Swastika and its use.

[SethDrebitko]

From what I understand the symbol is still widely used in India, but I was curious how/if its use in western nations remains. Given its association with nazi propaganda has this symbol been abandoned by hindu's in the west?

[sanjaya]

Honestly I never even saw the swastika used in a Hindu context until my father became a devotee of Shirdi Sai Baba and got an image of Baba which displayed one. And this was long after I had learned about its use by the Nazis. I guess it's not used so widely by us here in the West.

[Odion]

From what I understand the symbol is still widely used in India, but I was curious how/if its use in western nations remains. Given its association with nazi propaganda has this symbol been abandoned by hindu's in the west?

It was in the mandir I was in yesterday, but not a very large one - there was a little piece of paper with a swastika on, too, but I think it's still somewhat widely used, although only within the mandir, in the East, on murti, etc. It's far less common in the West, at a guess.


I know a shorter version of a story where a guy was supposed to be going to a Tibet or something, and he had something with a swastika on in a post office and so people accused him of being a Nazi or something like that. I don't know how true it is, or even if it's from my country, but it's something I've heard.

I know a lot of people still see it as a symbol that should be avoided because it is 'tainted' (hell, I've even heard someone say it's an evil symbol!). That shouldn't be the case, though.

[Sahasranama]

Swastika is a great symbol, let's not call it tainted.

[TatTvamAsi]

Swastika is "that which is auspicious".

Hitler and his theosophy-loving cronies took it and made use of it.

Swastika is a Sanskrit word just like ARYA/ARYAN is.

Hindus = ARYANS.

Swastika is used very widely in Hinduism as well as Jainism.

It is a great symbol.

[Odion]

Swastika is a great symbol, let's not call it tainted.

You'll hear no disagreement from me there. (It wasn't me who called it tainted, btw - I wouldn't. )

Though, people need to learn that it is a great symbol, and it's not one of hatred, oppression, bigotry or anything. As TatTvamAsi points out, its name means "that which is auspicious" - it's tragic that it's become seen as a negative symbol.

If the West don't learn that it's not a symbol of negativity, though, it will take longer for the stigma of its usage there to erode. We can't blame the average Westerner for being ignorant of what it represents if we don't tell them. The media and education systems sure as hell won't.

[SethDrebitko]

I have been trying to think of a way to increase the awareness of its use in positive reference. The problem I see is that neo-nazi organizations still use the symbol to enforce hate.

[Eastern Mind]

Vannakkam; here is a link to a more lengthy explanation:

http://www.himalayanacademy.com/reso.../lg_ch-07.html

I like the swastika in Hindu form, but the Nazi formed has changed it in two ways: reversal, and angle of looking at.


Aum Namasivaya

[yajvan]

hariḥ oṁ
~~~~~~

namasté

If I may let me offer my conjecture on the following...
swastika in saṃskṛt is spelled svástika or in devanāgarī script स्वस्तिक .

In sanātana dharma it (svástika) is most often seen as dakṣiṇa ( right facing) 卐. Can it be other wise i.e. left facing ? 卍 , yes , but I do not see this often ( others may wish to comment here).

This word assists us on what the symbol brings svá+sti+ ka , sv + asti + ka or sva +asti + ka

• This sva means own , one's own , my own ,and can also be viewed as su or ṣū meaning to bring forth.
• asti is existent , present from 'as' to live, to be.
• ka - as a noun is happiness , joy , pleasure ; it is also splendor and light.
• And sva +asti = svasti means well being, fortune , luck , success , prosperity

Hence sva +asti + ka is to live ones own joy happiness and splendor. The symbol is that which brings these qualities i.e. good fortune. For me this is dakṣiṇa ( right facing) 卐 .

Right facing infers the right path, 'right facing' right action. In sanātana dharma we always move to the right or pradakṣiṇa.

It is my humble opinion that Nazi Germany moved to and was always to the left. I have seen many svástika that were left facing.
Now this is not the offical position of their hakenkreuz (hāken+ kreuz or hooked cross) as they called it.

Their official position was standing on a corner of one arm , hence the svástika was rotated 45º. For me an unstable position which brought them no good fortune .

Now another view point and definition that must be considered is in sva +asti + ka. I mentioned the definition above for asti defined as to live, to be , yet it also means to thow off, to set or cast aside, drive away. And IMHO this is what nazi Germany did , they cast aside their good fortune.

But why so? It depends what side of dharma ( that which uplifts) you are on. When you are dakṣiṇa 'ka' uplifts or is tad-dhita 'good for that or him' . But when one is tamasic then this 'ka' turns

sva into a-sva or asva defined as 'having no property' i.e. not bringing forth. It does not bring forth good fortune and upliftment and alignment to dharma.

So is my conjecture based upon the words and their defintion found in to the roots of svástika.

praṇām

[SethDrebitko]

Yes left facing would infer a negative connotation. The Germans almost certainly spelled it swastika based on a phonetical spelling. The W in German makes a V sound.

For example my born last name Bashwinger in American would be pronounced Boshvinger in German.