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From the Bhakti List Archives

Sadagopan • August 19, 1998 


Our MadhavakkaNNan has written an excellent series
of articles on BhagavAn HayagrIvan's Vaibhavam .
In this context ,there have been questions about 
an asurA named Hayagrivan as well . I will comment on that .

Prior to that I will answer a dear BhakthA's 
question on an asura having the form of a horse ,
by the name Kesi ,who was sent by KamsA to kill 
Baala GopAlan (KrishNA) at Gokulam .

kEsi was an asuran, who took the form of a gigantic and
powerful horse galloping with lightning speed . He arirved 
at Gokulam sending out an ear shattering roar and 
waving his mane to chase the clouds . He had the blue hue 
according to Srimadh Bhagavatham ( Canto 10: Chapter 37).
He frightened the residents of Gokulam with his attahAsam .

KrishNA appeared before him and invited him to attack . 
Kesi charged at KrishNA with a wide open mouth and 
used his hind legs to kick the Lord .Our Lord stepped aside 
and got hold of the tail of Kesi and whirled him round 
and round and threw him with great contempt over hundreds 
of Yards .Kesi was knocked unconscious .When he regained 
consciousness, he charged once again at the Lord , who was 
waiting for him . This time , our Lord put His left hand
inside the mouth of the Horse demon and shattered all his
teeth that tried to bite Him . After  that , Our Lord let 
His arm swell up inside the mouth of the Horse demon .
That arm grew immensely and suffocated the asuran . The Lord
thus destroyed Kesi and got the name of Kesavan ( kesi hanthAran )
and the DevAs  showered flowers over Him in appreciation 
of His valourous act . The name Kesavan is also intrepreted 
differently ( as the One with supremely beautiful
curly , black hair /Kesam ).

The other asuran with the name of HayagrIvan appears 
in MatsyAvathAram and yet another asuran with the name 
of HayagrIvan is mentioned as the son of HiraNyAkshan ,
who was destroyed by Varaaha Murthy . HiraNyakasipu 
addresses the sons of his brother , HiranyAkshan 
including HayagrIvan and swears before them that
he will kill their enemy , Sriman NaarAyaNA and
set the stage for NarasimhAvathAram . 

Thus there are three asurAs in PurANams with the form of 
Horse or with the head of Horse and having the name of
HayagrIvan , which has nothing to do with
BhagavAn ( MadhsUdhana) HayagrIvan , who killed 
Madhu -Kaitpans and restored the VedAs for 
the benefit of Brahmaa .    

At 11:38 PM 8/13/98 -0400, you wrote:
>Dear Sirs:
>Could you please enlighten me about kEsi, the horse that our Lord killed.
>Is this the same asura called hayagriva that is at the center of the
>current controversy?