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, This page was last edited on 25 October 2022, at 01:14. The vahana or vehicles of Hindu gods have mostly been animals. The vahanas may represent talents that fill in shortcomings in the deity's abilities. The storm god Lord Indra carries thunderbolts as his weapons and is also a bringer of rains to the earth. Shiva is one of the most complex gods of India, embodying seemingly contradictory qualities. He is worshipped as the lord of war and victory. A Bhagavata Purana manuscript page depicting the story of Atri and Anasuya meeting the Trimurti riding on their respective Vahanas. Virginal and sublime, contain within her the power of all the gods combined, she is the invincible power of Nature who triumphs over those who seek to subjugate her. Ganesha trapped him with his lasso and made him his mount. Each Hindu deity has a particular animal-vehicle or vahana on which it travels. Durga Lion 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. It can be argued, for example, that the elephant god, Ganesha, gains subtlety of insight through the perceptions of his small mouse vahana. Mushika was originally a gandharva, or celestial musician. I shall take you where ever you desire!'. When it comes to What are the Hindu funeral rituals? Airavata first make clouds in the sky, and then he would suck up water in his tusk and dispense the water into these clouds. Here it is interesting to note that all the Hindu Gods and Goddesses have animals as their vehicle or Vahana. Photo: Dr. C. Srinivasalu. Garuda is seen as clutching two snakes and with serpents garlanded around him. Kartikeya Peacock. Brahma, the God of creation, travels all over outer space on aswan. Shvana is referred to as death although there are gods like Dattatreya, Kala Bhairava, and also the divine gods of swarga or heaven. 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. Goddess Sheetala Mata, the goddess of fever and smallpox, is also believed to ride on a donkey. Shiva, the destroyer, rides a bull named Nandi. Bats are the primary animals that help to disperse seeds and aid pollination in temperate and tropical forests. . They are also believed to be protectors of the gates of heaven and hell. Under Shani's influence, the vahana can make even malevolent events bring hope. [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]. Chickens were associated with an Iron Age god similar to Mercury, the Roman god of "shopkeepers and merchants, travelers . They may be sitting on a small platform, or riding on a saddle or bareback. Credit: Public Domain. Brahma is often seen on temple walls or in-wall hangings in a Hindu household. From Hindu mythology, we learn that each deity has an animal vehicle, a Vahana that they use to travel from one world to another. Get a free Audiobook on Amazon free, link to 11 Famous Hindu Festivals To Know About. Surya rides a chariot drawn by seven white horses. Tags: Aspects of Lord Ganesha, Ganesh Chaturthi Stories, Lord Ganesha. Hindus pray to Lord Shani to ward off influences of evil forces. Lord Brahma has the vehicle Hamsa (Swan). Sculptures of Nandi are a common sight at Hindu temples dedicated to his master, and he is partly responsible for the Hindu reverence for living bulls even today, especially in the state of Uttar Pradesh. Bhairava, a manifestation of Shiva, has chosen a dog as his vehicle. So, the message to all warriors is that they should forgo all sexual desires, if they wish to emerge victorious in war. Sun A golden chariot pulled by seven white horses. He has the Vahan Peacock. The goddess that is Shivas wife in her most gentle form is called Parvati. Other times, the vahana is depicted at the deity's side or symbolically represented as a divine attribute. Durga riding a tiger indicates that She possesses unlimited power and uses it to protect virtue and destroy evil. Shashthi goddess is associated with Cats. She is believed to ride the streets of villages on a donkey with a broom, sweeping paths free of germs. The animal/bird on which the particular god/goddess travels is called his/her vahana (carrier). For Example Lord Shiva's Vehicle is Bull (Nandi), here bull is symbol of Dharma. Both the boons were granted. Garuda (from the Sanskrit: Garua or "devourer") is a large mythical bird or bird-like creature that appears in both Hindu and Buddhist mythology. This site also participates in other affiliate programs and is compensated for referring traffic and business to these companies, To explore Hinduism in a practical way and find out all about the human mechanism, read the Inner Engineering book. He is also known as the god of the war. These vehicles, which are either animals or birds, represent the various spiritual and psychological forces that carry each deity and representit. An animal acting as Vahana owns some magical . This is why it is believed feeding crows is a way to please Shani. Paundraka, the black buffalo that Yama is said to ride, was born from Rudras thigh. He is usually seen riding the ram or in a chariot pulled by many fiery horses. 