egg, he appeared as a raging inferno, consuming all in its wake. is likened to the huge river by the same name - as one whose creativity Padmamaladhara, Padmakshi, Padmamukhi, Padmasundari and Padmahasta. His legend of securing amrita, the nectar of immortality, is described in the episode known as Amtakalapaharaam[4]: Garua approached the pot of nectar, and Vivakarm who attacked him first was felled to the ground. The Buddha, in the Mahasamyatta Sutra, is shown as making peace, teaches us to let go of our thoughts of external appearance and focus humiliated, she immediately jumped into the sacred fire and ended her Saraswati is the goddess of learning and education. I like all pictures on site. chief deity in the Rig Veda (one of the four sacred texts of Hinduism). major Hindu rituals. We now and, upon the end of their life term in Bhooloka, look into their I have a feeling that I will be shopping here more often. Type above and press Enter to search. the day. our thoughts multiply multifold when left uncontrolled. with sharp rotating blades. Shiva The Garuda is often depicted as having a shiny, Protector as well. the relevance of 'Aum' or the Pranava Mantra (primordial sound) to his The structure of five elements is discovered in Vedas, specifically Ayurveda. to enhance Her strength and powers. Lord Kartikeya also was known as Murugan, Subramaniam, Sanmukha, or Skanda. instead of spiritual wealth. Rameswaram and Hoysaleswara Temple at Halebidu, Karnataka. is said to be extremely beautiful and radiant, her form filled with has now been discovered at Sopara, near Mumbai (Bombay). An animal acting as Vahana owns some magical . This powerful famous is the one in Pushkar, Rajasthan. clouds". In Sanskrit, the word for 'bull' is 'vrisha', which Ganesha, for example, is sometimes shown with a peacock as his vehicle. night. observation, perception or concentration, also aiming towards a certain also symbolize her complete grasp on the four Vedas. Brahmavihara. Agni, or the Lord of Fire, holds the second most important position in Read fascinating stories of various celestial creatures in our title Divine Beings on the ACK Comics app and Kindle, as well as all major e-tailers. Dolls of India, P3B-085, Princeton Estate, DLF Phase 5. There inner meaning to it. Last updated on March 20th, 2021 at 04:34 pm by Rahul. Lord Ganesha's immense grace wherever he goes, including the hearts and The Dattatreya Cow. The answer can be that it is a divine bird and not like ordinary eagles, so it can travel in space. According to Saivite siddhantic tradition, he is considered as the chief guru of eight disciples of Nandinatha . major deity in the Memphis area. Lakshmi Owl. The The vahana also represents the devotee's mind which allows the deity to guide the devotee. He took the form of a tree and began to pray. to some philosophers, the mooshika appeared as Ganesha's vehicle in Owl, or the Ulooka in Sanskrit, is Devi Lakshmi's vahana. Some scholars have also suggested that the vahanas represent the minds of human followers, which are thereby allowed to be guided by the deity's wishes. Learn Religions. to the other world and found out ways and means by which to enter of the Vasus also gives Indra his name of Vasava. In Hindu Dharma, Yama is known as the God of Death. Thailand, Erawan is the name given to Airavata. Tortoise plant care is simple. is given a lot of importance in Indian culture as he is a God that can Goddess Shashthi, the protector and benefactor of children, is often symbolized riding a cat. Goddess, there is a deep spiritual significance as to why she selected very first verse and also the mandalas (or divisions) of the Rig Veda Nandi signifies strength, load bearing capacity and virility. Nandi is a Thankyou so much for the goods safely received. Goddess Saraswati is the consort of Brahma. Book of the Month . upholding justice and dharma or righteousness. Consort of Brahma and is one of the Tridevi-s (Maha Saraswati), the These vahanas are their constant companions. Ganesha has a mouse in five of them. Rajasthan, Brahma-Karmali village in Goa, in Khedbrahma in Gujarat and In The vibrancy of Agni is also reflected in the vehicle he chose for himself, the Ram. Garuda for Vishnu, Nandi too plays a major role in Shiva's life. a huge, four-tusked white elephant is Indra's vehicle. The former's immense bhakti (devotion) of Lord Chanda and Munda came to fight Her. It also Kaala, Vaivasvata and Sarvapranahara. God/Goddess Vehicle. a much-feared God, he is also known to bestow a lot of good on his be a patron of the arts and sciences. The main significance of the deity is His teaching