Every summer elders would wait for Mrigashira Karthi(karte), the day when Sun transits into the Mrigashira star (roughly around June 8). This marks the onset of south-west monsoon and much-needed respite from heat. Soon comes Jyeshta Purnima aka Krushi Purnima/Eruvaaka, the full moon day when the yoke is worshipped, fields are ceremonially ploughed, and seeds sown. All these were and still are important dates in the Panchangam (almanac). The ensuing season has festivals like Hariyali Teej, Hartalika where Gouri is worshipped and green is the predominant colour. Worshipping nature in general and particularly trees, has been an integral part of our tradition.

Even a cursory glance at the sacred imagery related to trees can produce a long list. Ashwattha tree (Ficus religiosa/Peepal) is considered an embodiment of Vishnu himself. Vata, the banyan tree is considered the tree of life and longevity also symbolizing the three Gunas and the holy trinity. Bilva/Bael is the abode of Lakshmi and dear to Shiva while Tulasi takes the pride place in a Hindu home. Darbha grass is used as a purifier and Durva grass is again dear to Ganesha. Palm, plantain and mango leaves are ubiquitous as signs of auspiciousness. Krishna is described as Vatapatra-shaayi, the one lying on banyan leaf and Vanamali, the one wearing a garland of forest-flowers. Dakshinamurthy, the south-facing Shiva revered for knowledge is shown as sitting under a banyan tree. Lalitha Devi is depicted as holding a sugarcane-stalk (मनोरूपेक्षुकोदण्डा) that represents the mind which along with the five tanmatras (subtle aspects of the senses) in the other hand creates the world. She is described as mandarakusumapriya and kadambakusumapriya, the one who loves mandara and kadamba flowers. Vanadurga is a deity worshipped by many tribes with various names. Most upamanas (similies) used in describing our Gods involve plants and flowers. Ayurveda recognizes medicinal benefits of most of the trees mentioned above. And anything beneficial is nothing but a manifestation of divinity (divya vibhuti).

The festivals

It is not surprising then that many celebrations in India are associated with plants. There is Vata Savitri Vrat celebrated in June where Banyan tree is worshipped. Shami Puja is an integral part of Dussehra celebrations and Tulasi Vivah/Vrindavana Dwadashi in November celebrates the wedding Tulasi and Vishnu(in form of Amla tree). Puja with leaves(patram/patri) is mandatory on Ganesha Chaturthi in the South. The 21 kinds of leaves used have great Ayurvedic significance. In southern states, the month of Karthika is a time for ‘Vana Samaradhana’. It is believed that Gods dwell in the trees, especially the Amla tree. Food is cooked under Amla and other trees, offered to the lord and eaten with friends. This has now turned into an annual picnic season (vana bhojanam) when the weather is mild especially in the south. Amalaki Ekadashi occurs just before Holi where Amla tree is worshipped as form of Vishnu. Yugadi is a time when mango and neem are used in various rituals.

In literature

Though the instances in scriptures revering the plants the nourishers are many starting from Vedas, it’s the Itihasas, Puranas and various Kavyas that bring home and bring alive the love and reverence for forests. It is no surprise that they serve as historical references to the topography of our sacred land. The protagonists SriRama and Sita in Ramayana and SriKrishna in Srimadbhagavatam are all portrayed as  great tree-lovers!

Ramayana

Rama’s Aranyavasa is a significant period in Maharshi Valmiki’s Ramayana, where he moves across Bharatavarsha. The beauty of the forests and mountains across Bharat is described in great and minute detail in Ayodhya, Aranya, Kishkindha and Sundara Kandas.

When Rama settles in Chitrakoot mountain with Sita and Lakshmana, Valmiki gives us a whole sarga wherein Rama is captivated by the beauty of the place and shares his joy with Sita.

