Hayagrīva

Hayagrīva

Hayagrīva is a name used for more than one being in the Purāṇas and Itihāsas. Each is listed below with where it is told; choose the one you are looking for.

Devatās

  • Hayagrīva: the sacred horse-headed form of Bhagavān Vishṇu, the embodiment of wisdom and the keeper of the Vedas, who teaches Brahmā the rites of temples and images in the Agni Purāṇa. Agni Purāṇa, Chapters 2, 31, 38–68, 108, 284, 348; Brahmāṇḍa Purāṇa, Lalitopākhyāna, Chapters 5–43; Skanda Purāṇa, Vaishṇava Khaṇḍa, Badarī Kshetra Māhātmya, Chapter 6; Skanda Purāṇa, Brahma Khaṇḍa, Dharmāraṇya Khaṇḍa, Pūrvārdha, Chapters 14–15; Mahābhārata, Śānti Parva, Mokshadharma Parva, Chapter 347; Vāmana Purāṇa, Chapters 8, 18, 52, 57, 60–61, 63, 66; Bhāgavata Purāṇa, Skandha 2, Chapter 7; Skandha 5, Chapter 18; Skandha 6, Chapters 6, 8, 10; Skandha 7, Chapters 2, 9; Skandha 8, Chapters 10, 24; Skandha 10, Chapters 2, 6, 40, 73; Skandha 11, Chapters 2, 4, 30–31; Skandha 12, Chapter 12; Bhavishya Purāṇa, Madhyama Parva, Bhāga 1, Chapter 12; Madhyama Parva, Bhāga 3, Chapter 1; Brahma Purāṇa, Chapter 18; Gautamī Māhātmya, Chapters 52, 104

People

Named in passing

  • Hayagrīva, the asura who stole the Vedas: the asura who won the vara that only one named Hayagrīva could slay him, and whom Bhagavān Vishṇu, as the horse-headed Hayagrīva Avatāra, slew to bring back the Vedas, told on Hayagrīva Vadha. Devī Bhāgavata Purāṇa, Skanda 1, Chapters 5–6