Upanishads

Hayagriva Upanishad

Atharva Veda, group of Upanishads - Vaishnava

Oh! O devas, may our ears hear what is auspicious;
May our eyes see what is auspicious, O worthy of worship!
May we enjoy the life span allotted to the devas,
By steadfastly praising them with our bodies and limbs!
May the glorious Indra bless us!
May the omniscient Sun bless us!
May Garuda, the thunderstorm of the evil and wicked, bless us!
May Brihaspati grant us prosperity and good fortune!
Om! Let there be peace in me!
Let there be peace in my surroundings!
Let there be peace in the forces that act upon me!

Hari Om!

Chapter One

Hari Om. Narada approached Lord Brahma and requested him, "O Lord, please teach me that knowledge of Brahman by which all sins can be quickly destroyed, the wisdom of Brahman realized, and one blessed with all wealth." Lord Brahma said the following:

1.1. One who possesses the mantras of which Lord Hayagriva is the master will know the shruti (knowledge heard), smriti (knowledge remembered), itihasas (epics) and puranas (stories) and will be blessed with all kinds of wealth. These mantras are as follows:

1.2. O Lord Hayagriva, who is the form of the holy mind, who saves all and who is the king of Knowledge, salutations to you, Svaha, Svaha.

1.3. O Lord Hayagriva, who has the form of the Rig, Yajur and Sama Vedas, who has brought these Vedas to the earth, who has the form of the chant of pranava (OM), and who has the head of a horse, salutations to you, Svaha, Svaha.

1.4. O Lord Hayagriva, who is sung by the song of pranava, who is the God of all these word-gods, who is the personification of all the Vedas and who is beyond thought, teach us everything. Salutations to you, Svaha, Svaha.

1.5. For the 29-letter Hayagriva mantra, Brahma, Atri, Surya and Bhargava are the sages, Gayatri, Trustup and Anushtup are the meters, God is Hayagriva himself, the root is the sound "lhoum" (hsovm), the power (shakti) is Hoham, the kilaga (nail) is Lhum (Noise), viniyoga (the method of performing yoga) is bhoga, moksha, and the symbolic ritual with the hands are the letters Aa, Uu and Ma.

Prayer:

I meditate on that Hayagriva,

Who has the lustre of the full moon,

Who holds in his hands the conch, the wheel, the great seal and the book.

29-letter Hayagriva mantra:

Om Shrim, Lhome (Hsovm), Om Namo Bhagavate, Hayagrivaya, Vishnave, Mahyam, Medham, Pragnam, Prayascha Svaha!

1.6. The 28-letter Hayagriva mantra:

Om, Shrim, Im, Im, Im, Klim, Klim, Sou, Sou, Hrim, Om Namo Bhagavate, Mahyam, Medham Pragnam, Prayascha Svaha!

Chapter Two

2.1. Now I will tell you that the "knowledge of Hayagriva" of Brahman consists of one letter. This is the root letter Lhum (hsum). Among all the roots, this single-letter root of Hayagriva is the king of mantras.

2.2. Chanting the mantra "Lhum (hsum) Amrutam Kuru Svaha!" gives a person power over words, wealth and the eight occult powers.

2.3. The mantra "Lhome (hsoom) Sakala Samrajya Sidhim Kuru Kuru Svaha" reveals to us the secret of the great Vedic sayings such as "Pragnanam Anandam Brahma (Brahman is conscious bliss)", "Tat Tvam Asi (Thou art That)", "Ayam Atma Brahma (My supreme Self, that is, Atman, is Brahman)" and "Aham Brahmasmi (I am Brahman)". The same letter "Lhome" and "hsoom" are the same vowels, although different, and bestow worldly pleasures and salvation respectively.

2.4-2.7. After repeating the Hayagriva mantra, it is customary to repeat the Vedic mantras, starting with

1. Yad Vak Vadanti.... 2. Govrimimaya.... 3. Oshtapidhana and 4. Sa Sarpariramatim...

One who recites this "knowledge of Hayagriva" Brahmana on the day of Ekadashi will become a great person by the blessings of Hayagriva. He will get salvation. The Upanishads say: "The knowledge of Brahman taught with the mantra ending with 'Om Namo Brahmane' will never leave his heart."

Om! O devas, may our ears hear what is auspicious;
May our eyes see what is auspicious, O worthy of worship!
May we enjoy the life span allotted to the devas,
By steadfastly praising them with our bodies and limbs!
May the glorious Indra bless us!
May the omniscient Sun bless us!
May Garuda, the thunderstorm of the evil and wicked, bless us!
May Brihaspati grant us prosperity and good fortune!
Om! Let there be peace in me!
Let there be peace in my surroundings!
Let there be peace in the forces that act upon me!

Thus ends the Hayagriva Upanishad, which belongs to the Atharva Veda.