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Sacred Animals
Vāhanas, divine companions, and animals sacred to each tradition
83
Entries
✦
151
Unique sacred animals
🦁 Sacred Animals
🦚 Sacred Birds
🌳 Sacred Trees
🪷 Sacred Flowers
🌿 Sacred Plants
🪔 Sacred Offerings
🥥 Sacred Fruits
🌾 Sacred Grains
🦁
deer
4
🌿
Hidimbā Devi of Manali
Hidimbā Devi — the Pandava-era goddess of Kullu Valley
🪔
Parvati
The Mountain Goddess — Mother of the Universe & Consort of Shiva
✦
shiva-nataraja
Shiva
🔥
Vayu
Lord of the Wind & Cosmic Prana — Breath of the Universe & Vāyavya Dikpāla
🦁
horse
4
☸️
Dharma Thakur
Dharma Ṭhākur — folk deity of Bengal and Bihar
🔱
Khaṇḍobā of Jejuri
Mārtāṇḍa Bhairava — Shiva as warrior-pastoralist lord
🔥
Kuber
Sovereign of Yakshas & Lord of Wealth — Guardian of the North & Navanidhi
🔱
Male Mahadeshwara
Male Mahādeśvara — hill-Shiva of the Kuruba shepherds
🦁
cow
3
🌸
Baladev
Lord of Animals
🌸
Jagannath
Lord of the Universe — the wooden deity of Puri
🔥
Vamana
The Divine Dwarf & Cosmic Trivikrama — Lord of the Three Strides
🦁
elephant
3
✦
Ashta-Lakshmi
Hinduism
🌸
Jagannath
Lord of the Universe — the wooden deity of Puri
🔥
Kuber
Sovereign of Yakshas & Lord of Wealth — Guardian of the North & Navanidhi
🦁
goat
3
🪔
Amman
Mother Goddess
🌿
Durgā-amma — the coastal Karnataka village goddess
Durgā-amma — the coastal Karnataka village goddess
🌿
Kāḷūbāi of Mandhardevi
Kāḷūbāi — the dark goddess of the Western Ghats
🦁
lion (siṃha)
3
🌸
Narasimha
The Man-Lion Avatar — Primal Protector of Dharma
🪔
Parvati
The Mountain Goddess — Mother of the Universe & Consort of Shiva
🪔
Tripura Sundari
Lalitā Mahātripurasundarī — Supreme Empress of Śrī Vidyā & Ṣoḍaśī Mahāvidyā
🦁
antelope (hariṇa)
2
🔥
Chandra
The Moon God & Lord of the Mind — Sovereign of the Stars & Pavamāna Soma
🔥
Vayu
Lord of the Wind & Cosmic Prana — Breath of the Universe & Vāyavya Dikpāla
🦁
bull
2
🌸
Baladev
Lord of Animals
🔥
Rudra: The Vedic Form of Shiva
Hindu
🦁
dog
2
🌿
Ayyanar
Village Sovereign — the meditating warrior of the Tamil boundary
🌿
Karuppasamy
Black God
🦁
dragon
2
☯️
Yu Huang Shangdi
Jade Emperor — Supreme Ruler of the Celestial Bureaucracy
🌿
Pakhangba
Pākhaṅgbā — serpent-god of the Meitei of Manipur
🦁
elephant (gaja)
2
🔱
Ayyappa
Hariharaputra — The Celibate Yogic Lord of Sabarimala & Eternal Dharma Śāstā
✦
Ganesha
Lord of Beginnings — Remover of Obstacles
🦁
jackal
2
🪔
Chamunda Devi
Fierce Form of Durga
🪔
Chamundeshwari
Goddess of Chamundi Hill — royal deity of Mysuru
🦁
lion
2
🔥
Budha — Graha Mercury
The Green Counsellor — Planet Mercury, Lord of Wit and Commerce
🪔
Chamunda Devi
Fierce Form of Durga
🦁
peacock
2
🔱
Kartikeya
The Divine Warrior — Son of Shiva
🌸
Krishna
The Supreme Teacher & Lord of Divine Love
🦁
peacock (mayūra)
2
🌸
Radha
Supreme Hlādinī Śakti — Eternal Queen of Vrindavan & Embodiment of Mahābhāva
🔥
Saraswati
Goddess of Knowledge, Music, Speech & Arts
🦁
rooster
2
🪔
Amman
Mother Goddess
🌿
