Hindu religion has many symbols which are considered to be very auspicious and divine. Of these, the two most common is the Om or Aum and the second is the Swastika.
Aum is a combination of the three notes, “A”, “U” and “M”. It stands for the merging of the physical into the spiritual Supreme Being. This is a sacred symbol of the Hindus and most Hindu mantras start with Om.
The proper and regular chanting of Om is said to clear the throat and make one chant hymns clearly. Om contains within it all the notes of sound from beginning to end. It is also considered sacred because its continuous recital and meditation leads the soul to salvation from materialistic illusions.
The Swastika, meaning `all is well` is another of holy Hindu symbols displayed prominently at home, temples, and religious ceremonies as a sign of prosperity, and good luck. It is a cross with four equal arms said to represent cosmic energy forces.
Apart from this the Swastika is said to have multiple meanings like the four Vedas, the four directions (east, west, north and south), the four seasons etc.
Although, it has special significance for Hindus it has been used by other cultures like Greek, Red Indians, Celts etc. down the ages. The use of Swastika by the Nazis as a sign of Aryan supremacy led to its negative image in Western countries.
The Swastika is also associated with the Sun and in terms of Vedic interpretations contains many hidden significance implying wisdom and enlightenment.