Since time immemorial, flowers have expressed human emotions and feelings, as well as spirituality, a person's faith and his love for nature. Flowers have been associated with many legends, including potions of love, health, success and longevity ... Not only was the appearance of the flower important, interpreting meaning or superstition, but the color of the flower and the way it was presented or worn played an important role. ...
One of the most famous playwrights in the world, William Shakespeare, often mentioned flowers in his works. In "Romeo and Juliet" there are roses, in the play "A Midsummer Night's Dream" he wrote about magic pansies, and in The Winter's Tale, carnations and daffodils played their part ...
Always and everywhere flowers were also used for medicinal purposes, regardless of the age of the person. They were brewed, concentrated, the aroma was inhaled and rubbed onto the skin.
This article contains the meanings and legends of many flowers, which will allow you to satisfy your curiosity, order a bouquet with meaning, or give your loved ones an amulet of fresh flowers.
Agave(Century Plant, West Indian Daggerlog, Rattlesnake-master, False Aloe, American Aloe, Aloe, Spiked Aloe, Flowering Aloe, American Agave, American Century, American Aloe, Aloe, Spiked Aloe, Flowering Aloe, American Agave, American Century, Miracle of Nature, Maguey)
Agave grows in dry and semi-dry areas of tropical America and parts of Europe. Agave is believed to be the Mexican Tree of Life and Abundance because the people of this area make extensive use of the tree's potential.
The popular name "Century Plant" comes from the misconception that Agave blooms once a hundred years later. The flowering time depends on the energy of the plant and the conditions under which it grows. V warm countries flowers appear after a few years, and in colder climates it takes 40 to 60 years. After flowering, the tree dies.
Agave juice has disinfecting properties. The water in which the Centennial fiber has been soaked throughout the day will help against hair loss. The Aztecs, at one time, made paper from the leaves of a plant, and the fiber from the leaves turned into a strong thread.
The dried leaves of Agave are smoked like tobacco. The extract of the leaves rolled into a ball can be washed like soap. And dried flower stems can be used to make straw that is waterproof.
The flower stems of the Centennial are processed to produce the Pulque wine, which is very popular in northern Mexico. The leaves were also used medicinally by the Indians of the Southwestern United States, and Agave is now a modern source of steroids.
Alstroemeria(Alstromeria, Peruvian Lily, Ulster Mary, Peruvian Princess, Inca Lily)
Alstroemeria was named after the Swedish botanist Baron Klas von Alstroemer. The seeds of this flower were among the many seeds collected by Alstroemer on a trip to Spain in 1753.
On each individual stem, a group of flowers grows, which have three outer petals with a predominant color and inner petals with opposing spots. Options available in wide range colors including pink, purple, orange, yellow and white. Alstroemeria hybrids were developed in England and Holland.
Alstomeria's vase life can last from 14 to 21 days, despite the fact that the bouquet was bought fresh.
Amaryllis(Amaryllis)
Other name: Hyperastrum
Amaryllis originally grew in the mountains of Chile and Peru. The plant was named after a shepherdess from Greek mythology, described in the idylls of the Greek poet Theocritus two and a half thousand years ago. The name amaryllis also means sparkling.
The amaryllis flower was discovered in 1828 by Edward Frederic Poeppig, a young physician from Germany, during an expedition in search of plants in Chile.
Amaryllis are associated with the sign of Aries, being passionate, enthusiastic and adventurous in nature. They symbolize luxurious beauty and pride in the language of flowers.
Anemone(Windflower, Smell Fox)
Anemone was originally derived from the Greek word "anemos", translated as "wind", therefore, the name of the anemone is translated as "Flower of the wind". Greek legends say that Anemos, the Wind, sends his namesake Anemone, in the earliest days of spring, as the herald of his arrival. Botany has confirmed that they open when the spring wind blows.
According to other Greek myths, Anemone was the name of a nymph whom the Trail, the sweet Spring Wind, and Borea, the god of the West Wind, were greatly loved. Chloris, goddess of flowers, took revenge on the nymph and turned her into a flower that was wilting by the time the Train arrived.
