A vahana is a carrier or a vehicle of any personor a Devata [ = a particular capacity or a roll of Iswara or The Lord. ] Here it means a carrier of a Devata.
That vahana indicates that how a Devata which is a power of Lord is able to reach or accomplish its duty.
All the Hindu Devatas are represented with a vahana to tell it; each vahana is very different and even more symbolical.
Below is a list of each Devata that has a designated vahana, what their vahana is, and the meaning behind.
Sri Ganesha
"The remover of obstacles" - The chubby, gentle, wise, elephant-headed, pleasant, Ganesh, or Ganesha, is one of most popular deities in Hindu lifestyle.
He is the remover of obstacles, the deity whom worshippers first acknowledge when they visit a temple.
He is usually shown in sculpture accompanied by or riding a rat. Since rats are seen as being capable of gnawing their way through most things, the rat symbolizes Ganesh's ability to destroy every obstacle.
Shiva
"The Destroyer" - Shiva (Sanskrit word meaning - Auspicious One), or Siva, is one of the main Deities of Hindu lifestyle, worshipped as the paramount lord in Hindu lifestyle as he can destroy ignorance and the person a knowledgeable. Shiva is one of the most complex Devatas of India, embodying seemingly contradictory qualities. He is the destroyer and the restorer, the great ascetic and the symbol of sensuality, the benevolent herdsman of souls and the wrathful avenger. His guardian is Nandi (the white bull), who’s statue can often be seen watching, really speaking meditating over the main shrine. The bull is said to embody sexual energy, fertility. Riding on its back means Shiva is controlling or administrating these impulses.
Parvati
"Daughter of the Mountain" - The Devata that is Shiva's wife in her most gentle form is called Parvati. Parvati is depicted as a beautiful woman. Devata of love, fertility and devotion. She is the Devata of divine strength and power. Her vahana is a tiger.
Lakshmi
"Devata of Fortune and Wealth" - Lakshmi represents the beautiful and bountiful aspect of nature. As Bhoodevi, the earth-Devata, she nurtures life; as Shreedevi, the Devata of fortune, she bestows power, pleasure and prosperity on those who deserve her grace. To realize her, one must respect the laws of life and appreciate the wonders of existence. Her Vehicle is the owl. ;
Durga
"The Unconquerable form of Devi" - Durga is the most splendid manifestation of Devi. Virginal and sublime, contain within her the power of all the Devatas combined, she is the invincible power of Nature who triumphs over those who seek to subjugate her.
Durga [ who is in the form of Saraswati, Lakshmi and Parvati ] is one of the names of the Parashakti the total power of The Lord or Iswara [ who is in the form of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva ].
Durga has the role of a warrior Devatas who destroys demons. She is usually depicted with ten arms that hold the weapons of the various Devatas. Durga's vahana is a lion. Her lion acts as her means of transportation and one of her many weapons.
Vishnu
"The Preserver" - Vishnu's vahana is the eagle King named Garuda. He is often shown as a winged human-shaped figure with a beaklike nose. Garuda carries Vishnu to Vaikuntha (heaven) where he lives.
Saraswati
"The Devata of Wisdom" - Saraswati, the Devata of art, music and learning, usually holds a book and a stringed instrument called a veena. She is the river of consciousness that enlivens creation; she is the dawn-Devata whose rays dispel the darkness of ignorance. Without her there is only chaos and confusion. To realize her one must go beyond the pleasures of the senses and rejoice in the serenity of the spirit. Saraswati's vahana is a peacock or a swan. The peacock represents arrogance and pride over its beauty, and by having a peacock as her mount, the Devata teaches Hindus not to be concerned with external appearance and to be wise regarding the eternal truth.
Agni
"The Devata of Fire" - Agni is the Hindu Devata of fire and is present in every fire that is lit. The Rig Veda signified that Agni was one of the main Devata. Agni's vahana is the ram. He is usually seen riding the ram or in a chariot pulled by many fiery horses.
Brahmama
"The Devata of Creation" - The Devata of creation is called Brahma. Brahma is often seen on temple walls or in wall hangings in a Hindu household. Brahma is usually seen carrying the Vedas, a scepter, a string of prayer beads, a water pot a spoon used in making offerings in the fire sacrifice, or a bow. Brahma is usually portrayed with four heads and four arms. Brahma's vahana is a goose or a swan.
Indra
"The Storm Devata" - - Indra is a Vedic storm Devata that carries thunderbolts as his weapons and is also a bringer of rains. Indra was an important Devata with the Aryan warriors. Indra's vahana is a great white elephant called Airavata. Airavata is often depicted with four tusks.
Hanuman
"The Monkey Devata" - The monkey Devata Hanuman is one of the most widely worshipped Devata in all of India. The reason for Hanuman's popularity is because he helped command an army of monkeys that helped the Devata Ramama defeat the demon king Ravana. Due to Hanuman's popularity and stature because of his devoted loyalty to Rama monkeys are rarely harmed in India. Hanuman does not have a vahana.
