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Hamsa: FAQ & Sources
हंसThe hamsa is the divine swan or goose that carries Brahma and Saraswati. Tradition says it can separate milk from water, so it stands for discernment between the real and the unreal. Brahma flies as a hamsa in the story of the pillar of light, and the highest renunciants are called paramahamsa.
Frequently asked questions
What is Brahma's vehicle?
The hamsa, a divine swan or goose, which also carries Saraswati.
Why is the swan a symbol of wisdom?
Tradition says the hamsa can separate milk from water, the image of discerning truth from untruth.
What does paramahamsa mean?
The supreme swan: a title for the highest renunciants, who live in the world without being bound by it.
Sources
- Shiva Purana, Vidyeshvara Samhita
- Bhagavata Purana, Book 11, ch. 13
- Mahabharata, Vana Parva (Nalopakhyana)
Read our editorial policy on how scripture, Purana and folk tradition are labelled.
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