This is the National Emblem of India.
The four asiatic lions on the emblem symbolize the four virtues : Courage, Pride, Confidence and Power. It was adapted from the Lion Capital Of Ashoka, a sculpture that was figurehead to the Ashoka Pillar in Sarnath, Uttar Pradesh.
Our national emblem adorns the first stamp India made since independence that was intended for domestic use.
Our national emblem also adorns our currency, the rupee.
And the Indian passport:
The figurehead (shown below) also has a circular abacus base, upon which are reliefs of an elephant (facing West), a horse (facing South), a bull (East) and a lion (North).
In the center of the base, (separating each animal), appears the Ashoka Chakra, the same 24 spoke wheel that adorns the center of our National Flag, the Tiranga (the tricolor).
The text below the emblem reads “Satyameva Jayate”, the literal meaning of which is “The truth always triumphs”. It was adapted from a mantra in the Mundaka Upanishad, the text of which in Devanagiri reads:
सत्यमेव जयति नानृतं
सत्येन पन्था विततो देवयानः |
येनाक्रमन्त्यृषयो ह्याप्तकामा
यत्र तत् सत्यस्य परमं निधानम् ||६||
; the english translation of which is:
Truth alone triumphs; not falsehood.
Through truth the divine path is spread out by which
the sages whose desires have been completely fulfilled,
reach where that supreme treasure of Truth resides.
The National Emblem was adopted on January 26, 1950, the day India became a republic.
