Ashoka Chakra

This article is about Ashoka Chakra, a symbol. For information about Ashoka Chakra the Award, see Ashoka Chakra Award

The Ashoka Chakra is a depiction of the Dharmachakra, the Wheel of Dharma (Sanskrit: Chakra means wheel). The wheel has 24 spokes.

The Ashoka Chakra has been widely inscribed on many relics of the Mauryan Emperor Ashoka The Great (Reigned 273-232 BCE), most prominent among which is the Lion Capital of Sarnath and The Ashoka Pillar.

The most visible use of the Ashoka Chakra today is at the centre of the National flag of the Republic of India (adopted on 22 July, 1947), where it is rendered in a Navy-blue color on a White background, by replacing the symbol of Charkha (Spinning wheel) of the pre-independence versions of the flag. Ashoka Chakra can also been seen on the base of Lion Capital of Ashoka which has been adopted as the National Emblem of India.

History and reason behind design

File:Sarnath Lion Capital of Ashoka.jpg

This is the famous original sandstone sculpted Lion Capital of Ashoka preserved at Sarnath Museum which was originally erected around 250 BCE atop an Ashoka Pillar at Sarnath. The angle from which this picture has been taken, minus the inverted bell-shaped lotus flower, has been adopted as the National Emblem of India showing the Horse on the left and the Bull on the right of the Ashoka Chakra in the circular base on which the four Indian lions are standing back to back. On the far side there is an Elephant and a Lion instead. The wheel "Ashoka Chakra" from its base has been placed onto the center of the National Flag of India.

The Ashoka chakra was built by the Indian emperor Ashoka the Great in his reign. Chakra is a Sanskrit word which also means cycle or self repeating process. The process it signifies is the cycle of time as how the world changes with time. The horse means accuracy and speed while the bull means hardwork.

The twenty four spokes in this chakra wheel represent twenty four virtues:

Love
Courage
Patience
Peacefulness
Kindness
Goodness
Faithfulness
Gentleness
Self-control
Selflessness
Self sacrifice
Truthfulness
Righteousness
Justice
Mercy
Graciousness
Humility
Empathy
Sympathy
Godly knowledge
Godly wisdom
Godly moral
Reverential fear of God
Hope/trust/faith in the goodness of God.

External links

For Pictures of the famous original "Lion Capital of Ashoka" preserved at the Sarnath Museum which has been adopted as the "National Emblem of India" and the Ashoka Chakra (Wheel) from which has been placed in the center of the "National Flag of India" - See "lioncapital" from Columbia University Website, New York, USA

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History and reason behind design

See also

External links