Hayagrīva in the Hayagrīvopaniṣad

The concept of the supreme Brahman or the supreme soul or ātman is the main theme of the Upaniṣads. Hayagrīva is raised to the status of the supreme lord of knowledge and wisdom in the Hayagrīvopaniṣad [Hayagriva-Upanishad]. Besides the principal Upaniṣads only a few other Upaniṣads are connected with the Veda. Most of them are religious rather than philosophical works which contain the doctrines and views of philosophical schools and religious sects of a much later period. And many of them are nearly related to the purāṇas and tantras.

The ‘Hayagrīvopaniṣad’, a minor upaniṣad, belongs to the Atharvaveda, written probably in the post-mahābhārata period. It is one of the one hundred eight Upaniṣads specified in the Muktikopaniṣad of the Suklayajurveda. Of the one hundred and eight Upaniṣads, ten belong to the Ṛgveda, nineteen to the Kṛṣṇayajurveda, thirtytwo belong to the Śuklayajurv eda, sixteen to the Sāmaveda and thirtyone belong to the Atharvaveda. Hayagrīvopaniṣad belongs to the Vaiṣṇava sect, which worships Viṣṇu, and is associated with the Atharvaveda. ^[1] For its Viṣṇu avatāra-oriented sectarian nature, and for having tantric mantras in the text, Hayagrīvopaniṣad may be a relatively a later Upaniṣad.

The Hayagrīvaopaniṣad has twenty verses divided into two chapters. Its narrative is a discourse between sage Nārada and Brahmā. Some mantras are related to Hayagrīva, some with respective seers, presiding deities, some with the power of meditation and others with the results achieved through the japas and prayer in glorification of the Brahmavidyā. The text begins with a śānti mantra, benedictory verse, which is an invocation to the god Viṣṇu, Indra, Garuḍa, Sūrya and Bṛhaspati praying for welfare of all.^[2]

The Upaniṣad begins with sage Nārada approaching Brahmā requesting him to impart the most sublime Brahmavidyā, by which all sins are destroyed. On attaining proficiency in Brahmavidyā, possessed with the glory of devouring all but oneself, one becomes Brahman. Exercising the powers of sentient action, desire and knowledge, one can lead to the state of the unqualified Brahman, where one can realise that there is nothing other than the Brahman.

Brahmā then declares that one, who knows the mantras with Hayagrīva as their presiding deity, attain the knowledge of the scriptures, śrutis,^[3] smṛtis,^[4] itihāsas, and purāṇas and is conferred with wealth and is blessed with the glory of eclipsing everything:

“Hayagrīvadaivatyānmantrānyo veda sa śrutismṛtītihāsapurāṇāni veda/
Sa sarvaiśvaryavānbhavatī//”^[5]

The Hayagrīvopaniṣad refers to the spiritual and material profits of reciting mantras in praise of Lord Hayagrīva , an embodiment of the holy mind, of the Vedas, and the divine knowledge who restored the Vedas. Individuals who can perceive the mantras revealed by Hayagrīva, the lord of knowledge can achieve proficiency in the śrutis, smṛtis and can attain all kinds of wealth.

The second section of the Upaniṣad explains how one can attain material delights and salvation through the chanting of precise Hayagrīva mantras. Here Brahmā narrates different mantras relating to the worship of Hayagrīva.

In the first mantra salutation has been made to Hayagrīva as Viṣṇu, a form transcending the universe of gross phenomena, the form of sentient bliss, the king of all vidyā’s—

“Visvottīrṇasvarūpāya cinmayānandarūpine/
Tubhyṃ namo Hayagrīva vidyārājāya svahā svahā namaḥ//”^[6]

The word vidyārāja in the mantra is a Sanskrit word meaning king of knowledge. Hayagrīva is also known as vidyārāja. ^[7] Vidyā means knowledge. Two different kinds of knowledge mentioned in the śruti texts are parāvidyā- the higher knowledge and aparāvidyā- the worldly knowledge. Parāvidyā is concerned with Brahman, the highest reality, which leads the being to realization of self. Parāvidyā is the same as Brahmavidyā by which one can get rid of all kinds of worldly bondage and bring about the direct realization of the supreme reality and finally one could realize the imperishable ātman. Aparā vidyā is variously understood by Advaitin and Viśiṣṭādvaitin. Advaitin consider aparā to be of lower knowledge leading to empirical existence. Knowing the real nature of this lower knowledge or aparā vidyā, one should endeavor for the higher knowledge or parā vidyā that would result in the understanding of self as Brahman. Whereas according to the Viśiṣṭādvaitin, both parā and aparā are the means to the realization of the supreme Brahman. They emphasize that aparā vidyā comprises the knowledge of the Vedas, should be performed according to the circumstances in life, free from attachment to desired result. Contrarywise if the karma’s are done with affection to its yielding, it directs to transmigratory existence. But through the knowledge of parā vidyā one has the direct realization of Brahman. Thus accordingly both parā and aparā vidyā could lead to realization of the supreme. The Hayagrīvopaniṣad has also amalgamated the prospect of higher knowledge and the glorification of Hayagrīva raising the avatāra to the stature of Brahman.

