Hindu gods and goddesses use various conveyance modes for their travel and mobility. They are called Vahana or vehicles. They serve the same motive as today’s contemporary-day vehicles suitable for travel through air or land or water or even interstellar journey. The gods of the higher worlds use them for each travel and warfare. The Vahanas are by and large animals or legendary creatures. They aren't mere animals or beasts of burden but divine beings who own divine understanding and assume fierce forms on the battlefield. Most of them are also treated with respect and worshipped by devotees with offerings of meals and prayers. Each Hindu deity has a specific animal-vehicle or vahana on which it travels. The Sanskrit phrase translates literally as "that which carries," or "that which pulls." In Hindu legends, the vahanas might also additionally from time to time act independently from their deities, however, they usually represent them by performing as stand-ins, doing the same functions as could their deities. Additionally, provide extra skills that the deity might in any other case lack. Each deity's vahana may be visible as a symbolic illustration of his or her "power" or meaning within the Hindu deities.
Lord Brahma has the vahana Hansa (Swan). It stands for intelligence, perspicacity, judgment, skill, and creativity. The bird Hansa is beautiful, peaceful, and graceful. It suggests that Brahma is the creator and master of all the beauty and charm of the world. It is likewise stated in Vedas that the bird has the capability to split milk from water. This symbolically means that Brahma can help us to transform our intelligence and knowledge to discriminate between the right from the wrong.
Goddess Saraswathi is the consort of Brahma. She is also shown riding a Hansa. Saraswathi is the goddess of learning and education. The Hansa is a gentle and beautiful bird that also stands for its beauty, elegance, poise, and dancing skills.
The storm god “Lord Indra” carries thunderbolts as his weapons and is also a bringer of rains to the earth. Indra is an important god of Aryan warriors. His Vahana, Airavat is a magnificent white elephant who is often depicted with four tusks.
Lord Shiva is one of the most prominent deities of Hinduism. He is the destroyer and restorer, an image of sensuality and the wrathful avenger. His mount Nandi stands for sexual energy – kama and fertility. Riding on its back, Shiva has the power to control all impulses.
Goddess Durga is the unconquerable form of Devi. She is the supreme goddess and also identified as Parvati, who is also referred to as the mother of Lord Kartikeya and Lord Ganesha. Durga endowed as a warrior woman riding a lion or tiger with multiple hands carrying weapons, mudras, or symbolic hand gestures.
Vishnu “The Preserver” is one of the important deities of Hinduism, who's seated on Adi Shesha and also rides on the Eagle King, Garuda. According to Hindu Scriptures, Adi Shesha or Shesha Naga holds all planets and earth on his hoods. As in step with Mahabharatha, Adi Shesha was born to sage Kashyap and his spouse Kardu. Garuda, a deity himself, is regularly shown as a winged human-shaped figure with a beak-like nose. Vishnu’s mount carries Vishnu to Vaikuntha (Heaven), wherein he lives. His mount Garuda stands for wisdom, thoughts, and exceptional speeds. Hence, if anyone desires to control unfulfilled thoughts and balanced their mind, one should worship Lord Vishnu.
Maha Lakshmi is the goddess of success, fortune, prosperity, and wealth. Interestingly, she has the Vahan Owl called Ulka, as her Vehicle. Her Vahan – Ulka is a symbol of patience and intelligence.
Lord Ganesha was known as the remover of obstacles. The chubby, gentle, elephant-headed Ganesha is one of the popular deities of Hinduism. Interestingly, he is using a Mouse as his mount. One cannot imagine an elephant can ride in a small rat. However, there are many deep symbols hidden in the fact. Lord Ganesha was very fond of mouse and the mouse is his vahana. Lord Ganesh was very intelligent, and he could find ways out of any trouble. This is exactly why a mouse was his vahana as a mouse also has the ability to swiftly get out of trouble.
In Hindu dharma, the Surya Deva gives light to the world. He is the father of Kasyapa and her wife is Chhaya Devi. The god sun represents willpower, health, fame, and vitality. The sun is also known as Ravi, Pusha, Aditya, or Grahapati. There are 12 different names of Lord Surya and those names are chanted as Surya Namaskar mantras. The god sun rides seven horses which represented the seven chakras or spiritual centers in our subtle body.
In Hindu Dharma, Yama is known as the God of Death. One with red eyes, a club, and a noose in his hands, he rides the Buffalo as his Vahana. If we go through Vishnu Puran, Yama is the son of the sun god Surya, and Sandhya
Lord Shani refers to planet Saturn and is one of the 9 heavenly objects as Navagraha in Hindu Astrology. 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. He is considered the god of bad luck and is also popularly called Ara, Kona, Kroda.
