THE SACRED FIGS- PEEPAL TREE

The Sacred Figs:
ASVATTHA - The Cosmic Tree of India.

“Our body is a bodhi tree
Carefully we clean them hour by hour
And our mirror bright
And let no dust alight”.
(Shen-hsiu)

“Thank you Mai”, Ramji took the portable recorder from Alka Mai and holding the small microphone in front began to speak. “We are now sitting below the shade of the banyan tree. We passed the asvattha or peepal trees to reach this spot. Even from here we can hear the rustling of peepal leaves. The asvattha (aswattha) tree appeared as a symbol even from the proto-Vedic and pre-Vedic periods as Alka Mai has already mentioned. This is certainly the most sacred tree of the Hindus as well as of the Buddhists, and it is also made the basis of a profound metaphysical doctrine during the Vedic and post-Vedic times. The Peepal tree was the symbol of the cosmic tree. Have you heard of the 'Axis Mundi' Ravi'”.
“Yes, vaguely” I replied “It is something of an imaginary center of the earth or the cosmos. My idea about it is very hazy”.
“Ok”. Rama continued. “In many ancient cultures, even in the Medieval, or in the early phase of the Modern era, the cosmos was represented as many layered, held together by a cosmic tree that runs - through the exact center of the cosmos, known as the Axis Mundi. In many cultures a particular tree is considered as the cosmic tree. In India it was the peepal tree, for the Celts it was the oak, for the Greek it was the ash, the date palm for the Mesopotamians, the birch for the Siberians, the Cedar for the Lebanonese and the Chienmu tree for the Chinese and so on. But it is in India that this concept of cosmic tree attained such profound metaphysical dimension through the peepal tree.
The cosmic tree is regarded as the great Universal Mother, the goddess of nature. Many cultures believed that the cosmic tree stands for the sacredness of the world, its creation, continuation and fertility. The asvattha tree is also known as the tree of life and the tree of knowledge. During the Rig Vedic times, peepal tree was the symbol of cosmos. During the time of Atharva Veda, this tree was worshiped for victory over the enemies, as well as for the birth of a male progeny. It was also regarded as the abode of gods and goddesses. In later puranas the asvattha is mentioned as the abode of goddess Lakshmi. It is also sacred to the sun god. In Mahabharatha there is a mention that worshiping asvattha is in fact worshiping the cosmos. This tree is planted in all temples, especially in Vishnu temples. The tree is worshiped by Brahmins daily during their evening prayer. In temples worshipers’ circumambulate the tree chanting the prayer:
“Moolatho Brahmarupaya
Madhyatho Vishnuroopaya
Agratho Sivaroopaya
Vriksharajayathe nama”.
This means: I bow to the sacred fig tree, the king of all trees; I bow to Brahma in the roots, Vishnu in the trunk and Siva in the branches.
There are many legends associated with peepal tree. One of them is on the origin of the tree. Goddess Parvathi once cursed the Trinity to be born into trees; Brahma became the palaashaa, Vishnu, aswattha, and Siva into vata. Another legend is that it is issued forth from Indra, the king of gods. Krishna says in Bhagavatgita that he is the asvattha among the trees. In Atharva Veda there is a mention that gods sit under celestial trees. On earth so the holymen (rishis) suit under the aswattha. Its shade is said to confer miraculous powers like understanding the language of animals or remembering former births. The presiding deity of asvattha tree is Sun, in some texts Siva is regarded as the presiding deity. Goddess Lakshmi is believed to be residing in asvattha tree. It is also very sacred for the Buddhists; for them it is the Bodhi tree, the tree of knowledge. While meditating under the tree, Gautama got enlightenment and became Sri Buddha, the enlightened one. In Sri Lanka it is called the Bo tree.
“Alka Mai wont you tell us about the cosmic aspects of the Bodhi tree”.
Alka Mai was silent for a minute and started talking:
“The bodhi tree is the tree of wisdom, the tree of enlightenment, we know wisdom precedes enlightenment. I remember a very remarkable Japanese Haiku by the Zen master Shen-hsiu:
“Our body is a bodhi tree
And our mirror bright
Carefully we clean them hour by hour
And let no dust alight”.
However later many Zen masters reacted to this haiku and many variants were later written. For example:
‘The bodhi tree is not like the tree,
The mirror bright is no where shining;
As there is nothing from the first
Where can the dust collect?’
Another one:
‘Bodhi by nature is no tree
The mirror is inherently formless
There is originally nothig,
On what, then, can the dust settle?’
Yet another:
‘Neither is there bodhi tree
Nor yet a mirror bright;
Since in reality all is void
Whereon can the dust collect?’
Madame Blavatsky, the famous Russian borm scholar of oriental occultism and co-founder of the Theosophical Society expressed this view in a similar way in her book The Book of the Golden Precepts:
‘For mind is like a mirror,
It gathers dust while it refelects. It needs the gentle breezes of Soul- Wisdom to brush away the dust of our illusions.
Seek O beginner, to belnd thy mind and Soul.’
“The bodhi tree is visualized as having its roots immersed or drinks deep from the waters of infinity, and its branches and leaves reaching the void, and it is lit by clear light. It is a tree of refuge, the abode of security from the raging dragons of desires. The leaves are bright green indicating the youthfulness of spring; the bark has the darkness and fragrance of forest, indicating the outward life molded in the crucible of experience. It has the fruits of knowledge –they are not the forbidden fruits, rather they are fruits intended for all the seekers; the fruits on the lower branches bestow knowledge of good and evil; those of the upper branches give wisdom and immortality”
“The bodhi tree unites all worlds, there are no sentinels or guardians, all seekers can take its fruits and gain wisdom, as much as their mind can hold. But the seeker has to travel a long path, not a royal road; he or she has to devote very many years or even an entire life to undertake this journey. Only very few people ever tried to tread this difficult path; only very very few ever reached the destination like Gautama the Budha”.
Alka Mai continued her discourse after a couple of minutes.
“The bodhi tree is a symbolic representation of the individual’s journey into enlightenment and infinity. Like the seed of the bodhi tree, so minute, but grows out into such a mighty tree, so is the mind. The tree is rooted in the ground, and nurtured by the soil and water, so also the mind rooted in ego, nurtured by desires. As the tree grows beyond the ground, it leaves the ground and reaches for the heaven. Yet the sap has to flow back to the trunk, to the ground ; the root grow deep, drawing from the deep waters, the deeper it grows, the stronger the tree become. Similarly our mind, as we are trying to reach the heaven we are constantly being drawn back to the ground; and we grow strong only through going deep into the depths of our mind to tap the forces living deep within us. Such is the state of mankind, always being pulled in two directions- one, the direction of freedom and ultimate liberation transcending all boundaries, the other is rootedness, security, comfort, the ego that will not leave the hold on the ground, and are being satisfied being on the ground through out the life time”.
“The bodhi tree and Sri Buddha are models. Buddha showed the path to liberation and the means of achieving it. Sri Buddha is the most remarkable human being who walked on this earth; of course it is my opinion”.
Alka Mai closed her eyes, and remained like a statue for several minutes and then continued.
“Bodhi tree or the Bo tree in the Buddha Vihar at Anuradhapura, Sri Lanka is the most Venerated tree on earth, held sacred by Buddhists and Hindus. Worship of bo tree is widespread in all Hindu and Buddhist countries, from Sri Lanka to Japan. For the Buddhists the history of the bodhi tree starts with the enlightenment of Gautama while meditating under the peepal tree in Gaya, in Bihar. There are two aspects that connects the bodhi tree of Gaya with Sri Buddha; the first is that Buddha sat under this tree at the moment of his enlightenment; the second is that he spent a whole week—the second week after his enlightenment, gazing at this tree with motionless eyes”.
“Gautama had been practicing austerities for six years by the side of the Niranjana River near Gaya. He then realized that such practices could not lead him to the goal, so he abandoned his austerities and left the place. In the adjacent village of Senani also known as Sujata, a Brahmin girl of the name Sujatha offered him rice cooked in milk. He took a full meal of this and then sat under a nearby peepal tree facing east. He resolved not to rise until he attained enlightenment and lost in deep meditation. The legends say that many forces like Mara, the god of illusion tried to dissuade him, forcing him to abandon the vow. But he triumphed over everything and finally the light of enlightenment filled him. His ego, what ever remained vanished, his mind totally subdued, emptiness filled him and from that emptiness the enlightened Buddha resurrected.
Fischer quotes Asvaghosa, the famopus Sanskrit poet:
"At that moment of the fourth watch when the dawn came up and all that moves was not stilled, the great seer reached the stage that knows no alteration, the sovereign leader, the state of omniscience. When as the Buddha he knew this truth the earth swayed like a person drunk with wine. The four quarters shone bright with crowds of siddhas and mighty drums resounded in the sky. Pleasant breezes blew softly and heaven rained moisture from a cloudless sky and from the trees there dropped flowers and fruit out of due season as if to do him honor. At that time, just as in paradise, the mandaraa flowers, lotuses and water lilies of gold and beryl fell from the sky and bestrewed the place of the Shakya sage."

