Praying It With Flowers

ON THE OCCASION OF NAVARATRI , OFFERING THE FRAGRANCE OF FLOWERS TO GODDESS DURGA AND RECITING

THE SHLOKA FROM SRI DURGA SAPTASHATHI

'" YAA DEVI SARVA BHUTESHU PUSHPA ROOPENA SAMSTHITA

NAMASTASYAI NAMASTASYAI NAMASTASYAI NAMO NAMAH "

LET US SEEK HER BLESSINGS ON THE OCCASION OF DURGASHTAMI TODAY.


The article today includes an attractive Gift of Nature.


B.M.N.Murthy, Saturday 26th Sept 2009


POSTSCRIPT : I could not keep up MY DATE WITH FLOWERS since the telephone let me down. However, as thse flowers do not fade
I presume they would be fresh even today

FLOWERS ARE MANIFESTATION OF DIVINITY.


Association of flowers with religion and worship and with legends and myths has been the tradition in all the religions all over the world. To the people they have been symbols of love and remembrance. A flower is one of the most wonderful creations of Nature and represents Divinity. We see the great truth of this statement in the lines of poet Lord Tennyson when he writes:
“Little Flower—but if I could understand
What you are, root and all, and all in all
I should know what God and Man is”.

In the Hindu tradition in particular, the flowers have always been considered sacred and divine. Probably there is no devotional hymn [Stotra] which does not make a reference to the flower. The most popular prayer for Goddess Lalitha, Sri Lalitha Sahsra Nama describes the Goddess as wearing flowers Champaka, Ashoka, Punnaga and Sowgandhika on Her tresses. Acharya Shankara in the ‘Soundarya Lahari’ while describing the beautiful locks of the Goddess says “The flowers that are found in the garden of Devendra prefer to dwell on your locks of hair”. The Durga Saptashati or the Devi Mahatmyam which is particularly recited during the Navaratri festival refers to the ‘Neelotpala’ or blue lotus. The Shiva Panchakshara Stotra refers to the Mandara flower [Parijatha]. Again, Jasmine and Champaka find a place in Shiva Manasa Stotram.

Apart from divinity, beauty of form, fragrance, rich texture and colour which individual flower possesses, each flower has its own special features and significance as would be evident from the following illustrations:

Lotus: India’s national flower, the Lotus, is special to the Hindus, Buddhists and Jains and revered as such. It is a symbol of purity in many Asian cultures, including China.
Few objects of nature have affected the imagination of Indian thinkers, philosophers, poets and aestheticians so much as this wonderful flower. From physical beauty to cosmology and esoteric spiritual concepts, this flower has been the standard, the inspiration and the prototype of ideas. According to Hindu mythology, the very universe bloomed out of the primeval lotus. In Sanskrit the lotus is called ‘Pankaja’ which means ‘born in mud’. Though born in mud and slush, imagine its supreme manifestation and the supreme level it attains. The lotus blooms when the sun rises and folds its petals when the sun sets. In other words, it shows its utter loyalty to Light. Likewise, the world around man is filthy, muddy and slippery. Still, man can raise himself from dirty surroundings and reach the highest God by total devotion to God at all times, both in prosperity as well as in adversity.

Parijatha: Though a native of the Sub-Himalayan tract, the Parijatha tree is well established all over the South and its flower is considered sacred and grown in temples and gardens. Perhaps no other tale in the Hindu mythology as that of Rukmini and Satyabhama in Srimad Bhagavatam can illustrate the importance of the Parijatha as an example for the undivided love of God towards all creations of the world. It is well known in this episode how Lord Sri Krishna shows his undivided love towards his two wives Rukmini and Satyabhama by planting Parijatha trees in their adjoining gardens so that the each tree blossoms in the neighboring garden.
The Parijatha flower blossoms early in the morning during the ‘Brahmi Muhurtam’ and is said to give considerable yogic power, in addition to lovely fragrance. According to Agastya Vijayam, Lord Krishna himself brought this flower to the earth for the benefit of human beings to enable them to achieve yogic knowledge and power. It is the belief that Anjaneya always resides under the Parijatha tree.[Parijatha Taru Moola Vasinam]

Rose: As one of the most beautiful flowers, the Rose symbolizes human love. Poets throughout the ages have not ceased to about the glory, the beauty, the splendour and the magnificence of the rose.
According to Greek mythology, the rose was created by the Goddess of Flowers, Chloris. One day, she found the lifeless body of a beautiful nymph in the woods and she turned her into a flower. She called upon Aphrodite, the Goddess of Love and Dionysus, the God of Wine and requested to gift their specialties to the rose. Aphrodite gave her beauty as the gift and Dionysus added nectar to the rose to give it a sweet fragrance.

Mango Flower: The mango has several names in Sanskrit such as Amra, Chootha, Rasalu, Sahakara etc. The Sahakara variety [the word Sahakara means co-operation] has a special significance. Its blossom is supposed to excite passion and love. It is believed that when lovers quarrel and part company and feel the pangs of separation, their coming together under the Sahakara tree in blossom would unite them again. The fragrance of the Sahakara blossom has this rear power of attraction. Kalidasa makes a reference to the Sahakara blossom in his kavya ‘Kumarasambhavam’

Bamboo Flower: In India, Bamboo is mostly grown in the hilly parts of Tripura, Mizoram and Assam. The bamboo flowers only once in 40 years and when it does blossom its fragrance spreads for miles around. However, it is a common belief among the poverty stricken hilly tribes of these areas that the bamboo flower heralds the advent of famine, epidemic and starvation which they say out of past experience. The bamboo fruit which drops down in the ground is a favourite fruit for the rats and this leads to plague and other epidemics. The increased rat population will invade the neighbouring fields and destroy the crops, causing food crisis.

Pumpkin Flower: In South India, particularly during the Dhanurmasam [December-January] it is customary, particularly in rural parts, to draw Rangoli patterns and arrange in the middle a few pumpkin flowers on small cow dung balls. The villagers believe that this ushers in prosperity and heralds the advent of a bounty harvest. It is the favourite of planet Jupiter

Screw Pine: [Known as ‘Taale’ in Kannada and ‘Thalamboo’ in Tamil]. The Screw Pine is a very sweet smelling flower and is light yellow in colour, resembling the colour of sandal paste. The petals are thick and come out in the form of strips, tapering at one end. Girls would specially like to use the strips of the Taale flowers on their hairdo and plaits.

Ashta Pushpa: [Eight Flowers]. When natural flowers are not readily available for worship, one need not worry. Providence has provided us with in-built eight virtues called ‘Ashta Pushpa’ on the analogy of flowers which could be used for worshipping the Almighty. These ‘Astha Pushpas’ are the following eight spiritual qualities with whose devotional officer, the Lord is easily propitiated. These flowers are the following virtues:
1. Non injury. 2. Control of Senses 3. Forbearance 4. Compassion. 5. Knowledge. 6. Penance. 7. Trust and 8. Sincerity
‘Ahimsa Prathamam Pushpam; Pushpam Indriya Nigrahah
Kshantih Pushpam Daya Pushpam; Jnanam Pushpam Atahparam
Tapah Pushpam Satya Pushpam Bhava Pushpam Atha Ashtamam

Worship the Deity with these eight flowers and one will be rewarded amply.
A rich dividend on a meager investment!
B.M.N.Murthy

ARTICLE No. 525--Flowers are Manifestation of Divinity
Created:Tuesday, September 29, 2009 4:10 AM