Fwd: Shiva As Ecologist

[Guest guest]

Shiva as Ecologist

 

Rudra-Shiva

is the ultimate symbol of the environment.

He combines in himself the forces of nature and

the five elements or pancha bhutas that represent

the Indian commitment to conserving nature:

air, water, earth, fire and space.

During the month of Shivaratri,

when the devout fast and stay awake,

meditating on Shiva as the giver of

life is meditating on creation itself.

The worship of Shiva was an important

method of venerating the environment.

 

Many natural forces are imprisoned in Shiva's persona:

his flowing tresses represent the forests themselves,

trapping within them the mighty river Ganga,

the source of perennial water and life.

His vibhuti or sacred ash is the symbol of fertility,

a gift of the earth.

He is invariably painted or sculpted

beneath one or several trees,

generally the bilva.

He is accompanied by Nandi the bull and, often,

different wildlife,

for he is Pashupati,

lord of animals.

 

Shiva is also Bhupati, Bhuteshvara or Bhutanatha,

lord of the earth.

Bhu means earth and the suffix ta means give in Tamil,

so bhuta means ''given by'' or ''formed'' or ''created''

from the earth.

Bhuta is the spirit of the earth

who is worshipped in rural India.

 

The bhutagavana of Udupi in Karnataka and

theyyam of Kerala are bhuta rituals that continue to be popular.

 

As the ascetic rishi meditating on a hill,

the mountains become the sacred home of Shiva.

The Himalayas, even visually, look like the abode of the gods.

Several Shiva temples are found on hills.

From Kailasha in the Himalayas to Tiruvannamalai in the south,

the country is strewn with hill and mountain homes of Shiva.

By sanctifying them, important watersheds were conserved,

preserving forests and providing water for existence.

So sacred are the hills that no tree on them could be cut.

However, this ban is hardly observed any longer,

and Tiruvannamalai is a classic case of deforestation,

as are the Himalayan foothills,

that were once rich with forests and wildlife.

 

Shiva holds Agni or fire on the palm of his hand.

It symbolises the energy released during creation.

The drum represents the sound Om,

the origin of creation.

The trishula or trident in his hand represents the feminine half of

creation.

There is no aspect of this deity that does not invoke nature.

 

The five elements or panchabhootas

— earth, air, water, fire and space —

are represented by five Shiva lingas,

which are famous temples and pilgrimage centres.

Earth is represented by the prithvi linga made of mud

at the Ekamreshwara temple in Kanchipuram, Tamil Nadu.

Due to its fragile composition,

the ritual washing (abhishekha) is done

with the oil of the champaka flower,

not water or milk or sandalwood.

The linga at Sri Kalahasti, near Tirupati in Andhra Pradesh,

houses the vayu linga.

The oil lamps flicker away in the wind,

so pooja is offered to the utsavamurti (festival bronze) alone.

At Tiruvanaikaval (Jambukeshwara) near Tiruchy in Tamil Nadu,

the lingalinga stands inside a small shrine beneath ground level,

submerged under a perennial underground spring.

This is the linga of water.

 

The fourth linga — of fire — is situated on top of Tiruvannamalai

hill.

Shiva appears as the jyoti or light on Kartika Poornima day,

when 1,00,000 lamps are lit on the hill.

For the rest, the hill itself is regarded as Shiva's linga,

making it a sacred natural feature.

The fifth linga is the akasha linga of Chidambaram.

Space is represented as the vast emptiness in which Shiva

danced his ananda tandava of creation.

There is nothing to be seen in the small shrine.

While the lingas within are mentioned in early Tamil literature,

dating back 2,000 years, the present temples are magnificent

structures that were rebuilt in the Chola,

Vijayanagara and Nayaka periods,

and are important centres of pilgrimage.

However, one wonders how many

know the unique symbolism of the temples.

 

There are twelve jyotirlingas dedicated to Shiva

which celebrate various aspects of nature.

Kedarnath (Garhwal, UP) has a natural linga,

an irregular-shaped rock, in a temple surrounded

by the five sacred peaks of Rudra Himalaya.

Vishwanath at Kashi is washed by the sacred river Ganga.

At Nageswar near Dwaraka,

the snake is celebrated as a protector.

Mahakala at Ujjain represents the

unrelenting march of time,

the Destroyer.

Omkareswar is situated on an island in the river Narmada.

