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Hindu Iconography: Lotus

Lotus: Non-Attachment

Padma – Sanskrit for lotus – symbolizes beauty and purity.

Though rooted in slush, the flower floats on the surface of water, free of dirt. In the Bhagavad-Gita, the lotus leaf is a metaphor for performing one’s duty detachedly, leaving the results of one’s actions to God, just as the lotus leaf stays untouched by water.

Hindu texts and religious poetry describe Lord Krishna as “Lotus-eyed One”. Lakshmi, goddess of wealth, is portrayed standing on a thousand-petalled lotus.

In yoga, the body’s chakras (centers of subtle energy) are depicted as lotuses.


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Teachings of the Vedas

The Vedas, Hinduism’s most sacred texts, are believed to have been revealed at the time of mankind’s creation.

The teachings of the Vedas discuss varied aspects of life such as Devotion, Union with the divine (Yoga), Wealth, Desire and Salvation. They also discuss the pros and cons of various paths in life and recommend prescriptions for right living. Some examples:

What one should acquire and what one should give up

• Preya : Actions that appealing and easy but ultimately cause suffering
• Shreya: Actions that are righteous but hard to follow, and lead to spiritual happiness
• Material, natural and spiritual life
• Initiating progress and development in human life

 

This vast range of subjects is classified under four broad parameters:

Gyan (Knowledge)
Knowledge in the Vedas is a fusion of the material and spiritual. The topics discussed include Astronomy, Medical Science (Ayurveda) and Mathematics, Physics, Zoology and more.

Karma (Action)
Karma relates to both physical and mental actions. The Vedas prescribe actions that lead to the refinement of mankind. There are discourses that touch upon diverse issues – education, marital life, social and political order, governance, co-operation and charity.

From the Vedas, we learn the importance of unity (yoga) between knowledge and action.

Also described are the four objectives of life – Dharma (right living), Artha (acquisition of wealth), Kama (fulfilling desires) and Moksha (salvation).

Upasana (Communion with the divine)
This relates to meditation and communing with God, an essential task without which all other human activity is irrelevant.

Vigyan (Metaphysics)
Vigyan concerns the understanding of the true nature of everything in existence.

The teachings of the Vedas are universal in nature and not directed to people of any one faith. Vedic ideology teaches that divinity exists in all beings. Tolerance towards differing philosophies is essential.  The Vedas also describe qualities that make a person righteous – patience, forgiveness, control of the senses, cleanliness (also in the sense of honesty), knowledge and refraining from anger.

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Chakras 101

Chakras are invisible centers of subtle energy aligned on a central channel alongside  the spine. Chakras are filled with mystic energy called pranic or life-force. As it spins and draws upon this energy, each chakra oversees the functioning of specific physical organs, emotions, mental faculties and spirituality. Imbalance in the function of a chakra affects the corresponding organs and leads to disease. 

The seven main chakras are traditionally associated with specific symbols, colors, mantras and deities.

Root Chakra (Muladhara)
The Muladhara Chakra is near the perineum. It is associated with the color red and governs the passions. It controls psychological functions such as survival instinct, sexuality, impulsiveness and courage. Lord Ganesha rules over the root chakra.

Sacral Chakra (Swadhisthana)
Swadhisthana Chakra in the lower abdomen is symbolically represented by orange. It governs the function of procreation. It influences attributes like sensuality, sociability and sexuality.

Solar Plexus Chakra (Manipura)
Manipura Chakra lies in the stomach; symbolized as yellow, it governs mental functions unique to humans like knowledge, optimism, humor, awareness and curiosity. Body parts controlled by it include the digestive system, diaphragm and nervous system.

Heart Chakra (Anahata)
Anahata Chakra is green and rules over love, compassion, forgiveness, self-control and growth. It controls the thymus gland and organs including the heart, respiratory system, arms and musculature.

