of Brahma). Worship Origins about the worship of Hayagriva have been researched, some of the early evidences dates back to 2,000 BCE, when people worshipped the horse for its speed, strength, intelligence. Hayagriva is one of the prominent deities in Vaikhanasas, Sri Vaishnavism and Madhwa Brahmins traditions. His blessings are sought when beginning study of both sacred and secular subjects. Special worship is conducted on the day of the full moon in August (Śravaṇa-Paurṇamī) (his avatāra-dina) and on Mahanavami, the ninth day of the Navaratri festival. He is also hailed as "Hayasirsa". Hayaśirṣa means haya=Horse, śirṣa=Head. A verse originally from the Pañcarātra Agamas but is now popularly prefixed to the Hayagriva Stotram of the 13th-century poet-philosopher Vedanta Desika is very popular among devotees of Hayagrīva: In IAST jñānānandamayaṃ devaṃ nirmalasphaṭikākṛtiṃ ādhāraṃ sarvavidyānāṃ hayagrīvaṃ upāsmahe In Devanāgarī ज्ञानानन्दमयं देवं निर्मलस्फटिकाकृतिं आधारं सर्वविद्यानां हयग्रीवं उपास्महे A great devotee named Śrī Vadirajatirtha of Udupi Śrī Kṛṣṇa Mutt used to offer cooked horse gram (Kollu) to Lord Hayagreeva. He used to recite the Hayagrīva Śloka and keep the offerings on his head. Lord Hayagrīva would come in the form of a beautiful white horse and would eat the horse gram. As a very staunch devotee, Vadirajatirtha would recite the following sloka: Sanskrit translation- Na HayagrivAth Param Asthi MangaLam Na HayagrivAth Param Asthi Paavanam Na HayagrivAth Param Asthi Dhaivatham Na Hayagrivam Pranipathya Seedhathi! English translation- There is no auspiciousness greater than Hayagrivan. Nothing is more sacred than Sri Hayagrivan to destroy our accumulated sins. No other God is superior to Hayagrivan. No one grieves after performing Śaraṇagati at the sacred feet of Hayagrivan. Hayagriva is listed as one of the ten incarnations of Vishnu in Canto 10 (skandh 10), chapter 40 of the Śrīmadbhagavatam, and Akrūra's prayer contains Hayagriva's name when he had a vision while bathing in Yamuna. There is a story that more than 500 years ago, a devotee from the Daivajña Brahmin community was casting an idol of Lord Gaṇapati, when it shaped itself in the image of Lord Hayagriva. Sarvabhauma Sri Vadiraja Guru Swamiji had a dream about this legend which inspired him to approach that devotee and take the idol from him in reverence. He then installed it in Shri Sode Vadiraja Mutt. Since then it has been worshipped there as the originating God of the Daivajnya Brahmin community. The members of the community who were originally Smartha Brahmins, were