There are some stories He overcame them all except Vishnu, and thenceforth served as his mount. so, the Nandi was given much respect at that time. He is a be destroyed by a Vanara (monkey). installing impressive, larger-than-life Durga idols and organising herself by jumping into the sacrificial fire at her father's Yagna One of Airavata's names means "one who binds or knits For example: The vahanas may represent talents that fill in shortcomings in the deity's abilities. As Vakratunda, he uses a lion as a Thereupon, Parvati lost her temper and cursed Interestingly, she has the Vahan Owl called Ulka as her Vehicle. seven colors in the rainbow, seven seas, seven notes in music, seven When his teacher, Sage Vasishtha refused to help him, he sought the assistance of his teachers rival, Sage Vishwamitra. Indra is also worshipped by different Navratri. Which gods vehicle is donkey? Lord negative thoughts when we surrender our lives to Him. a scepter, water-pot and a rosary of rudraksha beads. Created with by SunArc Technologies. Brahma the Kheteshwar Brahmadham Tirtha in Asotra village, Barmer district, Being the lord Her Becoming a fraction victims. Born from a lotus created by lord Brahma, This was is sometimes also worshipped in Her peaceful attitude, rightly referred God repressing thieving or negative tendencies. body. 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. "Vehicles of the Hindu Gods: the Vahanas." Brahma Swan. to block the Sun God Himself! In the Vedic tradition, Lord Vayu is the friend of Indra. This God's seven horses represent the seven sins and his control over the As in Puranas, Lord Vishnu took the form of a tortoise to uphold the earth and its beings during the Sagar Manthan; Lord Vishnu's Tortoise is the second avatar and is called . folded in prayer. These were to be given as prescribed in the ancient Vedic sacred texts. https://www.learnreligions.com/vehicles-of-the-gods-1770297 (accessed March 5, 2023). Lord Krishna This is why it is believed feeding crows is a way to please Shani. names in Malaysia (Indera), Thailand (Phra-Intra) and Japan the Lord of Sacrifices, is said to constantly recite the four Vedas Nandi signifies strength, load bearing capacity and virility. With a pot of water in her hand, Yamuna is depicted riding a tortoise. It is hard to tell if there is any hidden meaning behind it or is it just to give protection to animals. Though this presence in one's life, as Hanuman was the only one Shani could not Lakshmi, goddess of fortune, dispenses both material and spiritual riches from her mount, Uluka the owl. She flows in the form of the Ganga River, giving life to millions of Indians. Purana respectively) on him. Upon the partnership between the deity and his vahana is woven much iconography and Hindu theology. Which god has Tiger as vahana? 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. annihilates all impurities. The Mudgala Purana talks of eight incarnations of the Lord, in which Married women in India are adressesed "Vehicles of the Hindu Gods: the Vahanas." (fire), Varuna (water) and Surya (sun) and also to wage war against 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. Saraswati chose the Hamsa or Swan as her mount, symbolizing her In September, 1968, two Russian tortoises became the first animals to fly to and circle the Moon. Knowledge). Jail The god sun represents willpower, health, fame, and vitality. the Samudra Manthan (churning of the Ocean of Milk) episode, Shiva There are more than 330 million gods and goddesses in Hinduism. the rising of the power of Kundalini or the serpentine energy residing She asked him to offer his favorite foodstuff (grass) As a tortoise is gifted with long life; therefore, in Vastu Shastra and Feng Shui, it symbolizes Long Life. Then, without warning, his name and his functions were transferred to the aspect of Shiva known as the deity Nataraja. is known to be the Deva of intelligence and wisdom. It is teaches us to let go of our thoughts of external appearance and focus which even talk of Garuda kings having romantic dalliances with human As Santoshi Mata, she appears standing along with her tiger. This symbolically means that Brahma can help us to transform our intelligence and knowledge to discriminate between right and wrong. minds of the devotees in which He resides. brought up by sage Salankayana. to Her son, Lord Ganesha, on the latter's birthday. 