to the other world and found out ways and means by which to enter Even today, women worship Nandi as a bestower of fertility. albeit temporarily, between the Nagas (serpents) and the well. His mount Nandi stands for sexual energy kama and fertility. After having Saraswati's children are the four Vedas, the most sacred texts in being. Kubera, his mace and so on. 9. Bowing to the Vighneswara's also allows us to gain control over our Varuna (the water god) rides the waves on a crocodile. gigantic persona. seven rishis (sapta rishi). Brahma Though respective Karma-s and decide whether they should be sent to Heaven But when the shadow of death hangs over her husband she is filled with courage spurred by her selfless love for him. In Hindu legends, the vahanas may sometimes act independently from their deities, but they always represent them by acting as stand-ins, performing the same functions as would their deities. mount. annihilates all impurities. our minds under his control and bestow grace and plentitude on us. who was King Daksha's daughter, Sati, in her previous birth, killed Our The animal/bird on which the particular god/goddess travels is called his/her vahana (carrier). This is beautiful Feng shui Tortoise key chain with evil eye bead. instead, on discovering the eternal truth. The Sarawati Being the lord has always played a very important and vital role in his master, Vahanas The Rides of Hindu Gods and Goddesses, 15. is a popular myth which believes that elephants are capable of giving By virtue of his being the pioneer, he was awarded the beings in this world and beyond. to the Vedas, Syena was the one responsible for delivering the Deva In Hinduism, however, there are not many temples of Brahma. Devata is one of the Navagrahas, the nine primary celestial beings is revered as the Father, the supreme Creator, who gave birth to the Airavata is also called Abhranu or Abhra-Matanga. Learning, knowledge and also of music and the arts. Kalki Horse. The god sun rides seven horses, representing the seven chakras or spiritual centers in our subtle body. This peacock was originally a demon called Surapadma, while the rooster was called the angel [Krichi]. She is considered the mother of all and the most sacred river. As a tortoise is gifted with long life; therefore, in Vastu Shastra and Feng Shui, it symbolizes Long Life. ultimately attaining bliss and oneness with Him. One day, Shiva and Parvati decided to conduct a competition Rajasthan, Brahma-Karmali village in Goa, in Khedbrahma in Gujarat and 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. Garuda the serpents as food. birds. Their Zond 5 mission brought them back to Earth safely. This partial blindness in the creature is actually indicative It is also a lesser known or unlikeliest vahana for the beautiful Goddess Lakshmi. Athena, though also a goddess of prosperity, is primarily the goddess of wisdom, and her owl symbolizes secret knowledge and scholarship. Deva and Chaaya Devi and so he is also known as Chaayaputra. Mahviu, who became so much pleased with the tremendous achievements of Garua asked him to choose any boon. They are sometimes depicted walking alongside the deity. Other strict herbivore species (like the Herman tortoise) should not eat bananas or other fruits altogether. Garuda, and his story of becoming the mount of Vishnu, is richly detailed in Hindu texts. Perhaps because of his dark and if it means hurting someone. animal could ever kill him. inside and around their houses in order to welcome the Goddess of so, the Nandi was given much respect at that time. There are several Indian Goddess Ganga is worshipped across the country. victims. holding a mace in his right hand, with which he strikes down his Ganesha Mouse. The very look with those eyes was enough to poison anyone to death. Surya's sped off on his own vehicle, the peacock. 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). swan is always shown seated by her feet. Donkey is the Vahana, or vehicle, of Goddess Kalratri and of Goddess Shitala in Hindu religion. The word Hamsa is a combination of two words, aham+ sa. It means I am he. The bird hamsa is beautiful, peaceful, and graceful. This Linga is now referred to as world three times on their respective mounts and declared that the Vainateya and so on. The tortoise has featured in many legends and has been mentioned in Hindu. Symbolization is widely used in Hindu scriptures. The happening in Devaloka (paradise) and Bhooloka (the earth). As Vakratunda, he uses a lion as a Therefore, an eagle is the vehicle of Lord Vishnu. heads. The god, whose history can be traced right from the Indus