Another legend says that anemones arose from the tears of Aphrodite when she mourned Adonis. The story goes that Aphrodite, being in love with Adonis, kept him by her side longer than the gods allowed, thus provoking the revenge of Persephone. Mourning his death, the goddess of love vowed that he would live forever, and the beautiful flower Anemone was born from her tears.
Anthurium(Anthurium)
Anthuriums are one of the traditional Hawaiian flowers today. They were brought to Hawaii from Columbia via London in 1889. English missionaries S.M. Damon.
Translated from Greek "antus" means "flower", and "oura" means "tail", that is, "flower with a tail." Anthuriums are also known as "multicolored tongues".
Anthurium is native to Colombia and belongs to the Araceae family, which includes 100 species and approximately 1,500 varieties of flowers and plants, mostly tropical.
"Flowers with a tail" are distinguished by their durability when cut, depending on the variety, season and climate, they can stay fresh for 45 days.
Aster(Starwort, Michaelmas Daisy, Eye Christ)
Other name: Daisy
In Latin, “aster” means “star,” a name also used by the Greeks to denote a star-like blossom. There are over 600 varieties of asters, the most popular of which is Casino Monte Carlo.
Belonging to the sacred Roman and Greek gods, asters are the oldest flowers in the first-class family. According to one legend, the area bloomed with asters when Virgo scattered cosmic dust on the ground. Another legend claims that the Goddess Astraea began to scream when she came down to earth and did not see the stars, and asters bloomed where her tears fell.
Known as "Eye Christ" in France and "Starwort" in England and Germany, asters were thought to carry magical properties. The early English name "Starwort" was later changed to "Michaelmas Daisy" as the aster blooms during St. Michaelmas Day in September. Aster flowers were considered symbols of the sacred gods, so wreaths from them were placed on altars. Aster leaves were burned to drive away "evil alcohol" and snakes in Greece.
The bites of mad dogs were cured with aster ointment, and the aroma of honey was enhanced by placing asters boiled in wine near the hive.
There is an ancient myth about the Iron Age, during which people were trained to make tools from iron, which was a manifestation of the god Jupiter. People were outraged by the terrible result of fighting with such weapons, after which an angry Jupiter sent a flood to the earth. The gods left the earth, and the last remaining goddess Astraea was so saddened that she wished to turn into a star. When the streams of water began to recede, it became clear that they had left only dirt and slime on the ground. Astrea felt great regret, and she cried for a long time, and the tears falling like cosmic dust turned into beautiful "starflowers" or asters.
Another myth is known from Greek mythology. Each year, Aegeus, King of Athens, had to send seven young men and seven maidens to the King of Crete, Minos. There they were sacrificed to the Minotaur, a creature with a human body and a bull's head. Once the son of Aegeus, Theseus, decided to go to Crete himself as a victim, hoping to kill the Minotaur. Theseus told his loving father that when he returned, he would raise white sails instead of the black ones that had been raised when he sailed.
Theseus actually made it to Crete, where he fell in love with Ariadne, daughter of King Minos. With her help, he entered the labyrinth and killed the Minotaur, but upon his return to Athens, Theseus forgot to raise the white sails. Watching the black sails, King Aegeus thought that his son was dead and killed himself in sorrow. In the place where his blood spread, purple asters grew, as a result of the spell of the sorceress Medea, who was once his wife.
If you decide to order the delivery of certain flowers, but did not find them in the catalog, just call the flower salon and our florists will collect for you a bouquet of any flowers to your taste.
Continuation with stories about other colors read in the following articles marked with "first letters".
Mythology is the oldest way of understanding the world. The ancient Slavs, like most peoples, divided the whole world into the upper, "upper", where the gods lived, into the middle, "dolny", in which people lived, and the lower, the world of the dead or the underworld.
The ancient Slavs represented the world as a "world tree", the top of which rested against the sky, and the roots descended to underground waters. Above its branches were the sun or the moon, in the crown lived sacred birds - an eagle, a nightingale; a squirrel ran along the trunk, bees swarmed, snakes, frogs and beavers lived in the roots. The whole tree as a whole could be understood as a person, most often a woman: on Russian embroideries, a tree or a woman was depicted between two horsemen, deer, birds.
