34 - Worship of Hayagriva 

 Vishnu (CDHM, p. 120).

Rudra said: 

1. O Hrushikesha2 (Vishnu) bearing the club! Please ex-pound again the worship of the lord. The more you speak in detail about the worship the more I delight in hearing it. I am never satiated.

2. Literally, the lord or conqueror of the five sense-organs.  

Hari said: 

2. I shall narrate the worship of Lord Hayagriva where by the lord of the universe Vişhnu, is propitiated. Listen to it. 

3. O Mahadeva, I shall explain the holy Mula mantra expressing Hayagriva. O Shankara listen to that first. 

4. Om haum Kshraum Shirase Namo haum. This mantra of nine syllables gives all learning. 

5. O Mahadeva, Vrushadhvaja, listen to its limbs. Om Kshram obeisance to the heart. On Hrim Svāha to the head (Shirah is said to be attached with Svāhā). Kshrüm Vasat is also likewise. 

6. O Vrushadhvaja, the lord's tuft is to be known as accompanied by Onkara. Om Kshraim to the Kavacha. Hum is des- cribed as Kavacha. 

7. Om Kshaum Vaushat to the three eyes. This is described as the lord's eye. Om Hah Phat to the Astra. This is described as the lord's weapon. 

8. I shall explain the procedure of worship. Please listen to me as I narrate. First the devotee shall take his bath. Then after performing Achamana he shall go to the chamber of Sacrifice. 

9-10. After entering let him perform the mystical rite of Shoşhaņa (wiping dry). After creating the egg with the Bija mantras–Yam Kshaum Ram Lam-and hardening it, let him split it with Onkāra itself. Let him meditate on Hayagriva within his self in the middle of the egg. 

11-13. (Hayagriva who is) as white as conch, moon and the flower Kunda, shining like the lotus stalk and silver, bearing Shankha, Chakra, Gadà and Padma in his four hands; Hayagriva wearing a crown, earrings and garland of wild flowers; he is crimson-coloured in his cheeks and wears yellow robes; after meditating on the all-pervasive noble soul accompanied by all deities let him perform the Nyasa with the Anga mantras and the Müla mantra. 

14. Then O Shankara, let him show the Mudras of Shankha, Padma, etc. Thereafter let him meditate upon and worship Vişhņu by means of the Mula mantra. 

15. Let him then, O Rudra, invoke those deities who preside over the seats "Om O ye deities of the seat Hayagriva, come," 

16. After invoking let him worship them in the Svastika mandala. O Vruşhadhvaja, the worship of Dhatru and Vidhātru shall be performed in the doorway. 

17. "Obeisance to Achyuta with the entire attendants," saying so in the middle the worship shall be performed. Then the worship of Ganga. 

18. Yamuna, Mahadevi and the two Nidhis Shankha and Padma and Garuda are to be worshipped in front. In the middle Shakti is to be worshipped. 

19. The Shakti is called Adhara Shakti. Then let him worship Kurma. Afterwards let him worship Ananta and the earth. Then Dharma and Jnana. 

20. Let him worship Vairagya and Aišhvarya in the corners south-east, etc. 

Adharma, Ajnana, Avairágya and Anaišhvarya are to be worshipped in the east. 

21. Let him worship in the middle place Sattva, Rajas and Tamas. Let him worship Nanda, Nala and Padma only in the middle. 

22. The worship of the mandalas of Sun, Moon and Fire shall be performed in the middle place. O Rudra, it is so narrated. 

23. The Shaktis and the following Vimala, Utkarshiņi Jnana, Kriya, yoga, Prahvi, Satya, Ishana and Anugraha. 

24. The first eight Shaktis are to be worshipped in the petals beginning with that in the east and Anugraha in the pericarp by men who wish for lasting good. 

25. The devotee shall worship the seat with these mantras keeping the names in the dative case, prefixing Pranava and ending with "Namaḥ." 

26. The worship of the seat shall be auspicious by duly offering bath, fragrant pastes, flowers, incense, light and the food offerings. 

27. This is the scheme as adumbrated and is to be followed. Then he shall invoke Lord Hayagriva, lord of gods. 

28. O Shankara, the deity shall be meditated upon as entering through the left nostril. The Mula mantra is to be employed while he arrives. 

