CHAPTER VII.

SACRED ANIMALS AND BIRDS.

SOME of the animals regarded as sacred have already been mentioned in connection with the deities to whom they are specially dear, and in whose worship they participate. They are regarded as the Vahans, or vehicles, upon which these gods and goddesses travel. Thus Indra rides upon the elephant Airavata; Siva on the bull Nandi; Yama on a buffalo; Durga, as Singhavahini, on a lion, as Durga on a tiger; Agni on a ram; Vayu on an antelope; Ganesa on a rat, and Sasti on a cat. Virabhadra, the emanation of Siva which destroyed Daksha's sacrifice, rode on a dog, and Kamadeva travelled either on the monster Makara or a parrot. The jackal is regarded as a representative of Durga, who in this form assisted in preserving Krishna, on the night of his birth, from Kansa's anger. Monkeys, as representatives of Hanuman, are very commonly worshipped; the dog, though worshipped by some, by others is regarded as unclean.

Amongst birds, the goose is the Vahan of Brahma, the peacock that of Kartikeya, Sani rides upon a vulture; the Brahmani kite is said to be a form of Durga, and the Khanjana, or wagtail, represents Vishnu, because the mark on its throat is thought to resemble the Shalgrama; the owl, too, is worshipped at the festivals of

[paragraph continues] Kartikeya, Brahma, and Lakshmi. Garuda, the Vahan of Vishnu, and Jatayus and Sampati, the vultures who assisted Rama, will be described separately.

The cow, though not regarded as the Vahan of any deity, is worshipped too. Brahma is said to have created cows and Brahmans at the same time; the Brahman to officiate at worship, and the cow to provide milk, ghi, etc., as offerings, whilst cow-dung is necessary for various purifying ceremonies. Regular worship of the cow takes place yearly, at which similar ceremonies are performed to those which are employed at the worship of images; the horns and bodies of the cows are painted, and they are then bathed in the rivers. Some people are said to worship the cow daily.

GARUDA.

Garuda or Superna is a mythical being, half-man and half-eagle, the Vahan of Vishnu. Though not strictly divine, he appears frequently in Vishnu's exploits, and, being worshipped together with his lord, it is necessary to give some description of his birth and deeds.