Hayagriva, Hayagrīva, Haya-griva: 28 definitions

Introduction:

Hayagriva means something in Buddhism, Pali, Hinduism, Sanskrit, Jainism, Prakrit. If you want to know the exact meaning, history, etymology or English translation of this term then check out the descriptions on this page. Add your comment or reference to a book if you want to contribute to this summary article.

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In Hinduism

Purana and Itihasa (epic history)

[«previous next»] — Hayagriva in Purana glossary
Source: Wisdom Library: Purāṇas

Hayagrīva (हयग्रीव, “the horse-faced”):—Another name for Janārdana Mādhava (‘the Lord of all’) after his head was severed out of His body, according to the Devī-bhāgavata-purāṇa (Ch. 5 - The narrative of Hayagrīva). He is described as the ‘cause of all causes’ and Ādi Deva Jagannath (‘Lord of the universe’).

Source: archive.org: The Garuda puranam

A Hayagriva stone is of the shape of a goad.

Source: archive.org: Puranic Encyclopedia

1) Hayagrīva (हयग्रीव).—An Asura, the son of Kaśyapaprajāpati by his wife Danu. (Vālmīki Rāmāyaṇa, Araṇyakāṇḍa, Canto 14).

As a child the Asura began tapas on the banks of river Sarasvatī, and after a thousand years Devī appeared and asked him to choose any boon he wanted, and he wanted to become invincible by Devas and Asuras, and also deathless. When Devī told him that such a boon was out of question, he wanted the boon that he (Hayagrīva) should not be killed by anyone but by a Hayagrīva (one with the horse’s neck). Devī granted him the boon.

Hayagrīva, who became haughty and overconfident on receiving such a boon, went about the three worlds troubling good people, and at last he clashed with the Devas. As he could be killed only by one with the head of a horse the combined attack of Mahāviṣṇu and the Devas did not succeed in defeating him and Mahāviṣṇu decided to rest for some time to recoup himself from weariness. During his rest his head was hit by the end of his own bow and the head was severed from the trunk. Mahāviṣṇu replaced the head thus lost with that of a horse and killed Hayagrīva in fight. (For details see Cital). (See full article at Story of Hayagrīva from the Puranic encyclopaedia by Vettam Mani)

2) Hayagrīva (हयग्रीव).—An asura who guarded the kingdom of Narakāsura. He was killed by Śrī Kṛṣṇa, (Udyoga Parva, Chapter 130 Verse 50).

3) Hayagrīva (हयग्रीव).—A King born in the Videha dynasty. (Udyoga Parva, Chapter 74, Verse 15).

4) Hayagrīva (हयग्रीव).—A saintly king. Though he defeated his enemies, yet, as he had no backing and support, he was finally killed. The story of Hayagrīva was told by Vyāsa to teach Dharmaputra the lesson that even the greatest of heroes requires the support of others. Though killed, Hayagrīva secured a place in heaven. (Śānti Parva, Chapter 24, Verse 23).

5) Hayagrīva (हयग्रीव).—An incarnation of Viṣṇu. In Vedic literature:—In Vedic literature incarnation as Hayagrīva is attributed not to Viṣṇu, but to Yajña. But the Taittirīya āraṇyaka depicts yajña as a protoform of Viṣṇu. The inference that may be drawn from the above is that the root of the Hayagrīva story detailed in Vedic and Purāṇic literature is one and the same.

About the Hayagrīva incarnation the Pañcaviṃsabrāhmaṇa contains the following story.