Throat Chakra (Vishuddha)
Vishuddha Chakra is blue and concerns higher functions like wisdom, speech, trust, creativity, planning and caution. It regulates the thyroid gland. Organs associated with it include the throat, vocal chords, mouth, tongue and lymphatic system. It regulates the menstrual cycle.

Third eye Chakra (Ajna)
Indigo colored Ajna is located in the forehead. It presides over psychic abilities, self-realization, memory, perception and courage. It rules the pituitary gland and attributes of imagination and intuition. This chakra regulates the eyes, nose and ears, the sinuses and parts of the brain.

Crown Chakra (Sahasrara)
Sahasrara is located at the top of the head. It governs the pineal gland and is associated with wisdom, inspiration and charisma. Qualities of highly evolved beings – self-sacrifice and visionary abilities – fall under Sahasrara. It rules the pineal gland and body organs including the upper brain, cerebral cortex and central nervous system.

What is Yantra?

“Yantra (literally, “machine” or “instrument”) is an abstract representation of divinity, composed of complex, interlocking geometric patterns, usually triangular, circular or floral in nature.

The best known one is Sri Yantra, associated with the Mother Goddess or Shakti. It is primarily used for meditation by serious seekers of spiritual enlightenment. Other yantras serve different purposes. Numerical yantras are sought as powerful talismans to mitigate illness, attract prosperity, happiness and ward off negativity. Temple building designs are based on architectural yantras.

At a yantra’s center is the bindu, or dot. Time, space, energy, indeed all of creation emanate from the bindu and must be reabsorbed into it. The pattern radiating from the bindu represents the unfurling of creation. More intricate yantras have a central inscription, known as bija or seed mantra which is the spiritual symbol of the deity being represented.

 

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What is a Shivling?

Images of Hindu deities are typically anthropomorphic, Lord Shiva being the exception. The Puranas contain a legend in which Brahma and Vishnu once fought each other for supremacy. To end this and establish His pre-eminence in the trinity, Shiva manifested as a pillar of fire whose dimensions were unfathomable. This towering effulgence, without beginning or end is the lingam (shivling), the abstract, aniconic form of Shiva. Devotees believe that Shiva exists in their hearts in the form of a constant flame.

In sculpture, the lingam is shown as arising from a repository called the yoni. Together, they are said to symbolize the indivisibility of the male-female principles (the yoni being representative of Devi, the Mother Goddess).

Western scholars and philosophers have opined that the lingam is a phallic symbol. This however, is disputed by Indian philosophers and religious figures like Swami Vivekananda and Swami Sivananda who point to the absence of such interpretations in Vedic literature.

Famous shrines dedicated to Shiva are the twelve “Jyotirlingams” (lingams of fire) scattered across India. At Amarnath, in the remote reaches of the Western Himalayas, a stalagmite in the shape of a lingam, formed from ice dripping onto the floor of a cave, is a revered pilgrimage site.

Pictured Above: Ganesh on Shivling Statue by Om Etc.

What is a mandala and what do different elements of a mandala represent?

A mandala (in Sanskrit ,‘manda’ = core, quintessence ‘la’ = container) is  typically a square or circular chart with geometric designs. It symbolizes the cosmos and everything within; another meaning for ‘mandala’ is wholeness.

Mandalas exist everywhere in nature, from a snowflake, a snail’s shell and the rings of a tree to the solar system. Ancient civilizations viewed themselves as patterned on the cosmos, from the basic unit, man, to his place in society and the world at large. The design and structure of their sacred edifices reflect this thought from Khajuraho in India to Angkor Wat in Cambodia and Borobudur in Java.

Divided into four equal quadrants, a mandala is constructed of concentric circles and squares leading to a center. The eye is drawn naturally to the center, making it a useful tool during meditation. Carl Jung, the psychoanalyst famously painted mandalas, claiming that they offered him deep insight into his patients’ emotional disorders.

