RELIGIOUS SIGNIFICANCE OF SWASTIKA

SYMBOL OF SWASTIKA
ACCORDING TO HINDUISM

www.boldsky.com - Swastika has become the symbol of genocide and ethnic cleansing in the 21st century. It was the symbol of Hitler's Nazi party that exterminated 6 million people under its banner. 
In the midst of all the persecution and violence, the true meaning of this religious symbol was lost. Symbols are silent speakers. They communicate without words. But the present meaning that we derive from the swastika is not its original meaning. 
This religious symbol pre-dates Hitler, Jews and even the Roman empire. There is no specific date when people started using this symbol but its references have been dated back to 3000 years. The ruins of Troy and the Indus valley civilisation have also yielded artefacts with this symbol on them. 
Whether its purpose was purely decorative or it had some cultural significance is not clear. 
In Hinduism, this religious symbol represents many different things. 

Here are some of its most important meanings. 
1. Stability & Firmness: The 4 blades of the swastika point to the 4 different directions. That is why it has a feeling of all-encompassing presence. 2. The Sun's Rays: The sun is a very important symbol in Hinduism. It is the source of light and life in the Universe. 3. Lord Vishnu's Symbol: Vishnu, the Preserver of the Universe is represented by 108 different symbols. The swastika is on those 108 symbols.  
4. Peace & Prosperity: It is one of the 'holier than thou' symbol in Hinduism because all religious scriptures begin with it. It is used as a symbol of peace and prosperity in household. 5. Two Parts Of Swastika: According to Hindu dictum, every energy comes coupled pairs. If there is light there has to be dark. So even the sun has a shadow. The right side or the male side of this symbols thus, represents the suns' path of rotation. The left side or the female side represents the Dark Mother, Goddess Kali.

Nowadays, the Swastika is the symbol of Nazi war crimes against humanity, but in India or other parts of Asia it represents prosperity, auspiciousness and “good luck.” According to Hinduism, there are many other interpretations of the symbol of Swastika - This symbol aptly represents the sun with its rays shooting in all the directions. It represents stability and a sense of being rooted. That is why swastika is very important for weddings and other Hindu rituals. You would find the swastika drawn with vermilion in front of houses, under the Tulsi plant and as a decoration on hot metal pots or kalash that are used in Hindu rituals.

WHAT DO THE VEDIC TEACHINGS TELL US? 

In ancient antiquity the Swastika, as a religious and harmonious symbol, was popular in the east as far as China and Japan and in the west its use spread from Persia [Afghanistan, Iran, Iraq, Syria and Turkey] across Europe and even reached the Americas. Thus the Swastika is known to have been in use across the ancient [and modern] world as a benevolent symbol. But there is a movement in Western Europe to ban the use or display of the Swastika throughout the European Union. .... However, most people would be surprised to learn that in western countries, prior to World War II, the most popular symbol for prosperity, wealth, health, safety, auspiciousness and good luck was the Swastika. ... The Swastika was also widely circulated by the Boy Scouts of America as an honor badge for meritorious deeds and achievements and was also distributed door-to-door across America as a fundraiser. ... In essence, in early 20th century America, the Swastika symbolized for the Boy Scouts, all that a man can be. Quite a twist from how Americans and Europeans look at the Swastika today.

Śrīla Bhakti Gaurava Narasingha Maharaja :
“Swastika and Cross”
Jul 27 2008 - Krishna Talk 80
Sri Narasingha Chaitanya Ashram
http://gosai.com/writings/swastika-and-cross

Published by dasavatara das - "Vedic Views on World News"
http://www.vedicviews-worldnews.blogspot.com.ar/