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Lotus refers to the water lily flower. Known by names such as Water Lily, Lotus, or Oriental Lily, this flower is widely recognized as a cultural and spiritual symbol across many Asian countries. The lotus grows with its roots in the soil, its stem in the water, and its blossom facing the sun. It is a symbol deeply rooted in religion, representing purity and self-discipline.
The lotus, also known as the water lily, is a flower with a rich historical legacy that dates back to ancient civilizations. Because it opens with the sunrise and closes at nightfall, it is often regarded as a symbol of life’s ebb and flow, renewal, and rebirth. While its meanings vary widely across cultures, the lotus universally holds a sacred and symbolic place.
This perennial aquatic plant thrives in murky and nutrient-rich waters. Found across India, East Africa, Southeast Asia, and Australia, the lotus is native to India and Vietnam and is highly valued in Eastern cultures for both its beauty and deep symbolism. The lotus lives a remarkable daily life cycle. Its roots are anchored in the mud, while long stems stretch upward toward the surface, where lush blossoms bloom.
Each petal emerges untouched by the dirty water, protected by a natural coating that repels soil and water. During the day, lotus flowers open, and at night, they submerge and close, re-emerging each morning above the water.
While the petals bloom for only a few days, they leave behind a lasting impression of purity and grace.
Across civilizations, the symbolic meaning of the lotus differs. In ancient Persia, the lotus (or Niloufar) was a well-known and highly esteemed emblem. As we mentioned earlier, it represented perfection, spiritual growth, and the cycle of birth and human development.
Generally, the lotus flower is considered a sacred symbol of purity, rebirth, and strength. Since it rises unstained from the mud, it represents purity of heart and mind. As it returns to dark waters each night and blooms again at dawn, it also stands for resilience, transformation, and spiritual rebirth. Another profound meaning is transcendence—the lotus signifies the soul’s journey beyond the physical world into enlightenment, blossoming from darkness into light
The lotus flower is one of the most important and widely used symbols in the reliefs of Persepolis, which had special importance in the Achaemenid civilization.
The Importance and Symbolism of the Lotus Flower in Persepolis:
Symbol of Perfection and Balance:
With its twelve petals, the lotus was used to represent harmony and perfection in Achaemenid art and architecture.
Emblem of Purity:
Due to its natural resistance to water impurities, the lotus symbolized.
Decorative Element:
The lotus was widely used as a decorative motif in stone carvings and column capitals across Achaemenid structures.
Sign of Fertility and Renewal:
It was also a symbol of fertility, creation, and rejuvenation.
Connection with Goddesses and Gods:
Anahita: The lotus symbolized the goddess Anahita, associated with water, and was often referred to as the “Flower of Anahita.”
Mithra (Mehr): Since the lotus opens with the sunrise and closes at sunset, it became a solar symbol linked to Mithra. Some mythological accounts even describe Mithra as being born from a lotus bud.
- Ahura Mazda: In Zoroastrianism, the lotus is also seen as a symbol of Ahura Mazda, the supreme god.
Relief and carving in Persepolis with lotus flowers
The lotus flower appears in sacred writings and spiritual imagery from ancient Egypt to some of the earliest Buddhist scriptures. It is no surprise, then, that the lotus is often viewed as a symbol of divinity. In Hinduism, in particular, the lotus holds profound spiritual meaning. References to the lotus can be found in the Vedic texts dating as far back as 1400 BCE. Several Hindu deities are frequently depicted with or upon a lotus flower, underscoring its divine association. As the national flower of India, the lotus has long served as a sacred symbol across Indian art, culture, philosophy, and religion.
In many Eastern cultures, the lotus is considered a central spiritual emblem, often regarded as one of the most sacred plants in the world. Lotus flowers appear in ancient Egyptian hieroglyphics, early Chinese ceramics, and Hindu folklore. As author Gary Snyder notes, “The lotus is revered across numerous Asian religions, including Buddhism, Hinduism, and Jainism, and is commonly seen as a symbol of purity, spiritual awakening, and enlightenment.”
In Hinduism, the lotus is associated with major deities such as Vishnu and Lakshmi, who are often shown seated upon or holding lotus blossoms.
. In Buddhism, the lotus represents the spiritual journey toward enlightenment. Although it grows in muddy water, it rises to bloom beautifully above the surface—symbolizing the triumph over impurities and obstacles to reach spiritual purity.
The lotus position, or Padmasana, is a central posture in yoga and meditation practices, used both at the beginning and end of a session.
In ancient Egypt, the lotus symbolized the sun, creation, and rebirth, as it closed at night and submerged beneath the water, only to reemerge and bloom again with the sun each morning. In India and East Asia, the native regions of this flower, the lotus is deeply intertwined with religious and philosophical beliefs—representing the soul’s journey toward spiritual enlightenment and transcendence.
Here, we take a deeper look at other meanings of the lotus flower:
Purity – Since the lotus flower emerges from water without mud, sludge, or debris, it is often seen as the ultimate symbol of purity.
Rebirth – The daily cycle of the lotus bloom, closing and reopening, like the path of the sun or moon, has led to the widespread belief that lotus flowers symbolize rebirth.
Lotus Symbolism: From Purity to Resilience
In many cultures, this flower represents purity and tranquility. The lotus flower’s ability to rise from muddy waters symbolizes the human spirit’s capacity to overcome challenges and hardships. This resilience is a powerful reminder of how beauty can emerge from difficult conditions.
Chakras are an ancient energy system that appeared in the Vedic texts, ancient Hindu scriptures written between 1500 and 500 BCE. The Vedas are a collection of poems, hymns, and spiritual writings that convey the knowledge of the Hindu religion. Chakras are believed to give life to the physical body and are associated with physical, emotional, and mental interactions. They are considered centers of life, spiritual energy, or prana, which is thought to flow along paths called nadis. Chakra (cakra) in Sanskrit means “wheel” and refers to energy points in your body. They are believed to be spinning disks of energy that must remain open and aligned, as they correspond to nerve bundles, major organs, and areas of our body, which is full of energy, that affect our emotional and physical well-being. Chakras are symbolized by lotus flowers, each with a different number of petals.
The symbol associated with the crown chakra is the lotus flower with a thousand petals. Each petal symbolizes a different aspect of our being, and when fully opened, it connects us to divine consciousness.
The lotus flower has historically been a sacred symbol of paradise in Iran. Achaemenid kings hold it with reverence, symbolizing peace and life. The lotus flower held special significance in ancient Iran. It was used as a symbol of purity in Achaemenid architecture, adorning buildings as decorative motifs. For example, in Persepolis, lotus designs can be seen in carvings and column capitals. The name of the beautiful lotus flower in Turkish, French, Greek, and other languages is also lotus.
Lotus flower capitals play an important role in Egyptian architecture. Lotus flowers are widely used in Indian temples and carvings. Their presence in garden art and ponds near Japanese temples is also significant. In Chinese culture, the lotus flower symbolizes purity, peace, and fertility. They consider the lotus a symbol of past, present, and future, as it is a plant that simultaneously buds, blooms, and produces seeds.
Phoenician goddesses are depicted holding lotus flowers. The symbol of the lotus appears atop Mithraic temples, in Baalbek, and in ancient churches. Followers of the Mithraic faith, believing that Mithra’s mother was fertilized by Zoroaster through water, depicted his birth from a lotus bud that resembles a pine cone.
The symbolic use of the lotus in Persepolis reliefs, as well as the inverted lotus flowers atop columns and their bases, demonstrates the ceremonial and sacred significance of this flower during the Achaemenid period.
