Mighty Banyan Tree (Nyagrodha/ Vata/ Mahavrksha/ Bania tree)
Date uploaded in London – – 2 MAY 2024
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Long before Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus classified plants, Hindus studied all plants and classified them in their own way. In Vishnu Sahasranama (VS) we see three plants of the same family are called divine trees.
shloka-88
Sulabhah Su-Vratah Siddhah Shatru-jit Shatru-tapanah
Nyag-rodhodumbaro’Svatthah ChanurAndhra-Nishudanah ||88||
Nyagrodha – Ficus indica (Banyan Tree)
Udumbarah-Ficus glomerata
Asvatthah- Ficus religiosa
All these Ficus trees come under same family Moraceae. 5000 years before Carl Linnaeus, Vyasa classified them correctly.
These three trees are divine trees representing Lord Vishnu. Adi Shankara says in his commentary:
Nyagrodha- That which remains above all and grows downward. That is He is the source of everything that is manifest.
Udumbarah – one who as the supreme cause is above the sky, that is superior to all.
Asvattah – That which does not last for the next day. Krishna also quoted this tree in 15-1. Elsewhere he says He is Asvattah among the trees.
All these trees are worshipped from the days of Rig Veda. Krishna spoke to Arjuna only under the banyan tree in Kurukshetra.Rig Veda described banyan tree as Maha Vrksha. In another place Tree growing downward.
Buddha attained wisdom only under Asvatta tree.
Sticks of all these trees are used in Yaga-Yajna fire.
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Lord Krishna gave Bhagavad Gita lectures under this banyan tree in Kurukshetra
Tamil Tirumular used the same trees!
5000 years ago Vyasa did a botanical wonder. 1000 years ago Tamil Siddha Tirumular, A Saivite migrant from Kashmir, composed 3000 poems and the book is known as Tirumanthiram. He is praising the Vibhuti (holy ash found on the foreheads of Saivites) in one of his poems as follows, Here Tirumular also pointed out that the sticks of these trees burnt in Yaga fire and made into holy ash (Vibhuti-Tiruneeru) gives one the status of brahmins and they belong to high caste. Famous Tamil poetess also supported Tirumular by saying (மேதினியில் இட்டார் உயர்ந்தோர், இடாதார் இழிகுலத்தோர் , பட்டாங்கில் உள்ளபடி) those who smear holy ash on forehead are high caste people and those who don’t are of low caste according to scriptures.
Holy Ashes elevate to Brahma Status
asvatta nyagroda udumbara
They that are in its fire purified
Shall in truth be transformed divine;
Reaching the Feet of the Eternal, the Immaculate
They shall attain Brahma’s form
And ever be of Order Divine.
அரசுட னாலத்தி யாகும்அக் காரம்
விரவுகனலில் வியனுரு மாறி
நிரவயன் நின்மலன் தாள்பெற்ற நீதர்
உருவம் பிரமன் உயர்குலம் ஆமே.
ஆறாம் தந்திரம்/ 3 திருநீறு / திருமந்திரம்
Vata/ Banyan Tree Savitri Vrata
It is interesting to see the same three trees are venerated all over India from the south of the country to the northern Himalayas from Vedic days until this day. Even today orthodox Brahmin boys do Samithaadhaanam every day with the sticks of Asvatta tree and smear the ash on his body. This is the origin of Vibhuti , that is holy ash.
—subham—
Tags- Holy ash, Vibhuti, Tiruneeru, Tirumanthiram, Tirumular, Vishnu sahasranamam, three Ficus trees
Tamil and Vedas 
Athmanathan Seetharaman
/ May 2, 2024மேதினியில் இட்டார் பெரியோர் . தர்மம் செய்வது/பிக்ஷை இடுவதை குறிக்கும். திருநீறு பற்றி அல்ல. அதற்கு த்தான் நீறில்லா நெற்றி பாழ் என்று சொல்லியாச்சு.