Eternal India Encyclopedia

PERCEPTIONS

Eternal India encyclopedia

PUNYWRIKSHA (SACREBTREES)

grandiflora, agasta. Mimusops elengi, kesara. Mallotus philippinensis, punnaga. Gardenia florida, gundaharaja. Michelia champaca, champaka. Anthocephalus (Nauclea) Cadamba, Kadamba shorea robusta, sala. Ficus religiosa, aswattha, pipal. Ficus benghalensis, war, vata. Feronia elephantum, Sacred to Shiva and Vishnu : Jasminum undulatum. Guettarda speciosa. Mesua ferrea, naga-keshara. Origanum Marjoram, marwa. Ixora Bhanduca, bhanduca, ranjun. Artemisia sp„ downa. Nerium odorum, kuruvira. Chrysantliemum-indicum, chandra-malika, seunti or seventi. Sacred to the Trimoorthi : Aegle Marmelos, Sri- phala, Createva religiosa, kapittha. Eleocarpus ganitrus, radraksha. Sacred to Vishnu : Ocymum sanctum, Tulsi. Plants sacred to the Patricas, or Nine forms of Kali. To Rhamba, Musa paradisiaca, kaila, kadali. To Kachwi-rupa, Arum esculentum, kachwi. To Haridra, Curcma longa, haridra. To Jayanti, Sesbania Egyptiaca, Jayanti. To Vilva-rupa, Aegle Marmelos, bel, vilva, sri-phala. To Daremi, Punica Granatum, darima. To Asoka, Saraca Indica (Jonesia Asoca), asoka. Sacred to Kamadeva : Mesua ferrea, naga-keshara. Pandanus odoratissimus, keura. Mangifera indica, amba. Michelia champaca, champaca. Pavonia odorata, bala. Plants sacred to "the Hosts of Heaven". To Ravi or Surya, Hibiscus rosa-sinensis, Jawa; and Calotropis gigantea, ak. To Soma or Chandra, Butea frondosa, palasa; and Nymphea Lotus, kamala. To Mangala, or Karttikeya, Acacia Catechu, khadira. To Budha, Achyranthes aspera, apamorga. To Brihaspati, Ficus religiosa, aswattha, pipal. Special worship plants : Ocymum sanctum, tulsi (sacred basil), daily. Melia Azadirachta, nimba. Bauhinia racemosa, vana-raja or apata, and apta at the Durga puja, or Dussera. Acacia catechu, khair, khadira. Prosopis spicigera, Shami. Ficits religiosa, peepal, on the 30th of each month, when it falls on a Monday. Ficus benghalensis, vata, war; (the banyan), on the 12th Jyestha (May-June). Musa paradisiaca, Kaila, kadali (plaintain), on the 3rd Sravana (July- August). Phyllanthus emblica, amla or amali, on the 12th Kartika (October-November). Adansonia digitata, gorakhachincha (horse tamarind), on the 11th of the dark half of Chaitra (March-April). To Manaka, Alocasia macrorhizon. mana. To Dhanya, Coriandrum sativum, dhanya. To Shukra, Ficus glomerata, adambara. To Shani, Prosopis spicigera, shami. To Raahu, Cynodon dactylon, durva, dub. To Kethu, Poa cynosuroides, kusa Sacred to Parvathi : Aegle Marmelos, sri-phala, bel, vilva. Phyllanthus Emblica, anola, amali. Sacred kamala. to Lakshmi: Nelumbium speciosum,

“Trees are earth's endless effort to speak to the listening heaven. ” -Rabindranath Tagore Worship of plants and trees has been in evidence for well over 5000 years (from Mohenjo-Daro times). Several trees are accorded the 'Deity' status and wor- shipped with prayers and offerings. The trees are considered to be imbued with spirits and special prayers are offered before cutting a tree so as not to invoke the vengeance of the tree-spirit. Several trees are considered