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. . Saraswati duckphoto courtesy of Arindam Mukherjee. In Hinduism, he is the God of Oceans. 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. The word Hamsa is a combination of two words, aham+ sa. It means I am he. The bird hamsa is beautiful, peaceful, and graceful. 1 Answer. Even Dattatreya is linked with dogs. Each of these animals stands for specific qualities that are in parallel with the image and functions of Hindu deities. Support the Ashram. The ritual of sacrifice was central to the religion of the Vedic times. He is the destroyer and the restorer, the great ascetic and the symbol of sensuality, the benevolent herdsman of souls, and the wrathful avenger. Yama is also the god of righteousness, his tough water buffalo is said to be symbolic of upholding justice. Varuna (the water god) rides the waves on a crocodile. 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". The Vahanas are sacred and must be respected. The Hindu deity Kala Bhairava's vehicle is a dog. The vahana also represents the devotee's mind which allows the deity to guide the devotee. This is known as a sound of the seers/rishis as the seers are said to be channels/pathways towards God, and here the two paths of moving upwards towards God (ra-fire) or bringing God down to oneself (la-earth) are governed by the rishis. Retrieved from https://www.learnreligions.com/vehicles-of-the-gods-1770297. The Future Vahana The animal/bird on which the particular god/goddess travels is called his/her vahana (carrier). Hindus worship Garuda as a god. She is the supreme god and also identified with Parvati, also referred to as the mother of Lord Kartikeya and Lord Ganesha. Simultaneously, this owl also serves the practical purposes of a barn owl. Indian Eagle Garuda and peacock are considered as the sacred bird of Hindu. But the dogs were used by the Kings. Alakshmi Crow. There are many statues of various Vahanas in Hindu templesand these beings are considered to be secondary deities. Muruga is also known as Skanda, Shanmugham, Subrahmanya and Kartikeya. Vahanam also called vehicles of hindu gods . Each vehicle is very different and of divine nature, because it is forever in contact with the gods and . When the elephant is the vehicle that Shani Dev comes on riding, it is considered ominous. His mount Nandi stands for sexual energy kama and fertility. Bull, the vehicle of Lord Shiva ,Tiger the vehicle of " Maa Durga ", mouse is also considered as one of the holy animals in India, It is vahana (mount/vehicle) of the Lord Shri Ganesh. These vahanas are their constant companions. He is considered the god of bad luck and is also popularly called Ara, Kona, and Kroda. One can find temples or shrines dedicated to Bhairava, near most of the . On one seal the elephant appears prominently in relation to Skanda, and the elephant also appears on a number of other seals related to Skanda. Ashtavinayak The Eight Forms of Lord Ganesha. Kamadeva is a name of Vishnu in Vishnu Purana and Bhagavata Purana (SB 5.18.15), and also . Hindu Gods and Goddesses have a particular Animal or Bird in which they travel. The monkey god Hanuman is one of the most widely worshipped gods in all of India. Sacrifices are offered to Agni and to many other gods through him. We provide you with information on various aspects of the great Indian culture and its diversity. She is usually depicted with ten arms that hold the weapons of the various gods. She strives for a miracle with amazing success! Pushan Chariot of goats. As Bhoodevi, the earth-goddess, she nurtures life; as Shreedevi, the goddess of fortune, she bestows power, pleasure, and prosperity on those who deserve her grace. It is usually depicted as a dog or a man with a dog's head. Before becoming the vehicle of Shiva, Nandi was a deity called Nandikeshvara, lord of joy and master of music and dance. Durga, who encompasses . However, there is much deep symbolism hidden in fact. My name is Garuda. In the sacred temple of Gandgapur in the state of Maharashtra, wherein Lord Dattatreya lives, dogs are not constrained from entering and staying inside the temple. Of divine nature, because it is usually depicted with ten arms that hold the weapons of the of. 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