Search:
Bhakti List Archives

Re: Lord Hayagriva

From the Bhakti List Archives

Bharadwaj, Jaganath • August 13, 1998 


	 Like Ganesha, whose origins can be
	found in the non-Vedic Tantric beliefs, Hayagriva, the asura who
stole the
	Vedas and hid it under the sea, also had Tantik beginnings. His
act naturally
	caused resentment amongst the established Brahminical Order.
But, killing it
	with an embrace, as it were, in order to send the original
Hayagriva into
	oblivion and absorb its believers into the Brahmincal fold,
legends of
	Hayagriva, the Supreme Mahavishnu, the protector of the Vedas,
had to be
	created to deal with the asura who stole the Vedas. A poison as
an antedote to
	poison. Today, Hayagriva, the Buddhist redhorse-faced demon, has
also been
	likewise transformed into Hayagriva, the white-horse faced
emanation of
	Avalokiteshwara, the Bodhisattva of Wisdom and Compassion. All
this can be
	dated to periods later then 5th Century, prior to which there is
no historical
	evidence of Hayagriva. Matsyapurana or the Vedas do not have any
refs to this
	concept. 


In the material, when we want to get a degree in law, for example, we
find out which are the most reputable schools, see if we can get
admission, and spend several years studying under professors and also
choosing a method of study recommended by them and books they recommend.
Then only we will be able to pass the exam and call ourselves lawyers.
But we all have opinions about law.  Whether it is about the O J Simpson
case or Monica Lewinsky, everyone has opinions on who is guilty or not
guilty.  But no matter what the majority opinion is, it is only what the
judge decides that matters.

Similarly, when it comes to spiritual quest, the ones with the perfect
answers to all questions are the ones who have transcended the stages of
waking, dreaming and deep sleep.  They have reached the turiya stage, in
which they can literally see the Vedas, which are as perfect as God
Himself and tell us everything about Him.

It is such people who have found out which of the Puranas, itihaasas and
smritis that are totally consistent with all the Vedas and to be
accepted.  To be able to understand God, we have to approach such
Acharyas and learn from them only.

The Hayagriva avataram did not take place on earth.  There is therefore
no relation to the Hayagriva demon of Buddhist folklore.  Besides there
were 1,122 branches of the Vedas available among people even a thousand
years ago.  Today we only have 15 or so branches left.  We cannot
therefore say what was known or not known from the Vedas, going back
into the past.  Sri Sadagopan can confirm for us whether the Hayagriva
mantra is from the Vedas or not.

Besides, the Divya Prabandhams, the essence of the Vedas, give us two
Pasurams on Lord Hayagriva,  In that the Hayagriva mantra has been built
in and through these Pasurams you have a source of all knowledge.  

Sri Krishna says to Arjuna (Chapter 9 verse 1) "I will tell you, who are
without jealousy, this most secret knowledge along with the special
knowledge, knowing which, you will be freed from all evil."  It also
means that He will not reveal this information to one who is not free
from jealousy towards Sri Krishna manifested in the form of jealousy,
contempt or just plain ignorance of the presence of His close devotees.

Our Acharyas are today the source for freedom from all evil.  They are
the ones who have true knowledge.  Because of their purity, they will
free the rest of the population from tinges of jealousy towards Sriman
Narayana.  As far as people who consider Sriman Narayana's incarnations
to be a figment of somebody's imagination, Sri Krishna describes:
(Chapter 9 verses 10 and 11) "Fools deride Me, the One who has taken a
human form, without knowing My supreme nature as the Lord of All
creatures.  Those who have a deluding prakriti of the nature of Rakshasa
and asuras; their hopes are in vain, their actions are in vain and their
knowledge is in vain and their minds are perverted."

An Acharya from the Gaudiya sampradaya submitted that reading literature
from these sources is like drinking milk which has been touched by the
poison fangs of a snake.  Just doing some research into various books
will not give one true knowledge.  These historical datings are not
correct as well.

We can see that in the case of Krishna Janmashtami, the ashtami and
Rohini nakshatras do not come together on the same day.  They did
however when Sri Krishna was born.  Similarly, for the births of our
Azhwars etc our Acharyas have given evidence in relation to the day they
were born, the nakshatra in which they were born, the thithi in which
they were born, the place in which they were born.  If we piece all this
together, we will realize that it does not match with evidence of people
claiming to have done research into the historical periods of the
Azhwars and that they lived between the 6th and 8th centuries AD.

Unfortunately, this is what today's atheistic education teaches us.  As
stated in verse after verse of Yatiraja Saptati, we have to be on our
guard and only books approved by our Acharyas.  Then by service to these
Acharyas and observing the rules they prescribe for us, we will get true
knowledge, after which there will be no misery either here on earth or
in Sri Vaikuntham after this life.

Srivaishnavism does not recognize Buddhism or any of the other religions
as being a valid path for getting rid of karma altogether.  Buddhism
serves a minimum purpose of converting gross atheists into worshippers
of Buddha.  To attract this segment of the population, this religion
denied the validity of the Vedas.  Again there are religions like Islam
which talk about surrender to God, but allow activities like animal
sacrifices which the Vedas consider sinful for kaliyuga.  It is not
possible to attain perfection by trying to synthesize the teachings of
various religions.  If that were to be the case then Ramanujacharya and
Swami Desikan would have done that rather than give us Sri Bhashyam,
Sarvaartha Siddhi and Satadhooshani.

It is true that an individual has the freedom to practice a religion of
their choice.  But this is a list for Srivaishnavas.  A statement that
Lord Hayagriva is a creation of mankind to serve his need for petty
politics will not go unchallenged.

Namo Narayana
jaganath