Durgā-amma — the coastal Karnataka village goddess
Durgā-amma — the coastal Karnataka village goddess
🦁
serpent
2
🪔
Kali
The Dark Mother — Goddess of Time, Transformation & Ultimate Liberation
🔱
Kartikeya
The Divine Warrior — Son of Shiva
🦁
tiger
2
🪔
Chamunda Devi
Fierce Form of Durga
✦
shiva-nataraja
Shiva
🦁
tiger (vyāghra)
2
🔱
Ayyappa
Hariharaputra — The Celibate Yogic Lord of Sabarimala & Eternal Dharma Śāstā
🪔
Parvati
The Mountain Goddess — Mother of the Universe & Consort of Shiva
🦁
tortoise (kūrma)
2
🔥
Kurma
The Cosmic Tortoise Avatar — Bedrock of Creation & Samudra Manthan
🔥
Varuna
Sovereign of Cosmic Waters — Upholder of Ṛta & Paścima Dikpāla
🦁
vanara (monkey warriors)
2
🔱
Hanuman — The Supreme Devotee
The Devoted Hero — Symbol of Strength, Intellect & Unwavering Service
🌸
Rama
The Ideal King — Avatar of Vishnu
🦁
wild boar (varāha)
2
🌸
Varaha
The Cosmic Boar Avatar — Rescuer of the Earth
🪔
Varahi
The Boar-Faced Mother Goddess — Fifth Sapta Mātṛkā & Daṇḍanāthā of Śrī Vidyā
🦁
adiśeṣa (serpent upon whose coils he steps)
1
🌸
Varaha
The Cosmic Boar Avatar — Rescuer of the Earth
🦁
airāvata (white elephant)
1
🔥
Indra
King of the Devas — Lord of the Heavens, Storms & Lightning
🦁
ananta-śeṣa (thousand-headed serpent)
1
🌸
Vishnu
The Preserver — Supreme Cosmic Sustainer & All-Pervading Lord
🦁
antelope
1
🔥
Rudra: The Vedic Form of Shiva
Hindu
🦁
antelope (deer skin yajnopavita)
1
🔥
Vamana
The Divine Dwarf & Cosmic Trivikrama — Lord of the Three Strides
🦁
apasmāra (dwarf of ignorance) — trampled
1
✦
shiva-nataraja
Shiva
🦁
bear (jambavan)
1
🌸
Rama
The Ideal King — Avatar of Vishnu
🦁
black cat
1
🪔
Kali
The Dark Mother — Goddess of Time, Transformation & Ultimate Liberation
🦁
black chicken (released, not sacrificed)
1
🌿
Dharmeś — a Bhojpuri-region folk god, deified hero
Dharmeś — a Bhojpuri-region folk god, deified hero
🦁
black dog (śvāna)
1
🔱
Kalabhairav
Lord of Time & Dissolution — Supreme Kotwāl of Kashi & Fierce Manifestation of Shiva
🦁
buffalo
1
🪔
Kamakhya
Goddess of Desire — Shakti Peetha of the Yoni
🦁
buffalo (historically sacrificed; now pumpkin)
1
🌿
Kāḷūbāi of Mandhardevi
Kāḷūbāi — the dark goddess of the Western Ghats
🦁
buffalo (in telugu traditions)
1
🔥
Shani
Karmic Lord of Justice — Planet Saturn
🦁
buffalo (mahiṣāsura as trampled demon)
1
🪔
Durga
The Divine Mother — Warrior Goddess
🦁
buffalo (sacrificed traditionally; now replaced by pumpkin)
1
🌿
Yellamma of Saundatti
Yellamma / Reṇuka — the mother goddess of northern Karnataka
🦁
bull (bos indicus, humped zebu)
1
🔱
Nandi
The Sacred Bull — Vehicle of Shiva
🦁
bull (in roman mithraism the bull-slaying)
1
🔥
Mithra
Yazata of Covenant, Light, and Oath
🦁
bull (nandi playing the mṛdaṅga)
1
🔱
Nataraja Chidambaram
The Cosmic Dancer — Lord of the Golden Hall (Ānanda Tāṇḍava)
🦁
bull (nandi)
1
🔱
Shiva
Mahadeva — The Supreme Lord of Transformation & Asceticism
🦁
bull (shared with shiva)
1
🪔
Parvati
The Mountain Goddess — Mother of the Universe & Consort of Shiva
