American Hindus Against Defamation (AHAD) and HinduPACT on Swastika
Auspicious Swastika is NOT a Symbol of Hate
Hitler never used the word Swastika for his symbol of hate. He called it hooked cross of hakenkreuz. Conflating the sacred Swastika with hakenkreuz Hinduphobia.
Swastika is the most sacred symbol in Sanatana Hindu Dharma. There is a documented history of use of Swastika among all the dharmic faith traditions including Hindu, Jain, Buddhist and Sikh. Swastika is considered an ancient auspicious in virtually every native tradition in almost all the continents.
How to Draw Swastika and the Meaning of Swastika
New Jersey is the latest state to attempt to designate Swastika as a hate symbol with NJ Bill AB 174. While this bill tries to distinguish the Nazi Hakenkreuz from the Swastika, any vilification of auspicious word Swastika is denigrating to the followers of the dharmic community.
This is the third attempt in past few months, and second in two weeks to designate Swastika as a hate symbol through a legislation.
We have launched a petition, where we are seeking your “general consent” – whereby we will use the same petition with and the signatories every time a state legislation against Swastika comes up. Please sign the petition by clicking the link here:
Click Here to Sign a Petition Against Swastika as a Hate Symbol State Legislations
What Swastika Means to Hindus
The two symbols represent the two forms of the creator god Brahma: facing right it represents the evolution of the universe (Devanagari: प्रवृत्ति, Pravritti), facing left it represents the involution of the universe (Devanagari: निवृत्ति, Nivritti). It is also seen as pointing in all four directions (north, east, south and west) and thus signifies a grounded stability. Its use as a Sun symbol can first be seen in its representation of the god Surya (Devanagari: सूर्य, Sun). The swastika is considered extremely holy and auspicious by all Hindus, and is regularly used to decorate items related to Hindu culture. It is used in all Hindu yantras (Devanagari: यंत्र) and religious designs. Throughout the subcontinent of India, it can be seen on the sides of temples, religious scriptures, gift items, and letterheads. The Hindu deity Ganesh (Devanagari: गणेश) is often shown sitting on a lotus flower on a bed of swastikas. Swastika also means “well being”
Pre-Nazi Western Book on Swastika
Misunderstanding Swastika
Central motif on Nazi banners is a hooked cross or hakenkreuz. He notes that Adolf Hitler never used the world “swastika” in Mein Kampf, and that it was English translators who introduce the term in the parlance. Nakagaki, who has a masters degree in linguistics from California State University, suspects that using “swastika” instead of “hooked cross” was meant to distance the Nazi symbol from Christian symbology.
T.K. Nakagaki, a Japanese Buddhist priest and linguist who wrote the book The Buddhist Swastika and Hitler’s Cross: Rescuing a Symbol of Peace from the Forces of Hate.
From: https://qz.com/1757244/can-the-swastika-ever-reclaim-its-original-meaning/
Hindu-Jewish Joint Declarations on Swastika
AHAD / HinduPACT on Mana TV
Press Releases and Statements
Press Coverage
Anyway, whatever the origin was, the Swastika now stands for the badge of fellowship among Scouts all over the world, among Scouts all over the world, and when anyone has done a kindness to a Scout it is their privilege to present him or her with this token of their gratitude, which makes him a sort of member of the Brotherhood, and entitles him to the help of any other Scout at any time and at any place… – Baden Powell, Founder of Scouts
Swastika Around the World
