Difference between revisions of "Vāhana"
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==Deities and Their Vehicles== | ==Deities and Their Vehicles== | ||
| − | There are many deities in the religious pantheon who have a vāhana or carrier vehicle which are usually animals or birds. These deities are supposed to ride or be seated on them. The following is a list of the important deities and associated vāhanas with them: | + | There are many [[deities]] in the religious pantheon who have a vāhana or carrier vehicle which are usually animals or birds. These [[deities]] are supposed to ride or be seated on them. The following is a list of the important deities and associated vāhanas with them: |
{| class="wikitable" | {| class="wikitable" | ||
||Deity||Vāhana | ||Deity||Vāhana | ||
|- | |- | ||
| − | ||Brahmā||Swan | + | ||[[Brahmā]]||Swan |
|- | |- | ||
||Caṇḍī||Tiger | ||Caṇḍī||Tiger | ||
|- | |- | ||
| − | ||Devī||Lion | + | ||[[Devī]]||Lion |
|- | |- | ||
||Gaṇapati||Rat | ||Gaṇapati||Rat | ||
| Line 19: | Line 19: | ||
||Gaṅgā||Crocodile | ||Gaṅgā||Crocodile | ||
|- | |- | ||
| − | ||Gaurī||Iguana | + | ||[[Gaurī]]||Iguana |
|- | |- | ||
||Indra||Elephant | ||Indra||Elephant | ||
|- | |- | ||
| − | ||Kubera||Man | + | ||[[Kubera]]||Man |
|- | |- | ||
| − | ||Nirṛti||Dog | + | ||[[Nirṛti]]||Dog |
|- | |- | ||
||Rati||Parrot | ||Rati||Parrot | ||
| Line 33: | Line 33: | ||
||Sitalā||Donkey | ||Sitalā||Donkey | ||
|- | |- | ||
| − | ||Śiva||Bull | + | ||[[Śiva]]||Bull |
|- | |- | ||
| − | ||Subrahmaṇya||Peacock | + | ||[[Subrahmaṇya]]||Peacock |
|- | |- | ||
| − | ||Surya||Seven Horses | + | ||[[Surya]]||Seven Horses |
|- | |- | ||
||Varāha||Serpent | ||Varāha||Serpent | ||
| Line 45: | Line 45: | ||
||Vikhanas||Antelope | ||Vikhanas||Antelope | ||
|- | |- | ||
| − | ||Visnu||Eagle | + | ||[[Visnu]]||Eagle |
|- | |- | ||
| − | ||Yama||Bison | + | ||[[Yama]]||Bison |
|- | |- | ||
| − | ||Yamunā||Tortoise | + | ||[[Yamunā]]||Tortoise |
|- | |- | ||
|} | |} | ||
==Vāhana as per Kālikāpurāṇa== | ==Vāhana as per Kālikāpurāṇa== | ||
| − | A particular vāhana for a particular deity has not only a legendary association, generally as depicted in the purāṇas, but also a symbolical meaning. According to the Kālikāpurāṇa,<ref>Kālikāpurāṇa Chapter 57</ref> the vāhanas are only transformations of the deities themselves. Iconographically, a deity is not necessarily represented as riding the vāhana. The latter may be merely indicated on the pedestal of the image. | + | A particular vāhana for a particular deity has not only a legendary association, generally as depicted in the [[purāṇas]], but also a symbolical meaning. According to the [[Kālikāpurāṇa]],<ref>[[Kālikāpurāṇa]] Chapter 57</ref> the vāhanas are only transformations of the deities themselves. Iconographically, a deity is not necessarily represented as riding the vāhana. The latter may be merely indicated on the pedestal of the image. |
==Vāhana as per Festivals== | ==Vāhana as per Festivals== | ||
| − | Sometimes the vāhanas are independently installed in front of the main icon outside the sanctum facing it or even in separate pavilions. During the festivals in the big temples, especially during the rathotsava,<ref>Rathotsava means car- festival.</ref> gorgeously decorated utsavamurtis,<ref>Utsavamurtis means processional images.