Agni, Indra, Vāyu and Yajña (Viṣṇu) once began a yajña on the understanding that the havirbhāga obtained from it should be divided among all the Devas. But, in violation of the agreement, yajña left the place carrying away the whole Yajñabhāga with him, and he drove back the Devas who followed him with the help of the bow presented to him by Devī. Finally the Devas got the string of the bow bitten off by termites and the bow which got straightened up cut off yajña’s head. Yajña then apologized for his offence and then the devas got the Aśvinīdevas to fix the head of a horse to the trunk of Yajña. (Pañcaviṃśabrāhmaṇa 7, 5, 6; Taittirīya āraṇyaka 5, 1; Taittirīya Saṃhitā, 4-9, 1). In Purāṇic literature. The above story is told in Skanda Purāṇa with slight modifications as follows:—

Once Brahmā and other Devatās conducted a test as to which one amongst them was the greatest, and when it became evident tha tMahāviṣṇu was, in every respect, superior to all the others Brahmā cursed that Viṣṇu should lose his head. Viṣṇu, who got thus bereft of his head attended a yajña conducted by the Devas with the head of a horse attached to his trunk. After the yajña was over he went to dharmāraṇya and did tapas there and by the blessings of Śiva got back his former head instead of that of the horse.

Source: archive.org: Nilamata Purana: a cultural and literary study

Hayagrīva (हयग्रीव).—In the Mahābhārata, Hayagrīva occurs as the name of a demon who is commander of Naraka’s army. According to the Bhāgavata Purāṇa, Viṣṇu killed the demon Hayagrīva. The Viṣṇu Purāṇa and the Mārkaṇḍeya Purāṇa state that Viṣṇu appears as Hayaśiras in Bhadrāśva. The Devībhāgavata mentions Viṣṇu Hayagrīva killing the demon Hayagrīva, while the Kālikā Purāṇa states that Hayagrīva had killed Jvarāsura.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: The Purana Index

1a) Hayagrīva (हयग्रीव).—(Hayaśīrṣa)—a manifestation of Hari worshipped as such by Bhadraśravas: Half-man and halfhorse: got back to Brahmā the Vedas seized by Asura Madhu of Rasātala;1 the form of Viṣṇu who appeared before Agastya at Kāncī, having Śankha, Cakra, Akṣavalaya, and Pustaka (book) in his hand;2 resides in Sutalam.3

  • 1) Bhāgavata-purāṇa V. 18. 1-6; XI. 4. 17.
  • 2) Brahmāṇḍa-purāṇa IV. 5. 9, 35-40.
  • 3) Ib. II. 20. 21; Vāyu-purāṇa 50. 20.

1b) A son of Danu: followed Vṛtra in his battles with Indra: a follower of Bali.*

  • * ^1 Bhāgavata-purāṇa VI. 6. 30; 10. 19; VII. 2. 4; VIII. 10. 21; Vāyu-purāṇa 68. 10.

1c) The demon who carried off the Vedas during the pralaya: killed by Matsya Hari who recovered them.*

  • * Bhāgavata-purāṇa VIII. 24. 8 and 57.

1d) A Dānava in the Tārakāmaya.*

  • * Matsya-purāṇa 173. 15; 177. 6.

1e) An Asura killed by Kṛṣṇa in prāgjyotiṣa.*

  • * Viṣṇu-purāṇa V. 29. 19.
Source: JatLand: List of Mahabharata people and places

Hayagrīva (हयग्रीव) is a name mentioned in the Mahābhārata (cf. V.72.15, V.128.49) and represents one of the many proper names used for people and places. Note: The Mahābhārata (mentioning Hayagrīva) is a Sanskrit epic poem consisting of 100,000 ślokas (metrical verses) and is over 2000 years old.

Purana book cover
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The Purana (पुराण, purāṇas) refers to Sanskrit literature preserving ancient India’s vast cultural history, including historical legends, religious ceremonies, various arts and sciences. The eighteen mahapuranas total over 400,000 shlokas (metrical couplets) and date to at least several centuries BCE.

