What is a Hamsa?
Hamsa (or hansa) is the Sanskrit term for a transcendentally situated swan or goose. Considered by scholars to be either the Mute Swan (Cygnus olor) or the Bar-headed Goose (Anser indicus), the Hamsa is best known and loved as the vahana (sacred carrier) of Lord Brahma and the Goddess Saraswati. ‘Vah’ in Sanskrit means to carry or to transport.
Why translate Hamsa from Sanskrit to Swan?
According to Vogel, Western and Indian scholars may have preferred translating hamsa from Sanskrit to swan as the indigenous goose appears plump while the swan (and, Vogel adds, the flamingo) appears more graceful. Brahma on a hamsa shown in a Himachal Pradesh painting (left, c. 1700 CE); in a South Indian painting (right, c. 1825 CE).
Is hamsa a swan or a goose?
Some scholars such as Donald Swearer translate it as swan, others such as Thien Chou as goose. In historic Nepalese art, hamsa are either sketched as a swan or goose-like bird, while in historic Tibetan artwork it appears as goose-like bird likely reflecting the Indian region from where the Tibetan monks borrowed their iconography.
What is hamsasana (Swan Pose)?
Join your fellow yoga teachers! Hamsasana (Swan Pose) is an intermediate level balancing prone pose. Similar to Phalakasana (Plank Pose), the body is lengthened balancing the body weight on the toes and palms, but with a variation in the position of the hands.
The hamsa, or hamsa hand, is a talisman from the ancient Middle East. In its most common form, the amulet is shaped like a hand with three extended fingers in the middle and a curved thumb or pinky finger on either side. It is thought to protect against the “ evil eye .”
What is a Hamsa Talisman?
This Protective Talisman Guards Against Evil. The hamsa, or hamsa hand, is a talisman from the ancient Middle East. In its most common form, the amulet is shaped like a hand with three extended fingers in the middle and a curved thumb or pinky finger on either side. It is thought to protect against the “evil eye.”.
What is hamsa (hand of Fatima)?
The Hamsa is also variously known as the Hand of Fatima after the daughter of the prophet Muhammad, the Hand of Mary, the Hand of Miriam, and the Hand of the Goddess .
Why does the hamsa have an eye on it?
In addition to being shaped like an oddly formed hand, the hamsa will often have an eye displayed in the palm of the hand. The eye is thought to be a powerful talisman against the “evil eye” or ayin hara (עין הרע). The ayin hara is believed to be the cause of all of the world’s suffering,…