 

आम्रजम्ब्वसनैर्लोध्रैः प्रियालैः पनसैर्धवैः।अङ्कोलैर्भव्यतिनिशैर्बिल्वतिन्दुक वेणुभिः।।2.94.8।।

काश्मर्यरिष्टवरुणैर्मधूकैस्तिलकैस्तथा। बदर्यामलकैर्नीपैर्वेत्रधन्वनबीजकैः।।2.94.9।।

पुष्पवद्भिः फलोपेतैश्छायावद्भिर्मनोरमैः। एवमादिभिराकीर्णः श्रियं पुष्यत्ययं गिरिः।।2.94.10।।

The mountain is enhanced and nourished by shade-giving trees and ones with flowers and fruits like mango, rose-apple, jackfruit, bilva, bamboo (venu), tilaka, badari, gooseberry etc.

 

गुहासमीरणो गन्धान्नानापुष्पभवान्वहन्। घ्राणतर्पणमभ्येत्य कं नरं न प्रहर्षयेत्।।2.94.14।।

The breeze coming from the caves is carrying the fragrance of flowers and making an offering to the sense of smell (ghraNa-tarpaNam). Who will not be happy with it.

 

यदीह शरदोऽनेकास्त्वया सार्धमनिन्दिते। लक्ष्मणेन च वत्स्यामि न मां शोकः प्रधक्ष्यति।।2.94.15।।

बहुपुष्पफले रम्ये नानाद्विजगणायुते। विचित्रशिखरे ह्यस्मिन्रतवानस्मि भामिनि।।2.94.16।।

While Sita is always known to have liking to the forest, Rama says,

I would never be sad to live here for many autumns in the company of you and Lakshmana. O Sita, I am enamored (ratavaan) by this place filled with flowers, fruits, birds (dwija).

 

In Aranyakanda, Rama, Sita and Lakshmana reach Panchavati , the abode of ‘five banyans’. Rama asks Lakshmana to build a cottage at a place where there is beautiful Vana, plenty of water, firewood, the sacred Kusha grass. (3.15.5) He considers Lakshmana an expert in these matters but Lakshmana puts the onus back on his brother. Rama then picks a place and describes why it was chosen.

 

There is the beautiful Godavari nearby surrounded by flowering trees and filled with swans. The mountains are colorful with gold, silver and copper ores. They look like windows and decorations on elephants...

सालैस्तालैस्तमालैश्च खर्जूरपनसाम्रकैः। नीवारैस्तिमिशैश्चैव पुन्नागैश्चोपशोभिताः।।3.15.16।।

चूतैरशोकैस्तिलकैश्चम्पकैः केतकैरपि। पुष्पगुल्मलतोपेतैस्तैस्तैस्तरुभिरावृताः।।3.15.17।।

चन्दनैस्पन्दनैर्नीपैः पर्णासैर्लिकुचैरपि। धवाश्वकर्णखदिरैः शमीकिंशुकपाटलैः।।3.15.18।।

The place is covered with sal (saala), palm (taala), mango (aamra), jackfruit (panasa), dates (kharjura), kadamba, punnaga, ashoka, champaka, tilaka, ketaka, sandalwood (panasa), spandana, dhava, asvakarna parnasha, khadira, sami, kimsuka and patala trees. It is also covered by flowering shrubs and creepers. 

 

इदं पुण्यमिदं मेध्यमिदं बहुमृगद्विजम्। इह वत्स्याम सौमित्रे सार्धमेतेन पक्षिणा।।3.15.19।।

Hence this place with many trees, animals and birds is holy and fit for sacrifice. Let us stay here with this bird (Jatayu).

Later when Sita is abducted by Ravana she cries and implores the mountains, the Godavari, trees and various deities residing in trees to convey Rama her situation.

 

आमन्त्रये जनस्थाने कर्णिकारान्सुपुष्पितान्।

क्षिप्रं रामाय शंसध्वं सीतां हरति रावणः।।3.49.30।।

O flowery Karnikara tree, tell Rama right away that Ravana is taking Sita away.

 

दैवतानि च यान्यस्मिन्वने विविधपादपे। नमस्करोम्यहं तेभ्योभर्तुश्शंसत मां हृताम्। ।3.49.33।।

I bow down to all the Devatas residing in various trees. Please alert my husband that I am abducted.