It is always like that. You seek enlightenment you will never get it, but it may come to you unexpectedly like a shower of flowers from heaven. Buddha continued to sit there for another seven days, meditating without moving, another week he was walking and meditating and the week after that he simply gazed at the peepal tree without moving his eyes”.
Alka Mai stopped and sat there as if absorbed in deep thought. Absolute silence prevailed and then she began to talk.
“I once heard Osho Rajneesh quoting a story in one of his discourses, which I carry in my mind.
Subhuti, an ardent disciple of Buddha was one day sitting under a tree in a mood of sublime emptiness when flowers began to fall around him.
'We are praising you for your discourse on emptiness’, the gods whispered to him.
‘But I have not spoken of emptiness’, said Subhuti
‘You have not spoken of emptiness, we have not heard of emptiness’, responded the gods. ‘This is true emptiness’.
And blossoms showered upon Subhuti like rain.

The realization may come unexpectedly, all on a sudden when the mind is ready for it.
She was silent for a moment and then added. “We all carry the weight of our ego, our self, our mind, our thoughts, with us. We have to climb a long, long way up; it is like climbing the Mount Everest, to reach the level of sublime emptiness, to prepare us for enlightenment. Among the mortals I know personally, only Yogini Maa ever reached near that destination. There is a famous Zen saying:
‘When the soft rain moistens my clothes,
I see the Buddha without seeing
When the petal of a flower falls quietly,
I hear the voice of the Budha without hearing.’
Silence fell over us. I thought it is rather strange that total emptiness can fill the mind with the light of enlightenment; I recollected a similar statement made by Socrates that the beginning of wisdom is the realization of one's absolute ignorance. Our minds are filled with ever so many things, wanted, unwanted, and mostly rubbish, where is the room for light and enlightenment?
MUCH MORE - SYMBOLISM AND PHILOSOPOHJY AND LEHGENDS- rEAD IN :
nANDANOM- tHE GARDEN OF gIODS
- jUST COMPLETED AND GOING TO PRESS.

FLOWERS USED IN WORSHIP

TODAY FOR A CHANGE...
LET ME TELL YOU SOMETHING ABOUT THE FLOWERS USED IN THE WORSHIP OF DEITIES.



Flowers Used in Worship
Vaishnavam
“Sastha dwe thulasi sitambujamadho raktabjapalasake’
Jati kubjakamadhavidamanakai punnaganagasanai
Nandyarvarta sami sthdabja vijaya sanmallirka champakair
Bilwam cholpala ketakani cha navam kundam thadha patalam”.
For Lakshmi
Lakshmi devisahasa bhringa musalibheetendra valli sada
Bhadram, Sripathi, Lankheekacha dasami durva- da jambuchchadam
Kelharam karaveeramekadalakom padmam, kusa kaeitava
Raktacher i vilomatho kiphalam pushpam dhave vaishnavam.
Shaivam
Svetarkam karaveerakancha kamalam dhurdhura karagwathe
Rajarkancha seethambujancha tulasi saasoka satchambake
Kalharam bakapatale bakulakem dwe mallike malati
Palasa sthala padma darbha- madanapamarga durvakurai

Tatvadgrandhi sami brahanmaruvaka punnaga nagasanai
Nandyarvarta tamalakubjavijaya mandara kashmeerakai
Sasthamulpala karmikara kusumai kadamba bilwadaitho
Neelacholpalamityamuni kusuma nukhyami saivanyalam

For Durga
Ambojolpalabandhuvijaya punnaganaganyadho
Jati kundakurandachempakajala yudheeramapatalai
Bilwa asokahayarikubjamadanair mandaradurvadalair
Nandyahpya parijate cha kusuma nuktyani sakhanyalam.

Sankaranarayanan etc
Hareesavadhareesesyu skanda herambasasthrushu
Sivasaktivada, ryayam kusumanyadha saktival
Sankaranarayanam—Vaishna saiva flowers
Subrahrnayam vighneswara, sastha—saivam
Vaishnavam, sakhteyam
Durga—sakhteyam

Nandyavartai pratareva ‘parahnue’
Pragratre va malatimallikabhi
Ahnyevabje rutpala sarvada va
Haime prata, kesarai purvaratre

Avaivarnyal kesaranam sarojam
Bailyam patram damanancha thriratram
Pujayugyam; karmikaranthu paksham
Na syajeernam neasahtakam bakkhyam.



