Swastika Research Paper
To many people, the swastika represents the Nazis and the many other terrible atrocities which occurred throughout World War II, but it had been used in other religions, cultures, and had various meanings before Hitler turned it into a symbol of destruction and misery. The swastika originated in religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism in India, though it was only minimally used in Buddhism ("Buddhist Swastika - ReligionFacts"). It had been an important symbol in Hinduism, used in festivals and religious rites for various reasons. In Buddhism, the swastika had represented eternity. It had also been mostly used in Asia through Jainism. The swastika was used in Greece through architecture, clothing, and coin design. Greco-Roman art and architecture
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included many connected swastika-like images as well. In Russia, the swastika had represented the Christian Slavic faith. Not only had the swastika been used in those religions and countries, but it had also been used in Finland for decoration and a military symbol ("History of the Swastika"). The swastika was a widely used symbol across the world until Hitler and the Nazis came along to destroy its true meaning. Though there are many laws and debates regarding whether the swastika should still be used today, it is still a commonly used symbol all over the world.
In India, the swastika had been used in many different religions and cultures. Along with that, the swastika originated in India, specifically in Hinduism and Buddhism. The word “swastika” is derived from the word “svastika” in the Sanskrit language. It had been used in India very commonly for festivals and celebrations throughout the Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist religions. There were many reasons for the swastika being used in Jainism, Hinduism, and Buddhism ("Buddhist Swastika - ReligionFacts").
The main religions which still use the swastika today include Hinduism and Jainism.
The swastika is an important Hindu symbol. During Hindu religious Rites, the swastika is painted on the head or body. On holidays or festivals, it is painted on doors. Many vehicles such as rickshaws and trucks have the swastika presented on them. All the these uses with the swastika are claimed to prevent evil and attract good. Not only that, but in Hinduism, it represents God and his manifestation along with energy. It also represents the Purushartha, which includes natural order, wealth, desire, and liberation. Along with the swastika, in Bengali, there had been, and still is, another symbol with the name swastika and similar meanings ("History of the Swastika"). However, it is shaped like a stick figure of a human rather than the original swastika. The swastika’s meaning and symbols in the Buddhist religion are very similar to those of the Hindu religion. It represents auspiciousness and well being, very much like the Hindu swastika ("Buddhist Swastika - ReligionFacts"). Another similarity between the two is that the swastika is often painted onto the body, however in Hinduism it is mostly put on the head, yet in Buddhism it is most commonly placed on the palms and feet. The last Asian culture or religion to make use of the swastika symbol was
Jainism. The swastika, or swastik, has much more prominence in Jainism than in Hinduism or Buddhism. They share the same look of swastika as Hinduism and Buddhism, a swastika with right-facing arms with four dots in between, however the Jains put a completely different meaning to it. For starters, the four arms of the swastika represent heavenly beings, human beings, hellish beings, and subhuman beings. Also, it represents the nature of the universe and where a creature is destined to go based on karma. Not only that, but it also represents the four characteristics of the soul, which include: infinite knowledge, infinite perception, infinite happiness and infinite energy. Lastly, on the Jain flag, their swastika is depicted in the center ("Jain Symbols").
The swastika had been used just as much in Europe as it was in India, regardless of where it originated. This included Greece, Greco-Rome, Russia, and Modern Europe. In Europe, the swastika had been used in many different ways compared to how it had been used in India. It had gone by the name of “sun cross” in multiple European countries, as it represented the sun and God ("Swastika"). The swastika in Europe had had less of a symbolic meaning in some countries, and it had been a common art piece.
