Sacred Trees

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SACRED TREES

TULSI

Every year in the month of Kartik, the Vaishnavas marry a Tulsi plant to a

Shalgrama stone with great fanfare. This year, on 8th November 2000, Tulsi

vivah marked the day to worship the tulsi plant. A big procession of the event

was held in Baroda and other places this day.

The most widely accepted legend about the origin of tulasi is in the Devi

Bhagavata Purana. According to it, Vishnu had three wives: Sarasvati, Lakshmi

and Ganga. Once Lakshmi and Sarasvati quarreled and cursed each other.

Sarasvati's curse turned Lakshmi into a tulasi plant and forced her to live on

the earth forever. In another version of the same story, after Sarasvati cursed

Lakshmi to live on earth as tulasi, Vishnu explained that things had happened as

predestined. Lakshmi would indeed be born so on earth and marry Shankhachuda,

the demon, to help the gods vanquish him. Accordingly, Lakshmi was born as

Tulasi, and in due course was married to Shankhachuda. Because of a boon from

Brahma, Shankhachuda could only be defeated if his wife was unfaithful to him.

Believing he was invincible, Shankhachuda became arrogant and began tormenting

people. They prayed to Vishnu for help, and Vishnu sent Shiva to kill

Shankhachuda. Meanwhile Vishnu assumed the form of Shankhachuda and seduced

Tulasi, to make her unfaithful and therefore nullify the effect of the boon.

This would allow Shiva to kill the demon. When Tulasi discovered the deceit,

she began to curse the impostor. Before she could complete the curse however,

the imposter revealed himself to be Vishnu. He pacified Tulasi, and reminded

her that she was, in fact, Lakshmi, who could now return to heaven with him

since her curse was over. To mark the event, Lakshmi's hair became the tulasi

plant, which remained on earth and was worshipped thereafter as her image, and

her body was transformed into the river Gandaki. And so the tulasi is

considered sacred. For the Vaishnavas in particular, no ceremony can be

performed without it, and the worship of Vishnu is incomplete without its

leaves. Since the tulsi and the Shalgrama Shila are so closely

associated, every year in the month of Kartik, the Vaishnavas marry a tulsi

plant to a shalgrama stone with great fanfare. It is believed that the tulasi

ensures the presence of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva, who are said to reside in it

and of Lakshmi, Sarasvati and Gayatri who are believed to live in its flowering

sprigs. The tulsi is planted in the courtyards of many homes and is worshipped

every day with water and pradakshina. This practice dates back to earlier times

when entire families slept in the courtyard to escape the summer heat within the

house. Since the tulsi emits oxygen and not carbon dioxide at night, unlike

other plants, it was considered doubly effective to sleep in its sacred and

healthy ambience.Tulsi is also known as Brinda or Vrinda and is frequently

invoked in prayer and preaching as the embodiment of purity.

Tulsi, the sacred basil, is revered for its medicinal and spiritual value. Tulsi

literally means 'matchless'. It is revered for its medicinal properties as well

as its spiritual value. The leaves are a remedy for coughs, and if eaten after

meals, assist digestion. They are also put in cooked food and in stored water

to prevent them from spoiling. The tulsi is believed to be an antidote to snake

venom. When burnt, its smoke repels insects. From this last quality came the

social diktat that if tulsi branches are added to a funeral pyre, the soul of

the dead would go to Vaikuntha. Practicality, this was done to keep flies and

insects at bay until the funeral was over, to prevent the spread of disease

from a possibly infected corpse. The tulsi plant is believed to be so pure that

the slightest pollution can kill it.

BEL TREE

Also known as bilva or wood apple (Aegle marmelos), the bel is a medium-sized

deciduous tree. It has thorny branches and trifoliate leaves. Its fruit is

large and round with a greenish-grey, woody shell. The bel has medicinal

properties. Its leaves make poultice for the eyes and are good for diabetes,

and the roots help reduce fever. Its fruit is a remedy for dysentery. It is

also believed to promote fertility. Its leaves are an important offering to

Shiva, for their trifoliate shape signifies Shiva's three eyes. Since they have

a cooling effect, they are offered to the Shivalinga to soothe this hot-tempered

deity. Even a fallen bel is never used as firewood, for fear of arousing Shiva's

wrath. Its wood is used only in sacrificial fires. According to the Agni Purana,

on any auspicious day in Bhadra, Shiva should be worshipped with a day-long fast

and the eating of bel leaves at night. Bel Tree Purana say that Shiva once hid

in the bel to escape conquering demons . The Skanda

Purana holds that the bel 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. The Brihaddharma Purana relates how

Lakshmi prayed to Shiva every day and offered him 10,000 lotus buds. One day she

fell short by two buds. Remembering that Vishnu had compared her breasts to

lotus buds, she decided to offer them instead. She cut one off and offered it

humbly. Before she could cut the other, Shiva, pleased with her devotion,

stopped her. Her cut breast became the fruit of the bel. The Bhavishya Purana

says that after the samudra manthan, Lakshmi, who had just emerged from the

ocean, rested in the bel. It was the ninth bright day of Bhadra. Therefore, the

bel is worshipped every year on that day.

PEEPAL TREE

Click here for Peepal Puja

Seal of Mohenjodaro Peepal

 

The peepal is the first-known depicted tree in India: a seal discovered at

Mohenjodaro, one of the cities of the Indus Valley Civilisation (c. 3000 BC -

1700 BC), shows the peepal being worshipped since long time ago.

Peepal Tree, the peepal (Ficus religiosa) is a very large tree. It is also

called ‘Ashvattha’ in Sanskrit. Its bark is light grey, smooth and peels in

patches. Its heart-shaped leaves have long, tapering tips. The slightest breeze

makes them rustle. The fruit is purple when ripe. During the Vedic period, its

wood was used to make fire by friction. The peepal is used extensively in

Ayurveda. Its bark yields the tannin used in treating leather. Its leaves, when

heated in ghee, are applied to cure wounds. The Brahma Purana and the Padma

Purana, relate that once, when the demons defeated the gods, Vishnu hid in the

peepal. Therefore spontaneous worship to Vishnu can be offered to a peepal

without needing his image or temple.

