Hayagriva Jayanti 1963

Hayagriva Jayanti is observed in Shravana masa (July–August), on the day the Shravana nakshatra prevails at sunrise: a placement that is no coincidence, since Shravana masa itself takes its name from the moon being close to Shravana nakshatra at that month's Purnima. On this day, devotees commemorate Lord Vishnu's manifestation as Hayagriva: the horse-headed avatar who is the source, protector, and embodiment of all knowledge, the Vedas, and wisdom itself.

The central legend concerns the theft of the Vedas. As Brahma, the creator, lay in cosmic sleep at the dawn of a new cycle of creation, the sacred Vedas slipped from his lips and were stolen by two asuras, Madhu and Kaitabha, who carried them deep into the cosmic ocean. Without the Vedas, creation itself could not properly proceed: the universe's order, ritual, and knowledge were at risk of unraveling. Lord Vishnu, to recover what had been lost, assumed the form of Hayagriva: a being with the head of a horse and the body of a man, radiant like molten gold. In this form, he descended into the depths, defeated the demons, and restored the Vedas to Brahma, re-establishing the foundation of cosmic and human knowledge.

Because of this act, Hayagriva is worshipped above all as the deity of knowledge, learning, and wisdom: a role closely paired with, and sometimes worshipped alongside, Goddess Saraswati. Students, scholars, teachers, and anyone beginning a course of serious study turn to Hayagriva for clarity of mind and success in learning. The Hayagriva Stotra composed by the Vaishnava philosopher-saint Vedanta Desika is among the most cherished prayers in this tradition, recited by students before examinations and by scholars before undertaking new study. Hayagriva Jayanti is observed with recitation of Vedic hymns and the Hayagriva Stotra, prayers for wisdom, and (in many households and institutions) the formal beginning or blessing of a child's or student's studies.