Ch. I to X, translated by
B. Gururaja Rao. Bangalore 1941.
tvadajnaya brahmavarad avadhan cikrtdisa sambhavaya mukhodgat&n /
svayambhitvo vedagananaharsatttm tada* bhavasthvam hayalrsa Jfvarah//
(The Mahabharatatatparyanirnaya Ch. Ill, v. 62).
34. Vadiraja's Svapnabrndavariakhyana. Sode, Vadiraja Mutt, Karnataka
State,
35. C.R. Rao, &rl Vadiraja Tlrtha (A brief outline of his life, work ajid
message), Basavangudi, Bangalore 1978. Ch. II, p. I5ff,
36. ibid.
37. idid.
38. ibid, Ch. VII, p, 51ff.
849 8
106
39. ibid. Ch. Ill, p. 25ff.
40. ibid. Ch* X, p. 60ff.
41. J H.B. Acharya, The Lord of Mantralaya, Bangalore 1974, p. 49.
42. ibid. p. 53ff*
Chapter VI
Patterns of Worship
1. Introduction :
In the proceeding chapters, we have covered the origin
and development of the ffayagriva-cult in the Vedic ard the
Post-Vedtc literature and the plastic representation of the Haya*
griva-iraage in different regions of India belonging to different
periods. In the following lines, worship of the Hayagrtva-deity
will be discussed.
Worship generally may be of two kinds : amurta (without
form or image) and samurta {with form or image). In the early
Vedic period, the method of worship was mainly in the form of
offering oblations (havis) through the medium of fire to the gods
concerned. Later the image-worship was developed keeping
the amurta form of worship as a base. This tendency had been
much developed in the post- vedic mtra literature and crysta-
lizcd in the agama texts.
Worship of the deity may also be classified in two kinds -
external (bzhyapuja) and internal (antarangapuja).
The external form of worship (bahyapuja) needs an im-
age of the deity to which the worshipper offers various services.
The elements and their number in the external worship vary
from situation to situation. The number of services (upacara) in
the process of worship may be five (Pancopacgra), sixteen
(%odasopacara), twenty five (pancavimsatyopacara), thirty six
(S&ttrimsaditpacara) .
Sometimes one may categorize the worship of yantra 9
$&lagrama etc. as the external form of worship because they
Statid as external basis for worship. Particularly the yantra-
worship may also come under the internal form of worship
bdcause the meditative aspects of mantra formula is closely
codnected with yantra.
The internal worship may be of two kinds- (i) worship
With a symbol or a base (sadharapujfi) and (ii) worship without
a symbol or a base (nlradhdrapuja). In the s&dharapuja, the
110
worshipper may take Sricakra or any other yantra of a particu.
lar deity as abase by imagining that object as the deity itself.
In the niradhftrapuja that base is also absent. Only the holy
syllables are adopted where japa, dhy&na and other techniques
of internal worship with the mantra of the presiding deity
become prominent. Concentration, Contemplation and Medi-
tation play predominant role here. At this juncture, the aspi-
rant elevates his mind to a higher level of consciousness of
realization of the essence of the presiding deity transcending
from the stage of a repetition (japa) of a holy syllable (mantra)
which stands as a symbol for the deity.
In the process of worship whether it is of an image or of
an yawra there contains an element of bringing harmony bet-
ween the internal and external as well as the worshipper and Ue
worshipped. In the worship of an image, the worshipper ele-'
vales his consciousness by different forms of services (Upacara)
offered to the deity just as a glorious emperor is served with
all paraphernalia and insignia. One of the Vaisnava agama texts
puts it that deity is served as if he were the king (rajavad
upacarya). Though all the services whether they look like royal or
they look like services offered to an honoured guest, the intrin-
sic spirit is that the worshipper will have a direct personal con-
tact and dialogue with the worshipped, In the worship through a
magical diagram called yantra, the process of worship is much
closer to the internal progress of reaching higher levels of con-
sciousness which link and identify the worshipper more and more
with worshipped. The. yantra- figures are always connected
with mantra formulae. In the vast number of mantra* specific
seed syllables (bijamantro) are connected with the specific pre-
siding deities. Any seed syllable may be expanded with an
addition of further wonrw man trie syllables, prefixed or suffixed
The connection of the with the yamra makes the process of
worship more internal, although the yantra acts as an external
object of worship. Particularly the mantra, its repetition and
resulting stage of meditation are prone to be having an associa-
Si? ** iate i FDal mental ' Set ' Up ' otherwise known as
antahkarna* to make it fixed on one point without wavering
Sometimes the usual repetation of a mantra constitutes different
processes* of worship. If a particular worshipper wants to rea-
Ill
lize the deity, represented by the mantra, associated with that
deity, he has to put in further effort, which results in the pro-
cess called purascarana. Purascarana Is a process through which
f mantraslddhr is obtained according to the tenets of the mantra-
sasfra
Even in the image-worship, there is a method of manasi-
puja before the worship 3 offered to the image proper. In this
method, all the services could be made by means of mantra -
formulae on mental plane. The mantric power is used in the
case of the ceremony of installation of Vital powers (Prana-
pratistha) to infuse the image with life. This is a travel from the
conception of the god within to the god without. The god is pure
consciousness, full of life and energy. This pure consciousness
is aroused by the worshipper through the Pranapratistha of the
ioiage of god to make it fit for worship.
Different forms of worship relating to Hayagrlva are in
vogue. Images, Yantras and salagrSmas of Hayagrlva exist as
objects of worship. Varieties of mantras of the deity are also
found in various sources. Now we examine different aspects of the
Hayagriva-\vor$h\p one after another. At present we take up
the image worship of Hayagriva, together with the different steps
in serving the god. The following services offered to the Lord
Hayagrlva constitute the part ofHayagrivakalpa.
2. SERVICES TO THE HAYAGRI FA-IMAGE :
a) Preliminary acts
In the process of the worship of Hayagrlva, as a prelimi-
nary requisite to the repetition of Hayagrlva mantra or the
worship of Hayagrlva - image, there are different steps which
have to be followed in a particular sequence.
Firstly the aspirant of the worshipper starts his Anusihana-
kalpa with the sipping of water (acamana): The method of
achamana is accompanied by the utterance or recitation which
ends with the verb prinatu, In usual way the acamanavidhl
includes the following utterances Rgveddh Prinatu etc. (all
four vedas), Itihasaveda Pnnatu (here a mention is made regard?
112
ing Itihasavedaor Ancient Legendry History), Candrama Priqatu
etc. (Various Gods such as candra, Mahe&vara, Aditya, Soma
are mentioned), DisaH printlntu (directions and Gods in charge
of different directions like Vayu, Indra Visqu> Agni etc. are
mentioned).
Acamana 1 as a starting point of each religious activity has
its connection with the water-myth 8 in the sphere of religion.
Water is a purifying agent. Its function is not only to purify
the physical body outside of a being but also it purifies inner
mechanism. The sipping of water accompanied by various
utterances devoting Vedas, different Gods, various deities in-
charge of different directions has a special significance. Here
the aspirant takes water for purifying his inner Being.
After this act of inner purification, which has also a
hygenic aspect of its function inside, the worshipper proceeds to
the act of purification of his body in different forms,
Philosophically it is not mere physical body (Sthuladeha)
that takes here primary importance. We have also the subtle
body (suksmadeha), casual body ( ' K&ranadeha) , unmanifested
body (Avyakfta deha). So the following utterances with the
mystical syllabales (bijak$ara) the purification of all these forms
of body is aimed at. The mantras uttered for this purpose are
the following :
Om srlm hsaum atmane sthuladeham sodhayami svahn
Om srim hsainh Vidyatattvatmane mama suksmadeham
sodhyami sv&ha
Om trim hsaum mama K&raitadehani sodhayami svahQ
Om srim hsaum mama avyakrtadeham sodhayami svahci
Since early times the yogic practices played an important
role in the sphere of Indian spirituality. Particularly the breath
control (PrQii$yama) as a part of bahwangasmdhana of PataSja-
li's yogasutra (yama> niyama, asana. pranayama and PratyQhQra
contrast to antarangasadhana dhy&nadharana and sam&dhl] be-
came a constituent part of the anuqfh&nakalpa or the process of
113
worship of the deity or ritualistic action or daily duty
(mtyavidhi) like $ andhyavandana etc. Breath control (PmnMyZma)
with the elements of inhaling (puraka) keeping the breath inside
for a while (kumbhaka) and exhaling it (Recaka) is accompa-
nied by the utterance Om bhurbhuvassuvarom mama upattaduri-
taksayadvSra sri laksmfhayagriva prasndena janmatflraka sid
dhvartham sri hayagrivaikaksari brahmavidya mahamantrajapam
kartye tadahga gurudhyana purvaka dandakadi purvanga para*
yanam karisye,
The above act serves as a preliminary function to the
recitation of Purvanga dandaka, kavaca, mala-mamra> panjara
and stotra. The detailed discussions regarding the purvfinga
mduttaranga aspects of these recitations are dealt with in the
next chapter.
Anganyasa and Karanyftsa
In the HayagrlvanusthQnakalpa, as in the case of th*
worship of other deities, apportioning different parts to tht
different deities by touching different parts of the body (anga~
nyasa) and touching the fingcres each other (karanyasa) have
their due place. The anganyasas are connected with the various
mantras. For example, if Brahma is said to be the seer (f$i) 9
uttering "Brahmarsib" the worshipper has to touch his head.
The following are the details of this anganyasa : rsi Brahma*.. - .
head f Sir as); chandas-Gayatri - face (mukha) Derate -[Sri Lakynt-
Hayagriva- Heart (hrdaya); bijam-Om-srim hsaum- naval (nftbhi),
Sakti'soham-secrtt parts (Guhya], kilakam hsum Feet (P$Ja).
Lastly the purpose for which the repetition of Hayagriva mantra
japa to be undertaken is expressed in the following manner,
m lak&mi hayagriva prasada siddhyarthe janmataraka
siddhyarthe ca jape viniyogah
Here the grace of the deity and the fulfillment of the birth of the
aspirant are sought for.
After that we have karanyasa or the touching of fingers each
other in the following sequence. For touching of each finger the
mystical syllables Om srlm hsaum is prefixed. For example, in
114
tfcre ease of thumb (Ahgustha) the following utterance IT, made :
Om srim hsaum angusthabhyam namah. In the same fashion
connected with other fingers like tarjam (demonstrative linger)
madhyama (middle), Anamlka (ring finger) and kanisthika
(little finger) similar expressions are made. In the end 3
with the utterance Om srim hsaum karatala karaprsihabhyam
namah the process of karanyasa is concluded. This last act
of karanyasa, is the touching of both the palms and their back
side each another.
Hrdaysdinyasa
Then comes Hrdayadinvftsa or the touching with the hand
heart etc. with the same mystical syllables Om $r?m hsaum as
prefix as mentioned above> dijBTerent parts of the body are
touched with the hand Heart,, Head, Sikha,
Kavaca, Pfetratraya, Sahasrara,
Oin srim hsaum hrdayayanamafy
55 sirase $v&h&
J5 tfkhayai Vasa$
,, kavacaya hum
,, netratraygya vausat
,, astraya phat
: 5J bhurbhuvassuvaromiti sahasrfira hum phat
Digbandha and Digvomoka
To avoid different kinds of obstacles from different direc*
tions the method of digbandha is adopted, After completion of
the necessary acts and recitations, in the end, Dinvimoka is
performed with proper utterances.
In this religious activity the worshipper uses a particular
mystical syllable in the beginning and try to block every direction
from attack and distraction. For example: lam Indradisam
cakreqa badhnsml natnah cakraya svaha. In the same fashion
other directions are also blocked with the disc (cakra) to over-
come difficulties and obstacles from all sides.
1-15
Dhyana . .,.-.
Then comes dhyana, the recitation of the verses praising
the deity, jnanananda mayam devam etc.
laksmldhyftna
According to the Vaisnava tradition LaksnrU plays an important
role. So here Hayagrivadhyana is followed by Laksmidhyana.
manasapuja
Afterwards the worship is made on mental plane which is called
manasapuja. At this stage certain services to the deity (upacara]
with sandal paste (gandha) flowers (puspa) inscense (dhupa)
light (dipa) and offering of nector or ambrosia (amrtanaivedya)
and offering of sandle paste or inscense or other objects are
made on mental ! level.
