Lord Hayagriva in Sanskrit Literature

by Anindita Adhikari | 2019 | 56,368 words

This page relates ‘Chronological Development (1): Adi Parva’ of the study on Lord Hayagriva as found in Sanskrit Literature such as the Vedas, Upanishads, Mahabharata, Puranas and Tantras. Hayagriva as an incarnation of Vishnu is worshipped as the supreme Lord of knowledge and wisdom but also symbolizes power and intelligence. His name means “the horse-headed one”.

Chronological Development (1): Ādi Parva

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There are several epithets or names with a horse-head appearance, mentioned in the Mahābhārata as Hayamukha, Asvaśira, Hayaśiras, Hayagrīva, Vājigrīva, Vaḍavāmukha, and these various names refer to different figures which appear chronologically in the several parvas of the epic. In the Mahābhārata the names mentioned as Hayamukha, Hayaśira, Asvaśira, and Vaḍavāmukha appear prominently as epithets to Viṣṇu Hayagrīva. Interestingly, here we come across some references of the name Hayagrīva sometimes as a king^[1] and sometimes as a demon^[2] . An exquisite study of the original text of Mahābhārata, illuminates the idea of Hayagrīva Viṣṇu.

The name Hayamukha in the ādi parva of the Mahābhārata refers to one who has the face of a horse evidently the bird Garuḍa,^[3] the king of birds. Garuḍa, the devourer in both Hindu and Buddhist pantheon is the mythological Lord of the birds.^[4]

In the Mahābhārata we find Garuḍa being eulogized by gods:

“Tvamindrastvaṃ hayamukhastvaṃ śarvastvaṃ jagatpatiḥ/
Tvaṃ mukhaḥ padmajo viprastvamagni pavanastathā//”^[5]

Nīlakaṇṭha in his commentary of the Mahābhārata, named Bhāratabhāvadīpa^[6] says that Hayamukha is none other than Hayagrīva avatāra—‘Hayamukha Hayagrīvāvatāra’, but here it is not clearly understood whether Hayamukha is Viṣṇu or not. But the commentator of the Bhāratakaumudī^[7] states clearly that Hayamukha is a form of Viṣṇu—‘Hayamukha Hayagrīvo Viṣṇuḥ’. H ere it is mentioned that Garuḍa himself is depicted as ‘stvaṃ Hayamukha Hayagrīva Viṣṇu.’ In Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute edition of the Mahābhārata the verse related to Hayamukha appears in the annotation.

According to the purāṇic legends, Garuḍa is the son of Kāśyapa and Vinatā. Garuḍa is also an ancient symbolic form of agni who carries the seed of sacrifice to the gods as the Indo-European fire-bird carries the ambrosia.^[8] In numerous mythical traditions Garuḍa manifest as a great eagle named Suparṇa (beautiful winged), Garutmān (solar bird), Sarparati (enemy of serpent), as well as Khageśvara and Pakṣīrāja. The name Garutmān reminds us of the Vedic idea related with tārkṣya, a winged horse. Garuḍa is later recognized as Viṣṇu’s vehicle and an avowed enemy of the snakes or nāgas. He evokes obstacle towards snakes, snake-bites and all manners of poisoning. This typical enmity between hunter bird and serpents is frequent in several myths. He assumed the form of a bird-man, a combining creature of half-eagle half-man. This zoomorphic alteration extends throughout India, Nepal, Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand and South East Asia. As a deity in the Buddhist tradition, he is confederate to Vajrapāṇi and Hayagrīva, the sādhanā of these three deities together is known to remove obstacles and illnesses especially nāga related afflictions.^[9]