Vajra / Thunderbolt and Coins

 

Vajra (In Sanskrit means thunderbolt and diamond), in Hindu mythology is a powerful weapon of the thunder deity Indra, the Vedic god of war and king of the devas. It is considered as one of the most powerful weapons in the universe in Hindu mythology. The use of vajra as a symbolic and ritual tool spread to other religions in India and other parts of the world.                                  

                           

Seleucia, Persia coin, 2nd century BC, winged thunderbolt
   

            

                                     Vajra

The fiercest weapon, was made for Indra by the bones of the spine of the Sage Dadhichi, (who voluntarily sacrificed his body), to kill an asura named Vritra, who was the recipient of a boon whereby he could not been killed by any weapon known till then.

                                           

Indra with Vajra, That Phanom Rung Temple, Thailand 

                                         

Indra on Airavata elephant, holding Vajra, Keshava Temple, Somnathpur

The earliest mention of the vajra is in the Rigveda, part of the four Vedas. Many later Puranas too describe the vajra. The vajra is a type of club with a ribbed spherical head. The ribs may meet in a ball-shaped top, or they may be separate and end in sharp points. It may have three, five or nine prongs

                                           

                   Vajra with open prongs              

Buddhist legend suggests that the Buddha himself took the vajra and closed its prongs, thus transforming it from a destructive weapon to a peaceful scepter. In Buddhism, the vajra is a symbol of Vajrayana, one of the three major schools of Buddhism. Vajrayana is translated as ''Thunderbolt Way'' or ''Diamond Way'' and can imply the thunderbolt experience of Bodhi or enlightenment and indestructibility. Like the diamond, the vajra destroys but is itself indestructible and is thus linked to sunya (all-inclusive void)

The Thunderbolt and bell or the vajra (in Tibetan also called Dorjie) and bell (in Tibetan called drilbu) are the most important ritual objects of Tibetan Buddhism. Every Lama has a pair . They represent ''method''  and ''wisdom''. Combined they symbolize enlightenment

                                           

                        Vajra and Bell
 

Buddhist Symbolism. The Vajra is made up of several parts. In the center is a sphere which represents Sunyata, the primordial nature of the universe. Emerging from the sphere are two eight petaled lotus flowers. One represents the phenomenal world (Samsara), the other the noumenal world (Nirvana). Arranged equally around the mouth of the lotus are two, four or eight creatures called ''makara''. These are mythological half fish, half crocodile creatures. The five pronged vajra is most common, each prong representing a wisdom.

                                           

              Vajra in the hand of Buddha
     

The symbol of ''thunderbolt'' as a tool of destruction is found in many ancient civilizations, and mythology always associates lightening with a sky god, who uses it as a weapon. 

In ancient Greek mythology, it is associated with the Greek god Zeus (thunder god who ruled as kings of gods). The thunderbolt is a weapon given to Zeus by the Cyclopes.

                                           

Statue of God Zeus wearing a himation and holding a thunderbolt

Based on this, in Roman mythology, the thunderbolt is a weapon given to Jupitar (god of the sky and thunder in Roman mythology) by the Cyclopes, and is thus one of the emblems of Jupitar, often depicted on Greek and Roman coins and elsewhere as an eagle holding it in its claws, a thunderbolt which resembles in form a bundle of crossed sticks.

                                           

Ptolemy IV, Philopatry 221-205 BC coin, Eagle on thunderbolt between legs
    

In Sumerian cosmology, its use is recorded in the Babylonian Epic of Creation, the Enuma Elish. A battle between sky god Marduk and the evil and powerful Tiamat is depicted on the fourth tablet of this ancient document. Images show Marduk holding a three tipped scepter.

                                           

The oldest thunderbolt reference is found in the Seven Tablets of Creation made of baked clay found in the ruins of the Palace of Ashur-bani-pal ( 668-626 BC) at Kuyunjik (Nineveh) in modern day Iraq, showing the slaying of Tiamat, who is represented in the form of a huge serpent from a seal cylinder, Enuma Elis. Marduk is with a three pronged scepter. (In the British Museum)

                                            

Battle between Marduk and the dragon (Tiamat) drawn from a bas-relief, from the palace of Ashur-nasir-pal, King of Assyria, 88-860 BCE at Nirmund, holding a three pronged weapon and Vajra/thunderbolt. (British Museum Gallery No 28 and 29)

In Hittite (and Hurrian) mythology (1650 BC-1178 BC), a triple thunderbolt was one symbol of Teshub (Tarhunt)

In Celtic mythology (1200 BC-500 BC), Taranis is the god of thunder 

                                            

Taranis (Jupiter with wheel and thunderbolt), Le Chatelet, Gourzon, Haute-Marne, France

In Norse mythology or Scandinavian mythology , Thor is specifically the god of thunder and lightening, wielding Mjolnir. His mighty hammer Mjolnir was the most fearsome weapon that would never fail 

In Finnish mythology, Ukko is the god of thunder, wielding Ukonvasara

In Slavic mythology, Perun is the god of sky, controlling thunder and lightening and wields the Axe of Perun. It would return to his hand after it was thrown.