 

In his despair, Rama mainly looks to the trees and the river Godavari to give him some clues about Sita’s whereabouts. Kadamba, Bilva, Arjuna, Kakubha, Tilaka, Jambu, Ashoka, Karnikara, Panasa (jackfruit), Chuta (mango), Mallika, Madhavi, Champaka and Ketaki trees are addressed to (each in a separate shloka) reminding them that they were her favorite.

 

अपि काचित्त्वया दृष्टा सा कदम्बप्रिया प्रिया। कदम्ब यदि जानीषे शंस सीतां शुभाननाम्।।3.60.12।।

स्निग्धपल्लवसङ्काशा पीतकौशेयवासिनी। शंसस्व यदि वा दृष्टा बिल्व बिल्वोपमस्तनी।।3.60.13।।

There are vivid descriptions of nature and trees when Ravana goes to convince Maricha to help him in his mission. And Rama’s description of the earth in rainy and autumn seasons is a rhythmic treat. This is one such where Rama describes the beauty of rainy season.

 

जाता वनान्ताश्शिखिसम्प्रनृत्ता जाताः कदम्बाः सकदम्बशाखाः।

जाता वृषा गोषु समानकामा जाता मही सस्यवनाभिरामा4.28.26।।

 the forest is now with peacocks dancing,

 the Kadamba trees are now filled with flowers,

the bulls now long for cows and

 the earth has become beautiful (abhiraama) with lush vegetation and forests.

 

There is more description of beautiful trees and forest in Lanka as Hanuman gets a bird’s-eye view sitting on Trikuta mountain. And later when he enters the colorful Ashoka vana, he sees beautiful silvery and golden trees, herds of deer and flocks of birds. As he goes by, he wakes up the birds in the nests and they fly away.

 

उत्पतद्भिर्द्विजगणैः पक्षैः सालास्समाहताः। अनेकवर्णा विविधा मुमुचुः पुष्पवृष्टयः।।5.14.10।।

पुष्पावकीर्णश्शुशुभे हनुमान् मारुतात्मजः।अशोकवनिकामध्ये यथा पुष्पमयो गिरिः।।5.14.11।।

Hit by the flying birds, the trees shower flowers of various hues. And Hanuman shone like a mountain of flowers in that Ashokavana as he was covered by them.

As he finally climbs the Shimshupa tree, Hanuman thinks of a chance meeting with Sita.

 

इयं च नलिनी रम्या द्विजसङ्घनिषेविता। इमां सा राममहिषी नूनमेष्यति जानकी।।5.14.44।।

सा रामा राममहिषी राघवस्य प्रिया सती। वनसञ्चारकुशला नूनमेष्यति जानकी।।5.14.45।।

This beautiful pond of lotuses is flocked by birds. Sita will surely come here. The beautiful Sita, the beloved of Rama loves to wander in the forests and will come here.

 

Lord Krishna’s stories and pastimes invariably bring the descriptions of the beautiful trees of Vrindavan and the natural beauty of the place. The description of rains and autumn, Lord’s insistence on worshipping the Govardhana hill, his act of saving his folks not once but twice from forest fire all shows the strong nature-loving and conservatory aspects of our Dharma. The many Kunds near Vrindavan, Gokul are revered till day.

The idea of living in harmony with nature and recognizing trees as foundation of life is as old as the civilization itself and is seen in the strong intertwining of agricultural practices with religious rituals in our Hindu culture.

 

Manusmriti says that 100 Riks must be chanted when cutting fruit-bearing trees

फलदानां तु वृक्षाणां छेदने जप्यमृच्शतम् । गुल्मवल्लीलतानां च पुष्पितानां च वीरुधाम् ॥

 

This one from Matsya Purana says it loud.

दशकूपसमा वापी दशवापीसमो ह्रदः|

दशह्रदसमः पुत्रो दशपुत्रसमो द्रुमः ||

A pond is equivalent to ten wells and a lake equal to ten ponds. A son is like ten lakes and a tree is equal to ten sons.

A deeper look at our sacred literature and lifestyle of the protagonists will surely inspire us all.

 

References:

https://www.valmiki.iitk.ac.in

http://valmikiramayan.net