List of mythological objects (Hindu Mythology)

Mythological objects encompass a variety of items (e.g. weapons, armor, clothing) found in Hindu mythology.

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Armour

Kavacha - The armour of Karna that was granted by his father Surya at birth. It was impenetrable even to heavenly weapons.
Karna
Shiva-Kavacha - The armour of Lord Shiva which will make its wielder invincible

Shield

Jaivardhan - A shield of Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva.
Srivatsa - The shield of Vishnu, a symbol worshiped and revered by the Hindus, said to be manifested on the god's chest.

Dispensers

Akshaya Patra - Akshayapatra (means an inexhaustible vessel), is an object from Hindu theology. It was a wonderful vessel given to Yudishtira by the Lord Surya which provided a never-failing supply of food to the Pandavas every day.
Akshaya Tunir - inexhaustible quiver of arrows of Arjuna.

Flag

Garuda Dhwaja - The flag of Vishnu.
Indra Dhwaja - The flag of Indra. Also a festival of Indra.
Kapi Dhwaja or Vanara dwaja (monkey flag) - The flag of Arjuna in the Mahabharata, in which the Lord Hanuman himself resided.
Seval Kodi - The war flag of Lord Murugan, god of war. It depicts the rooster, Krichi.

Jewelry & Ornaments

Keyur - Keyur is the golden jewellery, worn by Krishna on his arm (armlet), over the biceps.
Kundala - The ear-rings of Karna (was present at his birth).

Mala
- Akshamala - The garland of Brahma.
- Mundamala (also called Kapalamala or Rundamala) - The mundamala is a garland of severed human heads and/or skulls. It is characteristic of fearsome aspects of Kali and Shiva, while in Buddhism, it is worn by Wrathful deities of Tibetan Buddhism.
- Vaijayanti-mala - Literally meaning, "the garland of victory". The Vaijayanti or Vyjayanti is a mythical flower, offered to Krishna and Vishnu in worship as a garland.
Mani
- Chintamani - a wish-fulfilling jewel, anything wished by holding it in the hands can be availed.
- Kaustubha - Is a divine jewel or "Mani", which is in the possession of Lord Vishnu.
- Nagamani - The gem that lies on the nagaraja Vasuki's head.
- Syamantaka (also Syamantakamani and Shyamantaka Jewel) - The most famous jewel that is supposed to be blessed with magical powers.
- Vaidurya - most precious of all stones, sparkling beauty beyond compare, the stone worn by the goddess Lakshmi

Musical Instruments

Goddess Saraswati depicted playing the veena

Avanaddh
- Damaru or damru (a small two-headed drum) - The damru is known as the instrument of the deity Shiva, and is said to have been created by Shiva in order to produce the spiritual sounds by which the whole universe was created and regulated.
- Mridangam or tannumai in Tamil (wooden double-headed drum) - Nandi is said to have played the mridangam during Shiva's primordial tandava dance, causing a divine rhythm to resound across the heavens. The mridangam is thus also known as "Deva Vaadyam" or "Divine Instrument".
Sushir
- Nandni Vardhanam - The Conch of Satyaki.
- Panchajanya - a Shankha conch shell of the Hindu god Vishnu.
- Shankha - A conch shell which is of ritual and religious importance in both Hinduism and Buddhism. The Shankha is a sacred emblem of the Hindu preserver god Vishnu. It is still used as a trumpet in Hindu ritual, and in the past was used as a war trumpet.
- Venu - The venu (a bamboo transverse flute) is associated with Krishna, who is often depicted playing it.
- Yogesha Nadam - The conch of Lord Shiva.
Tat
- Mahathi - The veena of Narada (a Vedic sage).
- Saraswati veena - The veena of Saraswati, Hindu goddess of knowledge, music, arts, wisdom and learning.
- Rudra veena - As Rudra is a name for the Hindu god Shiva, rudra vina literally means "the veena dear to Shiva".