Pipal or Ashwattha : A tree native to India, sacred to Hindus and Buddhists. Gautama Buddha is said to have attained enlightenment under this tree, very long living tree. Tree has (Ficus religiosa)

got medicinal properties, bark and roots used for curing various diseases, juice of twigs is used for heart ailments. Sages and thinking man sought refuge under the spreading pipal also called the Bodhi tree (Tree of Wisdom) to meditate upon the deeper meaning of existence and commune with nature. Pipalyana was an ancient sage who had his permanent abode under a pipal tree. According to Adi Shankara one of the requisites to attain peace of mind is penance under Suramandiratharu (pipal). In Sanskrit it is called Ashwattha because horses used to stand under its shade (Ashwattha). According to Shankara this tree has been chosen to represent the entire cosmos because of its derivative meaning — shwa means tomorrow, stha means that which remains; therefore A-shwattha : that which will not remain the same till tomorrow. In short, the word indicates the ephemeral world of phenomena. "Be like the lotus. It looks to god, not into the water, its head held high into heaven. The lotus minds one thing : look to the sunshine. — Prabhushri Lotus is a flower which is held in the hand by many gods like Lord Vishnu, Lord Ganesha. First priority is given to it over all the flowers during pooja. It is the symbol of prosperity and its leaf’s surface is described as the symbol of stability. The Bhagavad Geetha teaches that man should live his life after the manner of the lotus plant which grows in the mud and slime of ponds but its leaves and flowers rise above the water undefiled : “He who does actions, offering them to Brahman, abandoning attachment, is not tainted by sin, just as a lotus leaf remains unaffected by the water on it. *Refer Sec. C National Symbols Pg. C-6. very much sacred to Hindus. It is the flower on which Lakshmi sits and so Lakshmi is also called Padma (lotus). It is

sacred e.g., Fig tree, Sal Tree, (Ma- havira renounced the world). Saint Ramakrishna attained 'Samaadhi' (state of bliss) below five trees — Panchavati.

Fig tree Tulsi : Commonly worshipped by followers of Vishnu. Every morning the ground near it is cleaned with cow dung and water. At night a lamp is hung before it.

During the two hottest months of the year, a vessel of water is hung over it so that it constantly re- ceives moisture. When a plant dies it is cast into a river, the same honour being given to it as to an image as soon as the worship of it is concluded. It is a common cus-

tom to place a sprig of Tulsi near the head of a dying person. According to Vayu and Padma Puraana the Tulsi was one of the products of the churning of the ocean. The Tulsi plant has a medicinal value. But near the door-step, it is also a spiritual signal to the house- holder to lead a pure and righteous life.

Neem : The pharmacological proper- ties of the neem tree (Azadiracta in- dica) or Margosa are so popular that almost all parts of the tree are known to be used in one way or the other. The twigs are used to clean the teeth with. The bark and dry flowers are used as tonic after a high fever. The leaves and bark are used to heal wounds, ulcers,

jaundice and skin diseases. Neem leaves are stored with fresh fruits, food grains, woollen and silk clothes to protect them from moths and fungi. The neem fruits are used as purgative, emollient (for softening the skin) and anthelminthic agent. The oil extracted from neem seeds is used as nourishment for hair and also for curing rheumatics and leprosy. The neem tree is a valuable source of agricultural and medicinal substances. Biologically active constitu- ents found in the neem leaves, fruits, bark and seeds are reported to control at least 125 species of insects, pests, mites and nematods. "Leaves of neem chewed first thing in the morning has a marvellous tonical effect." (S.S.A) Sacred to Siva : Aegle marmelos, Sri-Phala, Crateva religiosa, Saraca indica (Jonesia asoca), asoca. Cesalpinia pulcherrima, an exotic. Zizyphus jujuba , kula, bore. Jasminum Sambac, mallika. Tabernemontana coronaria, tagara. Sesbania

A s o k a (Saraca Indica) : Literal meaning ‘without sorrow’ indigenous to India, sacred to Hindus and Buddhists, evergreen, grows to a height of about 10 m, the fruit which is rare, is said to be cure for many diseases like cancer; roots, bark and leaves have medicinal proper- ties, flowers are used to treat dysentery. It is exten- sively planted in gardens and along road sides. Flowers are scarlet or orange in colour.