PrQnapratistha
After inviting the presiding deity of worship with some
utterances, the deity is installed by the worshipper with vital
powers (Pranapransfha). Here lies the fundamental philosophy
of worshipping a god who is of full of dynamic life-activity. S.o
the aspirant never considers the image of his deity lifeless which
is a product of some material. Further the worshipper never
tries to see there an image that is made of stone, wood, gold,
silver and copper. But he sees in the image something sublime,
something ultimate, some thing absolute. If that feeling does
not exist in the worshipper, the very purpose of the method of
image-worship is defeated.
For the pranapratistha of the deity, the utterance is the
following: srl laksml sametya sri hayagriva svamine it amah prana
pratisthapana muhurtah sumuhurtostu sarvanyangani yathastham
tisthantu sarve pranah yathasthane risthantu mSm raksantu. After
installing the deity with vital power?, the dhyana slokas are
reciated again.
Avahana, asana etc.
After this dhyana the deity is invited, (avahana). Then
he is offered a throne studded with nine precious jewels (nova-
116
Then the seat fpi'ha) on which the deity is
installed 5s worshipped which is technically called pitharcana,
The pithsrcana includes different salutations which have specific
significance. For example, Om anantfisanaya namah, Om kurma-
sanaya namah etc. we come across the names of animals and
places etc. where the Lord Visnu appears. We can illustrate the
following examples in this case. Divine serpent sesa (Ananta)
seat of Tortoise (kurmasana) Milk ocean (ksirabdhi) white island
(ivetadvipa) the wish fulfilling tree (The Kalpavrksa), platform
which is in the centre of the wish-fulfilling trees (kalpavrksanftm
niadhye sphatika maqdapa) the seat of knowledge (jn&napitha)
the seat of renunciation (vair&gyapitha), the seat of ability
(mmarthyapitha) the seat of riches (aisvaryapiiha).
In the end it is stated : "Qm &rim h$aut$ srt lak$ml haya~
gnvaya namah* navaratnasimhdsanam samarpayami" . After instal-
ling the deity on this throne of nine jewels Hayagrlva is praised
with the dhyana,
Then the aspirant utters the following sentences: mama
hrdayakamalantarvartinatp dhyayami, amhayami, navaratnasimha-
sanam samarpayami. Avahitob/wva, sthapito bhava, sanithito bhava>
mama isthakamyarthasiddhido bhava. The first sentence of these
utterances gives us a clue how a deity of the aspirant's imaginary
mental world would be brought to meterial plane. Then it is
uttered : mama janmatarakasiddhyartham sambhavaddhnupa car-
caisca purusasukta srlsuktavtdhanena yavacchakti dhyannvahanadi
srilaksrnihayagriva sodaiopacsrapujam karisye."
Kalasa
As a part of Paja, a jar (kalas.i) is installed and worship.
ped. Kalasa is a small pot in which water with so many herbs
are kept and it is decorated with the leaves of mango and also
coconut on it. There is a pranaprathfha for kalasa with the
utterance of certain mmtras. The water inside the kalasa is
thus purified. The same water is used for sprinkling (samprok-
soya). The couch-shell (samkha) is filled in with this sacred
water for the above purpose.
117
Avfthana together with attendants
The deity is to be invited (SvShana) with all his parapher-
nalia that is to say together with the companions, with army,
with Laksmi, with Garuda, with seers. This \uvahana is the
following : systu bhagavan purusassag&Qai sasalnyaf $a$trisah&y&
sahadevat&bhir anumanyatam.
Rsibhl$c# anugamyamanas tamajam pundarikaksam bhaga~
vaniam Om purusam avahay^mf. Om $atyam&vshay8mi. Om acyu-
tarn antruddham avahayami. Om hayagrlvam fivfthaySmL Om
sarvavaradam avahay&mi. Om vidysdhirsjam avGhayami parama-
hamsain avahayami. Then the goddess Laksmi is invited.
At the outset, the deity was imagined and worshipped in
subtle form. Then every bit of worship was on mental plane.
At that level, one may say that it is an inward worship (anta~
ranga puja). If the aspirant gives a gross form to his deity aad
worships him in the form of an image he has to install there
something vital aad worship him later* This installation of
something vital which transmits the mental to the material is
important in the worship of an image (bimba)* &sanasamarpaqa
and avQhana are the next stages in the worship. AH these stages
of worship are intended for bringing the aspirant more closer
and nearer to the deity.
The following utterance
sanajagannMtha yftvat pSjavasanakam tavat tvam
pritibhavena bimbe a&min sannidhim kurtf* tells us that the
deity is requested to be present in the image until the
worship is completed. In the end one says: irilaksm*
hayagrlvaya namah. Sanntdhanamudr9m samarpayftmi*
Sankalpa
Then the sankalpa is made as a part of the worship. This
sankalpa is intended for performing the puja with 16 services
($odaopacara) evamgma visesana vUi^hHyam subhatithau. ........
......... mama upattadwitaksayadvam sri lakqmih&yagriva
siddhyarthaw ...
118
One interesting point we must discuss here how the image
or the mystical diagram is filled up with the vital powers.
The following are the specific utterances for that purpose :
Om hrim krom hsaum yam ram vam sam sam horn Om ksam
sam hamsah hrim Om hamsah hayagrlvo hamsah sri haya-
grtva bimbasya (yantrasya) pranah iha pranah sri laksmi
hayagriva bimbasya (yantrasya) sarvendrtyanlha sthitani. sri
laksmi hayagriva bimbasya (yantrasya) ca tvak caksu srotro
jihva ghrana prana iha agatya sukham dram tisfhantu svahs
Om sam sam hamsah hrim Om ham sah hsaum krom him am
With these utterances, we understand, how an image
or an yantra is filled up with vital powers and the sense
organs etc., in an anthropomorphic way.
When an image is made thus fit for worship and is placed
on a seat, a kind of welcome is addressed to the deity, encounter-
ing him. This is technically called - svagatam sammukhikara-
nam. The welcome address to the deity is the following. vUvadi-
kanam bhuvanadikartre dhStre tapoyajnassuvedamurte, susvsgatem
yatra tu tatra yasmSt tat te padam siiribhih svagatam te. sri laksmi
nayagrtva devaya namah. svagatam samarpayami.
The worshipper requests the deity to allow him to perform
worshtp (arcana). Here we specifically understand how he would
have a dialouge as if he is conversing with a living being in
Mm" for the'wors ^ W rShl " Pper asks the ^shipped to permit
'msnaf* 8 '' ma " bhimant manavassudharmn yanmTtarl^pitarl
manasesu amoghamogham prativeda vedasvakam jananam anuma-
\ tam idam sri laksmi hayagrivadeva arcananham prasida.
' The essence of this utterence "Oh God I Sri Laksmi Haya-
griva ! Bestow grace on me for worshipping properly"
(b) Sodasopacsrapuja of Hayagriva
"119
Arghya : For washing the hands (arghya), water is offered
to the deity : tisthaturdhva ...... anasane abhf - Om sQrasvatovaxsa
...... 3ri laksmi hyaygriva devaya namah hastayoh arghyam samarpa*-
yami.
Acamana: The water is offered to the deity for sipping
through the mouth (acarnana) with following utterance tasrnflt
virada....* mat ho pur ah. Om sarasvato v& ...... candram prabhashm.
sri laksmi hayagnva devaya namah mukhe acamanlyam samarpa-
Snana: (i) Pancamrtasn&na : The deity is bathed in a
mixture of five kinds of nectors which practice is technically
called **pancamrtasnana". PancQmrta is made of milk, qurds
(yugort), ghee honey and sugar. For each ingredient of mixture
there is one specific mantra.
(ii) UqtiodakasnQna : Appropriately the next sequence in the
method of worship to clean up the body of the deity is to bath
him with hot water (Umodakasnsna), ' "
fin) Suddhodakasnana ; Next the deity is bathed with pure
water (suddhodaka).
Vastra kirltadt samarpana: When the deity is perfectly
cleaned with baths mthpafieSmrta, hot-water and pure water he
is decorated with the crown (kfrita), the necklace (ham), orna-
ments on shoulders (keyura), conch-shell (amkha)\ discus
(cakra), gesture of knowledge (cinmudffi) book (pustaka] clothes
(vastra) and ornaments (abharana).
Yajnop&vita: Again here padya > acamana are offered
before the next stage of worship in which the worshipper .offers
sacred thread (yajnopavlta) to the deity. It is customary to prac-
tise the methods of cleaning hands (Pndya), cleaning one's f$ct
(arghya), and sipping the water (acamana) before wearing the
yajnopavita. So these two acts come in between again.
the deity.
Gandha Next is the offering of sandal paste (gmdha) to
ifv . :' . . ..,....,
120
Aksata: Afterwards the deity is worshipped with
Ak*ata$ are the rice made yellow by mixing them with turmeric
powder (haridracurna).
Puspa : Afterwards the flowers (puspa) are offered.
Then various names addressed to the deity in the form of
A*tottarasatan%ma (108) or $ahasran&ma (1000) are used for the
worship with the flowers or Aksatas. This kind of worship is
common to all deities, worshipped indifferent sects, Particu-
larly mention has to be made that even in Buddhism Buddha-
sahasranama exists according the sphere of MahaySna Buddhism.
The specific feature of Hayagnva-names is that each name should
be prefixed by the Hayagrlva mystical syllable with the sacred
syllable referring to Laksmi and the general holy syllable
Om. So a name that is addressed to Hayagnva with salutation
would be like this : Om rlm hasum sarva~v%g*$8yanamah. In the
end of this Atfottara or Sahasran#mapUj&, it is said in the
following way : sri laksmt hayagrivftya namah nttnavidha parlmala
puspaik
Dhupa: The next offering to the deity is inscence (dhUpa)
where the smoke-producing fragrant materials are used.
Dipa : Next comes the offering of the light (dipa).
Then again the P$dya. In this context one can understand
this offering of water to wash the hands (Pfidya) and then to
wash the feet (arghya) as a preliminary to the offering of food to
the deity (n&fvedya).
Naivedya: The naivedya is offered to the deity*
It is customary to recite pr&qshtai mantras when the food
is taken. The ritualstic practice 'praqahut? before taking food
it also applied to the deity through the utterance by the worship-
per with the mantra :
candrama vayuraj&yata . . * ......
Om sHrasvafo vs
ardr&m.. ....... ^ri lakqm* hayagriv&yanamah
amftanaivedyam $amarpayami*..Oin prftqaya
121
Paniya; The next interesting sequence of worship with an
anthropomorphic element is to offer drinking water (Panlya) in
course of eating of the food by the deity.
After finishing the food the religious act is 'uttarQposancf*
This is also done by the worshipper in the case deity. The
cleaning of hands and legs after taking food by the deity is also
performed. After completion of this Ucamana is offered.
Tambtfla ; The betel leaves and nuts (tambiila) are offered
to the deity,
Nir&jana: Next offering is Nlrajana, an offering of light;
Again acamana before offering mantrapuspa with the
mantra :
Om dhata purasthat ayanaya vidyate /
Om s&rasvato v&
sahasra&rsam devam / hirlnyavarMm \
anandah kardamah /
saiva ciplita iti vterutah / putrn svayam
sridevi devata srl laksmi hayagriva namah
suvarna divya mantrapuspam samarpayami
Chatra and CBmara: The umbrella (chatra) to give shade
to the deity is offered.
warn mam bhajasva padrnaksi yena 'saukhyam labhnmyaham
srl laksmi hayagriv&ya namah chatram samarpayami
Hence we have clear evidence here how the deity is honoured
and to be served as an emperor by the worshipper. The umbrella
(chatra) is one of the royal insignia,
C&mara. The deity is also fanned with the fly-wisk
(clmara).
Adarsa; The next act by the worshipper is to show the
mirror (adara) to the deity.
849
122
devasya nn ......... hastabhuyQm
Om sarasvato va .........
Padmaprlye padmini padmahaste padmalaye
padmadalQyatQksi / visvapriye visvamanonitkule
tvatpnda padmam mayi sannidhasva // srllaksml hayagriva
devaya namah adarsam daray8mi
After these services for the entertainment of the deity Vedas art
recited and dance is shown to him: rgvedadi veda purftnadin
travayet nrttam darayet*
Prapatti: Then the worshipper stands before the Lord
and surrenders himself to Him (prapatti). Prapatti, a kind of
complete surrendering to the God with an element of devotional
emotion.
Saranagati : The devotee also requests the deity to protect
him from the series of births resulting from his own karma. He
feels that karma would be destroyed by taking refuge at the lotus
feet of God. He also thinks that he is the servant of the Lord
of the Universe and prays him that he should never be born
again and be relieved from the ocean of samsara* In the con-
cluding lines we find the spirit of saraq&gati where the devotee
offers everything that belongs to him, all burdens relating to his
wife, children., health etc. and asks to protect him.
