By Acharya Shrinath P. Dwivedi, President, The Hindu Global Foundation, Surrey.
It is quite uplifting and gratifying to know that police officers are trained in recognizing the symbols of hate so they can take proper action against the hate-mongers.
And I hope that this kind of specialization will adequately equip them with the knowledge of differentiating the symbols.
The symbol of swastika has been used by Hindus in variety of ways for thousands of years.
It is engraved on the walls of temples; it is commonly printed on greeting and wedding cards; it is drawn on the account books and widely used in rituals.
It is a Sanskrit word derived from the adjective "su" meaning "good," added to the verb "asti" with the affix "ka," collectively meaning "one who possesses well-being," "prosperity," etc. The Hindu swastika symbolizes auspiciousness, prosperity and peace.
The swastika was considered to denote the movement of sun in the oldest Hindu sacred scripture — Rigveda.
Its two equal lines are interconnected, giving the opening of four directions that signifies the openness, equality and interconnectedness of all living beings.
It is a clockwise symbol — unlike the Hitler variety which is anti-clockwise. Hitler used it for oppression, exploitation and killing minorities.
The proper knowledge of different religious symbols will certainly help a lot in appreciating each others.
Poor understanding, however, can lead people in the wrong direction.
Source: www.canada.com/vancouversun
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