🦁
calf
1
🌸
Krishna
The Supreme Teacher & Lord of Divine Love
🦁
cobra
1
🌿
Manasā Devi
Manasā — the snake-goddess of Bengal
🦁
cobra (all serpents)
1
🪔
Manasa Devi
Manasā Devī — snake-goddess of Bengal
🦁
cobra (vāsuki / nāgābharaṇa around the throat)
1
🔱
Shiva
Mahadeva — The Supreme Lord of Transformation & Asceticism
🦁
cobra (vāsuki)
1
✦
shiva-nataraja
Shiva
🦁
cow (go-mātā / kamadhenu)
1
🌸
Lakshmi
Goddess of Prosperity, Fortune, Grace & Auspiciousness
🦁
cow (go-mātā)
1
🌸
Vishnu
The Preserver — Supreme Cosmic Sustainer & All-Pervading Lord
🦁
cow (protected by maruti)
1
🔱
Hanuman — The Supreme Devotee
The Devoted Hero — Symbol of Strength, Intellect & Unwavering Service
🦁
cow (surabhi / kamadhenu)
1
🌸
Krishna
The Supreme Teacher & Lord of Divine Love
🦁
cow (surabhi)
1
🌸
Radha
Supreme Hlādinī Śakti — Eternal Queen of Vrindavan & Embodiment of Mahābhāva
🦁
crow
1
🔥
Shani
Karmic Lord of Justice — Planet Saturn
🦁
crow (kāka — messenger of the departed)
1
🔥
Yama
Dharmarāja — Lord of Cosmic Justice, Mortality & Dakṣiṇa Dikpāla
🦁
cuckoo (kokila)
1
🔥
Kamadeva
Lord of Cosmic Desire, Love & Spring — Holder of the Sugarcane Bow & Five Flower Arrows
🦁
deer (associated with golden-deer episode)
1
🌸
Sita
The Ideal Consort — Wife of Rama
🦁
deer (hariṇa)
1
🌸
Radha
Supreme Hlādinī Śakti — Eternal Queen of Vrindavan & Embodiment of Mahābhāva
🦁
deer (kṛṣṇa-mṛga held in upper left hand)
1
🔱
Shiva
Mahadeva — The Supreme Lord of Transformation & Asceticism
🦁
dog (khandoba's companion)
1
🔱
Khaṇḍobā of Jejuri
Mārtāṇḍa Bhairava — Shiva as warrior-pastoralist lord
🦁
dog (pack of dogs roam the temple freely, regarded as muthappan's companions)
1
🌿
Muthappan of Parassinikadavu — the Theyyam god who is always available
Muthappan of Parassinikadavu — the Theyyam god who is always available
🦁
eagle (garuḍa)
1
🌸
Narasimha
The Man-Lion Avatar — Primal Protector of Dharma
🦁
eagle/vulture (jatayu & sampati)
1
🌸
Rama
The Ideal King — Avatar of Vishnu
🦁
elephant (gaja — representing royal sovereign majesty and rain clouds)
1
🌸
Lakshmi
Goddess of Prosperity, Fortune, Grace & Auspiciousness
🦁
elephant (indra's preceptor-context)
1
🔥
Brihaspati
Guru of Gods — Planet Jupiter
🦁
elephant (pinimukham)
1
🔱
Kartikeya / Murugan
The Lord of Kurinji — Commander of the Divine Army
🦁
elephant (terracotta)
1
🌿
Ayyanar
Village Sovereign — the meditating warrior of the Tamil boundary
🦁
fish (matsya)
1
🔥
Matsya
The Primordial Fish Avatar — Savior of the Vedas & Vaivasvata Manu
🦁
four dogs (the four vedas)
1
✦
Dattatreya
Trimūrti Incarnation & Primordial Adi Guru of Avadhutas and Nath Yogis
🦁
ganges river dolphin (suṃśu / platanista gangetica)
1
🔥
Ganga
The Celestial River Goddess — Cosmic Purifier, Mother of Bhīṣma & Mokṣa-Dāyinī
🦁
garuḍa (eagle)
1
🌸
Vishnu
The Preserver — Supreme Cosmic Sustainer & All-Pervading Lord
🦁
gazelle
1
🔥
Vayu
Lord of the Wind & Cosmic Prana — Breath of the Universe & Vāyavya Dikpāla
🦁
goat (for ritual)
1
🪔
