(An article of late L.Krishna Murti, written in Kannada and serialized in Dharmaprabha, beginning with the issue dated 1-1-1987 is being reissued in English translation made by Dr.L.Adinarayana)
[Late Sri Lanka Krishna Murti founded an institution called Sanathana Dharma Samrakshana Samsthe in order to promote the values inherent in the sanathana dharma. He designed a suitable logo for the Institution. The Journal, Dharmaprabha, which was also instituted by him and a few others, served as a mouth-piece for the dissemination of dharmic principles and the same logo was used for the journal also. While explaining the significance of the logo, he highlighted the fundamental principles of dharma in a series of articles, in Dharma Prabha, an English translation of which is presented in the following pages, under the title “bIjAkSharas or the Seed Words of Dharma.”]
The logo that is found at the top of the front page of every issue of the Journal (Dharmaprabha) is the symbol chosen for the Institute called Sanathana Dharma Samrakshana Samsthe. This logo is developed and designed on the basis of what is contained in one of the sections of the great Upanishad called Brihadaranyaka Upanishad. The logo contains a well-blossomed lotus, over which is placed a heart-shaped image and within that image is the picture of a cloud. In addition to these images, there is the manthric symbol AUM, below which are the letters DA, DA, DA. Further down are the words deva, manava, and asura. Still further down are to be seen the words DAMA, DAANA and DAYA.
According to the Brihadaranyaka Upanishad, Devas (gods), Manavas (human beings) and Asuras (the demons) are the offspring of Prajapati, the Creator. They are also his disciples who once approach him seeking guidance. Prajapati utters the same sound DA by way of giving his message to each of the three groups of his disciples. But the meaning of the Sound Da differs from group to group. In the case of the gods, the sound DA means DAMA; in the case of the humans, it means DAANA; and in the case of the demons, it means DAYA, as explained in the Upanishad. It is also indicated in the text that the Supreme Being conveys the message through the thundering sound of DA, DA, DA, produced by the clouds. These three sounds remind the people of the importance of DAMA, DAANA and DAYA.
The blossomed lotus in the logo stands for human consciousness that is outward bound. If this human consciousness should remain unwithered, undecaying and undistorted, and if it should stand fresh and charming like a well-blossomed lotus, it needs to draw vigor and strength from Dharma. It is keeping this in view that the terms DAMA, DAANA and DAYA, which symbolize the essence of Dharma, are placed above the blossomed lotus.
Within this outward-bound consciousness lies hidden the secret, fundamental principle of Dharma. This hidden consciousness is represented in the logo in the form of a heart. This inner, hidden consciousness is as important as the heart in the human body.
According to a Vedic manthra, the heart remains downward-facing, resembling a lotus. The same image is displayed in the logo. In the inmost recesses of the heart stands the Supreme Being. AUM symbolizes that Supreme Being. That He is deep-bluish in hue and that He showers nectar is suggested by the image of the cloud. And the three sounds DA, DA, and DA, suggesting DAMA, DAANA and DAYA are potent like manthric syllables and are fit to be used for doing japa, the repetitive utterance of sacred sounds. In fact, these sounds, DA, DA and DA get merged in the endless heart-beats. These sounds are the very utterances of the Supreme Consciousness that keeps the heart beating without any interruption.
The differences seen in terms of the divine, the human and the demonic are the consequence of the differences in the samskaras of the individual. They represent the three fundamental tendencies which are called sattva, rajas and thamas, respectively.
(to be continued)
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