hayragreva

[Balaji Hebbar]

Dear  Mr. Fleming:

The  deity  HayagrIva  is  important  in  the  MAdhva-VaiShNava
SampradAya.  Let  me  list  a  few  things  about  HayagrIva  in  our
tradition.

1.  HayagrIva  is  the  upa-ArAdhya  devatA  (secondary  presiding
deity)  of  the  Sode  MaTha  of  UDupi.  VAdirAja  TIrtha  (1480-1600),
the  charismatic  20th  abbott  of  the  Sode  MaTha  was  a  great
worshipper  of  HayagrIva.  If  you  go  to  UDupi  you  will  be  able
to  obtain  several  present-day  popular  prints  of  VAdirAja  TIrtha
doing  naivedya  to  HayagrIva.  As  regards,  viewing  the  idol
itself  it  is  not  possible  on  account  of  ritual  purity.
VAdirAja  TIrtha's  brindAvana  (cenotaph)  is  at  Sode,  North  Kanara
Distt,  Karnataka.

2.  HayagrIva  is  an  important  deity  connected  with  RAghavendra
TIrtha  (1596-1671),  the  charsmatic  7th  abbott  of  the  RAyara
MaTha  located  at  MantrAlaya,  Kurnool  Distt,  A.P.  At  the  end  of
his  entering  his  cenotaph  alive  (sajIvabrindAvanapravesha)  it  is
said  that  HayagrIva  gave  darshana  to  his  dear  friend
AppaNNAcArya.

3.  Across  the  TungabhadrA  river  from  MantrAlaya  is  a
udbhavamUrti  of  a  unique  deity  called  PaNchamukhI  Anjaneya.  Tho'
the  main  face  of  the  deity  is  HanumAn,  HayagrIva  is  one  of
the  other  faces.  Both  HanumAn  and  HayagrIva  are  associated  with
high  Vedic  learning.  Popular  prints  of  PanchamukhI  also  should
be  availible  at  MantrAlaya.

4.  "HayagrIva"  is  the  name  of  a  sweet  delicacy  prepared  with
lentils,  jaggery  and  ghee  which  is  a  brand  name  dish  of  the
MAdhvas.  No  major  MADhva  religious  or  social  event  is  complete
without  the  "HayagrIva"  dish.  It  is  called  "HayagrIva  maDDI"  by
MAdhva  chefs.

5.  If  you  come  across  a  any  gentleman  named  "HayagrIvAcArya",
"Hayavadana  Rao"  etc.  Without  a  doubt  he  is  a  MAdhva.  In
fact,  the  current  principal  of  the  main  MAdhva  VidyApItha  in
Bangalore  is  a  gentleman  named  Hayavadana  Puranik.


I  hope  this  together  with  info  that  the  others  have  already
given  you  will  help.  If  you  need  more  info  or  clarification,
please  don't  hesitate  to  ask.  Good  luck.

Regards,
B.N.Hebbar