The word "swastika" comes from the Sanskrit svastika - "su" meaning "good," "asti "meaning "to be," and "ka" as a suffix.
The swastika was a well known & commonly used symbol but was called by many different names:
China - wan
England - fylfot
Germany - Hakenkreuz
Greece - tetraskelion and gammadion
India – swastika
Though it is not known Until the Nazis used this symbol, the swastika was used by many cultures throughout the past 3,000 years to represent life, sun, power, strength, and good luck.
There is some confusion as to whether the clockwise (from the centre) angled swastika,
, or the counter clockwise angled variation, 
, is the sign with the most positive meaning.
A right-facing swastika may be described as "clockwise"......or "counter-clockwise".
But since the Nazis use of the swastika on August 7, 1920, some people are trying to differentiate the two meanings of the swastika by varying its direction. Nazi version of the swastika, which is clockwise, mean hate and death. Counter-clockwise version would hold the ancient meaning of the symbol, life, love and good-luck.
1The swastika in a decorative Hindu form.
2The hindu swastika was copied and used as an off
icial emblem of the Nazi Party, a use sometimes continued by modern Neo-Nazis.
In the western part of the world, It is claimed that Mexico, Central America consider "The Swastika" a charm to drive away evil and bring good luck, long life and prosperity to the possessor.
The Swastika" is the oldest cross and emblem in the world. It forms a combination of four "L's" standing for Luck, Light, Love and Life. It has been found in ancient Rome, excavations in Grecian cities, on Buddhist idols. http://www.luckymojo.com/swastika.html
In the eastern part of the world, Chinese would be used swastika as an alternative symbol of the sun. In Japan, swastika is used to mark the location of a Buddhist temple. In Japan it also may have been a sign for the magnificent number 10,000.
http://history1900s.about.com/cs/swastika/a/swastikahistory.htm
3 comments:
This is a very good post, but you did not go deeply into why the Nazis used the symbol or why it is so negative in the western mind.
The clockwise/counter-clockwise argument is actually a false one, because the original swastikam could go either way (and so could the Nazi flag).
In fact the argument is about westerners trying to find a way to differentiate such a powerful negative sign from the ancient use, and reclaim the positive connotations in modern western society.
Thank you for citing your sources.
J-
I thought the Nazi swastika was on an edge to make a diamond shape while the good swastika was on a side to make a square shape.
It's really too bad that such a positive symbol could be turned into something that represents so much hate.
I was taught that clockwise rotation, in general concepts, symbolizes "tightening" or "restriction", and counter-clockwise is "releasing"; where the releasing can be consider more positive in life.
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