The temple of Somnath in Saurashtra is a dyke along the Arabian sea.

The linga of Tryambakeshwar in Nasik has a crack

from which there is a continuous drip of water,

with occasional flashes of fire and sound.

Grishmeshwar in Aurangabad is the Lord of the torrid summer.

Bhimashankar in the Sahayadri hills is ritually washed

by an exquisite lotus pond.

Vaidyanatha in Parli, Maharashtra,

was once surrounded by forests of medicinal plants.

Mallikarjuna at Srisailam in Andhra Pradesh

was situated in a garden of white jasmine plants.

The twelfth jyotirlinga at Rameshwaram is sacred

for the 22 fresh water springs situated within the sea.

 

Other temples of Shiva are equally representative of nature.

The linga at Amarnath is made of ice,

and waxes and wanes with the moon.

The ancient Mauryan-Sunga temple at Gudimallam near

Tirupati contains a linga with an emerging Shiva carved in relief.

The God stands on a yaksha, a spirit of nature,

surrounded by a stone fence.

Most importantly, the statue once stood beneath a tree,

out in the open, as did most ancient figurines.

 

The forms of Shiva are also eco-friendly.

Dakshinamurti is the teacher seated beneath the pipal tree.

Bhairava is always followed by his companion the dog.

Bhikshtanar is the free spirit living in the wild open spaces.

Lingodbhava comes out of the linga of fire.

Ardhanarishvara combines the male and female in a single figure,

like the simplest forms of creation where male

and female are not distinct. Shiva is also the doctor Vaidyanatha,

symbolised by the sacred bilva tree

which has multitudinous medicinal properties.

 

The Hindu religion, like all ancient religions,

celebrated nature and used religion as a means

of protecting the environment.

Unfortunately, many of these symbols are forgotten today.

We have discarded old traditions without replacing

them with anything equally good or better.

The loser is the environment, as well as humanity.

[Guest guest]

Namaste.

 

Devotees may enjoy reading the following description of Bilva Tree

from yogamag.net:

 

" Bilva " - Lord Shiva's Tree

 

Swami Vibhooti Saraswati

 

Lakshmyaascha stana utpannam Mahaadeva sadaa priyam,

Bilva vriksham prayachchhaami eka bilvam Shivaarpanam.

Darshanam bilva vrikshasya sparshanam paapanaashanam

aghorapaapasamhaaram eka bilvam shivarpanam.

 

" Born from the breasts of Goddess Lakshmi, the Bilva tree is ever dear

to Mahadeva. So I ask this tree to offer a Bilva leaf to Lord Shiva.

To have darshan of the Bilva tree, and to touch it, frees one from

sin. The most terrible karma is destroyed when a Bilva leaf is offered

to Lord Shiva. " - Sri BilvASTakam (v. 6, 7) Indians believe that the

knowledge of medicinal plants is older than history itself, that it

was gifted hundreds of thousands of years ago to the original

inhabitants by Brahma, the divine creator himself. Thus when the sages

of the Ayurveda sought to heal human suffering, they were able to draw

on knowledge that had already been evolving for millennia in the

forests of India. One tree about which they had a very deep knowledge

was the Bilva tree. The science of Ayurveda values the Bilva highly

for the medicinal properties contained in its root, fruit and leaves.

According to Swami Sivananda, it is a healing tree which cures all

diseases caused by vata (wind) and gives strength to the body.

 

About the Bilva tree

 

The Bilva tree grows in almost all parts of India, irrespective of the

nature of the soil, and is bitter, astringent and dry by nature. Tall

and austere, with a stern aspect, gnarled trunk and sharp thorns, the

Bilva is undoubtedly Lord Shiva's tree. Shiva is always worshipped

with its leaves, and it is said that this tree is much loved by him.

It is to be found in all Shiva temples throughout India. The Bilva is

also found in Devi temples, where it is worshipped. At midnight, on

the evening before Durga and Kali pooja (worship), a tantric ritual

called Bel Varan is performed with the appropriate mantras. A

particular energy is taken from the tree and placed in a kalash (pot).