Kmm&pma: The devotee has done worship and offered
all kinds of services to him. He might have committed certain
errors in the process of worship. For those errors he begs pardon
(ksamapana) from the God.
Sasthnnga-namaskZra ; After ksamZpaqa, the worshipper
prostrates before the deity while touching all his eight limbs
which should come into contact with the earth, (sastanganamas*
kara)
uras& Mrasa dr&$y& manasa vacasft tath& /
Padbhyam karabhyam karnabhyam pranttmo tfanga ucyate\\
Dharadana or smtvikatyZga : At the end, the worshipper
does not keep for himself all the merit which is ao outcome of
123
the worship of the deity. Because he believes that there is
nothing beyond god even including himself, he gives away all
the merit to the worshipped. This is called dharadatta. It is
done with the utterances. This is otherwise known as sattvika-
tyaga, according to the Valsnava tradition. It is done with the
utterances : anaya dhyfinavahanadt sodaa pujayd bhagav&n $rt
taksml hayagnva deva rupi suprlto suprasanno varado bhavatu
etatsarvam sri laksml hayagrivarpanatn astu.
3. SXLAGRAMA
A salagrama 3 is a flintified ammonite shell which is river-
born and thus rounded and well-polished. The tributory river
of Ganges named Gandaki is well known as the source of Sala
gramas. A SQlagrama has a hole through which are visible
interior spiral grooves similar to the discus (cakra) of Vlsnu. It
is believed that Salagramas are 3 in fact, the naturally produced
representations of the cakra of Visnu. As a consequence, these
shells are respected and worshipped as representatives of Visnu,
There are treatises on the subject of the examination and
evaluation of Salagrama. The number as well as the disposition
of the spirals visible through the holes is made as a basis of
determining which of the many incarnations of Vistiu, represen-
ted in a given specimen of Sslagrama. An auspicious salagrsma
has the following features. It is one which has a cakm> which
resembles a n%ga, reposing on a spiral; the spirals of the cakra
in the Sftlagrsma should have in them delicate traceries running
across them. The SftlagrSmas of the size of a myrobalan
(amalaka) or similar fruits are said to be efficacious. They may
be of the following colours : brownish black, green, red, blue,
dark brown, jet black, yellow or multi-coloured. We have
varieties of Salagramas representing different forms of Vimu
such as Narasfmha, V&mana, Vasudeva, Samkarsana, Damodara*
Antruddha, Narayana, Sndhara etc., in which Bayagriva-Sala-
grama also has a due place. Different Salagramas of different
colours and features have different effects on the worship-
pers. Fine spiraled ones grant all desires to the worshipper.
The black ones give fame. The white ones destroy sin and
yellow ones confer sons. Salagramas of blue and other colours
124
grant peace and wealth whereas red ones bestow enjoyment. Even
pieces of the auspicious Salagrfimas may be worshipped. The
worship of the following specimens, which bring misery to the
worshipper must be avoided: badly mutilated and rough-sur-
faced ones; those having a large number of holes or pits or
scarred ones, those having too many spirals or having only one
loop in the spirals, big-mouthed or large-spiralled ones, down
looking and burnt ones, very red ones, ill-looking ones and those
with a number of cakras.
Puranic stories are narrated to glorify the Salagmma
stones. The origin of the word Salagr&ma and a piligrim centre
named Sftlagrama is depicted in the Varahapurana, but it has no
direct bearing an the Salagrlmas and their source-river GandakL
Especially in another instance, the legend directly connected
with the Gaitdaki river is found. Gandakt did penance for a long
period to please Visnu. Finally Lord Vfsmi became satisfied with
her austerities and appeared before her. He asked her to choose
a boon. Gandakl desired that Visnu should be born from her
womb. Lord Visnu being highly pleased with Gandakl said that
he would enter into her womb in the form of a Sstagr&ma stone
which showers grace on devotees.
As a part of temple-worship as well as household worship,
we come across Salagr&mas very often in the Vafsqava tradition.
They are worshipped not only by the Valsnavas but also by
mrnrtas* Tirtha or the holy water which is distributed among the
devotees is supposed to be water made holy by the bathing of
tk* $&Iagr3mai. 4 A well-known verse that is uttered in distri-
buting the tlrtba is as follows :
papaharl vttetatah /
QjanmakftapapHnnm prayaScittam dine dine //
H&yagrlva-Sftlagrama :
We have references regarding Salagr&mas in many texts,
The pmSnas and the other later texts offer us the descriptions of
Hayagrivamfagrama. The text Viramttr@daya* also provides us
with the information regarding different forms of Hayagriva*
from the Puranic sources.
HAYAGRIVA SiLAGRiMA
Fig. i : Hayagrlva Salagrama in the hands of
V.A Padmanabhachftryulu
Fig. ii : Hayagrlva Salagrama possessing the features of horse
without any decoration
Fig. iii : Hayagava Sa!agrama decorated with silver & d.amond:
[Courtesy: Snman V.A. Padmanabhacharyulu]
125
The Padmapurana:
If the salagrama looks like an ankusa (goad) and is with
cakradhvaja it is called Hayagrtvasalagrama.
In another place of the same purana the description is
given that the Hay agrivasnla grama is in the form of ankusa,
having five lines on it. It is blue (nlla) in colour with many dots.
If the lines are long on HayagrivassIagrStna, it is said to be of a
benign - Hayagrlva (Saumyahayagriva), worshipped for wisdom.
If the front portion is in the form of a horse or that of a lotus it
is also a feature of Hayagrivasalagrama.
The BrahmapurQqa :
If a Salagrama is in the form of anknsa with rekha, cakra
and also is of many colours - particularly in the black with a
mixture of blue and red colours (nilalohita) it is caliled a Haya-
grivasalagrtlma.
The Garttdapurana :
If a salagrfima is in the form of a goad (ankusa) with five
lines together and is in the shape of kaustubha-jewel it is called
a Hayagrlvasalagrama.
The Brahmavaivartapurftna :
If a salagrama is in the shape of a horse-faee with two
discs (cakra) it is called Hayagnva$8lagrama.
The Agnipurana :
If it is in the form of ankusa with blue lines together with
dots, it is called Hayagrivasalagrftma.
The Puranasamgraha :
It is said that Hayagrlvasalagrama is in colour of the
mixture or red and yellow and it is in the form of ahkusa and is
with tarksya and cakra. It is also in the form of a lotus and on
the side it is in the shape of kundala (circle).
The face of the Hayagrlvasalagrama is in the form of
ankvsa and it is with 'dlrghabindu samujvalam* and also its form
looks like a ripe jambuphala.
126
The Hayagrlvasalagrdma is in the shape of ahkus a and is
with rekha-cakra. It is black in colour,
The Merutantrcfi :
It is in the form of ankusa with lines which look like a
disc. It too has with many dots and is in blue colour on its
back, and it is also similar to a horse-shape. The Salagrama
with these features is considered to be Saumyahayagrivasala-
grama,
It seems that the uniform feature of the Hayagrivasala
gffima is goad-shape (ankusakara). A few texts describe its
shape of horse-face, The lines, discus and colour of Hayagriva~
salagrama vary from text to text.
Among Acaryas Sankara's (8th century) mention of sala~
grama gives us the earliest reference to Vimu's worship in the
form of Sala grama. The statements of Sankara, 7 in his com-
mentary on the Brahmasutras> for illustrating his philosophical
doctrine < as in the case of Lord Visnu exists in the form of
Sfilagramastone" , presupposes the popularity of Salagrama wor-
ship during the time of Sankara and tells its antiquity. The
Padmapurana* gives due place to the worship of Hari in the form
of a Sslagrama along with his worship in the form of mani^
yantra y mandala and pratuna. The same purana has given the
description of Hayagrivasalagranm.
MANTRA
A mantra is composed of one or many letters arranged in
definite sequence of sounds of which the letters are the repre-
sentative of signs. To get the intended effect mantra must be
intoned in the proper way according to rhythm (svara) and sound
(varna). The textual sources of mantras are the Vedas. The
PuranaS) the Tantras % the Agamas and the other later treatises,
particularly, the texts of Tantric nature, where abundant infor-
mation regarding mantras are found, constitute the mantrasSstra
i.e., the science of Mantras. As far as the Vedic literature is
concerned, the word mantra is used to indicate a Vedic verse
in any passage in the Samhita portion. Particularly, according
127
to the Mantrasastra each deity has his or her seed-mantra
(bljamantra) which is used in the worship of a particular deity
of whose total mantra it becomes a component part. Vast
number of bijakosa texts, Lexicons for mantras and also the
manuals 10 like the Mantramaharnava, the Mantramahodadhi etc.,
stand as the veritable source of mantras of different deities. The
worship exclusively by means of repetition and meditation of
mantra tends towards the internal worship rather than the exter-
nal in its nature. It is not out of place to quote a definition of
mantra given by Swami Agehananda Bharati 11 : "a mantra is a
quasi-morpheme or a series of quasi-tnorphemes or a series of
mixed, genuine and quasi-morphemes arranged in conventional
patterns based on codified esotaric traditions, and passed on
from a preceptor to the desciple in the course of a prescribed
initiation-ritual." In this definition he does not include any
reference to the purpose or the purposes of mantra because he is
of opinion that the statement of purpose is a material one which
must be excluded from the definition. But in another instance,
he enumerates three possible purposes namely propitiation,
acquisition and identification or introjection.
1 (a) The Mystical syllables and the Sanskrit alphabet
The letters of Sanskrit alphabet are also used as mystical
syllables which are classified into two, depending on the division
of vowels and consonants which are adopted in the form of
mantras. It is said that both vowel (svara) and consonants
(vyanjana) are philosophically viewed to symbolise as the modes
of Prakrti and Brahman respectively. As the result of combina-
tion of the vowels and consonants vitality emerges. The seed-
mantras (bija-rnantra) are described as different aspects of the
ultimate Reality, Brahman itself.
(b) The Monosyllabic mantras for different purposes
We have different mono-syllabic mantras which are adop-
ted for serving different purposes as follows: For example
Syllables Purpose
am for binding or imprisoning the obtained
(sddhyabandhana)
128
hrlih for getting all riches (sakalasampatpradftna)
aim for bestowing speech (vakpradfina) etc.
(c) The Seed-syllables and their presiding deities
They are the seed syllables (bljaksara) which stand for
different deities and also serve different purposes :
Syllables Deity and purpose
hrim mayabljam
em sarasvatibijam and vakbljam as well
kllm kamabljam
am p&sabijam or akarfts t anabijam
(d) Six prayogas for abhic&rika purpose
We have mystical syllables for adopting them in six ways
of abhicarika purposes. For these six prayogas* specific mysti-
cal syllables are used 12 :
Syllable Purpose
vasat for bringing under control (vasya)
phat for driving away or warding off (ucchatana)
hum for hatred (dvesana)
khem for ruining the adversary (marana)
tah or tarn for arresting or dumbing the opponent
(sthabhana)
vmsat for attracting the desire (a/carsana)
\
These six prayogas are divided into purva> madhyama and apara.
Vasya and akarsana are grouped as puna, dvesana and mar ana as
madhyama and sthambhana and ucchatana as apara, 13
(e) The significance of the place of mantrajapa
It is prescribed that the repetition of mantra to be done
sitting under different trees and in different places for getting
different specific results. For example :
129
The tree The result
udambara gain of land (prtlmlabha)
bilva gain of wealth (srilfibha)
tlntrinl gain of peace and liberation (santi and
moksa)
pippala increase of luster (tejo vrddht) etc
(f) The significance of time in mantra jap a
The repetition of mantra done in different times of Indian
calendar yields different kinds of results. For example :
Month
Caitra
Vaisakha
Jyestha
asadha
Twelve months
Result obtained
suffering from disease (vyadhiptdana)
gain of land (bhumiJabha)
death (mQrana)
destruction of relatives (bandhunasa) etc.
Ayana
The results obtained
Name of the ay ana
Uttarayana fulfilment of one's own desired acts
(isthakaryasiddhi)
daksinftyana for destructive purposes (maranadyu~
grakarynrtha)
Name of the
season (rtu)
Hemanta
Sisira
Vasanta
Grisma
Varsa
Six Seasons
The result obtained
arresting (sthambhana)
death (mar ana)
attraction (nkarsana)
harted (vidvesana)
driving away or warding off (ucchatana)
130
saradrd subdual (vasya)
Here for the six seasons, the six abhicarlka purposes are men-
tioned for the aspirant whose goal is liberation. All seasons are
prescribed as good.
