Mohenjodaro - Horse Bull Relation

To understand any Vedic iconography, it requires not only detail information of the source from which iconography is just travelling, but it requires a comprehensive idea to correlate various scattered details travelled in other literatures. The Ashwa- Varaha ( Horse – Bull ) concept is one such Vedic matter, where ashwa ( horse )  is found with vrish (Vishnu) body. This symbolism is also one of such important iconographies, which has not yet been studied seriously. In the Vedic iconography tripadah; mahashringah; chatwari shringah terms appear. The tripadah refers Vishnu three heads: one bull head and two horse heads. The mahashringah is consisted of four horns; i.e, two horns over bull and each one horn on horse head. thus four horns are denoted as mahashringah. In order to understand this iconography it is required to understand the dual symbolism of the Vedic literatures. 

The symbolism of dual figure on Ashwa – Varaha are important clues for understanding the symbolism.  But there are some  important principles, of the Vedic iconography, which are required   to be understood properly :

1. The iconographies in dual form are not any representation of real animals.

2. Sometimes dual iconographies include animal with human form.

3. All such iconographies are related with Vedic mythical parts which have been exported to outside India particularly in the Middle East.

This shall also demonstrate here that how the Harappan Unicorn  iconography is related with Bible’s horse Unicorn. This shall also demonstrate here with various proofs that in what form the Unicorn has been understood in our ancient records and how this iconography is related with the concept of Varaha.

Sri Veda Vyas, in his classical composition Vishnu Sahasranaama reveals thousand names of Vishnu. These names are very important for understanding the iconography of Unicorn. One such peculiar icons of Unicorn in three heads is given below:

maharsih kapilacaryah krtagyo medinipatih/

tripada- stri- dasa- dhyaksho mahashringah kritant-krit// (slokam 57)

Here the reference of tripadah and mahashringah are very important. The tripadah refers Varaha with three heads. In the Vishnu Dharma ( 63.59), we come across this verse:

sattvanam upakaraya pradhanam purusham param | darsayishy-ami lokeshu kapilam rupam asthitah ||

“For the benefit of all beings I am going to reveal the three forms viz. , pradhana, purusha and paramatma . This tripadah incarnation has been explained in his Varaha form, where he is an animal with three heads ( tri-padah - tavaivasam trika-kudo varaham-rupam-asthitah (Mahabharat / Moksha. 343.63).

In the Vedic literatures we find term ekashringah or mahashringah, both are synonymous to each other. In Srimad Ramayana, we find verse in support of this mahashringah as ekasringo varahastvam (Yuddha. 120.14).  Which means animal with one horn. The Shanti Parva of Mahabharat explains ekashringah as:

eka sringah tato bhutva varaho nandi vardhanah/

imam ca udhritva bhumim - ekasringah// ( Mahabharat : Moksha Dharma Parva)

In verse 81, again we find reference of ekashringa:

tejo-vrisho dyuti -dharah sarva sastra-bhritam varah | pragraho nigraho vyagro na - eka-sringo gadagrajah ||  

Which literal meaning is that - He Who took incarnation as the one-horned Varaha. This term has been clearly interpreted in the Mahabharata –

buddhi-yogah sarathyam anayudha grahana vyajah praptakale tad-grahanam iti bahu-vairi-badhakam asya iti na-eka-sringah

“He ( Krishna )  is ekasringah as He adopted several devices for bringing about the fall of the enemies, like giving sound advice, skillfully driving the chariot, pretending that he would not use a weapon but actually making use of His weapon at the opportune moment, etc”.

Sri Adi Sankaracharya refers ekasringah of Vishnu Sahasranaama as catuh sringah na- eka sringah from following Rigvedic verse:

catvari sringa trayasya pada sirshe sapta hasta-sosya /

tridha baddho vrishbho roraviti mahadeo maryagm avivesa // (RV 4.58.3)

Thus, the four divine horns are well understood in the Harappan iconography ( two horns over bull and one horn each on two horse heads ).  Nirukta also explains above verse as :

catvari sringah iti veda va-uktah

Thus the word ekashringah becomes more clearer when this verse is cited side by side:

ekashringah tato bhutva varaho nandi vardhanah/

imam ca udhritva bhumim - ekasringah// ( Mahabharat : Moksha Dharma Parva)

The  ekashringa is more symbolic than representing any real animal feature. In verse 85 we again find reference of this horned iconography :

udbhavah sundarah sundo ratna-nabhah su-locanah | 
arko vaja-sanih shringi jayantah sarva-vij-jayi ||