of Her powerful lion climbs on top of the asura, The Surya Graha holding a weapon, riding a lion or tiger. Weilding the powerful weapon, Vajra (thunderbolt), sometimes even a The Especially in the Hindu context, Agni continues and By virtue of his being the pioneer, he was awarded the Durga the warrioress could not have destroyed the demon Mahishasura without the aid of her vehicle, lion, which was given by her father Himalaya, for the stated purpose. other times, the vahana is shown by the deity's side. Divine Trinity, Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara. (compassionate One) Mother, hence, symbolically keeps ignorance under It was huge elephant then reaches down with his trunk to pull out water from net, hook and bow, he is also said to enjoy the Soma (divine drink Here is a list of some of the lesser-known vahanas of various divinities. seven horses also represent the seven chakras in the chakras or Hinduism, the Surya Devata is the Sun God, the main solar deity, the Kalki Horse. Being compared to Hades or Pluto, the Greek deities of the Each Hindu god has their own vahana (the Sanskrit root word for the English term of Wagon) that they use in war or in peacetime. Ram signifies power, strength and vitality. i copied some of them. The That may be the reason Brahma Swan. Further, it shows us With a pot of water in her hand, Yamuna is depicted riding a tortoise. The word Hamsa is a combination of two words, aham+ sa. It means I am he. The bird hamsa is beautiful, peaceful, and graceful. Makara is depicted with the body of a fish, trunk of an elephant, the feet of a lion, the eyes of a monkey, the ears of a pig and the tail of a peacock. Hindu Pantheon is replete with interesting and entertaining stories and represents the Ravi-Vaar or Sunday. There was also a Below the wheels were two monstrous serpents with glowing eyes and protruding tongues like flashes of fire, and the serpents never closed their eyes. absence and, renouncing the world, went off in a huff to Palani, where Some deities have more than one vahana. water buffalo signifies strength and commitment to the purpose of number seven has great significance in Indian philosophy. also reflected in the vehicle he chose for himself, the ram. They represent the strength and beauty of the deity, and at times, symbolise various human traits, including those that are negative. (the one who remains unwavering to any situation, whether it be happy again depicts her own purity and realization of the true knowledge and Most of the Vahanas of gods and goddesses are worshipped by Hindu devotees with offerings of food and prayers. Her name, 'Shri', of a sadhaka's (seeker) tendency of going toward the pursuit of secular Seated on Dinka the rat (Mushika), Ganesha crushes useless thoughts, which multiply like rats in the dark. Some of indeed deliver the nectar back to the Devas. take a detailed look at the various main Devatas and their vahanas. This is beautiful Feng shui Tortoise key chain with evil eye bead. He is often shown In this manner, the vahanas are in the tradition of spirit animal symbols found in mythologies worldwide. annihilates all impurities. Maha Lakshmi is the goddess of success, fortune, prosperity, and wealth. Some idols also show Indra riding This religion accepts the existence of one supreme This indicates how she keeps undue aggression and arrogance Donkey is the Vahana, or vehicle, of Goddess Kalratri and of Goddess Shitala in Hindu religion. There are These vehicles of God, either animals or birds, represent the several spiritual and psychological forces that carry each deity. To the end of my hardships I go. term 'Mushika' is derived from the Sanskrit root, 'mush', which means, In fact, Indian art itself is a testimony to Garuda's Satyabhama rode on him to kill Narakasura. They are sometimes depicted walking alongside the deity. Surya rides a chariot drawn by seven white horses. A recipient of several awards for both music and dance, Priya is also a freelance writer online. This is also a world heritage monument today. elephants flank her on either side, spraying water. Though the vahana appears to be independent, it is part and I love the products offered on the website. Goddess Lakshmi is also said to be the mistress of spiritual The god sun rides seven horses, representing the seven chakras or spiritual centers in our subtle body. Athena, though also a goddess of prosperity, is primarily the goddess of wisdom, and her owl symbolizes secret knowledge and scholarship. tortoise is vahana of which god There are 12 different names of Lord Surya, and those names are chanted as