Other than in Germany, the swastika had been used in Europe mostly in Greece. However, it had been used a lot differently in Greece than it was in India. In Greece, the swastika had mostly been imprinted on coins made of silver and different cheaper metals. The swastika in Greece had gone by the name of gammadion. Priestesses from Ancient Greece had tattooed the gammadion, or swastika, on their bodies, whether it was a single swastika, or multiple linked ones ("History of the Swastika"). Greco-Roman swastikas were found all over art and architecture. In this time, swastika were very rarely found by themselves. There would often be multiple swastikas with various other patterns and lines in between. It could also commonly be found bordering images and other art. To the Greeks and Romans, the swastika had represented perpetual motion, and was frequently rotated to imitate a wind or water mill. Borders and tessellations made of the symbol where found on the floors of cathedrals and could also be found in many more recent buildings as well ("Swastika").
Not only had the swastika symbol used in the Greek and Roman areas, but it had also been found in Slavic areas of Russia. The Slavic version of the swastika had been called “little sun” had been the symbol of the Slavic sun god. It was often carved into wooden statues or monument that were placed near the graves of people who had passed away. It had been first used in the Early Slavic era by a Polish painter. The Slavic swastika was also commonly found on many pieces of art, including mostly pottery. The swastika symbol in Russia went by the name of Kolovrat. The Russians had used the symbol to represent their Christian Slavic religion and faith ("How the World Loved the Swastika - Until Hitler Stole It").
The last major culture or country to put the swastika to use, other than the Germans, were the Finnish. In Finland, the swastika had been used on Finnish art, used as a decoration, or as an important symbol on textiles or wood. Although it had been used for many decorations or art, the Finnish swastika was most commonly used in the Finnish Air Force, and still today, it can be found on the air force flags ("Swastika").
Despite the hundreds of historical meanings behind the swastika, ultimately, the swastika still remains as the symbol of the Nazis and the millions of deaths caused by Hitler. Conclusively, Hitler felt that the Nazis needed a symbol that represented their struggle, yet he also felt that it should be a symbol that could fit well on a poster or a memorable symbol . In Hitler’s book, Mein Kampf, he said, “The red expressed the social thought underlying the movement. White, the national thought. And the swastika signified the mission allotted to us—the struggle for the victory of Aryan mankind and at the same time the triumph of the ideal of creative work which is in itself and always will be anti-Semitic.” ("Swastikas Facts, Information, Pictures | Encyclopedia.com Articles About Swastikas"). There had been so many different meanings back before World War II, but Hitler had stolen them. The swastika does, and will always, mean various things to different people, countries, and religions.
included many connected swastika-like images as well. In Russia, the swastika had represented the Christian Slavic faith. Not only had the swastika been used in those religions and countries, but it had also been used in Finland for decoration and a military symbol ("History of the Swastika"). The swastika was a widely used symbol across the world until Hitler and the Nazis came along to destroy its true meaning. Though there are many laws and debates regarding whether the swastika should still be used today, it is still a commonly used symbol all over the world.
In India, the swastika had been used in many different religions and cultures. Along with that, the swastika originated in India, specifically in Hinduism and Buddhism. The word “swastika” is derived from the word “svastika” in the Sanskrit language. It had been used in India very commonly for festivals and celebrations throughout the Hindu, Jain, and Buddhist religions. There were many reasons for the swastika being used in Jainism, Hinduism, and Buddhism ("Buddhist Swastika - ReligionFacts").
The main religions which still use the swastika today include Hinduism and Jainism.
