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Authors: Ashwin Sanghi
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replied Sir Khanwork on the Kaliyugaonce and for all. Vidura pleaded before Dhritarashtra to stop them, but the blind king ended up scolding Vidura instead. Angry and hurt, Vidura decided to leave Hastinapur and go join the Pandavas in the forests. Soon thereafter, Dhritarashtra repented and sent messengers to bring Vidura back while disallowing any attack on the Pandavas. Since they could not attack the Pandavas, the Kauravas decided to humiliate them by setting out on a cattle census. They established their base camp near the Pandavas and cooked the very best gourmet delights in order to torment the Pandavas. Unfortunately for the Kauravas, they were attacked and captured by the forest Gandharvas, the divine messengers between the gods and humans. Not forgetting their duty, the Pandavas rescued theKauravas from the Gandharvas, thus leaving the Chandal Chaukdi shamefaced.
‘So we have a swastika—so what, Roger?’ asked Chhedi. ‘How has it added to your knowledge in any way?’
‘Dumpy, the swastika is probably the oldest symbol of the Vedic civilisation. Unfortunately, it was adopted by Adolf Hitler’s genocidal Nazi party and acquired a negative connotation the world over,’ said Saini. ‘Among Hindus, however, it is extremely holy. The word “Swastika” itself is derived by combining two Sanskrit words “Su” and “Asti”. Su means “good” and asti means “existence” or “life”. The overall context of the symbol is thus of peace, good health, prosperity and happiness. The question that has always plagued me though, is this: is the swastika merely a symbol, or did it mean much more in ancient times? After all, an X in an algebraic equation does not mean the same thing as an X used to mark a spot on a map!’
‘Are you trying to say that the swastika marks a specific physical location geographically?’ asked Chhedi.
‘I am not in any way discarding the symbolism of the swastika,’ said Saini, hastily drawing a modern swastika on a notepad to illustrate his point before proceeding to elaborate.
‘Just for a minute, though, let us forget the symbol we consider as the swastika today,’ continued Saini. ‘Today’s swastika symbol is more geometric and defined. It also has sacred mathematical properties. It is one symbol that is composed of eight limbs. Notice the fact that 1 and 8 are at play here also? However, what was the original swastika? It was much curlier, somewhat like this.’ Saini drew another symbol, but a gentler version, with curves.
‘What’s your point?’ asked Priya, peremptorily.
‘Mathematicians Cundy and Rollett have defined the swastika curve mathematically,’ continued Saini, ignoring Priya’s curtness. ‘It is a quartic plane curve representing the Cartesian equation y 4 – x 4 = xy. Want to see what their curve look like?’ Without waiting for an answer, Saini drew an approximation of Cundy and Rollett’s swastika curve on the notepad before him.
‘When you see this curve, what does it remind you of?’ asked Saini excitedly. His question was greeted by silence.
Realising that there were no volunteers, Saini spoke up once again. ‘Don’t you see the significance?’he asked, his voice rising. ‘It’s the very shape,’ replied Sir KhanQ sai that represents the flow of four rivers from an elevated point!’ he exclaimed. ‘The swastika became a holy symbol much later. For the ancient Vedic sages, it represented a very holy destination. I’ve given both of you sufficient clues. Can you tell me of a hill or mountain that has four rivers?’
Priya was suddenly like the studious kid in the front row, eager to answer the teacher’s question. ‘I have it! It’s the mountain from which four rivers—the Indus, the Sutlej, the Brahmaputra and the Karnali—flow down and outwards,’ she rattled off.
‘And what is the name of that mountain?’ asked Saini, slipping into his academic role effortlessly.
‘Mount Meru!’ exclaimed Priya. ‘Also
‘So we have a swastika—so what, Roger?’ asked Chhedi. ‘How has it added to your knowledge in any way?’
‘Dumpy, the swastika is probably the oldest symbol of the Vedic civilisation. Unfortunately, it was adopted by Adolf Hitler’s genocidal Nazi party and acquired a negative connotation the world over,’ said Saini. ‘Among Hindus, however, it is extremely holy. The word “Swastika” itself is derived by combining two Sanskrit words “Su” and “Asti”. Su means “good” and asti means “existence” or “life”. The overall context of the symbol is thus of peace, good health, prosperity and happiness. The question that has always plagued me though, is this: is the swastika merely a symbol, or did it mean much more in ancient times? After all, an X in an algebraic equation does not mean the same thing as an X used to mark a spot on a map!’
‘Are you trying to say that the swastika marks a specific physical location geographically?’ asked Chhedi.
‘I am not in any way discarding the symbolism of the swastika,’ said Saini, hastily drawing a modern swastika on a notepad to illustrate his point before proceeding to elaborate.
‘Just for a minute, though, let us forget the symbol we consider as the swastika today,’ continued Saini. ‘Today’s swastika symbol is more geometric and defined. It also has sacred mathematical properties. It is one symbol that is composed of eight limbs. Notice the fact that 1 and 8 are at play here also? However, what was the original swastika? It was much curlier, somewhat like this.’ Saini drew another symbol, but a gentler version, with curves.
‘What’s your point?’ asked Priya, peremptorily.
‘Mathematicians Cundy and Rollett have defined the swastika curve mathematically,’ continued Saini, ignoring Priya’s curtness. ‘It is a quartic plane curve representing the Cartesian equation y 4 – x 4 = xy. Want to see what their curve look like?’ Without waiting for an answer, Saini drew an approximation of Cundy and Rollett’s swastika curve on the notepad before him.
‘When you see this curve, what does it remind you of?’ asked Saini excitedly. His question was greeted by silence.
Realising that there were no volunteers, Saini spoke up once again. ‘Don’t you see the significance?’he asked, his voice rising. ‘It’s the very shape,’ replied Sir KhanQ sai that represents the flow of four rivers from an elevated point!’ he exclaimed. ‘The swastika became a holy symbol much later. For the ancient Vedic sages, it represented a very holy destination. I’ve given both of you sufficient clues. Can you tell me of a hill or mountain that has four rivers?’
Priya was suddenly like the studious kid in the front row, eager to answer the teacher’s question. ‘I have it! It’s the mountain from which four rivers—the Indus, the Sutlej, the Brahmaputra and the Karnali—flow down and outwards,’ she rattled off.
‘And what is the name of that mountain?’ asked Saini, slipping into his academic role effortlessly.
‘Mount Meru!’ exclaimed Priya. ‘Also
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