Tibetan Buddhism elevated mandalas to an exquisite art form and means of ritual worship. Buddhist   monks create intricate mandalas of colored sand and destroy them; this signifies the transience of all life.

Hinduism 101

Is it a religion?  Is it a faith? Is it a tradition?
No, it is Hinduism!

What you see are lamps, flowers, fire, incense… what you do not see are the Vedas, the Vedanta and abstract concepts such as Dharma (righteousness), Karma (duty) and many others that make Hinduism what it is. 

A quest

Hinduism was never meant to be a mere religion. It does not restrict itself to just one facet of human belief or one sphere of human activity. It goes beyond being a philosophy, a religion and a set of beliefs, rituals and practices. It is a quest which seeks to give rationality to reality by questioning it and seeking to explain ‘what is’, in a manner that is easy to understand and interesting enough to uphold. It is an entity whose whole is greater than the sum of its parts.

A way of living

Hinduism was initially called ‘Sanātana Dharmā’ which means ‘the eternal law that supports and sustains those who practice it’. It is based on the principles of Sāmānya Dharma (ethical values common to all) and samskāras (rituals). Ethical values train people to discipline their lives to be in harmony with the society while prescribed rituals serve to fine tune daily living.   Dr. Carl Sagan, the famous astronomer said “The Hindu religion is the only one of the world's great faiths dedicated to the idea that the Cosmos itself undergoes an immense, indeed an infinite, number of deaths and rebirths. It is the only religion in which the time scales correspond, to those of modern scientific cosmology”. Modern science is able to explain many Vedic prescriptions only now! 

The Vedas – A Knowledge Bank

At the very base of Hinduism lie the four timeless Vedas, which have been handed down by the Supreme Being, to a chosen few who proved themselves worthy enough to absorb it. These four Vedas, the Rig Veda, the Yajur Veda, the Sāma Veda and the Atharva Veda form a vast and deep ocean of knowledge. They answer many questions and prescribe courses of action.

The Vedas lay down the varna (caste) system, a broad structure for the society based on the division of labor, the asramās or four stages of life that cater to the basic tendencies that surface at each  stage of life and the codes of conduct and duty so that both the individual and the society flourish.

Over five thousand years, Hinduism has been interpreted, reinterpreted, modified, customized, deified, vilified, assaulted, reinvented and it still remains Hinduism, alive and thriving with all its warts and moles! Go ahead and Google the term Hinduism; there are 6,840,000 plus links for you to make the journey from the ritual to the spiritual and from the temporal to the sublime!

Bhagavad Gita in Hinduism

Though, sometimes referred to as a scripture, the Gita is not a religious doctrine in its strict sense. It is an epic poem, sung by Lord Krishna, the eighth reincarnation of Vishnu, to his friend prince Arjun at the battlefield of Mahabharata.

Picture a battlefield near Delhi; armies of five million combined, on one side are the Pandavas representing the good. On the other side are the Kauravas, their cousins, representing the evil. Prince Arjun, one of the five Pandav brothers is about to enter into a battle with his cousins, an acts he considers immoral. Arjun doubts whether it is the right thing for him to bring his own family to ruins.  Buckled under this confusion he asks, “Why am I doing this, Krishna”. Krishna replies that Arjun should carry out his duty, because all human beings are instruments in God’s eternal plan. What follows is the timeless dialog that Krishna delivers, popularly known as the Gita.

The Gita is composed of eighteen chapters. Gita teaches us to be more spiritual, not more religious and that salvation is not gained through the offices of the priest, but by attention to one’s duty. There are some apparent repetitions in the teachings of the Gita, which are believed to be deliberate. Since these ideas are very profound, these eternal truths are presented in various contexts. Scholars have written commentaries on this philosophical book of knowledge from ancient times to the modern day today, and yet the message reveals new dimensions and interpretations. The modern relevance of this message, though voiced thousands of years ago, is very vital.

