Table of Contents
Who is Hayagriva Bhagawan?
Haya means horse while Griva means neck. So Hayagriva means horse headed. Do not confuse Hayagriva avatar with the demon Hayagriva who was slain by the Matsya Avatara of the Lord. Hayagriva Bhagavan holds a conch and disk in his upper two arms. His lower right hand displays the Vyakhya mudra or the mudra of teaching.
His lower left hand holds a book. Having the complexion as brilliant as a crystal, Lord Hayagriva is the embodiment of Jnana and Ananda.
Why did The Lord have a Horse-Head?
Now, why did the Lord choose the head of a horse? Horses are one of the most intelligent animals on the planet.
They possess a keen sense of observation and are very loving to be with. Hence, Lord Vishnu adopted the head of a horse for this incarnation. There is another reason for it. Devi blessed the demon or Danava named Hayagriva that only a horse headed entity could kill him. This incarnation of Lord Vishnu is exceptionally knowledgeable and emphasized the importance of the Vedas for the commencement of creation.
Our video on Vishnu Sahasranamam titled Benefits of Chanting Vishnu Sahasranama Stotram | How to Chant Vishnu Sahasranamam may interest you. According to the Bhagavad Purana, This Form of Lord Vishnu is considered as one of the 24 incarnations of Lord Vishnu. During the start of creation, two demons, Madhu and Kaitabha stole the Vedas from Lord Brahma. They hid the Vedas in the depths of the Nether worlds which symbolise the deep layers of the unconscious mind.
Getting the Vedas from the Ocean
All of us, have lost this knowledge in Kaliyuga, because Vedic knowledge is lost within the recesses of our own consciousness and not revealed on the conscious plane. Brahma represents the jeevatma who hankers for the knowledge of the Self. The Vedas represent spiritual knowledge. Brahma is incapable of protecting the Vedas and ultimately surrenders unto Paramatma, who is the father of Brahma.
The Epistemological Interpretation of the Self
Knowledge lies within every soul but it is covered by the layers of Rajas and Tamas. The demons Madhu and Kaitabha symbolize passion and ignorance. Without the Lord’s grace it is impossible to access divine knowledge. Hence Lord Brahma begged Lord Vishnu to retrieve the Vedas and dispel his grief. There is another interpretation too.
Madhu and Kaitabha represent Maya, Brahma sought refuge in Lord Vishnu to transcend worldly existence. To retrieve the Vedas, Lord Vishnu ultimately took the Hayagriva avatar and slew the demons. Thus truth triumphed over untruth.
Hayagriva Bhagavan in the Itihasas
There is also a mention of this form of Bhagavan in the Moksha Dharma Parva of the Mahabharata.
Vedanta Desikar, an elevated Acharya of the Sri Vaishnava Sampradaya composed the popular Hayagriva Stotram. Just like Lakshmi Narasimha, this Form of Lord Vishnu is depicted with his consort seated on his lap. Talking about Narasimha deva, you may also find our video titled Lord Benefits Of Lakshmi Narasimha Karavalamba Stotram | Lakshmi Narasimha Karavalamba Stotram Benefits interesting.
Mantra of Hayagriva Bhagavan
The beeja mantra of Hayagriva Bhagavan is Hlaum.
Do not chant this Beeja without due initiation. This can cause troubles on material and spiritual levels. The sadhaka can however chant and memorize this wonderful mantra I am about to say.
ज्ञानानन्द मयं देवं निर्मल स्फटिकाकृतिं
आधारं सर्वविद्यानं हयग्रीवं उपास्महे
Gnanananda Mayam Devam Nirmala Spatika Kruthim Aadharam Sarva Vidyanam Hayagrivam Upasmahe Which means-
Let us meditate on the personification of Knowledge and Bliss, whose body is as radiant as a crystal without any blemish, who is the foundation of all Vidyas, and who has the head of a horse.
Qualification for the Hayagriva Mantra
This is a mantra which will not require specific initiation. Anyone can chant this mantra without any restrictions.
This mantra has the capacity to take you to your Guru. Repeat this mantra until you have mastered it. It is more beneficial to know the meaning of the mantra while chanting. This Form of Lord Vishnu is the male form similar to Vidyarupa Saraswati devi. To know more about Saraswati mantra, watch our video titled Benefits of Saraswati Mantra | Saraswati Beej Mantra Benefits.
Benefits of Reciting the Hayagriva Mantra
Now, I shall state the benefits of reciting the Hayagriva mantra.
The Hayagriva mantra is like an elixir to aspiring students. Chanting the this mantra with devotion instils qualities such as humility, confidence and will-power. The mantra boosts cognitive abilities in children. One gains control over speech and has the power to influence others. Academics improves by leaps and bounds. Without his grace, it is impossible to attain perfection in education.
Before Svadhyaay or reading scriptures, one should worship this Form of Lord Vishnuto illuminate the mind and make it fertile for the seed of knowledge to thrive. This mantra works wonders for both spiritual and material fields. My request to all of you, is not to focus on material benefits. Keep the mantra for accessing Guru and spiritual knowledge alone. For such a purpose, the mantra automatically unlocks and leads you to your Guru, who will show you the path towards Liberation.
Thus, worshipping this Form of Lord Vishnu Bhagavan transports you to the garden of knowledge where you are free to pick spiritual flowers of Liberation.
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