Among the Slavs, like all the inhabitants of the forest belt, the bear was surrounded by exclusive reverence. His strength, far exceeding the strength of any forest creature, his dexterous climbing trees aroused the admiration of ancient hunters, and the incidents of walking on his hind legs made him look like people, which took shape in the minds of primitive people in the idea of their kinship with bears. The bear was dubbed to be relatives, father, grandfather, and this dignity was preserved in Russian folk tales and songs.
As with any totem animal (an animal that was an object of religious veneration among tribal groups), our ancestors periodically arranged a ritual hunt for a bear, and then a ritual eating by the whole community of its meat and blood, after which the remnants of the meal were buried. Ancient hunters believed that by eating a piece of bear meat or tasting the blood of a bear, they would acquire all the properties of their totem, and most importantly, they would be as strong as this beast. 
The bear cult among the ancient Slavs is evidenced by many archaeological finds in the Slavic mounds of the Upper Volga and Ladoga regions: ritual burials of bears, amulets made from bear claws, the remains of bear paws and their clay dummies. The ancient bear cult is also represented at the Tushemlya settlement (VII-VIII centuries) in the Smolensk region. In the center of the settlement, behind a post fence, there was a dug-in pillar, the top of which was crowned with a bear's skull.
Particular attention should be paid to the cult of bear paws among the Slavs. There was a belief that they protect livestock from wild predators, so every cattle owner wanted such an amulet. Due to the fact that there were not enough real bear paws, they began to make their dummies, which were believed to have the same magical properties like the real paws of a bear. N. M. Nikolsky describes the following peasant customs associated with the belief in the protective functions of the bear: “For the sake of protection from evil spirits, the Russian peasant hangs a bear's head in the stable, fumigates the house and outbuildings with bear hair, invites a bear bug and asks him to circle the bear around the yard ". The bear's paw itself was called a cattle god and was hung out even at the beginning of the 20th century. in the yards of peasants near Moscow. 
Volos (Veles) was called a cattle god in the mythology of the Slavs. B. A. Rybakov believes that the roots of the veneration of Volos go back to the bear cult. This is indicated by many coincidences, which, precisely because of their number, are not accidental. Firstly, as a result of excavations, traces of a bear cult were found near a village named Volosovo. Secondly, in the center of Rostov, Yaroslavl region, where there was a pagan temple of Volos, archaeologists have found a ritual ax with a bear's head. Thirdly, according to Slavic beliefs, the constellation of the Pleiades, which was called in the old days "Hair", portends a successful hunt for a bear. And, finally, the name of the bear's paw "cattle god" also indicates the connection between the cult of this animal and the cult of Veles. 
The bear was the most revered animal among the Slavs. But other forest animals were also surrounded by reverence: wolves, wild boars, hares, elks, lynxes. The wolf was the totem of many Indo-European tribes. The cohesion of wolves in the pack, the distribution of functions within the pack ("the laws of the pack") reminded the ancient people of their own collective, which led to the idea of a kinship between people and wolves. The special reverence of the wolf among the Slavs is indicated by the fact that in fairy tales Slavic peoples of all wild beasts, the wolf is the most frequent character. In addition, the Slavic peoples have personal male names: Wolf, Vuk and the diminutive Vuchko (just like the Germans have a well-known name Wolf).
In our minds, the image of a wolf is endowed with mostly negative characteristics. This is not entirely the case in Russian folklore: the wolf often helps the heroes of fairy tales, he is considered a devourer of devils (originally: evil spirits), and meeting a wolf on the way is a good omen. The Serbs believe that the wolf can predict the harvest.
Generally in Slavic mythology the wolf is a creature endowed with the gift of omniscience. In Russian folk tales, he appears, if not omniscient, then a beast experienced in various matters. In addition, according to Slavic beliefs, people with the gift of supernatural knowledge can turn into wolves. In some Slavic languages werewolves are called names derived from the verb vedati (Slovenian vedomci, vedun-ci; Ukr. vischuni).
Plants were worshiped by the Slavs no less than animals. Both individual trees, which stood out in some way (with a large hollow, for example, or struck by a lightning strike), and whole groves were revered.
