Swastika

[Guest guest]

Hello people...

 

I was just wondering if anyone here knows what the Swastika is all about in Hinduism? And how is it that the Nazi's adopted it? Isn't it a recognised fact that it is of Indian origin? - whenever i watch a documentary there is never any mention whatsoever of its origins and connections to Hinduism.

 

Also, is it true that the Germans took many of our Sanksrit texts from India and never returned them? If so, are they still in Germany?

 

Cheers.

[livingentity]

Swastika (Svastikah = sanskrit) - fortunate, good.

 

Counter clockwise Swastika's are associated with Kali and clockwise are associated with Ganesh (please correct me if I am wrong).

 

Not sure where it really originated.

 

The swastika means life and good luck. But because of the Nazis, it has also taken on a meaning of death and hate. Most people don't even know that the swastika has any other meaning - Hitler did a good job polluting an ancient symbol associated with God.

 

[Gauracandra]

Names and Definitions of the Swastika.

 

The Swastika has been called by different names in different countries, though nearly all countries have in later years accepted the ancient Sanskrit name of Swastika; and this name is recommended as the most definite and certain, being now the most general and, indeed, almost universal. It was formerly spelled s-v-a-s-t-i-c-a and s-u-a-s-t-i-k-a, but the later spelling, both English and French, is s-w-a-s-t-i-k-a. The definition and etymology of the word is thus given in Littre's French Dictionary:

 

Svastika, or Swastika, a mystic figure used by several (East) Indian sects. It was equally well known to the Brahmins as to the Buddhists. Most of the rock inscriptions in the Buddhist caverns in the west of India are preceded or followed by the holy (sacramental) sign of the Swastika. (Eug. Burnouf, "Le Lotus de la bonne loi." Paris, 1852, p.625.) It was seen on the vases and pottery of Rhodes (Cyprus) and Etruria. (F. Delaunay, Jour. off., Nov. 18, 1873, p.7024,3d col.)

Etymology: A Sanskrit word signifying happiness, pleasure, good luck. It is composed of Su (equivalent of the Greek ev), "good" and asti, "beinggood being," with the suffix ka (Greek ka, Latin co).

In the "Revue d'Ethnographie" (iv, 1885, p. 329), Mr. Dumoutier gives the following analysis of the Sanskrit, swastika:

Su, radical, signifying good, well, excellent, or suridas, prosperity.

Auti, third person, singular, indicative present of the verbs as, to be, which is sum in Latin.

Ka, suffix forming the substantive.

Professor Whitney in the Century Dictionary says, Swastika---[sanskrit, lit. "of good fortune." Svasti (Su, well, + asti, being), welfare.] Same as fylfot. Compare Crux ansata and gammadion.

In "Ilios" (p.347), Max Müller says:

Ethnologically, Svastika is derived from srasti, and svasti from su, "well," and as, "to be." Svasti occurs frequently in the Veda, both as a noun in a sense of happiness, and as an adverb in the sense of "well" or "hail!" It corresponds to the Greek enedrea, such as are found most frequently among Buddhists and Jainas.

 

M. Eugèue Burnouf (1) defines the mark Swastika as follows:

 

A monogrammatic sign of four branches, of which the ends are curved at right angles, the name signifying, literally, the sign of benediction or good augury.

The foregoing explanations relate only to the present accepted name "Swastika." The sign Swastika must have existed long before the name was given to it. It must have been in existence long before the Buddhist religion of the Sanskrit language.

In Great Britain the common name given to the Swastika from Anglo-Saxon times by those who apparently had no knowledge whence it came, or that it came from any other than their own country was Fylfot, said to have been derived from the Anglo-Saxon fower fot, meaning four-footed, or many-footed. (2)

 

George Waring, in his work entitled "Ceramie Art in Remote Ages"(p.10), says:

 

The word [Fylfot] is Scandinavian and is compounded of Old Norse fiël, equivalent to the Anglo-Saxon fela, German viel, many, and fotr, foot, the many-footed figure.

* * * It is desirable to have some settled name by which to describe it - we will take the simplest and most descriptive, the "Fylfot."