This energy is then transferred to the statue of Durga or Kali to

charge or empower it for the coming pooja. The process is called prana

pratishtha, the establishing of the life force in the statue. When the

pooja is over, the energy is released, a process called visarjan. The

English name for Bilva is Bael, also called " stone apple " as its

rather large fruit is like pale yellow suns when ripe. The Hindi

appellation is Bel or Bael Sripal. In Sanskrit it is also called Bilva

or Sriphal. The botanical name for this tree is Aegle Marmelops, and

it belongs to the Rutaceae family. In the Atharva Veda it is described

as being so sacred that its wood may not be burned for fuel. It is

still worshipped today as a totemic deity by the Santhal tribes in India.

 

Medicinal properties

The fruit has a hard wood-like rind, which is pale green when unripe,

turning pale yellow to brown as it ripens. Its pale tawny flesh is

sweet and astringent, containing tannin, which acts as an astringent

to the bowels. It has a pleasant, agreeable and aromatic flavour, and

provides an excellent dietary supplement. This fruit contains gums,

vegetable acid and a very small quantity of sugar. It also contains

white seeds and a tenacious transparent gel. The pulp of the dried

Bilva fruit, powdered and mixed with arrowroot, is called " dietetic

Bel " . It is both a sustaining food and a curative medicine, and is

traditionally called by Indians " the fruit of plenty " . Puranic legend

calls it " the breasts of the goddess of plenty " . The unripe fruit is

roasted with a covering of mud, and the softened pulp mixed with water

and sugar or buttermilk. It is more medicinal than the ripe fruit,

particularly if dried in the sun. According to Swami Sivananda, " This

is highly beneficial in sub-acute and chronic dysentery or diarrhoea,

and is particularly useful in irregularity of bowels in children,

because it acts as a mild stimulant to the intestinal mucus membrane

and therefore stops diarrhoea, acting as a laxative when there is

constipation. The unripe fruit cures excess vata and kapha,

indigestion, stomach ache and dyspepsia. " A confection is made out of

the pulp with amrita and honey, which stops vomiting. The half-ripe

fruit is astringent, digestive and anti-diarrhoeal; it binds the

bowels. The ripe fruit acts as a laxative, and is aromatic and

cooling. The juice is an appetiser and blood purifier.

 

The leaves.

The dark trifoliate leaves symbolize the three eyes of Lord Shiva, and

contain a small percentage of Shiva's alchemical substance mercury.

These leaves have a very pleasant aroma, are used in the worship of

both Shiva and Devi, and form an essential ingredient in tantric

rituals. It is said that offerings of water sprinkled on these leaves

at any shrine will always remain fresh. Sri BilvASTakam (v. 5) states,

" Dantikoti sahasraani avamedhashtaani cha, Koti kanya mahaadaanam eka

bilvam Shivaarpanam " which means " Donating a thousand elephants, and

horses, and giving daan (offering) of crores of kanyas (virgin girls)

is equivalent to offering one Bilva leaf to Lord Shiva. " The

consumption of Bilva leaves alleviates diseases caused by excess vata

and kapha (mucus). They are also useful in diabetes mellitus. For this

a few leaves should be chewed daily and their fresh juice drunk. They

are diaphoretic (producing more perspiration), thus reducing

temperature and lowering fevers, and an aphrodisiac. A decoction of

leaves is a favourite remedy for ailments that often occur during

seasonal changes, such as fever, flu and fatigue. There are sadhus who

sustain themselves on Bilva leaves alone. According to Swami

Sivananda, " The fresh juice of the leaves is given with the addition

of black pepper in cases of jaundice, and when diluted with water or

honey, this is highly praised remedy in catarrh and feverishness. " The

root is the most important part of the tree medicinally, after

removing the outer skin. A preparation made from the root with ginger

and toasted rice cures vomiting. For the treatment of piles, dysentery

and diarrhoea, a preparation is made from the root mixed with the

tuberous root of Padha. The oil extracted from the Bilva root, boiled

with the juice of Bilva leaves and applied to the head is excellent

for nasal catarrh and diseases of the ear. The confection Vilvadi

Lehiam is also made from this root. The flowers cure diarrhoea,

vomiting and thirst, while the gum of the inside pulp of the fruit is

an aphrodisiac (kama-vardhani).

 

The Bilva tree in the Shiva Purana

According to the Shiva Purana the Bilva tree is the manifest form of

Lord Shiva himself, while all the great tirthas (pilgrimage places)

are said to reside at its base. One who worships the shivalingam while

sitting under the Bilva, claims this great epic, attains the state of

Shiva. Washing the head by this tree is said to be the equivalent of

bathing in all the sacred rivers. One who performs Bilva pooja with

flowers and incense achieves Shiva loka, the abode of pure

consciousness, and has happiness and prosperity bestowed upon them.

