Gods and GoddessesSymbols and vehicles
The vahana (vehicle) and the symbols of each deity, and what they are said to mean.
Every god and goddess in Hindu art is shown with a particular vehicle (vahana) and with particular objects in the hands or on the body. These are not decoration: they are a kind of shorthand that tells a devotee who is being shown and what that deity stands for. The same symbol can carry more than one meaning in different traditions.
| Deity | Vehicle | Symbols |
|---|---|---|
| Ganesha | A small mouse (mushika) | Elephant head, one tusk, big belly, an axe (parashu), a noose (pasha), a broken tusk, a bowl of modak sweets |
| Shiva | The bull Nandi | Crescent moon on the head, the Ganga in his matted hair, a third eye, a serpent around the neck, a trident (tr... |
| Parvati | A lion in her fierce forms | A lotus, a mirror, often shown seated beside Shiva with her children; as Gauri, a golden fair form |
| Vishnu | The eagle Garuda; he rests on the serpent Shesha | Conch (shankha), discus (Sudarshana chakra), mace (gada) and lotus (padma); blue skin; yellow robes |
| Lakshmi | The owl; sometimes the elephant | Seated or standing on a lotus, holding lotuses, with gold coins pouring from her hand, often flanked by two el... |
| Saraswati | A swan; sometimes a peacock | The veena, a book (the Vedas), a rosary of crystal beads, a pot of water; white clothes; seated on a white lot... |
| Brahma | The swan (hamsa) | Four faces, four arms holding the Vedas, a rosary, a water pot and a lotus; a white beard |
| Hanuman | He needs none; he flies | A mace (gada), a mountain in his hand (the Sanjivani hill), a red face and body, often shown tearing open his ... |
| Rama | None | A bow and arrow, a dark blue-green skin, crown and a gentle face, often with Sita, Lakshmana and Hanuman |
| Krishna | None; his chariot is driven by himself in the Mahabharata | A flute, a peacock feather in his hair, a cow, butter; blue skin and yellow garments |
| Durga | A lion or tiger | Ten arms holding the weapons given by the gods, a lion or tiger, a red sari, the demon Mahishasura underfoot |
| Kali | None | Dark skin, a garland of skulls, a protruding tongue, a sword and a severed head in her hands, standing on Shiv... |
| Kartikeya | The peacock | A spear (vel), a peacock, six faces in some forms, a rooster flag |
| Surya | A chariot of seven horses | A chariot with seven horses driven by Aruna, two lotuses in the hands, a halo of light |
| Shani | A crow; in some pictures a vulture or a buffalo | A dark body, a crow or vulture, a sword, a bow or a trident; an iron colour |
| Radha | None | A lotus, a flute beside Krishna, a golden fair form, a blue or red sari |
| Sita | None | A lotus, often shown beside Rama, a golden-brown form |
| Ayyappa | A tiger or a horse | A tiger or a horse, a bell around the neck, a yogi seated with his knees tied |
| Venkateshwara | None | A dark standing form, a tall crown, a conch and discus, a mark (namam) on the forehead |
| Narasimha | None | A lion's head on a human body, claws, the demon Hiranyakashipu across his lap |
Some common symbols
- The lotus stands for purity: it rises from mud and is not stained by it.
- The conch (shankha) is the sound of creation, the first sound; Vishnu holds a conch.
- The discus (chakra) is time and the cycle of the world, and also the weapon that cuts through evil.
- The trident (trishula) of Shiva is often said to stand for the three qualities (gunas) or the three times, past, present and future.
- The vehicle of a deity is often something that the deity is shown to control: the mouse of Ganesha stands for desire, the lion of Durga for power under control.
- The third eye of Shiva is the eye of knowledge, which burns away illusion.
These pages describe traditions as they are told in the Puranas and in popular devotion. Practices differ between regions, communities and families, and your own family's custom comes first. This is not religious instruction.