 

He thus transgresses one of the oldest and soundest rules of scientific nomenclature, and ignores the fact that the name Swastika has been employed for this sign in the Sanskrit language (the etymology of the word naturally gave it the name Svastika, sv–good or well, asti–to be or being, or it is) and that two thousand and more years of use in Asia and Europe had sanctioned and sanctified that as its name. The use of Fylfot is confined to comparatively few persons in Great Britain and, possibly, Scandinavia. Outside of these countries it is scarcely known, used, or understood.

[Gauracandra]

It is unfortunate that the Svastika has become associated with hate. It is in my opinion one of the most absorbing symbols out there, perhaps as powerful as the Christian cross. There is something magnetic, and hypnotic about its look and simplicity. I think its simplicity is part of its appeal, it nice symmetry and geometric design. I think it is meant to represent the chakra, which can be viewed as the wheel of time, as well as the Sudarshana weapon of Visnu. We shouldn't let people take this beautiful symbol away from us just because some people use it for hate.

[theist]

I just saw on some internet news site,the swastika use used by Native Americans also, which caught me by surprise. They showed a picture of some artifact and sure enough there it was plain as day.

 

My poor tired brain can't seem to recall just where that was. If I remember I'll post it.

[Gauracandra]

I believe (not positive) that some Native Americans have a form of swastika called "rolling logs". Its something in the back of my mind. It appears to be a fairly universal symbol found in a number of cultures. Perhaps it is a link to a common historical culture we all shared.

[livingentity]

If I am not mistaken, the Hopi Tribe uses the swastika as a symbol - not sure what. There may have been others.

 

Here is the link to an on-line book I just found trying to find more info.

 

The Swastika and the Nazis

 

I just scanned through the intro and it looks like it gives a lot of history on the swastika besides the perverted Nazism (is that a word?? /images/graemlins/confused.gif)

[Guest guest]

The swastika is an ancient aryan symbol. It arrived in many parts of the world through either cultural exchange or dominance by the Aryans. (personaly ive seen it or heard it referred to in all world cultures bar Jewish and Negroid).

When Hitler adopted the swastika as the symbol for the National Socialist Party, it was at the time currently 'in vogue' with a number of Germanic occult and nationalist groupings. The reason being ethnic Germans were seen to be of direct Aryan ancestry. Hence an Aryan symbol for an Aryan Germany. The occult side of the Swastikas meaning wouldnt have been of any real concern to Hitler.

 

'The eighteenth I will eternally never

tell to a woman or maid;

it forms the best end to the lays-

which only One of All know,

except for the lady who embraces me in marriage

or who is also a sister to me.'

 

Excerpt from Wotans Rune song

[Guest guest]

Theres a good explanation of the Swastika meaning in 'The secret of the Runes' by Guido von List. Also, although not mentioned by the author or translater, there are many links from ancient Germanic and nordic beliefs and those of Hinduism.

[Guest guest]

[theist]

That's right Livingentity it was the Hopis I was trying to remember.

 

Haribol

[Guest guest]

See an article about it at:

 

http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Atlantis/4324/Swastik2.htm

[Gauracandra]

Here is quote from "The Everlasting Man" with regard to the symbolism of the Swastika, and how it represents philosophically the exact opposite of the symbolism of the cross.

 

What is the Swastika? It is a stationary, turning wheel. It is an endless cycle, in which one never makes progress within the wheel itself. It represents quite nicely the distinction between the Eastern formless philosophies, and the Western philosophies of form.

 

 

It will appear only a jest to say that all religious history has really been a pattern of noughts and crosses. But I do not by noughts mean nothings, but only things that are negative compared with the positive shape or pattern of the other. And though the symbol is of course only a coincidence, it is a coincidence that really does coincide. The mind of Asia can really be represented by a round 0, if not in the sense of a cypher at least of a circle. The great Asiatic symbol of a serpent with its tail in its mouth is really a very perfect image of a certain idea of unity and recurrence that does indeed belong to the Eastern philosophies and religions. It really is a curve that in one sense includes everything, and in another sense comes to nothing. In that sense it does confess, or rather boast, that all argument is an argument in a circle. And though the figure is but a symbol, we can see how sound is the symbolic sense that produces it, the parallel symbol of the Wheel of Buddha generally called the Swastika The cross is a thing at right angles pointing boldly in opposite directions; but the Swastika is the same thing in the very act of returning to the recurrent curve. That crooked cross is in fact a cross turning into a wheel. Before we dismiss even these symbols as if they were arbitrary symbols, we must remember how intense was the imaginative instinct that produced them or selected them both in the east and the west. The cross has become something more than a historical memory; it does convey, almost as by a mathematical diagram, the truth about the real point at issue; the idea of a conflict stretching outwards into eternity. It is true, and even tautological, to say that the cross is the crux of the whole matter.

