Vahana

Vahana ( Sanskrit: vahana वाहन n " draft animal, car, car " ) refers in Hinduism the riding animal of a particular deity and is also a typical indicia the same. Some of these animals have a name and personal character as the eagle Garuda or the bull Nandi, others are mere animals, without further mythological connection. Some of these Vahanas are mythical creatures. In mythology, the corresponding animals often represent an incarnation of the deity is, as Nandi is Shiva himself also embody, or Vishnu manifests as Garuda.

Deities and associated Vahanas

• Aditi: Rooster
• Agni: ram or goat
• Annapurna: Lotus
• Brahma: Lotus, white swan, or goose
• Dhumavati: non -stressed carriages, vulture or crow
• Durga: Tiger or Lion
• Ganga: Makara
• Ganesha: rat
• Indra: the white elephant Airavata or white horse
• Kali: owl
• Kalki: white horse
• Kama: parrot or sparrow
• Kubera: Aries, stooping Brahmin or elephant
• Lakshmi: the eagle Garuda, Owl ( Elephant associated)
• Manasa: snake or swan
• Minakshi: Fish
• Narayana: the many-headed cobra Shesha, also called Ananta
• Nirriti: Donkey
• Rudra: Taurus
• Parvati: lion or tiger
• Saraswati: peacock, lotus, white swan or goose
• Shashthi: black cat
• Shitala: Donkey
• Shiva: the white hump animal Nandi
• Skanda: Peacock
• Varuna: Makara
• Vayu: antelope
• Vishnu: Lotus or the eagle Garuda man
• Yama: black buffalo ( Mahisha )
• Yamuna: Turtle ( Makara )

Vahanas as independent mythical creatures =

Some Vahanas are partly independent mythical beings or at least have a unique name:

• Airavata, the elephant of Indra.
• Garuda, the eagle of Vishnu.
• Nandi, the bull of Shiva.
• Shesha, the serpent of Vishnu.

Swell

Gerhard J. Bellinger, Knaurs Encyclopedia of Mythology, Knaur, Munich 1999