Rakshabandhan – The Festival of Protection and Trust

– Dr. Shruchi Singh

Rakshabandhan (Raksha – Protection, Bandhan – Bondage, Relationship) is famously defined as the festival of brother and sister, though it is not limited to these two alone. In a world where fancy rākhīs have established their roots deeply, to know the importance of Rakshabandhan, we need to focus on Rakshasutra (sutra – thread), the thread of protection. This thread is important, as in Bhāratiya sabhyatā sutra holds great value, it represents the manifestation of thoughts, beliefs, and wisdom. This is the reason several philosophical works are called sutra, such as Yoga-sutra, Brahma-sutra, and so on. When this manifestation is for a person, this sutra is symbolized with a sacred thread.

(Source of Image : https://images.app.goo.gl/s73MCBys9QHEFCsS6)

Rakshasutra is tied to the wrist of the person for protection, popularly observed when the purohit applies tilak and then ties the rakshasutra (also referred to as maulī or kalāvā) on the wrist of his yajmān on special occasions such as hawan, kathā, and so on. While tying this thread following mantra is recited,

येन बद्धो बली राजा दानवेन्द्रो महाबल:।
 तेन त्वामनुबध्नामि रक्षे मा चल मा चल।। (रक्षासूत्र का मंत्र)

I am tying you with the thread of Raksha, by which the most powerful dānav king Bali was tied. O Raksha be firm, be firm.

This mantra is in two parts, where first part refers to the person the thread is tied to, and the second part is a prayer to the thread/Raksha. Here the thread/rakshasutra is the indication of the dharma that one must follow. Rājā Bali’s association here is from the time when Sri Vishnu granted him a boon after pushing him down to pātāla lok in his Vāmana avtār. Rājā Bali requested Sri Vishnu to reside with him and protect his kingdom. Mata Laxmi, the consort of Sri Vishnu, was not pleased with this and went to Rājā Bali disguised as a poor Brāhmin woman for a stay until her husband’s return. During her stay, Bali’s kingdom prospered, and on the day of Śrāvan Pūrṇīmā, Mata Laxmi tied a rakshasutra to Bali while praying for his protection. Pleased with her gesture, Bali offered her a boon, to which Mata Laxmi pointed to the doorkeeper and asked Bali to free her husband. Mata Laxmi and Sri Vishnu then revealed their true selves to Bali, who realized Devi Laxmi’s sorrow as the sorrow of his sister, and happily allowed them to leave. This is also the reason, why sisters are invited to their brother’s home to tie the rākhī. Inspired by Rājā Bali, this sutra constantly reminds the wearer of their dharma or duties. The second part of the mantra, which is the prayer for Raksha, is about her being firm, that is, Raksha must stay and protect the wearer, for if she moves, the protection will be lost.

(Source of Image : https://images.app.goo.gl/go8nJTkaJt8ud2aM7)

The intention with which the rakshasutra is tied also plays an important role in the bond/relationship established between the two. This is the reason, Indrani (wife of Indra) tied the first rakshasutra to Indra for his protection, when he was going to war. Needless to say, Indra was not only protected due to the thread, but also won the war. Another tale associated is of Draupadi and Sri Krishna, where Draupadi upon seeing the blood oozing out of her friend Sri Krishna’s finger, without even a second’s delay, tore the end of her saree and tied it around his finger to stop bleeding. This incident can be viewed in the link when the attempt to disrobe Draupadi was made, where all the mighty warriors became helpless pawns. Here, Draupadi was left with the trust of Sri Krishna alone, who was not even present there. She prayed to him for help and protection. Sri Krishna saved her by extending her saree’s end that was being pulled, thereby not only keeping the robe in its place intact, but also turning it into a never-ending, uncontrollable, and untouchable cloth. In this instant, the threads that were tied as a bandage for protection from blood loss were transformed into a huge pile of never-ending cloth. Thus, the bond these two shared, became the definition of unshakable trust. This is the similar trust, that is displayed when Rakhi is tied to the wrists of the soldiers of our country by our women and girls, and in a similar fashion also tied to the wrist of our Prime Minister as well. This is the definition of trust that we the people of Bhārat display through the festival of Rakshabandhan.

Rakshabandhan is celebrated on the sacred day of Śrāvan (the month in the Hindu calendar) Pūrṇīmā (full moon day) by energizing the thread through our prayers for protection and dharma. This festival thus, can be celebrated by anyone, for the aim is to seek protection for or by the person. Also, to save the environment, now-a-days, rākhīs are tied to the trees as well, something that reminds us of our mother’s tale, where they used to tie rākhī to everything, including the animate-inanimate in their childhood days. This is the reminder that living or non-living, we co-exist in nature, hence we must protect our environment and nature to the best of our abilities while realizing it to be our basic duty as well.

