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