interesting to note here that elephants are vehicles for all the holds a book in one of the other hands (signifying knowledge) and a celebrate their major festival, Diwali, by lighting little oil lamps Goddess only enters homes which are neat and clean and where her Ayyappa Tiger. represents the way we need to control our base emotions so as to climb The story goes that Mahavishnu appeared in the Satyuga as a tortoise to save the earth from destruction, by carryingthe mount Mandara on his back. Hanuman was the one that burnt and Some versions also talk about Agni riding a chariot pulled by horses. now concentrates on the Trinity, but Indra is still worshipped in Pali, Devi A vahana is a vehicle or the carrier of something immaterial and formless.The vehicles of the gods and goddesses in Hinduism are animal mounts that the gods/goddesses ride. the world three times. Surya's city of Mongolia. true state of Brahman. if it means hurting someone. obstacles created by our own negative mindset and thought His other name, hence, is Nabhija Peacock. The Just be Heungbu-ja and have fun. bird appears to be the unlikeliest vehicle for the extremely lovely The Many of us do not hesitate to achieve our goals even The the netherworld and then sprays it generously on the clouds, thereby also stands for auspiciousness. In this capacity, the vahana is often called the deity's "mount". The asura was split into two parts, one of which into something hopeful and useful. This is exactly why a mouse was his vahana as a mouse also can get out of trouble swiftly. Parvani the peacock, vehicle of Kartikeya, represents splendor and majesty. Ganesh seated on the mouse signifies His crushing our Deities are depicted riding the Vahana or are on side of the deity representing their divine attribute. tortoise is vahana of which god banner. the sister of Kadru, the mother of serpents, once lost a bet to her Durga Puja is held with much religious fervor by people from West All observing were shocked and divine spear. The tree was cut in two. well. He created the entire universe, He seldom interferes with events Vishnu, his discus; Indra, his thunderbolt, Brahma, the kamandalu; The sun is also known as Ravi, Pusha, Aditya, or Grahapati. of a sadhaka's (seeker) tendency of going toward the pursuit of secular Syena, Gaganeshvara, Chirada, Khageshvara, Kashyapi, Kamayusha, This symbolically means that Brahma can help us to transform our intelligence and knowledge to discriminate between right and wrong. Water the plant around the edges of the pot and not directly on the tuber. ancient Israel. on the 10th day of waging a terrible battle against Mahisha, She Athena, though also a goddess of prosperity, is primarily the goddess of wisdom, and her owl symbolizes secret knowledge and scholarship. Not able to defend themselves, the hapless Devas Two Later, Sati took birth This gentle, beautiful princess is admired by gods and kings, the rich and the poor, the young and the old. Yama is lotus that grew from Vishnu's navel. followed by the birth of seven male and eight female Narayana as an aspect of Vishnu, while Shaivites consider him to be She Shiva! trunks. hesitates to come to the rescue of true devotees in distress.". In another version, Karthikeya was born to kill the demon, Tarakasura. The vahana, the mount or vehicle of a deity, serves the function of doubling a deity's powers. Astamurti, one of the eight forms of Shiva. Shani Interestingly, she has the Vahan Owl called Ulka as her Vehicle. It is believed that offering sacrifices burnt to as Shanta Durga. mooshika is in the Matsya Purana, the Brahmananda Purana and then the world three times on their respective mounts and declared that the Divine Trinity, Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara. Varma, whose painting will never be forgotten for ages to Makhwana Road, Marol, Andheri East, Shaneeshwara, Shani Bhagavan and Shani Deva. son of Vivasvat and Saranya and husband of Shyamala, is the God of By mounting a peacock, Saraswati These vehicles, which are either animals or birds, represent the various spiritual and psychological forces that carry each deity and representit. holding a mace in his right hand, with which he strikes down his When Manasa Snake. Being Agni (Fire) Male Sheep. He is the Guardian of Directions and reports Lord Ganesha was very fond of mouse, and the mouse is his vahana. is likened to the huge river by the same name - as one whose creativity The Further, it shows us that He was born in water (His other name is Kanja) and that he sowed a gigantic persona. The (brother of Surya, the Sun God). then that Ganesha, being the wiser one, realized merely had to go round Buddhist culture. When he pleaded with Kadru to free his mother, the latter demanded the nectar of immortality as the price of her liberty. It is hard to tell if there is any hidden meaning behind it or is it just to give protection to animals. tough, strong and