#DANDA (Sengol) and #DHARMA

Currently, the feeds are all full with interesting insights about the details of what sengol signifies in the Indian tradition.?

I would like to add few more details. The first principle of India traditions is Dharma or Satya (Truth). And all practices, traditions, supply chain, lifestyle ecosystem were by tradition were designed for it and to accelerate it in this part of land.

Danda(Sengol) - in tradition has been significant in various events. A sanyasi takes a Danda, a Brahmachari takes a Danda, an administrator takes a Danda, the god of Dharma takes a Danda … It signifies many things.

Danda to a Sanyasi means renouncing the outer world and turning inwards. His interaction with outer world is to bare minimum and his entire focus is refining his deeper self. He holds the danda with reverence towards his oath and treats it like the precious life source that powers everything in this universe animate and inanimate.

Danda to the god of Dharma(Yamraj) means a way to calibrate creations across transformations so that it keeps dropping defects or untruths and converges towards supreme conscious. He keeps a log of everything in the universe animate and inanimate to ensure everything keeps to its truth or converges to it. Like the Sun keeps burning and holding planets, moon keeps revolving around earth, all forms animate / inanimate continue to follow the truth. In the culture it is said the truth is the sole means that powers the entire universe and holds it in balance without it all creation would disintegrate. He holds it to signify and drive accountability to truth. Even gods or creators are accountable to truth.

Danda to a Brahmachari is his oath to follow `Brahma Acharan`. He revers the Danda as his Guru. A Guru in Indian tradition is the source that unlocks and uncovers all truths of the universe and guides in his journey.?

In various literatures the administrators were bestowed with various kinds of danda via their gurus - Raj Danda/ Dharma Danda/ Brahma Danda . A Danda received by an administrator is a means by which he delivers administration. As soon as he receives the Danda his nature changes to a Sanyasi. He has no like or dislikes. He has no pain or pleasure. He becomes equanimous. All his subjects humans or otherwise are equal in his eyes and a reflection of the supreme conscious. He will behave in truth - like the rain that falls on everything alike, the sunlight that falls on everyone alike, the principles of science that stay true to whoever uses it. Like the mother who would sacrifice herself for her children. Like the protector who would risk himself all for truth. The Danda is also a mean by which he is the protector of truth. The Danda is a means by which an administrator finds courage to fight for or enforce truth no matter the odds or difficulty.?Danda is also the means that vests the power of justice (Nyaya) to the administrator. Similar to the way that the universe and its principles stay to truth protected by the Dharma(Yamraj) through the Dharma Danda,?an administrator inherits the power and responsibilities of the Dharma Danda / Brahma Danda / Raj Danda to administrate in the area he has been chosen. The one who caries it, caries it with a solemn responsibility and duty. It is representation of the power that ties the universe in truth and do whatever is needed to keep it in truth / Dharma.

There are various subtexts you could read to understand the nature of Truth / Satya / Dharma in the tradition. Truth is embodied in not only words but deeds, way of life, how we exist and interact with everything outside and inside us. Some interesting texts providing character details that could be internalised to understand the nature of truth could be as follows :?Harishchandra - Sri MadDeviBhagvatam, Ram?- Valmiki Ramayan, Shakuntala - Mahabharata, Yajgnasaini (Droupadi) - Mahabharata, Narad - Sri MadBhagvatam, Yudhisthir - Mahabharatam, Shibhi - Mahabharatam, Shiva/Gauri - Shivpuran.?One can find more more details on Danda and administrator and his duties in Agnipuran,?Mahabharata.?

The symbolism used in the sengol in the newly dedicated Indian parliament means the following.

Nandi - He is the most beloved and sacred devotee of Lord Shiva. He signifies immense strength. He also signifies immense devotion and purity. He possess the immense knowledge of truth and righteousness. He shares the knowledge of truth with the world of enlightened beings. He embodies the Dharma and depicts that in this yuga the Dharma is standing only on truth. Hence, the basis of entire creation is now vesting on Truth. ( Sri Madbhagvatam)

His tapas(penance) was so great that once Lord Shiva granted him Moksha by attaining the same form as his (Sarupya), he respectfully surrendered and requested another form as a devotee. (ShivPuran)

Nandi on Lotus: Lotus symbolizes the cradle of life and power in nurturing, creational forms.

5 Feets length: The universe was said to be created out of space, then air, then fire and then water and the earth. And earth is one that nurtured all life forms in her womb. The 5 feets depict the 5 elements. (Upanishad)

Goddess Laxmi: She is also known as devi of "Shree". Shree means grace, auspiciousness, cleanliness, truthfulness and wealth. Shree leads to accumulation of satvik gunas. (Sri MadDeviBhagvatam , Mahabharatam - Samudramanthan ).

Goddess Mahalaxmi is also considered to be the root deity of the entire creation and other forms of energy and sources emanating out of her. (Sri Markandeya Puran)

Sun: Sun symbolizes the elixir of life. It holds all the planets together and makes life possible. Sun symbolizes the vigour and intensity.

Moon: Moon symbolizes means that pours in life(Pran, amrit) into what all other life on Earth consumes. Moon symbolizes peace, tranquility, gentleness and kindness.

Sun and moon specify the precision, balance and time interplay that holds life on Earth in balance. (We know how much even fractions of delay in Sun and moon cycles could drastically change life as we know on Earth)

Indian traditions are quite fascinating and have since time immemorial intrigued seeks and philosophers alike. Let me know if you have more ideas to add to it!

Thanks!

#sengol #danda #dharma #symbolism?