Hayagrīva (हयग्रीव), the horse-face avatāra (incarnation) of Viṣhṇu, 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 Hayagriva read the Vedas. It describes the horse-face Viṣṇu bringing back the stolen Vedas after killing the two asura thieves Madhu and Kaiṭabha.
ICONOGRAPHY
The Horse symbolises skillful action and vital force — that which conveys us to our ultimate destination (mukti) in the best possible way.
In his left lower hand he holds a palm-leaf manuscript which is the Vedas.
The right lower hand is held in the "chin-mudra" or the gesture of teaching. This gesture is made by joining the index finger with the tip of the thumb.
The right upper hand holds a rosary (japa-mala) which represents the practical application of spiritual knowledge in the form of meditation and the cultivation of moral virtues .
The left upper hand holds the conch shell (sankha) which represents the sound vibration AUM which is the source as well as the ultimate goal of the Vedas. The conch shell comes from the bottom of the ocean and in the language of symbolism, the ocean is the image of eternal and infinite existence — the undifferentiated unity of all possibilities which existed before the creation of the universe.
The whole purpose of spiritual practice is to attain liberation (moksha/mukti/nirvana) from this cycle of birth and death. The Moon which serves as the throne for Hayagriva represents the mind and the emotions. Hayagriva is seen as sitting on Lotus flowers. The Lotus is also representative of the mind and of spiritual unfoldment — the attaining of enlightenment.
ICONOGRAPHY
The Horse symbolises skillful action and vital force — that which conveys us to our ultimate destination (mukti) in the best possible way.
In his left lower hand he holds a palm-leaf manuscript which is the Vedas.
The right lower hand is held in the "chin-mudra" or the gesture of teaching. This gesture is made by joining the index finger with the tip of the thumb.
The right upper hand holds a rosary (japa-mala) which represents the practical application of spiritual knowledge in the form of meditation and the cultivation of moral virtues .
The left upper hand holds the conch shell (sankha) which represents the sound vibration AUM which is the source as well as the ultimate goal of the Vedas. The conch shell comes from the bottom of the ocean and in the language of symbolism, the ocean is the image of eternal and infinite existence — the undifferentiated unity of all possibilities which existed before the creation of the universe.
The whole purpose of spiritual practice is to attain liberation (moksha/mukti/nirvana) from this cycle of birth and death. The Moon which serves as the throne for Hayagriva represents the mind and the emotions. Hayagriva is seen as sitting on Lotus flowers. The Lotus is also representative of the mind and of spiritual unfoldment — the attaining of enlightenment.
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