Flowers used in Yajna
Kadamba kalika homadyakshini sidhyati dhruvam/
Bandhuka kinshukadini vashyakarshaya homayet//
Bilvam rajyay lakshmyartham patlancampakanapi/
Padmani cakravartive bhakshya bhojyani sampade//
Durva vyadhi vinashay sarva satva vashi kriteha/
Priyangu patali pushpam cutpatram jwarantakam//
Mrityunjayo mrityu jitasyad vriddhisyattilhomataha/
Rudrashantiha sarvashantya atha prastuta mucyate//

Navagraha
BILWAM Raverhimakarasya seethambujam cha
Bhonmasya rakhtakusumam tulasi Budhasya
Jeevasya champakamadho Bhrigusya kundam
Nilotpalam Rasisuthasya cha pushpamahu

Flowers that should not be used
Sachidram mukulem jeernam pathithom patiavarjituom
Bhuktashesha magandhacha kesakeetadi mishritam


PN Ravindran

INDIAN PHYTOPANTHEON

The most important members of the Indian Phytopantheon are aswattha (peepal tree), Vata (banyan tree), bilwa (wood apple tree) and thulasi (sacred basil). Second in importance is asoka, amra (mango), amalaki (Indian gooseberry, ionola), neem, Kadali (plantain) etc. Altogether there are about thirty or so plants including trees that are being worshipped in different parts of India. Symbolically they all represent either incarnations of deities, or are considered abodes of deities. Among the trees the peepal or aswattha is the cosmic tree in the Indian culture, it is the mystic tree of India. Peepal is also the most sacred tree for the Buddhists. We also have a mystic flower. That is the lotus. This flower is not worshipped, but it is one the most widely used in worshipping all deities. More over it is also one of the most sacred for the Buddhists, for the Chinese and for the Japanese. This flower is believed to be the seat of goddesses, Lakshi and Saraswathi; and it is also the seat of Gauthama the Buddha.

As centuries passed many ceremonies and beliefs grew up around the sacred trees. In such ceremonies plants became the symbolic medium to propitiate a favorite deity for a particular purpose. When one looks at the purposes of such worship and ceremonies one gets an interesting list:

- to win fertility in women, animals and land
- for good luck, wealth, prosperity and fortune
- to drive away ghosts, evil spirits and demons
- for curing, averting or alleviating diseases
- for securing a place in heaven after death
- for getting a husband, for husband’s love affection and health
- for relieving labor pains and safe delivery
- to avoid ill luck, curse and evil influences of others
- to avert widowhood
- for good harvest and plentiful crops
- to offer oblations to ancestors for the satisfaction and blessings of the departed souls
- for immortality and to avoid ill influences and misfortune
- to satisfy souls and holy spirits that reside in trees
- for any other purpose for a happy and peaceful life.

In India there are a number of festivals associated with plants and many are observed by women for removing barrenness and for offspring, for 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 lasts for a few days. Perhaps the most elaborate one is the Navapatra pooja, prevalent in many parts of India, most noticeably in Bengal. Navapatra pooja forms part of Durga pooja ceremony. Here nine aspects of Durga, symbolized by nine plants are worshipped. It is believed that Durga established peace in the world by incarnating as Brahmani and she is represented by kadali (plantain) and so this is one of the nine plants. The goddess took the form of Kalika while fighting Mahishasura and she is represented by the Kachu (colocacia) plant, which is the second of the navapatrikas. Durga herself is present in Haridra (turmeric) and so this is the third plant. Durga took the form of Kartika while fighting Sumbha and Nisumbha and she is represented by Jayanthi (balloon wine or heart seed), and this becomes the fourth plant. Another aspect of Durga is Raktadantika who fought against the demon Raktabija. She is represented by Dadima (pomegranate), which is the fifth plant. It is said that Parashakti when incarnated as Parvathi, worshipped Lord Shiva with flowers of asoka and that the Lord loves this tree, and that Devi made it her abode in the aspect Sokarahitha, the remover of sorrow. So asoka becomes the sixth plant. Chamunda is another 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. Brahma created paddy plant as the food of the humans and Lakshi, the consort of Vishnu and the goddess of prosperity dwells in this. This is the eighth plant. All these leaves are bundled together with a ninth plant, a branch of bilwa tree bearing two fruits that represent Shiva and Shakthi. This bundle is ceremoniously given bath and then dressed in red silk and with vermillion applied, decorated and placed by the side of the idol of Ganesha and worshipped as Devi Durga for nine days. Each day, an aspect of the Devi is invoked separately and pooja is offered. Navapatrika is also called Navadurga or Navavasini durga. Here each plant or leaf is collected ceremoniously, and much formalities exist in bundling them with the vine of a particular creeper known as girikarnika, 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 neighbor hood participates. Here is an example of an evolution of simple plant worship to a complex and elaborate one with lot of symbolism attached. Yet another example is the Vruksha panchayatana Puja, in which five gods (Siva, Vishnu, Surya, Ambika and Ganesha) are worshiped symbolically through the worship of five sets of plants (bilwa and drona for Shiva, aswattha and thulasi for Vishnu, karaveera and svetarka for Surya, khadira and doorva for Ganesha and ashoka and shankapushpa for Ambika.). This is a permanent set up for such worship and the set up varies with the type of deity being worshipped. For example for Shiva Panchyatana pooja, Shiva symbolized by bilwa occupies the centre. In the North-East corner Ambika (represented by asoka), in the North-West Corner Vishnu (symbolized by aswattha), in the South-West Corner Ganesha (symbolized by khadira), and in the South-West Corner Surya (represented by karaveera). In each location surrounding the tree the second plant is planted in a circle. That is drona is planted around bilwa, thulasi around aswattha, shankapushpa around asoka, svetarka around karaveera and doorva around khadira. In the Vishnu panchyatana pooja aswattha occupies the centre. This type of panchayatana set up is often seen as a common worship facility in certain villages, often associated with temples.

During the evolution of human social life family became the unit of society and the institution of marriage became an important social, or even a socio-religious event of great significance. This ceremony was subsequently imported to the plant worship by the ancients through tree marriages, which still not disappeared entirely. Perhaps India is the only place where tree marriages are celebrated, and so also the marriage between boys / girls to trees. Tree marriages are still being held, though rarely, between peepal and banyan, peepal and neem or between mango and mahua. In the last couple of years there are reports of two such events, one from Tamil Nadu and another from Kerala. In many north Indian tribal communities girls and boys are married to 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 same is the case with a man intending to marry a widow, should marry a tree before the actual marriage with the woman. The plants mainly used for such marriages are shami and arka.

