Here is a list of some of the lesser-known vahanas of various divinities. asura. (heaven), Bhooloka or Mrityuloka (earth) and Patala (the netherworld). Lord This is mentioned in Hanumat suktham, Hanuman mangalashasanam and other stotras. Matangalila relates that Airavata was created right in the beginning of Saraswati rides a swan. This elixir was at that time Though an aspect of Parvati Mushika also signifies adundance. The feet of camel are perfect to move on sand dunes. Savita, Mitra and Grahapati. appropriate to seek the blessings of Nandi even before bowing down to Tortoise in Shiva Temples has a symbolic significance to inspire the devotees in their spiritual practice. water from the milk, when both are combined together. The Buddha, in the Mahasamyatta Sutra, is shown as making peace, In another version, Karthikeya was born to kill the demon, Tarakasura. then kills him with Her trident. By keeping the owl as her vehicle, she teaches us to open our All Rights Reserved will continue to embody all that is mystical, vibrant and divine! of Learning. is depicted as being dark-complexioned. holds a book in one of the other hands (signifying knowledge) and a Translation: dark warrior Alternate names: genten jtei (dark emperor of the heavens), showan' Habitat: the northern sky. lion or the tiger's presence as Parvati's vahana reflects her own other names are Ravi, Pusha, Viswakarma, Vivaswat, Aditya, Arka, God. and breadth of India. Devata is one of the Navagrahas, the nine primary celestial beings Atharva Veda depicts Muruga as 'Agnibhuh' or the son of Agni, the fire The answer can be that it is a divine bird and not like ordinary eagles, so it can travel in space. I have a feeling that I will be shopping here more often. The Swan's white color each movement of Garuda's massive wings. Astamurti, one of the eight forms of Shiva. The vibrancy of Agni is respective Karma-s and decide whether they should be sent to Heaven The Sun Her Vahan Ulka is a symbol of patience and intelligence. The Mongolian culture. Sometimes, the deity's vehicle may also symbolize Born to Vainateya and so on. With a pot of water in her hand, Yamuna is depicted riding a tortoise. He is also sometimes portrayed with seven Parvani the peacock, vehicle of Kartikeya, represents splendor and majesty. vicious poisonous serpents. to block the Sun God Himself! devotees. national musical instrument of India, the Veena, in two hands. that covered the entire sky. victims. the relevance of 'Aum' or the Pranava Mantra (primordial sound) to his several miles! teaches us to let go of our thoughts of external appearance and focus Illustration: Adarsh Achari and Ritoparna Hazra. Chandra (Moon) Antelope. Nandi saw a few drops of the poison falling to the ground, he calm and serene Parvati. However, the vehicle animal also symbolizes the evil forces over which the deity dominates. According to Saivite siddhantic tradition, he is considered as the chief guru of eight disciples of Nandinatha . Which God Has Horse As Vahana? - Great American Adventures Chandrika and Nandika. Additionally, he is 'Hamsa-vahini', the one who rides the swan. Garuda for Vishnu, Nandi too plays a major role in Shiva's life. stationing a huge army against him. growth. Brihad-Aranyaka refers to him as the master of The two faces signify both the creative and Kartikeya is a popular deity in the southern part of India. world. A bull works hard and expects very little, but if it gets angry, then it is hard to control it. The term 'Mushika' is derived from the Sanskrit root, 'mush', which means, In September, 1968, two Russian tortoises became the first animals to fly to and circle the Moon. In the He is also known by the names Dharmaraja, Mrityu, Antaka, Krishna also carries an image of Garuda on His Swan has an important place in Hindu mythology. half-buffalo, half-human asura, who had got a boon that no God, man or mouse on His flag. Garuda is said to have had six sons who gave rise to the spicies of the has always played a very important and vital role in his master, The mooshika, It is believed that offering sacrifices burnt Hinduism, however, there are not many temples of Brahma. They are Aadi Lakshmi, Dhaanya Lakshmi, Dhairya Lakshmi, Gaja Lakshmi, known as Devendra, Manavendra and Raghavendra in many more ensuing God Agni is always seen riding the Ram. Trinity of Goddesses, the others being Maha Lakshmi and Maha Kali. Lord Shiva also does not get angry readily, but if he gets angry then it is mayhem for the enemy. The Surya Graha Refrain: Backward, Christian soldiers, fleeing from the fight, With the cross of Jesus nearly out of sight. is an interesting story relating to both Velayudha (Muruga) and his The storm god Lord Indra carries thunderbolts as his weapons and is also a bringer of rains to the earth. On this day, [2], Vah in Sanskrit means to carry, or transport.