Siddarth Dubey
In India trees and plants have been adored not only with devotion but have been affectionately fondled and almost treated as members of a family. Plants are repeatedly mentioned in connection with customs, traditions and beliefs. In fact no ceremony was complete without some sacred plant being used.
When Sita was abandoned by Lakshmana in the forest at the command of Rama, Sita’s sorrow stirred the trees and plants, and along with animals and birds, they too expressed their grief by shedding flowers like large drops of tears. Some of the plants mentioned in ancient religious texts are-
Sal tree English: Teak tree.As Siddhartha Gautama who later became the Buddha was born under a Sala tree in the 9th century B.C., the plant is considered sacred by the Buddhists. When Maya Devi, mother of Gautama Buddha, sensed the time of his birth arrives, she experienced a desire to visit her parents. On her way to her parents home, she rested in a grove of Sala trees in the Lumbini gardens. Alighting from her carriage, she went under a Sala tree and stretched her hand upwards to pluck some flowers. As she did that, Siddharta was born and the Sala tree showered flowers on the new born child. Gautama Buddha also breathed his last and attained Nirvana in agrove of Sala trees.
Til English: Gingelly. Tila has been in use in religious cerenomies from very early times. The offering of Tila seeds is considered effective in removing sins. Sesame seeds sprang from the limbs of Rishi Kashyapa.
Darbha : Durva ghas is often mentioned in Rig-veda and Atharvaveda where it is used as a charrn against baldness and anger. According to one story, when the sea of milk was being churned by the devatas and the daityas, with the help of the mountain Mandara as the churning stick and the serpent Vasuki as the churning rope,in order to extract from the ocean amrta which could make the drinker immortal, Durva ghas made its appearance. The plant is also held sacred to Ganesh the god who removes all obstacles and is used in the worship of all gods and goddesses,but is never used in the worship of Durga. Durva grass has no known medicinal or culinary properties.
Tulasi Hindi: Tulsi English: Sacred Basil.Tulasi-tulana-nasty, ataeva tulasi’ i.e. nothing can equal the virtues of Tulasi is a common saying. Tulasi is the meeting point of heaven and earth.According to one version, Tulasi plant was got as a result of the churning of the milky ocean. Tulasi was married to a demon called Jalandhar who was born of the sweat of Mahadeva that fell in the sea. Because of his severe austerities and penances he had been blessed by Vishnu and given a boon which made him invincible to men, gods and demons, so long as his wife was faithful to him. According to some tribal myths, when Vishnu as Krsna outraged the modesty of Vrinda, she cursed him for having approached her in the guise of her husband and said: “I shall be bom in the form of the sacred Tulasi plant and you will have to bear my leaves on your head for the wrong you have done to me”. Krsna repented and granted her desire and now nothing is more dear and acceptable to him than Tulasi.
Harshingar English: Tree of sorrow, Night Jasmine.The origin of the tree goes back to the churning of the milky ocean. When Hari, the preserver of the universe was approached by gods for protection from affliction, desires, troubles and grief, he assured them of renewed energy to fight evil and said: “Let all the gods in association with the Asuras cast all sorts of medicinal herbs into the sea of milk, take the serpent Vasuki for the churning rope, mount Mandara as the churning stick and churn the ocean together for ambrosia, depending upon my aid. Then drink the arnrta thus produced from the agitated ocean and you will become immortal”. The gods in alliance with the asuras did as they were told and started churning the ocean. Vishnu himself provided the pivot by becoming a tortoise on whose back the stick was pivoted.
Pundarika Hindi: Padma, Kamala, Kumuda English: The Sacred lotus.The symbol of lotus occurs and re-occurs in Hindu and Buddhist literature. It is a symbol of eternity, plenty and good fortune. At present Lotus is mainly associated with Brahma, the demiurgic creator and the pristine embodiment of the universal spirit who was born of a lotus. A stalk of lotus arose from the navel of Vishnu as he lay reposing on his snakecouch Ananta in the celestial waters. This lotus which bore Brahma, is considered as a duplicate manifestation of the Goddess Padma herself.
Krishna: The sacredness of this tree is because of the association of the tree with the Krsna legend. It is said that Krsna used to make a cup of its leaves to steel butter and curds in them from the gopies with whom he used to sing and dance in Brindavana. Since that time, the tree puts forth leaves which have their lamina joined at the base forming a shallow cup.
Hindi: Vata, vad, Bargad, Ber English: Banyan The tree is also considered as a symbol of Brahma and is worshipped on Vad-Savitiri day and on Saturdays in the month of Jaistha (May-June) by women praying for the long life of their husbands. Often the tree is grown in close proximity with another tree,i.e. the neem (Azadirachta indica) tree. The intertwined branches of the two trees, to the Hindus are Holy union and the tree being sacred, they object to felling it.
Rudrakasha English: Utrasum Bead Tree.According to the Skanda Purana, Rudrakasha tree originated from Siva’s tears.’There is a general belief 4n India that Rudrakasha beads dispel the evil eye and if kept in the house, they avert misfortune.
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