</ref> gorgeously decorated, may be seated on a vāhana and taken round the streets in a colorful procession. On such occasions, there may not be any specific association of the vāhana with the deity. The vāhanas made of wood or metal or both, may be anyone of the following: | + | Sometimes the vāhanas are independently installed in front of the main icon outside the sanctum facing it or even in separate pavilions. During the [[festivals]] in the big [[temples]], especially during the [[rathotsava]],<ref>[[Rathotsava]] means car- festival.</ref> gorgeously decorated utsavamurtis,<ref>Utsavamurtis means processional images.</ref> gorgeously decorated, may be seated on a vāhana and taken round the streets in a colorful procession. On such occasions, there may not be any specific association of the vāhana with the deity. The vāhanas made of wood or metal or both, may be anyone of the following: |
| − | # Gaja - elephant | + | # [[Gaja]] - elephant |
| − | # | + | # Vṛṣ[[abha]] - bull |
| − | # Aśva - horse | + | # [[Aśva]] - horse |
# Śeṣa - serpent | # Śeṣa - serpent | ||
# Śibikā - palanquin | # Śibikā - palanquin | ||
| Line 67: | Line 67: | ||
# Hanumān | # Hanumān | ||
# Garuḍa | # Garuḍa | ||
| − | # Ratha - chariot | + | # [[Ratha]] - chariot |
==References== | ==References== | ||
{{reflist}} | {{reflist}} | ||
| − | * The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore | + | * The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram [[Krishna]] Math, Bangalore |
[[Category:Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism]] | [[Category:Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism]] | ||
Latest revision as of 08:41, 19 December 2016
By Swami Harshananda
Sometimes transliterated as: Vahana, VAhana, Vaahana
Vāhana literally means ‘mount’, ‘vehicle’.
Contents
Deities and Their Vehicles
There are many deities in the religious pantheon who have a vāhana or carrier vehicle which are usually animals or birds. These deities are supposed to ride or be seated on them. The following is a list of the important deities and associated vāhanas with them:
| Deity | Vāhana |
| Brahmā | Swan |
| Caṇḍī | Tiger |
| Devī | Lion |
| Gaṇapati | Rat |
| Gaṅgā | Crocodile |
| Gaurī | Iguana |
| Indra | Elephant |
| Kubera | Man |
| Nirṛti | Dog |
| Rati | Parrot |
| Sani | Crow |
| Sitalā | Donkey |
| Śiva | Bull |
| Subrahmaṇya | Peacock |
| Surya | Seven Horses |
| Varāha | Serpent |
| Vāyu | Deer |
| Vikhanas | Antelope |
| Visnu | Eagle |
| Yama | Bison |
| Yamunā | Tortoise |
Vāhana as per Kālikāpurāṇa
A particular vāhana for a particular deity has not only a legendary association, generally as depicted in the purāṇas, but also a symbolical meaning. According to the Kālikāpurāṇa,[1] the vāhanas are only transformations of the deities themselves. Iconographically, a deity is not necessarily represented as riding the vāhana. The latter may be merely indicated on the pedestal of the image.
Vāhana as per Festivals
Sometimes the vāhanas are independently installed in front of the main icon outside the sanctum facing it or even in separate pavilions. During the festivals in the big temples, especially during the rathotsava,[2] gorgeously decorated utsavamurtis,[3] gorgeously decorated, may be seated on a vāhana and taken round the streets in a colorful procession. On such occasions, there may not be any specific association of the vāhana with the deity. The vāhanas made of wood or metal or both, may be anyone of the following:
- Gaja - elephant
- Vṛṣabha - bull
- Aśva - horse
- Śeṣa - serpent
- Śibikā - palanquin
- Hañisa - swan
- Simha - lion
- Hanumān
- Garuḍa
- Ratha - chariot
References
- ↑ Kālikāpurāṇa Chapter 57
- ↑ Rathotsava means car- festival.
- ↑ Utsavamurtis means processional images.
- The Concise Encyclopedia of Hinduism, Swami Harshananda, Ram Krishna Math, Bangalore
