Hayagriva Jayanti

On the full moon day of Shukla Paksha of Shravan month, Shri Vishnu took the incarnation of Hayagriva. Therefore, this day is celebrated as Hayagriva Jayanti. In this incarnation of Shri Hari, the face was of a horse and the body was of a human. On this day, Vishnu devotees fast and worship Lord Vishnu in the form of Hayagriva. Worshiping on this day develops intelligence and increases memory power.

Story of Hayagriva Avatar

Hayagriva was the mighty son of sage Kashyap and Danu. After receiving his father's permission, Hayagriva started doing severe penance of Bhagwati Mahamaya on the banks of Saraswati. For many years he remained engaged in penance without eating or drinking anything. Goddess Bhagwati was pleased with his penance and appeared in person and asked Hayagriva to ask for a boon. Hayagriva bowed her and said, O Mata! If you are really happy with us, then grant me the boon of becoming immortal. Mata said, O son, whoever is born in this world is certain to die. No one can escape from the rules of law. Even virtuous souls, when their virtues end, must go to the world of death. You ask for some other boon. Then Hayagriva said, O mother! Only the one who is in my form i.e. Hayagriva can kill me, apart from him no one else can kill me. Mata disappeared saying 'Tathaastu'. Hayagriva thought that he had become immortal because there was no one like him in this entire world who could kill him. Hayagriva was a demon, so he started torturing the people. Wherever the Yagya was being performed, he would send his demon army there and break the Yagya and started tormenting the sages and devotees of Shri Hari. There was an uproar all around due to the atrocities of Hayagriva. When Hayagriva came to know that by worshiping the gods, performing yagya and rituals, the gods become stronger.

So, he announced among the people that from today onwards no one will worship the gods. Whoever worships the gods, his end is certain. In this way the evil demon started harassing the devotees and sages.

Hayagriva ordered his subjects that from now on everyone will worship him and no one will worship the gods. Hayagriva proudly said that I am the lord of all three worlds, hence all of you should worship me only. Even after Hayagriva's orders, people continued to bear the chastisement, but they were not ready to worship the demons. Then Hayagriva's commander said that the basic basis of worshiping the gods is the knowledge accumulated in the Vedas. Which has been composed by Lord vishnu himself. We have no such basis. That's why no one is ready to worship us.

Hayagriva thought that if there were no Vedas, there would be no worship of the gods. When Lord Brahma came to know that Hayagriva wanted to steal the Vedas, he went to Lord Shiva and said that now we should hand over these Vedas to humans. So that he can acquire knowledge by reading them. Taking advantage of Brahma ji's absence, Hayagriva stole all four Vedas. When Lord Brahma came to know that the Vedas had been taken away by Hayagriva. Then all the gods went to Lord Vishnu. Brahma ji said to Vishnu ji- Oh Lord! Please help us soon. The demon Hayagriva has stolen all four Vedas. Due to which religion is being harmed and ignorance is spreading in the world. If the Vedas are not obtained soon, this world will sink into the darkness of unrighteousness and ignorance. Shri Vishnu ji said- All four Vedas are written by me only. It is my duty to protect him. Saying this, Shri Vishnu ji went to the battlefield to fight with Hayagriva. The war continued for many days but there was no result of that war. Demon Hayagriva and Shri Hari both got tired of fighting. With mutual consent, both of them took rest on the battlefield. While resting the Lord went into Yoga Nidra. During Sri Hari's rest the string of his bow was stretched. Brahma ji tried to wake up Lord Vishnu, but he failed, then Brahma ji created an insect named Varmi to wake him up. On the orders of Lord Brahma, he cut the string of the bow. When the string was cut, a terrible sound was produced, and Lord Vishnu's head was cut and disappeared. When the head of Lord Vishnu, the only hope to get rid of Hayagriva's terror, got separated from his body, there was an outcry among the deities and the gods, being saddened, started praising Goddess Bhagwati. Pleased with the praise of the gods, Mother Bhagwati blessed the gods and requested Lord Brahma to add the head of a horse to the body of Lord Vishnu so that Lord Vishnu would resemble like Hayagriva and would be able to kill him.

Hearing such words of Maa Bhagwati, a wave of happiness ran among the Gods. Immediately, as per the words of Mata, Lord Brahma put the head of a horse on the body of Lord Vishnu and thus the Hayagriva incarnation of Shri Hari was born and Shri Hari assumed the form of Hayagriva and killed the demon. This story is very virtuous. Reading this increases knowledge and destroys the sins committed in daily life.

Worship Method

The method of worship varies, but we are describing the simple method here. Get up early in the morning and clean yourself after taking bath etc., then wear clean clothes and go to the temple of Lord Vishnu and worship him. Offer yellow flowers, fruits, incense, lamps etc. to Shri Hari. After this perform aarti. With some Akshat (Rice) in hand, listen to the story of Hayagriva incarnation of Shri Hari.

Importance of Hayagriva Jayanti

Hayagriva incarnation is the incarnation of Lord Vishnu who incarnates from time to time for the welfare of the universe. This incarnation of Lord Vishnu is in a unique form in which his head is that of a horse and the rest of his body is that of a human being. Hay means horse and griv means neck. Hence, because of having the face of a horse, this incarnation of lord vishnu became popular by the name Hayagriva. In this incarnation of Lord Vishnu, the horse's face is a symbol of knowledge, hence with the blessings of Lord Hayagriva, the devotees get success in attaining knowledge and higher education. Lord Hayagriva had protected the Yagya portion of the Gods and the Vedas of Lord Brahma by killing the demon, hence he is also worshiped as a protector. Those devotees who worship God with devotion on the day of Hayagriva Jayanti, Shri Hari eliminates all the evils and troubles from the life of those people and provides complete protection to the life of the person from all kinds of troubles.

Hayagriva Jayanti

Hayagriva Jayanti

Story of Hayagriva Avatar

Worship Method

Importance of Hayagriva Jayanti

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