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14. THE CONCEPT OF AVATARS
- drown them. Then the Vedas were rescued and a few people were saved to live on in spite of the deluge and total carrying away of the nation under the Christian influence. Before the latest creation of the present universe, the four Vedas (the holy books from the mouth of the Supreme-Deity) remained drowned in the waters. Who was this terrible demon? Thomas? What was this deluge that totally destroyed Vedism. The deluge here probably refers to the Powerful presence of St. Thomas Ministry which engulfed all of India absorbing all Indians. But the Asuras who stole the Vedas still remained and constituted a continuing Anti-Vishnu element. The story therefore tells us that Vedism survived in the new form of Vaishnavism of the Brahmins. It is all the more interesting since it uses the Christian Noahic story as the background.
However there are many variations of this story some which are totally antagonistic with the supremacy of Vishnu. In some cases the demon was Hayagriva (Horse Headed) and was killed by Matsya. In others, the incarnation that killed Hayagriva was itself called Hayagriva with a horse head. At any rate the demon was always the representation of Ajnana - ignorance. (see http://www.harekrsna.com/philosophy/associates/demons/vishnu/ajnana.htm)
Hayagriva, meaning "one with the horse's neck", was the son of 'Kashyap Prajapati'. Through great penance he managed to obtain a boon from the Goddess Durga that he could only be killed by another "Hayagriva". This instilled a sense of invincibility and he started harassing the Devas. The Devas turned to Vishnu for aid, but despite a long struggle of a thousand years, he was also unable to kill Hayagriva.
Tired and drained after the battle, Vishnu proceeded to Vaikuntha Dham to rejuvenate and meditate in padamaasna (a yoga posture) with his head supported by the upper end of his taut bow. The Devas once again approached Vishnu for help against Hayagriva but were unable to rouse him from his meditation. The Devas asked a swarm of termites to assist in waking Vishnu by gnawing away the string of the bow upon which he was resting. However, the snapping of the bow string produced such a resonant sound that the universe trembled, and the broken string lashed out with such force that Vishnu's head was severed from his body.
The Devas were mortified, and prayed to the goddess Durga for guidance. Durga was pleased with their prayers and told the Devas that they need not fear, as no incident in this universe was without some purpose. She then told them of her boon to Hayagriva and asked them to attach the head of a horse to Vishnu so that he in the guise of "Hayagriva" (that is, one with a horse's neck) could kill his foe. Brahma attached the head of a white horse to Vishnu's body and the revived Vishnu entered into battle with Hayagriva and eventually killed him.
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