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Sacred Animals

Vāhanas, divine companions, and animals sacred to each tradition

64Entries
115Unique sacred animals

🦁apasmāra (dwarf of ignorance) — trampled1

🦁buffalo (in telugu traditions)1

🦁buffalo (sacrificed traditionally; now replaced by pumpkin)1

🦁bull (bos indicus, humped zebu)1

🦁bull (in roman mithraism the bull-slaying)1

🦁cobra (vāsuki around neck)1

🦁cobra (vāsuki)1

🦁deer (associated with golden-deer episode)1

🦁deer (golden, mārīca in disguise)1

🦁deer (mṛga held in hand)1

🦁elephant (gaja — in gaja-lakṣmī)1

🦁elephant (indra's preceptor-context)1

🦁fish (gaṅgā's waters)1

🦁ganges river dolphin (platanista)1

🦁horse (steppe-influenced vahana)1

🦁horses (celestial)1

🦁lion (per north indian puranic text)1

🦁lion (puranic siṃha; steppe import)1

🦁lion (puranic siṃha; tiger in deccan practice)1

🦁lion (siṃha lāñchana — jain emblem, not a mount; tīrthaṅkaras do not ride animals)1

🦁monkey (vānara, hanumān)1

🦁parrot (kāñcana-śuka — green parrot on her hand)1

🦁rabbit (seen in the moon markings)1

🦁serpent (subdued by peacock)1

🦁serpents (as eternal prey)1

🦁śeṣa-nāga (as balarāma's divine form)1

🦁tiger (puli — in south indian shakta tradition, the 'siṃha' vahana is the tiger; chamundi hills iconography shows the tiger)1

🦁tiger (puli — in south indian tradition)1

🦁tiger (puli — primary in south indian amman worship)1

🦁tiger (puli — south indian tradition; sanskrit 'siṃha' rendered as tiger)1

🦁tiger (skin as garment)1

🦁two dogs (śyāma and śabala) — guardians of the path to his realm1

🦁ucchaiḥśravas (horse, secondary)1