Here Shringi represents a form with horn, which is described as Mahashringah in verse 57:

maharsih kapilacaryah kritagyo medinipatih/

tripada- stri- dasa- dhyaksho mahashringah kritant-krit//

The Vishnu Purana (1.4.36) describes this Mahashringah in lifting earth through the tip of the horn. The Mahashringah of this animal is explained in the form of Vrisha- Kapi & Kapir-Varaha. Vishnu Purana in matsya- kurma- varahashva- simha rupaatibhi describes various forms of one time incarnation of Vishnu in: 1) matsya 2) kurma 3) varahashva & 4) simha . The Varaha - Ashva particularly represents Vishnu identified as Vrish (bull) with neck to head as of horse. The event of Varaha incarnation is one single event in the entire Vedic thought. The typical various terms used in connection with Varaha is to be understood in same form as in Varaha- Ashwa or Kapir- Varaha.

The explanation of Varaha as boer requires slight attention here. The modern commentators on Purana , particularly have confused the iconography of Varaha. These commentators identify Varaha symbolism with boer (some commentators call it sukara- avatar), which is wrong. In many latter part of the commentary this confusion prevailed and horn which has appeared actually on head have been shown growing near mouth.

The symbolism of Vrishakapi, Kapirvarah & Ashwavaraha are now very clear. The three terms are further elaborated from these two verses :

ajah sarvesvarah siddhah siddhih sarvadiracyutah/

Vrishakapirmeyatma sarvayogavinihsritah//( 11- Vishnu Sahasranaama )

kapir varahah sreshthasca dharmasca vrsha ucyate | tasmad vrshakapim praha kasyapo mam prajapatih || (Santi Parva 330.24)

The ekashringah, in our Vedic texts, is a typical iconography where  Vishnu (bull ) intermingles with Shakti (horse). Dr Jha - Rajaram  quotes following Mahabharat verse (343: Shanti Parva):

“O Bharata , the holy Dharma is known among all creatures by the name of Vrisha. Hence it is that I am called Uttama Vrisha in the Nighantuka Padakhyan .The word Kapi signifies the foremost of Varaha, and Dharma is associated with the name of Vrisha. It is for this reason that I am also called Vrishakapi . No body can ascertain my beginning, my middle, or my end. It is for this reason that I am sung as anadi, amadhya and ananta. In ancient time I hold, the form of a Varah ,with a single horn. O enhancer of the joys of others, I raised the submerged earth from the bottom of the ocean. For this reason am I called by the name of Ekasringah. While I assumed the form of a mighty Varah (representing anadi, amadhya & ananta) (sometimes ) I had also three heads. Indeed, in consequence of this peculiarity I am also called Trikakuda”

Sri Shankar explains the iconography of Vrishakapi in such a way:

kailas-thail-vinivas vrisakape he

mrityun-jaya trinayan tri-jagannivas/

narayanpriya madapah saktinath/

sansardukh-gahna-jagdeesh raksha//

"O the one Who lives on Mountain Kailas! O Vrishakapi! O Destroyer of death! O the one Who has three-eyes! O the one Who pervades in all the three worlds! O Dear to Narayan (Vishnu)!O Destroyer of pride! O Lord of Shakti (Parvati)! , O Lord of the universe! Save me from the dense miseries of this world."||7|| (Shiv Naamavali Ashtakam - Adi Shankaracharya)

The Rigveda looks the iconography of Vrishakapi in detail. It has a separate episode discussing relation in between Indra –Indrani & Vrishakapi . But, sometimes it looks into this element in a form having golden horn on a mighty horse:

hiranya-sringo ayo asya pada manojava avar indra aasiit/

deva indrasya haviradya-mayan yo arvantam parthamo adyatisthat// (Rigveda 1. 163)

Thus the Kapir- Varaha & Vrisha- Kapi are to be understood as a same form. It means the Aswa-Varaha as described in the Vishnu Puran (1.4.36) is the same what is disclosed here in the form of Kapir Varah & Vrishakapi . As described earlier the incarnation of Vishnu in Varaha form is the one single event what various Purana, Mahabharat or Rigveda describe. That is the actual form of, Varaha is a Vrish having head to neck as of horse . This verse again simplifies the mystery of composite animal in Vrish & Kapi. The iconography of  Rigvedic Vrisha-Kapi gives feature of Unicorn in such a form in Indus civilization where a bull has been shown along with head to neck as of horse.