I was trying to highlight certain points on the importance of tree worship in the Indian context. Of course we may be touching upon these aspects in the subsequent discussions. There are many excellent published works that give details of tree worship on a global context, and also on Indian sacred plants.

NEXT ISSUE: WHY WE USE FLOWERS AS OFFERINGS?

TYPES OF WORSHIP

Song of the Flower

I am a kind word uttered and repeated
By the voice of Nature;
I am a star fallen from the
Blue tent upon the green carpet.
I am the daughter of the elements
With whom Winter conceived;
To whom Spring gave birth; I was
Reared in the lap of Summer and I
Slept in the bed of Autumn.

At dawn I unite with the breeze
To announce the coming of light;
At eventide I join the birds
In bidding the light farewell.

The plains are decorated with
My beautiful colors, and the air
Is scented with my fragrance.

As I embrace Slumber the eyes of
Night watch over me, and as I
Awaken I stare at the sun, which is
The only eye of the day.

I drink dew for wine, and hearken to
The voices of the birds, and dance
To the rhythmic swaying of the grass.

I am the lover's gift; I am the wedding wreath;
I am the memory of a moment of happiness;
I am the last gift of the living to the dead;
I am a part of joy and a part of sorrow.

But I look up high to see only the light,
And never look down to see my shadow.
This is wisdom which man must learn.
Khalil Gibran





TYPES OF WORSHIP:

In the religious development of the humans we can see five major stages: (i) animism, (ii) spiriticism, (iii) polytheism and (iv) monotheism and (v) at a tangent and at a higher plane pantheism. Primitive humans practised animism, worshipped natural phenomena, animals and plants Spiriticism is even now prevalent among tribes all over the world and similar to Shamanism, a term used widely now. Shamans are tribal spirit men and they are the link between their spirits/ gods and the commons in the community. Polytheism was prevalent in all ancient civilizations-Indian, Greek, Roman, Egyptian etc. In all such civilizations many gods and goddesses were worshipped. Monotheism became widespread with the spread of Christianity and Islam. Hinduism is the only example still pursuing a Mono-polytheistic path of religion. Here there is a ‘decentralization’ of the functions of gods- the three functions- creation, sustenance and destruction- are with the three prime Gods, the trinities, Brhama, Vishnu and Shiva. Then there are other gods and goddesses, having specific attributes, presiding deities of various human aspects of life and existence. They are worshipped and propitiated for specific purposes according to the wishes of the worshipper. You know that people worship Vighneswara for the removal of all obstacles, Lakshmi for wealth and prosperity, Saraswathi for vidya or learning and fine arts and so on. But all gods and goddesses are also manifestations of a single principle, the Ultimate, Paraashakthi. Everything (including all gods and goddesses) are manifestations of this Paraashakthi and into which everything merges at the end. Hinduism has a profound and majestic philosophy, touching upon all phases of human activities interpreting everything in terms of the Paramatma –Jeevatma concept, which itself is another manifestation of the Ultimate and derived from it. Ancient India’s profound utterances like Tat-twam-asi and Aham Brahmasmi emanated from this profound understanding that man being the manifestation of the ultimate is not different from It (the Ultimate). And when we realize that everything in this Universe is the manifestation of the Ultimate (Parashakthi), we also come to the zenith of Pantheism, visualizing the light of God the Ultimate, in everything, and therefore all organisms have the same status and right for existence on this earth.

Tree and plant worship is animism and it existed in its most vibrant form in India and the tradition still continues. Ancients believed that trees and animals too have souls; they have faculties like the capacity to converse and visualize the events around and so on and so forth. But the link between the ancient traditions and the modern generation is very weak; never the less one can discern this link even now. The impacts of Brahmanism from the early centuries have modified the animistic practices greatly.

Worship of plants still remains common in India, especially among the rural communities, and a variety of traditions and practices are still prevalent. At one level we have the village deity –Jagratha devata- or a deity for a small village forest (Vana devata) protecting and safeguarding the inhabitants of the village and worshipped by all irrespective of cast and creed. On the other hand there are the exclusive worship places or temples where members of other communities and even other sects of the same community are not permitted. Many such worship places are also associated with serpent worship and such temples are often physically associated with a tree – like a neem, or peepal or banyan. It is an established fact that tree worship and serpent worship are early stages, through which the human race passed. These are the lowest forms of worship, but at the same time the tree worship also has a higher level of symbolism. Swami Vivekandnada said (and I quote):
‘Tree worship and serpent worship always go together. There is the tree of knowledge. There must always be the tree, and the tree is somehow connected with the serpent. These are the oldest forms of worship. Even there you find that some particular tree or some particular stone is worshipped not all trees and stones in the world…. These are low states of worship, and yet worship. We all have to pass through them. It is only from an intellectual standpoint that they are not good enough. In our hearts we cannot get rid of them….
….There is still a higher order of formal worship- the world of symbolism… There are all sorts of symbols all over the world… there is some truth in symbolism. There cannot be any falsehood without some truth behind it… There is the symbolic form of worship in different religions.”

“A living example of tree and nature worship and its association with goddess and serpent worship is seen in the case of the sacred groves in India. Sacred groves are small patches of forests or groves of trees and associated vegetation, protected by local communities as being the residing places of deities. They vary in area from a hectrare to a few square kilometres and are the sites of socio-religious and socio-cultural rituals of associated communities. Such sacred groves are also micro- reservoirs of valuable plant and animal diversity.

In the past sacred groves were maintained in most parts of the worlds, including Europe. Many studies exist of the famous Mediterranean sacred groves of the past. The ancient Greeks and Roman landscapes were dotted with hundreds of sacred places that are associated with a grove of trees. Such small groves were the abodes of ‘nature spirits’ or ‘tree spirits’. Pliny the elder, who lived in the first century AD, indicated that ‘trees were the first temples of Gods, and even now, simple country people dedicate a tree of exceptional height to a god. ..’ The Roman mythology has ample indications of personification of plant spirits. Humans change to trees and vice versa. For the Greeks the formidable goddess Artimis was the protector of forests, wilderness and and wild life, and wilderness itself was then considered sacred. In the centuries that followed sacred groves vanished from the European landscape due to a variety of resonas such as rapid urbanisation, flourishing timber industry for a variety of purposes, use of large quantity of wood for house construction and so on. The last nail was driven by the Christian church. The chirstian church in its formativce years and in the subsequebnt middle ages, considered anything that was non-christian as pagan and destroyed them sytematically.
In India we still maintain the sacred groves as part of our socio-religios life. Many commnities in India still practice the custom of performing rituals and ceremonies to appease the presiding deity of the sacred grove in order to ensure the well being of the community. Such sacred groves often define the cultural and ethenic identity of the associated community. The sacred groves started their journey from the pre-agrarian community of primitive humans and their importance has been repeatedly emphasized by many anthropologists. They are the storehouses of biodiversity, of medicinal plants, and they also provide the water needs of the near by community. Many groves are associated with streams and ponds and the deep tree root sysytem functions like a sponge to absorb and retain water. Some estimates mention that 100,000 to 150,000 sacred groves exist in the Indian subcontintnet even now, forming a veritable store house of natural biodiversity.