Sacred Texts of Hinduism - II

Upanishads

Upanishads (700 BC) are texts that contain the philosophical essence of the Vedas. The philosophy of the Upanishads is called Vedanta and is studied even today. Some of the popular Upanishads are the Isavasya, Kena, Mundaka and Katha Upanishads. There are 108 Upanishads in all. Some authorities classify the Upanishads as Sruti.

Vedangas

To this category belong several texts like the Ayurveda (science of life and health), Dhanurveda (science of war), Gandharva veda (science of music), Arthshastra (science of polity and governance), Dharmashastras (laws) and several other subjects such as phonetics, grammar, astrology and astronomy, to name a few, are covered by the Vedangas.

Darshanas

Six metaphysical systems called Darshanas were compiled immediately before and after the time of Christ. These are theological texts meant for erudite scholars.

Itihasas

The Itihasas include great Hindu epics like the Ramayana (700–500 BC) and the Mahabharata (400 BC) besides other texts. Believed to have been narrated by renowned sages, these epics are complete social, moral and philosophical treatises.  The Itihasas aim at imparting values of life and living through narratives.  

The popular Bhagavad Gita (the Song of the Lord) is a part of the Mahabharata. What makes the Bhagavad Gita special is that its philosophy is relevant to mankind even today.

The Ramayana eulogizes Lord Rama and the Mahabharata Lord Krishna – both avatars of Lord Vishnu.

Puranas

Several mythological texts such as the Vishnu Purana, Shiva Purana, Garuda Purana and the like talk about the various gods in the Hindu pantheon. There are eighteen Mahapuranas (great texts) and a few smaller ones too. These texts were meant for those who could not understand the Vedas. They impart the same teachings in a different flavor. All the Puranas talk about the Hindu trinity – Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, and their consorts

The Bhagavata Purana chronicles the various avatars of Lord Vishnu.

Agamas

The Agamas (6th–12th centuries AD) detail the methods of temple construction and the methodology for ritual worship. Three main divisions in the Agamas cover the three main divisions in Hinduism – Vaishnavism, Shaivism and the Shakti cult. These are followed even today.

Texts in other languages

As practicing Hindus lost their mastery over Sanskrit, texts in regional languages like the Tevaram and Divya Prabandam, and Ramayana in regional languages became popular.

The sheer number of Hindu sacred texts may seem a bit overwhelming. There is, however, an order to these texts and an unquestionable purpose to their existence. Each text has the potential to liberate a person and put him on the path to moksha – spiritual liberation, the goal of human existence. Ancient seers have truly ensured that suitable means are available for spiritual needs of all levels.

Sacred Texts of Hinduism - I

Most Hindu sacred texts are written in Sanskrit, revered as the language that gods speak. The script used for Sanskrit is Devanagri, which literally means 'from the cities of the gods'. 

Sacred Hindu literature is broadly classified as Sruti (heard) and Smriti (remembered).

Sruti – that which was heard

Vedas

The Vedas are referred to as Sruti – that which was heard when it was revealed by God for the benefit of humanity. These are the oldest of all Hindu texts and have been traced back to 1500–1000 BC. The four branches of the Vedas – Rig Veda, Yajur Veda, Sama Veda and Atharva Veda – are believed to contain all the knowledge that can ever exist in the world. 

There are 33 gods mentioned in the Vedas – Indra, Prajapati, twelve Adityas, 11 Rudras and 8 Vasus. Praying to these gods, as prescribed in the Vedas, assures the fulfillment of worldly goals. The Vedic gods represent the forces of nature on a macrocosmic level and the forces inside every mortal being, at a microcosmic level.

Smriti – that which was remembered

The era that we now classify as post-Vedic brought forth texts that are referred to as Smriti – that which was remembered and then recorded by ancient Hindu seers. The Vedas were segregated and categorized according to the information they contained and several rishis complied the Smriti texts based on the knowledge that they had assimilated from them.