Vilva (Bael)- The Tree of Lord Shiva (Śiva). “Vilva(vilwa, bilva, vilvam, bilvam known popularly as bel, bael; common name Bengal quince) is one of the holiest plants in India. It is Lord Śiva’s tree and is so worshipped by all Hindus, especially by the śaivaites (followers of Lord Śiva). It is also sacred to the vaishnavites because of the belief that Goddess Lakshmi resides in this tree and Vishnu resides in the trunk of this tree. There are some legends on the mythical origin of bael tree. ḻakśmyāsca sthana utpannam ṁahādeva sadā priyam bilva vrikśam prayacchāmi eka bilvam ṣivārpanam| ḍarśanam bilva vrikśasya sparśanam pāpanāśnam āghorapāpasamhāram eka bilvam ṣivarpanam|. (Vilvashtakom) ‘Born from the breast of Goddess Lakshmi the vilva tree is ever dear to Mahadeva. So I ask this tree a vilva leaf to offer Lord Śiva. To have darshan of the vilva tree, and to touch it, frees one from sin. The most terrible karmais destroyed when a vilva leaf is offered to Lord Śiva’ (Trans. P.R. Ramachander) . From the stanza above is from the vilvashtakom, which refers to one of the legends. This legend is based on Brihad- dharma purana. Goddess Lakshmi used to worship Lord Śiva daily with one thousand lotus buds. Śiva wanted to test her devotion. One day when worshipping, he made two buds vanish; so Lakshmi found that the lotus buds are short by two. She felt very sad, as the pooja remained incomplete. Then she recollected that her consort Lord Vishnu had always compared her breasts to lotus buds and she decided to offer them in place of the missing lotus buds. She cut of her left breast and even before making the offering Lord Śiva, satisfied with her devotion and worship, appeared before her and blessed her and she regained the original physique. Further, he said her breast that was cut off will grow into a tree which will be the most beloved to him and that she will reside in it. According to the Banihi purana of the tantric folklore, once goddess Lakshmi came down to earth in the form of a cow and from the dung of this divine cow arose the vilva tree, and hence is sacred. According to another legend from the same source, Lakshmi and Sarasvathi were both wives of Lord Vishnu, Vishnu loved Sarasvathi more. This made Lakshmi unhappy, and she started meditating Śiva. Even after a very long time Śiva did not appear, and Lakshmi was transformed into a vilva tree, and that Śiva resides in the tree. According to Bhubaneswari tantra. Lakshmi holds a vilva fruit in her lower left hand signifying her as the deliverer of the fruits of one’s action. Yet another legend on the origin of vilva is related to Parvathi. Parvathi, determined to win the love of Lord Śiva, one day searched the whole of the Himalayas for a new appropriate leaf or flower for daily offering to the Śivalingam, which she was worshipping. She could not find any, and her father Himavan offered to help her. With his help, Parvathi created a new plant having leaves resembling the shape of Śiva’s eyes. Parvathi made garlands with the leaves of this plant and offered to the Śivalingam and eventually won the love of Śiva. This new plant is believed to be the vilva tree, and Śiva ever since resides in it. This plant is very dear to Parvathi also. In Skanda Purana there is a mention that the vilva grew from Parvati's perspiration, which fell to the ground while she performed penance. It also says that the various incarnations of Parvati reside in each part of the tree. Dakshayani stays at one side, Maheswari in the branches, Katyayani in the fruit; Gauri stays in the bark, Aparna in the inner bark, Durga in the flower and Uma in various parts of branches. On the thorns stay millions of other minor goddesses. All these are the aspects of one and the same Parāśakthi, the Ultimate Power visualized in the feminine form ( and represented as Durga, Parvathi and in many other forms). Vilva is called Sri vriksha because goddess Lakshmi stays in its leaves. According to Bhavishya purana, Lakshmi after emergence from the Ocean of Milk, rested at the vilva tree, while Lord Vishnu in Mohini form had gone for capturing back the pot of amrutha, the divine nectar, from the asuras. This happened on the ninth of the bright half of Bhadrapada(August ‑ September) and on this day the tree is worshipped and vilva leaves are offered to Lakshmi, Saraswathi, Savithri and Chandika.

