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The six pointed star

A six pointed star holds a great significance in various culture and religions.

Referred to as the “Star of David”, it represents the identity of the Jews. Christians revere the star as the Star of Creation and each point denoting the day of creation. Muslims also consider the star an important symbol. It represents the “Seal of Solomon”. Quran says that David and King Solomon were prophets and kings and hence their symbols are revered too.

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Figure 1: The Star of David

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Figure 2: The star on Pope's crown

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Figure 3: Hexagonal structure in the Qutab complex - Islamic Architecture

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Figure 4: Use of the star in Humayun's Tomb

The Mormons or the Latter-Day Saints symbolize the star as the union of God and the man – the downward triangle representing the descent of god from heavens upon mankind and the upward triangle represents the man rising up to god through his deeds. And I bet all the symbol enthusiasts must have been waiting to hear about the free masonry and the star! Well, yes the star is interpreted as two interlacing triangles or union of two principles or forces prevailing in the universe. And the star is an important symbol in occult practices. It is considered both as a talisman and for conjuring spirits.

Even our Hindu scriptures are not unaware of the star. The star is used to represent the union of spirituality with materialism. The upward triangle shows the spiritual ascent and the downward triangle represents the material binding which keeps humans a part of the nature. These triangles also represent the union of the male and the female creations of the nature. The male form is suggested to be able to focus itself on the spiritual ascension while the female form is capable of creating the life within itself and hence represents the growth of materialism. While one argues that one form is superior over the other, the knowledge lies in the union of the forms and the balance provided by them. The growth in one dimension requires a balance from the other to offer stability. Remember the “tilak” on the forehead of Sri Venkateswara or Sri Vishnu? Notice that the tilak has three lines – a cup like figure made of two white lines joined together and an ascending redline in the middle bounded by the cup or the joint white lines. The red line represents the spirituality and the white lines represent the material nature. The cup or the chalice thus formed, gives the much needed balance to the spiritual growth of a man.

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Figure 5: The star in Hinduism

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Figure 6: Sri Venkateswara's Tilak

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