NATIONAL EMBLEM

NATIONAL EMBLEM

        The Emblem of the Indian State is an adaptation from the  Sarnath (Varanasi)  Lion Capital of Ashoka the great. It was adopted by the  Government of India on 26 January, 1950.

         In the original, there are four lions standing back to back, mounted on an abacus with a frieze carrying sculpture in high relief of an elephant, a galloping horse, a bull and a lion separated by intervening wheels over a bell shaped lotus. Carved out of a single block of polished sandstone, the capital is crowned by a Wheel of the law ( DHARMA  CHAKRA).

   

         In the State Emblem, only three lions are visible, the fourth being hidden from view. The wheel appears in relief in the centre of the abacus with a bull on the right and a horse on left and the outlines of other wheels on extreme right and left. The bell shaped lotus has been omitted.  The words “ SAtyameva Jayate” from “Mundaka Upanishad” meaning  “TRUTH  ALONE TRIUMPHS” are  inscribed below the abacus in the DEVANAGARI script.