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Vaishnavism (Vaishava dharma)

Source: Google Books: Studies in Jaina Art and Iconography (vaishnavism)

Hayagrīva (हयग्रीव), the horse-face avatāra (incarnation) of Viṣṇu, with variant names: Aśvamukha, Aśvaśīrṣa, Hayaśīrṣa, was associated in Hindu mythology with the restoration of the Vedas and with learning, speech and knowledge. The Mahābhārata (XII. 127) mentions a beautiful region called Badarī, the abode of Nara and Nārāyaṇa, where Aśvaśīrṣa read the read the Vedas. Elsewhere (XII, 347), it describes the horse-face Viṣṇu bringing back the stolen Vedas after killing the two asura thieves Madhu and Kaiṭabha. The Harivaṃśa (Chapter 72) has a prayer addressed to Hayagrīva who kills Madhu and Kaiṭabha to rescue the Vedas.

Vaishnavism book cover
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Vaishnava (वैष्णव, vaiṣṇava) or vaishnavism (vaiṣṇavism) represents a tradition of Hinduism worshipping Vishnu as the supreme Lord. Similar to the Shaktism and Shaivism traditions, Vaishnavism also developed as an individual movement, famous for its exposition of the dashavatara (‘ten avatars of Vishnu’).

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Shilpashastra (iconography)

Source: archive.org: Pratima Kosa Encyclopedia of Indian Iconography - Vol 6

Hayagrīva (हयग्रीव) refers to one of the many varieties of the Śālagrāma (ammonite fossil stones).—The Hayagrīva is blue in colour; two cakras; five lines together making a mark like goad (aṅkuśākāra-pañca-rekhā); many spots (bindus); shape of a horse’s head. Śālagrāma stones are very ancient geological specimens, rendered rounded and smooth by water-currents in a great length of time. They (e.g., Hayagrīva stones) are distinguished by the ammonite (śālā, described as “vajra-kīṭa”, “adamantine worms”) which having entered into them for residence, are fossilized in course of time, leaving discus-like marks inside the stone.

Source: Shodhganga: The significance of the mūla-beras (śilpa)

Hayagrīva is the name of a deity depicted at the  Kallazhagar Temple in  Madurai, which represents a sacred place for the worship of Viṣṇu.— In the sannidhi of Hayagrīva, the deity is found in standing posture with four hands. The upper two hands hold the conch and the discus in kartarīmukha-hasta. The other hands hold the flute that is placed near the right cheek. The hands are in siṃhakarṇa-hasta. The standing posture is termed svastika-sthānaka. While representing in dancing, he is represented as standing in svastika posture with four hands. The upper hands are in kartarīmukha-hasta and the lower hands are held in kapittha-hasta/mṛgaśīrṣa-hasta. The goddesses are found on the either side of the god.

Shilpashastra book cover
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Shilpashastra (शिल्पशास्त्र, śilpaśāstra) represents the ancient Indian science (shastra) of creative arts (shilpa) such as sculpture, iconography and painting. Closely related to Vastushastra (architecture), they often share the same literature.

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Shaktism (Shakta philosophy)

[«previous next»] — Hayagriva in Shaktism glossary
Source: Shodhganga: Iconographical representations of Śiva (shaktism)

Hayagrīva (हयग्रीव) or Hayagrīvatantra refers to one of the twenty Bhūtatantras, belonging to the Śāktāgama (or Śāktatantra) division of the Āgama tradition. The Śāktāgamas represent the wisdom imparted by Devī to Īśvara and convey the idea that the worship of Śakti is the means to attain liberation. According to the Pratiṣṭhālakṣaṇasamuccaya of Vairocana, the Śāktatantras are divided into to four parts, the Hayagrīva-tantra belonging to the Bhūta class.

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Shakta (शाक्त, śākta) or Shaktism (śāktism) represents a tradition of Hinduism where the Goddess (Devi) is revered and worshipped. Shakta literature includes a range of scriptures, including various Agamas and Tantras, although its roots may be traced back to the Vedas.