Kamakhya
Goddess of Desire — Shakti Peetha of the Yoni
🦁
haṃsa (swan / goose)
1
🔥
Saraswati
Goddess of Knowledge, Music, Speech & Arts
🦁
haṃsa (swan / wild goose)
1
🔥
Brahma
The Creator — First Person of the Trimurti & Lord of Cosmic Wisdom
🦁
hare (śaśa — hence śaśāṅka)
1
🔥
Chandra
The Moon God & Lord of the Mind — Sovereign of the Stars & Pavamāna Soma
🦁
honeybees (forming his bowstring)
1
🔥
Kamadeva
Lord of Cosmic Desire, Love & Spring — Holder of the Sugarcane Bow & Five Flower Arrows
🦁
horned aquatic creatures
1
🔥
Matsya
The Primordial Fish Avatar — Savior of the Vedas & Vaivasvata Manu
🦁
horse (born of fire)
1
🔥
Agni
God of Fire & Cosmic Purifier — Divine Messenger, Primordial Priest & Āgneya Dikpāla
🦁
horse (chariot)
1
🔥
Mithra
Yazata of Covenant, Light, and Oath
🦁
horse (hayagrīva)
1
🌸
Vishnu
The Preserver — Supreme Cosmic Sustainer & All-Pervading Lord
🦁
horse (rides into villages at night to patrol)
1
🌿
Periyaṇṇan Sāmi
Periyaṇṇan — the Elder Brother guardian of southern Tamil Nadu
🦁
horse (steppe-influenced vahana)
1
🌿
Karuppasamy
Black God
🦁
horse (terracotta)
1
🌿
Ayyanar
Village Sovereign — the meditating warrior of the Tamil boundary
🦁
horse (the prince's mount)
1
🌿
Hardaul / Hardevji
Hardaul — the tragic prince deified in Bundelkhand
🦁
horse (vaji)
1
🔱
Ayyappa
Hariharaputra — The Celibate Yogic Lord of Sabarimala & Eternal Dharma Śāstā
🦁
jackal (symbol of cremation ground vigilance)
1
🪔
Kali
The Dark Mother — Goddess of Time, Transformation & Ultimate Liberation
🦁
kamadhenu (divine cow)
1
🔥
Parashurama
The Axe-Bearing Sage-Warrior — Sixth Avatar of Vishnu & Immortal Chiranjivi
🦁
kamadhenu cow (representing the fertile earth and dharma)
1
✦
Dattatreya
Trimūrti Incarnation & Primordial Adi Guru of Avadhutas and Nath Yogis
🦁
kapila cow
1
🔥
Parashurama
The Axe-Bearing Sage-Warrior — Sixth Avatar of Vishnu & Immortal Chiranjivi
🦁
lion (in astrological saura iconography)
1
🔥
Surya
The Sun God — Eye of the Universe & Source of Light
🦁
lion (per north indian puranic text)
1
🪔
Ambaji
Ambājī Mātā — one of 51 Śakti Pīṭhas
🦁
lion (puranic siṃha; tiger in deccan practice)
1
🪔
Ambabai / Mahalakshmi
Karvir Nivasini — The Great Goddess of Kolhapur
🦁
lion (puranic; tiger in deccan practice)
1
🪔
Tulja Bhavani
Tuḷjā Bhavānī — Kuladevī of Chhatrapati Shivaji
🦁
lion (siṃha — puranic sanskrit term, used in north indian iconographic texts)
1
🪔
Durga
The Divine Mother — Warrior Goddess
🦁
lion (siṃha lāñchana — jain emblem, not a mount; tīrthaṅkaras do not ride animals)
1
🪷
The Great Hero of Jainism
The Great Hero of Jainism
🦁
mahiṣa (water buffalo)
1
🔥
Yama
Dharmarāja — Lord of Cosmic Justice, Mortality & Dakṣiṇa Dikpāla
🦁
makara (aquatic dragon/crocodile)
1
🔥
Ganga
The Celestial River Goddess — Cosmic Purifier, Mother of Bhīṣma & Mokṣa-Dāyinī
🦁
makara (primordial sea-creature)
1
🔥
Varuna
Sovereign of Cosmic Waters — Upholder of Ṛta & Paścima Dikpāla
🦁
mongoose (nakula — vomiting jewels)
1
