What did the swastika stand for before Hitler appropriated it?

Before it became the Nazi symbol of Aryan superiority, the swastika had several meanings, all positive. In Sanskrit, the word swastika means "conducive to well-being." The Aryans of India believed swastikas represented the sun's motion across the sky, a symbol of its goodness and regenerative power. The Greeks and Persians believed it represented prosperity and happiness. Early Christians disguised the cross as a swastika to avoid persecution. North American Indian tribes used a similar symbol as a sign of peace. (The Book of Answers, by Barbara Berliner)