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Pancaratra (worship of Nārāyaṇa)

Source: archive.org: Isvara Samhita Vol 1

Hayagrīva (हयग्रीव) refers to one of the various Vibhava manifestations according to the Īśvarasaṃhitā 24.249-256.—Accordingly, “one should meditate upon the Lord of speech, having the face of the horse, who has all imperishable things in the world in the form of speech, who is in His nature as (inherent) power of the form of sentience; having unlimited splendour, he is like the sun-stone ornamented by many arms. He has in the six right hands, lotus, rosary garland, altar (pedestal) bedecked by the three fires, sruk and sruva having the flow of ghee, handful of Kuśa grass with Soma juice, hide of deer with darbha and girdle. One shall think of a book and conch staff, gourd and ladle, these three in the left hand, the fifth hand filled with seeds grown in villages and forests to prepare caru. He shall have in the sixth hand a vessel for Soma juice which shall have garlands, roots, fruits, leaves (petals), materials (required) for the sacrifice together with the gifts and all the materials required for the members of all castes. This shall be meditated upon having the Ṛg and others—Vedas, Upavedas, impressions with sacrifices in concrete forms”.

These Vibhavas (e.g., Hayagrīva) represent the third of the five-fold manifestation of the Supreme Consciousness the Pāñcarātrins believe in. Note: Hayagrīva bears the conch and discuss; He has four faces; and seated on a serpent’s body; His body is like that of Nṛsiṃha; lotus-seat. He is associated with Śrī and Bhūdevī; pāśa (nooses), arikissa (goad), fire, and some more ornaments are also mentioned.

Source: eScholarship: Chapters 1-14 of the Hayasirsa Pancaratra

Hayagrīva (हयग्रीव) is a name of Viṣṇu mentioned in the Śāstrāvatāra portion of the 9th century Hayaśīrṣa-pañcarātra.—“[...] for what reason did the mighty Viṣṇu previously become manifest as Hayaśīra [Hayaśiras] and what was the reason that the Lord of the Gods assumed a radiant body? [...] Mighty Lord Hayaśīrṣa—who was the slayer of Madhu and Kaiṭabha—when he was in the cosmic ocean—was asked by you Bhṛgu about the Pañcarātra. [...]”.

Hayaśira [Hayaśiras], Hayaśīrṣa and Hayagrīva are all names for the same horse-headed incarnation of Viṣṇu; haya means horse and śira, śīrṣa, head and grīva, neck, respectively. he Garuḍa-purāṇa describes Hayagrīva’s pūjā in an elaborate way. Lakṣmaṇa Deśika mentions, in his Śāradātilaka,that Hayagrīva is an incarnation prior to Viṣṇu’s Matsya incarnation. In the Devī-bhāgavata-purāṇa there is an elaborate account of Hayagrīva (1.5.98ff).

The Garuḍa-purāṇa devotes one whole chapter to the worship of Hayagrīva employing, for example, mantras, a maṇḍala and breathing exercises. The Mahābhārata may contain the earliest recorded versions of the story, mentioning it four times (6.63, 12.200.8-16, 3.194, 12.335).

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Pancaratra (पाञ्चरात्र, pāñcarātra) represents a tradition of Hinduism where Narayana is revered and worshipped. Closeley related to Vaishnavism, the Pancaratra literature includes various Agamas and tantras incorporating many Vaishnava philosophies.

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Kavya (poetry)

[«previous next»] — Hayagriva in Kavya glossary
Source: Wisdom Library: Kathāsaritsāgara

Hayagrīva (हयग्रीव) is the name of an Asura who was reborn as Mahābuddhi: minister of Sūryaprabha, according to the Kathāsaritsāgara, chapter 45. Accordingly, as Kaśyapa said to Maya, Sunītha and Sūryaprabha: “... and the other Asuras, who were your companions, have been born as his friends; for instance,... the two Asuras, who used to be called Vikaṭākṣa and Hayagrīva, have been born as his two ministers here, Sthirabuddhi and Mahābuddhi”.

The story of Hayagrīva was narrated by the Vidyādhara king Vajraprabha to prince Naravāhanadatta in order to relate how “Sūryaprabha, being a man, obtain of old time the sovereignty over the Vidyādharas”.