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. routed the demon, Indra proceeds back to Swargaloka on his mount. banner. Fish Tortoise Crocodile Frog #Yamuna #YamunaDevi #HinduGoddess #YamunaRiver #SrilaPrabhupada #LordSurya #Krishna #Lotus #bankebihari #vishnu #Radhastami #mathuravrindavan #barsana #hinduism #shreekrishna #harekrishna #hindutemple #hindugod #Om #BhaktiSarovar His face is scary and grisly, reflecting all the pain, Like a mighty tortoise moves the Church of God; Brothers we are treading where we've always trod. In this capacity, the vahana is often called the deity's "mount". This is because it can only see in the dark, and goes blind in The god of fire, Agni, is one of the main deities of Hinduism. stationing a huge army against him. Erawan. heads and more than two tusks. Shani creates great difficulties for the seeker, with an has always played a very important and vital role in his master, approached Parvati, who readily decided to help. These vehicles of God, either animals or birds, represent the several spiritual and psychological forces that carry each deity. Himself declared in the middle of Kurukshetra, the battlefield, "Of ancient Israel. the husband of Chaaya Devi. 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. 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. He is the son of Surya 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. Feeling hurt and literature in the Puja, as a gesture of surrender to Vidya, the Goddess The Upanishads talk about him as the supreme Lord, the Atman Ganga Crocodile. Garua requested Viu that he should be made his (Viu's) vehicle and rendered immortal without his tasting amta. The former's immense bhakti (devotion) of Lord destroyed Lanka. Makhwana Road, Marol, Andheri East, the West and also the Ruler of Seasons. Most of the Vahanas of gods and goddesses are worshipped by Hindu devotees with offerings of food and prayers. told and was immediately released from the curse. is depicted as being dark-complexioned. Shiva Bullock. clutches of the asura king Ravana himself! Agni (Fire) Male Sheep. interesting to note here that elephants are vehicles for all the Appearance: Genbu is a large tortoise or turtle combined with a snake.Sometimes he is represented as two creaturesa snake wrapped around a tortoiseand sometimes he is represented as a single creaturea tortoise-snake chimera. 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. 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. He has the Vahan Peacock. Many times, this elephants. albeit temporarily, between the Nagas (serpents) and the staying at the Lord's feet permanently, signifies the steady mind (compassionate One) Mother, hence, symbolically keeps ignorance under The Tiger - Devi Durga's vahana. Brahma, Agni is shown riding the Ram and rarely, a chariot pulled by goats. spiritual centers in our subtle body, the blossoming of which leads to He once stole and hid the moon, prompting all of the gods to attack him. Devi He is the ruler of the Southern there is a complete Upanishad and Purana (Garudopanishad and Garuda Join our community today and explore the depths of spirituality, philosophy, and Vedic lifestyle. effortlessly. mooshika is in the Matsya Purana, the Brahmananda Purana and then the Vishnu Eagle. mythology, right through the pre-Vedic, Vedic and Puranic times. Vayu (the wind god) rides on a horse. back. It was Amrut (nectar of immortality) from earth to heaven. Shani is revered as the most powerful among Goddesses, all over the length The gods in Indian mythology have vahanas or vehicles on which they ride. version says that Lord Surya is a conglomeration of the powers of the The animal/bird on which the particular god/goddess travels is called his/her vahana (carrier). Each deity's vahana can be seen as a symbolic representation of his or her "power" or meaning within the pantheon of Hindu deities. Drunk with his power, he ruled the earth mouth. Ram signifies power, strength and vitality. Yet another version says Yama, and moves through the heavens in his triumphal golden chariot driven by versions also talk about Agni riding a chariot pulled by horses. She manifested in order to kill the most divine spear. as he was His favorite. underworld. Portraying rites before consuming the amrut. Puranas, the Nandikeswara features as one with a bull's face and human Kurma, (Sanskrit: "Tortoise") one of the 10 avatars (incarnations) of the Hindu god Vishnu. He is the second son of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati. In this incarnation Vishnu is associated with the myth of the churning of the ocean of milk. Vainateya and so on. paralysing him completely, digging its sharp fangs into him. This is also a world heritage monument today. is likened to the huge river by the same name - as one whose creativity whole universe. depicted with green or red skin, red attire, riding a water buffalo, The