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.