Sriramachakra (also called Sri Rama Chakra, Ramachakra, Rama Chakra, or Ramar Chakra) is a mystic

diagram A diagram is a symbolic representation of information using visualization techniques. Diagrams have been used since prehistoric times on walls of caves, but became more prevalent during the Enlightenment. Sometimes, the technique uses a three- ...

or a

yantra Yantra () (literally "machine, contraption") is a geometrical diagram, mainly from the Tantric traditions of the Indian religions. Yantras are used for the worship of deities in temples or at home; as an aid in meditation; used for the benefits ...

given in

Tamil Tamil may refer to: * Tamils, an ethnic group native to India and some other parts of Asia **Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka also called ilankai tamils **Tamil Malaysians, Tamil people native to Malaysia * Tamil language, nativ ...

almanac An almanac (also spelled ''almanack'' and ''almanach'') is an annual publication listing a set of current information about one or multiple subjects. It includes information like weather forecasts, farmers' planting dates, tide tables, and other ...

s as an instrument of

astrology Astrology is a range of Divination, divinatory practices, recognized as pseudoscientific since the 18th century, that claim to discern information about human affairs and terrestrial events by studying the apparent positions of Celestial o ...

for predicting one's future. The geometrical diagram consists of a

square In Euclidean geometry, a square is a regular quadrilateral, which means that it has four equal sides and four equal angles (90-degree angles, π/2 radian angles, or right angles). It can also be defined as a rectangle with two equal-length adj ...

divided into smaller squares by equal numbers of lines parallel to the sides of the square. Certain integers in well defined patterns are written in the various smaller squares. In some almanacs, for example, in the Panchangam published by the

Sringeri Sharada Peetham Dakṣināmnāya Śrī Śāradā Pītham or Śri Śringeri Maṭha (, ; sa, मठ, ) is one amongst the four cardinal pīthams following the Daśanāmi Sampradaya - the ''peetham'' or ''matha'' is said to have been established by acharya ...

or the Pnachangam published by Srirangam Temple, the diagram takes the form of a

magic square In recreational mathematics, a square array of numbers, usually positive integers, is called a magic square if the sums of the numbers in each row, each column, and both main diagonals are the same. The 'order' of the magic square is the number ...

of order 4 with certain special properties. This magic square belongs to a certain class of magic squares called strongly magic squares (or ''complete magic squares'') which has been so named and studied by T V Padmakumar, an amateur mathematician from

Thiruvananthapuram Thiruvananthapuram (; ), also known by its former name Trivandrum (), is the capital of the Indian state of Kerala. It is the most populous city in Kerala with a population of 957,730 as of 2011. The encompassing urban agglomeration populati ...

Kerala Kerala ( ; ) is a state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile regions of Cochin, Malabar, South ...

. In some almanacs, for example, in the Pambu Panchangam, the diagram consists of an arrangement of 36 small squares in 6 rows and 6 columns in which the digits 1, 2, ..., 9 are written in that order from left to right starting from the top-left corner, repeating the digits in the same direction once the digit 9 is reached. There is another smaller mystic diagram, called Seetha Chakra given in Tamil almanacs. In some almanacs it is given as a

of order 3 whereas in some others it is an arrangement of 9 small squares in 3 rows and 3 columns in which the digits 1, 2, .. 9 are written in that order column-wise from left to right. These Chakras are used by the believers to predict the future. A believer takes a small flower, prays to God seeking divine directions and drops the flower randomly on a board containing an inscription of one of the Chakras. The number on which the flower falls is believed to give a broad indication of the future of the believer. For example, if the design is Sri Rama Chakra in the form of a magic square and the number on which the flower has fallen is 11 then the person can expect "victory in his/her future endeavors".

The Chakras

Sri Rama Chakras

Sringeri/Srirangam Panchangams The Sri Rama Chakra as given in the Panchangam published by the

or the one published by Srirangam Temple is shown below. This is a magic square of order 4. The sum of the numbers in every row, every column and each diagonal are all equal to 34. Pambu Panchangam The Sri Rama Chakra as given in Pambu Panchangam is shown below.

Seetha Chakras

Sringeri/Srirangam Panchangams The Seetha Chakra as given in the Panchangam published by the

or the one published by Srirangam Temple is shown below. This is a magic square of order 3. The sum of the numbers in every row, every column and each diagonal are all equal to 15. Pambu Panchangam The Seetha Chakra as given in Pambu Panchangam is shown below.

Sri Rama Chakra as a strongly magic square

Let ''M'' be a magic square of order 4 and let it be represented by matrix as follows: :

M=\begin
a_ & a_ & a_ & a_ \\
a_ & a_ &a_ & a_ \\
a_ & a_ &a_ & a_ \\
a_ & a_ &a_ & a_ \\
\end

The numbers in each row, and in each column, and the numbers that run diagonally in both directions, all add up to the number 34. ''M'' is called a strongly magic square if the following condition is satisfied: :For all ''m'', ''n'' such that 1 ≤ ''m'' ≤ 4, 1 ≤ ''n'' ≤ 4, we have :

a_+a_+a_+a_=34

, :where it is assumed that if a subscript exceeds 4 it is replaced by 1 (wrapping around rows and columns). For example in a strongly magic square ''M'' the following must be true. :

a_+a_+a_+a_ = 34

(taking ''m'' = 2, ''n'' = 3) :

a_+a_+a_+a_ = 34

(taking ''m'' = 2, ''n'' = 4) :

a_+a_+a_+a_ = 34

(taking ''m'' = 4, ''n'' = 4) One can easily verify that the magic square represented by the Sri Rama Chakra is a strongly magic square.

References

{{reflist Magic squares Magic symbols Hindu symbols Hindu astrology Superstitions Symbolism 10 Magic square Puzzles are the new kind of puzzles based on Arithmetic and Logi
www.magicsquarepuzzles.com

The Chakras

Sri Rama Chakras

Seetha Chakras

Sri Rama Chakra as a strongly magic square

See also

References