In earlier times in Kerala it was a common practice to demarcate and maintain small patches of land having a few trees as an abode of mother goddess and and/ or serpent goddess. Once many such ‘Kavus” dotted the landscape of Kerala. It was then a practice to light an oil lamp every evening in front of the ‘kavu’. Naturally they were the focal points of worship before the temples were built.

Many workers tried to study the evolution of worship in human race, like Frazer, Rendell Harris, Fowler etc., and they had documented the nature and types of tree /plant worship in many primitive as well the modern societies. They have documented how among the ancient Greeks and Romans the oak, the apple the laurel, the mistelote etc. became symbols of their gods and goddesses. It was the tree worship that gradually evolved into the polytheistic form of worship. John Stewart Collis in his book The Triumph of Tree writes (and I quote):
‘Today the tree is the body, tomorrow the abode of a spirit- animism turns into polytheism. Thus we see the wild Huntsman of North America known as Heno, riding the clouds and splitting the forest trees with his thunderbolt; and then we see him later, gathering the clouds together and pouring down warm rains- as a god of agriculture. Many simple spirits developed into a general spirit of vegetation, and often enough in the primitive mind several misconceptions existed at the same time’.
Let me quote a passage from Frazer’s famous book ‘The Golden Bough’:
‘When a tree comes to be viewed, no longer as the body of the tree-spirit, but simply as its abode which it can quit at pleasure, an important advance has been made in religious thought. Animism is passing into polytheism. In other words, instead of regarding each tree as a living and conscious being, man now sees in it merely a lifeless, inert mass, tenanted for a longer or shorter time by a supernatural being who, as he can pass freely from tree to tree, thereby enjoys a certain right of possession or lordship over the trees, and, ceasing to be a tree-soul, becomes a forest god. As soon as the tree-spirit is thus in a measure disengaged from each particular tree, he begins to change his shape and assume the body of a man, in virtue of a general tendency of early thought to clothe all abstract spiritual beings in concrete human form. Hence in classical art the sylvan deities are depicted in human shape, their woodland character being denoted by a branch or some equally obvious symbol. But this change of shape does not affect the essential character of the tree-spirit. The powers which he exercised as a tree-soul incorporate in a tree, he still continues to wield as a god of trees. This I shall now attempt to prove in detail. I shall show, first, that trees considered as animate beings are credited with the power of making the rain to fall, the sun to shine, flocks and herds to multiply, and women to bring forth easily; and, second, that the very same powers are attributed to tree-gods conceived as anthropomorphic beings or as actually incarnate in living men.’
Frazer cites examples from across the continets and socities to show this evolution of tree worship from the primitive nature worship to polytheistic form and the tree gods evolved from the form a tree to that of a stylised human male or female form. Frazer writes:
‘Again, the tree-spirit makes the herds to multiply and blesses women with offspring. In Northern India the Emblica officinalis is a sacred tree. On the eleventh of the month Phalgun (February) libations are poured at the foot of the tree, a red or yellow string is bound about the trunk, and prayers are offered to it for the fruitfulness of women, animals, and crops. Again, in Northern India the coconut is esteemed as one of the most sacred fruits, and is called Sriphala, or the fruit of Sri, the goddess of prosperity. It is the symbol of fertility and all through Upper India is kept in shrines and presented by the priests to women who desire to become mothers. In the town of Qua, near Old Calabar, there used to grow a palm-tree which ensured conception to any barren woman who ate a nut from its branches. In Europe the May-tree or May-pole is apparently supposed to possess similar powers over both women and cattle. ........................................................................................
In the Tuhoe tribe of Maoris the power of making women fruitful is ascribed to trees. These trees are associated with the navel-strings of definite mythical ancestors, as indeed the navel-strings of all children used to be hung upon them down to quite recent times. A barren woman had to embrace such a tree with her arms, and she received a male or a female child according as she embraced the east or the west side. The common European custom of placing a green bush on May Day before or on the house of a beloved maiden probably originated in the belief of the fertilising power of the tree-spirit. In some parts of Bavaria such bushes are set up also at the houses of newly-married pairs, and the practice is only omitted if the wife is near her confinement; for in that case they say that the husband has “set up a May-bush for himself.” Among the South Slavonians a barren woman, who desires to have a child, places a new chemise upon a fruitful tree on the eve of St. George’s Day. Next morning before sunrise she examines the garment, and if she finds that some living creature has crept on it, she hopes that her wish will be fulfilled within the year. Then she puts on the chemise, confident that she will be as fruitful as the tree on which the garment has passed the night. Among the Kara-Kirghiz barren women roll themselves on the ground under a solitary apple-tree, in order to obtain offspring. Lastly, the power of granting to women an easy delivery at child-birth is ascribed to trees both in Sweden and Africa. In some districts of Sweden there was formerly a bardträd or guardian-tree (lime, ash, or elm) in the neighbourhood of every farm. No one would pluck a single leaf of the sacred tree, any injury to which was punished by ill-luck or sickness. Pregnant women used to clasp the tree in their arms in order to ensure an easy delivery. In some negro tribes of the Congo region pregnant women make themselves garments out of the bark of a certain sacred tree, because they believe that this tree delivers them from the dangers that attend child-bearing. The story that Leto clasped a palm-tree and an olive-tree or two laurel-trees, when she was about to give birth to the divine twins Apollo and Artemis, perhaps points to a similar Greek belief in the efficacy of certain trees to facilitate delivery.’
I have given this passage from Frazer to indicate that all over the world in former times tree worship was mostly associated with fertility cult and that such believes form an important step in the evolution of tree worship. Even now fertility cult remains very much alive and perhaps even prodominate, and that the many types of rituals and offerings in temples of India provide ample evidence for the importance of such worship in our country.
Even in a country like India with an unbroken cultural history of over six thousand years, it is not easy to trace the development of tree worship through the ages. Trilochan Pande while discussing tree worship in ancient India writes ( I quote):
‘…..however the cult seems to be a part of Nature-worship in the beginning. The aborigines and primitive people of this land must have adored the stars, the sky, the moon, the forests, the trees, the rivers etc., in their own ways and when the Aryans entered India through the northern mountains, they brought with them some what different concepts regarding the phenomenon of nature. Then followed the admixture of religious practices and manners of worship that naturally affected the society in those days. In due course of time, this admixture was responsible to a great extent for developing a new pattern of popular religion. Under such circumstances it was but natural
for the Nature- worship including the tree worship to be influenced by diverse currents that are markable even today’

A stream of worship of plants can be traced from the Rig Vedic times to the later epic period and further through the successive centuries. Soma was the first plant held sacred and then Aswattha, Vata and Bilwa, and this ‘Phytopantheon’ grew into what we see in later Puranas and other religious practices. I remember a passage in Matsya 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 wood. After worshipping them in this way, celebrate the actual planting. He who plant even one tree, goes straight to heaven and obtains the highest perfection. ‘.

