An emblem by definition is "a heraldic device or symbolic object in the form of a distinctive badge of a nation, organization, or family". The national emblem of a country is a seal reserved for official use by the state. For a country, the national emblem is a symbol of authority and represents the basis of its constitutional philosophy.
The national emblem of India is a variation of the lion capital atop the Ashoka Pillar of Sarnath, Uttar Pradesh, and is associated with the national motto Satyameva Jayate. The Lion Capital was adopted as the national emblem of India on 26 January 1950. It was a declaration of the status of the newly acquired Republic of India. The national emblem is used only for official purposes and demands sincere respect from the citizens of India. It serves as the official seal for all national and state government offices and is an essential part of any letterhead used by the government. It is prominently displayed on all currency notes as well as diplomatic identification documents such as passports issued by the Republic of India. The national emblem is a symbol of the sovereignty of India.
Description
The national emblem is a graphic representation of the lion capital originally located on the top of the Ashoka Pillar or Ashoka Pillar at Sarnath, with the national motto written below it. The crowned lion capital of the Ashoka Pillar is made of a single block of yellow sandstone and features four Asiatic lions seated one after the other, but the two-dimensional representation of the national emblem depicts only 3, the fourth lion hidden from view. . The four lions stand on a small cylindrical base with four Ashoka Chakras each corresponding to a lion statue and in between are reliefs of four more animals – lion, bull, elephant and galloping horse. The 2D form of the national emblem shows only an Ashoka Chakra at the front, with a galloping horse on the left and a bull on the right. The Ashoka Chakra is actually a variant of the Buddhist Dharma Chakra. The original Lion Capital sits on an inverted lotus abacus which is not included in the national emblem representation. Instead, beneath the representation of the lion capital, the word Satyameva Jayate is written in Devanagari script, which is also the national motto of India. The word Mundaka is a quote from the Upanishad, the last and most philosophical of the four Vedas and is translated as 'only truth triumphs'.
History
The history behind the inspiration for the national emblem dates back to the 3rd century BC. The third Mauryan emperor, Ashoka was a great conqueror and established the first true empire in India. Emperor Ashoka embraced Buddhism after witnessing the endless bloodshed across the country. Thereafter, instead of conquests and wars, he made non-violence, spiritualism, compassion and peaceful coexistence the cornerstones of his administration. He made many sculptures and stone carvings throughout his kingdom to propagate the principles of Buddhism among his people. The Lion Capital was built by the Mauryan emperor Ashoka during 250 BCE to mark the spot where the Buddha imparted the knowledge of the dharma to five of his disciples, who in turn spread the great monk's teachings throughout the world. . Many other such pillars were erected by the emperor, but most of them have a single animal at the top.
The pillar had originally sunk into the ground and was not visible. German-born civil engineer Friedrich Oscar Ortel began excavations of the area following accounts of Chinese travelers during the medieval era. Excavations began in December 1904 and ended in April 1905. He unearthed the Ashoka Pillar at Sarnath in March 1905 and the entire pillar was found in three volumes. The uppermost lion capital was found intact and is currently on display in the Sarnath Museum.
Symbolism
The Ashoka Pillar and the Lion Capital on its top were built by Emperor Ashoka to mark the spot where the Buddha first transmitted his 'Bodhi' to the disciples. When he embraced Buddhism, his gospel of peace, tolerance and freedom from worldly attachments became the basis of a life of penance. By adopting this statue as a national emblem, the Republic of India recognizes its allegiance to the Buddha's vision, attests to the positive changes Ashoka brought to his kingdom and reaffirms his commitment to maintaining peace and tolerance. is.
The four lions of the capital, one after the other, symbolize the emphasis on equality and justice in all walks of life. The four lions are also representative of the four main spiritual philosophies of the Buddha as the Buddha himself is symbolized as a lion. The three lions that appear on the representation of the capital in the national emblem are symbols of strength, courage and self-confidence. It is also a symbol of constant vigilance in all four directions. The cylindrical base under the lions further reinforces some of the symbolism. The circular wheel in the middle is a form of the Buddhist wheel and is known as the Ashoka Chakra after the emperor who popularized it. The 24 spokes of the cycle represent the number of hours in a day, and depict the passage of time. The matchsticks indicate progress in life and thus one avoids stagnation of mind. The four animals depicted alternately between the chakras - the lion for the north, the elephant for the east, the horse for the south and the bull for the west. These animals are seen rotating in circles along the circumference of the cylinder. In some Buddhist texts, all of these animals are referred to as symbols of the Buddha himself and may be regarded as carrying forward the principles of the dharma. In another interpretation, these four animals represent different stages of the life of Lord Buddha. The elephant represents the conception of Prince Siddhartha (Queen Maya dreamed of an elephant entering her womb). The bull is the representative of Prince Siddhartha in youth while the horse represents Siddhartha sacrificing his royal life in search of Bodhi. There is a depiction of Siddhartha attaining Bodhi and his transformation as Buddha under a lion peepal tree.
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