The lighting of the deepak (lamp) before this tree bestows knowledge

and enables the devotee to merge in Lord Shiva. The Shiva Purana also

claims that if the devotee removes the new leaves from one of the

branches of that tree and worships the tree with them, they will be

freed from vice, while one who feeds a devotee under the Bilva will

grow in virtue.

 

The hunter and the Bilva tree

The Shiva Purana also relates the following story or myth. Once there

was a cruel-hearted hunter by the name of Gurudruh who lived in the

lonely forest. On the auspicious day of Maha Shivaratri he had to go

out hunting because his family had nothing to eat. Maha Shivaratri

(the great night of Shiva) is the most sacred time for fasts, prayers

and offerings, when even the most involuntary acts, if pleasing to

Lord Shiva, are made holy. By sunset Gurudruh had not been successful

in the hunt. Coming to a lake, he climbed a tree and waited for some

unsuspecting animal to come and drink. He did not notice that the tree

he had climbed was the Bilva tree. Neither did he notice the

shivalingam beneath it, nor the water pot hanging in the branch just

above it. After some time a gentle deer came to quench her thirst, and

Gurudruh prepared to shoot. As he drew his bow, he accidentally

knocked the water pot hanging in the tree and some water fell down on

the shivalingam beneath, along with a few Bilva leaves. Thus,

unknowingly and unwittingly, Gurudruh had worshipped Shiva in the

first quarter of the night. As a result his heart was a little

purified by this act performed on such an auspicious night. Meanwhile

the deer, startled by the movement in the tree, looked up and saw the

hunter about to release his arrow. " Please do not kill me just yet, "

pleaded the deer. " I must first take care of my children, and then I

will return to be food for your family. " The hunter, whose heart had

been softened a little by the accidental worship, on noticing the

beauty of the deer, let her go on condition that she would return on

the morrow to give her body as food for his family. Later that same

night, the sister of the deer came looking for her. Once more the

hunter took aim and once more, without his being aware, the water and

the Bilva leaves fell down upon the shivalingam. Again, unknowingly,

the hunter had worshipped Shiva in the second quarter of the night.

The effect of this was that Gurudruh's heart was further purified. His

pranas softened a little more, and he allowed this animal to also go

and tend to its young, provided it returned the next day to provide

him and his family with food. In the third quarter of the night, the

mate of the first deer came in search of her, and again the strange

worship took place as the hunter took aim for the third time. But the

hunter's heart was beginning to melt due to the worship, and he let

the deer's mate go also for the same reason and under the same

conditions. Later when the three deer met together, they discussed who

should go and offer themselves for the hunter's food. Even the

children offered to give their lives. Finally the whole family decided

to surrender to the hunter together, for none of them could bear to

live without the others. Thus they set off towards the lake with heavy

hearts. When they arrived at the Bilva tree, Gurudruh was very pleased

and relieved to see them, and he immediately prepared for the kill. He

took aim for the fourth time, but in the same accidental manner as

before, worship in the fourth quarter of the night took place unknown

to him. This final action of Gurudruh brought about a complete change

of heart and, as he was about to release the first arrow, his heart

overflowed with pity for the innocent deer. Tears filled his eyes at

the thought of all the animals he had killed in the past, and slowly

he lowered his bow. Greatly moved by the selfless action of these

animals, he felt ashamed and allowed the whole family of deer to leave

unharmed. Such is the purity and spiritual power of the Bilva tree

that, even without his knowledge or conscious effort, the

cruel-hearted hunter had been transformed into a man of compassion and

understanding, and was delivered from his past bad karma by the grace

of Shiva and the Bilva tree. "

 

 

 

 

, " vammanji "

<vammanji wrote:

>

>

>

> Shiva as Ecologist

>

> Rudra-Shiva

> is the ultimate symbol of the environment.

> He combines in himself the forces of nature and

> the five elements or pancha bhutas that represent

> the Indian commitment to conserving nature:

> air, water, earth, fire and space.

> During the month of Shivaratri,

> when the devout fast and stay awake,

> meditating on Shiva as the giver of

> life is meditating on creation itself.