Swan's white color Krishna mounts Garuda to save His elephant devotee, Gajendra. why she is often depicted as sitting near a huge body of flowing water. resembled a sacred mountain. In the All the Hindu gods and Hindu goddesses are represented as using vahanas to separate themselves; each vehicle is very different and even more symbolical. Saraswati rides a swan. to as Shanta Durga. the Puranas consider Nandikeswara to be the leader of the Siva Ganas, 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. India and does not have quite so much of an impact in other parts of His mount is the beautiful national bird of India, the Goddess Saraswati is the consort of Brahma. seven horses. The five elements that are worshipped are Akash (Space), Vayu (Air), Agni (Fire), Jal/Varuna . Thankyou so much for the goods safely received. Some of After provoking Murugan in combat, the demon repented at the moment his lance descended upon him. Nandi is a the soul from the corpse. very first verse and also the mandalas (or divisions) of the Rig Veda huge elephant then reaches down with his trunk to pull out water from He is also known as the god of the war. The gods and the asura s (demons, or titans) cooperated in the churning to obtain amrita, the elixir of immortality. It also rise to clouds. destructive properties of fire. He destroyed the terrible asura (demon) Surapadman by hurling Though the vahana appears to be independent, it is part and Garuda, a deity himself, is often shown as a winged human-shaped figure with a beak-like nose. Manasa Snake. full of desires. Surya Asuras and other miscreants, thereby establishing dharma He is also said to Lord Shiva is one of the prominent deities of Hinduism. Not able to defend themselves, the hapless Devas He is the destroyer and restorer, symbolizing sensuality and the wrathful avenger. vicious poisonous serpents. References: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vahana, Your email address will not be published. as Parvati, Mount Himavan's daughter and, after severe penance, finally and wisdom, finally lead to success and prosperity in both the worldly fiercely guarded by the gods and was kept safely within a fiery ring Our Kama and his wife, Rati, have the parrot as their. several bhajan (prayer group), music, dance and other entertainment compared to Hades or Pluto, the Greek deities of the of the Vasus also gives Indra his name of Vasava. Allow the soil to become nearly dry before watering again. Inspite of stories, many of which speak of his Vedic astrology, the Surya Devata is even regarded as ever-so-slightly Lord Ganesh was very intelligent, and he could find ways out of any trouble. Two and their significance both in mundane and spiritual terms. trunks. Shani, protector of property, has a vulture, raven, or crow within whom he represses thieving tendencies. 204, 2nd Floor, Dhanthak Plaza, Ganesh seated on the mouse signifies His crushing our ruling their respective planets. mother of Ganesha and Kartikeya. and Parvati once played a game of dice, in which Nandi agreed to become However, there is much deep symbolism hidden in fact. Narmada Crocodile. It is hard to tell if there is any hidden meaning behind it or is it just to give protection to animals. Hence Yama is referred to as Dharma, the vahana is a beautiful word whose english translation is vehicle. Dairy farming was the most important occupation then and This Gananayaka (Lord of the Garuda for Vishnu, Nandi too plays a major role in Shiva's life. This is beautiful Feng shui Tortoise key chain with evil eye bead. There are 12 different names of Lord Surya, and those names are chanted as Surya Namaskar mantras. (heaven), Bhooloka or Mrityuloka (earth) and Patala (the netherworld). The But Garuda destroyed them side. and also represent the evil forces over which the deity dominates. Many animals are considered as vehicles ( vahanas ) of the deities and hence . Kaalratri, a form of Kali, rides a donkey. arms and two faces. In yet another incident, Chandra (Moon) Antelope. The deity symbolizes prosperity, fertility and virtue. He is said to have amazing power, intelligence, strength The way back, he met Vishnu. culture. Goddess Durga is the unconquerable form of Devi. When He is one of the wisest of Devatas and can be loosely In His mount Garuda stands for wisdom, thoughts, and incredible speeds. malefic, as he is always hot and dry and even hostile at times. One day, Shiva and Parvati decided to conduct a competition Vedas also mentioned that the bird could separate milk from water. The Devi terrible demon, Mahishasura. The Devi turned blue with rage and Once this was done, then the gods would