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Sandal Wood in Hinduism- 1 (Post No.13,093)
Hindus use sandal wood paste in all religious rituals and functions. Gods and goddesses are smeared with Chandan (sandal wood paste) what is called Chandana Abishekam. In all Hindu weddings Chandan plays an important role. At the entrance all the visitors are given Chandan which is mixed with fragrant scents.
Bride and bridegroom get Chandan and it is given to in laws as a mark of respect . Hindu Pujas consist consists of 16 parts and they are called SHODASA UPACHARA. Of the sixteen offerings sandal paste is one of them.
Gandha (sandal paste) Offering
Place sandalwood paste on the forehead of God. After getting dressed and wearing “Yagnopaveeta” the host offer good smelling sandal wood paste. “Sugandham (Good Smelling), “Manoharam” (Should steal the heart) is the quality of Sandal wood paste narrated by Vedic verse. It is expected to apply the sandal wood paste gently on the neck of the Lord.
Om Sri Mahaganapataye namah divya parimala gandham samarpayaami.
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Valmiki on Sandal
“In a kingless land, no alms or garlands or confections are offered in homage to the gods by pious people. Princes anointed with sandal and aloe paste no longer present a brilliant spectacle like blossoming trees in springtime.—Valmiki Ramayana
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Chandan [चंदन] in the Hindi language is the name of a plant identified with Santalum album L. from the Santalaceae (Sandalwood) family having the following synonyms: Sirium myrtifolium, Santalum ovatum, Santalum myrtifolium.
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One of Five Divine Trees
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
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Tamil Poetess Avvaiyar and Chanakya on Sandal’s quality
Chanakya says,
The sandal wood tree, even when cut, does not give up its fragrance, a lordly elephant, even when old, does not give up its playfulness; sugarcane, even when inserted in machine, does not give up its sweetness. One born in a high family, even when reduced to poverty, does not give up the qualities going with good conduct.
Chapter 15, sloka 18
Chinnopi candanatarurna jahaati gandham
Vruddopi vaaranapatirna jahaati liilaam
Yantraarpito madhurataam na jahaati cekshuh
Kshiinopi na tyajanti siilagunaan kuliinah
Tamil Poet Avvaiyar says,
Though the milk be boiled, it does not lose taste. Though enemies move sociably, they are enemies. The noble-hearted be reduced in circumstances, they are ever noble. The conch shell, though burnt is white nevertheless.
Muuthurai 4
The fragrance of the soft sandal wood, even when ground down, does not abate. Though wreathed kings suffer defeats and have less revenues, will they thereby become less generous or less resolute?
Muuthurai 28
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Snakes hanging in Sandal wood Trees
Tamil literature and Kalidasa use sandal wood in many places in their poems. There are two important facts in those poems.
Snakes love to hang on sandalwood trees as they provide shady space for them to rest.
Snakes seek warmth in the sun and shelter in shady areas. The sandalwood tree provides an ideal resting spot for snakes as it offers ample shade. It also provides ample shade and a humid environment due to its ability to absorb moisture. This fact is found in both Kalidasa’s works and Sangam Tamil Literature. Kalidasa lived in the first century BCE according to famous scholars. The usage shows that Hindus think in the same way from the Himalayas to Kanyakumari.
The second fact is the literary tradition is same in Tamil and Sanskrit.
Linguistic Fact
Saanthu= Sandal= Chandan
Another fact is about linguistics. Throughout Tamil Literature Sandal is called Saanthu. One can easily see the similarity in Saanthu= Chandan. English word Sandal wood is also derived from this source.
Sandal wood furniture is found in all palaces. Sandal wood art works also decorated rich people’s houses. Sandal wood is used in funeral pyres of VIPs like Mahatma Gandhi and Indira Gandhi. Rich people acquire Sandal wood logs for this purpose as soon as one dies in their family.
Sandal wood incense sticks are used in Hindu Pujas.
Sandal paste is used by lovers. Both Kalidasa and Tamil poets describe it in detail. Let us look at it in the next part.
To be continued…………………..
Tags- Sandal wood, Snake, Chandan, Kalidas, Puja, Wedding, Shodasa Upachara, Gandham, Funerals, Sangam Tamil, Hinduism
Tamil and Vedas 