> The worship of Shiva was an important

> method of venerating the environment.

>

[Guest guest]

dear shiv bhakts

om namo bhagawate rudraya

 

this is a wonderful article on the significance of bilva patra and

bilva tree.

 

let me add by saying that i know few sages who chew few tulasi and

bilva leaves daily and they never eat any solid food at all.

 

this also reminds me that when i was a child i was suffering from

jaundice and the local government ayurveda hospital given me bilva

patra churnam and also the dried bilva patra powder which got me

cured from jaundice within three days.

 

the bilva fruit is the most wonderful fruit one can get in the summer

season. used abundantly in bengal, this fruit juice is sold in most

areas of delhi during summer season for just five rupees a glass.

after consuming one glass of this bel juice, one can walk in

scorching summer heat without getting fainted.

 

i have also seen few bhakts worshipping the bilva tree itself which

you normally find in most shiva temples and perambulate the tree with

respect and offer flowers to the tree. those bhakts get the

blessings of goddess lakshmi and all their pecuniary problems are

solved just by worshipping a bilva tree.

 

with best wishes and blessings

pandit arjun

www.rudraksharemedy.com

 

, " dr. jaya "

<pyari_h wrote:

>

> Namaste.

>

> Devotees may enjoy reading the following description of Bilva Tree

> from yogamag.net:

>

> " Bilva " - Lord Shiva's Tree

>

> Swami Vibhooti Saraswati

>

> Lakshmyaascha stana utpannam Mahaadeva sadaa priyam,

> Bilva vriksham prayachchhaami eka bilvam Shivaarpanam.

> Darshanam bilva vrikshasya sparshanam paapanaashanam

> aghorapaapasamhaaram eka bilvam shivarpanam.

>

> " Born from the breasts of Goddess Lakshmi, the Bilva tree is ever

dear

> to Mahadeva. So I ask this tree to offer a Bilva leaf to Lord Shiva.

> To have darshan of the Bilva tree, and to touch it, frees one from

> sin. The most terrible karma is destroyed when a Bilva leaf is

offered

> to Lord Shiva. " - Sri BilvASTakam (v. 6, 7) Indians believe that the

> knowledge of medicinal plants is older than history itself, that it

> was gifted hundreds of thousands of years ago to the original

> inhabitants by Brahma, the divine creator himself. Thus when the

sages

> of the Ayurveda sought to heal human suffering, they were able to

draw

> on knowledge that had already been evolving for millennia in the

> forests of India. One tree about which they had a very deep

knowledge

> was the Bilva tree. The science of Ayurveda values the Bilva highly

> for the medicinal properties contained in its root, fruit and

leaves.

> According to Swami Sivananda, it is a healing tree which cures all

> diseases caused by vata (wind) and gives strength to the body.

>

> About the Bilva tree

>

> The Bilva tree grows in almost all parts of India, irrespective of

the

> nature of the soil, and is bitter, astringent and dry by nature.

Tall

> and austere, with a stern aspect, gnarled trunk and sharp thorns,

the

> Bilva is undoubtedly Lord Shiva's tree. Shiva is always worshipped

> with its leaves, and it is said that this tree is much loved by him.

> It is to be found in all Shiva temples throughout India. The Bilva

is

> also found in Devi temples, where it is worshipped. At midnight, on

> the evening before Durga and Kali pooja (worship), a tantric ritual

> called Bel Varan is performed with the appropriate mantras. A

> particular energy is taken from the tree and placed in a kalash

(pot).

> This energy is then transferred to the statue of Durga or Kali to

> charge or empower it for the coming pooja. The process is called

prana

> pratishtha, the establishing of the life force in the statue. When

the

> pooja is over, the energy is released, a process called visarjan.

The

> English name for Bilva is Bael, also called " stone apple " as its

> rather large fruit is like pale yellow suns when ripe. The Hindi

> appellation is Bel or Bael Sripal. In Sanskrit it is also called

Bilva

> or Sriphal. The botanical name for this tree is Aegle Marmelops, and

> it belongs to the Rutaceae family. In the Atharva Veda it is

described

> as being so sacred that its wood may not be burned for fuel. It is

> still worshipped today as a totemic deity by the Santhal tribes in

India.