🔥
Kuber
Sovereign of Yakshas & Lord of Wealth — Guardian of the North & Navanidhi
🦁
mouse (mūṣika)
1
✦
Ganesha
Lord of Beginnings — Remover of Obstacles
🦁
nandi bull
1
🔱
Male Mahadeshwara
Male Mahādeśvara — hill-Shiva of the Kuruba shepherds
🦁
owl
1
✦
Ashta-Lakshmi
Hinduism
🦁
ox (riding westward into the hangu pass legend)
1
☯️
Taishang Laojun (Deified Laozi)
Supreme Venerable Sovereign — Deified Form of Laozi
🦁
palla fish (hilsa)
1
🔥
Varuna
Sovereign of Cosmic Waters — Upholder of Ṛta & Paścima Dikpāla
🦁
parrot
1
🪔
Kanchi Kamakshi
Goddess of Kanchipuram
🦁
parrot (kāñcana-śuka — green parrot on her hand)
1
🪔
Meenakshi
Fish-Eyed Goddess of Madurai
🦁
parrot (shuka)
1
🔥
Kalki
The Tenth Avatar & Future Redeemer — Herald of the Golden Age
🦁
parrot (śuka)
1
🔥
Kamadeva
Lord of Cosmic Desire, Love & Spring — Holder of the Sugarcane Bow & Five Flower Arrows
🦁
peacock (paravāṇi)
1
🔱
Kartikeya / Murugan
The Lord of Kurinji — Commander of the Divine Army
🦁
phoenix
1
☯️
Yu Huang Shangdi
Jade Emperor — Supreme Ruler of the Celestial Bureaucracy
🦁
pigeon
1
🪔
Kamakhya
Goddess of Desire — Shakti Peetha of the Yoni
🦁
ram
1
🔥
Mangala — Graha Mars (Angaraka)
The Red Commander — Planet Mars, Lord of Valour
🦁
ram (meṣa)
1
🔥
Agni
God of Fire & Cosmic Purifier — Divine Messenger, Primordial Priest & Āgneya Dikpāla
🦁
rooster (for tuesday offering)
1
🌿
Karumāriyamman of Thiruverkadu
Karumāriyamman — the dark goddess of rain
🦁
sacred river fish
1
🔥
Ganga
The Celestial River Goddess — Cosmic Purifier, Mother of Bhīṣma & Mokṣa-Dāyinī
🦁
sea creatures
1
🔥
Kurma
The Cosmic Tortoise Avatar — Bedrock of Creation & Samudra Manthan
🦁
serpent (cosmic)
1
🌿
Pakhangba
Pākhaṅgbā — serpent-god of the Meitei of Manipur
🦁
serpent (disembodied head)
1
🔥
Rahu
The North Lunar Node — Shadow of Ambition
🦁
serpent (held in peacock's talons, representing conquered ego)
1
🔱
Kartikeya / Murugan
The Lord of Kurinji — Commander of the Divine Army
🦁
serpent (nāga garlanded on arm and chest)
1
🔱
Nataraja Chidambaram
The Cosmic Dancer — Lord of the Golden Hall (Ānanda Tāṇḍava)
🦁
serpent (nāga)
1
🔥
Varuna
Sovereign of Cosmic Waters — Upholder of Ṛta & Paścima Dikpāla
🦁
serpent (tail-form)
1
🔥
Ketu
The South Lunar Node — Spirit of Liberation
🦁
serpents (as eternal prey)
1
🌸
Garuda
King of Birds — Vehicle of Vishnu
🦁
serpents (nāgas)
1
🔱
Kalabhairav
Lord of Time & Dissolution — Supreme Kotwāl of Kashi & Fierce Manifestation of Shiva
🦁
śeṣa-nāga (as balarāma's divine form)
1
🌸
Baladev
Lord of Animals
🦁
seven horses (representing the seven spectral colors and days of the week)
1
🔥
Surya
The Sun God — Eye of the Universe & Source of Light
🦁
shanka (conch shell)
1
🔥
Matsya
The Primordial Fish Avatar — Savior of the Vedas & Vaivasvata Manu
🦁
squirrel (blessed with the three dorsal stripes)
1
🌸
Rama
The Ideal King — Avatar of Vishnu
🦁
swan
1
🌿
Manasā Devi
Manasā — the snake-goddess of Bengal
🦁
swan (hamsa)
1
🌸
Krishna
The Supreme Teacher & Lord of Divine Love