Name of the tit hi
pratlpat (padyami)
dvitiya (vidlya)
iriiya (tadiya)
Tithi
The result obtained
producing obsticles (vighnakari)
fulfillment of desires (abhistha-
dayinl)
obtainment of victory (vijayaprapti)
etc.
Other Auspicious Days
Name of the day The result obtained
Samkranti pauskara definite mantraslddhi could be
obtained
Starting from the good and auspicious for purasa*
sun-rise till succes. carana and initiation (upadesa)
sive ten ghatikas in
all the seasons and
Sivaratri-day.
Day
Name of the day
Sunday (bhanuvara)
Monday (indmara)
Tuesday (bhaumavara)
Wednesday (Saumya)
Thursday (guruvara)
Friday (bhrguvara)
Saturday
(ravinandanavara)
(vara)
The result obtained
power of subdual (vasyakrt)
liberation (moksa)
death (mar ana)
power of arresting (sthambhana)
attraction (akarsana)
hatred (vidvesana)
also power of arresting (stham*
bhana)
131
2, Ten or eight constituent parts of Mantra
According to the traditional authorities mantra has ten or
eight limbs (dasanga or astanga) attached to it. The ten limbs
are: rst, chandas, daivata> btja, saktl, kilaka, nyasa, dhyana,
pancapuja and gayatri. 14 The eight limbs are: nyasa, dhyana,
mantra-gayatri, malika, hrdaya, pan jar a and kavaca l5
3. Hayagriva Mantra in the Pancaratra Texts
a) The VisnutiJaka
In the fourth Chapter of the Visnutllaka, 16 we find a dis-
cussion regarding the mantra of Hayagriva (Hayagrivamanu).
Hayagnvamantra which is otherwise known as hamsamanu, is
extolled as the bestower of both livelihood (bhukti) and libera-
tion (mukti). In this context, as in the case of certain texts
dealing with esotaric mjwrr^-information with secret symbolism,
the hainsamantra is also narrated here in the following fashion.
It is said that the hamsamantra, a name given to the Hayagriva-
mantra contains eighth and seventh letters of the ya-varga (ya,
ra, la, va sa, sa, sa } ha i*e , h and s}, together with pranava
(Om). Now the seed-mantra of Hayagriva (blja mantra) results
as follows in one lettered syllable: Ha Sa Om-hsuam. For this
one-lettered syllable of Hayagrivamantra, rsi is brahma, chandas
is gayatri and devata is NarSyana.
(b) The Kapinjala Saihhita
In the fifteenth chapter of the Kapinjala Samhita, 11 certain
gayatrimantras-list relating to different deities such as Agni-
gayatri, Visnu-gayatri, G at u da-gay at ri etc., are found In the
appendix (adhikapatha) 1 * of this chapter we find Hayagriva-
gayatri among the long list of Visvaksenagayairl, brahtna-gayatri.
Agni-gayatri, Nrsimha-gayatri, Surya-gayain, Krsna- gayatri,
Sudarsana-gsyatri etc. The text of Hayagriva-gayatri here is as
follows :
Hayagrivaya vidmahe vidyanathaya dhimahi //
tanno hasdh (hamsah) pracodayat ///
132
(c) The Parasara Samhim
The Parasara Sarnhita 19 brings together different kinds of
Hayagrlvamantras and offers us a list of twelve combinations of
mystical syllables regarding Hayagriva. They are :
1. One-lettered (ekaksarl) hsaum
2. Three-lettered (tryaksarl) cm, snm, hsaum
3. Six-lettered (qadaksarl) om, ham, hsaum, hiimphat, svaha
4. Eight-lettered (astaksarl) om hayagrivaya namah
5. Ten-lettered (dasaksarl) om, hrlm, hsaum > hayagrivaya
svaha
6. Twelve-lettered (dvadasaksarl) om, namo hhagavate
Hayagrivaya
7. Mantra in the form of anustup metre
rgyajussamarup&ya vedaharana karmane
praqavodgithavapuse mahasvasirase namah //
8 . udgtthapranavodgltha sarvavsgisaresvara /
sarvavedamayacintya sarvam bodhaya bodhaya //
9 Om, hsaum, hrlm> srim, aim> sri hayagrlva mama
sarvavidyam dapaya dapaya
tamasabuddhim hana hana
ajnanadin nasaya nasaya
sarvavedasastradisu sarvajnatvam dapaya dapaya
anlmadin dada phat svaha .
10. Om hrlm hayagrivaya yam ram paravcidi vidy&m paravndi
jihvasthambham kuru kuru phat svaha
11. Om hrlm stram hayagrivaya paravadi sarvavedasftstra
sarvavidyam akarasaya ftkarsaya klaum, ksraum, vausat.
12. Om, stram, srim, ksuam* hayagrivaya narasimhsya yam,
ram* sarvas&stran sthambhaya sthambhaya bhramaya
bhramaya.
In this list we find combinations of mantras for serving
positive as well as negative purposes. As a god of learning
133
Hayagrlva not only has the power to bestow wisdom positively
but also he can help the aspirant by inflicting negative effects on
adversaries such as arresting the tongue of the opponent in the
Msfra-debate, destruction of the enemies etc.
d) The Padma Samhim
According to the Padma Samhttft** we have sixteen-
lettered Hayagrlvamantra, for which the seer is Brhaspati, the
metre is gayatri, devatft is Hayasirsa. It has to be repeated one
lakh times for getting the great wisdom.
4. Hayagriva-Mantra in the Tantra Texts
a) The Saradmilakatantrd 11
\] Ek&ksarihayagrlvamantfa.
For the ekaksarlhayagrlvamantra - "hsawri") a secret sym-
bolic presentation is found in the Saradfitilakatantra. The text
under consideration is :
Viyad bhrugusthamarghlsa bindumad bljarn Iritam 75.
(a) In this manner the commentary reveals the words used in
the verse and their meanings. The word 'viya? means *ha\
whereas 'bhrugusthamarghisah* stands for the letters 'sa* and
V. All these letters are accompanied by the bindu (anusvara).
Now the combination of these letters becomes *hsaum\ the one
lettered hayagrivamantra.
ii) Hayagnvag&yatri
vagisvaraya vidmahe /
hayagnvaya dhlmahi //
tanno hamsah pracodayzt ///
ne'ntam vagUvarapadam vidmahe padam uccaret /
hayagrivam ca ne'ntam syad dhimahlti tato vadet //
tanno hamsdfy padsnte ca pravadecca pracodayftt /
iii) Anustup-hayagrlvamantra
The Snradatilaka Samhita tells us the details of the Haya-
grlvamantra in anmtup-rnetre which is of thirty two letters as
follows :
134
Udglthapranavodgltha sarvavaglivaresvara /
sarvavedamayacintya sarvam bodhaya bodhaya //
This mantra has Brahma as a seer, the anttsfup as a metre
and the deity to whom it is addressed is Hayagriva.
b) The Merutantra
The merutantra describes a version of Hayagriva-gayatrl;
vMgisvamya vidmahe hayagrlvaya dhlmahi /
fanno hamsah pracodayst //
5. Hayagrivamantra in the Pur anas
a) The Garudapurana
la the Garudapuraqa** we come across a few deities regard-
ing Hayagrtva-mantra and its Jimbs (anga). A nine-lettered
Hayagnva-mantra is described here which is considered to be the
bestower of all branches of knowledge. The mula-mantra here
is :
"Om hsaum ksraum Sirase namah
The mautrangas of the mtilamantra are as follows :
om ksraum hrdayaya namah
om hrim irase svc&ha
om ksrum sikh&ya vasat
om ksraim kavacaya hum
om ksaum mtratray&ya vausat
om ha ha astrfiya phat
The successive Alokas in the purana narrate the method of
worship of Hayagrlva.
6. Hayagnva-mantra in the Hayagriva-Upanfsad
a) The Hayagrtva-Upanisad^ : a source of five HayagHvamantras
In the Hayagrtvopanlsad we find the mention of the five
following mantras of Hayagrlva, The following are in the sloka
form in anusfup~m&tT& :
L Vi&ottirna svarnpaya cinmay&nanda rupffte f
mbhyam namo hayagrtvaya vidy&ra/aya vi^nave ://
135
2. rgyajussamarupaya vedhaharanakarmane /
pranavodgithavapuse praqatim pratipadaye //
3. Udgnhapranavodgitha sarvav&glsvaresvara }
sarvavedamaya sarvam bodhaya bodhaya //
4. om srimprasavam om namo bhagavate hayagrivaya /
visnave mahyam medham prajnam prayaccha svaha //
5. om srim hsaum aim aim aim khm klim sauh sauh hrim
namo bhagavate hayagrivaya visnave mahyam medham
prajnam prayaccha svaha \\
The fifth one seems to be not a sloka but an eloboration of the
previous anustup with an addition of a few more holy syllables.
b) The paramatmlkopanlsad
In the Paramatmikopanisad^ which is widely well-known
and adopted in the Valkhanasa tradition contains also a mantra
relating to Hayagrtva, and was interpreted by different Valkhn*
nasa commentators. According to Srlnivlsamakhi (Diksita) the
text is as follows :
'sfirasvato va esa devo" yam na va haydh paramaimikdh
bhayo 'bhayo va sarvam santuxe sv&hft*
Srlnivisa Diksita comments that the word 'haya* which is men-
tioned here is not a mere horse but the form of Hayagriva,
which is a lilavibhuti of the Lord.
7. Hayagrlvamantra and Srlvidya
One of the texts brings Hayagrivamantra very closer to the
Tantrism and its well adorned Srlvidya. In course of enumerat-
ing the details regarding the seer, mere, etc., of Hayagrivamantra
om hrlm, hsaum, it is said that the presiding deity of this mantra
is Hayagriva, who is the bestower of the wisdom of rl (SrividyX-
prada). It is interesting to note here that the bijamantra 'hrfm*
is used in the composition of the above - mentioned Hayagriva-
( Hrim* is usually described as mayabtja.
8. Hayagnvastra
'Astra* literally means a missile weapon used for destruc-
136
live purpose. A mantra formulae with the name of astra is
Intended for subdual and destruction of the adversary.
a) A manuscript deposited in the Government Oriental
Manuscript Library, Madras 27 contains a text of 'hayagrfvastra*
which begins with the following utterances.
Om am hraum sphura sphura prasphura prasphura ghora
ghoratara hayagrlva ehl ehL surupa ksiragaura haynnana cata cata
pracata pracata kaha kaha asvavaktra (yuta) brahma brahma bhra~
maya bhramayabhasmfkurubhasmJkuru "
In this flwa-formulae, the verbs used in the imperative
form like u cata\ "pracata", "kaha", "bhrSrnaya" and "bhasmu
kuta" express destructive abhic&rika tone.
b) We have a Hayagnvastra with the name of Vidyadha*
rft&ira* This matric composition seems to be sobre expressing
the gain of wisdom and realization as its intended purpose.
The text Is as follows :
Om hlaum hnm irrm halm srt hayagrlva mama
sarvavidyUm d&paya dapaya lamasa buddhim hana hana
agnanftdin nQsaya nftsaya sarvavedaffissr&disu sarvaffiatvam
dapaya d&paya anlmadin dada phaf svah&
c) There is another hayagrtvastra which shows compktely
destructive tendency in the case of opponents (Paravadi) in
intellectual encounter and debate. The purpose is to arrest the
tongue of the opponents (Paravadi jihvastambham kuru kuru).
d) Sometimes we find the combination of mantras of
different deities. The HayagrtvanarasimhQstra comes under this
particular category. Here the combination of wisdom bestow-
ing Sayagrtva and Narasimha in his destructive form gives more
intensity and potency to subdue the opponents by attracting
their knowledge of scriptures and by arresting their academic
glory. (Paravadi sarva vedasZstrasarvavidy&m Ukarsaya
stambhaya stambhaya) .
137
9. The Thousand-lettered Hayognvamanira
The magical aspect of mantra-formulae of Visnu-Haya-
griva is further illustrated in the Hayagnva$ahasraksara~maha~
mantra. 2 * We have seen that how the single-lettered seed
mantras are formed. We have also examined the blja-mantra
of Hayagrlva - "hsaum" . From that single-lettered sssd-mantra,
a mantra could be elaborated to the multi-lettered ones to the
maximum extent of Thousand letters. We have a manuscript in
grantha characters deposited in India office library dedicated to
Hayagrlva name "Hayagrlva - sahasraksaramahamantra."