Continued from yesterday’s post. In Bhavishya purana, there is a similar statement. Further, it states that a plaksha (Flame of the forest tree) if planted in a pleasure garden pleases Brahma and that he would bestow on the planter highest knowledge and a wife; a villwa (Bengal quince, wood apple), if planted, would give a long life; jambu would bestow wealth; tinduka (Diospyros malabarica) is the giver of prosperity; dadima (pomegranate) would bestow a good wife; bakula (bakul tree, Mimusops elengi) and vanjula ( Salix caprea ) destroys sins and give strength and intellect; planting of dhataki ( dhataki, Woodfordia fruticosa) elevates one to heaven and vata (banyan) gives salvation. Similarly, planting of a mango tree and guvaka (betel-nut tree) is said to fulfil all one’s desires. Padma Purana says that if a person plants an aśvattha (peepal) tree near a pond and the leaves falling in the pond water would be like the offering of pindas (after-death rite) and that his ancestors would stay in heaven. Similarly, one gets virtue by planting champaka (Michaelia champaka) , arka (Calotropis), nygrodha (banyan) and nimba (neem); the benefits of planting ten such trees are equal to the planting of one aśvattha.” “The Dhanvanthari Samhita of the Garuda Purana lists several medicinal herbs used in curing diseases and also mentions the drugs and their recipes. There are some well-known sayings related to trees in Surapala’s Vrikshayurveda: ‘dasakupasama vāpi dasavāpisama hrada dasahradasama putro dasaputrasama druma ‘ One vāpi (tank) is as good as ten wells, one lake is as good as ten tanks, one son is as good as ten lakes, and one tree is as good as ten sons. In this book, the whole chapter on Tarumahima highlights the greatness of planting trees. Plants mentioned include thulsi, vilva, aśvattha, ämalaki, vata, nimba, amra, sirisa, plaksha, udumbara etc. äsvatthamekoni picumandamekom nygrodhamekom dasacincinikom kapitha bilvämalathrayam ca pancambraväpee narakom ca paçeyeth A person who plants an aśvattha (peepal), a pichumanda (neem), a nygrodha (banyan), ten chinchinikom (tamarind), one each of kapitha (lemon), vilva (wood apple) and amala (gooseberry) and five amra (mango trees) will never see hell. These are exhortations to the public, and by linking tree planting with the attainment of heaven or moksha (salvation), the ancients successfully implemented very dynamic tree planting and conservation programmes. During the time of Manu, the composer of Manu Samhitha (or Manu Smrithi), destruction of plants became a state offence, and in his code, Manu provided provisions for severe punishment for those who cut the sacred and fruit trees. There is a passage in Matsya Purana and also in Bhavishya Purana, which formulates the proper ceremony for planting trees: ‘Clean the soil and water it. Decorate trees with garlands, burn incense in front of them and place one pitcher filled with water by the side of each tree. As you offer prayers and oblations to the sacrificial fire, do likewise for the tree. By singing benedictive songs and reciting hymns from the Rig, Yajur and Sama Vedas sprinkle holy water on the tree from the pitcher kept nearby. Water the plants four times a day and offer oblations with seeds of mustard, barley and sesamum. Kindle fire from palaasha (plāksha) wood. After worshipping them in this way, celebrate the actual planting. He who plants even one tree goes straight to heaven and obtains the highest perfection.” The great importance attached to tree planting by the ancient Indians is evident in the above passage; similar passages are found in other Puranas also. In the picture there is the primitive type of worship place attached to a forest, such a worship place is known as "hyperthereal temple"