Rakshasutra when used as kalāvā/maulī is of red and yellow colour, where red represents shakti (energy), and yellow represents auspiciousness. Also, there is a concept of Vedic rākhī, where in a yellow cloth following items are tied,

• Durvā (a type of grass, that grows on its own and never ends) indicates the purity of mind, progress, and continuity of lineage,
• Haldī (turmeric) indicates good health,
• Kesar (saffron) indicating radiance through spirituality, and/or Chandan (sandalwood) indicating peace,
• Akshat (that cannot be broken/crushed, traditionally referred to unbroken rice) indicates the invincibility, and
• Mustard seeds indicate the zeal to eliminate the negatives/problems from life.

(Souce of Image: https://images.app.goo.gl/kUaqipeczisU5q5GA)

All these items after being carefully tied in a piece of cloth, are sewed with the rakshasutra. This rākhī then offers the best kind of protection that is prayed. It is a reminder of maintaining and seeking purity in life through dharma, maintaining good health, a balance between social and spiritual life, peace inside as well as outside, and complete dedication in our efforts while getting rid of vices. This rākhī thus offers well-being (both spiritual and material) along with protection. 

Custom, that is how a festival is celebrated is its very important part, as it holds various meanings. In Rakshabandhan, the following steps are followed, which are like the steps of worshipping a Deity as well:

1. Covering heads with a piece of cloth (for both the people). It is for better concentration, and safety from harmful environmental factors such as heat, and so on.
2. Application of tilak made of vermillion from our right thumb in between the eyebrows of the person for his/her self-consciousness.
3. Application of akshat on tilak, additionally thrown on the head for invincibility at both spiritual and social levels.
4. Performing ārti (circular rotations of diyā/lamp of ghee around the face) to ward off evil energies.
5. Prayer of protection with the mantra stated before while tying the rākhī/rakshasutra around the wrist.
6. Offering sweet, it is auspicious, probably due to it being simply the source of instant energy, followed by water.
7. Giving gifts for tying the rākhī.

Rakshabandhan, thus is the festival of protection from our vices, evils, and realization of our duties. It is the festival, that is though popularly famous for brother and sister, is the festival that can be celebrated by anyone irrespective of their relationships, even with nature. It is, however, notable that the brother and sister relationship represents the purest love and care of each other for a variety of reasons, including growing up together with common experiences.  As the name of the thread, rakshasutra, it is the festival tying us in the bonds of dharma, responsibility, and hence protection. Therefore, it can be tied amongst parents and children, brothers and sisters, husband and wife, friends, and so on, that is from anyone by whom one seeks protection, and to anyone one wants to be protected.

(Source of image : https://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/Visakhapatnam/nature-lovers-tie-rakhi-to-136-year-old-banyan-tree-in-visakhapatnam/article67244541.ece)

Dr. Shruchi Singh, Research Associate, Kuruom School of Advanced Sciences (An Associate Institute of INADS)

Whatsapp Symbolism for Expressing and Learning

– Bal Ram Singh, PhD

Symbolism has been part of not only the human civilization but also the entire creation. Symbols may be considered as the non-verbal communication tools or a make belief world for interpreting the perception of the world. For example, the Sun, moon, stars, mountains, rivers, plants, animals, machines, art, etc. are all symbols that represent the characteristics of those objects.

Sculptural depiction of Ganesha, Saraswati, and Shiva are all examples of Vedic symbolism, as are the representation of Om (ॐ), Swāstika (स्वस्तिक), and Śṛīyantra (श्रीयन्त्र). The story of Ganesha, for example, is a deeper reflection of Vedic philosophy of Prakṛti, Puruśa, and Māyā. According to an article by Dr. David Frawley, “Ganesha symbolizes the human soul and its latent aspiration for the infinite. Initially, the soul is bound to Māyā or Prakṛti, symbolized by Ganesha being created by Parvati (Prakṛti) and seeking to protect her as her servant. The ignorant soul does not know Shiva, the transcendent reality beyond Māyā. Shiva, therefore, cannot recognize the soul as his own.”

The words themselves are symbols in writing as much in speaking. Different scripts in the world represent symbols of communications. Currently, there are 156 scripts in the world, 76 of them active in the Indian Subcontinent, also referred to as South Asia. The level of diversity in scripts, languages, and dialects In ancient times, there were hieroglyphs, a writing system with symbols found on stones, papyrus, temples, etc., as a system of communication over a time and space. According to the Ministry of Education, the Government of India, “The Indus Valley Script was a product of the now well-known Indus Valley Civilization. The greater Indus region was home to the largest of the four ancient urban civilizations, others being the Egyptian, Mesopotamian, and Chinese civilizations. Most of its ruins remain to be fully excavated and studied, as nothing was known about this civilization until 1920s. What is more, the ancient Indus script has not yet been deciphered – although there have been many claims and counter-claims.” In other words, the world has always had ways to communicate through symbols with self and others.