Plants & Trees

Plants
- Ausadhirdipyamanas - Healing plants. Used for healing and rejuvenations in battles. These are used by the Ashvins.
- Kusha grass - The Kusha grass is specifically recommended by Lord Krishna in the Bhagavad Gita as part of the ideal seat for meditation.
- Padma - Padma (The sacred lotus) is an aquatic plant that plays a central role in Indian religions such as Hinduism, Buddhism, Sikhism, and Jainism. Hindus revere it with the gods Vishnu, Brahma and to a lesser degree Kubera, and the goddesses Lakshmi and Saraswati. Often used as an example of divine beauty and purity.
- Sanjeevani - Sanjeevani is a magical herb which has the power to cure any malady. It was believed that medicines prepared from this herb could revive a dead person.
- Tulsi - Tulsi (or Tulasi, Holy basil) is a sacred plant in Hindu belief. Hindus regard it as an earthly manifestation of the goddess Tulsi; she is regarded as a great worshipper of the god Vishnu.
Trees
- Akshayavat or Akshay Vat (Indestructible Banyan Tree) - It is a sacred fig tree. The sage Markandeya asked Lord Narayana to show him a specimen of the divine power. Narayana flooded the entire world for a moment, during which only the Akshayavat could be seen above the water level.
- Amalika - The veneration of the amla tree in particular is due to the belief that the god Vishnu resides in and near the tree, particularly on Amalaka Ekadashi.
- Ashvattha (also Assattha) - A sacred tree for the Hindus and has been extensively mentioned in texts pertaining to Hinduism, mentioned as 'peepul' (Ficus religiosa) in Rig Veda mantra I.164.20 . Buddhist texts term the tree as Bodhi tree, a tree under which Gautama Buddha meditated and gained enlightenment.
- Ashoka tree - The ashoka tree is closely associated with the yakshi mythological beings.
- Bilva tree - Bilwa tree is a sacred tree and used to worship Lord Shiva.
- Kadamba - The kadamba is mentioned in the Bhagavata Purana. In North India, it is associated with Krishna while in the south it is known as "Parvati’s tree". The kadamba tree is also associated with a tree deity called Kadambariyamman.
- Kalpavriksha (also Kalpataru, Kalpadruma or Kalpapādapa) - It is a wish-fulfilling divine tree in Hindu mythology.
- Parijata - The divine flowering tree with blossoms that never fade or wilt - taken to Indraloka by the Devas.
- Sala tree - In Hindu tradition, the sal tree is said to be favoured by Vishnu. It is also associated with salabhanjika or shalabhanjika (also known as madanakai, madanika or shilabalika).

Substances

Sagar Manthan

Amrita - The nectar produced from the Samudra manthan, which upon consuming, granted the gods immortality.
Halahala - The Samudra manthan process released a number of things from the Ocean of Milk. One was the lethal poison known as Halahala. This terrified the gods and demons because the poison was so powerful that it could destroy all of creation. Shiva consumed the poison in an act to protect the universe.
Soma (Sanskrit) or Haoma (Avestan) - It is described as being prepared by extracting juice from the stalks of a certain plant. In both Vedic and Zoroastrian tradition, the name of the drink and the plant are the same, and also personified as a divinity, the three forming a religious or mythological unity.

Treasures

Nidhi (also called Nidhana, Nikhara, and Sevadhi) - In Hindu mythology, Nidhi, that is, a treasure, constitutes of nine treasures (nawanidhi) belonging to Kubera, god of wealth.
Ratnas - The 14 gems/treasures produced during the Samudra manthan.

Vehicles

Ravana rides his Vimana, Pushpaka.

Hansa Yukta Vimana - a flying machine/ personal plane of Lord Brahma, it is driven by swans and is completely white in colour.
Pushpa Vimana - (An Aeroplane with flowers) is a mythical Aeroplane found in Ayyavazhi mythology. In Maharashtra, it is the Pushpak Viman (a heavenly aircraft shaped as an eagle) which took Saint Tukaram (a devotee of Vishnu) to heaven.
Pushpaka Vimana or Dandu Monara - Pushpaka was originally made by Vishwakarma for Brahma, the Hindu god of creation; later Brahma gave it to Kubera, the God of wealth; but it was later stolen, along with Lanka, by his half-brother, king Ravana.
Surya's chariot - The chariot of Surya, charioteered by Aruna and drawn by seven horses.
Tripurajit Vimana - The golden vimana which Lord Shiva uses. It can traverse the space - time continuum.
Vahana - Vahana denotes the being, typically an animal or mythical entity, a particular Hindu deity is said to use as a vehicle. In this capacity, the vahana is often called the deity's "mount".
Vitthakalai - A gold-decorated chariot of Kali. (Ayyavazhi mythology)