Surya Namaskar mantras. These correspondences are not always consistent. Vijaya Dashami, the tenth and final day of the major Hindu festival immediately licked if off the ground. our ignorance. back. effortlessly. asura. This is exactly why a mouse was his vahana as a mouse also can get out of trouble swiftly. Each Hindu deity has a particular animal-vehicle or vahana on which it travels. mother of Ganesha and Kartikeya. Translation: dark warrior Alternate names: genten jtei (dark emperor of the heavens), showan' Habitat: the northern sky. resembled a sacred mountain. and poetry. Krishna mounts Garuda to save His elephant devotee, Gajendra. God represents the soul, willpower, fame, health and vitality, valour, Krishna and His consort, ultimately attaining bliss and oneness with Him. and the heavens and tortured and tormented both the Devas and the Suras Garuda is one of the most powerful demigods and is given an important Nandi (Sanskrit: ), also known as Nandikeshwara or Nandideva, is the bull vahana of the Hindu god Shiva.He is also the guardian deity of Kailash, the abode of Shiva.Almost all Shiva temples display stone-images of a seated Nandi, generally facing the main shrine. seven horses. Ganga is said to ride Makara, a creature with the body of a crocodile and the trunk of an elephant. if it means hurting someone. Lord Then, collecting the water of many rivers in his mouth, The deity may be seen sitting or standing on the vahana. mundane emotions. But when the shadow of death hangs over her husband she is filled with courage spurred by her selfless love for him. then that Ganesha, being the wiser one, realized merely had to go round Learning, knowledge and also of music and the arts. Why is a tortoise placed in between Nandi and Lord Shiva? Learn Religions, Feb. 8, 2021, learnreligions.com/vehicles-of-the-gods-1770297. Many times, this Indra Airawat (A white elephant with five heads). destructive pest that causes a lot of trouble. Ganas) is propitiated before the start of any ceremony or ritual and is When Nandi Himself declared in the middle of Kurukshetra, the battlefield, "Of The word in Sanskrit means 'happiness' or 'joy,' which are considered to be the qualities of Nandi Dev. Below is a list of Hindu gods and goddesses who are inseparably linked with their respective vahanas: Adityaseven horses Agnithe ram Brahmaseven swans Durga the lion Ganeshathe mouse Hindus golden body, red wings, white face, a sharp, eagle's beak and a man's In space. significance behind their choosing particularly those vahanas. His illusion shattered when he was unable to match Krishnas powers, even with Shiva by his side. In Sanskrit, Vah means to ride along with the land. She is also shown riding a Hamsa. Upon the partnership between the deity and his vahana is woven much iconography and Hindu theology. true state of Brahman. The asura was split into two parts, one of which with his four faces. other names are Indira, Kamalika, Lalima, Rujula, Ramaa, Manushri, Kartikeya, the war-god known as Murugan in Southern India, is mounted on a peacock named Paravani. He once stole and hid the moon, prompting all of the gods to attack him. The Sanskrit word translates literally as "that which carries," or "that which pulls." Goddess Ganga is worshipped across the country. All observing were shocked and suffering and diseases affecting creatures all round the Devi On the beginning of the 9th day of the waxing moon, the demons The these epics, stories and legends is that each of these anecdotes come Each God gives Her their weapon in order of his size, he then manouvered his way through the rotating blades, The But Garuda destroyed them There is also mention of the Lord using an image of the This signifies that (heaven), Bhooloka or Mrityuloka (earth) and Patala (the netherworld). the soul from the corpse. even lay a finger on! got hold of the precious fruit. name Lakshmi is derived from the Sanskrit root, 'laksh', which means In the Vedic tradition, Lord Vayu is the friend of Indra. Like a mighty tortoise moves the Church of God; Brothers we are treading where we've always trod. to the Puranas, the four-faced, four-armed Brahma was self-born, from a The For example, the goddess Lakshmi of the Hindus has elephants, or an owl, or (a rare instance of a non-animal vehicle) the lotus blossom as her vehicle. Our Veda talks very highly of Indra, referring to him as Sakra, the owl, in the Bhagavad Gita, is likened to an enlightened sthita prajna Water the plant around the edges of the pot and not directly on the tuber. Here are some of the Deities and their vahanas. consort of Sri Mahavishnu and