🦁
swan (haṃsa)
1
🪔
Tripura Sundari
Lalitā Mahātripurasundarī — Supreme Empress of Śrī Vidyā & Ṣoḍaśī Mahāvidyā
🦁
three-legged crow (yatagarasu)
1
⛩️
Amaterasu Ōmikami
Great Kami Who Shines in Heaven — Sun Goddess
🦁
tiger (puli — in south indian shakta tradition, the 'siṃha' vahana is the tiger; chamundi hills iconography shows the tiger)
1
🪔
Chamundeshwari
Goddess of Chamundi Hill — royal deity of Mysuru
🦁
tiger (puli — in south indian tradition)
1
🪔
Ambaji
Ambājī Mātā — one of 51 Śakti Pīṭhas
🦁
tiger (puli — primary in south indian amman worship)
1
🪔
Amman
Mother Goddess
🦁
tiger (puli — south indian amman tradition)
1
🌿
Karumāriyamman of Thiruverkadu
Karumāriyamman — the dark goddess of rain
🦁
tiger (puli — south indian tradition; sanskrit 'siṃha' rendered as tiger)
1
🪔
Meenakshi
Fish-Eyed Goddess of Madurai
🦁
tiger (puli)
1
🪔
Kanchi Kamakshi
Goddess of Kanchipuram
🦁
tiger (rode to subdue demons)
1
🔱
Male Mahadeshwara
Male Mahādeśvara — hill-Shiva of the Kuruba shepherds
🦁
tiger (vyāghra — the primary mount in bengal, assam, and south india; lions were never native to eastern or southern india)
1
🪔
Durga
The Divine Mother — Warrior Goddess
🦁
tiger (whose pelt serves as yogic seat)
1
🔱
Shiva
Mahadeva — The Supreme Lord of Transformation & Asceticism
🦁
tortoise (kurma)
1
🌸
Lakshmi
Goddess of Prosperity, Fortune, Grace & Auspiciousness
🦁
two four-eyed celestial dogs (śyāma and śabala — guardians of the ancestral path)
1
🔥
Yama
Dharmarāja — Lord of Cosmic Justice, Mortality & Dakṣiṇa Dikpāla
🦁
uccaiḥśravas (divine flying horse)
1
🔥
Indra
King of the Devas — Lord of the Heavens, Storms & Lightning
🦁
vṛṣabha (mighty bull)
1
🔥
Indra
King of the Devas — Lord of the Heavens, Storms & Lightning
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vulture
1
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Shani
Karmic Lord of Justice — Planet Saturn
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water buffalo (mahiṣa)
1
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Varahi
The Boar-Faced Mother Goddess — Fifth Sapta Mātṛkā & Daṇḍanāthā of Śrī Vidyā
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white horse
1
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Chandra
The Moon God & Lord of the Mind — Sovereign of the Stars & Pavamāna Soma
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white horse (devadatta)
1
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Kalki
The Tenth Avatar & Future Redeemer — Herald of the Golden Age
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wild boar
1
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Rudra: The Vedic Form of Shiva
Hindu
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yak (appears in himalayan iconography)
1
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Hidimbā Devi of Manali
Hidimbā Devi — the Pandava-era goddess of Kullu Valley
Sacred Animals — Sacred Associations — ELGODS