It is the Festival of Nine Nights - Navarathri - and it is a common practice to draw Swastika symbols on the doors and entrances during festivals. The svastika (卐 or 卍) (Sanskrit: स्वस्तिक), is a symbol among the ancient cultures and religions- Buddhism,Hinduism, Jainism; Egyptians, Mayans, Aztec, Inca, Native Americans, Romans, Greeks, Chinese, Japanese, ancient Troy and Celts, Greeks, and others. Swastika is derived from su (well), asti (is) and ka (a noun ending). it means auspicious, blessed, virtuous, beautiful, and rightly; Astika derived from the verb-root as -- to be; hence that which is blessed and excellent. The Swastika is a very archaic and sacred symbol which can be found in the religious relics of every ancient nation, for it depicts the whole story of the cosmos and man, their contrasting dual aspects, the four directions of space, the revolution of worlds, cyclic progression, and the union of spirit and matter at the heart of things. Its use in India dates back to the Indus Valley Civilization (3000 BC - 700 BC) and the city of Harappa. A large number of seals discovered in Harappa bear swastika designs. In Chinese Taoism, the swastika is a symbol of eternity.The swastika has been standardized as a Chinese character 卍 (pinyin: wàn). In Buddhism the left-facing swastika is imprinted on the chest, feet and palms of Buddha and is also the first of the 65 auspicious symbols on the footprint of the Buddha It is a mystic symbol or figure, which is sacred to most Indian sects. A swastika is of two types: the right-handed or male, representing the vernal sun and the god Ganesha. In this Svastika, the extremities of the arms of the cross bend clockwise. It is considered auspicious. The left-handed or female cross represents the autumnal sun and the goddess Kali. The auspicious symbol is used in ceremonies related to marriage, tonsure, the worship of SvastikaLakshmi and during the invocation of the nine planets (see Janmapatri). It is worshiped as a symbol of the sun, Ganesha and the serpent kingdom (see Snake Worship). In festivals and on auspicious occasions, the swastika is drawn on the floor of the house. It is considered to signify or evoke good luck. Many theories have been propounded about the swastika. It has been described as the emblem of Zeus, the god of sun, fire and rain, the Trinity (see Trimurti) and also the Supreme Being, Brahman. Most scholars however regard it as a fire or solar symbol and hence it is called the solar or fire cross. It is believed to represent the movement of the chakra, which is symbolically reduced to four spokes and set at right angles. It also represents the fire-making apparatus of old times, used for kindling the sacrificial fire (homagni). In the Vedas it is referred to as the wheel of the sun. It indicates cosmic procession and evolution around a fixed center. It also represents the principle of life and movement that transfers the dwarf to the giant and the microcosm to the macrocosm, named rkvam, the rhythmic movement. Panini, the great Indian scholar, used this symbol as the name of a sign in his grammatical treatise, Ashtadhyayi (Eight Chapters, 450 BC). The symbol is not exclusive to India and is known all over the world. Proof of its widespread use has been found in archaeological discoveries in Egypt, China, Greece and Mexico. For Tibetan Buddhism, it is emblematic of the element of Earth. It is a common practice for Hindus to draw Swastika symbols on the doors and entrances to their houses during festivals, which is believed to symbolize an invitation to goddess Lakshmi. its shape represents a monogram formed by interlacing of the letters of the auspicious words su-astí (svasti) written in Ashokan characters. Swastika has a long history as a symbol for Christ. During the first three centuries A.D, the Swastika was the only form of cross used by Christians in catacombs and churches. It was a disguised form of the cross and a unifying symbol among those who survived a common persecution. In Rome, it is called Crux Dissimulata because the early Christians concealed themselves. The Church did not adopt the crucifix until the sixth century when Christianity had become the official religion of Rome. Swastikas can be seen decorating the Christian Catacombs of Rome. In Japan Swastika is called Manji, named after an ancient God. It is found on major temples and street-corner shrines in Japan and far eastern countries. The Chinese called it “Wan”. The ancient Chinese Falun Dafa or Gong practitioners have five Swastikas in their organizations logo and they have a very high respect for Swastika. They have been advancing the restoration of the original use of Swastika. Swastika was widely used in ancient Persia, now known as Iran, before the Islamic invasion. In Scandinavia, the Swastika is called the Hammer of Thor, which derived from the Vikings. The Essenes, a sect of Judaism, lived in Palestine from the second century B.C. to the end of the first century A.D. To them, the Swastika was a sacred sign representing the Wheel of Eternal Life. The Universal Jewish Encyclopaedia (1939-1943) says, “The Swastika appears on various articles excavated in Palestine, on ancient synagogues in Galilee and Syria, and on the Jewish catacombs at the Villa Torlonia in Rome.” In the synagogue at Tel Hum, Capernaum, Swastika is found on the breeze side by side with the Star of David
Posted on: Wed, 01 Oct 2014 06:36:49 +0000
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