Of the trees, the Slavs most of all revered oak and birch, which can be explained by the ubiquity of these trees in the zone of settlement of the Slavs, as well as by their economic importance. Oak has long been revered as a tree associated with thunderstorms. Until now, people consider it dangerous to be under an oak tree in a thunderstorm, because it attracts lightning. V pagan mythology Slavs oak - the tree of Perun, the god of thunder. Medieval toponymy knows the Perun oak tract in the Galician land, and the rite of worship of the oak was described by the Byzantine emperor Constantine Porphyrogenitus in his treatise "On the government." The author tells about the difficult and dangerous passage of Russian boats across the Dnieper rapids. After this passage, the Russians on the island of Khortitsa make grateful sacrifices. “On this island, they make their sacrifices, since there is a huge oak: they sacrifice live roosters, they strengthen the arrows around (the oak), and others - pieces of bread, meat and what everyone has, as their custom commands. They also cast lots for the roosters: either slaughter them, or eat them, or let them go alive. "
The section of the Dnieper where the described events took place was called "Perunya Ren". The connection between the oak and Perun is also indicated by the fact that the idols of this god were usually made of oak. With the adoption of Christianity by Russia, the oak as a tree of Perun "fell out of favor." And, secondly, a certain transformation of this image took place in the popular consciousness: due to its connection with the thunderstorm and pagan god the thunderstorm oak was declared an unclean tree.
http://dreamsilver.2x2forum.ru/t445-topic
V.N. Axes Plants Myths of the peoples of the world in 2 volumes. M., 1992
PLANTS. The role of R. in mythopoetic representations is determined primarily by the presence of a special plant ("vegetative") code, which is associated with R.'s participation in numerous classification systems. The world tree acts as a single plant image that embodies the universal concept of the world (see. World tree and its variants - tree of life, tree of knowledge, shaman tree, etc.). The exclusive role of R. - wild and especially cultural - in human life contributed to the mythologization of the entire context in which R. act, starting with the earth, understood as R.'s maternal bosom and life in general, and ending with all favorable factors. influencing R. (rain, winds, hail, etc.). The field itself (just like R.) was often imagined as a living being, a pregnant woman awaiting offspring, or a grave hiding a dead grain in itself.
In different traditions, agriculture, the land that generates them, and the general idea of plant fertility is associated with huge number deities - Gaia, Demeter, Persephone (and Cora), Dionysus, Narcissus, Hyacinth; Flora, Ceres, Virby; Soma, Ara-nyani; Ukko and others.
In many traditions, R.'s isomorphism is also distinguished to man. There are mythologemes about a god or a man hanging on a tree (Scandinavian One on a tree Yggdrasil, Celtic deity on a tree, Jesus Christ on the tree of the cross, etc.), about a person growing out of R. or sprouting in the form of R. ("germination" of Osiris; the so-called gardens of Adonis, despite the fact that Adonis himself was born from the world tree; the revival of Attis in the form of flowers and trees; the plant past of Dionysus; connection with the trees of nymphs and dryads, etc.), about the transformation of mythological characters into R., in particular into flowers (Daphne, Narcissus, Hyacinth, and others), about the conception from the fetus of R. [the daughter of the San garios river conceived Attis from eating the fruit of an almond tree (option: a pomegranate)], about the origin of R. from the blood or body of a mythological character.
The symbolism of fertility, prosperity, wealth, new life, expressed in the plant code, is manifested in the stories about how in this tradition they learned to grow P.; Wed Eleusinian mysteries as a memory of the transfer of the rudiments of agriculture and wheat to Triptolemus by Demeter, personifying the triple plowing of the earth, or of how people (gods) learned to prepare an intoxicating drink from R., the eating of which gives strength, prosperity, and increases fertility, opens the way to new life (the highest form of such a divine drink is the drink of immortality, tasted by the gods). Special myths associate R. itself with a mythological and logical character turned into him, and with the drink obtained from him (Soma in Indian tradition, the goddess Mayahuel among the Central American Indians, etc.). In Greek mythology, the motives of his birth associated with Dionysus are known from the thunderer Zeus, who struck Dionysus's mother Semele with lightning, dismemberment by the titans (in the cult of Dionysus-Zagreus), teaching people to wine-hail and winemaking, etc., in Mesoamerican tradition - stories about the birth in the underworld (sometimes in a place struck by the arrow of the god of thunder) of the god maize, about the origin of edible fruits from its various parts, etc. In folklore, this scheme corresponds to numerous texts like “John Barley grain », Where a hop drink (beer, ale, etc.) is prepared from the seeds (grains) of a personified plant. Many R. or their flowers and fruits correlate with images of male and female childbearing beginnings. The idea of eternal life and fertility can also be realized on the material of a set of R., forming a garden, which in some cases is understood as paradise. In the biblical version, the tree of life and the tree of knowledge grow in paradise. In the Slavic mythological tradition, the symbolism of paradise is associated with the tree of paradise (or an egg containing livestock), and with an increasing vegetative power, the harvest of bread (the image of paradise-loaf), and with the personified image of fertility - Paradise, sometimes alternating with another pronounced plant symbol of fertility (in some cases excessive, escaping from control) - Sporysh.