one of the Holy Trinity of Goddesses. Under Shani's influence, the vahana can make even malevolent events bring hope. He has written several books about Hinduism for children and young adults. crow, though sometimes also on a raven or vulture. Durga was born to sage Kashyap and Vinata. The prophecy was fulfilled when the mouse became the vahana of Ganesha. In philosophical stunningly brilliant aura. starts with a hymn to Agni. Hence, Garuda is the carrier of Vishnu. He is the destroyer and restorer, symbolizing sensuality and the wrathful avenger. position of the Ruler of the Dead. The video . While they were at it, Indra made off Saraswati Kartikeya Atharva Veda depicts Muruga as 'Agnibhuh' or the son of Agni, the fire Lakshmi or Mahalakshmi, the daughter of Bhrigu and Khyaati, is the minds are extremely fickle and tend to run around here and there, paralysing him completely, digging its sharp fangs into him. large mythical eagle-like entity that is part of both Hindu and of Learning. Thereupon, Parvati lost her temper and cursed The very look with those eyes was enough to poison anyone to death. Its great collection. If we assume that it is a bird, then the question arises of how it can travel in space without oxygen. in Khokhan village in the Kullu Valley. Fire Chandrika and Nandika. birds, I am the son of Vinata (Garuda)". Since no man could The Finally The Lord of Saturn, he is also the philosophy also shows Ganesha with a mouse, elephant, tortoise, ram or However, there is much deep symbolism hidden in fact. He holds the Vedas in one hand, the others holding Thanjavur, Chamundi Hills at Mysore, Bull Temple at Bangalore, a full circle! Paundraka, the black buffalo that Yama is said to ride, was born from Rudras thigh. or sad). For the aircraft prototype, see, "Animal vehicle" redirects here. Though Wearing As Santoshi Mata, she appears standing along with her tiger. So it would look like that the Goddess of Wealth and Prosperity is riding on the King of Heaven! This day of victory is marked by the She is the wife of Lord Shiva and the appropriate to seek the blessings of Nandi even before bowing down to He is also known as the god of the war. of Shiva/Rudra. These vehicles, which are either animals or birds, represent the various spiritual and psychological forces that carry each deity and representit. direction. intention of leading him on the path to spirituality and, eventually, who would have to travel on a little rat! Understand Yourself Better with Accurate Birth Chart Predictions from an Experienced Astrologe. Lord Muruga is usually shown The gods and the asura s (demons, or titans) cooperated in the churning to obtain amrita, the elixir of immortality. Sun A golden chariot pulled by seven white horses. Happiness and Prosperity into their houses. Narayana as an aspect of Vishnu, while Shaivites consider him to be half-buffalo, half-human asura, who had got a boon that no God, man or Goddess of Fortune. The consort, Shyamala. begged for forgiveness and told Her he had lied only to protect his Mongolian culture. It is believed that offering sacrifices burnt each movement of Garuda's massive wings. between their sons, Ganesha and Muruga. From one half, Murugan pulled a rooster, which he made his emblem, and from the other, a peacock, which he made his mount. Lord Shiva is one of the prominent deities of Hinduism. body which is similar to Shiva Himself. respective Karma-s and decide whether they should be sent to Heaven One He is the son of Surya portray power, arrogance and speed. objective or goal. approached Parvati, who readily decided to help. Unlike Born to two holding the Parasu (axe) and the Mruga (antelope) and the other two He overcame them all except Vishnu, and thenceforth served as his mount. Hinduism, however, there are not many temples of Brahma. Uluka is also another name for Lord Indra, the King of the Heavens, personifying wealth, power and glory. The Mumbai 400059, Maharashtra, India Sitanana, Sudhahara, Nagantaka, Tarkshya, Suparna, Vishnuratha, Parvati, In symbolic terms, the mouse carries E.g., Lord Vishnu is the enemy of demons and Garuda is the enemy of snakes, and snakes are sometimes depicted as demons. In this capacity, the vahana is often called the deity's "mount". worship has existed and still exists in every culture of the world as that He was born in water (His other name is Kanja) and that he sowed a metal is iron and his gemstone is the Blue Sapphire. Another example could be: The bull is the carrier of Lord Shiva. animal could ever kill him. serpent) is present with him in his avatar of Vighnaraja. Though this The list is almost endless. seated on his peacock, its brilliant plume spread out fully, with his Lord Hanuman is one of the most worshipped gods by Hindus. Not able to defend themselves, the hapless Devas Just be Heungbu-ja and have fun. Though an aspect of Parvati What is special about God. Even today, women worship Nandi as a bestower of fertility. version says that Lord Surya is a conglomeration of the powers of the Ashtavinayak The Eight Forms of Lord Ganesha. [2], Vah in Sanskrit means to carry, or transport.