VAHANA

(Sanskrit: mount, or vehicle), in Hindu mythology, the creature that serves as the vehicle and as the sign of a particular deity. The vahana accompanies, pulls the chariot of, or serves as the seat or mount of his god. The vahana is also used on banners and emblems to identify the god or the cult affiliation of the devotee. Some scholars understand the concept as a way of incorporating local theriomorphic (animal form) deities into the classical pantheon of Hindu deities. Others suggest the mythological pattern might have been borrowed from Mesopotamian art and mythology. The vahanas of the major gods, such as Siva's bull Nandi and Vishnu's bird Garuda, have a considerable mythology of their own. The vahanas of other gods include the hamsa (goose or swan) of Brahma, the rat of Ganesa, the peacock of Skanda, the elephant Airavata of Indra, the parrot of Kama, the owl of Laksmi, the lion of Parvati, and the man of Kubera.