Weapons

Ankusha (also Elephant Goad) - An elephant goad is one of the eight auspicious objects known as Astamangala. Ankusha is also an attribute of many Hindu gods, including Ganesha. (Hindu mythology)
Aruval - Tamils revere the weapon, a type of billhook, as a symbol of Karupannar. (Tamil mythology)
Ayudhapurusha - The anthropomorphic depiction of a divine weapon in Hindu art. Ayudhapurushas are sometimes considered as partial incarnates of their divine owners.
Chentu - A horse whip which looks like a crooked stick, and is a typical attribute of Aiyanar, Krishna in his aspect as Rajagopala, and Shiva with Nandi.
Halayudha - A plough used as a weapon by Balaram, brother of Krishna.
Indra's dart (also Vasavi Shakti) - Vasavi Shakti was used by Karna against Ghatotkacha in the Mahabharata war.
Indra's net - The net was one of the weapons of the sky-god Indra, used to snare and entangle enemies. The net also signifies magic or illusion.
Shiva Kaakam - An unconquerable weapon of Lord Shiva.

Astra

Agneyastra - The weapon discharged would emit flames inextinguishable through normal means.
Brahmanda Astra - It is said in the epic Mahabharata that the weapn manifests with the all five heads of Lord Brahma as its tip. Brahma earlier lost his fifth head when he fought with Lord Shiva. This weapon is said to possess the power to destroy entire solar system or Brahmand, the 14 realms according to Hindu cosmology.
Brahmashirsha Astra - It is thought that the Brahmashirsha Astra is the evolution of the Brahmastra, and 4 times stronger than Brahmastra. The weapon manifests with the four heads of Lord Brahma as its tip. When it strikes an area it will cause complete destruction and nothing will grow, not even a blade of grass, for the next 12 years. It will not rain for 12 years in that area, and everything including metal and earth become poisoned.
Brahmastra - Described in a number of the Puranas, it was considered the deadliest weapon. It was said that when the Brahmastra was discharged, there was neither a counterattack nor a defense that could stop it.
Indraastra - Would bring about a rain of arrows from the sky.
Narayanastra - The personal missile of Vishnu in his Narayana or Naraina form.
Pashupatastra - An irresistible and most destructive personal weapon of Shiva and Kali, discharged by the mind, the eyes, words, or a bow.
Vaishnavastra - In the Mahabharatha, on the 12th day of the war, Bhagadatta fired an irresistible weapon called Vaishnavastra on Arjuna, but Arjuna was saved from death by Krishna.
Varunastra - A water weapon (a storm) according to the Indian scriptures, incepted by Varuna. In stories it is said to assume any weapon's shape, just like water. This weapon is commonly mentioned as being used to counter the Agneyastra.

Chakram

Maheshwara Chakra - The Chakra of Lord Shiva.
Sudarshana Chakra - The legendary discus of Vishnu, which cannot be stopped by anyone, except by Lord Vishnu and Lord Shiva. It has tremendous occult and spiritual powers, by which it is able to destroy anything.

Danda

Brahmadanda - The rod of Brahma (also known as Meru-danda). The Brahmadanda is capable of nullifying the effects of any divine weapon, no matter how destructive. If hurled, the impact of this weapon is excruciatingly lethal to even the celestials.
Kaladanda - the staff of Death is a special and lethal club used by the God Yama or God of Naraka or Hell in Hindu mythology. It was the ultimate weapon; once fired it would kill anybody before it no matter wha boons he had to protect himself.
Khaṭvāṅga - In Hinduism, the god Shiva - Rudra carried the khatvāṅga as a staff weapon and are thus referred to as khatvāṅgīs.

Dhanush & Sharavya

Arrow of Brahma - The arrow given by the sage Agastya to Rama (seventh avatar of Vishnu) and was used to kill Ravana.
Arrow of Shiva - It can destroy creation. Returns to the quiver after being used.
Gandiva - created by Brahma and given by Varuna to Arjuna on Agni's request and used by Arjuna during the Kurukshetra War
Indra's bow (also Vijaya Dhanush) - Parasurama gave Vijaya to his student Karna, one of the greatest hero of the Hindu epic Mahabharata.
Kaundinya's bow - A magic bow wielded by the Brahman Kaundinya I, who used it to make the Nāga princess Soma fall in love with him. (Funan)
Kodandam - Rama's bow.
Pinaka - The great bow of Shiva, arrows fired from the bow could not be intercepted.
Sharanga - the bow of the Hindu God Vishnu
Sharkha - The bow of Krishna, 8th avatar of Vishnu.
Shiva Dhanush (Shiva's bow) - a bow given by Shiva to Janaka and broken by Rama during Sita's swayamvara
Teen Baan - Shiva gave Barbarika three infallible arrows (Teen Baan). A single arrow was enough to destroy all opponents in any war, and it would then return to Barbarika's quiver.

