Nandi

(“joy,” “delight”) Epithet of the animal
vehicle of the god Shiva, which takes the
form of a bull. Like all of the animal
vehicles, it symbolizes the deity. Nandi
is not only Shiva’s vehicle, but his devotee (bhakta). Statues of Nandi are often
sculpted outside Shiva temples (usually
facing the image) as a way of marking
the site as sacred to Shiva. He appears in
many places in Shiva’s mythology, but
usually as a devoted underling advancing Shiva’s purposes, rather than an
independent agent with a purpose and
ends of his own.