Buddhist Deity: Hayagriva Physical Appearance

☰

MENU

Hayagriva Iconography

One face, two arms: (no wings)
- All Forms
- Ocean of Sadhanas #127
- Sahaja (Atisha)
- Shakyashri Bhadra Tradition
- Black Hayagriva
- White Hayagriva
- Mitra Gyatsa (12 deities)
- Nartang Gyatsa
- Chintamani with consort
- Longchen Nyingtig
- Black Hayagriva
- Drub Gyal Tradition

Three faces, four arms: (no wings)
- Shvana Hayagriva (Atisha)

Three faces, six arms:
- Hayagriva (no wings. Ten Wrathful Ones)
- Secret Accomplishment of Kyergangpa (no wings)
- With Garuda Wings (Atisha)
- 'Very Secret' Padma Ishvara (Sakya & Sera, with wings)
- Padma Vag (Kagye) (with wings. Eight Heruka)
- Dregpa Kundrol of Drugu Yangwang (no wings)
- Lama Gongdu (with wings)
- Unidentified: Holding Two Heads (with wings)

Three faces, eight arms: (no wings)
- Bari Gyatsa #74
- Mitra Tradition (18 deity)

Five faces, sixteen arms: (with wings)
- Longchen Nyingtig

Colours:
- Red
- Black
- White
- Blue

Videos:
- Hayagriva
- Hayagriva Study Topics
- Black Hayagriva: HAR #4
- Black Hayagriva
- Hayagriva with Wings

There are some traditions of Hayagriva that characterize the deity as having four faces and eight arms. In these cases the green horse head on the top of the central face is counted as a fourth face.

[74 Bari Gyatsa] Shri Hayagriva.
'Shri Hayagriva, [with] a body red in colour, three faces and eight hands. The main face is red and smiling, the right blue with the tongue curled and the left white, biting the lower lip with the eye-teeth. Each face has three eyes. The four right [hands] hold, a vajra, stick, blossoming lotus and an arrow. The four left, a wrathful [gesture], the left breast, a lotus and bow. With yellow hair bristling upwards, ornaments of snake and a lower garment of tiger skin. Standing in a manner with the left leg extended.' (Konchog Lhundrub edited version).

Database Search: All Images | Painting | Sculpture | Mandala

Jeff Watt 10-2020

(The images below are only a selection of examples from the links above).