Posted by: Neupane November 30, 2005
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Peepal or Pipal or Ficus Religiosa or पिपल
got little busy last few weeks, here goes peepal
I didn't know we can eat Rudraksha fruit...
from http://www.haryana-online.com/Flora/pipal.htm
Pipal tree (Ficus religiosa), a native tree of India, held sacred by the Buddhists, who believe that Gautama Buddha received enlightenment under a Bo tree at Bodh Gaya. The Bo tree attains great size and age; the leaves, which hang from long, flexible petioles, rustle in the slightest breeze. Pipal is also spelled peepul or pipul. All parts of the Pipal tree, including roots, bark, leaf and fruit, are useful. The botanical classification of the Bo tree is:
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Urticales
Family: Moraceae.
Description of the Plant: Large tree. Flower color red. Flowers in February. Fruits in May / June. Widely found in uplands and plain area.
Plant Parts Used: Root / Bark / Leaf / Fruit.
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from http://www.4to40.com/earth/geography/index.asp?article=earth_geography_trees
The Sacred Peepal - In some ways peepal trees are great show-offs. Even when there is no breeze, their beautiful leaves spin like tops, determined to attract you attention and invite you into their shade. And not only do they send down currents of cool air, but their long slender tips are also constantly striking together to make a sound like the pattering of raindrops.
No wonder the rishis of old chose to sit and meditate under these trees. And it was beneath a peepal that Gautama Buddha gained enlightenment. This tree came to be called the Bodhi, the ?tree of wisdom?.
To the Hindus, the peepal is especially sacred. Its roots, it is believed, represent Brahma, its bark Vishnu, its branches Shiv Mahadeva. "As the wide-spreading peepal tree is contained in a small seed," says the Vishnu Purana, "so is the whole universe contained in Brahma. In rural areas, when the new moon falls on a Monday, the peepal is still worshipped by women, who pour water on its trunk, and lay at its roots a copper coin and sweet-meats.
It is said to be dangerous to lie or cheat beneath a peepal tree, and sometimes to tease shopkeepers they are told that they ought not to plant one in a bazaar. All the same, there are plenty of peepal trees in our bazaars. It is a tree that grows wherever its seed falls; it will take root in a wall or on a roof-top or even in the fork of another tree if given the chance. As its roots are quite capable of pushing through bricks and mortar, it is best to plant it some distance away from buildings.
No other tree has a leaf which tapers to such a perfect point as the peepal. When it rains, you can see the water drip from the points. Water runs off more easily from a point than from a blunt end, and the sooner a leaf dries the better it is for the tree.
The leaf is beautiful, and has been likened to the perfect male physique. From the stalk (the human neck) the edges of the leaf run squarely out on either side (the shoulders) and then curve round and inwards to end in a finely-pointed tail (the waist), so that the suggestion is of a square, broad torso upon a narrow waist-a body such as we see in pictures of Krishna.
While the chief occupants of the banyan are various birds and insects, the peepal is said to be the residence of a wide variety of ghosts and mischievous spirits.
The most mischievous of these is the Munjia. He lives in lonely peepal trees, and rushes out at tongas, bullock-carts and bushes, trying his best to upset them! Our grandmothers still advise us not to yawn when passing under a peepal tree. Should you yawn, it is best to cover you mouth with your hand, or snap your fingers in front of it. "Otherwise," says Grandmother, "The Munjia will rush down your throat and completely ruin your digestion!"
peepal trees have very long lives. There are some ancient peepal in Hardwar which are even older than the present town, probably as old as the eleventh century Mayadevi Temple. A peepal tree taken from India to Sri Lanka in 288 B.C. is still alive and flourishing. Records of its growth were carefully preserved over the centuries, and it must new be 2257 years old.
To fell a peepal tree was once looked upon as a great sin. On the other hand, anyone who planted a peepal was said to receive the blessings of generations to come.
Let us also earn the blessings of future generations by planting not only more peepal trees -- which are quite capable of looking after themselves -- but all kinds of trees for shade and shelter, fruit and flower, beauty and utility.
Can you imagine a country without any trees, a country that has become one vast desert? Well, that is what could easily happen here if we keep cutting our trees and forests without bothering to grow others in their place.
-------------------------------------------------
from http://www.urday.com/peepal.htm
'The holy Fig Tree' The concept of divinity even in vegetation?s, trees etc has been prevalent in Indian civilization since time immemorial and have been accepted as a tradition.
Lord Sri Krishna has said in Bhagawad Gita that the holy fig tree personifies his own glory. The five-trees (Pancha-vat) are considered as very sacred in India, they are:-
1. Fig tree,
2. A wild fig (Sycamore) tree (Gular),
3. Banyan tree,
4. Pakar (citron-leaved), Indian fig tree,
5. Mango tree.
Among these the holy fig tree is considered as the most sacred. A man who plants this tree goes to the abode of almighty God after his death. He can neither be tormented by the miseries of 'Yama-loka' nor has to face miseries in this world.
