THE SWASTIKA,

THE SWASTIKA,

 

THE EARLIEST KNOWN SYMBOL, AND ITS MIGRATIONS;
WITH OBSERVATIONS ON THE MIGRATION OF
CERTAIN INDUSTRIES IN PREHISTORIC TIMES.

 

Meaning of the swastika for Hindus

Derived from the Sanskrit word “svastik” meaning maker of goodness, good luck or wellbeing (sva meaning good and asti meaning prevail/exists and ka meaning to make) it also translates as pure and auspicious. It is believed that a person who regularly uses the swastik in daily rituals and worship will be bestowed good luck, well-being, peace, harmony and positivity.

In fact, for many Hindus, the swastik is used in every household ritual (puja). It is commonly made of sindoor or kumkum (red powders). The symbol of the swastika is believed to bring power and shakti to the house. Its shape releases positive energy particles that provide spiritual protection and remove obstacles and negative energies.

There are several theories (as expected!) as to what the lines on the swastika could possibly represent, however most theories have some sort of tie to the natural world and the forces at work inside it –

1. No matter what angle you view the swastik from, it always looks the same. For this reason, it is considered a symbol of the sun. According to Hindu belief, the way the sun rises every morning without fail and then always sets in the evening is like the way the swastik symbol never loses its form, both represent the concept of infinity.
2. The swastik signifies continuous​ progress and holds the ability to never change.
3. Its arms, bent at right angles, symbolise the eternal cycle of creation, preservation, and destruction.
4. The four arms of the swastik that bend towards the right are a symbol of the God Vishnu (108^th) and the Sun, while if reversed to face toward the left the arms represent Kali and Magic. Goddess Kali is a deity known for her protective and destructive forces.
5. The four arms that bend towards the right also represent the never-ending birth cycle, when a circle is drawn around the swastika, it represents Surya the Sun God – the ultimate source of light, heat, and energy for the universe.
6. Together with Lord Ganesha (the elephant headed God), the remover of obstacles, it is considered an embodiment of prosperity and good fortune.
7. The swastik encapsulates the divine vibrations of the most sacred sound of Aum. In Hindu philosophy, Aum is considered the cosmic sound, representing the ultimate reality, consciousness, and existence. The swastik, with its distinct arms and angles, visually embodies the vibrational patterns of Aum.
8. The four branches of the Swastik are believed to represent the fourfold principles of divinity

9. central point of the Swastik is believed to represent the navel of Lord Vishnu, from which Lord Brahma was born.
10. The four Yugas (a cyclical age of humanity measured by spiritual wisdom) – Kali Yuga (now), Dvapara Yuga, Treta yuga & Satya Yuga.
11. The swastik is one of the 16 sacred marks on the feet of the Supreme God, Narayan, according to the Puranas (ancient Hindu scriptures. In the Padma Purana, Brahma talks of these signs and the swastik is part of the eight special signs on the right foot, making the swastik a symbol of Divinity.
12. It represents the north pole and the rotational movement of the earth around its axis.
13. It may have been created to represent the belief that the cosmos was pulled by four heavenly horses who were known to revolve around a fixed centre point in a clockwise rotation