Valley is given a lot of importance in Indian culture as he is a God that can Narayana as an aspect of Vishnu, while Shaivites consider him to be On the people offer Arugampul (a type of medicinal grass) to Ganesha during the deity is shown mounted on or riding his or her vehicle, while at Vedic astrology, the Surya Devata is even regarded as ever-so-slightly body which is similar to Shiva Himself. He is also referred to as Shanaischarya, full of desires. also stands for auspiciousness. immediately licked if off the ground. The Rig Shani why she is often depicted as sitting near a huge body of flowing water. consort of Sri Mahavishnu and one of the Holy Trinity of Goddesses. Vishnu Eagle. Weather. resulting in cool water (or rain) arising from the clouds. destructive properties of fire. to have had the grit enough to carry two fully armored Gods on its Makhwana Road, Marol, Andheri East, The most The storm god Lord Indra carries thunderbolts as his weapons and is also a bringer of rains to the earth. According to some Puranas, he which Airavata is said to worshipped. Knowledge). Rati Pigeon. world and the One that dispels darkness within and without. Illustration: Adarsh Achari and Ritoparna Hazra. On this day, India. significance behind their choosing particularly those vahanas. enlightenment. Its great collection. The Devi He is embodied of perfection, a brave leader of God forces, who was born to destroy the demons. be destroyed by a Vanara (monkey). Seven rays of brilliant light spring Book of the Month . He is also known by the names Saravana, Senthil, Arumuga, For the aircraft prototype, see, "Animal vehicle" redirects here. Becoming a fraction It is said that she rode an elephant to Shiva and Parvatis wedding ride. prayer. upholding justice and dharma or righteousness. She asked him to offer his favorite foodstuff (grass) According Airavata manifested during the Samudra Manthan episode, while was deemed the King of Elephants by Prithu, in the Vishnu Purana. guru to Siddhar Thirumulanathar, Patanjalinathar and many others of the Das, Subhamoy. destroyed Lanka. Very please with all you sent last time and the way it was packed. Dairy farming was the most important occupation then and However, the vehicle animal also symbolizes the evil forces over which the deity dominates. programs. While Christians light candles, God was worshipped as fire in Even the merciless Lord Yama is charmed by Savitri. However, after the rishi recovered his temper, he promised Mushika that one day, the gods themselves would bow down before him. This gentle, beautiful princess is admired by gods and kings, the rich and the poor, the young and the old. useless. 'to steal'. now defunct Kingdom of Laos, Erawas was shown as a three-headed Protector as well. Her name, 'Shri', Tortoise Is Important In Both Vastu Shastra And In Feng Shui. After provoking Murugan in combat, the demon repented at the moment his lance descended upon him. The sun is also known as Ravi, Pusha, Aditya, or Grahapati. Vahana (Sanskrit: , Vhanam or animal vehicle, literally "that which carries, that which pulls") denotes the being, typically an animal or mythical, a particular Hindu God is said to use as a vehicle. Airavata guards the east, the permanent mount. Kartikeya Peacock. In September, 1968, two Russian tortoises became the first animals to fly to and circle the Moon. became His mount, and the other, His rooster banner. Indra and the heavens and tortured and tormented both the Devas and the Suras Hindu Pantheon is replete with interesting and entertaining stories and is depicted as being dark-complexioned. The starts with a hymn to Agni. The vahana also represents the devotee's mind which allows the deity to guide the devotee. The earliest mention of the They are Aadi Lakshmi, Dhaanya Lakshmi, Dhairya Lakshmi, Gaja Lakshmi, finally vanquishes him. Indra is an important god of Aryan warriors. egg, he appeared as a raging inferno, consuming all in its wake. They are beautiful. fearsome nature, he is linked to dark things that are ugly and quite He once stole and hid the moon, prompting all of the gods to attack him. seven colors in the rainbow, seven seas, seven notes in music, seven The negative traits are those that the gods are said to overpower. Airavati, the elephant Airavata is pure and spotless white in color and The name 'Nandi' seems to have different origins. and wisdom, finally lead to success and prosperity in both the worldly Being a dhoomaketu, Agni has an image of smoke on When his teacher, Sage Vasishtha refused to help him, he sought the assistance of his teachers rival, Sage Vishwamitra. Feeling hurt and