29. The invocation of the god of gods Shankhin (holding Shankha) shall then be performed. After invoking, the devotee shall cautiously perform the Nyasa in the Mandala. 

30-31. After performing the Nyasa let him think of the god seated there, Hayagriva, the great god, bowed to by gods and demons, accompanied by the guardians of the quarters Indra and others, the imperishable Vişhnu Himself. After the contemplation he shall show the auspicious Mudras, Shankha, Chakra, etc. 

32-33. Padya, Arghya, Achamaniya (water for Achamana) shall be offered to Vishnu. Then the devotee shall bathe the ford Padmanabha free from illness. After fixing the lord duly, O Vrushadhvaja, he shall offer the garments, then Achamana and the auspicious sacred thread. 

34. Then he shall meditate on the great Lord in the mandala, O Rudra. After meditation he shall again give padya and other things to the deity, O Shankara. 

35. He shall give it to Bhairava-deva with the Mula mantra. Om Ksham obeisance to the heart. With this he shall worship the heart. 

36. Om Kshim obeisance to the head, then the worship of the head. Om Kshim obeisance to the tuft. With this let him worship the tuft. 

37. Om Kshaim obeisance to the Kavacha; let him worship the Kavacha. Om Kshaum obeisance to the eye. With this let him worship the eye. 

38. Om Kshah obeisance to the weapon. With this let him worship the weapon. (Thus let him worship) the heart, head, tuft and Kavacha. 

39. In the places beginning with the east let him worship these. O Rudra, let him worship the Astra in the corners and the eye in the middle. 

40. Let him worship the great goddess Lakşhmi, the auspicious giver of prosperity. He shall worship Shankha, Padma Chakra and Gada beginning with the east. 

41. O Rudra, let him worship the sword, pestle, noose, goad and the bow with the arrow from the east with these mantras with their own names 

42-43. O Rudra, from the east itself let him worship Shrivatsa, Kaustubha, garland, and the auspicious yellow garment. Then let him worship the deity bearing Shankha, Chakra and Gada, Brahmä, Närada, Siddhaguru (the preceptor with yogic achievements), and Paraguru (the supreme Preceptor). Similarly let him worship) the sandals of the preceptor and the supreme preceptor. 

44-45. O Vrushabhadhvaja, let him worship beginning with the east and ending with Urdhva (above) Indra along with his vehicle and followers Agni, Yama, Nirruti, Varuna, Väyu, Soma, Išhāna, Nāga and Brahma. 

46. Let him then worship the ten weapons Vajra (thunderbolt), Shakti, Danda, sword, noose, banner, trident, discus and lotus. 

47. Let him worship then in the north-east, Vishvaksena with these mantras, with the Praņava in the beginning and Namah in the end, O Vrushadhvaja. 

48. Then let the worship of Ananta be performed O Vruşhadhvaja. It is with the mula mantra that the worship of the deity shall be done, O Vruşhadhvaja. 

49. Fragrant unguents, flowers, incense, lamp, oblations circular peregrinations, prostrations and Japyas (recital of prayers) shall be dedicated to him. 

50. Let him sing this hymn with Pranava in the beginning. O Vruşhadhvaja. Om obeisance to Hayashiras the presiding deity of learning. 

51. Om obeisance to the deity who is of the form of learning and the giver of learning. Obeisance, obeisance. 

Obeisance to the quiet lord, obeisance to the Atman of the three Gunas. 

52. Obeisance to the destroyer of gods and demons and the slayer of the wicked. 

Obeisance unto the deity who is the lord of all worlds, in the form of Brahmã. 

53. Obeisance to the deity worthy of respect of Ishvara. Obeisance to the deity who bears Shankha and Chakra. Obeisance to the primordial deity, the fully controlled, conducive to the benefit of all living beings. 

54. Devoid of three gunas and equipped with gunas in the form of Brahma, Rudra and Vişhnu, the doer, the destroyer, the lord of gods, obeisance to the omnipresent. 

55-56. O Rudra, after singing the hymn he shall meditate on the god of gods in the pure lotus of the heart, the god bearing Shankha, Chakra and Gada, refulgent like a crore of suns, beautiful in every limb, the great lord Hayagriva, the noble, Atman the imperishable. 

57. O Shankara, thus I have expounded to you the worship of Hayagriva. He who reads this with great devotion shall go to the supreme region.