Compiled by London swaminathan

Post No.2241

Date: 13 October 2015

Time uploaded in London: 17-53

Thanks for the pictures.

Don’t use pictures. Don’t reblog for at least a week.

Herbs, Trees, Creepers, Flowers in Sanskrit Literature – Part 1

1.Five Devapaadapa = Five Divine Trees

Trees are called ‘paadapa’ in Sanskrit = eating with/by foot; they take their food through their feet i.e.roots!

Mandaara

Paarijaata

Santaana

Haricandana

Kalpavrksa

Panchaite devataravo mandaara: paarijaataka:

Santaana: kalpavrkshascha pumsi vaa harichandanam

–Amarakosa 1-50

xxx

2.Fragrances

Kasturi = musk (animal product; not from plants)

Candana – a variety of sandal wood tree

Karpura = camphor (extracted from plant)

Agaru = aloewood tree

Malayaagaru = Candana from Malaya Hills

Kastuuricandanam chandramagaru dvitiiyam tathaa

Panchagandha samaakyaatam sarvakaaryeshu sobhanam

These five plants add beauty and colour to any event.

Xxx

3.Guduucii Pancakam

Guduucii

Padmaka

Arista

Dhaanakaa

Rakta candana

Group of these five plants is helpful in the subjugation of fever, vomiting, burning sensation, thirst and improves digestion.

Guduuciipadmakaarishtadhaanakaararaktacandanam

Pittasloshmajvarachardidaahatrushnaadhvamagnikrut

–ashtaanga nighandu -66

xxx

4.Trnapanchamuula = Five (Important) Grasses

Kusa

Kaasa

Nala

Darbha

Kaandeksu

Kusakaasanaladarbhakaandekshukaa iti trunasamknaka:

–Susruta Sutra 38-75

xxx

5.Aamalapanchaka = Five varieties of Aamala (sour) Fruits

Kola = jujube

Daadima =Pomegranate

Vrsaamla = Tamarind (imli)

Cullikaa

Cukrikaa = wood soorel

Kola dadima vrkshaamlachullikaa chukrikaarasa:

Panchaamlakam samudhdhishtam tacchoktam  cha aamla panchakam — Rasa ratna samuchaya

Xxx

6.Kasaaya = medicinal decoction

Sami

Udumbara

Asvatta

Nyagrodha

Palaasa

Samyudumbara masvattam nyagrodham cha palaasakam

Yajnam yajne vimantreens dadhyaath pancha kashaayikam –Saptakalpadruma

Xxx

7.Thorny plants

Karamardi;  Trikantaka; Saireyaka; Sataavari; Grdranakhi

–Susruta Sutra 38-73

xxx

Source: compiled from the Encyclopaedia of Numerals –Volume 1; The Kuppuswami research Institute, Chennai; 2011

–Subham–