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The National Emblem
राष्ट्रीय प्रतीक
Satyameva Jayate — the lion capital that crowns the nation
Era
Adopted 26 January 1950
Built by
Emperor Ashoka (c. 250 BCE)
Location
Sarnath, Uttar Pradesh
Type
Patriotic Places
“Satyameva Jayate — Truth alone triumphs.”
— Mundaka Upanishad, inscribed on the emblem
The Story
In the 3rd century BCE, Emperor Ashoka raised a magnificent pillar at Sarnath, where the Buddha had preached his first sermon. Its crowning capital — four lions seated back to back on a drum — was carved from a single block of polished sandstone and became the finest example of Mauryan art.
On 26 January 1950, independent Bhārat adopted this Lion Capital as its national emblem. Only three lions are visible from the front; the fourth is hidden behind. The base shows a chakra (wheel) on each side, flanked by a bull and a horse, echoing the wheels of the emperor's law.
Beneath the emblem runs the motto 'Satyameva Jayate' — 'Truth alone triumphs' — from the Mundaka Upanishad. The emblem stamps passports, currency notes, government buildings, and the Constitution itself. Wherever you see the lions, you are looking at the authority of the Republic of India.
Core Ideas
From Sarnath, 250 BCE
Ashoka's lion capital, carved 2,200 years ago.
Four Lions, One Nation
Four lions back to back — only three visible from the front.
Satyameva Jayate
The motto of truth, drawn from the Mundaka Upanishad.
On Every Document
Passports, currency, and official papers carry the lions.
The Wheel of Law
Chakras and animals on the base echo Ashoka's dharma.
Why it matters today
The National Emblem connects modern Bhārat directly to the emperor who chose dharma over conquest. It is the face of the republic — carved 2,200 years ago, still standing for truth, justice, and the law.