How tree planting and Conservation enforced in Ancient India. The Rulers and Sages of the ancient days exhorted the people about the benefits they accrue from planting and protecting trees (especially the sacred trees). For doing so, reasons were invented, which include gaining moksha(salvation) and reaching heaven, absolving the sins of the past generations and so on. As a result of such beliefs, people always took care of the trees and tree planting became not only a passion but became an essential component of their “karma” (duty). In Matsya Purana, chapter 59 is devoted to the prescription of dedicating trees, planting trees and their maintenance. Here we get the long-lasting benefits of planting trees: “If anybody plant at least one tree he will be able to stay in heaven of Indra for thirty thousand years. The planter of trees liberates the same number of his past and future sins, attains the highest perfection and is never reborn on earth.” The rites and ceremonies connected with the dedication and consecration of trees are also mentioned. This idea is repeated in other Puranas too: Agni Purana says: ‘The plantation of trees and construction of pleasure garden (for the public) are conducive to the purgation of sin and enjoyment of prosperity.” Vayu Purana stresses: “He never goes to hell who plants an aśvattha (peepal), a pitchumanda (neem) or a banyan or ten jasmines or two pomegranates or five mango trees. Never cut down trees that bear flowers and fruits if you desire the increase of your family or your wealth and your future happiness.” Let me quote an interesting passage from Padma Purana. “O Lord of Kings, he who thus installs (the plants) a tree, would also live in heaven as long as three myriads of Indras (rule there) and would save (from falling into hell), past and future men (i.e. his relatives) equal to the number of hairs on the body. He attains great prosperity, making rebirth difficult. Even that man who listens to this or makes others listen to it (i.e. read it to others) is honoured by gods and in the world of Brahman (Brahma loka, Meaning heaven).. The tree alone makes a sonless person have a son. They offer libations to plants at sacred places. O, Lord of Kings, plant an aśvattha (Peepal) tree even with great effort. It alone will give you a thousand sons. And by planting an aśvattha tree, a man becomes wealthy; the aśoka tree destroys grief. The plaksha (Palaas, fire of the forest ) tree is said to bestow the fruit of a sacrifice, the kshira tree (any of the fig trees), is said to give long life, jambuka (rose apple planting) bestows daughters, dadima (pomegranate) gives a wife, aśavttha leads to the destruction of diseases, and plaksha takes one to brahman. A man who plants a vibhutaka (belleric myrobalan) tree becomes a ghost. The planting of an ankola (ankolam, Alangium salvifolium) tree leads to the expansion of family. Planting of a khadira (Cutch tree ) tree gives health. The Sun is ever pleased with nimba ( neem) shoots. Lord Śiva is pleased when a tree is planted and Parvathi is pleased when a red lodhra (Symplocos racemosa) is planted. The celestial nymphs are pleased with the planting of simsapa ( sita-asoka) and the Gandharvas with the kunda (Jasmine) plants. One would get a group of servants if one plants tintidika (Rhus parviflora) tree. Similarly, the planting of vanjula ( Salix caprea) leads to the rise of robbers. Chandana (Santalum album) and panasa (jack fruit) also give religious merits and love. Planting of champaka gives good fortune and that of karira ( kair tree, Capparis decidua) makes one adulterer. Planting of tala ( Borassus flabellifer) destroys one’s progeny, while planting of vakula (bakula, Mimusops elengi) ) expands the family. The planting of coconut tree brings many wives, while planting of a grape-creeper makes one have all beautiful wives. Similarly, planting of kali (Kali turgidum, thimble weed) causes sexual enjoyment. Planting of ketaki (Pandanus tectorius) destroys one’s enemies..... Those who have planted trees will attain high position…” In course of time, sacred groves and groves of sacred plants came into existence. The Picture included is that of a typical sacred grove. ( To be continued )