The swastika is an important Hindu symbol. During Hindu religious Rites, the swastika is painted on the head or body. On holidays or festivals, it is painted on doors. Many vehicles such as rickshaws and trucks have the swastika presented on them. All the these uses with the swastika are claimed to prevent evil and attract good. Not only that, but in Hinduism, it represents God and his manifestation along with energy. It also represents the Purushartha, which includes natural order, wealth, desire, and liberation. Along with the swastika, in Bengali, there had been, and still is, another symbol with the name swastika and similar meanings ("History of the Swastika"). However, it is shaped like a stick figure of a human rather than the original swastika. The swastika’s meaning and symbols in the Buddhist religion are very similar to those of the Hindu religion. It represents auspiciousness and well being, very much like the Hindu swastika ("Buddhist Swastika - ReligionFacts"). Another similarity between the two is that the swastika is often painted onto the body, however in Hinduism it is mostly put on the head, yet in Buddhism it is most commonly placed on the palms and feet. The last Asian culture or religion to make use of the swastika symbol was
Jainism. The swastika, or swastik, has much more prominence in Jainism than in Hinduism or Buddhism. They share the same look of swastika as Hinduism and Buddhism, a swastika with right-facing arms with four dots in between, however the Jains put a completely different meaning to it. For starters, the four arms of the swastika represent heavenly beings, human beings, hellish beings, and subhuman beings. Also, it represents the nature of the universe and where a creature is destined to go based on karma. Not only that, but it also represents the four characteristics of the soul, which include: infinite knowledge, infinite perception, infinite happiness and infinite energy. Lastly, on the Jain flag, their swastika is depicted in the center ("Jain Symbols").
The swastika had been used just as much in Europe as it was in India, regardless of where it originated. This included Greece, Greco-Rome, Russia, and Modern Europe. In Europe, the swastika had been used in many different ways compared to how it had been used in India. It had gone by the name of “sun cross” in multiple European countries, as it represented the sun and God ("Swastika"). The swastika in Europe had had less of a symbolic meaning in some countries, and it had been a common art piece.
Other than in Germany, the swastika had been used in Europe mostly in Greece. However, it had been used a lot differently in Greece than it was in India. In Greece, the swastika had mostly been imprinted on coins made of silver and different cheaper metals. The swastika in Greece had gone by the name of gammadion. Priestesses from Ancient Greece had tattooed the gammadion, or swastika, on their bodies, whether it was a single swastika, or multiple linked ones ("History of the Swastika"). Greco-Roman swastikas were found all over art and architecture. In this time, swastika were very rarely found by themselves. There would often be multiple swastikas with various other patterns and lines in between. It could also commonly be found bordering images and other art. To the Greeks and Romans, the swastika had represented perpetual motion, and was frequently rotated to imitate a wind or water mill. Borders and tessellations made of the symbol where found on the floors of cathedrals and could also be found in many more recent buildings as well ("Swastika").
Not only had the swastika symbol used in the Greek and Roman areas, but it had also been found in Slavic areas of Russia. The Slavic version of the swastika had been called “little sun” had been the symbol of the Slavic sun god. It was often carved into wooden statues or monument that were placed near the graves of people who had passed away. It had been first used in the Early Slavic era by a Polish painter. The Slavic swastika was also commonly found on many pieces of art, including mostly pottery. The swastika symbol in Russia went by the name of Kolovrat. The Russians had used the symbol to represent their Christian Slavic religion and faith ("How the World Loved the Swastika - Until Hitler Stole It").
The last major culture or country to put the swastika to use, other than the Germans, were the Finnish. In Finland, the swastika had been used on Finnish art, used as a decoration, or as an important symbol on textiles or wood. Although it had been used for many decorations or art, the Finnish swastika was most commonly used in the Finnish Air Force, and still today, it can be found on the air force flags ("Swastika").
Despite the hundreds of historical meanings behind the swastika, ultimately, the swastika still remains as the symbol of the Nazis and the millions of deaths caused by Hitler. Conclusively, Hitler felt that the Nazis needed a symbol that represented their struggle, yet he also felt that it should be a symbol that could fit well on a poster or a memorable symbol . In Hitler’s book, Mein Kampf, he said, “The red expressed the social thought underlying the movement. White, the national thought. And the swastika signified the mission allotted to us—the struggle for the victory of Aryan mankind and at the same time the triumph of the ideal of creative work which is in itself and always will be anti-Semitic.” ("Swastikas Facts, Information, Pictures | Encyclopedia.com Articles About Swastikas"). There had been so many different meanings back before World War II, but Hitler had stolen them. The swastika does, and will always, mean various things to different people, countries, and religions.