Hamsa
Hamsa is one of the ten incarnations of Vishnu, appearing in the form of a swan.
↻ synthesized from 4 sources
When
- First attested
- 400 BCE
- Attested period
- -400 – 2020
- Historical notes
- The Mahabharata is estimated to have been compiled between 400 BCE and 400 CE.
Relationships
- co occurs with
- Nrisingha, Kalki, sadhyas, Mantā, Prāṇa, Apāna, Vīrayān, Vibhu, Naya, Prabhu, Dinka, Parvani, Shani's vahana, Krishna, Matsya, Kurma, Varaha, Vamana, Rama, Narayana, Nara, Haya, Mana, Nandi
- manifests as
- Vishnu
- serves
- Saraswati
Mentioned by
Sources
Source passages
“Appearing in the forms of a swan [Hamsa], a tortoise [Kurma], a fish [Matsya], O foremost of regenerate ones, I shall then display myself as a boar [Varaha], then as a Man-lion (Nrisingha), then as a dwarf [Vamana], then as Rama of Bhrigu's race, then as Rama, the son of Dasaratha, then as Krishna the scion of the Sattwata race, and lastly as Kalki.”
#17594 · extracted by google/gemini-2.0-flash-001
“Used to protect against the evil eye, a malicious stare believed to cause illness, death, or general misfortune, hamsas often contain an eye symbol. Depictions of the hand, the eye, or the number five in Arabic (and Berber) tradition are related to warding off the evil eye”
#20335 · extracted by google/gemini-2.0-flash-001
“The hamsa, vehicle of Saraswati, represents wisdom, grace, and beauty.”
#22504 · extracted by google/gemini-2.0-flash-001