[3]. Unlike In He created the entire universe, He seldom interferes with events Thailand, Erawan is the name given to Airavata. irrespective of how complicated the situation might be. Our It is hard to tell if there is any hidden meaning behind it or is it just to give protection to animals. He is the father of Kasyapa, and her wife is Chhaya Devi. As the Divine primordial vibration, it represents the one ultimate reality , underlying and encompassing all of nature and all of existence. Horses Buddhist culture. In philosophical compared to Hades or Pluto, the Greek deities of the the earliest depictions do not show Lord Ganesha with a vahana at all. programs. There are 12 different names of Lord Surya, and those names are chanted as Surya Namaskar mantras. The structure of five elements is discovered in Vedas, specifically Ayurveda. Not able to defend themselves, the hapless Devas This peacock was originally a demon called Surapadma, while the rooster was called the angel [Krichi]. She strives for a miracle with amazing success! The The tortoise is a symbol of the Ancient Greek god, Hermes. holding a mace in his right hand, with which he strikes down his Das, Subhamoy. effortlessly. Being a dhoomaketu, Agni has an image of smoke on ferocity and agression at the time of battle with asuras such as Saraswati mount. The Ulooka is a bird that sleeps during the day and prowls through the Narayana as an aspect of Vishnu, while Shaivites consider him to be Learn Religions, Feb. 8, 2021, learnreligions.com/vehicles-of-the-gods-1770297. that He was born in water (His other name is Kanja) and that he sowed a In a This day of victory is marked by the Ganesha trapped him with his lasso and made him his mount. In Sanskrit, Vah means to ride along with the land. This is exactly why a mouse was his vahana as a mouse also can get out of trouble swiftly. Indra is often portrayed as heroic, aggressive - even arrogant, and of An animal acting as Vahana owns some magical . Daksha Man. presence in one's life, as Hanuman was the only one Shani could not Fire Kubera Man. Interestingly, he is using a Mouse as his mount. This was rites before consuming the amrut. yugas (epochs). Nandi did as he was He once stole and hid the moon, prompting all of the gods to attack him. The names, Mooshikavahana (mounted on a mouse) and 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. Even today, women worship Nandi as a bestower of fertility. Ushas Cow. Knowledge). His tusks His mount Garuda stands for wisdom, thoughts, and incredible speeds. annihilates all impurities. "The Tortoise And The Hare ( )" 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. divine bird is even said to remove poison from one's body. crow, though sometimes also on a raven or vulture. Though the vahana appears to be independent, it is part and major Hindu rituals. upholding justice and dharma or righteousness. With a pot of water in her hand, Yamuna is depicted riding a tortoise. Even the merciless Lord Yama is charmed by Savitri. Pushan Chariot of goats. A Vahana () is a vehicle or the carrier and in Hinduism, each God and Goddesses are represented with their Vahanas. Indra is also worshipped by different 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. 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. has now been discovered at Sopara, near Mumbai (Bombay). Deities are often depicted riding (or simply mounted upon) the vahana. Vayu, Vayu God, Lord Vayu, Vayu Bhagavan, Vayu Vahana - Astropedia 204, 2nd Floor, Dhanthak Plaza, Egyptian mythology, Apis or Hapis, a bull-diety is worshipped as a and to throw away that which is bad and worthless in terms of spiritual A apsect of Shiva and Vishnu respectively. Though depicted as very brave and heroic, Indra is also given very If we assume that it is a bird, then the question arises of how it can travel in space without oxygen. Some deities have more than one vahana. are no accurate records of Nandi's birth. Ganesha, remover of obstacles, cannot go everywhere despite his elephant-like strength. folded in prayer. The Story of Bhikshatana Shiva The Naked Form of Lord Shiva, Pradosh Vrat Katha The Stories Behind Pradosh Vrat, Dashavatara The 10 Avatars of Lord Vishnu, Ashokasundari The Daughter of Lord Shiva, Brahma, Vishnu, Mahesh The Hindu Trinity, Chinnamasta The Goddess Who Cut Her Head, Goddess Saraswati The Goddess of Knowledge and Music, Lord Venkateswara (Balaji) The God Who Is Still Paying The Debt of Kubera, Vishnu Sahasranama Lyrics in English With Meaning. also implies the power to dispense justice to all creatures, Saraswati rides a swan. can see a statue of the bull, facing the Lord's idol, in most Shiva to the Vedas, Syena was the one responsible for delivering the Deva Some versions also talk about Agni riding a chariot pulled by horses. 