In the second mantra of the text it has been said that:

“Ṛgyajuḥsāmarūpāya vedāharana karmane/
praṇavodgīthavapuṣe mahāśvaśirse namaḥ svahā svahā namaḥ//”^[8]

This mantra identifies Hayagrīva as the rescuer of the three Vedas i.e., Ṛgveda, Yajurveda and Sāmaveda. This Hayagrīva is the embodiment of the praṇavodgītha and possessed of the head of a great horse. Here the verse refers to Hayagrīva as ‘praṇavodgīthavapuḥ.’^[9]

In the third mantra Lord Hayagrīva has been referred to as udgītha and praṇavodgītha. That is to say, Hayagrīva is personified as having the form of these two sacred spiritual seeds.

Hayagrīva with the combination of haya and udgītha is the lord of the lords, lord of all kinds of wisdom who is the personification of all the Vedas who imparts incomprehensible knowledge—

“Udgītha praṇvodgītha sarvavāgīśvreśvra/
Sarvavedamayacintya sarvam bodhaya bodhaya svāhā svāhā namaḥ”//^[10]

Here Hayagrīva is personified as Vāgīśvara, “Vācām īśvara iva vāgīśvara”. Vāgisvarī in the feminine form refers to the goddess Sarasvatī, the presiding deity of vidyā. Hayagrīva not only protects all types of creatures of the world, but He is also known to have imparted knowledge to goddess Sarasvatī herself, the presiding deity of learning. Thus, without His grace, no one can obtain good knowledge whether sacred or secular.

Thereafter we see that the enumeration starts with the seers and concludes with meditation of the three mantras. In the dhyānamantra of the Hayagrīvopaniṣad a word “Hayagrīvaupāsmahe” and the “Śaṃkhacakra mahāmudrā pustakāḍhyaṃ caturbhujam” indicate that Hayagrīva is recognized as anthropoid in form. The iconographical description of Hayagrīva presents him to be effulgent like the moon and adorned with the śaṃkha, chakra and pustaka held in his three hands, and the mahā-mudra gesture of the fourth hand.

Hayagrīvopaniṣad provides the twenty nine syllable mantra like “Om śrīṃ hlauṃ om namo bhagavate hayagrīvāya viṣṛṇave mahyam medhāṃ prajñāṃ prayaccha svāhā”^[11] as well as the thirty four syllable mantra “Om śrīṃ hrīṃ aiṃ aiṃ aiṃ klīṃ klīṃ sauh sauh hrīṃ om namo bhagavate hayagrīvāya mahyaṃ medhāṃ prajñāṃ prayaccha svāhā”^[12] at the end of the first chapter. This mantra consisting of twenty nine syllables and thirty four syllables is the bīja-akṣara Hsauṃ. The Upaniṣad aims at increasing knowledge of beings. Here it is to be noted that, the word “viṣṇave” meaning “unto Viṣṇu ”, indicates Viṣṇu, mentioned in the twenty nine syllable mantra.

In the second chapter, Brahmā is seen as expounding the Brahmavidyā through the monosyllabic mantra of Hayagrīva. The chapter begins with Brahmā reciting the ekākṣara (one-syllable) mantra (bīja) of Hayagrīva, the root syllables being Lhouṃ (Hsouṃ). The mantra “Lhouṃ (Hsouṃ) sakala samrājya sidhiṃ kuru kuru svahā” reveals the secret of the great Vedic sayings “prajñānam ānandam brahma” ^[13] “Tat tvaṃ asi,”^[14] “Ayaṃ ātmā brahma” ^[15] and “Ahaṃ brahmāsmi.”^[16] The words “Lhouṃ” and “Hsouṃ” are having the same vowels, though they are different. They lend worldly pleasures and salvation respectively. It is claimed that recitation of this mantra gives one pleasures in life and after death it gives salvation. It helps one to realize the true spiritual meaning of the Vedic dictum or the Mahāvākyas. Four supplementary Vedic mantras are also incorporated in this Upaniṣad.

