Peacocks

Krsna's pet peacock

Seated on his peacock vahana named Indranilaratha, Karttikeya is the symbol of youth, beauty and valour. The peacock, "mayura" in Sanskrit, symbolizes Karttikeya's effulgent beauty.

Karttikeya is the second son of Siva, the brother of Ganesha. A great Mahadeva worshiped in all parts of India and the world, he is also known as Murugan, Kumara, Skanda, Shanmukhanatha, Subramanya. All these forms are depicted as riding on or being associated with, the peacock. Murugan, the first form of Skanda in Southern India, is also mounted on a peacock. This peacock was originally a demon called Surapadma. After provoking Murugan in combat, the demon repented at the moment his lance descended upon him. He took the form of a tree and began to pray. The tree was cut in two. From one half, Murugan pulled a rooster, which he made his emblem, and from the other, a peacock, which he made his mount.

Swan or peacock