Lord Vishnu dwells in the roots of this tree, 'Keshav' (Krishna) in the trunk, Narayana dwells in the branches, Lord Shri Hari in the leaves and all the deities dwell in the fruits of the holy fig tree. This tree is the personification of Lord Vishnu. Great men serve the 'Virtuous roots of this tree. Protection of this tree liberates a man from all his sins and help in the accomplishment of every desire.
The cutting of a holy fig tree without a proper reason is similar to cutting one's own ancestors. By doing this, one destroys his descent. But cutting of this tree for sacred activities like 'Yagya' (sacrificial fire) is not sinful, on the contrary it helps in the attainment of Heaven. The mere worship of this tree is worship all the deities. (Parikrama) moving around a holy fig tree is reverence and pouring water on it daily destroy all kinds of inauspiciousness. Pouring water on the roots of this tree in the month of May (Vaishakh) gives immense virtues,thus worshipping it with devotion gives long life.
There is a rule of making three circumambulations of a holy fig tree. Planting this tree on any auspicious day one should nurture it with water for eight years, just like his own son. After that, performing the sacred-thread (yagyopavita) ceremony of this tree and worshipping it with proper methods give undiminishing wealth and fortune, the lineage continues without any hitch, gives long life, and the dead ancestors attain salvation by getting liberation from the hell.
Hindu girls perform many fasts connected with this tree right from their childhood. A girl who has a probability of becoming a widow according to the inauspicious combination of planets in her horoscope must worship the holy fig tree. After taking bath she should purify the soil around the holy fig tree by cow dung paste, decorate the tree with threads and Ochre and worship it with the help of a Brahmin. She should invocate Lord Vishnu and Laxmi who dwell in the holy fig tree and worship them by chanting 'Purusukta' Mantras and by performing "Havana' and 'Tarpana'. After that she should circumambulate the holy fig tree for 108 times and tie a white thread around it.
The holy fig tree has medicinal properties too. According to Ayurveda this tree has both sweet and bitter taste and has a cool property. Intaking the bark, fruit and buds with different Combination of things cures the diseases related with Phlegm, bile, inflammation swelling and indisposition etc. The soft bark and the bud of this tree cures 'Prameha' (a disease in which sperms emanate through urine).
The powdered form of the fruit of this tree increases appetite and cures numerous diseases. So the holy fig tree holds a very important place in Indian civilization i.e. religious point of view, medicinal and social point of views, and hence it is worth being worshipped.
------------------
Pipal tree (Ficus religiosa), a native tree of India, held sacred by the Buddhists, who believe that Gautama Buddha received enlightenment under a Bo tree at Bodh Gaya. The Bo tree attains great size and age; the leaves, which hang from long, flexible petioles, rustle in the slightest breeze. Pipal is also spelled peepul or pipul. All parts of the Pipal tree, including roots, bark, leaf and fruit, are useful. The botanical classification of the Bo tree is:
Division: Magnoliophyta
Class: Magnoliopsida
Order: Urticales
Family: Moraceae.
Description of the Plant: Large tree. Flower color red. Flowers in February. Fruits in May / June. Widely found in uplands and plain area.
Plant Parts Used: Root / Bark / Leaf / Fruit.
------------------------------------------------------
from http://www.4to40.com/earth/geography/index.asp?article=earth_geography_trees
The Sacred Peepal - In some ways peepal trees are great show-offs. Even when there is no breeze, their beautiful leaves spin like tops, determined to attract you attention and invite you into their shade. And not only do they send down currents of cool air, but their long slender tips are also constantly striking together to make a sound like the pattering of raindrops.
No wonder the rishis of old chose to sit and meditate under these trees. And it was beneath a peepal that Gautama Buddha gained enlightenment. This tree came to be called the Bodhi, the ?tree of wisdom?.
To the Hindus, the peepal is especially sacred. Its roots, it is believed, represent Brahma, its bark Vishnu, its branches Shiv Mahadeva. "As the wide-spreading peepal tree is contained in a small seed," says the Vishnu Purana, "so is the whole universe contained in Brahma. In rural areas, when the new moon falls on a Monday, the peepal is still worshipped by women, who pour water on its trunk, and lay at its roots a copper coin and sweet-meats.
It is said to be dangerous to lie or cheat beneath a peepal tree, and sometimes to tease shopkeepers they are told that they ought not to plant one in a bazaar. All the same, there are plenty of peepal trees in our bazaars. It is a tree that grows wherever its seed falls; it will take root in a wall or on a roof-top or even in the fork of another tree if given the chance. As its roots are quite capable of pushing through bricks and mortar, it is best to plant it some distance away from buildings.
No other tree has a leaf which tapers to such a perfect point as the peepal. When it rains, you can see the water drip from the points. Water runs off more easily from a point than from a blunt end, and the sooner a leaf dries the better it is for the tree.