10. Pur a& car ana
In the ffayagriva-Kalpa, Purascarana is one of the impor-
tant elements. In purascarana 29 a particular number of repeti-
tions of mantrajapa, generally lakhs of times is prescribed. In the
course of puratcarana one has to get up everyday during the time
of Dawn (brahmimuhurta). After finishing the necessary daily
duties (Krtanityakriyah), he has to utter the punyaha recitation
(punyahavacana). Having cleaned the place of worship (bhusud-
dhi), the diagram of tortoise (kurma) should be drawn. After
that, eliminating the seats made out of bamboo, stone, earth,
wood (Vaml-a$ma-dharanl-dam) t grass (trna), shoots (Pallava),
one should be seated in the posture of Svasthika on seats made
out of darbha-(kusa), multi-coloured square carpet-seat,
(Citrftsana), blanket made of wool (Kambalavastra), tiger-skin
(Vyaghracarma), deer-skin (mrgajna). It is advised that the
diagram of tortoise should not be drawn on the hills and moun-
tains, on the banks of the rivers, on the sea-shore, in the sacred
hermitages (Puny&rama) and in the temple dedicated to the
deity (devnlaya). Then Mulamantranyasa should be done after
offering salutation to the three generation of teachers (gurutraya)
i.e., his teacher, teacher's teacher and grand-teacher. Having
dressed himself with sacred clothes (divyambara) and decorating
himself with sandal paste and flowers (gandhapuspalamkrta), the
aspirant should perform the daily worship (puja) and repeat
^mystical syllable which stands for the deity (mantrajapa). It
should be accompanied by the breathing exercises (pr&nayama).
' This process should be followed until the compeltion or puras-
carana. After pranayama, the worshipper should take a vow for
849 10
138
not crossing the boundaries of the four directions of his village
iittt-1 a length of a kosa (Kosa means roughly two and half miles
distance). The samkalpa of this process includes the details of the
countryor place (desa) in which the aspirant lives and in which
time (kala) he performs certain religious acts. After samkalpa Lc
should utter 'I shall recite mantra' (japam Karisyamf), Facing
the place of japa (japasthala), sipping two times the water (Wv/ra-
camana), performing breathing excercises (pranayama) the aspi-
rant has to recite again samkalpa together with the mention of
place and time (de&akala) The following is the passage to be
uttered in ibis context :
tnamamuka devatQprasada pratibandhaka samastadurita-
ksaya dvara amuka devataprasada siddhyartham amuka
laksasamkhyakam amuka mantra purascaranam karlsye.
As the repetition of the mantra for one lakh times a day
is normally beyond the reach of the capacity of the aspirant",
the samkalpa with the reduced number could also be formulated!
During puraScarana the following distractions of mind
should be avoided: ego (ahambhamna), yearning (Tfsnd), doing
things slowly and unpunctuality (atasya), yawning (jfmbhaya),
sleep (ntdra) spitting (nisthivana), fear (bhaya), anger (kopa)\
touching of the secret parts of the body (guhyZfagsparte), bad
conversation (dusthasambhfisana) fickle-mindedness (capalya).
The auspicious and good qualities, namely the faith in the
scriptures, the preceptor and the deity (Sastra-guru-devato-
vtfasa) .control over senses (mdriyanigraha) ^ indifference to
the dualities of cold and heat etc. (Sttowdtdvandwahana)
observcnce of silence, . belief in God, (astikya), compassion
(karunya) aitentiveness (sraddha), observance of good principles
(niyama) decisiveness (nffaya), happiness ( SMfo *), eagerness
(autsukya) etc ar, to be cultivated. Then some more bad quail-
ties to be avoided like Jadya, Duhkha etc. are enumaratcd.
nu -i fc a e re P etition o' naaamantra (mantra*
nmana should be done till noon. After taking bath with the
paste of the amaJak^ the worship along with the madhyahnika
&a,v*ayajm cfc. has to be performed. Without that the ptlja
139
should never be done. It is suggested that in the evening also
mantrajapanusth&na or the repetition of Mukhamantra and the
worship (puja) should be done. If the aspirant is not in a posi-
tion to do Japanusthana and the puja both the times 3 it is said he
may do it only in the morning
Certain rules and regulations are prescribed which corre-
late purascarana and fire-offer Home. Ten percent of Mttla-
mantrajapa should be the Homa which has to be performed
uttering the same mantra.
After praising the God with Dhy&na, Hayagrlvamantra
should be repeated with absolute concentration. Then the Homa
should be performed accompanied with the recitation of Srisukta.
The Srisukta-homa should be performed for obtaining four noble
ends in the Hindu way of life (dharm&rthakamamoksa). In this
homa thousand lotus flowers sprinkled with honey and ghee
together with sandal (candana) algocum (agaru) camphor (kar-
pura) niusk (Kasturi) chaffran (kumkuma) should be offered to
the fire. If a Brahmin performs his homa he will get a large
amount of riches. Those who are desirous of getting kingdom
(rQjya) should perform homa with Sesamum (tila) along with ghee
(ghrta). Then Hayagriva Dhyftna is to be recited.
If one is not capable of performing the homa in the
tlntrika-fire (tantrikagni) he may do homa in Vaidika-fiTe (Vaidi-
kagnt) according to the methods and injunctions of the veda. If
one is unable to perform the homa, an alternative is suggested
here. In the place of homa one should recite double of the japa
of the mulamantra to the number that is prescribed for the homa,
that means twenty percent of the rnantranu$$hnna of the mula
mantra. Then thousandth part of the mulamantrajapa should
be the tarpatta (tarpana) which has to be offered to the deity with
the prescribed substances (dravya).
Various utterances with regard to tarpana are prescribed.
If this is not properly observed, after having samkalpa as usual
mulamantra should be recited three times more to the number of
tarpanas prescribed. Then again the Samkalpa should be made for
the corresponding number of thousandth part of mantra/apa.
140
Then the Brahmins should be offered with food full of Sadrasas
(Sadrasopeta). These Brahmins should be of best character having
their own wives. They should not be widowers. At the end they
should be made happy with the gift of money (daksana). If one
is not able to cope up with this prescription it could be compen-
sated with the mantrajapa four times to the prescribed number
of Brahmins whom the aspirant is expected to feed. Thousandth
part of mantrajapamfirjana should be done in this case,
After marjana, the pftjs of the deity should be performed
both in the morning and in the evening If it is not possible both
the times, atleast once/?/# has to be performed. If thatptf/aris
not performed, the alternative is the repetition of mulamantra
two thousand times or the recitation of Purusasukta. According
to the Samkalpa, japa is to be made along with the worship on
mental plane.
Then how the aspirant should take a regulated deity is
stated. On the place, square has to be drawn (Caturasrakw$la-
lekhana)* On it a plate made of leaves of palftsa or Padma should
be put. The food that should be eaten by the aspttant should be
without hooey (madhu) oil (taila), Preparations without savour,
and salt. It is advised to take vegetables ($&ka) milk (payas) curds
(dadhi) fruits (phala) roots (mula) water (udaka) sesamum (tila)
greengram (mudga) grains (yava) whstt (godhuma) rice (tandula)
bread made out of wfaeet and rice. Popcorn or parched grain
(laja) could be taken every day. These food restrictions have to
be folio wed till Che end of fxursearana. Till the end of dikstl g
the aspirant should eat this simple food in the same manner in
the same place. The person ? who has taken the vow of purag*
carana should observe 4 all the diet restrictions, the prescribed
place where he has t& eat following regulations regarding cleanli-
ness, instruction not to eat in a tn*etal pot or plate* avoiding
bodily dirtiness (dehamalmya) which causes all afflictions and
destractions of the mind. He has to avoid wearing shirt (kan
cuka), turbun (Uffiisa) cloth arouM the neck (galamstra) betal-
nuts and leaves (mmbula) shaving (ksaura) oil bath (abhyangana).
The goal of disciplined way of foantnapwafaamtiQ is
mantrasiddhL
II. Yantra of Hayagriva
141
in the sphere of worship is a magical diagram
with mystical syllables, engraved upon metallic plates or some-
times drawn on leaves and papers. Yantra as a geometrical
pattern which synthesises lines and mystical seed-letters (bijk*
sara) comes closer to the esotanc sound system of mantra**
formulae. Basic to both these geometrical jflwrr^-patterns and
mantra- formulae is the belief that the human body or the humaa
mind is the ground where they operate. It is said that yantras
are merely extentions or externalizations of forces imagined as
working within the individual and mantras are in the nature
of coacretisations or formulations of vibrations occuring
within. 31
The Tantra texts 32 refer to the areas where these forces
and vibratioos operate. The purpose of these diagrams is not
only to worship the ^residing deity and to get realisation but
also the protection of the worshipper from troubles due to the
influence of evil spirits or evil deities, Sometimes they arc used
for the purpose of bestowing on a person happiness. wealtb t
health etc.
Some Tantra texts give prominence to the worship of
yantra along with the pratfma and mandala. The worship of
yantra is initiated to a person at the stage of higher le^elof
spiritual progress. It is said that the siddhayogin, in inward
worship, (antar-puja) commences with the worship of yantra
which is the sign of brahmavtjn$na as the mantra is the sign of
the devatSi
As different images and matras are prescribed for diffe*
rent processes of worship regarding different deities, yantras
also are of various patterns, according to the object of worship.
The yantra inscribed with mantra serves the purpose of amnemo-
nic chart of that mantra appropriate to the particular devat&
whose presence is to be invoked in the yantra* An in the case of
the image worship, a few preliminaries precede even in the wor
ship of yantra. The worshipper meditates upon the deity and
then arouses his or her presence in himself. He then transmits
the divine presence thus aroused to the yantra. When the deity
142,
has been invoked in th yantra by the appropriate mantras 3 the
vital powers are infused therein, which process is kaown as the
pra#aprat!$fha-cttGmony . Th'*n the worshipper welcomes th@
deify installed in the yantra and worships.
Yantra is one of the tsssencial principles of Tantrism;
There is a close connection between devatn -and yantra as we
faavs seen already. It is described that y^ntra is the body and
devats Is the soul, 33
Yantra is of three kinds viz., 1. sthBpaka, 2, diiarana
Depending on its utility sthapakayantras are instated in
the earth and in the walSs for removing defects (Wos^j regarding
planets and also for removing flaws of construction and archi-
tecture (vastu). For example, if owner of one particular shop
or a factory is under the stress of constant loss in his bininsss
and profit, a yantra is made for the purpose of over comirg the
loss. Even in tie houses to remove such defects or with the ,
intension of getting certain benefits, the yantras are installed, .
In the temples too, under the seat of the "deity to be consecrated;
a" yantra belonging to that particular deity may be kept under*
ground. Dharana-yantras are small in size which could be kept
as talisman and could be carried on some part of the body,
The purpose of these yantras is mainly to remove the obstacles
that resulted due to the positions of the planets of the person
concerned according astrology. These dharaqa-yantras msy also
be used for protection from common difficulties of life. The
puja-yantras are intended for the purpose of worship of a deity.
Here yantra is adopted as a symbol of a deity as in the case cf
image-worship, where an anthrophormphic form of the deity is
installed and worshipped. In the case of yantra, primarily the
mystical syllables are drawn on metal plates made of 'gold,
silver, copper and also on o*her materials such as leaves, paper
etc. The mystical syllables inscribed therein are mainly con-
nected with the deity to whom the whole worship is intended for.
If we thitsk of two important aspects of the deity, name and form
(r&ma-rupa), yantra-vroxship presupposes the worship of the
name of the deity itself. In the case of the worship of Brahman
or the ultimate reality with form (sakara Brahmopnsana) yantra
is a symbol where the worshipper worships the deity in the form
Hayagriva Yantra [Courtesy:
143
of mantra (mantramayawarupa). There is a system of drawing
mystical syllables in different parts of yantra used for different
purposes. la a yantra, petals, triangles etc. are drawn which are
fill Jd in with different mysncal syllables.
Basing oa the pattern of drawiag the syllables upwards
and downwards, yantras 'ire classified into tfcree varieties*
i) antarmukha^ ii) bahirmukha 2nd iii) sanatomukha*
Antarmukha-Yantras wiib IB ward facing letters are o^her*
wi<e called su$uptt-yantrav. In su$uptt-yantras . the mystical
ay* l&bles are drawn with ^"be he ids of letters (aksarasfkha) dire-
ted downwards,
Bahirmukha-Yantres with outwardly faced letters are other*
wise called J8grat-Yan*ra$ 9 technically they are alsc named
vaf$aj&grat. Here the mystical syllables are drawn with the
heads of letters directed upwards*
Fa SarvGtomukha-Yai'tras. mystical letters are dram i:i the
fo^m of rows directing their heads both dowtswards and upwards.