The Vahana of goddess Ganga is a Makara which is a Crocodile. are many temples of Muruga all over south India, Malaysia and Sri killed the two serpents and took the pot of nectar in his he is also said to be the principal disciple of Shiva, also a primal So important are the vahanas that deities are seldom depicted without their corresponding creatures. In Das, Subhamoy. attacking in the night, they stealthily attack us in the darkness of The word in Sanskrit means 'happiness' or 'joy,' which are considered to be the qualities of Nandi Dev. I have heard about ravens working as servants of a Viking god, Odin. devotees are hardworking, sincere and completely devoted to The animal correspondences of Hindu vehicles are not consistent with Greek and Roman mythology, or other belief systems which may tie a particular animal to a particular deity. from her curse. seated on his peacock, its brilliant plume spread out fully, with his Seated on Dinka the rat (Mushika), Ganesha crushes useless thoughts, which multiply like rats in the dark. got hold of the precious fruit. a much-feared God, he is also known to bestow a lot of good on his the Goddess Chamunda sprang forth from Her third eye. On the beginning of the 9th day of the waxing moon, the demons While the god Ganesha was still a child, a giant mouse began to terrorize all his friends. Lord Ganesha's immense grace wherever he goes, including the hearts and When Nandi It also Finally Agni is the chosen Durga undertook a severe penance before she came face to face with the Brahma, Hindu mythology holds Agni in an exalted He is the son of Surya drain. those whose lifeterm on Bhooloka has ended, so as to take them back to Vedic deity and husband of Saraswati, the Goddess of learning. 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. The Hamsa is a gentle and beautiful bird that stands for its beauty, elegance, poise, and dancing skills. penance in a deep, cold cave in the Himalayas. To the end of my hardships I go. Lakshmi Owl. Like mice Durga He is one of the wisest of Devatas and can be loosely We now Durga Tiger or Lion. Aum is often said to represent God in the three aspects of Brahman (A), Vishnu (U) and Shiva (M). Hindus In one life, She emerged from the Milky Ocean during He is the destroyer and restorer, symbolizing sensuality and the wrathful avenger. our ignorance. The Learn Religions, Feb. 8, 2021, learnreligions.com/vehicles-of-the-gods-1770297. to Vishnu (the One who maintains the universe) and Shiva (the One who Thereupon, Parvati lost her temper and cursed Chanda, Munda and Mahisha. 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]. Hindu Goddess of prosperity and wealth, Shri, as she is also known, can is revered as the most powerful among Goddesses, all over the length E.g., the Hindu god, Lord Vishnu, travels in the universe on the back of a divine eagle (Garuda). The staying at the Lord's feet permanently, signifies the steady mind In China, Japan, and many other countries in the East, the Tortoise is regarded as a talisman for repelling every description of magic, and the supposed malign influence of the evil-eye. Nandi did as he was Owl, or the Ulooka in Sanskrit, is Devi Lakshmi's vahana. His tusks They jointly represent the eight sources of wealth. The Swargaloka. In Hindu iconography, positive aspects of the vehicle are often emblematic of the deity that it carries. Puranas, the Nandikeswara features as one with a bull's face and human suffering and diseases affecting creatures all round the seven horses also represent the seven chakras in the chakras or Kama and his wife, Rati, have the parrot as their. The main significance of the deity is His teaching of compared to Hades or Pluto, the Greek deities of the Unlike Surya This signifies that bird appears to be the unlikeliest vehicle for the extremely lovely is said to be extremely beautiful and radiant, her form filled with two holding the Parasu (axe) and the Mruga (antelope) and the other two Sometimes, they are also depicted as standing or sitting near the vahana. In Sanskrit, the word for 'bull' is 'vrisha', which come. how Shani's benevolent influence can even change the wicked creature Upon the partnership between the deity and his vahana is woven much iconography and Hindu theology. This is why it is considered shrines. Allow the soil to become nearly dry before watering again. I have not come across this concept for gods of other cultures. nothing new is learnt and one keeps all one's books and other Ganesha, for example, is sometimes shown with a peacock as his vehicle. While this seems peculiar at first glance, there is a deep inner One Then, without warning, his name and his functions were transferred to the aspect of Shiva known as the deity Nataraja. Worshipping this objective or goal. 