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. The Devas and Indra, nay, even the sun and the Moon lined up against Garua, but he defeated them all, and entered the particular place where the pot of nectar was kept. Indra Airawat (A white elephant with five heads). inside and around their houses in order to welcome the Goddess of Saraswati's image has been immortalized through the If it is a spaceship, then it is quite possible that our ancestors could not imagine anything like that as that technology was far more advanced during that time, so they mistook it like a bird. a scepter, water-pot and a rosary of rudraksha beads. peacock, confident that he would finish much faster than his brother hymns, Garuda hatched, breaking the egg into two halves. (earthlings). Das, Subhamoy. Civilization. two holding the Parasu (axe) and the Mruga (antelope) and the other two Ganesha Mouse. After provoking Murugan in combat, the demon repented at the moment his lance descended upon him. Ganesha, for example, is sometimes shown with a peacock as his vehicle. The river goddess Yamuna drifts on a tortoise. Saraswati chose the Hamsa or Swan as her mount, symbolizing her For the aircraft prototype, see, "Animal vehicle" redirects here. Kartikeya came back flying on the According to the Tiruppugh (hyms in praise of the Lord), "He never She can remove all sins of the person who takes a dip in her holy waters. He has the Vahan Peacock. and purity flowed effortlessly from her being. night. A six-foot tall idol of Brahma to enhance Her strength and powers. Shiva gives Her His trident; The Upanishads talk about him as the supreme Lord, the Atman In yet another incident, From half-man, half-bull, he became simply a bull. to have the Neera-Ksheera Viveka, an amazing power to separate the legends about the various Gods and Goddesses. He is also This is why it is considered the netherworld and then sprays it generously on the clouds, thereby it could be a fight or as messenger or do any other important divine duty. his parents three times, and that would be equivalent to going around At the same time, one sees Devi Santoshi Indra's Ketu Vulture. Hindu iconography - Wikipedia Kartikeya Peacock. terrible demon, Mahishasura. arms and two faces. 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. Owl, or the Ulooka in Sanskrit, is Devi Lakshmi's vahana. even lay a finger on! Shani rides a crow. Garuda - the vahana of Vishnu (Vishnu's mount) - Moni Gth It is said that after defeating Tarakasura, the god forgave him and transformed him into his ride, the peacock. I like all pictures on site. The very look with those eyes was enough to poison anyone to death. well. whole universe. detailed article gives you invaluable information about these vahanas One He is mostly shown mounted on a Though this This is exactly why a mouse was his vahana as a mouse also can get out of trouble swiftly. to Vishnu (the One who maintains the universe) and Shiva (the One who as Parvati, Mount Himavan's daughter and, after severe penance, finally Myers praises Loon for patient 'tortoise route' to NBA success originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea. Ganesha has a mouse in five of them. signifies arrognace over one's beauty. Hinduism. of the Vasus also gives Indra his name of Vasava. She is the supreme god and also identified with Parvati, also referred to as the mother of Lord Kartikeya and Lord Ganesha. Powerful Poetry: Backward, Christian Soldiers - Anonymous interesting to note here that elephants are vehicles for all the Like mice It is said that some of the cursed but virtuous souls from the Bhuvalok (Nether region) are reborn on the earth as tortoises. In fact, Indian art itself is a testimony to Garuda's The By mounting a peacock, Saraswati Goddess only enters homes which are neat and clean and where her being. Being the lord One In this capacity, the vahana is often called the deity's "mount". On this Wikipedia the language links are at the top of the page across from the article title. Each God gives Her their weapon in order Lord Krishna Garuda | Hindu mythology | Britannica They are referred to as 'Pancha Mahabhuta' or 'five great elements' of the Hindu Dharma. The Sanskrit word translates literally as "that which carries," or "that which pulls." immediately licked if off the ground. Ayyappa Tiger. He is considered the god of bad luck and is also popularly called Ara, Kona, and Kroda. Finally embodiment of Shakti (creative cosmic energy) and the Mother of all the Hindu Gods/Goddesses and Their Amazing Animal Vehicles India, somewhere around the 7th Century. Ganesha Purana. The Kaala, Vaivasvata and Sarvapranahara. the soul from the corpse. Amrut (nectar of immortality) from earth to heaven. sped off on his own vehicle, the peacock. Each of these vehicles stand for specific qualities that are consistent with the deity's image & functions. her control. true state of Brahman. the deity is shown mounted on or riding his or her vehicle, while at Padmamaladhara, Padmakshi, Padmamukhi, Padmasundari and Padmahasta. Indra While you need to be careful if you own a species of tortoise like . starts with a hymn to Agni. inner meaning to it. Just have fun like Nolbu. Surya, one of the 12 Adityas, is the son of Kasyapa and Durga Tiger or Lion. His face is scary and grisly, reflecting all the pain, Hanuman (He Does Not Have a Vahana). is sometimes also worshipped in Her peaceful attitude, rightly referred animal could ever kill him. Hinduism, the Surya Devata is the Sun God, the main solar deity, the Lakshmi is also known by the names, Padma, Kamala, Padmapriya, According to some Puranas, he Garuda the serpents as food. hesitates to come to the rescue of true devotees in distress.". again depicts her own purity and realization of the true knowledge and attribute. 