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Hayagriva Stotra

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Hindu hymn about Hayagriva
Hayagriva Stotra
Statue of Hayagriva, Jagannath Temple, Bangalore
Information
ReligionHinduism
AuthorVedanta Desika
LanguageSanskrit
Verses33

The Hayagriva Stotra (Sanskrit: हयग्रीवस्तोत्रम्, romanized: Hayagrīvastotraṃ) is a Sanskrit hymn written by the Hindu philosopher Vedanta Desika. Comprising thirty-three verses, the hymn extols Hayagriva, an incarnation of the deity Vishnu. Adherents of the Vadakalai school of the Sri Vaishnava tradition hold this hymn to be the poetic idealisation of the esotericism of the Hayagriva Mantra.

Legend

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Vaishnavism
Closeup of Vishnu, seated in the lotus position on a lotus. From depiction of the poet Jayadeva bowing to Vishnu, Gouache on paper Pahari, The very picture of devotion, bare-bodied, head bowed, legs crossed and hands folded, Jayadeva stands at left, with the implements of worship placed before the lotus-seat of Vishnu who sits there, blessing the poet.
Supreme deity
Vishnu / Krishna / Rama
Important deities
Dashavatara
Other forms
Consorts
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Holy scriptures
Puranas
Sampradayas
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Teachers—acharyas
Related traditions

The Hayagriva Stotra is regarded to be the first devotional composition of Vedanta Desika. According to the Sri Vaishnava narrative, the philosopher once propitiated Garuda, the mount of Vishnu, upon the hillock of Oshada located in Tiruvanthipuram, Cuddalore. Pleased, Garuda appeared to offer the philosopher a murti of Hayagriva, and taught him the Hayagriva Mantra:

jñānānandamayaṃ devaṃ nirmalasphaṭikākṛtiṃ
ādhāraṃ sarvavidyānāṃ hayagrīvaṃ upāsmahē

I worship Hayagriva, who is the personification of knowledge and bliss, who is pure as a crystal, and who is the source of all knowledge.

Having chanted the mantra, Vedanta Desika received a vision of Hayagriva, who is believed to have blessed him with profound knowledge and expertise in poetry.

Hymn

The Hayagriva Mantra serves as the first verse of the Hayagriva Stotra. The second verse serves as a panegyric of the deity:

svatassiddhaṁ śuddhasphaṭikamaṇi bhūbhṛtpratibhaṭaṁ
sudhā sadhrīcībhir dhutibhir avadātatribhuvanam
anantaistrayyantair anuvihita heṣā halahalaṁ
hatāśeṣāvadyaṁ hayavadana mīḍī mahi mahaḥ

— Hayagriva Stotra, Verse 2

We sing the glories of the radiant Hayagriva, born to banish the worldly afflictions of his devotees. His auspicious image is akin to pure white crystal. He radiates the white rays that resemble lustrous nectar, rendering all the three worlds white and pure. He bestows his grace upon all three worlds. The exclamation of his neigh contains the essence of the Upanishads and the Vedas. It removes inauspiciousness and sins, as well as obstacles from one’s path.

See also

References

  1. University, Vijaya Ramaswamy, Jawaharlal Nehru (2007-05-22). Historical Dictionary of the Tamils. Scarecrow Press. p. 301. ISBN 978-0-8108-6445-0.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  2. Srinivasa Raghavan, Appaswamy (1991). The Life and Works of Sri Nigamanta Maha Desikan. K.R. Ramaseshan. p. 19.
  3. Dalal, Roshen (2014-04-18). Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide. Penguin UK. p. 538. ISBN 978-81-8475-277-9.
  4. Dr.Satyavrata Singh (1958). Vedanta Desika. p. 52.
  5. Kasturi, Geeta; N.V, Kasturi (2013-02-06). Understanding The Elemental Hindu Works. Lulu.com. p. 16. ISBN 978-1-291-31296-6.
  6. Vergiani, Vincenzo; Cuneo, Daniele; Formigatti, Camillo Alessio (2017-12-18). Indic Manuscript Cultures through the Ages: Material, Textual, and Historical Investigations. Walter de Gruyter GmbH & Co KG. p. 208. ISBN 978-3-11-054312-4.
  7. Narasimhachary, Mudumby (2004). Śrī Vedānta Deśika. Sahitya Akademi. pp. 30–31. ISBN 978-81-260-1890-1.
  8. SUVRATSUT (2017-09-02). Hayagreeva Stotram Eng.
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