The Hayagrīvopaniṣad ends with the declaration that one who recites the Hayagrīvopaniṣad on the 11th lunar day, ekādaśī (sacred to Viṣṇu) would become a great man by the blessings of Hayagrīva and also achieve salvation. The text ends with a prayer that this knowledge of Brahman, taught by the mantra ending with 'Aum Namo Brahmaṇe’, would never leave the heart of the devotee.

To conclude, this inspirational text associating Hayagrīva with Brahmavidyā, declares Hayagrīva as the supreme lord of knowledge and wisdom. Although Viṣṇu is having a horse headed form, the idea of recovering the Vedas is indicated here. This is elaborately discussed in the Mahābhārata.

In the Mahābhārata a mythical description of the horse-headed deity Hayaśiras is found as the retriever of the Vedas. The discussion in the Upaniṣad has maintained its integrity regarding the supreme nature of Hayagrīva and at the same time accepted the episode of Hayagrīva as retriever of the Vedas which indicates similarity with Hayaśira Viṣṇu.

Vedic mantras are symbolic in character. The beginning of the symbol worship, the horse as sun or sun steed and his relationship with solar god Viṣṇu has begun during the period of the Saṃhitās and gradually it extended into the Brāhmaṇas, Āraṇyakas and in the Hayagrīvopaniṣad. The Brāhmaṇa literature deals with the commentaries on the myths, rituals, ceremonies and sacrifices, symbolic worship of the horse through Aśvamedha Yajña or ritualistic performance of sacrifice. In the Āraṇyaka literature we see the symbol to refer to the deity. We have also found the case of Viṣṇu’s severed head and replacement by a horse head which found its expression in different versions of different Vedic texts such as, the Brāhmaṇas ^[17] and the Āraṇyakas. ^[18] Interestingly we do not come across a direct evidence of Hayagrīva Viṣṇu in the Vedic Saṃhitā and the Brāhmaṇas. Subsequently we come across an entire Upaniṣad dedicated to Hayagrīva Viṣṇu known as Hayagrīvopaniṣad. Thus the evolution of the horse headed deity as the supreme lord of knowledge and wisdom called Hayagrīva, has taken place.

Footnotes and references:

[1]:

John, Nicol Farquhar: An outline of the religious literature of India, p.364.

[2]:

“Aum bhadraṃ karṇebhiśṛṇuyām devāḥ/
Bhadram paśyemākṣabhiryajatrāḥ/
Sthirairaṅgaistuṣṭuvāṃsastanūbhiḥ/
Vyaśema devahitaṃ yadāyuḥ//
Svasti na indro vṛddhaśravāḥ/
Svasti naḥ pūṣā viśvavedāḥ/
Svasti nastārkṣyo ariṣṭanemiḥ/
Svasti no bṛhaspatirdadhātu//
Aum śāntiḥ śāntiḥ śāntiḥ//”

[3]:

Heard knowledge.

[4]:

Memorized knowledge.

[5]:

Hayagrīva Upaniṣad, 1.1.

[6]:

Hayagrīva Upaniṣad, 1.1.

[7]:

He is stated as vidyā-sahāyavān in the Mahābhārata,12.347.18.

[8]:

Hayagrīva Upaniṣad, 1.2.

[9]:

Praṇava refers to omkāra which is confederate with these three letters ‘A’ ‘U’ and‘M’. These three letters refers to Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Maheśvara respectively. In Manu Saṃhitā it has been says that Brāhmaṇa pronounce the praṇava before start to recite Vedas. According to Pātañjalsūtra, praṇava signify the god ‘tasya vācaka praṇava’ and by this god is worshiped.

[10]:

Hayagrīva Upaniṣad, 1.3.

[11]:

Hayagrīva Upaniṣad, 1.4.

[12]:

ibid.,1.5.

[13]:

Bṛhadāryaṇaka Upaniṣad, 3.9.28; Aitareya Upaniṣad, 3.3.

[14]:

Chāndogya Upaniṣad, 6.8.7.

[15]:

Muṇḍka Upaniṣad, 2; BrU, 2.9.

[16]:

Bṛhadāryaṇaka Upaniṣad, 1.4.10.

[17]:

Śatapatha Brāhmaṇa, XIV,1,1; Pañcaviṃsa Brāhmaṇa, VII,5,6.

[18]:

Taittirīya Āraṇyaka, IV & V.