Encyclopedia > Emblem of India

  Article Content

Emblem of India

The state emblem of India is an adaptation from the Lion Capital of Asoka at Sarnath, near Benares in the north Indian province of Uttar Pradesh.

It features four lions (the 4th being hidden from view), symbolizing power, courage and confidence, resting on a circular abacus. The abacus is girded by four smaller animals - guardians of the four directions: the lion of the north, the elephant of the east, the horse of the south and the bull of the west. The abacus rests on a lotus in full bloom, exemplifying the fountainhead of life.

Usually inscribed below the abacus in Devnagari script is the motto Satyameva Jayate, meaning 'Truth Alone Triumphs' in Sanskrit. This is a quote from Manduka Upanishad[?], the concluding part of the Vedas.



All Wikipedia text is available under the terms of the GNU Free Documentation License

 
  Search Encyclopedia

Search over one million articles, find something about almost anything!
 
 
  
  Featured Article
242

... 190s 200s 210s 220s 230s - 240s - 250s 260s 270s 280s 290s Years: 237 238 239 240 241 - 242 - 243 244 245 246 247 Events Patriarch Titus[?] succeeds Patriarch ...

 
 
 
This page was created in 171 ms