In The Harappan Unicorn, Krishna is represented, as one varah with one stiff horn, where head to neck is horse ( shakti )  and rest of the body of bull (Vishnu ). In the Hayagreeva Ashtotharam, Varah incarnation is seen as  Mahavishnu adorned with Shakti in this way: 

hayagreeva mahavishnu kesavo madhusudhana /

govindha pundarikaksho vishnur viswamparo hari //

This important composition is a master piece work on the  Vedic iconography. In Purana , Hayagreeva means one who has head to neck as of horse. The , Fifteen Vahinis written in Telugu by Bhagwan Sri Sathya Sai Baba, and translated in English by Kasturi explains Hayagreeva as an incarnation of Vishnu in Varah form, from head to neck as of horse. In some latter iconography the horse head has been placed on Vishnu’s human body. However, the Vedic concept of Vishnu’s body as described in the Vedas is a vrish representing dharma. This incarnation is an important incarnation of Vishnu & is the real figure of Varahavataar . This iconography latter has been confused by commentators after the 12th Cent AD where horse head has been replaced with a boer’s head. Because Varahavataar has been described as one single event in the entire Vedic literatures which corresponds with the ashwaavataar (Vishnu Puran) or Varaha with horse head as in Haygreevopanishad & Mahabharat (Mahabharat, Santi Parv : CCCXLVIII ). This iconography represents knowledge and wisdom. He is known for rescuing the Vedas from beneath the land. The term Hayagreeva becomes more clear with this verse:

eka sringah tato bhutva varaho nandi vardhanah/

imam ca udhritva bhumim - ekasringah// ( Mahabharat : Moksha Dharma Parva)

Both ekashringa and Hayagreeva represent a common Varaha which recovers the lost Vedas. This Hayagreeva is presiding deity of several Srivaishnav sect. One such sect is Parakala Matham, situated in Mysore, which is one of the most ancient and an important Srivaishnava religious institutions in the country that came into being for the specific purpose of propagating Sri Ramanujam's Visishtadvaita philosophy. Sri Lakshmi Hayagreeva ( Vishnu with the horse's head up to neck along with Lakshmi) is the presiding deity for all knowledge which is remembered as - Aadhaaram sarvavidhyaanaaam hayagrivam upaasmahe. This is the principal deity of the Parakala Matham. Sri Hayagreevar Divya Mangala vigraha is also found at Sri Poundareekapuram Andavan Ashram and also greatly revered by Sri Ahobila Matham and Andavan Ashram in South India.

In the  Purana the colour of Hayagreeva horse is deep white (the Biblical Unicorn is also deep white) and is called Varaha-Asva. In Brahmanda Purana there is an illustration of conversation between Maheshwara & Narada . Narada describes this incarnation by praising ashva sirase namah . That is why Vishnu is called Madhusoodhanan as Hayagreeva killed asuras in saving Vedas. In the Mahabharata, Shanti parva, we see reference of hayasira upaakhyaanam ( Mahabharat, Santi Parv : CCCXLVIII). The reference goes like this:

“Janamejaya said, tell me, O best of men, for what reason did Hari appear in that mighty form equipped with a horse-head and which Brahma, the Creator, beheld on the shores of the great northern Ocean on the occasion referred to by yourself?"

The Srimad Bhagawat , describes also this Varah form . In Vishnu Puran (H H Wilson Translation, book 2 chapter 2) we find reference of Vishnu in Varaha as hayasira (the horse headed). The Ashwa Varah form of Vishnu worship today is not seen in the North India, but latter it migrated from Indus Civilization to Kashmir. During the period of Acharya Shankar & Ramanujacharya- Kashmir was an ancient seat of Hayagreeva worship. Ramanujacharya before writing commentary on Brahma Sutra, had visited Kashmir to consult the Bodhayan's original commentary on Brahma Sutra. At that time Kashmir was great seat of Hayagreeva worship. Ramanaujacharya carried one such icon of Hayagreeva from Kashmir & returned back to Sri Ranga via Varanasi & Puri. The icon carried by Ramanujacharya is a Lakshmi Hayagriva Vigraham , which is still today at the Parakala Matam. Rajatarangini, where the history of Kashmir has been written by Kalhana in 1148-50 A.D, gives a vivid account of Sri Shankar's Kashmir visit. It is found that the Sharda Peetham, was established near Hayagreeva village ( Haygreeva Matham). It appears that in the past Kashmir & some parts of deep Tibbet were the ancient seat of Haygreeva worship, equally worshipped by Hindus & Buddhists (Buddhists believe Hayagreeva's incarnation in Buddha). However these shrines were damaged after the mohammaddans' invasion.

