1. The central religious symbols.

2. The religious meaning of these symbols.

3. The way symbolism provides distinctiveness to a religion.

4. The contribution of symbolism to religious art, music and written expression.

The key symbols of Hinduism are aum, the swastika, and the lotus flower.

Om is the sound heard in deep meditation by Hindu sages and seers. It is therefore considered to be the most appropriate name for GodWord used to describe a personal transcendent Being. The Hindu mystics claim that it is from this primordial sound, called nada-brahmanHindu term for ultimate reality

, that the universe was created.

The swastika is a symbol for good luck. It has four bent arms pointing in four directions. It symbolises drawing in good luck from the four corners of the world. The swastika is visible in Hindu temples and homes as a symbol of auspiciousness.

The lotus flower has a special place in Hinduism. This flower blooms in muddy waters and yet comes out pure and pristine. This is symbolic of spirituality manifesting and blossoming in a mundane world. Just as the lotus flower maintains its purity, though it springs in muddy surroundings, the spirit is not tainted when it manifests in the material world.

The Sanskrit term prati means going towards. From this root is derived the word pratik which means a symbol that leads us to God. This clarifies the important role played by religious symbols - they are relative expressions of the absolute. Symbols also give identity to the practitioners. Some symbols are generic to all Hindus while some symbols identify specific sectarian movements in Hinduism.

Hinduism recognises that all aesthetic expressions invoke spirituality in a non-religious format. Hence it is very comfortable in using art, music, dance, drama, poetry and literature as a way of invoking the idea of transcendenceThat which refers to the metaphysical world rather than the physical in religion. The copious use of the lotus flower in images of various deities serves to remind the devotee to remain detached from the world. The swastika is sometimes painted on the palms of deities giving blessings, invoking the idea of auspiciousness synonymous with the forms of deities. The om symbol is also used as an art form as well as a representation of spirit in sound. Om is chanted at the start of most hymns and prayersExtempore and set conversations with God.

Websites

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aum

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swastika

http://mailerindia.com/god/hindu/index.php?vish2

http://www.lotussculpture.com/my_articles_lotus.htm

http://www.vivekananda.btinternet.co.uk/secondaryschoolspage1.htm

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