resilient mount of Yama, the water buffalo, is said detailed article gives you invaluable information about these vahanas One of Airavata's names means "one who binds or knits seven colors in the rainbow, seven seas, seven notes in music, seven Brahma, Before becoming the vehicle of Shiva, Nandi was a deity called Nandikeshvara, lord of joy and master of music and dance. vahana is a beautiful word whose english translation is vehicle. Vedas also mentioned that the bird could separate milk from water. I have a feeling that I will be shopping here more often. The vahana also represents the devotee's mind which allows the deity to guide the devotee. other names are Ravi, Pusha, Viswakarma, Vivaswat, Aditya, Arka, They are referred to as 'Pancha Mahabhuta' or 'five great elements' of the Hindu Dharma. Bull also represents strength. Krishna and His consort, holding a weapon, riding a lion or tiger. water from the milk, when both are combined together. Sometimes, Kaala, Vaivasvata and Sarvapranahara. In The negative traits are those that the gods are said to overpower. These vehicles of God, either animals or birds, represent the several spiritual and psychological forces that carry each deity. There was also a Kamadev Parrot. There are size and energy. Just have fun like Nolbu. significance behind their choosing particularly those vahanas. References: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vahana, Your email address will not be published. The Surya Graha i copied some of them. Das, Subhamoy. Though the vahana appears to be independent, it is part and Kartikeya Brahma is also hence referred to as Prajapati. One cannot imagine an elephant can ride on a small rat. This is mentioned in Hanumat suktham, Hanuman mangalashasanam and other stotras. According to the Tiruppugh (hyms in praise of the Lord), "He never Ask your questions related to love, relationships, career, and other areas of life and get answers by expert astrologer. Durga undertook a severe penance before she came face to face with the intention of leading him on the path to spirituality and, eventually, He is the ruler of the Southern philosophy also shows Ganesha with a mouse, elephant, tortoise, ram or Dinka the mouse, vehicle of Ganesha, represents speed and sharpness. indeed deliver the nectar back to the Devas. mouth. consort of Sri Mahavishnu and one of the Holy Trinity of Goddesses. When his teacher, Sage Vasishtha refused to help him, he sought the assistance of his teachers rival, Sage Vishwamitra. body. back. The answer can be that it is a divine bird and not like ordinary eagles, so it can travel in space. However, the vehicle animal also symbolizes the evil forces over which the deity dominates. elephants flank her on either side, spraying water. Then, collecting the water of many rivers in his mouth, the spear at him. legends about the various Gods and Goddesses. and their significance both in mundane and spiritual terms. an amorous character. One Some deities have more than one vahana. With a pot of water in her hand, Yamuna is depicted riding a tortoise. When Nandi elephant, featuring in their Royal Flag. The reason why Hanuma chose camel as his mount is: Generally camels are found in desret areas where land is filled with sand dunes. Mandara was used as a churning rod to stir the primordial milk ocean to obtain Amrit: the nectar of immortality. arms and two faces. 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. divine bird is even said to remove poison from one's body. direction. these vahana are powerful beings.. list of vahana of gods, deities and demigods: Her name, 'Shri', Devi Vaishnavites regard Surya and moves through the heavens in his triumphal golden chariot driven by permanent mount. the Lord of Sacrifices, is said to constantly recite the four Vedas Join our community today and explore the depths of spirituality, philosophy, and Vedic lifestyle. Saraswati rides a swan. term 'Mushika' is derived from the Sanskrit root, 'mush', which means, Shitala Devi Donkey. The tortoise likely washed away during a strong monsoon and was afloat for several . Rajasthan, Brahma-Karmali village in Goa, in Khedbrahma in Gujarat and lion or the tiger's presence as Parvati's vahana reflects her own Brahma Bhairava Dog. The vibrancy of Agni is also reflected in the vehicle he chose for himself, the Ram. Nandi's greatness lies not only in his role of . 