GITA 10.42

GITA 10.42

LORD SRI HAYAGRIVA

Gyananada mayam devam nirmala spatikakrutim |

Adaram sarvavidyanam hayagrivam upasmahe ||

This sloka was composed by Swami Vedanta Desika. This sloka tells the glory of Sri Hayagriva, the Lord of all Vidya [knowledge]. Sri Hayagriva is Horse faced and He reclaimed the lost Vedas and taught lord Brahma. Whether we want to know the Brahman or other worldly matters, Sri Hayagriva is the Lord of such knowledge. We need not go far off in search of Him. He is available in the mid-region of Tamilnadu. Kshetrams of Nadu Nadu (நடு நாடு)  are Two. Of these, we have already visited Tirukkovalur. Now, we have arrived at Tiruvahindrapuram [திருவஹீந்தர புரம்], to worship Sri Hayagriva, Sri Devanatha and Sri Thayar Hemabjavalli , with the blessings of Swami Vedanta Desika. It is called Thiru + Ahindra puram. Ahi means serpent, and ahindra indicates the leader of all serpents- Adisesha. Ahindrapuram means the Kshetram built by Adisesha and the abode of the Lord, requisitioned by Adisesha. Tiru suggests the association of Sri Thayar always with this place. Sri Devanatha is at the bottom of a hill, Aushdagiri [ஔஷத கிரி]. On top of the hill, the Lord Sri Hayagriva graces. Surroundings of the hill are very beautiful and give an appearance of about to rain, always. Many springs are seen. We climb 74 steps to reach the top of the hill.

STEPS LEADING TO THE TOP

This is like the 74 Simhasanathipathis. We now reach Sri Hayagriva sannidhi.

We will first worship Sri Hayagriva.

MOOLAVAR SRI LAKSHMI HAYAGRIVA

The Lord is Sri Lakshmi Hayagriva. He is seated with the Right lower arm in Upadesa mudra, Left lower arm holding a book and the upper arms holding discus and conch. Sri Maha Lakshmi is seated on His Left lap. His foot is on the lotus. Near the Moolavar is Sri Venugopala. On the left Garuda is there. Utsavar is seated like Moolavar. Swami Vedanta Desika has described the Lord in his Sri Hayagriva sthothram. In the last sloka, vyakya mudram..., Swami Desika says, the Lord as the Leader of speech, Sri Hayagriva should appear in his heart. He appears as though He is teaching all the Vedas and other religious books. Palms resemble the lotus. Like the whiteness of a freshly broken white marble, the Lord Sri Hayagriva appears. Seated on a lotus, the Lord should grace us to ward off the heat of samsaram. Swami Vedanta Desika meditated on this hill.

PLACE WHERE VEDANTA DESIKA MEDITATED

 Garuda appeared to him. He praised Garuda and Garuda taught him Garuda mantram and Sri Hayagriva mantram.

GARUDA PREACHING DESIKA

 He also gifted Swami Vedanta Desika, a small idol of Sri Hayagriva. 

SRI YOGA HAYAGRIVA GIFTED TO DESIKA BY GARUDA

That Lord is called Sri Yoga Hayagriva and is in the sannidhi of Sri Devanatha. In all Swami Desika composed 28 sthotras, of which many are in praise of this Kshetram.

 With the blessings of Sri Hayagriva, we will see the last sloka of Chapter 10:

atha va bahunaitena
kim jnatena tavarjuna
vistabhyaham idam krtsnam
ekamsena sthito jagat

"But what need is there, Arjuna, for all this detailed knowledge? With a single fragment of Myself, I pervade and support this entire universe."

Athava = therefore. That is after explaining by the previous slokas that He was everything, micro or macro, movable or stationary, animate or inanimate, and everything was His property. He controls evertything. Bahunaitena = listening to all, kim = what, jnatena = additional knowledge, tavarjuna = to you, Arjuna? The Lord asks what benefit is to Arjuna by listening to more. What is implied is, He has given examples of His eminence in 18 slokas. By saying more in another 100 or 1000 slokas, Arjuna is not going to understand the finality of the property of the Lord. Arjuna can not derive the benefit that he has understood all His properties. What He told was a glimpse and that was enough for Arjuna. Idam = the perceptible, jagat =Universe, krstnam = without an exception all, aham = I [Sri Krishna], ekamsena = by a miniature fraction of, vishtabhya = supporting. Without any exception, whatever was perceived in this Universe, are all supported by a microscopic fraction of Him. For the word entire, Swami Ramanuja gives an explanation. It is all movable and non-moving, chetanam and achetanam, differing by appearance, magnitude, etc. What is supporting? Especially, when the Lord says He supports all, what we perceive in this Universe and other invisible worlds. How is it possible? When we lift a book, we can clearly see the hand supporting the book. But the Lord is supporting from inside, as antharatman. He is inside and at the same time surrounds - antar bahischa tad sarvam vyapya narayana sthitha:. It is not mere holding, but by supporting it is meant that the Lord is the cause of our origin, presence and destruction. Every action like being born or living or dying, are all in His domain and control. All atman - baddha, Mukta and Nithya - and all achetanam or lifeless matter are all under His control. Summarising the Lord says all actions of everything without exception, are in His control. He supports everything by a fraction of Him. In Vishnu Purana, Parashara says that He prostrates to the Lord, whose millionth fraction of a millionth fraction supports this Universe. The Lord wants Arjuna to realise the eminence of the Lord. In the entire Chapter, the Lord tells what His greatness is. There is no use in further telling this. Now Arjuna should realise the glory of the Lord. We should also realise that every action of ours is in His control. To get this knowledge we should worship Lord Sri Hayagriva, as mentioned in the beginning. 

                                                                                                   (continued)