In the mythological texts of all known cultures, we come across beasts and monsters of various kinds. This post mentions some of them.

Hydra

A serpentine character that appears in Greek and Roman Mythology. It resides in the lake of Lerna in the Argolid. It is said Hydra was raised by Goddess Hera to kill Hercules. Each time its head was cut off, two new ones would grow in its place. Hydra was killed by Hercules during the course of the twelve labours he was performing at the behest of King Eurystheus.

Jormungandr

In Norse mythology, Jormungandr, also known as the Midgard (World) Serpent, is a sea serpent, and an offspring of Angrboda and Loki. The serpent was thrown in the great ocean by Odin. It grew so large that it surrounded the earth and was able to grasp its own tail. It was primed to fight Thor to death during Ragnarok.

Timingila

A huge sea monster who is mentioned in the Mahabharata, and also in some other scriptures like Ramayana and Susruta Samhita. It is described as a creature so big it could swallow whole whales in one gulp.

Grootslang

The most famous Grootslang is believed to live in a deep cave in Richtersveld, South Africa. It is believed to be a serpent with body features of both a snake and an elephant. The cave is supposed to be filled with diamonds, which the Grootslang covets and protects fiercely. It is said the victims can buy their freedom by gifting it with enough precious gems. It is also rumoured to lure in elephants, crush them and swallow them whole.

Tarasque

Tarasque is a legendary creature from France, and is the offspring of Onachus, a bison-like beast which burned everything it touched, and the Leviathan, a sea-serpent mentioned in the Bible. It is a dragon with legs of a bear, the body of an ox, face of a lion, a shell on its body like a turtle’s, and a tail with a stinger at its end, like a scorpion.

Scylla and Charybdis

The evil spirits of the sea included Scylla and Charybdis, who lived on either sides of the Straits of Sicily. Scylla rolled down rocks to crush the passing ships, while Charybdis was the motive power beneath a terrible whirlpool which struck fear into the hearts of sailors and sucked their vessels down to destruction. Homer gives a description of these creatures in the Odyssey, where they are encountered by Odysseus and his crew.

Vritra

Vritra was created by Tvashtri to avenge the killing of his son Visvarupa by Indra. He is described as a serpent or a dragon. and is the bringer of drought. He did so by keeping the waters of the world captive. He was later killed by Indra, who then released the imprisoned rivers. In some accounts, Vritra is killed using the Vajra which was made using Sage Dadhichi’s bones. In some other accounts, Indra, as part of a truce, had sworn he would not attack Vritra with anything made of metal, wood, or stone, or anything that was dry or wait, and during the day or night. Eventually, he killed Vritra using the foam from the waves of the ocean at twilight.

Azi Dahaka

Azi Dahaka is a storm demon from Persian mythology. He steals cattle and brings harm to humans. It is a snake-like monster with three heads and six eyes who also personifies the Babylonian oppression of Persia. The monster will be captured by the warrior god Thraetaona and placed on the mountain top Dermawend. In a final revival of evil, it will escape its prison, but at the end of time (fraso-kereti) it will die in the river of fire Ayohsust.

Longma

Longma is a Chinese horse dragon, since its body is similar to a horse full of scales, the head like a dragon, and tail of a snake. In some references, it can also be seen with a pair of wings. It inhabits lakes, swampy areas and seas. Chinese mythology considers this creature as a messenger from the gods, travelling between heaven and earth, representing the balance between the two worlds.

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