The great importance attached to tree planting by the ancient Indians is exemplified in various puranas. In Matsya Purana we see:
‘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 same number of his past and future sins, attains the highest perfection and never reborn on earth’.

Agni Purana says:
‘ .. The plantation of trees and construction of pleasure garden (for the public) are conducive to purgation of sin and enjoyment of prosperity. ‘

Vayu Purana stresses:
‘… He never goes to hell who plants an aswattha, 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’.

Padma Purana mentions:
‘…Plants are sons to a son less man, therefore plant aswattha tree, for it does the work of thousand sons’.

There is a well known saying in Surapala’s Vrikshayurveda:
‘Dasakupasama vaapi, dasavaapisama hrada
Dasahradasama putro, dasaputrasama druma’.
One vaapi (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 thulasi, bilwa, aswattha, amalaki, vata, nimba, amra, sirisa, plaksha, udumbara etc.
‘Aswatthamekoni pichumandamekom
Nygrodhamekom dasachinchinikom
Kapitha bilwa malathrayam cha
Panchambravaapee narakom cha pasheyeth’
A person who plants an aswattha (peepal), a pichumanda (neem), a nygrodha (banyan), ten chinchinikom (tamarinds), one each of kapitha (lemon), bilwa (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 offense and in his code Manu provided provisions for punishment for the cutter of those trees that should be preserved.
Dr PN Ravindran

TREE WORSHIP- NATURAL ABODES OF GODS.

‘The groves were God's first temples. Ere man learned
To hew the shaft, and lay the architrave,
And spread the roof above them,---ere he framed
The lofty vault, to gather and roll back
The sound of anthems; in the darkling wood,
Amidst the cool and silence, he knelt down,
And offered to the Mightiest solemn thanks
And supplication……………………………..
Father, thy hand
Hath reared these venerable columns, thou
Didst weave this verdant roof. Thou didst look down
Upon the naked earth, and, forthwith, rose
All these fair ranks of trees. They, in thy sun,
Budded, and shook their green leaves in the breeze,
And shot towards heaven. The century-living crow,
Whose birth was in their tops, grew old and died
Among their branches, till, at last, they stood,
(A Forest Hymn by William Cullen Bryant)
In the religious development of the humans we can see five major stages: (i) animism, (ii) spiriticism, (iii) polytheism and (iv) monotheism and (v) at a tangent and at a higher plane pantheism. Primitive humans practised animism, worshipped natural phenomena, animals and plants Spiriticism is even now prevalent among tribes all over the world and similar to Shamanism, a term used widely now. Shamans are tribal spirit men and they are the link between their spirits/ gods and the commons in the community. Polytheism was prevalent in all ancient civilizations-Indian, Greek, Roman, Egyptian etc. In all such civilizations many gods and goddesses were worshipped. Monotheism became widespread with the spread of Christianity and Islam. Hinduism is the only example still pursuing a Mono-polytheistic path of religion. Here there is a ‘decentralization’ of the functions of gods- the three functions- creation, sustenance and destruction- are with the three prime Gods, the trinities, Brhama, Vishnu and Shiva. Then there are other gods and goddesses, having specific attributes, presiding deities of various human aspects of life and existence. They are worshipped and propitiated for specific purposes according to the wishes of the worshipper. You know that people worship Vighneswara for the removal of all obstacles, Lakshmi for wealth and prosperity, Saraswathi for vidya or learning and fine arts and so on. But all gods and goddesses are also manifestations of a single principle, the Ultimate, Paraashakthi. Everything (including all gods and goddesses) are manifestations of this Paraashakthi and into which everything merges at the end. Hinduism has a profound and majestic philosophy, touching upon all phases of human activities interpreting everything in terms of the Paramatma –Jeevatma concept, which itself is another manifestation of the Ultimate and derived from it. Ancient India’s profound utterances like Tat-twam-asi and Aham Brahmasmi emanated from this profound understanding that man being the manifestation of the ultimate is not different from It (the Ultimate). And when we realize that everything in this Universe is the manifestation of the Ultimate (Parashakthi), we also come to the zenith of Pantheism, visualizing the light of God the Ultimate, in everything, and therefore all organisms have the same status and right for existence on this earth.

Tree and plant worship is animism and it existed in its most vibrant form in India and the tradition still continues. Ancients believed that trees and animals too have souls; they have faculties like the capacity to converse and visualize the events around and so on and so forth. But the link between the ancient traditions and the modern generation is very weak; never the less one can discern this link even now. The impacts of Brahmanism from the early centuries have modified the animistic practices greatly.

Worship of plants still remains common in India, especially among the rural communities, and a variety of traditions and practices are still prevalent. At one level we have the village deity –Jagratha devata- or a deity for a small village forest (Vana devata) protecting and safeguarding the inhabitants of the village and worshipped by all irrespective of cast and creed. On the other hand there are the exclusive worship places or temples where members of other communities and even other sects of the same community are not permitted. Many such worship places are also associated with serpent worship and such temples are often physically associated with a tree – like a neem, or peepal or banyan. It is an established fact that tree worship and serpent worship are early stages, through which the human race passed. These are the lowest forms of worship, but at the same time the tree worship also has a higher level of symbolism. Swami Vivekandnada said (and I quote):
‘Tree worship and serpent worship always go together. There is the tree of knowledge. There must always be the tree, and the tree is somehow connected with the serpent. These are the oldest forms of worship. Even there you find that some particular tree or some particular stone is worshipped not all trees and stones in the world…. These are low states of worship, and yet worship. We all have to pass through them. It is only from an intellectual standpoint that they are not good enough. In our hearts we cannot get rid of them….
….There is still a higher order of formal worship- the world of symbolism… There are all sorts of symbols all over the world… there is some truth in symbolism. There cannot be any falsehood without some truth behind it… There is the symbolic form of worship in different religions.”


PN RAVINDRAN ( QUOTED FROM THE bOOK UNDER PREPARTION: NANADANOM- THE GARDEN OF GODS BY DR PN RAVINDRAN )

TREE WORSHIP

Tree worship

Spirit of the East, spirit of air,
of morning and springtime:
Be with us as the sun rises,
in times of beginning,
times of planting.
Inspire us with the fresh breath of courage
as we go forth into new adventures.