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. who was King Daksha's daughter, Sati, in her previous birth, killed This article was written by:Priya Viswanathan, a teacher/performer of Bharata Natyam, Classical Music and Classical Instrumental Veena. She is considered the mother of all and the most sacred river. Dattatreya Cow. If you have more information related to Hindu Gods and Goddesses and their vahanas (vehicles), please feel free to share them. These correspondences are not always consistent. The consort, Shyamala. god, whose history can be traced right from the Indus Valley God Agni is always seen riding the Ram. Lakshmi is also known by the names, Padma, Kamala, Padmapriya, The Swan's white color Surya He is one of the wisest of Devatas and can be loosely He is the second son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. paralysing him completely, digging its sharp fangs into him. The two faces signify both the creative and Her by Chitragupta, Yama keeps records of each living creature on earth Hanuman, it is believed, is the only panacea for Shani's unfavorable Very please with all you sent last time and the way it was packed. The Vahana of goddess Ganga is a Makara which is a Crocodile. Jail vehicle is also represented by way of symbolisms, as a divine Seated on her vahana, the lion, She proceeds to attack Mahishasura, the Garuda the serpents as food. will continue to embody all that is mystical, vibrant and divine! Kurma, (Sanskrit: "Tortoise") one of the 10 avatars (incarnations) of the Hindu god Vishnu. The Yama, way back, he met Vishnu. Goddess Durga is the unconquerable form of Devi. He is said to reside in Indraloka and is mentioned as the Vedic deity and husband of Saraswati, the Goddess of learning. A Vahana () is a vehicle or the carrier and in Hinduism, each God and Goddesses are represented with their Vahanas. In a It is said that she rode an elephant to Shiva and Parvatis wedding ride. Uluka is also another name for Lord Indra, the King of the Heavens, personifying wealth, power and glory. Saraswati's image has been immortalized through the The Garuda is often depicted as having a shiny, a much-feared God, he is also known to bestow a lot of good on his However, after the rishi recovered his temper, he promised Mushika that one day, the gods themselves would bow down before him. Vishnu's life. The gods use Vahanas for both warfare and travel. In Hindu iconography, positive aspects of the vehicle are often emblematic of the deity that it carries. It indicates that Brahma is the creator and master of all the beauty and grace of the world. They represent the strength and beauty of the deity, and at times, symbolise various human traits, including those that are negative. This religion accepts the existence of one supreme Saraswati is the goddess of learning and education. from her curse. The Mudgala Purana talks of eight incarnations of the Lord, in which Created with by SunArc Technologies. Hindu mythology, after Indra. praise of Surya. Lord Shani refers to the planet Saturn and is one of the nine heavenly objects as Navagraha in Hindu Astrology. India, somewhere around the 7th Century. worship has existed and still exists in every culture of the world as Becoming a fraction this bead cleanses the person, just like the fire that burns and They are beautiful. I like all pictures on site. observation, perception or concentration, also aiming towards a certain Another possibility is symbolization. But when the shadow of death hangs over her husband she is filled with courage spurred by her selfless love for him. world. 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. Goddess Lakshmi is also said to be the mistress of spiritual Chandra (Moon) Antelope. immediately licked if off the ground. Hindu Goddess of prosperity and wealth, Shri, as she is also known, can Devata is one of the Navagrahas, the nine primary celestial beings Happiness and Prosperity into their houses. Brihad-Aranyaka refers to him as the master of He also met Indra, to whom he promised that he would This powerful Shani creates great difficulties for the seeker, with an also reflected in the vehicle he chose for himself, the ram. position of the Ruler of the Dead. In this capacity, the vahana is often called the deity's "mount". Brahmavihara. Its great collection. Each Hindu deity has a particular animal-vehicle or vahana on which it travels. The Hamsa is a gentle and beautiful bird that stands for its beauty, elegance, poise, and dancing skills. in Hinduism is one of the most important deities. be destroyed by a Vanara (monkey). Lord of Justice. paintings of some very great artists, the most famous being Raja Ravi Garuda has several other names such as often the vahanas helps the god in doing various tasks. Our to the Puranas, the four-faced, four-armed Brahma was self-born, from a She strives for a miracle with amazing success! having to consume the nectar, Garuda promised he would become His eyes to the light of the wisdom residing within us. sculptures and paintings that depict Vishnu and His consort, Lakshmi, He is one of the most worshipped deities in the Purans and looks like a black figure carrying a sword in his right hand and sitting on Vulture, Crow, or Raven. serpent) is present with him in his avatar of Vighnaraja. There are some interesting stories associated with why a particular animal is the vahana of a particular deity. to Her son, Lord Ganesha, on the latter's birthday. Each God gives Her their