 

In other words the cross, in fact as well as figure, does really stand for the idea of breaking out of the circle that is everything and nothing. It does escape from the circular argument by which everything begins and ends in the mind. Since we are still dealing in symbols, it might be put in a parable in the form of that story about St. Francis, which says that the birds departing with his benediction could wing their way into the infinites of the four winds of heaven, their tracks making a vast cross upon the sky; for compared with the freedom of that flight of birds, the very shape of the Swastika is like a kitten chasing its tail. In a more popular allegory, we might say that when St. George thrust his spear into the monster's jaws, he broke in upon the solitude of the self-devouring serpent and gave it something to bite besides its own tail. But while many fancies might be used as figures of the truth, the truth itself is abstract and absolute; though it is not very easy to sum up except by such figures. Christianity does appeal to a solid truth outside itself; to something which is in that sense external as well as eternal. It does declare that things are really there; or in other words that things are really things--In this Christianity is at one with common sense; but all religious history shows that this common sense perishes except where there is Christianity to preserve it.

 

 

[Guest guest]

India is a big place and interpretations vary. In some traditions it is symbolic of the union of the 4 directions, solar radiations (assoiciated with Vishnu.)

 

Coyote who forgot the password to log in once more /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[Guest guest]

'The great Asiatic symbol of a serpent with its tail in its mouth is really a very perfect image of a certain idea of unity and recurrence that does indeed belong to the Eastern philosophies and religions.'

 

So someone explain how comes in Nordic mythology Midgard had a giant serpent coiled around with its tail in its mouth. I think this authors jumping to conclusion without any serious research.

[Guest guest]

'The cross has become something more than a historical memory; it does convey, almost as by a mathematical diagram, the truth about the real point at issue; the idea of a conflict stretching outwards into eternity.'

 

The author is mistaken here. It is the swastika which represents the eternal conflict and also at the same time its resolvement. I believe the

german philosopher Hegel roughyl sums it up best (although he was not speaking in regard to the swastika) with his theory of the dialectic. Where every thesis has an antithesis and together they will form a new synthesis which will also be a thesis with an antithesis and so on and so on, until ultimate resolvement (if there can be one?). As for the cross as a symbol remember it represents the sacrifice of Christ which was of course on the cross. However two lines overlapping is a common cultural design in many cultures.

[Gauracandra]

That is his point. That Christianity broke out of this mold. I don't have the quote on hand but he mentions how "the changeless east is precisely that because it has not undergone the great change." You just proved his point in pointing to this pre-Christian Nordic symbol. He would not argue at all with this. I'd recommend reading his entire work, as it is a very well organized description of Christianity, its symbolism and development.

[Guest guest]

it has been said that the swastika in the clockwise position signifies evolution and expansion of conciousness.in the reversed position it is said to represent the opposite the reversal of evolution and expansion.This is why hitler chose it as a symbol.

[xxvvii]

that galaxy has 4 arms.

[Guest guest]

The swastika is a symbol meaning all-auspicious and great fortune. It is assoxciated with Sri Ganesh, who is the demigod/scribe who removes all impediments to ones spiritual quest.

 

There are many different versions of this symbol, mirror images, circular, and many cultures have used variations of this symbol.

 

In these times. this symbol means Hitler and Nazi ideology. Folks use this symbol to brutally harm others. I use this symbol to signify the present amerikan administration's rush to fatal fascism, a suicide that may be impossible to stop. So perhaps this symbol has lost the all-auspicious quality, due to manipulations by men who think they are divine, like the despots of the third reich and their neo-constituants.

 

The swastika can also be seen as a chakra weapon.

 

hare krsna, mahaksadasa