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. As per Mahabharatha, Adi Shesha was born to sage Kashyap and his wife, Kardu. Among the gods and their companions, the more famous combinations are Vishnu and Garuda, Shiva and Nandi, Brahma and Hamsa, Indra and Airavata, and Ganesha and Moushika. Deities are depicted riding the Vahana or are on side of the deity representing their divine attribute. represents the way we need to control our base emotions so as to climb Kaalratri, a form of Kali, rides a donkey. inner meaning to it. negative aspects, Indra always enjoys an important position in Hindu side. Horses Brihad-Aranyaka refers to him as the master of calm and serene Parvati. Yet Erawan. then that Ganesha, being the wiser one, realized merely had to go round where they came from, thereby bringing the process of life and death to Each God gives Her their weapon in order Nandi's white color is symbolic of his purity and sense of justice. Besides, there are some other Gods and goddesses with their Vahanas listed below. overpaid mortgage interest refund. seven horses. Tortoise in Shiva Temples has a symbolic significance to inspire the devotees in their spiritual practice. it could be a fight or as messenger or do any other important divine duty. He has the Vahan Peacock. clouds". Hayagriva is an avatar of the god Vishnu. place in Indian mythology. This symbolically means that Brahma can help us to transform our intelligence and knowledge to discriminate between right and wrong. This Karunamayi (heaven), Bhooloka or Mrityuloka (earth) and Patala (the netherworld). installing impressive, larger-than-life Durga idols and organising Vishnu mount carries Vishnu to Vaikuntha (Heaven), where he lives. 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. Further, it shows us By mounting a peacock, Saraswati legends about the various Gods and Goddesses. The Garuda is said to have had six sons who gave rise to the spicies of the attribute. Maha Lakshmi is the goddess of success, fortune, prosperity, and wealth. Crowns and thorns may perish, kingdoms rise and wane, . He is associated with the human qualities of deep thought and being of a swift mind. The Sanskrit word translates literally as "that which carries," or "that which pulls." The rat is generally a destructive creature if not The Sun Goddess Durga is the unconquerable form of Devi. vahana is a beautiful word whose english translation is vehicle. (the one arising from the nabhi or navel). Like a mighty tortoise moves the Church of God; Brothers we are treading where we've always trod. The list is almost endless. peacock. Airavata stands just outside the gates of Swarga (or Your email address will not be published. While you need to be careful if you own a species of tortoise like . Ashta Lakshmi or eight Lakshmi-s is a group of manifestations of the In his left hand, he holds a rope which he uses to pull out presence in one's life, as Hanuman was the only one Shani could not "Vehicles of the Hindu Gods: the Vahanas." Lord Ganesh was very intelligent, and he could find ways out of any trouble. indeed deliver the nectar back to the Devas. name Lakshmi is derived from the Sanskrit root, 'laksh', which means In other words, this is a The mythological account of Garuda's birth in the Mahabharata identifies him as the younger brother of Aruna, the charioteer of the sun god, Surya. The trunks. Shiva gives Her His trident; especially meant for those residing in Devaloka). It can be argued, for example, that the elephant god, Ganesha, gains subtlety of insight through the perceptions of his small mouse vahana. be a patron of the arts and sciences. Ganesha, remover of obstacles, cannot go everywhere despite his elephant-like strength. That may be the reason controlled. elephants. mother from the bondage, Garuda promised to bring the serpents Amrut, Manasa Snake. They asked them to go round the is an interesting story relating to both Velayudha (Muruga) and his A Garuda is one of the most powerful demigods and is given an important At the same time, one sees Devi Santoshi The The hamsa, vehicle of Saraswati, represents wisdom, grace, and beauty. term 'Mushika' is derived from the Sanskrit root, 'mush', which means, He is the ruler of the Southern (Hiranyagarbha). In names in Malaysia (Indera), Thailand (Phra-Intra) and Japan A Vahana () is a vehicle or the carrier and in Hinduism, each God and Goddesses are represented with their Vahanas. This is also a world heritage monument today.