As we have already seeo : Yantras are made up of different
metals like gold, silver and copper. They could also be drawn
on particular leaves like buhrja-patra* Depending OB the
material used, the life-duratioB of the Yantra is determined.
If a yantra is made with gold it is worth using for the whole Mfe 3
whereas yantras made of si ver or copper have only life of t^ enty
years or ten years respectively. Yantras drawn on bhurja or
palm leaves, papers and walls are short-lived and are made use
of for temporary purposes.
The prescribed rules fur drawing aa yantra could be
gathered from the texts such as the GourUvaratantra^ the Mem*
tantra, the Devibhagavata, the &8radatilaka etc.
Yantra is supposed to have tea constituent parts which
have specific features.
- The following is the list of ten constituent parts of
yantra
144
! . Mvntrablja ^*
2. Pranablja 7, Mantragayatrl
3. Saktlbija 8 Bhutapancaka
4. Drstibtja 9. Dikp&Iabij
5. SQdhya 10. Pra^asthapana
In the middle of the Yantra, mantrablja^ pranablja^
bija, dfsti-blja, vasya hould be drawn. Then the prescribed
mystical syllables to be drawn on yantra should be placed in res
pective positions. The beginning letter of the respective mantra
is called the seed of montra Ak&ra is pranahlja, akara is &akti^
Ek&ra is drstibtja. Then the Sndhya and Va&ya should be drawn.
Afterwards the manira<G%yatri should be written. Mantrablja
should be drawn on the top, drtibija should be drawo on the
sides, saktiblla should be written at the bottom, vasyabtja should
be draw i in isanya (north-east), prs^abija should be inscribed in
Sgneya (south-east), bhutapancakam in vByavya (north-westj^
yantra-gByatri in nalfii (south-west)$
Following is the method of drawing the mystical diagram
of tfayagriva. Ii* the middle of the diagram, a circle should be
drawn in the centre of which the holy syllable Om should be
written The seed-syllable that stands for Hayagrlva is drawn
in its appropriate place, The various important mantras are
further written in various circles, petals, corners of the yantra.
Inside space of the yantra is technically called the PQrthtve*
mandala. The diagram Hayagnvayantra illustrated of by Sriman
V.A. Aaaotapadmacabhacharyulu to the author.
Inside space of the yantra is technically called the Parthfa
vamandala
There are other ways of drawing the Hayagrivayantra
according various traditions. According to traditional Pandits,
the details of the Haya$rivayantrc$> are stated in a text called the
As in case of the image of a deity, yantras including the
Hayagrtvayantra are to be installed with vital powers (Prana*
praththa) which include the following religious procedures.
1) Vi$wk$enapu]a> 2) Pu^yahav^cana^ 3) Acaryavarana, 4) Vntto*
pU]& together Vasiufcma for yantrasiiddht, 5) Prokqa^a and sam*
todhrna with pancag&vya 6) antahoma 1) abhtseka with gandhodaka
145
8) putting yantra in rice and corn 9) arcana with tulasf and
flowers 10) prcinapratistha of yantra 11) yantrapradhan**
mantrapuja 12) purascarana 13) tarpana 14) Aoma 15) br&hm&iia~
bojana after yantra-sthapanft .
According to the traditional Hayagriva-kalpa, it is prescribed
the Hayagrlvayantra should bs worshipped placing it on the seat
of god and also it is suggested that the small Hayagriva-ymtra
may be placed by the worshipper as a talisman. The worship
of Hayagriva may lead worshipper to obtain heaven (svarga)*
liberation (rnoksa) and also bestows knowledge and wealth
(jnana and alsvarya) etc.
12. Mudra
The Mudra or Symbolic hand-gesture is the physical
representation of some mantra or magic formula, which is first
recalled by the mind and articulated by the mouth. It illustrates
visibly and materially a formula, Mudra speaks of the language
of hands which is probably the oldest in the world. As a
vehicle of expression there probably existed a symbolic and con-
ventional art of gesture, before any artistic creation in different
materials like stone, clay, wood etc., has been made. Mudra is
important in the sphere of dance to express different ideas and
sentiments. In India, even in the religious sphere it has been
developed through the ages the system of Mudrls. *Mudra f is a
Sanskrit word which means 'seal*. Tyra De Kleen's book on
Mudras mentions that "the designation of ritual hand-gestures
by this word originates from a time, when the priests used to
pronounce certain mantra patterns (i.e. letters or syllables),
which were at the same time accompanying the sound by initiat-
ing the corresponding Sanskrit charater with their fingures, thus
sealing the magic."
The Agama texts extol the value of mudras in the process
of worship. The Parama Samhita^ refers to the prominence of
mudras in course of worship. The Samhita says : "That by which
the happiness of those on whom one would inflict pain is made
to flee, is considered mudra, for that reason, O ! Brahma ! , these
mudra gestures are dear to the gods. By means of these mudras
pne insures recognition for himself. This is done especially in
146
acts of worship, and thus worship is rendered more efficacious.
The Jayakhyasamitd^ speaks of vagtsvaramudra for getting glory
in speech (Vagvibhuti).
HAYAGRIVA MUDRA
According to the Sanatkumara Samhim^ 1 the features of
Hayagrlvamudm are described. Hayagrivamudra is a kind of
hand gesture used in the process of worship. Stretching the
palm of left hand, keeping the fingurs apart of it and join them
together with the right fiogures which looks like the face of
horse and also erecting two thumbs for giving an appearance of
ears, /?jflwa~handgesture is made ,
Visilrya ca talam Vdmahgullbhih kramat /
Daksfnangulibhih pascal ta yatha parigrhya vaf //
Urdhvlkrtya ratha angusthau kriyate ya tu sadhakaihl
Hayasirsakamudreti Kirtim sa yathdvidhi ...,//
The Ssradatilakatantra also offers a disruption of a
Hayagrlva gesture :
Vamahastatale daksa anguUstastvadhomukhih /
Samropya madhyamam tasam unnamyadho* vikuncayet //
Hayagnvapriya mudrd tan murteranukarinl //
The parport of th.e text is that the left palm print of the fingurs
of the right hand turning downwards, rise of the middle fingur
from among them and the left one contracts the downwards.
This is the mudra that pleases Hayagriva and imitates his form.'
We have given in this work the line drawings of HayagrivamudrS
supplied by Sdraaa Vedantam Ananta Padmanabhacaryulu,
Chapter VI: REFERENCES
1. Zcamana is a ceremonial sipping of water with certain religious utter-
ance S ._ It serves the purificatory purpose. Aeamana is of four kinds :
1) Puranacamana, 2) Smrtyacamana, 3) trutyacamana and 4) manasika-
camana.
2. Water is a purificatory agont in ritualistic matters. In Indian religious
context, water is identified with Narayana (Visnu) as stated in a scrip-
tural dictum - apo vai narayanah.
HAYAGRlVAMUDRS
Fig. i : Hayagrivamudra shown with fingers (froBt view)
[By courtesy : Sriman V,A. Padmanabhacharyulu]
Fig. ii : Hayagrivamudra shown with the arrangement of
fingers, side view
[By courtesy: Sriman V.A, Padmanabhacharyulu]
14
3. For general information about Salagrama See. T.A. Gopinatha Rao,
Elements of Hindu Iconography, VoL I, Part I, Varanasi, 1971 (Second
.edition), Introduction, p. 8 fit. and for Puranic stories in connection
with Salagrama, see also Sabdakalpadrumah, 5th Khanda, Motilal
Banarasidass; Delhi 1961, p, 60 ff.
4. The Krlyadhlkara, loka. 16.
According to this VaikhSnasa work, there are five forms of holy
water (tirtha) to be sipped by the devotees. The authority for this clasifl-
cation is the following :
sQlagramamca cakrafnca suktam purusameva ca /
tula si Samkhatoyam ca pancartrtham prakalpayet
(The Krlyadhikam, s'L 10)
5. Vlramitrodaya of MitramiSra, ed. by Pandita Visnu Prasad, Vol XX,
Fasciculas VI, Benaras, 1916 (Chowkhamba Sanskrit Series, A collection
, : of rare and extraordinary works, No. 220) p. 553 if.
6. The Merutantram t ed. by Raghunatha Sastri, Bombay, (Samvat
) p. 103, vv, 616-620,
7. Brahmasutras with Ankara's commentary, Kamakoti samsthanani,
Madras, 1954.
YathQ salagrama harih B.S. 1,2.7.
Salagrama iva Visnoh BS. 1.2.14.
Yatha salagrame Visnuh B.S, 1.3.14.
8. The Padina purana, Ch. 10., Patala Khanda, Bangabasi edition.
9. Ibid. ch. 47, V. 36.
10. The Mantramaharnava* Sri Venkateswara Steam Press, Bombay, 1940;
The Mantramukt avail, Sri Venkateswara Steam Press, Bombay, 1937;
MantraslddJii ka Upay (Hindi), Chaukhamba Sanskrit Series, No. 3071 /
' 63.
11. Age hananda BharatI, The Tantric Tradition, Rider & Company, Lon-
' don, Fourth impression, 1975 (First Published 1965), p. 111.
12. Vasat va&ye phat ucchate hum dvese khem ca mQrane /
- tab sthambhau Vausadakarse namah sampattihetave //
13. Vatyakarsanapurve ca dvesa maranamadhyame II
sthambanocch&tanamapare satprayoge vidhiyate //
14. rsis chando daivatam ca bfjam aktica kllakam /
nyasam dhyanam pancapuja Gayatfl ti daahgakam //
15. nySsam dhyanam ca mantram ca gayatrl malika tat ha /
hrdayam panjararn proktam kavacanceti tathastakam //
!<? The Visnutilaka, (ed.) K.E. Raghavacharyulu and Vajapeyam Krishna*
sastri, Bangalore 1896, Ch. 15, p. 76.
148
Yavarge casthamo varnah tadvarge saptamah punah /
pranavaSca bhavenmanirah hamsaikflksarasainjnakah //
17. The Kapiajala Sarahita, ed. by P* Sitaramacharya, Bhadrachalam 1930
Ch XV, p. 119.
18. Ibid. p. 119.
19. The Para$arasathhita t (quoted from the notes of Pandit Sri V.A Ananta
Padmanabhacharyulu).
20. The Padma Samhita, Caryapada, Ch. 28.
21. The S5radatilakatantram> ed. by Arthur Avolon, part II, Calcutta 1933
Ch. 15, pp.624 25. (Tantric Texts. Vol. XVII).
22. The Merutantram, vv. 616-620.
23. The Garudapurana* (ed) Ksheraaraj, Sri Venkateswara Press Boraby
1867, Ch. 34, w. 5-7, p. 21.
24. The Hayagrtvopanisad, The Vaisnavopanisads, (ed) A, Mahadevasastri,
The Adyar Library and Research Centre, Madras 1979, pp,,403r404*
25. The Paramatrnikopanisadbhasyam, ed. by R. Parthasaratni Bhatta-
charya and U.C. Srinivasabhattacharya, Nalluru, 1948, pp.. 64 ff.
26.
27. A Trienniei catalogue of Manuscripts, Government Oriental Manuscript
Library, Madras, Vol. VI, Part I, pp. 69, 36-44.
28. A Manuscript in Grantha Character, Catalogue of India-Office Library,
No, 6207*
29. For a short independent account of puruicarana see, "The Puratcarana-
bodhtn?\ ed. by Hara Kumara Tagore (1895)* and see also The Tanir*
sara t p. 71.
30. There is an independent work on Yantra called The Yanttacintaman* by
Damodara, edited withTelugu paraphrase by Pattisapu SuryanSrSyVna-
brahma, Madras 1966.
31. S.K. Raraachandra Rao, Taotra, Mantra and Yantra, Arnold-
mann. New Delhi 1971. Introduction, p. 1 1. w u
UCt0n t0 **<*"* MadM^ 6th
as Introduction to The MahanirvZina
33. Yantram mantmmayam proktam maatratma devataiva hi I
dehstma yoryatha bhedo yantradevatayostatba 11
^Z-"'
-
149
35. The Parama Samhita, (ed) 'S. Knshnaswamy Ayyangar*, Oriental Re-
search Institute, Baroda 1940, Ch. 14, vv. 1-5, p. 98 ff.
36. The Jayakhya Samhita, (ed.) EmbSr Krishnamacharya, Oriental Rese-
arch Institute, Baroda 1931, 93 ff, p. 77 ff. (Gaekwod's Oriental Series,
No LIV).
37. The Sanatkumara Samhita, Rsiratram, Ch. II, vv. 69-70, p. 324.
38 t The Saradatilakatantra, (ed, Aurthe Avalon), p. 624.