Gada

Ekasha Gada - The mace of Lord Shiva. A blow from the weapon is the equivalent of being hit by a million elephants.
Gada - the main weapon of the Hindu monkey god Hanuman, son of Añjanā.
Kaumodaki - Kaumodaki is the gada (mace) of the Hindu god Vishnu
God Vishnu
Mace of Bhima - It was presented by Mayasura. It was used by Danavas King Vrishaparva.

Khanda

Asi - a legendary sword mentioned in the epic Mahabharata
Chandrahas - Sword of Ravana granted by Maha Shiva as a boon.
Cura Si Manjakini - A sword mentioned in the legends of the Malay Annals as originally possessed by Sang Sapurba, the legendary ancestor of Malay kings. (Malay folklore)
Girish - A special sword of Shiva with unique characteristics.
Khanda - The khanda is a a symbol of Shiva. Khanda often appears in Hindu, Buddhist and Sikh scriptures and art.
Nandaka or Nandaki - Nandaka is the sword of the Hindu god Vishnu.
Pattayudha - The divine sword of Lord Virabhadra, commander of Lord Shiva's Armies.

Parashu

Parashu - The parashu is an Indian battle-axe. It is generally wielded with two hands but could also be used with only one. It is depicted as the primary weapon of Parashurama (the 6th Avatar of Lord Vishnu).

Pasha

Pasha - Pasha (Pāśa), often translated as "noose" or "lasso", is a supernatural weapon depicted in Hindu iconography. Hindu deities such as Ganesha, Yama and Varuna are depicted with the pasha in their hands.
Dharma Paasha - The pasha of Lord Dharma.
Kaala Paasha - The pasha of Time.
Naga Pasha - Pasha of The Nagas. Upon impact, this weapon would bind the target in the coils of living venomous snakes.
Shiva Parham - A long noose (of Shiva) from which even the Gods can't escape from.
Varuna paasha - Pasha of Varuna, god of water. Can hook any beings be they Deva, Asura or human. Impossible to escape from the hook of this weapon.
Yama Paasha - Pasha of Yama, god of death. It arrests and plucks out the life force of any living being. Except for the Trimurti's, no being can escape from this weapon.

Shula

Jayantha Vel - A spear which contains the power of the third eye of Lord Shiva.
Trident of Madhu - It was given as a boon by Shiva to Madhu, a Rakshasa. Then he gave it to his son Lavanasura. It was a very powerful weapon. It destroys anyone who directly fights with its master.
Trishula - The trident of Shiva, stylized by some as used as a missile weapon and often included a crossed stabilizer to facilitate flight when thrown. Considered to be the most powerful weapon.
Vel - Vel is a divine javelin (spear) associated with the Hindu war god Karthikeya.

Vajra

Shiva Vajra - A vajra 100 times more powerful than Indra's Vajra
Indra's Thunderbolt - A lightning thunderbolt wielded by Indra, called vajra.

Miscellaneous

Ashtamangala - The Aṣṭamaṅgala are a sacred suite of Eight Auspicious Symbols.
Chhatra - An umbrella, according to Hindu mythology, is the emblem of Varuna. A number of deities are depicted with chatra, and they include Revanta, Surya, and Vamana (the 5th avatar of Vishnu).
Hiranyagarbha (World egg) - The source of the creation of the universe or the manifested.
Prana - All the cosmic energy, permeating the Universe on all levels. Prana is often referred to as the "life force" or "life energy". It also includes energies present in inanimate objects.
Rudraksha, also rudraksh, ("[Rudra's [Shiva's] Teardrops"), is a seed traditionally used for prayer beads in Hinduism.
Stambha (also spelled as Skambha) - In the context of Hindu mythology, is believed to be a cosmic column. It is believed that the stambha functions as a bond, which joins the heaven (Svarga) and the earth (prithvi).

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