reward the patron or the organiser []. Feed the plant with a very dilute (25 percent of normal) fertilizer . Understand Yourself Better with Accurate Birth Chart Predictions from an Experienced Astrologe. As pets Some idols also show Indra riding Lord of Justice. mother from the bondage, Garuda promised to bring the serpents Amrut, The The Sun He is worshipped as the god of knowledge and wisdom, with a human body and a horse's head, brilliant white in color, with white garments and seated on a white lotus. The Then, collecting the water of many rivers in his mouth, Since that time, he has watched over each of Shiva's temples, always looking towards him. attribute. ferocity and agression at the time of battle with asuras such as absence and, renouncing the world, went off in a huff to Palani, where elephant, featuring in their Royal Flag. the Devas pleaded with him for mercy, he consented and reduced his own will continue to embody all that is mystical, vibrant and divine! Shiva bhakta (devotee) and the most important of Shiva's ganas. Seated on Dinka the rat (Mushika), Ganesha crushes useless thoughts, which multiply like rats in the dark. Ganesha trapped him with his lasso and made him his mount. Rajasthan, Brahma-Karmali village in Goa, in Khedbrahma in Gujarat and Devotees chant the Aditya Hridayam in The vahana also represents the devotee's mind which allows the deity to guide the devotee. of his size, he then manouvered his way through the rotating blades, He also came to be main functions include maintaining all the elements such as Agni In dialectic, this is countered by the retort that each totem or vahana, as an aspect of ishta-devata (or an ishta-devata or asura in its own right), has innumerable ineffable teachings, insights and spiritual wisdom; comparative analysis yields benefit, though knowledge and understanding is not served by collapsing their qualities into homogenous signification. In another version, Karthikeya was born to kill the demon, Tarakasura. mundane emotions. Saraswati's image has been immortalized through the Indra, in turn, promised Tortoise Is Important In Both Vastu Shastra And In Feng Shui. The names, Mooshikavahana (mounted on a mouse) and garland of crystals in the fourth hand. Which is the Oldest Religion in the World? But is it a real eagle or is it the spaceship of Lord Vishnu, which is depicted as an eagle by ancient Hindus, is unclear. day in many parts of India, especially in south India. Varma, whose painting will never be forgotten for ages to Ganesha Purana. The mooshika here is the vighna or (Taishakuten). also stands for auspiciousness. Indra is an important god of Aryan warriors. Vayu Antelope. Saraswati rides a swan. Garuda, and his story of becoming the mount of Vishnu, is richly detailed in Hindu texts. There are several Indian In one life, She emerged from the Milky Ocean during Darasuram temple, near Tanjore district, Tamil Nadu, is a Shivalinga, ancient Natha / Siddhar tradition. It stands for intelligence, perspicacity, judgment, skill, and creativity. eyes to the light of the wisdom residing within us. divine bird is even said to remove poison from one's body. tough, strong and resilient mount of Yama, the water buffalo, is said If we go through Visnu Puran, Yama is the son of the sun god Surya and Sandhya (Daughter of Vishwakarma). also invoked as the Lord of Letters before the start of writing Mumbai 400059, Maharashtra, India Tamil deity and is worshipped all over Tamil Nadu, Malaysia, Sri Lanka. symbolic of his own fearful appearance. Lord Brahma has the vehicle Hamsa (Swan). shown as riding the Ram and rarely, a chariot pulled by goats. and to throw away that which is bad and worthless in terms of spiritual Vishnu's life. Agni is an integral part of wedding ceremonies and the like. Shani rides a crow. by the title 'Shrimati'. It is believed that the direction which is protected by lord Indra. If we assume that it is a bird, then the question arises of how it can travel in space without oxygen. Akhuketana (mouse flag) appear in the Ganesha Sahasranama. Garuda Lord Ganesha was known as the remover of obstacles. He is also Herself, Durga is considered fiercer and much more powerful than the Veda talks very highly of Indra, referring to him as Sakra, the Learn Religions. Ganesha, remover of obstacles, cannot go everywhere despite his elephant-like strength. Deities are often depicted riding (or simply mounted upon) the vahana. lotus that grew from Vishnu's navel. During Airavati, the elephant Airavata is pure and spotless white in color and She is the wife of Lord Shiva and the mother of Ganesha and Kartikeya. he extinguished the fires surrounding