The Kathāsaritsāgara (‘ocean of streams of story’), mentioning Hayagrīva, is a famous Sanskrit epic story revolving around prince Naravāhanadatta and his quest to become the emperor of the vidyādharas (celestial beings). The work is said to have been an adaptation of Guṇāḍhya’s Bṛhatkathā consisting of 100,000 verses, which in turn is part of a larger work containing 700,000 verses.

Kavya book cover
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Kavya (काव्य, kavya) refers to Sanskrit poetry, a popular ancient Indian tradition of literature. There have been many Sanskrit poets over the ages, hailing from ancient India and beyond. This topic includes mahakavya, or ‘epic poetry’ and natya, or ‘dramatic poetry’.

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In Buddhism

Tibetan Buddhism (Vajrayana or tantric Buddhism)

Source: archive.org: The Indian Buddhist Iconography

1) Hayagrīva (हयग्रीव) refers to one of the various emanations of Akṣobhya having their Sādhana described in the 5th-century Sādhanamālā (a collection of sādhana texts that contain detailed instructions for rituals).—His Colour is red; His Āsana is the Lalita; he has three faces and eight arms

The Dhyāna (meditation instructions) of Hayagrīva described in the Sādhanamālā as follows:—

“The worshipper should conceive himself as Ārya-Hayagrīva of red colour, with eight arms and three faces, each face with three eyes. His right and left faces are blue and white respectively and he has snakes for ornaments. His legs are arranged in the lalita attitude and he looks wrathful. His first face has a smiling appearance, the right has a protruding tongue and he bites his lips in his left. He is clad in tiger-skin and shows in his four right hands the vajra, the staff, the karaṇa pose and the raised arrow. Of the four left hands, one has the raised index finger, the second touches the breast and the two remaining ones hold the lotus and the bow. He bears the effigy of Akṣobhya on his crown”

2) Hayagrīva (हयग्रीव) or Hayagrīvalokeśvara refers to number 1 of the 108 forms of Avalokiteśvara found in the Machhandar Vahal (Kathmanu, Nepal). [Machhandar or Machandar is another name for for Matsyendra.].

Accordingly,—

“Hayagrīva sits in the Vajraparyaṅka attitude on a lotus. He has four hands, out of which the two principal ones exhibit the Vyākhyāna pose. The second pair holds the rosary in the right hand and the lotus in the left. He is accompanied by six other gods and a dragon”.

The names of the 108 deities [viz., Hayagrīva] possbily originate from a Tantra included in the Kagyur which is named “the 108 names of Avalokiteshvara”, however it is not yet certain that this is the source for the Nepali descriptions.Source: academia.edu: A Critical Study of the Vajraḍākamahātantrarāja (II)

Hayagrīva (हयग्रीव) is the husband of Śauṇḍinī: the name of a Ḍākinī (‘sacred girl’) presiding over Saurāṣṭra: one of the four Upamelāpaka (‘sacred spot’) present within the Kāyacakra (‘circle of body’) , according to the 9th-centruy Vajraḍākatantra. The Kāyacakra is one of three Cakras within the Tricakra system which embodies twenty-four sacred spots or districts resided over by twenty-four Ḍākinīs whose husbands (viz., Hayagrīva) abide in one’s body in the form of twenty-four ingredients (dhātu) of one’s body.

Śauṇḍinī has for her husband the hero (vīra) named Hayagrīva. She is the presiding deity of Saurāṣṭra and the associated internal location are the ‘anus’ and the bodily ingredient (dhātu) is the ‘pus’.