Peepal Tree also considers the peepal a symbol of Vishnu. He is believed to have

been born under this tree. Some believe that the tree houses the Trimurti, the

roots being Brahma, the trunk Vishnu and the leaves Shiva. The gods are said to

hold their councils under this tree and so it is associated with spiritual

understanding. The peepal is also closely linked to Krishna. In the Bhagavad

Gita, he says: "Among trees, I am the ashvattha." Krishna is believed to have

died under this tree, after which the present Kali yuga is said to have begun.

In the Upanishads, the fruit of the peepal is used as an example to explain the

difference between the body and the soul: the body is like the fruit which,

being outside, feels and enjoys things, while the soul is like the seed, which

is inside and therefore witnesses things. According to the Skanda Purana, if

one does not have a son, the peepal should be regarded as one. As long as the

tree lives, the family name will continue. To cut down a

peepal is considered a sin equivalent to killing a Brahmin, one of the five

deadly sins. According to the Skanda Purana, a person goes to hell for doing

so. Some people are particular to touch the peepal only on a Saturday. The

Brahma Purana explains why, saying that Ashvattha and Peepala were two demons

who harassed people. Ashvattha would take the form of a peepal and Peepala the

form of a Brahmin. The fake Brahmin would advise people to touch the tree, and

as soon as they did, Ashvattha would kill them. Later they were both killed by

Shani. Because of his influence, it is considered safe to touch the tree on

Saturdays. Lakshmi is also believed to inhabit the tree on Saturdays. Therefore

it is considered auspicious to worship it then. Women ask the tree to bless them

with a son by tying red thread or red cloth around its trunk or on its branches

On Amavasya, villagers perform a symbolic marriage between the neem and the

peepal, which are usually grown near each other. Although

this practice is not prescribed by any religious text, there are various beliefs

on the significance of 'marrying' these trees. In one such belief, the fruit of

the neem represents the Shivalinga and so, the male. The leaf of the peepal

represents the yoni, the power of the female. The fruit of the neem is placed

on a peepal leaf to depict the Shivalinga, which symbolises creation through

sexual union, and so the two trees are 'married'. After the ceremony, villagers

circle the trees to rid themselves of their sins. The peepal is also sacred to

Buddhists, because the Buddha is believed to have attained enlightenment under

it. Hence it is also called the Bodhi tree or 'tree of enlightenment'.

PALM

Palm is a group of trees, vines and shrubs that typically grow in water and wet

climates, especially in the tropics. Some palms live for more than 100 years

They are the ancient plants that dates back to the age of reptiles. There are

more than 2800 kinds of palms and they vary greatly in size, leaves, flowers

and fruits they produce. Most Palms grow straight and tall. Palms provide

ornament, shade, building materials like timber and fuel. Fibres for making

ropes and brooms and and for making watertight ships are made from the palm.

Strips of leaves are woven into mats, hats and baskets. The oil palm provides

oil for food and lighting. The palymra palm sugary sap can be made into food,

drinks and intoxicating beverages. The seeds are used to make buttons and

carvings. The seeds of betel palms are chewed as a stimulant. There are a few

palms which have poisonous seeds. The coconut palm gives a rich fruit and the

dried oil meat of the coconut is used to flavour

cakes, soap, salad oils and so on. Among the other trees are cabbage palm, date

palm, ivory palm etc. Palm tree is sacred since the Christians of Jerusalem

spread the palm branches before Jesus during the last event days of

Crucifixion.

NEEM TREE

On the first day of Chaitra, after Amavasya, (18th March '99), it is considered

essential to worship the neem and eat its leaves, mixed with pepper and sugar,

as a safeguard from fever. Neem Tree, also known as nimba, the neem

(Azidirachta indica) is a tall, evergreen tree. small, bright green leaves with

bitter taste. The fruit of neem turns from raw green to ripe yellow. It is said

that the neem once sheltered Surya from demons according to the Brahma Purana

and the Padma Purana. It is also considered sacred because the six goddesses

who regulate disease are believed to live in it. These goddesses are said to

infect people as a punishment for misconduct. The presence of these goddesses

makes the neem a test of truth, for those who utter falsehoods beneath a neem

are believed to fall violently ill. The neem is cherished as much for its shade

as for its medicinal properties. The leaves have insecticidal and antiseptic

properties. A neem twig is considered a very

effective toothbrush, for while its fibres clean, its juice works both as a

mouth freshner and a germ-killing dentrifice. Drinking water boiled with neem

leaves is said to purify the blood and heal a skin afflicted with measles and

chicken-pox sores. Dried neem leaves are packed with wool and silk, to keep

away moths and other insects. During the rains, when most epidemics occur,

women pray to the neem and make offerings at its base. The neem is also sacred

to Manasadevi, queen of the serpents, who protects people from snakebite and

so, is offered neem leaves at her altars. It is further believed that if a

person lives on food cooked on a fire of neem wood, he will be immune to snake

venom. To protect against any lingering infection, the Puranas urge that neem

leaves are chewed after attending a funeral and should be strewn as an

antiseptic barrier on the threshold of a house where a death has occurred. This

rule was adopted to protect the mourners from the epidemics in earlier

times. It is also believed that those possessed by evil spirits should be made

to inhale the smoke of burnt neem leaves.

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