Tree marriages: Peepal / Banyan marries Neem: Perhaps India is the only country where tree marriages are celebrated, and so also the marriage between boys or girls to trees. Tree marriages are still being held, though rarely, between peepal and neem, banyan and neem; banyan and peepal, or between mango and mahua. In the last few years, some such events were reported in the newspapers. Here a peepal/banyan / banyan tree and neem are planted close together and after about eighteen years a marriage ceremony is performed between the two trees growing together. In this ceremony, the peepal/banyan is treated as the bridegroom (being the symbol of Lord Vishnu or Siva) and neem is the bride (symbol of Devi). This marriage is to be conducted on Suklapaksha (waxing phase of moon) during utharayana period (January 15th to June 15th), avoiding the first, fourth, eighth and ninth phases of moon. There was a press report (Times of India, June 10, 2007, a report by TS Sreenivasa Raghavan ) about such a peepal – neem wedding that was celebrated in Palghat in Kerala. ‘The wedding was on May 27. Between 6:21 am and 7:21 am, the sacred thread was wound around the peepal tree. Later, in the auspicious shuba muhurat between 8:30 am and 9:30 am, he was married to the neem who is four years younger to him (the peepal). The bride was wrapped in a traditional Kancheepuram silk sari which cost Rs 20,000, and a gold mangalsutra. She looked innocent and elegant as she flushed with tender green leaves. He was in a silk veshti, angavasthram and sacred thread made of silver and gold. There was a sumptuous feast for the guests. In many north Indian communities, girls and boys are married to certain plants before the actual marriage, with the intention of averting any ill-luck that may arise from such a marriage. A widow can marry another man only after marrying a tree, and the same is the case with a man intending to marry a widow. The plants mainly used for such marriages are banana, mango tree, madhuka, sami and arka. Such marriages have taken place even among the elites. Incidentally, a girl ― tree marrying ceremony was depicted in a movie titled ‘Sati’ by Aparna Sen in which a mute 19-year old brahmin girl was forced to marry a tree and the ceremony was graphically described by Elisabeth Bumiller. The social evil of marrying girls to trees is very poignantly portrayed by Bharathi Mukherjee, the Indian diasporic novelist of America. Her book, Tree Bride, gives the story of how a five-year-old girl widow (her childhood husband died of snakebite) was married off to a sundari tree and how she lived as a tree bride for the rest of her life. Mukherjee recounted the story of this tree bride, by name Tara Lata, in her novel Desirable Daughters, a sequel to the Tree Bride. Let me quote a passage : “ Then it’s time for the shubha drishti, the rite of auspicious gaze when the bride gets her first glimpse of the face of the man she is marrying….The bridal veil is lifted. Tara Lata straightens her bowed head and raises her gaze slowly, very slowly. Her bridegroom is brave and steadfast. He has waited for her all night in the perilous wilderness. He has waited for her alone, unflinching, though deadly snakes slither out of the flooded holes at his feet, and leeches crawl across his toes, and crabs scuttle up his shins and predatory beasts gouge his solid stomach. The bridal gaze angles up his strong, slender torso as tall as a ship’s mast, and scales up, up, to where the tip of his head disappears in the night-black winter skies. She feels his arms, as strong as tree branches, brush against her, enfold her, shields her from life’s potential brutalities. The whispered lamentations were wrong. She is a woman cursed by a goddess and shunned like an outcast by her community. She takes her greedy fill of the auspicious glimpse. And now she recognizes her bridegroom. He is the god of the Shooder Bon,* the Beautiful Forest, come down to earth as a tree to save her from a lifetime of disgrace and misery” [* Sundari tree, also known as sundri and sunder; its scientific name is Heritiera fomes, shoe-flower family Malvaceae, (formerly included in Sterculiaceae). The name Sunderbans has its root in the name of this tree]. Even now among the Brahmins, a tree branch, often from a sami tree, is planted in the venue of the marriage (marriage pandal), which is representative of the cosmic tree or the axis mundi. Both the bridegroom and bride worship the pillar and hang a garland on it before the actual marriage ceremony. Sometimes both the groom and the bride were initially married to a tree before the actual marriage. Such customs are followed for averting any ill-luck that may befall on the man and woman”. Photos below show the tree marriage ceremony in progress and the bottom one shows the neem and peepal couple growing together happily.