Source: academia.edu: The Structure and Meanings of the Heruka Maṇḍala

Hayagrīva (हयग्रीव) is the name of a Vīra (hero) who, together with the Ḍākinī named Śauṇḍinī forms one of the 36 pairs situated in the Vajracakra, according to the 10th century Ḍākārṇava chapter 15. Accordingly, the vajracakra refers to one of the four divisions of the sahaja-puṭa (‘innate layer’), situated within the padma (lotus) in the middle of the Herukamaṇḍala. The 36 pairs of Ḍākinīs and Vīras [viz., Hayagrīva] each have one face and four arms; they hold a skull bowl, a skull staff, a small drum and a knife; they are dark-bluish-black in color.

Source: OSU Press: Cakrasamvara Samadhi

Hayagrīva (हयग्रीव) is the name of a Ḍāka (male consort) and one of the deities of the Cakrasaṃvara-maṇḍala or Saṃvaramaṇḍala of Abhayākaragupta’s Niṣpannayogāvalī, p. 45 and n. 145; (Cf. Cakrasaṃvaratantra, Gray, David B., 2007).—The Cakrasaṃvara mandala has a total of sixty-two deities. [...] Three concentric circles going outward, the body, speech and mind wheels (kāya-vāka-citta), in the order: mind (blue), speech (red), and body (white), with eight Ḍākinīs each in non-dual union with their Ḍākas, "male consorts".

Associated elements of Sauṇḍinī and Hayagrīva:

Circle: kāyacakra (body-wheel) (white);
Ḍākinī (female consort): Sauṇḍinī;
Ḍāka (male consort): Hayagrīva;
Bīja: sauṃ;
Body-part: thighs;
Pīṭha: Saurāṣṭra;
Bodily constituent: lohita (blood);
Bodhipakṣa (wings of enlightenment): dharmavicayabodhyaṅga (awakening of investigation).

Tibetan Buddhism book cover
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Tibetan Buddhism includes schools such as Nyingma, Kadampa, Kagyu and Gelug. Their primary canon of literature is divided in two broad categories: The Kangyur, which consists of Buddha’s words, and the Tengyur, which includes commentaries from various sources. Esotericism and tantra techniques (vajrayāna) are collected indepently.

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In Jainism

General definition (in Jainism)

[«previous next»] — Hayagriva in Jainism glossary
Source: archive.org: Trisastisalakapurusacaritra

Hayagrīva (हयग्रीव) (or Hayakaṇṭha, Vājigrīva) is another name for Aśvagrīva: one of the nine Prativāsudevas (enemies of Vāsudevas), according to chapter 4.1 [śreyāṃsanātha-caritra] of Hemacandra’s 11th century Triṣaṣṭiśalākāpuruṣacaritra: an ancient Sanskrit epic poem narrating the history and legends of sixty-three illustrious persons in Jainism.

Accordingly:—“Now in the city Ratnapura, there was a Prativiṣṇu, Aśvagrīva, son of Mayūragrīva, borne by Nīlañjanā. He was eighty bows tall, with the color of a new cloud, with a life of eighty-four lacs of years, long-armed. The itch of his arms was not satisfied by beatings of his enemies, like that of a lion by rending the boss of an elephant. [...]”.

General definition book cover
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Jainism is an Indian religion of Dharma whose doctrine revolves around harmlessness (ahimsa) towards every living being. The two major branches (Digambara and Svetambara) of Jainism stimulate self-control (or, shramana, ‘self-reliance’) and spiritual development through a path of peace for the soul to progess to the ultimate goal.

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Languages of India and abroad

Sanskrit dictionary

[«previous next»] — Hayagriva in Sanskrit glossary
Source: DDSA: The practical Sanskrit-English dictionary

Hayagrīva (हयग्रीव).—

1) Name of a form of Viṣṇu.

2) Name of a demon; ज्ञात्वा तद्दानवेन्द्रस्य हयग्रीवस्य चेष्टितम् (jñātvā taddānavendrasya hayagrīvasya ceṣṭitam) Bhāgavata 8.24.9.

- Name of Durgā.

Hayagrīva is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms haya and grīva (ग्रीव).