>

> Medicinal properties

> The fruit has a hard wood-like rind, which is pale green when

unripe,

> turning pale yellow to brown as it ripens. Its pale tawny flesh is

> sweet and astringent, containing tannin, which acts as an astringent

> to the bowels. It has a pleasant, agreeable and aromatic flavour,

and

> provides an excellent dietary supplement. This fruit contains gums,

> vegetable acid and a very small quantity of sugar. It also contains

> white seeds and a tenacious transparent gel. The pulp of the dried

> Bilva fruit, powdered and mixed with arrowroot, is called " dietetic

> Bel " . It is both a sustaining food and a curative medicine, and is

> traditionally called by Indians " the fruit of plenty " . Puranic

legend

> calls it " the breasts of the goddess of plenty " . The unripe fruit is

> roasted with a covering of mud, and the softened pulp mixed with

water

> and sugar or buttermilk. It is more medicinal than the ripe fruit,

> particularly if dried in the sun. According to Swami

Sivananda, " This

> is highly beneficial in sub-acute and chronic dysentery or

diarrhoea,

> and is particularly useful in irregularity of bowels in children,

> because it acts as a mild stimulant to the intestinal mucus membrane

> and therefore stops diarrhoea, acting as a laxative when there is

> constipation. The unripe fruit cures excess vata and kapha,

> indigestion, stomach ache and dyspepsia. " A confection is made out

of

> the pulp with amrita and honey, which stops vomiting. The half-ripe

> fruit is astringent, digestive and anti-diarrhoeal; it binds the

> bowels. The ripe fruit acts as a laxative, and is aromatic and

> cooling. The juice is an appetiser and blood purifier.

>

> The leaves.

> The dark trifoliate leaves symbolize the three eyes of Lord Shiva,

and

> contain a small percentage of Shiva's alchemical substance mercury.

> These leaves have a very pleasant aroma, are used in the worship of

> both Shiva and Devi, and form an essential ingredient in tantric

> rituals. It is said that offerings of water sprinkled on these

leaves

> at any shrine will always remain fresh. Sri BilvASTakam (v. 5)

states,

> " Dantikoti sahasraani avamedhashtaani cha, Koti kanya mahaadaanam

eka

> bilvam Shivaarpanam " which means " Donating a thousand elephants, and

> horses, and giving daan (offering) of crores of kanyas (virgin

girls)

> is equivalent to offering one Bilva leaf to Lord Shiva. " The

> consumption of Bilva leaves alleviates diseases caused by excess

vata

> and kapha (mucus). They are also useful in diabetes mellitus. For

this

> a few leaves should be chewed daily and their fresh juice drunk.

They

> are diaphoretic (producing more perspiration), thus reducing

> temperature and lowering fevers, and an aphrodisiac. A decoction of

> leaves is a favourite remedy for ailments that often occur during

> seasonal changes, such as fever, flu and fatigue. There are sadhus

who

> sustain themselves on Bilva leaves alone. According to Swami

> Sivananda, " The fresh juice of the leaves is given with the addition

> of black pepper in cases of jaundice, and when diluted with water or

> honey, this is highly praised remedy in catarrh and feverishness. "

The

> root is the most important part of the tree medicinally, after

> removing the outer skin. A preparation made from the root with

ginger

> and toasted rice cures vomiting. For the treatment of piles,

dysentery

> and diarrhoea, a preparation is made from the root mixed with the

> tuberous root of Padha. The oil extracted from the Bilva root,

boiled

> with the juice of Bilva leaves and applied to the head is excellent

> for nasal catarrh and diseases of the ear. The confection Vilvadi

> Lehiam is also made from this root. The flowers cure diarrhoea,

> vomiting and thirst, while the gum of the inside pulp of the fruit

is

> an aphrodisiac (kama-vardhani).

>

> The Bilva tree in the Shiva Purana

> According to the Shiva Purana the Bilva tree is the manifest form of

> Lord Shiva himself, while all the great tirthas (pilgrimage places)

> are said to reside at its base. One who worships the shivalingam

while

> sitting under the Bilva, claims this great epic, attains the state

of

> Shiva. Washing the head by this tree is said to be the equivalent of

> bathing in all the sacred rivers. One who performs Bilva pooja with

> flowers and incense achieves Shiva loka, the abode of pure

> consciousness, and has happiness and prosperity bestowed upon them.

