| What are the best designs for your first tattoo? | | | | The Omkar symbol has many representations, |
| For your first experience, you should get | | | | depending on which regions writing system you |
| something smaller and relatively simple. One | | | | use. But they all have the same 4 elements: |
| reason is that the tattooing process is not for | | | | * Upper curve - Ganesha's head |
| everyone - some find it unbearably painful while | | | | * Lower curve - Ganesha's large belly |
| others find it impossible to keep still long enough | | | | * Side curve - Ganesha's elephant trunk |
| to complete the tattoo. A second reason is cost. | | | | * Dot inside a semi-circle - the sweetmeat in |
| You may have seen some people with large ugly | | | | Ganesha's hand |
| tattoos and wondered what the hell happened to | | | | 2. Padme/Lotus Flower |
| their sense of style. Sometimes it's not their fault | | | | The lotus flower is another popular Sanskrit |
| - they went to a cheap tattoo johnny and he | | | | tattoo which is good for a first tattoo. It is not a |
| botched the job. This is why you want to start | | | | true flower tattoo, but is drawn in a stylized |
| with a small tattoo which is affordable. There are | | | | fashion similar to the Mandalas used for |
| several types of tattoo designs which are good | | | | meditation. You can also see a large form of this |
| for beginners - among them are Sanskrit tattoo | | | | design in Hindu religious celebrations. It is a bright |
| designs and Celtic cross tattoos. Three of the | | | | and colorful tattoo. |
| best tattoo designs in Sanskrit will be described | | | | This flower is called Padme in Sanskrit. It is a holy |
| below. | | | | flower because Brahma the Creator was born |
| 1. Om/Aum/Omkar Symbol | | | | from a lotus flower. It is also a symbol of the |
| Many people who get Sanskrit tattoo designs use | | | | death and rebirth of the world because of the |
| the Om symbol. Not only does it look good, Om is | | | | way a lotus flower closes and submerges itself |
| a powerful and mystical symbol. | | | | under the water at night, then blooms again the |
| From the mystical or spiritual point of view, Om is | | | | next morning. |
| one of the primal sounds of creation. Verbally, it is | | | | 3. Trident/Trishula Symbol |
| pronounced Aum. This is a universal sound | | | | The trident is a simple and martial tattoo which is |
| appearing in many religions - one famous form is | | | | also good for a first tattoo. It is called Trishula in |
| said to be the Christian "Amen". You can also hear | | | | Sanskrit. The three-pronged trident is Shiva the |
| it in the mantras and chants of many Eastern | | | | Destroyer's chosen weapon. This is the same |
| schools of meditation. | | | | weapon he used to cut off Ganesha's original |
| As a sound, Om is said to represent the different | | | | head. |
| states of consciousness - being awake, dreaming | | | | Despite its rather bloody image, the Trishula is |
| and sleeping. To the Hindus, it is also the sound of | | | | actually quite mystical. It represents the cycle of |
| their three most important gods - Brahma the | | | | creation, maintenance and destruction. It also |
| Creator, Vishnu who maintains the world, and | | | | means the past, present and future. It is also the |
| Shiva the Destroyer. | | | | three primary energy meridiens flowing through |
| One of the names for the written form of Om is | | | | the human body into the 3rd eye between the |
| Omkar. Omkar is said to represent Ganesha, the | | | | brows. |
| elephant-headed God of Hinduism. Ganesha is the | | | | All three of these Sanskrit tattoo designs are |
| son of Shiva the Destroyer, and the God of both | | | | simple and quite easy to draw. When done by a |
| Wisdom and Success. He is one of the most | | | | good tattoo artist using good quality ink, they |
| popular Hindu gods. Devotees pray to him for | | | | come out looking very nice. |
| success and the removal of obstacles. | | | | |