The leaf is beautiful, and has been likened to the perfect male physique. From the stalk (the human neck) the edges of the leaf run squarely out on either side (the shoulders) and then curve round and inwards to end in a finely-pointed tail (the waist), so that the suggestion is of a square, broad torso upon a narrow waist-a body such as we see in pictures of Krishna.
While the chief occupants of the banyan are various birds and insects, the peepal is said to be the residence of a wide variety of ghosts and mischievous spirits.
The most mischievous of these is the Munjia. He lives in lonely peepal trees, and rushes out at tongas, bullock-carts and bushes, trying his best to upset them! Our grandmothers still advise us not to yawn when passing under a peepal tree. Should you yawn, it is best to cover you mouth with your hand, or snap your fingers in front of it. "Otherwise," says Grandmother, "The Munjia will rush down your throat and completely ruin your digestion!"
peepal trees have very long lives. There are some ancient peepal in Hardwar which are even older than the present town, probably as old as the eleventh century Mayadevi Temple. A peepal tree taken from India to Sri Lanka in 288 B.C. is still alive and flourishing. Records of its growth were carefully preserved over the centuries, and it must new be 2257 years old.
To fell a peepal tree was once looked upon as a great sin. On the other hand, anyone who planted a peepal was said to receive the blessings of generations to come.
Let us also earn the blessings of future generations by planting not only more peepal trees -- which are quite capable of looking after themselves -- but all kinds of trees for shade and shelter, fruit and flower, beauty and utility.
Can you imagine a country without any trees, a country that has become one vast desert? Well, that is what could easily happen here if we keep cutting our trees and forests without bothering to grow others in their place.
-------------------------------------------------
from http://www.urday.com/peepal.htm
'The holy Fig Tree' The concept of divinity even in vegetation?s, trees etc has been prevalent in Indian civilization since time immemorial and have been accepted as a tradition.
Lord Sri Krishna has said in Bhagawad Gita that the holy fig tree personifies his own glory. The five-trees (Pancha-vat) are considered as very sacred in India, they are:-
1. Fig tree,
2. A wild fig (Sycamore) tree (Gular),
3. Banyan tree,
4. Pakar (citron-leaved), Indian fig tree,
5. Mango tree.
Among these the holy fig tree is considered as the most sacred. A man who plants this tree goes to the abode of almighty God after his death. He can neither be tormented by the miseries of 'Yama-loka' nor has to face miseries in this world.
Lord Vishnu dwells in the roots of this tree, 'Keshav' (Krishna) in the trunk, Narayana dwells in the branches, Lord Shri Hari in the leaves and all the deities dwell in the fruits of the holy fig tree. This tree is the personification of Lord Vishnu. Great men serve the 'Virtuous roots of this tree. Protection of this tree liberates a man from all his sins and help in the accomplishment of every desire.
The cutting of a holy fig tree without a proper reason is similar to cutting one's own ancestors. By doing this, one destroys his descent. But cutting of this tree for sacred activities like 'Yagya' (sacrificial fire) is not sinful, on the contrary it helps in the attainment of Heaven. The mere worship of this tree is worship all the deities. (Parikrama) moving around a holy fig tree is reverence and pouring water on it daily destroy all kinds of inauspiciousness. Pouring water on the roots of this tree in the month of May (Vaishakh) gives immense virtues,thus worshipping it with devotion gives long life.
There is a rule of making three circumambulations of a holy fig tree. Planting this tree on any auspicious day one should nurture it with water for eight years, just like his own son. After that, performing the sacred-thread (yagyopavita) ceremony of this tree and worshipping it with proper methods give undiminishing wealth and fortune, the lineage continues without any hitch, gives long life, and the dead ancestors attain salvation by getting liberation from the hell.
Hindu girls perform many fasts connected with this tree right from their childhood. A girl who has a probability of becoming a widow according to the inauspicious combination of planets in her horoscope must worship the holy fig tree. After taking bath she should purify the soil around the holy fig tree by cow dung paste, decorate the tree with threads and Ochre and worship it with the help of a Brahmin. She should invocate Lord Vishnu and Laxmi who dwell in the holy fig tree and worship them by chanting 'Purusukta' Mantras and by performing "Havana' and 'Tarpana'. After that she should circumambulate the holy fig tree for 108 times and tie a white thread around it.
The holy fig tree has medicinal properties too. According to Ayurveda this tree has both sweet and bitter taste and has a cool property. Intaking the bark, fruit and buds with different Combination of things cures the diseases related with Phlegm, bile, inflammation swelling and indisposition etc. The soft bark and the bud of this tree cures 'Prameha' (a disease in which sperms emanate through urine).
The powdered form of the fruit of this tree increases appetite and cures numerous diseases. So the holy fig tree holds a very important place in Indian civilization i.e. religious point of view, medicinal and social point of views, and hence it is worth being worshipped.
------------------