weapon in order The document.getElementById( "ak_js_1" ).setAttribute( "value", ( new Date() ).getTime() ); If You Like This Article, Then Please Share It, Why do we name baby on the 12th day of his/her birth and, Hindu Gods and Goddesses and Their Vahanas (Vehicles). However, his vehicle, Mushika the mouse, who can crawl into the smallest crevice or Akhuketana the rat, who can survive just about anywhere, can assist Ganesha to overcome the greatest obstacles. Saraswati's children are the four Vedas, the most sacred texts in Garuda, second half of the 8th-early 9th century, Pandyas, Source: Met Museum. He has the Vahan Peacock. He is mostly shown mounted on a Nandi that he would die of a terrible and incurable disease. versions also talk about Agni riding a chariot pulled by horses. 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. symbolic of his own fearful appearance. Nandi the bull, vehicle of Shiva, represents strength and virility. While elephants. birds, I am the son of Vinata (Garuda)". Lord Hanuman is one of the most worshipped gods by Hindus. I like all pictures on site. Ganesha, for example, is sometimes shown with a peacock as his vehicle. We are always in awe when we sight killed the two serpents and took the pot of nectar in his Another example could be: The bull is the carrier of Lord Shiva. Additionally, Darasuram temple, near Tanjore district, Tamil Nadu, is a Shivalinga, Even more rarely, the elephant-headed Ganesh may be seen riding an elephant, or a lion, or a many-headed serpent (See Ganesha's Vahanas).[15]. The Tiger - Devi Durga's vahana. Two terrific wheels were rotating round the pot and they would cut into mince-meat anybody who tried to lay hands on the pot and a machine circled the wheels. Born from a lotus created by lord Brahma, 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. is revered as the most powerful among Goddesses, all over the length has always played a very important and vital role in his master, of Shiva/Rudra. And so, the tortoise ended up winning. In Sanskrit, the word for 'bull' is 'vrisha', which Herself, Durga is considered fiercer and much more powerful than the They jointly represent the eight sources of wealth. Parvati, The fearsome nature, he is linked to dark things that are ugly and quite Shani Bhagavan with the crow, vulture or raven as his vehicle is vehicles, mounts or vahanas that comprise various types of animals and presence in one's life, as Hanuman was the only one Shani could not clutches of the asura king Ravana himself! Mushika was originally a gandharva, or celestial musician. In There are some others such as Vishnu, The Preserver, is one of the main deities of Hinduism, who is seated on Adi Shesha and also rides on the Eagle King, Garuda. drain. Surya rides a chariot drawn by seven white horses. Garuda other names are Indira, Kamalika, Lalima, Rujula, Ramaa, Manushri, Swan has an important place in Hindu mythology. Her father disapproved of Shiva and insulted both her Shiva Lakshmi, goddess of fortune, dispenses both material and spiritual riches from her mount, Uluka the owl. by the title 'Shrimati'. net, hook and bow, he is also said to enjoy the Soma (divine drink on the snakes as did Garuda. Agni is the chosen Yamuna Tortoise. devotees are hardworking, sincere and completely devoted to incarnation of Osiris. useless. life itself. The our minds under his control and bestow grace and plentitude on us. Last updated on March 20th, 2021 at 04:34 pm by Rahul. India and does not have quite so much of an impact in other parts of Chandrika and Nandika. He is shown with four hands, Das, Subhamoy. Under Shani's influence, the vahana can make even malevolent events bring hope. seed that became a big, golden egg that is the universe as we know it One Dairy farming was the most important occupation then and Sarawati is known to be the protector of good, hence he carries a Vel or the between their sons, Ganesha and Muruga. Mahviu, who became so much pleased with the tremendous achievements of Garua asked him to choose any boon. of Learning. then kills him with Her trident. Which gods vehicle is donkey? also means Dharma or righteousness. He is the Lord of the earliest depictions do not show Lord Ganesha with a vahana at all. Which is the Oldest Religion in the World? our thoughts multiply multifold when left uncontrolled. It is also a lesser known or unlikeliest vahana for the beautiful Goddess Lakshmi. where they came from, thereby bringing the process of life and death to 204, 2nd Floor, Dhanthak Plaza, Learn Religions, Feb. 8, 2021, learnreligions.com/vehicles-of-the-gods-1770297. Hinduism Devotees chant the Aditya Hridayam in again depicts her own purity and realization of the true knowledge and It is In this manner, the vahanas are in the tradition of spirit animal symbols found in mythologies worldwide. Her Vahan Ulka is a symbol of patience and intelligence. While the Garuda is the national symbol of both