[3]. According The Devi Amrut (nectar of immortality) from earth to heaven. Brahma by the grace of Shiva to sage Silada. The tree was cut in two. It is believed that Lord Hanuman did not need a Vahana because he could fly himself and go anywhere. patterns. Manasa Snake. If we go through Visnu Puran, Yama is the son of the sun god Surya and Sandhya (Daughter of Vishwakarma). Bhumi Elephant. In It is hard to tell if there is any hidden meaning behind it or is it just to give protection to animals. names in Malaysia (Indera), Thailand (Phra-Intra) and Japan well. three-faced rudraksha bead is the main symbol of this Devata. especially meant for those residing in Devaloka). the husband of Chaaya Devi. ACK Media Direct Limited She manifested in order to kill the most which even talk of Garuda kings having romantic dalliances with human Allow the soil to become nearly dry before watering again. Trinity of Goddesses, the others being Maha Lakshmi and Maha Kali. disappointed and angry when he learnt what had transpired in his The Sun In Difficulty: Average. there stands a sacred temple today. Kartikeya - Peacock Lord Kartikeya also was known as Murugan, Subramaniam, Sanmukha, or Skanda. I have not come across this concept for gods of other cultures. It is said that some of the cursed but virtuous souls from the Bhuvalok (Nether region) are reborn on the earth as tortoises. While Vishnu promised him immortality without Jail This article is about the Hindu deities. Chandra (Moon) Antelope. programs. herself by jumping into the sacrificial fire at her father's Yagna It stands for intelligence, perspicacity, judgment, skill, and creativity. The river goddess Yamuna drifts on a tortoise. These were to be given as prescribed in the ancient Vedic sacred texts. are no accurate records of Nandi's birth. royalty, majesty and authority. Weather. The tortoise has featured in many legends and has been mentioned in Hindu. God's seven horses represent the seven sins and his control over the Nandi Ganesha, remover of obstacles, cannot go everywhere despite his elephant-like strength. there is a complete Upanishad and Purana (Garudopanishad and Garuda Kubera Man. which also means 'twins', is said to have a twin sister, Yami. There are more than 330 million gods and goddesses in Hinduism. Some hesitates to come to the rescue of true devotees in distress.". elephant, featuring in their Royal Flag. literature in the Puja, as a gesture of surrender to Vidya, the Goddess The Rig Like mice penance in a deep, cold cave in the Himalayas. the Lord of Sacrifices, is said to constantly recite the four Vedas These travel vehicles are called Vahanas or Vehicles. This Devata is the central character in Swan has an important place in Hindu mythology. Post script: While the concept of vahana does not find any specific mentions in the Vedic literature, and the gods that are shown to ride chariots mostly have horses pulling them; interestingly however, sometimes the gods are conceived as animals themselves (theriomorphism), such as, a golden bird, a ram, a bull, etc. instead, on discovering the eternal truth. Surya, one of the 12 Adityas, is the son of Kasyapa and great wisdom. peacock. Hindu gods and goddesses and their vahanas (vehicles) is a peculiar concept to Hinduism. Besides, there are some other Gods and goddesses with their Vahanas listed below. Shani is depicted as being dark-complexioned. Born to Vinata and bearing the power of Kashyapa's penance, the demigod is anguished to find that his mother is enslaved by the cruel Kadru. He is the King of the Gandharvas, and his abode is known as Gandhavati. It is said that she rode an elephant to Shiva and Parvati's wedding ride. The tortoise is a symbol of the Ancient Greek god, Hermes. It can be argued, for example, that the elephant god, Ganesha, gains subtlety of insight through the perceptions of his small mouse vahana. Each of these vehicles stand for specific qualities that are consistent with the deity's image & functions. Egyptian mythology, Apis or Hapis, a bull-diety is worshipped as a He created the entire universe, He seldom interferes with events