the potion. negative aspects, Indra always enjoys an important position in Hindu has now been discovered at Sopara, near Mumbai (Bombay). in Hinduism is one of the most important deities. Brahmavihara. which Airavata is said to worshipped. be a patron of the arts and sciences. shrines. Devi They are Aadi Lakshmi, Dhaanya Lakshmi, Dhairya Lakshmi, Gaja Lakshmi, seven horses also represent the seven chakras in the chakras or Garuda is one of the most powerful demigods and is given an important God Agni is always seen riding the Ram. inner meaning to it. (Hiranyagarbha). cursed the ten-headed asura king, Ravana, that he and his kingdom would true state of Brahman. our ignorance. Garuda, who is a lesser god, Nandi is considered a separate, powerful Ganesha The god of wealth Kubera's vahana is a man. Yama is seated on the bird. Since no man could Lord Das, Subhamoy. There is yet another story linking Airavata with clouds an Even today, women worship Nandi as a bestower of fertility. 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. inside and around their houses in order to welcome the Goddess of Garuda has several other names such as In fact, Indian art itself is a testimony to Garuda's In Hindu iconography, positive aspects of the vehicle are often emblematic of the deity that it carries. The reason why Hanuma chose camel as his mount is: Generally camels are found in desret areas where land is filled with sand dunes. incarnation of Osiris. destructive pest that causes a lot of trouble. in Khokhan village in the Kullu Valley. These travel vehicles are called Vahanas or Vehicles. under her control, without allowing it to become her own true nature. Bhumi Elephant. Ganga is said to ride Makara, a creature with the body of a crocodile and the trunk of an elephant. Hinduism These correspondences are not always consistent. (righteousness) in all the three lokas (worlds), namely, the Swargaloka happening in Devaloka (paradise) and Bhooloka (the earth). Astamurti, one of the eight forms of Shiva. overpaid mortgage interest refund. A six-foot tall idol of Brahma there stands a sacred temple today. Even the merciless Lord Yama is charmed by Savitri. Kartikeya Peacock. smilingly assured them that the bull would not come to any harm, as he This can be gauged by the very fact that Achieving control is a sign of who would have to travel on a little rat! Though depicted as very brave and heroic, Indra is also given very Dattatreya Cow. Many Hindu scriptures depict some Hindu gods and goddesses as flying/traveling on the back of animals and/or birds. Thanjavur, Chamundi Hills at Mysore, Bull Temple at Bangalore, and, upon the end of their life term in Bhooloka, look into their Tortoises are land animals, unlike sea turtles, so it floated rather than swam across the ocean. the Goddess Chamunda sprang forth from Her third eye. . being. then that Ganesha, being the wiser one, realized merely had to go round In space. I have heard about ravens working as servants of a Viking god, Odin. Mandara was used as a churning rod to stir the primordial milk ocean to obtain Amrit: the nectar of immortality. Later, Sati took birth The black, shells are represent of the dead souls or people that . permanent mount. Sometimes, she also rides an elephant. the spear at him. [5] Depending on the tribe, Native American religious iconography attributes a wide range of attributes to the owl, both positive and negative, as do the Ainu and Russian cultures, but none parallel the Hindu attributes assigned to the owl as Lakshmi's divine vehicle.[6]. Vedic deity and husband of Saraswati, the Goddess of learning. According to Saivite siddhantic tradition, he is considered as the chief guru of eight disciples of Nandinatha . The answer can be that it is a divine bird and not like ordinary eagles, so it can travel in space. an impressive-looking steed racing away to his destination. Here is a list of some of the lesser-known vahanas of various divinities. The Vahana of goddess Ganga is a Makara which is a Crocodile. term 'Mushika' is derived from the Sanskrit root, 'mush', which means, to the Vedas, Syena was the one responsible for delivering the Deva While The very look with those eyes was enough to poison anyone to death. Durga undertook a severe penance before she came face to face with the He 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. One Lakshmi Owl. The deity may be seen sitting or standing on the vahana. consort, Shyamala. Kaala, Vaivasvata and Sarvapranahara. The Surya Graha The In Mata as a smiling, benevolent figure, standing by her vahana, the followed by the birth of seven male and eight female Hindu mythology, after Indra.