Irish mythology had a similar weapon known as the Gae Bolga or lightening spear or dart. The Irish bookof Leinster describes the devastating effects of the Gae Bolga.

In Turkish mythology, Bayulgen creates thunderbolts

In Maya mythology, Huracan is represented as three thunderbolts

In Gurani, Cherokee and Ojibway mythologies, Tupa, An Hyuntikwalaski and Thunderbirds are all the embodiments of thunder and lightening powers

In Igbo and Yoruba mythologies, the thunderbolt is a powerful weapon.

In China, the legend of Hua-hu Tiao Devours Yang Chien describes a magical spike carried by Huang Tien Hua which sounds remarkably similar to Indra's Vajra

Vajra is used as a symbol and as a weapon in Nepal, Bhutan, Tibet and Thailand.

Param Vir Chakra, India's highest war time gallantry award has a motif of Vajra.

                                               

         Param Vir Chakra, with a motif of Vajra

The Vajra, or thunder producing weapon shows the commonality around the world in legend, mythology, iconography and symbolism. The universality of this symbol shows that such weapons existed in ancient times and were documented. Weapons that emitted thunder. 

Coins with Vajra / Thunderbolt symbol

                                           

Kshaharata Dynasty, Bhumka, early 1st century AD, copper, weight 3.7 g

Obverse: Lion and dharmachakra on pedestals, kharoshthi legend around

Reverse: Vajra/thunderbolt and spear, legend around

     

                                           

Nahapana, mid 1st century AD, silver, weight 2.2 g

Obverse: Head of king right, Greek legend around

Reverse: Arrow and thunderbolt, Brahmi and Kharoshthi legend around, translated in Brahmi to ''Rajno Kshaharatasa Na'' and in Kharoshthi to ''Rajno Chaharatasa Nahapanasa''

                                            

Kushan Empire, Huvishka, 152-192 AD, Dinar, gold, weight 7.8 g

Obverse: Nimbate, diademed and crowned half-length bust of Huvishka facing left, holding specter in right hand, left hand on hilt, flames on shoulder 

Reverse: Shiva, Nimbate, standing facing, head left, pouring water from flask and holding Vajra/thunderbolt, trident, holding a goat, tamgha to left

                                            

Kushan, Kanishka, 127-152 AD, Dinar gold, weight 7.9 g

Obverse: Kanishka standing left, holding goad and standard, sacrificing over altar with Bactrian legend around

Reverse: Shiva standing left, holding pouring water from flask and holding vajra/ thunderbolt, trident and goat, Bactrian legend

                                             

Panchalas of Ahichhatra, 75-50 BC, Indramitra, weight 5.9 g, with Indra holding Vajra/thunderbolt
 

                                           

Sicily, Syracuse, Zeus and thunderbolt/vajra, 357-354 BC,
 

                                                

Roman, Gallienus, 253-268 AD, billon, weight 3.1 g

Obverse: IMP GALLIENVS AVG, radiate and cuirassed bust, right, 

Reverse: IOVI VLTORI, Jupitar standing, head right, holding thunderbolt in right hand, S in left field

                                                 

Roman Provincial. Faustina II, 147-175 AD, weight 9 g

Obverse: Draped bust of Faustina right, wearing stephane

Reverse: winged thunderbolt

  

                                               

Greek, Troas, Alexandria, 3rd-2nd century BC, weight 2.2 g

Obverse: Laureate head of Apollo, right

Reverse: Horse grazing left, thunderbolt in exergue

                                         

Roman, Probus, Antonianus, weight 3.3 g

Obverse: Cuirassed bust of Probus, right

Reverse: Jupiter standing front, holding thunderbolt in right hand and scepter in left

 

                                             

Roman Republic, Denarius, 49 BC, silver, weight 3.6 g

Obverse: Triskele with winged head of Medusa in center, corn-ears between legs, dots on border

Reverse: Jupitar standing facing right, holding thunderbolt in right hand and eagle with head in left hand, NT and MAR in monograms 

                                

                                              

Syria, Seleucia, Persia, 2nd century BC, weight 4.7 g

Obverse: Laureate head of Zeus right

Reverse: Winged thunderbolt, legend within laurel wreath

                                             

Ptolemy III AR, Tetradrachm, 246-221 BC

Obverse: Diademed bust of Ptolemy right

Reverse: Eagle standing left on thunderbolt, monogram on both sides of eagle

Vajra

Thunderbolt

Indra and vajra

Vajra and Bell

Zeus with thunderbolt

Sumerian mythology and thunderbolt

Norse mythology and Mjolnir

Coins with Vajra symbol

Coins with Thunderbolt symbol