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Edgerton Buddhist Hybrid Sanskrit Dictionary

Hayagrīva (हयग्रीव).—name of a deity, associated with Bhṛkuṭī: Sādhanamālā 37.10 et alibi.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Shabda-Sagara Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Hayagrīva (हयग्रीव).—m.

(-vaḥ) A prince of the Daityas, who during Brahma'S sleep at the end of a Kalpa stole the Vedas; in the recovery of them, he was slain by Vishnu, after his descent as the Matsya or fish Avatar. E. haya a horse, and grīvā neck.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Benfey Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Hayagrīvā (हयग्रीवा).—m. a demon.

Hayagrīvā is a Sanskrit compound consisting of the terms haya and grīvā (ग्रीवा).

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Cappeller Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Hayagrīva (हयग्रीव).—[adjective] horse-necked; [masculine] a form of Viṣṇu.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Aufrecht Catalogus Catalogorum

1) Hayagrīva (हयग्रीव) as mentioned in Aufrecht’s Catalogus Catalogorum:—nominal author of the Jaṭāpaṭala.

2) Hayagrīva (हयग्रीव):—Lakṣmītantra.

3) Hayagrīva (हयग्रीव):—Siddhāntadīpa, vedānta.

4) Hayagrīva (हयग्रीव):—Praśnaratnāvalī jy.

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Monier-Williams Sanskrit-English Dictionary

1) Hayagrīva (हयग्रीव):—[=haya-grīva] [from haya] m. ‘horse-necked’, Name of a form of Viṣṇu (manifested [according to] to one legend, in order to recover the Veda carried off by two Daityas called Madhu and Kaiṭabha), [Pañcarātra]

2) [v.s. ...] of a Daitya (also called brahma-veda-prahartṛ, as having carried off the Vedas at the dissolution of the universe caused by Brahma’s sleep at the end of the past Kalpa; in order to recover them, Viṣṇu became incarnate as a Matsya or fish, and slew Haya-grīva), [Harivaṃśa; Kathāsaritsāgara] etc.

3) [v.s. ...] of a Rākṣasa, [Rāmāyaṇa]

4) [v.s. ...] of a Tantra deity, [Buddhist literature]

5) [v.s. ...] of a Rājarṣi, [Mahābhārata]

6) [v.s. ...] of a wicked king of the Videhas, [Mahābhārata]

7) [v.s. ...] of a Muni, [Catalogue(s)]

8) [v.s. ...] of the supposed author of the Chāndogya Upaniṣad and various other writers etc., [ib.]

9) Hayagrīvā (हयग्रीवा):—[=haya-grīvā] [from haya-grīva > haya] f. Name of Durgā, [cf. Lexicographers, esp. such as amarasiṃha, halāyudha, hemacandra, etc.]

Source: Cologne Digital Sanskrit Dictionaries: Yates Sanskrit-English Dictionary

Hayagrīva (हयग्रीव):—[haya-grīva] (vaḥ) 1. m. A Daitya prince who stole the Vedas and was killed by Vishnu in his fish incarnation.

[Sanskrit to German]

Hayagriva in German

context information

Sanskrit, also spelled संस्कृतम् (saṃskṛtam), is an ancient language of India commonly seen as the grandmother of the Indo-European language family (even English!). Closely allied with Prakrit and Pali, Sanskrit is more exhaustive in both grammar and terms and has the most extensive collection of literature in the world, greatly surpassing its sister-languages Greek and Latin.

Discover the meaning of hayagriva in the context of Sanskrit from relevant books on Exotic India

Kannada-English dictionary

[«previous next»] — Hayagriva in Kannada glossary
Source: Alar: Kannada-English corpus

Hayagrīva (ಹಯಗ್ರೀವ):—

1) [noun] a form of Viṣṇu in which he had the head of a horse.

2) [noun] a kind of sweet dish made of rice, chickpea splits, etc.

context information

Kannada is a Dravidian language (as opposed to the Indo-European language family) mainly spoken in the southwestern region of India.

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