CHAPTER VII
Literature Weaved around
The deity Hayagrfva
/. Mystical and esoteric composition for recitations
1. Introduction
Mantra is the holy syllable through which a God or a
Goddess is meditated upon. The worship of a deity through the
method of repetition of mantra along with the constituent
requirements of the process of worship has preliminary recitation
in the form of prologue in the mantranusfhsna acd also recitation
in the form of epilogue, which are otherwise known as PUrva and
Uttara aspects of the mantranusthana. These aspects constitute
the following forms of recitation :
1. Dandaka 4. Pan jar a
2. Kavaca 5. Stotra
3. Mala
According to the tradition, purva and uttara aspects of
mantranusthana safeguard concentration and repetition of mantra
which is so valuable and which has to be well-protected. The
purva aspect is intended for qualifying the aspirant to be a good
meditator and protecting him not to be disturbed from that
purpose whereas the uttara aspect aims at the mantrasiddhi
and also anugrahaprfipti of the deity. Both these aspects pro-
tect the aspirant from all directions in all times under all cir-
cumstances and also limbs and sublimbs of his body.
As we have been different forms of repetition such as
dandaka, kavaca, malftmantra, pan jar a and stotra, have to be
uttered in the same sequence in both tbepiirvafiga and uttarahga
aspects*
2, Dandaka
Metres with 27 or more letters in each quarters are desig-
nated by the general name dandaka. The highest number of
syllables of this species of metre is said to be 999, In each
quarter there must be first two *na* ganas or six short syllables
and the remaining may be either *ra* ganas or c ya* ganas, or the
entire PSda may be of *sa* ganas. The classification of dandaka
849
154
usually mentioned are Candavrsfprayaia, pracataka, mattamatanga-
, mmhavikranfa, kusmnestabaka, anangafekhara,
etc.
Dattdaka is composed in a garland-like metre where the
presiding deity of worship is praised. Sometimes these dandakas
extolling different Gods and Goddesses appear in the puranic
literature and sometimes they are composed by individual devo-
tees. The Hayagnva dandaka which starts with "Jaya Jaya Tura-
gasya. ..-........" contains salient features of Hayagriva and also
It exhibits the power and glory of HayagFlva mantra. As in the
case of other dandakas, protection of one's own self, destruction
of enemies, equality of mankind, knowledge of herbs, sugges-
tions regarding health and hygene and details regarding the
incarnations of the Lord Almighty, became the constituent ele-
ments of ibis form of devotional literature. The Hayagriva-
dandaka suggests the grains of Kahguni (Korralu in Telugu)
should be pounded and the bread made out of if should be eaten
by the aspirant.
Gods of different direction (dikpalaka) obtained their res-
pective positions because of the grace of this deity. This con-
tains also she important features Hayagrivamurti such as white
complexion of the body, the "hesSrava" (neighing) of this which
causes the destruction of the demons and expresses the connec-
tion of the deity with the vedic wisdom. It contains also the
secrets of the mantras of Hayagriva. This dandaka was com-
posed by Satkori Panditachlrya (other version of the name of
the autor Satkoti Panditacharya or Chiftikoneti Bhaftu.
3. Kavaca
a) Pwrva Kavaca
The devotional composition Kavaca is intended for the
protection of the devotee. Literally Kavaca means armour. The
devotee prays the deity that he should be protected from all
directions in all times and in all circumstances and also his limbs
he Faceted, (sarvadik raksana zarvakala
155
Usually the imperative form of verbs like Save me (patu),
protect me, (raksatu) are used IB this composition. It is said
that Hayagrlva-Kavaca is a part of Hayagrlvakanda of Purva
Samhita of the Atharvaveda. In usual way rsi-chando-daivata etc.
are given in the beginning. Rsi- Hayagriva; chandas-Anusfhttp,
devata - Hayagriva Paramatma, bljam - Om hrlm vsglsvarsya namo
namah, Sakti - Om kslm VidyQdharaya namo namdh - Kllakam -
Om klam vedanidhaye namo namdh Then it follows with an
expression Sri Hayagrlvaya suklavamQya jnanamurtaye Omkaraya
acyutaya brahmavidya prad&yi sv&hQ. Then the Japa which is
aimed at to get the mastery over all branches of learning and the
achievement of all varieties of riches (sakala vidyatevaryartha) 9
follows.
In the Kavaca the protection for different parts of the
body is sought for from the deity In the end of this Kavaca,
the praise of intended result of recitation of the Kavaca is given,
It is said that the devotee who recites this Kavaca becomes Vagi*
svara (Hayagriva) himself after his departure from the body and
during this life-time he would get by the grace of Hayagriva
definetly without least doubt longevity, health, wealth and
mastery over all branches of knowledge.
b) Uttara Kavaca:
In the uttara kavaca also we find the similar prayer to the
deity for protection. But the text i* different from the Purva
Kavaca. It also deals with the protection of different parts of
the body :
Hayagriva sirah patu
lalfitam mftdhavastathft
netrayoh Sridharah p8tu and so on
Then the protection from all directions is asked for:
purve mSm p&tu. Srikrsno
daksine nandanandandh
pastime ca hr&ikeSo .
Vistpuh patu tadottare and so on
Later the protection in all times is demanded by the devotee :
athah mam sad& pntu mukundo dharatfidharah
156
Lastly the Hayagrlva-Mantra and its uddhara is described :
tarakam namasa yuktam
turyanta bhagavatparam
Vaglsvaresvarayeti
sarvesu vedyam me
sadhussada paramparam
Srlmat Hayamukhayeti
dvatrimsatvarnago manuh
The thirty-lettered-Maotra-composition reads as follows :
Om namo bhagavate Vaglsvaraya sarvesu
sarvavidya pravartakftya Srimaddhayamukhaya
Here also we find the praise of intended result (Phalastuti) of this
kavaca recitation which contains the following details. It is
instructed that this Kavaca should be properly taught by a spiri-
tual preceptor and should not be given to a person who is not a
devoted desciple (asisya) and who is a rascal (durvmtta). Never
it should be given to a desciple with an expectation of some thing
in return. In the case of a Vaimava it should be taught by a
gum along with Pancasamskara, An additional gain of the reci-
tation this Kavaca is to get protection from the evil spirits etc*
(bhutadi). Here at the end of this phalastuti, this Kavaca is said
to be a constituent part of the Sudarfana-Samhita, directly
taught by NUr&yaqa himself.
The Kavaca of Hayagriva is recited not only for protection
but also for getting the knowledge of Brahman.
Om mftm sakalakalmasa nlvrtti dvara brahmavidyapraptyar-
tham.
It is also intended for getting a qualification for the initia-
tion of any Mantra and its fulfilment (siddht).
Sarvamantropade&ftdhikara siddhyartam
Even in the case of Hayagriva Kavaca it is prescribed
touching different parts of the body in the form of ahganyasa
and karanyasa, connecting them with different mantrftngas. The
157
following parts of the body should be touched by the hand while
reciting different parts of the mantrahga.
r$l head (stra)
Chandas face (mukha)
devata heart (hfdaya)
Bija Navel (nBbht)
Sakti Secret parts (guhya)
kilakam feet (Pada)
In one of the versions of kavaca, it is said that this is
taken from the dialogue of Gopala and Arjuna in Hayagrivatantra
Purvasamhita, Atharvaveda Mamrakhanda.
We find also Hayagrivakavaca in the from of a dialogue of
P&rvait and Paramesvara, Parvati askas Mahadeva that she i
deeply interested to hear the Hayagrivakavaca, after having
already listened to the other Kavacas composed in praise of Lord
Ramnpati (Visnu). As an answer, Mahadeva said: **My dear
lady, I will teach you definetly nector-like Hayagrtva-Kavaca
although it is secret. During the end of the great Kalpa, Hari
wandering here and there sportively took the form of Hayavaktra
for reviving the three vedas (trayi). At that time, Hari taught
Brahma (Virtnci) this Kavaca. Next Lord virincl taught me this.
In this the mantrUngas seem to be different from already men-
tioned details:
rsi Brahma
Chandas Anusthup
DevatZ Hayagrlva
El jam ' hsaum
iaktl hraum
Kilakam Om
The text of this Kavaca is different from others in its com-
position. In the end it is instructed that this Kavaca should be
recited by intelligent people (dhiman) for protecting themselves
from bad diseases aad groups of demons and evil spirits and
also it is said that this should be recited during three samdhyas
with great devotion.
849 12
158
fn the composition of Kavaca stylistically the imperative
form of verb is used in the middle in the fashion of madhy a ^
Maninyaya, which is applicable to the previous as well as the
latter part of the sentence. For example, 'hayagriva sirah patu
lalatam candra madhyagah' Here The verb 'Patu' could be
applied to previous and latter parts of the line 'Hayagriva sirah
P3tu and lalatam candra madhyagah patu but according to madhya.
matfinySya only one patu is used
4. Mala Mantra:
Mais Mantras is a third element in the sequence of recita-
tion also contain both Purva and Uttarangas. Mainly Msl &
Mantra is intended for the destruction of the enemy. In other
words we may say that this mantric composition serves abhicarika
purpose. So we find the imperatives like digest (jlrnaya) 'eat*
(Bhaksaya), cut (Khandaya) etc. The adopted in the course of
the recitation of these Mala Mantras. As usual Mantrangas like
gsi, Chandas etc. are also given for Mam Mantras.
?? z " garga
Chandas Trijagatl
JDevata Hayagriva Paramatma
Bijam Ksam
Sakti Kstm
Kilakam Ktum
_The Japa is intended for the fulfillment of all desires
(sarvartha slddhaya jape vimtyogali),
No Karanyasa is given in the following sequence :
Om hsaum angusthabhyamnamah
Om hsaum tarjanibhySm namah
Om hsaum madhyamnbhyam vasat
Om hsaum anamiknbhyam hum '
Om hiaum kanisthiksbhyam vausat
Om hsaum karatalakaraprnfhabhysm phaf
Hnn t A-^ WOUld ^^*^ ^nd digbandha with the recita-
tion bkurbhuvassuvaram. Then the dhyana is made which follows
the expression of different mudras-aMa (elephant driver^
159
hook or goad), supakam (a winnower's basket), pasam (a noose
or a cord), pallavam (a blossam or a sprout or a bud) mauktikam-
which are called pancamudra. According to the tradition the
purpose of these Hand-gestures (Mudra) is to arrest the tongue
of the enemy,
(a) Purva Mala Msntra:
The terrific nature of these Mantras and their intended
results are to some extent connected with the Tantra and Mantra-
yanic development in the History of the Hindu religions thought.
This kind of abhicarika type of the composition of the Mystic
syllables and its purpose which is directed for not only defence
of the aspirant as in the case of dandaka or Kavaca or Panjara
with request for the grace of the deity but the trend of the
violent form of worship runs towards the offence for the destruc-
tion of the enemy. The mystic syllables that are selected in
these violent Mnla Mantra are very harsh in their tone and con-
tent serving the purpose appropriately.
Now we discuss certain aspects of Purva Mala Mantra
connecting them with the imperative forms of verbs that are
used there.
Here we can focus on the point of the destruction of the
tongues of the enemies, probably one may understand this as in
the case of intellectual debate (sastrartha or sGstracarca)* Fof
blocking the advancements of the opponent during the a$trte
discussion the deity is conceived with features pertaining Hesa-
rava (terrific neighing) and also the word, scorching Badabanala
(submarine fire) which is a product of the see during the time of
desolution or destruction.
We have a manuscript in the Madras Government Manu-
scripts Library. The Manuscript begins with the following
passage.
athato bhagavantam sarvatejonldhanarn
sarvadustadurita vldhvamsinam
mahavidyarajarupinam hayasirasam
avarthyisyami ... ... ...
160
Here also we find that the purpose is the destruction of all
evil doers. The epithet that is used for Hayagrlva namely
Mahavidyaraja leads us to the interpretation that this kind of
Mantra-pattern some how or the other influenced by Buddhist
lore. In this Manuscript J.N. Baaerjea seeks a demonstrata-
ble evidence of the influence of the Mah&yana Buddhism on the
dire aspect of Hayagrlva. We know also that Hayagrlva as
Vidyar&ja plays an important role in the Mantrayana and Vajra~
yana aspects of Mahay ana Buddhism.
(b) Uttara Mala Mantra :
We turn our attention now to the Uttara Mal& Mantra*
We have already seen when we discussed about Purva Mala how
the composition of different Mystic syllables accompanied by
purpose expressing compositions which appear as necklace-like
or garland-like composition. In this sense. Mala Mantra is
derived its name from the meaning of the word "mala" (garland)
fully depending on the structure of their composition. The
words which are imbibed in uttara Mala are different from Purva
Mala. Uttara Mala starts with the passages which end with
svaha. Then are 'Svaha* ending passages. The imperatives like
dapaya etc. are also used,
5. Panjara
Next comes Panjara which literally means 'cage 3 . The
ymbolic meaning of this composition is that the aspirant enters
in the very existance of deity- and feels himself well protected.
