Hindu Gods and Their Vahanas: What Do They Represent?

The Hindu Gods share a divine bond with their vahanas. In Hinduism, almost every God has his vahana, representing positive and negative traits. We need to understand the positive characteristics and incorporate them into our lives. Do you want to know about them? Let us explore the holy connection between Gods and their Vahanas!

The Relationship of Gods with their Vahanas

In Hinduism, Gods and Goddesses have chosen animals and birds as their vahanas. We can identify a deity from his vahana. The vahanas/vehicles are companions of the deities. They and the Hindu Gods share a relationship like a father and son.

Also Read: Which Hindu God to Worship According To Your Zodiac?

The Hindu Gods and their Vehicles

The heavenly Gods- Brahma, Vishnu, Shiva, Parvati, Surya, etc are accompanied by different vahanas. Let us explore the various vehicles of different Hindu Gods:

1. God Brahma and Goddess Saraswati’s Vahana- The Swan

Brahma, one of the supreme Hindu gods, has made the swan his vahana. Goddess Saraswati is his wife. Their vahanas are the same. The bird looks beautiful and can separate milk from water. Lord Brahma and Saraswati are associated with wisdom, knowledge, and creation.

The swan represents wisdom, intelligence, judgment, and creativity. If we want to transform our knowledge, we must pray to Lord Brahma. This can also help us distinguish between right and wrong.

2. Lord Vishnu- Garuda and Adi Sheesha

Lord Vishnu is one of the supreme Gods, whose vahanas are the bird Garuda and Adi Shesha Naga (A Serpent). The Lord is our protector in this world. The Garuda bird has a long beak, wings, and the body of a man. Other names of the bird are Kashyapi, Chirada, etc.

The Garuda Upanishad is sung in his devotion. It says that one who wants mental balance and fulfilment of his wishes should worship Lord Vishnu. The Garuda bird and Lord Vishnu are worshipped together.

Garuda represents wisdom, insight, courage, and speed. This bird can bring nectar from the heaven. It is powerful and can block the sun. Adi Shesha is another vahana of Vishnu. It carries all planets and earth on its shoulders. The serpent was born to the sage Kashyapa in the Mahabharata, representing cosmic balance in the universe.

3. Lord Shiva- The Nandi Bull

Lord Shiva, or Mahakal, is the supreme of all Gods, and his vahana is the bull named Nandi. The bull shows false power, anger, and foolishness that can destroy anyone. Shiva has the power to change this. His vahana symbolizes positive traits like joy, fertility, and silent strength.

Shiva purifies your soul, removing all impurities. He lives in the chakras of our lives and is a great healer. Maheshwar (Shiva) provides relief from chronic pain and suffering. He can also give us relief from snake bites and natural disasters.

4. Lord Ganesha- The Mooshak (Mouse)

Lord Ganesha removes all kinds of troubles in our lives. He is one of the most important gods, and his vahana is a mouse. He is the son of Goddess Parvati and Lord Shiva. Some of us cannot believe that he can ride a rat. This has a story behind it.

Gandharva Karuncha, a Hindu God, was cursed by a sage named Vamadeva for accidentally stepping his foot on him. The sage cursed him to become a giant rodent that started creating havoc by destroying cattle and farms.

Once, Lord Ganesha was staying in an ashram where the rodent was constantly destroying things and harming living creatures. He took a moose and looped it around the rodent’s neck, bringing it to its feet. After this, the lord decided to make it his vahana. The other story is about Gajamukha, a demon who battled with Ganesha and lost. Lord Ganesh turned the demon into a mooshak.

5. Sun God’s Vahana- Seven Horses

In Hinduism, the sun (Surya) is one of the significant Gods. His vahanas are the seven horses. He is our light give and has 12 different names. The Sun God and the seven horses represent willpower, success, fame, health, and clarity. This symbolizes the seven chakras of our body, which affect our health, emotions, and life. The chakras are of various colours and are in specific locations in our bodies.

6. Lord Kartikeya- Peacock

Kartikeya is the God of War and protection, and his vahana is the Parvani peacock. He is the second child of Lord Shiva and Goddess Parvati and the husband of Goddess Kaumari. The Lord represents courage and bravery. He was created to win over the Asuras. He is mainly worshipped in the south Indian states. We worship him for strength and victory.

There is a story behind his mount peacock. Once, a demon named Surapadman invaded the Devaloka and fought against the Gods. Kartikeya defeated the demon, who later repented and took the form of a mango tree. The Lord split the tree into two halves using his spear and vel. One half of the mango tree became a rooster, and the other half became a peacock. Lord Kartik made the roooster his emblem and the peacock his vahana.

7. Devi Durga- Tiger

Maa Durga is our supreme Goddess. The Gods gave her the necessary weapons, and King Himavan gave her the tiger as her vahana. She is depicted as a brave warrior woman riding the tiger with various weapons in her hands. Goddess Chandraghanta and Kushmanda, the two other forms of Devi Durga, are associated with the tiger as their vahanas.

The tiger represents boundless power, fearlessness, and union power. She killed Mahisasura with the help of her vahana, the tiger, which states that she is unconquerable. We worship her for happiness, success, and protection against evil.

8. Maa Lakshmi- The Owl

Ma Lakshmi is the wife of the Hindu God Vishnu. She made her vahana, the Uluka, the owl. She was born when the Gods and demons churned the ocean of milk to receive Amrta (the elixir of immortality). Devi Lakshmi is the Goddess of wealth and happiness. Her owl represents patience and intelligence.

She blesses us with prosperity and removes bad omens from our lives. The owl represents life lessons. We can achieve success if we have the power to accept failure. Lakshmi is seen as a success, and Alakshmi, her elder sister, shows failure. This is the reason success and failure always exist together.

9. Maa Ganga and Lord Varuna-Crocodile

Goddess Ganga and Lord Varuna chose their vahana, the crocodile. It represents nature’s powerful, swift, and robust nature. Ganga is a pure river that gives life to many people. If you take a holy dip in the river, Maa Ganga can remove your sinful deeds.

10. Bhairava and Khandoba – The Dog

Bhairava and Khandoba choose the dog as their vahana. Lord Shiva, in the avatar of Bhairava, chooses his vahana, the dog. The dog represents protection from greed, anger, lust, and enemies. Bhairava protects us from our fears.

The dog protects humans from their fears. Khandoba is a Hindu deity who is the manifestation of Shiva. He is associated with the dog as his vahana. Dattaraya is the avatar of the three supreme Gods, Brahma, Vishnu, and Maheshswar. He is associated with four dogs.

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What Do the Vahanas of Gods Represent?

The Hindu Gods and their vahanas are the energies of various living creatures. Every God is in charge of the energy he/she rides. They show negative and positive traits. We need to incorporate the positive ones and leave the negative ones behind. The Gods have tamed their vahanas to make them realize the meaning of spirituality.