Which wrathful deity with a horse’s head is a protector in Tibetan Buddhism? Hayagriva.
Hayagriva is a horse-headed wrathful deity in Tibetan Buddhism and is regarded as a fierce manifestation of Avalokiteshvara, the bodhisattva of compassion. His name means “Horse-Necked” or “Having the Neck of a Horse.” The frightening appearance expresses forceful compassion: the determination to overcome spiritual obstacles, harmful forces, and delusion.
In Tibetan iconography, Hayagriva may appear with one horse head or with several small green horse heads rising above his main head. He is often shown with glaring eyes, fangs, flames, weapons, and a dynamic stance. These features are not meant to portray ordinary anger; they symbolize awakened energy directed against impediments to liberation.
Tibetan traditions connect Hayagriva with the subjugation of demonic forces, particularly the mythic defeat of Rudra, after which the defeated being becomes a protector of the Buddhist Dharma. He is also associated in some practices with healing diseases attributed to nāgas. Hayagriva is easily confused with the Hindu Hayagriva, who is a generally serene, horse-headed avatar of Vishnu associated with knowledge. The Buddhist and Hindu figures share a name but belong to different religious contexts.