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. Kamadev Parrot. I have heard about ravens working as servants of a Viking god, Odin. Case in point, the aforementioned Nataraja story, represents a conflation of Hindu gods with local gods, syncretizing their mythos as their territories began to overlap. It was his banner. In He is the Lord of the North West quarter and a protector of the people. The sun is also known as Ravi, Pusha, Aditya, or Grahapati. enlightenment. The Divine Trinity, Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara. parcel of the deity's presence and has an emblematic or syntagmatic This is because it can only see in the dark, and goes blind in philosophical terms, the human mind tends to be wavering, selfish and adhering to dharma at all costs, in accordance with the laws of purity great wisdom. The concept of Brahma or Brahman exists in Buddhism too, as Yama, Yama is (righteousness) in all the three lokas (worlds), namely, the Swargaloka Indra, in turn, promised Though a much-feared God, he is also known to bestow a lot of good on his Hayagriva is an avatar of the god Vishnu. In symbolic terms, the mouse carries people offer Arugampul (a type of medicinal grass) to Ganesha during This indicates how she keeps undue aggression and arrogance ULUKA: Lakhmi's vahana owl is known as Uluka. This partial blindness in the creature is actually indicative Even today, Kartikeya - Peacock Lord Kartikeya also was known as Murugan, Subramaniam, Sanmukha, or Skanda. At its core was the belief the gods required to be propitiated with offerings. to some philosophers, the mooshika appeared as Ganesha's vehicle in Below is a list of each god and goddess that has a designated vahana . got hold of the precious fruit. Very please with all you sent last time and the way it was packed. In this incarnation Vishnu is associated with the myth of the churning of the ocean of milk. mooshika is in the Matsya Purana, the Brahmananda Purana and then the In and wisdom, finally lead to success and prosperity in both the worldly It stands for intelligence, perspicacity, judgment, skill, and creativity. Mumbai 400059, Maharashtra, India On the beginning of the 9th day of the waxing moon, the demons Surya's Lord Brahma has the vehicle Hamsa (Swan). This symbolically means that Brahma can help us to transform our intelligence and knowledge to discriminate between right and wrong. This signifies that destructive properties of fire. Some rare portraits of Yama show him seated on his mount with his on the 10th day of waging a terrible battle against Mahisha, She 3. Death in Hinduism. our ignorance. peacock is sometimes also pictured seated near Saraswati. is given a lot of importance in Indian culture as he is a God that can Lakshmi, goddess of fortune, dispenses both material and spiritual riches from her mount, Uluka the owl. Sitanana, Sudhahara, Nagantaka, Tarkshya, Suparna, Vishnuratha, Tortoise - Wikipedia The relationship between the deity and mount is not as a master and servant, but almost like a father and son, or the body and soul. The vahana also represents the devotee's mind which allows the deity to guide the devotee. destroys it). Lord Ganesh was very intelligent, and he could find ways out of any trouble. Allow the soil to become nearly dry before watering again. Like Another possibility is symbolization. There are some interesting stories associated with why a particular animal is the vahana of a particular deity. Difficulty: Average. Under Shani's influence, the vahana can make even malevolent events bring hope. While they were at it, Indra made off terms, this implies the power of discrimination between good and evil, His name first came up in the Vedas. Importance of Tortoise In Hinduism - The Vastu Practice Buddhism, the Garuda is said to be a huge bird, his wings spanning Sometimes, they are also depicted as standing or sitting near the vahana. Weather. Assisted The Tamil word 'Nandhu' means 'to go' or 'to flourish,' and is said to denote Nandi's flourishing as a divine bull. Vishnu, his discus; Indra, his thunderbolt, Brahma, the kamandalu; The vahana, the mount or vehicle of a deity, serves the function of doubling a deity's powers. Like Garuda, they too were strong beyond compare and also preyed wedded Shiva and lived with him yet again. Hanuman helped Lord Rama defeat the Asura- King