________________
Asura Hayagriva connection
14. THE CONCEPT OF AVATARS
It is then intertwined with the Hayagriva Asura story as they are directly connected.
Matsyavatara (The Fish Incarnation) [From the Bhagavata VIII].
There was an intermediate deluge; Brhama slept for a while; the demon Hayagriva stole the Vedas. Lord Vishnu noticed this and took the form of Fish. In the Dravida country, there was a pious King, Satyavrata by name; as he was making an offering of water in the Kritamala River, the Lord appeared as a tiny Fish in the water of his palm. The Fish began to grow, and wondering at this, the King went on transferring it from one vessel or container to another. The Fish, which had finally to be deposited in the sea, told him: "On the seventh day from now, all the worlds will become completely flooded; on the flood waters, a boat will come to you; embark in it with manifold herbs and seeds and surrounded by the seven great sages and every class of living beings; a strong gale will rock the boat, but tie it to my snout with the great serpent, and as you ask me questions, I shall expound to you then the glory of Myself, the Supreme Brahman."
Accordingly the sea swelled as huge rain-clouds poured down incessantly, rolled on and engulfed the world; the boat appeared, and also the great Fish; to its single snout, Satyavrata tied the ark. Dragging the ark over the waters, the Lord as a Fish imparted to Satyavrata the teachings about Truth which were collected in the Purana known as the Matsya (Fish). After the waters of the deluge had subsided, the Lord slew the demon Hayagriva and restored the Vedas to Brahma, who awoke from his slumber.
[Achaean, the Indian Heritage, p. 377.] http://www.galileolibrary.com/history/history_page_9.htm
Hayagriva is also referred to as Sankhasura - the Asura of the Sankh. The Sankh is the shell which is symbolic of the creative sound OHM. But later story tells us that Sankhasura was killed by baby Krishna.
304
