The Swastika is the symbol of evil to many of us. Just the appearance of it is provocative because it suggests support for hatred, or even somehow a lack of disconcertment in the past holocaust that occurred. Don’t let any Neo-Nazi imply it all never happened. One thing the Germans did was keep records.
But back to the Swastika, a symbol that I leave off this page so I don’t have to look at it. You may know that Hitler stole it from the Indian Sub-Continent. The fact is, for centuries it has been a positive symbol for millions of people. Many of these people missed the whole WWII thing, which just wasn’t part of their history. It remains a symbol that is prevalent some places, and somehow, as a visitor remains there, the discomfort actually disappears.
Even if you’re Jewish, and you drop by to visit friends, walk past the Hindu Statue in the courtyard, and then the Swastika by the door, and are greeted with smiles. It did get weird in Goa when there was the combination of the west coast beach, colorful Portuguese architecture, a few Swastikas, and then add friends speaking German.
If you traveled somewhere far and found the finger meant, "I love you," eventually, you would accept it. I don’t know why I felt compelled to write (and think this out, but a few times in Nepal and then in India, I had this swastika experience. It gave me this feeling, this realization, that many people here never knew of (my) reality... and most of the world (and my friends back home) didn’t know what I had encountered.
Like the realization that half the world population doesn’t use toilet paper (that’s another story).
Why write this (my friends ask me)? Only Nixon could go to China.
Some places the symbol is called the Wan. The word Swastika is normally believed to be an amalgam of the words Su and Asati. Su means good and Asati meant to exist.
As per Sanskrit grammar the words Su and Asati when amalgamated into one word become Swasti (as in the case of Su and Aaatam becoming Swagatam meaning welcome). If this derivation of the word Swastika is true, then the literal meaning of the term Swastika would be let good-prevail.
Here is what I found on the CD India Mystica: (they spelled it svastika)
The Svastika is derived from su (well), asti (is) and ka (a noun ending). It means, "It is well" and hence signifies happiness, pleasure and good luck.
It is a mystic symbol or figure which is sacred to most Indian sects. The symbol is shaped like a Greek cross with the extremities of the four arms bent round in the same direction.
A Svastika 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. Its arms are bent in an anti-clockwise direction and it is believed to be inauspicious.
The auspicious symbol is used by the religiously inclined on the opening page of account books. It is also used in ceremonies related to marriage, tonsure, the worship of Lakshmi and during the invocation of the nine planets. It is worshipped as a symbol of the sun, Ganesha and the serpent kingdom. According to Vayu Purana, serpents bear the sign of a szastika on their hoods. In festivals and on auspicious occasions, the svastika is drawn on the floor of the house. A yogasana is named after this symbol, and is considered to signify or evoke good luck.
Many theories have been propounded about the svastika. It has been described as the emblem of Zeus, the God of sun, fire, and rain, the trinity and also the Supreme Being, Brahman. Most scholars however regard it as a fire or solar symbol and hense it is called the solar or fire cross. It is believed to be derived from 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 centre. It also represents the principle of life and movement and transfers the dwarf to the giant and the microcosm to the macrocosm, named rkvam, the rhythmic movement.
This symbol has been in use since the time of the indus Valley Civilization (c.3000 BC - 700 BC). A large number of seals discovered in Harappa, one of its prime sites, bear svastika designs. Since then, it has represented good luck. 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. Curiously, the inauspicious anti-clockwise svastika was used by Hitler as the Nazi emblem.
Well, they almost failed to mention the Hitler part. Anyway, I have had the bizarre experience of sitting near a swastika, and not feeling assaulted or threatened.
Don't get me wrong... At the same time, I was aware of the reality that this symbol, positive to many millions of people, just had to stay over here. Someone from the Indian Sub-Continent would be smart to drop any fondness or displaying of the symbol when they immigrate. Even if it was never a bad thing to them, it was spoiled for the rest of the world. One more thing Hitler ruined it for us.
It’s something like the confederate flag. It really may be a part of our proud American history (all those horrible things your ancestors did, long before mine got here). Anyway, I don’t want to outlaw the displaying of any image, but don’t be surprised if it is upsetting to some people. My uncle always said they have the right to march (clearly marked) with their nazi symbols, and we have the right to beat the stuffing out of them!
For even more about this "good luck" token, including a great image of a 1907 US card, look at luckymojo.com