> The lighting of the deepak (lamp) before this tree bestows knowledge

> and enables the devotee to merge in Lord Shiva. The Shiva Purana

also

> claims that if the devotee removes the new leaves from one of the

> branches of that tree and worships the tree with them, they will be

> freed from vice, while one who feeds a devotee under the Bilva will

> grow in virtue.

>

> The hunter and the Bilva tree

> The Shiva Purana also relates the following story or myth. Once

there

> was a cruel-hearted hunter by the name of Gurudruh who lived in the

> lonely forest. On the auspicious day of Maha Shivaratri he had to go

> out hunting because his family had nothing to eat. Maha Shivaratri

> (the great night of Shiva) is the most sacred time for fasts,

prayers

> and offerings, when even the most involuntary acts, if pleasing to

> Lord Shiva, are made holy. By sunset Gurudruh had not been

successful

> in the hunt. Coming to a lake, he climbed a tree and waited for some

> unsuspecting animal to come and drink. He did not notice that the

tree

> he had climbed was the Bilva tree. Neither did he notice the

> shivalingam beneath it, nor the water pot hanging in the branch just

> above it. After some time a gentle deer came to quench her thirst,

and

> Gurudruh prepared to shoot. As he drew his bow, he accidentally

> knocked the water pot hanging in the tree and some water fell down

on

> the shivalingam beneath, along with a few Bilva leaves. Thus,

> unknowingly and unwittingly, Gurudruh had worshipped Shiva in the

> first quarter of the night. As a result his heart was a little

> purified by this act performed on such an auspicious night.

Meanwhile

> the deer, startled by the movement in the tree, looked up and saw

the

> hunter about to release his arrow. " Please do not kill me just yet, "

> pleaded the deer. " I must first take care of my children, and then I

> will return to be food for your family. " The hunter, whose heart had

> been softened a little by the accidental worship, on noticing the

> beauty of the deer, let her go on condition that she would return on

> the morrow to give her body as food for his family. Later that same

> night, the sister of the deer came looking for her. Once more the

> hunter took aim and once more, without his being aware, the water

and

> the Bilva leaves fell down upon the shivalingam. Again, unknowingly,

> the hunter had worshipped Shiva in the second quarter of the night.

> The effect of this was that Gurudruh's heart was further purified.

His

> pranas softened a little more, and he allowed this animal to also go

> and tend to its young, provided it returned the next day to provide

> him and his family with food. In the third quarter of the night, the

> mate of the first deer came in search of her, and again the strange

> worship took place as the hunter took aim for the third time. But

the

> hunter's heart was beginning to melt due to the worship, and he let

> the deer's mate go also for the same reason and under the same

> conditions. Later when the three deer met together, they discussed

who

> should go and offer themselves for the hunter's food. Even the

> children offered to give their lives. Finally the whole family

decided

> to surrender to the hunter together, for none of them could bear to

> live without the others. Thus they set off towards the lake with

heavy

> hearts. When they arrived at the Bilva tree, Gurudruh was very

pleased

> and relieved to see them, and he immediately prepared for the kill.

He

> took aim for the fourth time, but in the same accidental manner as

> before, worship in the fourth quarter of the night took place

unknown

> to him. This final action of Gurudruh brought about a complete

change

> of heart and, as he was about to release the first arrow, his heart

> overflowed with pity for the innocent deer. Tears filled his eyes at

> the thought of all the animals he had killed in the past, and slowly

> he lowered his bow. Greatly moved by the selfless action of these

> animals, he felt ashamed and allowed the whole family of deer to

leave

> unharmed. Such is the purity and spiritual power of the Bilva tree

> that, even without his knowledge or conscious effort, the

> cruel-hearted hunter had been transformed into a man of compassion

and

> understanding, and was delivered from his past bad karma by the

grace

> of Shiva and the Bilva tree. "

>

>

>

>

> , " vammanji "

> <vammanji@> wrote:

> >

> >

> >

> > Shiva as Ecologist

> >

> > Rudra-Shiva

> > is the ultimate symbol of the environment.

> > He combines in himself the forces of nature and

> > the five elements or pancha bhutas that represent

> > the Indian commitment to conserving nature:

> > air, water, earth, fire and space.

> > During the month of Shivaratri,

> > when the devout fast and stay awake,

> > meditating on Shiva as the giver of

> > life is meditating on creation itself.

> > The worship of Shiva was an important

> > method of venerating the environment.

> >

>