Plant Symbolism and Deity Worship- Navapatra puja (Nabapatrika pooja): A great example from North India. In India there are a number of festivals associated with plants and many are observed by women for removing barrenness or for getting male progeny, or for a long-married life with husbands and children. Some of these ceremonies are simple and consists only of praying, lighting a lamp or tying a thread, some can be very elaborate and last for a few days. Perhaps the most elaborate one is the navabatrika pooja (Navapatra pooja), prevalent in many parts of India, most noticeably in Bengal. Navapatra pooja forms part of durga pooja ceremonyceremony. Here nine aspects of Durga, symbolized by nine plants are worshipped. The nine aspects are: Brahmani: a benevolent aspect of Shakthi, considered to be the female counterpart of Brahma, represented by a plantain (banana plant) with stem and leaves. Kali (Kalika): a terrible form that Shakthi had taken while fighting with Mahishasura. There are several episodes of her origin and worship. She is represented with Kachu (colocasia) plant. Durga: Durga herself is present in haridra (turmeric) and so this is the third plant. Kritika: Durga took this form (also known as Karttiki) while fighting Sumbha and Nisumbha and she is represented by Jayanthi (balloon wine or heart seed), and this becomes the fourth plant. Raktadantika: Shakthi took this form of who fought against the demon Raktabija. She is represented by dadima (pomegranate), which is the fifth plant. It is believed that parashakti when incarnated as Parvathi, worshipped Lord Śiva with flowers of aśoka and that the Lord loves this tree, and that Devi made it her abode in the aspect Sokarahitha, the remover of sorrow. So aśoka becomes the sixth plant. Chamunda: An aspect of Durga emanated from the forehead of Karthyayani (an incarnation of Durga who killed the invincible demon Mahishasura) for killing the fearsome demons Chanda and Munda, and she is symbolized by the arum plant, and this forms the seventh plant. The paddy plant is the food and source of nourishment of the humans and Devi Parvathi in the aspect of Annapoorna (the goddess of food and nourishment) dwells in this (so also Lakshmi, the goddess of prosperity). This is the eighth plant. All these leaves are bundled together with a ninth plant, a branch of vilva tree bearing two fruits that represent Śiva and Śakthi. All the nine plants are tied into a bundle with a girikarnika vine, which again symbolizes Durga. This bundle is ceremoniously given a bath, then dressed in red or golden silk, vermillion is applied, decorated, placed by the side of the idol of Durga and worshipped as Devi Durga for nine days. Each day, an aspect of the Devi is invoked separately and pooja is offered. Here each plant or leaf is collected ceremoniously, and many formalities exist in bundling them, in giving ceremonious bath and in dressing and decorating the goddess. Once it is decorated and placed in the altar the bundle of leaves is treated just like an idol of Durga and all offerings and poojas are offered to it. The whole festival is an elaborate one in which all people in the neighbourhood participates. Here is an example of an evolution of simple plant worship to a complex and elaborate one with a lot of symbolism attached. The well known Navadurga tradition is closely allied to the Durga aspects worshipped during the navapatrapooja. According to the Devi Mahatmyam tradition the Navadurgas are Śhailaputrī, Brahmachāriṇī, Chandrakaṇṭā, Kuṣhmāṇḍā, Skandamātā, Kātyāyanī, Kālarātrī (Kali), Mahāgaurī and Siddhidātrī. These nine forms of Durga are the major deities worshipped during the nine days of the navaratriNava Durganavadurga worship is popular all over India, while the navapatrapooja tradition is observed mostly in North India. The picture shows the Bavapatrika pooja in progress in Bengal.