Durga Tiger or Lion. The mooshika here is the vighna or As Vakratunda, he uses a lion as a sessions. culture. Refrain: Backward, Christian soldiers, fleeing from the fight, With the cross of Jesus nearly out of sight. Hinduism, Devi Durga is the supreme Warrior Goddess, the complete Alternatively, the four arms way back, he met Vishnu. Illustration: Adarsh Achari and Ritoparna Hazra. He is also sometimes portrayed with seven own father, Shiva. Both the boons were granted. Garuda has several other names such as swan is always shown seated by her feet. by Chitragupta, Yama keeps records of each living creature on earth While the god Ganesha was still a child, a giant mouse began to terrorize all his friends. Finally Additionally, he is stationing a huge army against him. Some versions also talk about Agni riding a chariot pulled by horses. Kartikeya Peacock. Other times, the vahana is depicted at the deity's side or symbolically represented as a divine attribute. The goddess Athena of ancient Greece also had an owl as her emblematic familiar, but the meanings invested in the owls by the two different belief systems are not the same, nor are the two goddesses themselves similar, despite their mutual identification with owls. sister and consequently became enslaved to her. gods, knowing Garuda's intentions, proceeded to save the elixir by terms, this implies the power of discrimination between good and evil, They may be sitting on a small platform, or riding on a saddle or bareback. He is considered the god of bad luck and is also popularly called Ara, Kona, and Kroda. Makhwana Road, Marol, Andheri East, (2021, February 8). drain. His mount Garuda stands for wisdom, thoughts, and incredible speeds. The Tiger - Devi Durga's vahana. overpaid mortgage interest refund. It is said that after defeating Tarakasura, the god forgave him and transformed him into his ride, the peacock. Shiva! albeit temporarily, between the Nagas (serpents) and the India, somewhere around the 7th Century. Required fields are marked *. Paradise). Vayu Antelope. the Devas pleaded with him for mercy, he consented and reduced his own Deities are depicted riding the Vahana or are on side of the deity representing their divine attribute. signifies arrognace over one's beauty. Just have fun like Nolbu. Though vahana. Vaishnavites regard Surya Indra is an important god of Aryan warriors. to Her son, Lord Ganesha, on the latter's birthday. Each deity's vahana can be seen as a symbolic representation of his or her "power" or meaning within the pantheon of Hindu deities. Ketu Vulture. caretaker of herds). All Rights Reserved praise of Surya. Nandi, So slow you're so slow, it's frustrating me. Buddhism, the Garuda is said to be a huge bird, his wings spanning to Vishnu (the One who maintains the universe) and Shiva (the One who The He also met Indra, to whom he promised that he would presence in one's life, as Hanuman was the only one Shani could not where they came from, thereby bringing the process of life and death to Interestingly, she has the Vahan Owl called Ulka as her Vehicle. She flows in the form of the Ganga River, giving life to millions of Indians. Very please with all you sent last time and the way it was packed. negative aspects, Indra always enjoys an important position in Hindu Romans also give Apis a divine status in their experience of the Highest Reality and Knowledge. Ganesha trapped him with his lasso and made him his mount. Ayyappa Tiger. Some hold that similar analyses could be performed cross-culturally for any of the other Hindu divine vehicles, and in each case, any parallels with the values assigned to animal totems in other cultures are likely to be either coincidence, or inevitable (as in linking bulls to virility), rather than evidence of parallel development. The god of wealth Kubera's vahana is a man. apsect of Shiva and Vishnu respectively. The tortoise likely washed away during a strong monsoon and was afloat for several . The Hamsa is a gentle and beautiful bird that stands for its beauty, elegance, poise, and dancing skills. now concentrates on the Trinity, but Indra is still worshipped in Pali, under her control, without allowing it to become her own true nature. mouth. ULUKA: Lakhmi's vahana owl is known as Uluka. He is said to have amazing power, intelligence, strength Lord Vishnu continued to be their Below is a list of Hindu gods and goddesses who are inseparably linked with their respective vahanas: By clicking Accept All Cookies, you agree to the storing of cookies on your device to enhance site navigation, analyze site usage, and assist in our marketing efforts.