HINDU SYMBOLISM

Religious Symbols

The following symbols are some of the most common symbols found in Hinduism.

Aum/Om

Hindus consider Aum (or Om) to be the sound of creation and the universe. It is composed of three syllables: ah, oo, and mmm.

The Mandukya Upanishad, an ancient Hindu scripture, is entirely devoted to Om It begins like this:

Om is the imperishable word Om is the universe, and this is the exposition of Om The past, the present, and the future, all that was, all that is, all that will be is Om

Likewise, all else that may exist beyond the bounds of time, that too is Om Hindus believe that the very vibrations created by the chanting of Om are sacred and powerful. They belief that the Vibrations of Om help the person chanting to align their mind, body, and spirit with the vibration of the universe.

Namaste

Hindus traditionally greet each other by bringing their palms together in the middle of their chest and saying namaste. The word namaste means “the divine within me bows to the divine within you.” The greeting reflects the respect that Hindus have for the divinity all around them.

Bindi/Tilak

The “red dot” or bindi, once primarily a symbol of marriage, has largely become a fashionable accessory for Hindu females of all ages, regardless of their marital status. Traditionally, bindis were red or maroon in color and made of vermilion paste (kumkum).

Today, bindis come in all shapes, sizes, and colors. The male version of forehead markings is called a tilak and can be made of kumkum, sandalwood, or sacred ash in a variety of shapes including lines, U-shapes, and dots. The tilak can be representative of an individual’s deity tradition.

The marking of either is amongst the first requisite steps in most rituals and sacred ceremonies. Both bindis and tilaks are placed approximately one centimeter above the center of the eyebrows, which is considered to be the sixth chakra, ajna, in Kundalini Yoga. The bindi is associated with the worship of God as the feminine divine. It is also indicative of the conceptual “third eye of spiritual wisdom,” that Shiva is depicted as having. Bindis and tilaks may also represent interdependence of both the feminine and masculine aspects of the divine. Lastly, the bindi and tilak serve as reminders of a seeker’s ultimate goal of enlightenment, liberation, or moksha.

Swastika

Contrary to the hateful meaning the Swastika has come to take on for many since its misappropriation by the Nazis, the original Swastika (as pictured above) is an ancient and holy for many cultures. For Hindus, the swastika is a symbol of auspiciousness and good fortune. It is still commonly used at the entrance of Hindu homes, as an integral part of worship rituals, in temples, and on invitations to special occasions such as weddings and other rites of passage.

In Sanskrit, the word is a combination of “Su,” meaning “good,” and “Asti,” meaning “to exist.” The four limbs of the Hindu Swastika have diverse symbolic meanings: the four Vedas (Rig, Yajur, Sama, Atharva), the four stages of life (Brahmacharya, Grihastha, Vanaprastha, Sannyasa), the four goals of life (Dharma, Artha, Kama, Moksha), the four Yugas (Satya, Treta, Dvapara, Kali), the four seasons, and the four directions. The Swastika is also a sacred symbol for Buddhists, Jains, and Sikhs.

Key Takeaways

• Om is a Hindu symbol with many meanings and represents the sound of the universe.
• Hindus greet each other with the greeting “Namaste” which stems from the belief in divinity existing within everyone and everything.
• Hindus don bindis or tilaks to remind themselves of the ultimate goal of liberation.
• The Hindu Swastika is a symbol of good fortune.