By Śrīla Śyāma Dās Bābā
Lotus flower is the symbol of topmost purity where we can get the scope to take complete shelter unto the Lotus Feet of Srimati Rādhārāṇi already residing there and who is the predominated Absolute personality of the Supreme Lord, which is the safest place for a jīvātmā who is seeking the absolute shelter.
Sudarśana is the absolute willpower of the Supreme Lord and is the absolute symbol of cutting all evils from our life. Sudarśana means Su + darśana which implies vaikuṇṭha-darśana. Actually, aprākṛta darśana is Su-darśana. When all material darśana is over then we can get the scope to get entry into vaikuṇṭha-darśana. Then a devotee can see everything favorable in his life. We want to be protected by Sudarśana. Sudarśana can show us the absolute light of knowledge to destroy all ignorance and apasiddhānta-vicāra. Without the kṛpā of Sudarśana we cannot make any progress in the way of our aprākṛta bhajana. So, the firing effulgence which is coming out of Sudarśana Cakra can give us complete protection from māya.
Lion is the symbol of bala-vīrya (power and strength), lion is the king of jungle but Guru Vaiṣṇava they are the king (Mahā Rājā) of this forest of human being in this world, where the maximum most inhuman activities or immoral activities are going on, so to establish śuddha bhakti-siddhānta, I mean to install śuddha bhakti inside our heart they are trying their best. Also lion is the symbol of the absolute energy which can protect the absolute interest of śuddha-sattva-bhāva to dominate tama and raja (āsura) to give us the success to attain the Lotus Feet of the Supreme Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa
Ūrdhva Puṇḍra Tilaka has a great significance. This means Hari Mandir in the form of tilaka. Which implies the symbol of complete dedication unto the Lotus Feet of the Supreme Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa. Śrī Kṛṣṇa is the life and soul of Vaiṣṇavas and similarly Vaiṣṇavas are the life and soul of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, because there is acintya-bhedābheda relationship there in between devotees and Kṛṣṇa. The following ślokas from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam can substantiate the above siddhānta-vicāra
ahaṁ bhakta-parādhīno
hy asvatantra iva dvija
sādhubhir grasta-hṛdayo
bhaktair bhakta-jana-priyaḥ (SB 9.4.63)
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said to the brāhmaṇa: I am completely under the control of My devotees. Indeed, I am not at all independent. Because My devotees are completely devoid of material desires, I sit only within the cores of their hearts. What to speak of My devotee, even those who are devotees of My devotee are very dear to Me.
sādhavo hṛdayaṁ mahyaṁ
sādhūnāṁ hṛdayaṁ tv aham
mad-anyat te na jānanti
nāhaṁ tebhyo manāg API (SB 9.4.68)
The pure devotee is always within the core of My heart, and I am always in the heart of the pure devotee. My devotees do not know anything else but Me, and I do not know anyone else but them.
So, the Ūrdhva Puṇḍra Tilaka is the complete assurance of sincerity-faith-dedication-purity and service. As if Vaiṣṇavism and Ūrdhva Puṇḍra Tilaka non-different from each other. Since the root cause of this infinitive cosmic Universe resting up at Śrī Goloka Vṛndāvana with Śrī Govinda—who is residing at the eternal Goloka Dhāma Vṛndāvana, so it seems that Hari Mandir in the form of Tilaka is just reverse of a temple, but actually it is not like that, because from Śrī Gītā we can see the following śloka—
ūrdhva-mūlam adhaḥ-śākham
aśvatthaṁ prāhur avyayam
chandāṁsi yasya parṇāni
yas taṁ veda sa veda-vit (Bg. 15.1)
The Supreme Personality of Godhead said: It is said that there is an imperishable Banyan tree that has its roots upward and its branches down and whose leaves are the Vedic hymns. One who knows this tree is the knower of the Vedas.