According to the New World Encyclopedia, a hieroglyph is a character used in a pictorial writing system. The term derives from the Greek term for “sacred carving” translated from the Egyptian phrase “the god’s words”. The term originally referred only to the Egyptian hieroglyphs, but was later also applied to ancient Cretan, Luwian, Mayan and Mi’kmaq scripts. Hieroglyphs are characters composed of graphical figures. Often, hieroglyphic symbols are readily recognizable as an everyday physical object, such as a person, a tool, the sun, or an animal. In many cases, symbols stand for the object they represent, but they can also be used to represent a concept associated with the object (such as “day” for “sun”) or a phonetic sound associated with the object’s name. A single system of hieroglyphic writing can use a combination of phonetic and logographic symbols.

India, which taut to have currently 23 official languages, coming from estimated 1,652 “mother tongues” – including 103 foreign mother tongues (Census 1961 & Nigam 1972: p. xv), is by far the most communicative country on Earth. However, the current computer culture, has taken over the re-hieroglyphization of the world with its symbolic gestures in social media. India seems to be losing a non-fighting battle, which could be detrimental to the world civilizations. India has arguably remained the proverbial beacon of light for the world’s civilizations through interactions with educated, intellectuals, wise, and the learned.

Unfortunately, India has been dubbed as an old civilization, which is either considered good for dead, or dead for good, as modern Indians continue with chorus culture of following the leaders even in the areas of their well-established eminent contributions. Let’s address some terms here which are either for eulogy or admirations of those gone or ready to be gone. Old is gold, which means keep it away and safe. The other is, we must follow the tradition of respecting our old. What is exactly old? There are perspectives on old – for time, physical stature, and experience. Time has passed by, and physical stature may have weakened, but experience of the old is richer than those new. An old person or a civilization with creative mind and innovative practices can be readily described as ‘Younger for Longer’ clan or culture. As a member of the YOUnger FOr LOnger or YOUFOLO club, I have noticed the following gestures being frequently used in several groups for symbolic expression. Some of these symbols have been used in India for eons, albeit with different meanings. While the symbolic gestures – scriptic, artistic, or facial- are critical for communication, these might mean different enough to be misconstrued or at least lose the diversity of expression.

Here are a few symbols, in Whatsapp chats in a Hindu academic group, something Hindus use as commonly since ancient times!

*👍, for thumbs up, but it could be taken as thengā (ठेंगा) 😄

* 🙏, for folded hands in appreciation, but could be also taken as, enough, not anymore

(अब और हमसे नहीं होगा 🙂)

and,

*❤️, for love it, but in the language of the deck of playing cards ‘the heart suits symbolize the Church’ 🙄. 

(See an article, Card Symbol Names and Suits Symbolism by Vijaya Bharti – August 3, 2022)

So, here are my suggestions for Hinduizjng (Indianizing) these gestures at least in our thoughts.

👍 = Eklavya dedication gesture!

🙏 = Dashendriya dedication gesture!

❤️ = Hanumān-Sīnāfāda (सीनाफाड़) self-confidence gesture!

Please laugh first, and think amusingly, then let it sink🙏

I also decided to analyze the gestures being used in that group by men and women, and found differences in the preference of the gestures. These gestures are thus indicative of different personalities displaying different traits to reflect those personalities. Men seem to lack Hanuman gesture of opening their heart, but are strong in Ekalavya gesture of sacrificing their most valuable element at the alter of the source of the knowledge. Both genders are closer in their approach to use their dashendriyās (sense and action) to appreciate others.

(Figure: Distinct Hindu gestures exhibited by deviyān (देवियाँ) and sajjangan (सज्जनगण)!)

As a chemist, I have seen symbols used everywhere, be it inorganic chemistry as in the periodic table, organic chemistry as in the structures of compounds, such as benzene, or in biochemistry for representing biological molecules or processes. It is impossible to learn chemistry without symbols and communicate it with other chemists, or even non-chemists who use the chemicals or biochemicals all the time. The uniformalization has been an essential element of this communication, but chemists find ways to personalize or uniquify them to extract the exact meanings.

We are dwelling in an interesting time, where science and society collide to sparkle new thoughts of becoming a learned! Let’s sail along!

Prof. Bal Ram Singh, President, Institute of Advanced Sciences, Dartmouth, USA