Spirit of the South, spirit of fire,
of noontime and summer:
Be with us through the heat of the day
and help us to be ever growing.
Warm us with strength
and energy for the work that awaits us.

Spirit of the West, spirit of water,
of evening and autumn:
Be with us as the sun sets
and help us enjoy a rich harvest.
Flow through us with a cooling,
healing quietness and bring us peace.

Spirit of the North, spirit of the earth,
of nighttime and winter,
Be with us in the darkness,
in the time of gestation.
Ground us in the wisdom of the changing seasons
as we celebrate the spiraling journey of our lives.

- To The Four Directions, by Joan Goodwin

“Tree worship and worship of natural forces evolved gradually along with the origin of human social life. In Indian culture plant worship probably had its beginning in the pre-Indus Valley time but as a continuous stream of worship from the pre-vedic period and continues more or loss uninterrupted even today as a vibrant faith in the Indian society. Excavations in Harappa and Mohanjodaro provided evidence of the existence of tree worship during the Indus Valley civilization. Marshall in his classical work on Indus civilization mentions two forms of tree worship during that period. In one form the tree is worshiped and in the other form the tree spirit is worshiped. Pandey in his work on the Indian Rock Art found in the Adamgarh mentions the figure of a ‘Vanadeva’. This figure is shown in an anthropomorphic form, a lotus crown on his head, holding an arrow in one hand and a bud in the other hand, and the body covered with flowers. In one of the seals excavated from Indus Valley, the epiphany of the deity is a tree that resembles the peepal. In another seal Mackay has identified a peepal, and in a clay amulet he found the representation of a neem tree. According to him the worship of Mother Goddess, the goddess of fertility and crops, seems to be central to the religious practices of the time. The Mother Goddess was often represented as rising between two branches of a tree or standing in between the bifurcated branch of a peepal tree. The pre-Vedic worship of trees evolved further and attained new dimensions during the Vedic period and in the subsequent post- Vedic times. The number of sacred trees increased considerably in the Puranic period and subsequent centuries because of the proliferation of the polytheistic and iconoclastic worship. However during the Vedic period soma occupied the prime status in worship than any other tree. In Rig Veda a whole chapter, the ninth Mandala is devoted for extolling the qualities of soma and its worship. In subsequent centuries elaborate rituals were evolved for each sacred ceremony and in every such ceremony plants and plant products played important roles. We read in Puranas such as Garuda purana, Agni purana etc. how different flowers were prescribed for offering to different deities.
The Indian people believed and still believe in astrology and the planetary influence on their lives. Just like gods and goddesses are associated with certain plants; myths and legends were evolved that made the nine planets associate with certain plants; so also the birth stars. All the twenty seven birth stars are associated with some plants and animals.

LET ME QUOTE A FEW LINES OF A POEM:


‘The groves were God's first temples. Ere man learned
To hew the shaft, and lay the architrave,
And spread the roof above them,---ere he framed
The lofty vault, to gather and roll back
The sound of anthems; in the darkling wood,
Amidst the cool and silence, he knelt down,
And offered to the Mightiest solemn thanks
And supplication……………………………..
Father, thy hand
Hath reared these venerable columns, thou
Didst weave this verdant roof. Thou didst look down
Upon the naked earth, and, forthwith, rose
All these fair ranks of trees. They, in thy sun,
Budded, and shook their green leaves in the breeze,
And shot towards heaven. The century-living crow,
Whose birth was in their tops, grew old and died
Among their branches, till, at last, they stood,
(A Forest Hymn by William Cullen Bryant)

Evolution of Worship

Evolution of worship:

Many workers tried to study the evolution of worship in human race, like Frazer, Rendell Harris, Fowler etc., and they had documented the nature and types of tree /plant worship in many primitive as well the modern societies. They have documented how among the ancient Greeks and Romans the oak, the apple the laurel, the mistelote etc. became symbols of their gods and goddesses. It was the tree worship that gradually evolved into the polytheistic form of worship. John Stewart Collis in his book The Triumph of Tree writes (and I quote):

‘Today the tree is the body, tomorrow the abode of a spirit- animism turns into polytheism. Thus we see the wild Huntsman of North America known as Heno, riding the clouds and splitting the forest trees with his thunderbolt; and then we see him later, gathering the clouds together and pouring down warm rains- as a god of agriculture. Many simple spirits developed into a general spirit of vegetation, and often enough in the primitive mind several misconceptions existed at the same time …’. Let me quote a passage from Frazer’s famous book ‘The Golden Bough’:

‘When a tree comes to be viewed, no longer as the body of the tree-spirit, but simply as its abode which it can quit at pleasure, an important advance has been made in religious thought. Animism is passing into polytheism. In other words, instead of regarding each tree as a living and conscious being, man now sees in it merely a lifeless, inert mass, tenanted for a longer or shorter time by a supernatural being who, as he can pass freely from tree to tree, thereby enjoys a certain right of possession or lordship over the trees, and, ceasing to be a tree-soul, becomes a forest god. As soon as the tree-spirit is thus in a measure disengaged from each particular tree, he begins to change his shape and assume the body of a man, in virtue of a general tendency of early thought to clothe all abstract spiritual beings in concrete human form. Hence in classical art the sylvan deities are depicted in human shape, their woodland character being denoted by a branch or some equally obvious symbol. But this change of shape does not affect the essential character of the tree-spirit. The powers which he exercised as a tree-soul incorporate in a tree, he still continues to wield as a god of trees. This I shall now attempt to prove in detail. I shall show, first, that trees considered as animate beings are credited with the power of making the rain to fall, the sun to shine, flocks and herds to multiply, and women to bring forth easily; and, second, that the very same powers are attributed to tree-gods conceived as anthropomorphic beings or as actually incarnate in living men.’

Frazer cites examples from across the continets and socities to show this evolution of tree worship from the primitive nature worship to polytheistic form and the tree gods evolved from the form a tree to that of a stylised human male or female form. Frazer writes:

‘Again, the tree-spirit makes the herds to multiply and blesses women with offspring. In Northern India the Emblica officinalis is a sacred tree. On the eleventh of the month Phalgun (February) libations are poured at the foot of the tree, a red or yellow string is bound about the trunk, and prayers are offered to it for the fruitfulness of women, animals, and crops. Again, in Northern India the coconut is esteemed as one of the most sacred fruits, and is called Sriphala, or the fruit of Sri, the goddess of prosperity. It is the symbol of fertility and all through Upper India is kept in shrines and presented by the priests to women who desire to become mothers. In the town of Qua, near Old Calabar, there used to grow a palm-tree which ensured conception to any barren woman who ate a nut from its branches. In Europe the May-tree or May-pole is apparently supposed to possess similar powers over both women and cattle. ........................................................................................

