In Buddhism and Hinduism, the chatra symbol – also called the “precious parasol” and the “sacred umbrella” – is a symbol of kingship/royalty and protection. It is one of the Ashtamangala or the Eight Auspicious Signs denoting the Noble Eight-fold Path or dharmachakra in Vajrayana Buddhism. Chatra Symbol – History And Meaning The chatra symbol…
Trishula is a spear or trident, a divine symbol used as one of the primary symbols in Hinduism. This symbol is associated with Shiva, the Hindu god of destruction. Shiva’s trishula is the three-pointed spear or trident that he carries. In India and Thailand, the term “trishula” is also used to refer to a short-handled…
Looking for Hindu symbols and their meanings? Hinduism is the third largest religion with over 1 billion followers. Roughly over 95% of Hindu practioners live in India, but significant numbers of Hindus can also be found in Nepal, Sri Lanka and Bali. It is also considered the world’s oldest and organized religion with traditions that…
Padma is the Hindu name for the iconic lotus flower, which is a very important symbol in Hinduism and Buddhism, as well as Jainism and Sikhism. It generally represents the awakening of the spiritual consciousness—enlightenment and the connection to the divine. If you want to learn more about the Padma symbol, read on to find…
A red lotus with four petals bearing the Sanskrit characters va, scha, sha, and sa is the symbol for Muladhara. LAM, the syllable at the center encompassed by a yellow square, is its corresponding mantra. This yellow square represents the prithvi tattva or earth tattva. The Muladhara symbol represents the root chakra, one of the…
Manipura or the solar plexus chakra is the third primary chakra in the Vedic tradition. The Manipura symbol is made up of ten petals bearing the Sanskrit letters pha, pa, na, dha, da, tha, ta, nna, ddha, and dda. Its seed sound is the RAM as seen in the middle of the symbol within a…
The sacred bull calf Nandi has been identified as the Hindu deity Shiva’s animal vehicle or vahana—“mount”—since the Kushan dynasty around the 1st century CE. Nandi is Shiva’s gatekeeper and chief attendant. He is frequently depicted as carrying a spear or a golden staff. He provides music for Shiva when the god dances the Tandava…
The Vishuddha symbol is made up of a 16-petaled circle with a crescent bearing a circle within. It represents the throat chakra, which is the fifth of the primary chakras. It stands for communication—internal and external, as well as verbal and non-verbal. Certain behavioral and psychological characteristics are linked with Vishuddha or throat chakra. It…
In the Hindu Yogic, Buddhist Tantric, and Shakta traditions, the heart chakra is known as Anahata. The fourth main chakra, Anahata represents the heart, which stands for the wisdom that endows us the capacity for love and compassion. The Anahata symbol is comprised of 12 petals which are bluish in color. These petals bear the…
The dharmachakra or wheel of dharma is a major symbol of Buddhism. However, it is also employed in other Indian religions such as Hinduism and Jainism. The dharma wheel or dharmachakra, is the “wheel of law.” It is an ancient symbol revered by Buddhists as it symbolizes their faith, denoting the Buddha’s first sermon in…