If the devotee thinks that *I enter in God* and *I am permiated
all over by God's existance 5 , his protection is well assured.
Sometimes the P&njara contain elements of Stotra and
Kavaca. According to the tradition, on some occasions the
Panjarais equated with Hrdaya* It is said that this composition
is important in the Mantranusfhana Kalpa as the heart is the
important centre of the body, So this composition is also called
hfdaya.
Hayagrlva Panjara starts with a dhyana^stotra.
This Panjara is taught by the seer NSrada to VyUsa for
the welfare of the whole world*
161
This Panjara is constitute part of the dialogue between
Vyasa and Narada, mainly enunciated by Narada in the Nftrada
Purina,
In this text 12 mantras of Hayagrlva in the form of 12
Slokas are mentioned. Ndrada addressed to VySsai "Well O!
the son of SatyavatP 5 your question is well asked. After going
trough all Agarna texts, after examining deeply all the scriptures,
after studying throughly all Itihasa, after going through the
Puranas, Mantrasastras and systems of Philosophy,, I arn trying
to tell you, indeed the essence of everything. Please listen with
great attention of the mind to this Hayagrlva-Panjara which
destroys the .darkness of ignorance and causes inexhaustable
good (hiia) for the world, and produces the Siddhf of Aitima etc.
It also dispells the great sin of killing a brahmin ( Brahmahatya)
and also gives extrodinary good results. It provides the profici-
ency in literature and Music, With the powers of the recitation
of this Panjara^ Brahma obtained Brahmatva, Kubera obtained
Kuberatva and Brh a spati obtained Vacaspatya.
[conographically we have some details of the figure of
Hayagrlva who appears in the middle of Candramandala seating
himself on a lotus having cocch shell (Samkha) Disc (cakra)
Rosary (Aksavalaya) and Book (Pustaka) in his hands.
The quintassence of the composition establishes the con-
ception of Hayagrlva primarily as a god of learning* Various
addresses that are intended to praise the deity are indicative of
the desire of the devotee to get wisdom in different forms. It
seems the attainment of knowledge in its purest sense is a spirit
of the praises, addresses and desires that are expressed. For
example, Hayagrlva is described with the adjectives such as -
"jnanavijnanapurittP, "Vagvisay&tltagamantanivam" , "saks&cchin-
m&rga Vigraha" etc.
The Panjara is considered to be the essence of the Veda
itself. It is prescribed that it should be recited twenty eight
times each day for eight weeks for good results.
162
Lastly it is stated that there is a long Guru-Parampara of
this Panjara. Firstly Brahma taught this secret Panjara to all
ssers including myself, I taught this to all Gods, Indra etc. Oh
Vyasa! now I am teaching you, possessing and practicing regula-
tive principles in life (niyatavrata). I think that the whole world
would be benifited by spreading this Panjara*
The Phalastuti is as follows. By the reciation of this
Panjara itself everything is obtained in this world. One who is
desirous of proficiency in speech (Vak) should concentrate inten-
sively on this glorious Panjara.
6. Stoira;
Stotra, which literally meaas praise, tends to idealise and
extol the good qualities in the human world. With regard to
the ultimate reality in the personal form or the God Almighty,
all the best infinite qualities (anantakalyanguna) are attributed
to Him. Stotra usually contains the praise of different qualities
of the presiding deity and also glorifies his noble deeds. The
verb "Namah", (< Vande*> etc. are used in this form of literature.
Sometimes the series of words addressing the deity, as in the
case of one hundred eight names (asfottara&atanama) or one
thousand names (sahasranama) are contained in metrical Stotra-
form. From these Stotra composition the Asfottaras or Sahasra-
namas, which are used in the process of worship (aradhanakatpa),
are derived
In some instances, these stotras are to be found as the
constituent parts of Puranic literature. For example, one of the
HayagTlvastotra is found in the BrahmZqdapurctna. Sometimes
these stotras are composed by the great devotees of ancient and
modern periods.
We know that the famous Vaisnavacarya Vedanta Desika
is a well nown devotee of Hayagrlva. He composed a popular
Heyagriva-Stotra which is a hymn containing 32 Stanzas, mostly
of the Upajati Metre. He extolls Hayagrlva in this widely known
composition as the great deity of light and learning. It is probably
the first work of Vedaatadesika as a poet. It was composed
during the authors sojourn at Tiruvahlndrapuram near Caddalur
163
in the State of Tamil Nadu. A vistor to Tiruvahladrapuram is
shown even to-day the seat where Vedaatadesika sat and com-
posed and recited the Stotra. This Hymn is recited by the
Srivaimavas of Tiruvahlndrapuram during the Brahmotsava-festi-
val. The devoted Srivaisnavas have a great regard for this Hymn
as they take it to be the poetic idealisation of the esoteritism of
the Hayagriva-stotra. The expressions like SamQharah samnam
and svatah siddham etc. are very favourite with the poet as he
reproduces them more than once in his other works. It seems
the poet himself liked his juvenile poetic composition. Maha-
kaya, the famous Tengalal critic and philosopher, seems to be
very fond of this Hymn as he highly appriciates it in his Vaibhava
Prakasika. The Hymn has been commented upon by Velamuru
Srlnivasacharya and Srlsaila Tirumalai Nambi Raghavacharya
in Sanskrit. Its Tamil interpretation by Kuruchi Gopaiatata-
charya and Venkatlcharya are also well-known.
As the name Hayagrivastotra suggests that it is a Hymn on
Hayagriva, the presiding deity of learning and also the object of
worship (Up&syadaiva) of VedZntadeSika who worshipped the
Lord in this form throughout his life. For him the God of learn-
ing Hayagrlva is the iadweller of his heart, the soul of his Soul
and the inner ruler immortal. These are many ways in which
the poet worships Hayagriva in this Hymn.
To his mind, the God of learning as the divine light
to lead him on the path of Virtue, truth and happiness.
Then he sees Him in the form of a preceptor or a Guru who
lights the lamp of knowledge in the heart of the descipls with
the spark of his own wisdom. With much devotional emotion
and poetic imagination the author composes his Hymn with
which he began Ms literary career.
There are Hayagriva stotras written by a great devotee
Vndiraja of Madhva-tt&dition. Here we have to mention that
the Hayagriva cult not only popular among Srivaimavas but also
this has a hold on the great religious leaders in the Madhva tradi-
tion, MadhvacSrya, Raghavendrasv3mi of Mantralaya in addition
to the above mentioned Vadiraja*
164
We have a stotra called Vakpatitva Lak&hmi Stava written
by Anantadiksita where the Goddess Lakshm! is praised for
getting the mastery over speech (Vakpatitva). We have no
further detailed information regarding this author. This Stotra
has the usual features of Mantr&ngasin the middle.
This composition is full of mystical syllabls the purpose
of this stava is nothing but the gain of knowledge in different
forms.
A mention has to be made here regarding Sri Krishna
Brahma Tantra Parakala Yatindra's Hayagriva Prabodhika Stuff*
We have some more stotras of very recent origion (1920).
Hayagriva Pratak smarana Stotram written by Chi. Sowg Kauta
Lalitamohan published in 'Andhra Prabfaa 9 (7-2-1960). We
have Mangala Sfakas written by Sriman Ananta Padmanabha-
charya of Machiiipatnam and verses written by Pandit Parasaram
Veokata Ramacharya and the stotras of Bellamkondarlmlraya
We find also a number of recent stgtras dedicated to
Hayagriva.
Fig. 2: Hayagrlva of the Gupta Period
[By courtesy : Govt. Museum, Mathura]
Fig. 3(a) : Visnu with human face
(1st side)
Fig. 3(b) : Visnu-Varaha
[Ilnd side]
[By courtesy : Staatlisehe Museen Preussischen Kulturbesitz,
Museum fiir Indische Kunst, Berlin (West)]
Fig. 3(c) : Visnu-Narasimha
(Illrd side)
Fig 3(d) : Visnu-Hayagrlva
(IVth side)
Jt*
Fig. 4{a) : Deogarh Visvarupa
F*.4(c): Visvarfipa.Kana^Pratihara Period,
8th Century A.D.
Fig. 5(a) : Seated Hayagrlva, Nuggahalli.
Fig. 5(b) : Details of the seated Hoyasala Hayagrlva, Nuggahalli.
Fig. 6 : Militant Hoyasala Hayagrlva, Nuggahalli.
Fig. 7 : Seated Hoyasala Hayagrlva, Laksmlnarasimha Temple, Nuggahalli.
Fig. & : Standing benign Hayagrlva of the Hoyasala period,
Laksminarasimha Temple, Nuggahalli.
JBy courtesy : French Institute of Indology, Pondicherry]
Fig. 9 : Hayagrlva, Vlrabhadra Temple, Halibid.
[By courtesy : French Institute of Indology. Pondicherry]
|ty courtesy : Preach Institute of ladology, Portdicherryl
Fig. ll(a) : Yoga-Narasimha
[By courtesy : Musce Guimet, Paris]
Yoga-Narasimha
courtesy : Musfe Guimet, Paris]
I ' H If >M *X v > C
Fig. 12(a) : Hayagrlva with his
Consort Laksml, Tiruvendipurara
[By courtesy : French Institute of
Idology, Pondicherry]
n
I2(bj> : I^-Hayagrfva - A sn.aH n^eta! figure
tbec^ecbon of Berlin Museum. *
[By OH^ : Museum for Indian Art, Dalem, Berlin (West)
Fig. 12(c) : A Modern Painting of Laksral-Hayagrlva done by
the Artist Sri A. Krishna Rao of Nuzividu
[By courtesy : Sri V.A. Padmanabhacharyulu, a Hayagrlva devotee
under whose direction the Painting was made]
Fig. 13 : An example of Laksml-Narasanha image
[By curtesy : Musfe Gmimet, Paris]
Fig. 14 : L^nH-Hayagriva, Sri Varihapemmal Temple,
Kujnfoakonam.
[By courtesy : French Institute of Indology, Pondicherry]
15:
Hayagrlva, Lak ? mana Temple, Khujuraho.
Fig. 16 : Asvamukha in a Vaikuntha-Visnu
Image from Kashmir
[By courtesy : Sriaagar Museum, Kashmir]
Fig I* : Bayagttva-Madhava, Hajo, near Gauhati, Assam.
Kg 19 : Hayagriva, Sri Vaikuntaperumal Temple, Kanchipuram.
. French I^titute of Indology, Pondicherry]
Fig. 20 : Hayagrlva, Sri Varadaraja Perumal Temple, KancMpuram.
[By courtesy : French Institute of Indology, Pondicherry]
Fig.21(a): Hayagrfva-VJsau,
[By courtesy: Musee Guimet, Paris]
Fig. 2i(b) : Close-up of Hayagriva-Vtenu, Khmen
[By courtesy; Musee Guimet, Paris]
' ""MJJT 1 "
Fig. 22(b) : Front & back of Brass Figure of Hayagrlva from South India.
[By Courtesy : MUSE, Annual of Museum of Art and Archaeology,
University of Missouri, Colembia, USA]
Fig. 22(c) : Front and back of bronze figure of Hayagriva from South India,
[By courtesy : MUSE, Annual of the Museum of Art and Archaeology,
University of Missouri, Colembia* US\j
% 23 : A seated metal image of benign Hayagrlva
By courtesy ; Staatlische Nfuseen Preussis hen Kulturbestiz
Museum fir Indische Kunst, Berlin (West) ]
Fig. 24 : Hayagrlva in benign Posture
(Pondicherry State, Private collection)
[By courtesy : French Institute of Indology, Pondicherry]
Fig. 25: A wooden standing
Hayagrlva, a popular image
(A reproduction from the book, R.H.
GuIIk's The Mantraylnn aspect of
Horse-cult in China and Japan
Leiden, 1935]
Fig. 26(a) : Hayagrlva embracing
his female counterpart
* *
Fig. 26(b): Hayagriva with the staff
Fig. 26(c): Hayagriva Tjandi Dj igo
Fig. 26(d) : Hayagrlva as represented Fig. 26(e) : Hayagrlva, sitting on
in Taizukai Lotus on a Rock seat
Fig. 26(f) : Hayagrlva with
staff and flower
Fig. 26(g) : Hayagrlva on
the Water-Buffalo
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