[Prev][Next][Index][Thread]
Hate Hitler's Nazistika, NOT Humanity's Swastika! An open letter to editors of Jewish journals.
Shalom!
I am distressed that one of your readers wants Swastikas removed from
Hindu temples. Swastika is an ancient symbol which occurs all over
the world, in Indian as well as Native American cultures. "Swasti"
literally means "Well-being" (Su asti) in Sanskrit. Swastika stands
for the forward movement of Sun-God's chariot, which in turn means
enlightenment, progress, and optimism. Hindus have always used
Swastikas for benevolent purposes. Swastikas were used at cross-roads
with the right arm pointing to East to re-orient travelers in the
"right" direction. Swastika with the Cross at its heart invites
opposites to meet at the "Center" and become One.
Your readers perhaps are not aware that Mahatma Gandhi, the champion of
non-violence, cried out for war against the Nazi Germany. Incensed by
the Nazi atrocities against humanity, Indians who wore Crosses,
Kirpans, Swastikas, and many other emblems, set aside their top
priority of freedom from the British. Heirs of the Glorious Swastika
joined the allied forces to stop the onslaught of Nazistika. Fifty
years later you want to banish Swastikas that over thousands of years
gave wisdom, courage, hope, and security to countless billions?
A Jewish expert has assured me that Hitler's Swastika was different,
but she too feels Swastika is a symbol of hate! Hindus and their
sister-faiths have done nothing to deserve such defamation of their
symbols. I think it is about time we called the slanted and
disoriented symbol of Nazi party Nazistika, and restore the original
meaning to the auspicious Swastika. We must not let this semantical
idiocy compromise our harmony and friendship.
The word "Swasti" occurs in one of our most precious invocations which
asks for blessings for the entire Earth. Are you going to ask us to
change our sacred mantras as well? Even as I write this I feel it is
impossible that people belonging to such an ancient faith as Judaism
would ever want to destroy the emblem of another faith in such a cruel
manner.
Please assure me Jews do not mean to take away another faith's holy
symbols. Tell me please, how I can assure my friends on the Net that
this talk about erasing our heritage is just that - talk.
-Nandini Y. Garud
P.S. Many Hindu temples in Northern America have already adopted "Aum"
instead of the traditional Swastika out of respect for the Jewish
sentiment. Now "Aum" and "Supreme Truth" are being abused to identify
terrorism with which neither Buddhists, nor Hindus, Jains, or Sikhs
have any connection. Can our friends in media stop using Aum and
Supreme Truth negatively, so we are not forced to revert to our
original Swastika, which hurts your feelings so? For the sake of
communal harmony, respond appropriately. -Nandini
Response prompted by:
****************************************************************
>> >In the june 1995 edition of Jewish Journal for North America a
letter
>> >to the editor says:
>> >
>> >"...The Swastika is a symbol of Nazi aggression, the very
appearance of
>> >this on many Hindoo temples in the United States triggers anger in
>> >thousands of people now living in this country who were persecuted
by
>> >Nazis. Should the sign be banned ?, its a good question...."
>> >
>> >Any comments anyone ??
>> >
>> >Aaron Inman
****************************************************************
Here's my comment Aaron Inman!
Can two of the world's oldest faiths see each other eye-ball to
eye-ball and see for themselves that there is no malice in anybody's
heart, but only hurts that need to be healed? With knowledge, we can
destroy ignorance and hatred. We can perhaps one glorious day see
Swastika as a visual Shalom. Aum Tat Sat! -Nandini