The prominent Varah temple built in the 12th cent AD at Pushkar (Rajasthan) with original thought of the  Vishnu iconography was demolished by Aurangzeb. This temple again was constructed after 500 years back by Raja Sawai Jai singh II in 1727 AD. It contains the same mistake of identifying boer as Varaha. Near Mira Bai’s temple in Chittorgarh one similar Vishnu temple ( situated in Kumbh Shyam Temple) was destroyed by the mohammadans & the same was re erected again with an iconographical change.  The Hajo (Assam) shrine of Hayagreeva, which is equally worshipped by Buddhist & Hindus, is a testament of that crucial phase within which Hindu survived without losing its identity.

Some Important Reference of hayagreeva can be seen further in our literatures:

1. In Lalitopakhyana (Brahmand Puran) a conversation between Hayagreeva & Sage Agastya has been recorded. Where , Hayagreeva establishes a harmonious relation between three deities Shiva, Vishnu and Shakti. Before migrating to Kanchi from Varanasi he was a worshipper of Vishnu in Varadraja form (Vrish ). It is told in this story that in Kanchi, Agastya discovered the importance of Haygreeva in understanding the way of liberation. (Source: Avadhoota Datta Peetham - Mysore)

2. In Brahmandda Puran : om namo vishnave deva madhussodhanate namah is found (which refers to Madhusoodhana as Hayagreeva).

3. In Valmiki Ramayan ( Bala Kaand): akshayam madhuhantaaram jaanaami tvaam surottamam (I realise that You are the Supreme God, immortal, Mahavishnu, , the One who killed Madhu & Kaitapar), is mentioned. Also in this text: dhushtaava pranadhaischaiva sirasaa madhsoodhanam (6th sarga-7th verse) is mentioned

4. In Kishkindha Kaand: I would have brought Sita back from anywhere whosesoever like Sri Hayagreeva brought the Vedas killing Madhukaitapar. (17th sarga-49th verse)

5. In the Mahabharata, Santi Parva there is a reference of Haygreeva avataar

6. Sri-Hayagreevopanishad (Atharvaveda)

7. The Kailasanatha Temple was among the 14 sculptural marvels built by the Pallava King Rajasimha-I at Gangaikonda Cholapuram (Tamil Nadu). Its inner courtyard comprises 56 "Devakulikas" (sculptural chambers) and exquisite paintings, as discovered by French scholar Jouveau-Dubreuil in the early part of this century. This temple contained three exquisite panels showing Vishnu in its mythical form & Shiva with Parvati (as tiger).

The idea of dual symbolism of Vishnu with Shakti (Horse -Lakshmi) or Shiva with Shakti (Tiger- Uma) is not new. Shakti has always been explained in our Vedic records either with horse or tiger. In one of such rare but excellent Indus seals, we find iconography of Shiva – Shakti, where  Shiva in lion cloth with one single horn is combined with Uma (in tiger form). Kalidasa in Raghuvamsa, describes the old philosophical Vedic idea behind Siva- Shakti in this way:

Vagarthavivasampriktau vagarthapratipadyaye, jagatah pitaru vande parvatiparamesvarau

"The two cannot be separated, they are so mingled, so synchronized that one cannot exist without the other."

Some Shakta scriptures like Advaitabhava, Kalika, Kaula, Tripura, Arunopanishad, Tara, Bahvricopanishad & Bhavanopanishad, describe the various symbolisms of Shiva- Shakti in detail. However these symbolisms are incorporated from the Sankhya philosophy explaining Prakriti & Purusha. The Devi Shuktam of the Rigveda describes the symbolism in this way:

vishnuh Sariira-grahan-mah-meeshan eva cha/

karitaste yato-ata-stvam kah stotum shaktiman bhavet//

"You have given a body or form to Vishnu & Mahadeva, so who has an ability to pray to you".

Shankara and Ramanuja in their various classical philosophies on Prakriti & Purush elaborate the lost but the ancient Sankhya system of understanding a relation in between an inert Purusha and an active female Prakriti. So the aspect of dual symbolism is very complex in entire Vedic philosophy. Indus iconographies being a part of the Vedas how can remain unattended to such major developments.  Particularly these iconographies have placed a very impact producing results not only in India but throughout the whole Middle East and latter part of the Christian philosophy.

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