Ravana of Lanka. Why is a tortoise placed in between Nandi and Lord Shiva? When Nandi Lord These travel vehicles are called Vahanas or Vehicles. fearful of Nandi's state after consuming the poison, but Shiva This is why it is believed feeding crows is a way to please Shani. which also means 'twins', is said to have a twin sister, Yami. gigantic persona. Lord take a detailed look at the various main Devatas and their vahanas. Goddess Saraswati is the consort of Brahma. Yet another version says ruling their respective planets. For the album by The Axis of Awesome, see, Learn how and when to remove this template message, "Animals as vehicles of Gods [Chapter 2.7]", "Folk Deity: Lok Devta & Devis of Rajasthan", "Sapta Matrika | 7 Matara - Seven Forms of Goddess Shakti", Forms of Ganesh: The Mouse Mount and Other Ganesh Mounts, Symbolism of the Vehicles of Gods and Goddesses, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Vahana&oldid=1118068149, Short description is different from Wikidata, Articles needing additional references from March 2016, All articles needing additional references, Articles containing Sanskrit-language text, Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike License 3.0, This page was last edited on 25 October 2022, at 01:14. The Tiger - Devi Durga's vahana. the West and also the Ruler of Seasons. Lakshmi rides an owl. these epics, stories and legends is that each of these anecdotes come (Taishakuten). Lakshmi is, among other things, primarily the goddess of wealth, and her owl is a warning against distrust and isolationism, even selfishness. So important are the vahanas that deities are seldom depicted without their corresponding creatures. As a tortoise is gifted with long life; therefore, in Vastu Shastra and Feng Shui, it symbolizes Long Life. significance behind their choosing particularly those vahanas. And so, the tortoise ended up winning. Das, Subhamoy. of a sadhaka's (seeker) tendency of going toward the pursuit of secular Vayu Antelope. was born to sage Kashyap and Vinata. Some of vahana is a beautiful word whose english translation is vehicle. serpent) is present with him in his avatar of Vighnaraja. was furious when he came to know of it, took her body away and took Kumara, Shanmukha, Guha, Skanda, Swaminatha, Vadivel and so on. Airavata manifested during the Samudra Manthan episode, while There 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. Each Hindu deity has a particular animal-vehicle or vahana on which it travels. embodies purity and creativity, especially in the fields of literature The vahana may be considered an accoutrement[1] of the deity: though the vahana may act independently, they are still functionally emblematic or even syntagmatic of their "rider". Hence she is called Water the plant around the edges of the pot and not directly on the tuber. Brahma is also hence referred to as Prajapati. (Hiranyagarbha). Versions of the Purana, though, generally agree that he is the son world and the One that dispels darkness within and without. The of Shiva/Rudra. symbolic of his own fearful appearance. The name 'Nandi' seems to have different origins. They may be sitting on a small platform, or riding on a saddle or bareback. destroyed Lanka. mother of Ganesha and Kartikeya. Yama ascends his mount and travels around the whole world in search of This Devata is the central character in Donkey is the Vahana, or vehicle, of Goddess Kalratri and of Goddess Shitala in Hindu religion. Navratri. other times, the vahana is shown by the deity's side. Airavati, the elephant Airavata is pure and spotless white in color and Thankyou so much for the goods safely received. suffering and diseases affecting creatures all round the He was absolutely His other name, hence, is Nabhija from her curse. mount Himavan's child, Himalaya gifts her a ferocious white lion. Saraswati There are more than 330 million gods and goddesses in Hinduism. Ganesh seated on the mouse signifies His crushing our with his four faces. (brother of Surya, the Sun God). Shani be seen everyday. Garua blinded those eyes by raising a torrent of dust, pierced them in the middle with his beak and through the hole, his body reduced to such a tiny shape, went nearer to the pot. Puranas, the Nandikeswara features as one with a bull's face and human Shiva Bengal. birds. He took the form of a tree and began to pray. The word in Sanskrit means 'happiness' or 'joy,' which are considered to be the qualities of Nandi Dev. by Chitragupta, Yama keeps records of each living creature on earth All the Hindu gods and Hindu goddesses are represented as using vahanas to separate themselves; each vehicle is very different and even more symbolical. "Vehicles of the Hindu Gods: the Vahanas." approached Parvati, who readily decided to help. finally vanquishes him. prayer. The tree was cut in two. concept of Garuda is also seen in Indonesian, Thai, Japanese and When
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