In the Tuhoe tribe of Maoris the power of making women fruitful is ascribed to trees. These trees are associated with the navel-strings of definite mythical ancestors, as indeed the navel-strings of all children used to be hung upon them down to quite recent times. A barren woman had to embrace such a tree with her arms, and she received a male or a female child according as she embraced the east or the west side. The common European custom of placing a green bush on May Day before or on the house of a beloved maiden probably originated in the belief of the fertilising power of the tree-spirit. In some parts of Bavaria such bushes are set up also at the houses of newly-married pairs, and the practice is only omitted if the wife is near her confinement; for in that case they say that the husband has “set up a May-bush for himself.” Among the South Slavonians a barren woman, who desires to have a child, places a new chemise upon a fruitful tree on the eve of St. George’s Day. Next morning before sunrise she examines the garment, and if she finds that some living creature has crept on it, she hopes that her wish will be fulfilled within the year. Then she puts on the chemise, confident that she will be as fruitful as the tree on which the garment has passed the night. Among the Kara-Kirghiz barren women roll themselves on the ground under a solitary apple-tree, in order to obtain offspring. Lastly, the power of granting to women an easy delivery at child-birth is ascribed to trees both in Sweden and Africa. In some districts of Sweden there was formerly a bardträd or guardian-tree (lime, ash, or elm) in the neighbourhood of every farm. No one would pluck a single leaf of the sacred tree, any injury to which was punished by ill-luck or sickness. Pregnant women used to clasp the tree in their arms in order to ensure an easy delivery. In some negro tribes of the Congo region pregnant women make themselves garments out of the bark of a certain sacred tree, because they believe that this tree delivers them from the dangers that attend child-bearing. The story that Leto clasped a palm-tree and an olive-tree or two laurel-trees, when she was about to give birth to the divine twins Apollo and Artemis, perhaps points to a similar Greek belief in the efficacy of certain trees to facilitate delivery.’

From PN Ravindran's forthcoming book :Nandanom- the Garden of Gods.

PN Ravindran's Forthcoming book: Nandanom- The Garden of Gods.
On Tree Worship
Alka Mai gave an introduction to tree worship. Some points that she mentioned:
By way of a beginning let me recite a opening lines from the hymn of the forest by William Cullen Bryant:
‘The groves were God's first temples.
Ere man learned To hew the shaft, and lay the architrave,
And spread the roof above them,
---ere he framed The lofty vault, to gather and roll back
The sound of anthems; in the darkling wood,
Amidst the cool and silence, he knelt down,
And offered to the Mightiest solemn thanks
And supplication………’.
“Tree worship and worship of natural forces evolved gradually along with the origin of human social life. In Indian culture plant worship probably had its beginning in the pre-Indus Valley time but as a continuous stream of worship from the pre-vedic period and continues more or loss uninterrupted even today as a vibrant faith in the Indian society. Excavations in Harappa and Mohanjodaro provided evidence of the existence of tree worship during the Indus Valley civilization. Marshall in his classical work on Indus civilization mentions two forms of tree worship during that period. In one form the tree is worshiped and in the other form the tree spirit is worshiped. Pandey in his work on the Indian Rock Art found in the Adamgarh mentions the figure of a ‘Vanadeva’. This figure is shown in an anthropomorphic form, a lotus crown on his head, holding an arrow in one hand and a bud in the other hand, and the body covered with flowers. In one of the seals excavated from Indus Valley, the epiphany of the deity is a tree that resembles the peepal. In another seal Mackay has identified a peepal, and in a clay amulet he found the representation of a neem tree. According to him the worship of Mother Goddess, the goddess of fertility and crops, seems to be central to the religious practices of the time. The Mother Goddess was often represented as rising between two branches of a tree or standing in between the bifurcated branch of a peepal tree. The pre-Vedic worship of trees evolved further and attained new dimensions during the Vedic period and in the subsequent post- Vedic times. The number of sacred trees increased considerably in the Puranic period and subsequent centuries because of the proliferation of the polytheistic and iconoclastic worship. However during the Vedic period soma occupied the prime status in worship than any other tree. In Rig Veda a whole chapter, the ninth Mandala is devoted for extolling the qualities of soma and its worship. In subsequent centuries elaborate rituals were evolved for each sacred ceremony and in every such ceremony plants and plant products played important roles. We read in Puranas such as Garuda purana, Agni purana etc. how different flowers were prescribed for offering to different deities.
The Indian people believed and still believe in astrology and the planetary influence on their lives. Just like gods and goddesses are associated with certain plants; myths and legends were evolved that made the nine planets associate with certain plants; so also the birth stars. All the twenty seven birth stars are associated with some plants and animals.

From PN Ravindran's Nandanom- The garden of Gods ( Forthcoming book).

Garden of Gods

Visit Nandanam- The Garden of Gods

The garden of Gods ia garden where the sacred plants of India are nurtures and protected. While entering this garden one should behave as if he or she is entering the sanctum sanctorum of a temple.

We recite the hymn from rig Veda and then seek permission to enter the GARDEN.

“Oh! Divine plants

You are so fertile in nature

You are blessed with all kindness and happiness

Oh divine plants

Always be kind to us

Pour happiness over us

You have the power of the horse

You are the destroyer of fatal disease

You are the guardian of mankind

Save and protect us from all

Kinds of illnesses”

Then they sought permission to enter the garden.

“Oh the presiding deities of the sacred garden of gods,

Grant us the permission to walk on your soil

Give us your blessings'

“You are now in the sacred garden of gods. You are the first visitor to this garden at least to my knowledge. Treat the plants with reverence. We do not allow any photography in the Ashram as we do not want any publicity and we certainly do not want to receive any visitors who come here for entertainment. Speak gently without disturbing tranquility and serenity of this place” Said Alka Mai.

With these words she moved towards a mound of betel leaf plant just facing the entrance Alka Mai was now praying, which she translated to me later:

“O, the tahmbula valli (betel leaf plant), the most sacred of all plants,

Created by Lord Brahma from his sacred fire,

And blessed by the Lord himself as the most auspicious one,

O, the blessed one, you came to earth from heaven

At the behest of Lord Mahesa,

On your leaf reside all the gods and goddesses.

Give me a leaf”

She gently plucked a single leaf and then addressed us

“Ram, give me the betel nut. Ramji dished out a betel nut from the pocket of his long saffron kurta and handed it to Alka Mai. She placed the betel nut on the leaf and reverently placed it on to ground below and prayed in silence for a minute. I prayed silently for the successful completion of my project

The Project starts NOW onwards . Read on ---wait for tomorrow.