Trees in Folk Songs: Tree theme has gone deep into the Indian folk songs and traditions. All languages and cultures of India are rich in folklore and songs that have woven into a rich varicoloured cultural tapestry. Much of the lore and folk songs are lost, the surviving ones give us the glimpses of the importance attached to the trees and plants by our ancestors. MS Randhawa writes in his book Flowering Trees in India and I quote: (Dr MS Randhawa, A very Civil Servant (ICS), remarkable scholar, writer, and administrator. He was also he Vice- President of the Indian Council for Agricultural Research, People qualify him as the sixth river of Punjab). “In almost all Indian languages, trees form the subject of many folksongs. Sometimes they are used as mere pegs to hang human emotions on, and they become symbols of man’s joy or grief. Occasionally, they are personified and they express their own feelings as in the following song: ‘The Semel tree meditates: Why are my flowers red? Why are not my flowers offered to gods and goddesses? Why doesn't the maid makes garlands of them?” Randhawa quotes from many folk songs from many languages, from across the Indian sub-continent in his book to illustrate the deep-rooted relationship between humans and trees. He comments that in folk songs often the woman represents the human soul, and the never-ending search of the soul for God is the theme of many of the songs. The other main theme is the representation of the pain and loneliness resulted from the separation of lovers. Whatever is the theme, trees appear again and again and they are treated as if they are the kith and kin of the singer. Hear these lines: ‘…The peepal sings; the banyan sings, And the green mulberry too: Stop, traveller, and listen, Your soul will be set again………’ ‘…The goddess feels hungry, brother, She asks for milk to drink. Shall I milk the banyan or the barohi tree? My raina cow has gone a long way off …….’ ‘…On the branches of the mango, a bunch of mangoes looks lovely, In the forest the palaas trees are blossoming; In the lap of the fair bride, the child looks lovely, As though the moon appeared in the sky.. On the branch of the mango, the koel sings In the forest the peacock dances; On the river bank, I sing my birha, It pierces the heart….’ (birha- for the Sanskrit viraha, separation from the loved one) Every tree had its own tale of woe, and such a tale is reflected in a folk song from Shimla: ‘O, cruel woodcutter, Cut merely my lower branches Do not stretch out your axe toward the top, O, leave it for the birds’ nests. .’ A Dhola song goes like this: ‘Living peelu tree! Your roots are gone deep into the soil, Well-shaped is your stem since birth, Over it, your branches have added colour, My neighbours are all ready for the journey, Drums have announced the news………’ Randhawa comments that in “such folk songs the woman represents the human soul, and the never-ending search of the soul for God is the theme of the dhola songs. Again and again, the peelu tree is addressed in the dhola song as if it understood the human voice, and when the search for God seems to bear no fruit, the singer looks towards the old forest tree for advice. These folk songs are the crystallization of inspiration provided by trees to humanity for thousands of years.” The most written about plant/flower is that of Lotus. That I reserve for another posting.

The First References on plants and forests, and of grasshoppers and cicadas in Rig Veda (Rg Veda):. The first references on forests and forest goddesses are available in Rig Veda, the oldest known document of the Indo-Iranian Aryan civilizations. Some parts of the Rig Veda are among the oldest documents known to mankind. The general consensus is that the composition of the Rig Veda was completed before 1200 BC. Rig Veda consists of 1028 hymns arranged into 10 mandalas (Parts). In the 146th hymn of the 10th mandala, we get the vivid representation of gods and goddesses of trees and forests (vanaspati, the lord of wilderness and Aaranya devatha, the goddess of the forest). Let me give Griffith’s translation of a Rig Vedic hymn: HYMN 10‑146 1. GODDESS of wild and forest who seemest to vanish from the sight. How is it that thou seekest not the village? Art thou not afraid? 2 What time the grasshopper replies and swells the shrill cicala's voice, Seeming to sound with tinkling bells, the Lady of the Wood exults. 3 And, yonder, cattle seem to graze, what seems a dwelling-place appears: Or else at eve the Lady of the Forest seems to free the wains. 4 Here one is calling to his cow, another there hath felled a tree: At eve the dweller in the wood fancies that somebody hath screamed. 5 The Goddess never slays, unless some murderous enemy approach. Man eats of savoury fruit and then takes, even as he wills, his rest. 6 Now have I praised the Forest Queen, sweet-scented, redolent of balm, The Mother of all sylvan things, who tills not but hath stores of food. In ancient texts, we come across many references on the origin of plants. The Satapatha Brahmana (one of the most ancient texts of the Vedic period), contains such a reference: “….. Hiranyagarbha , who sprang from apah, assumed the work of a creator. After having created the elements he reclined to rest……from his hair his thought flowed and became the millet plant. From his skin his honour flowed and became the aśvattha tree. From his flesh his vitality flowed and became the udumbara tree. From his bones honey flowed and became the nygrodha tree. From his marrow soma juice flowed and became the rice plant. …vilva tree sprang up from his marrow and khadira from his bones, and palāsh from his flesh…..” (hiranyagarbha– Brahma; apah – water). The picture at the bottom is a portion of a palm leaf document preserved in the British Library