In cosmogonic myths, R. appear as, in fact, the first object of everything that appeared or was created by the gods. At the same time, as an object of mythological and ritual systems, R. crystallized later than animals. The core of mythopoetic ideas about farming presupposes more or less developed agricultural cults, and, consequently, agriculture itself, which appears much later than cattle breeding, and especially hunting and fishing. The late mythologization of R., probably, explains the weak (in contrast to animals) and, moreover, limited connection of R. with totemism, which is noted primarily in the most archaic cultures familiar with the most primitive agriculture (in -poises of New Guinea, etc.). Among the ni marindanim tribe, totemic myths are characterized by the presence of such motives as the origin of the banana, coconut tree, sugarcane, etc., which are well known outside the totemic scheme. The Germanic tribe of the Semnons derived their origin from the trees of one grove, which they considered sacred; among European peoples, there were widespread beliefs that people took babies from under trees (compare German Kleinkinderbaum, letters, "tree of small children") or that the souls of ancestors live in a tree, branches, leaves, flowers, etc. n. (cf. the common motive of the divine voice or human voices heard in the rustle of leaves, and the use of its 1 predictions, the sphere of mantics and magic). DK Zelenin associated with totemism, etc. “Construction” sacrifices, considered as compensation for the felling of trees from which a house, a bridge, etc. were built. In folk ideas, trees are often perceived as living beings: they feel, breathe, talk to each other. friend (and even with people with special abilities), they cannot be beaten, chopped, sawed, desecrated. For the same reason, numerous taboos, omens, beliefs, etc. are often associated with trees and other R. mandra mountains). Ideas about the spirits of R. as carriers of the properties of a given R. are especially widespread. bread spirits or demons, which were often represented in human or animal form: "bread mother", "bread woman", "bread old man", "maiden of bread", "mother bread", " mother of rice ”,“ rye man ”,“ oatmeal bride ”or“ bread wolves ”,“ rye dogs ”,“ rye pigs ”,“ rye heifers ”,“ rye hares ”, etc. that many typical plant deities (Dionys, Demeter, Attis, Virbius, etc.) also have animal attributes (and sometimes hypostases). In folklore, the harvest itself is often likened to a bloody feast, murder. In a number of Middle Eastern and Mediterranean traditions, there was a rite of mourning for the first compressed sheaf. In some cases, agricultural rituals embodied the most general idea of fertility (Christmas tree, pussy willow, or the so-called Maypole in Western Europe, the introduction of a sacred branch, flower days, holidays such as Roman floralia, Serbo-Croatian and partly Bulgarian "Lazaritsa" and "Kralitsa", Green Yuri, Yarilin of the day; compare also the hanging of a birch on the day of Trinity, Makovey, apple and other "spas" in Christianized Slavic traditions, etc.) , and in others they were devoted to specific cycles of the spring-summer season and the corresponding agricultural work (meeting spring, going out into the field, sowing, harvesting, harvest festival, etc. -new plowing in the month of Pianepsione, timed to coincide with tesmophoria, boiling of beans for a pre-plowing sacrifice, preparation and distribution of sacred porridge, qualified as "all-grained"). Vegetable symbols in their natural and processed (food, drinks) form, ritual games and amusements, as well as corresponding texts ranging from indecent jokes to the theme of death (mourning) largely determine all other holidays, direct not connected with agricultural problems and the theme of R., first of all, marriage rites (among the Greeks, the goddesses of earthly fertility, Demeter and Persephone, were the goddesses of earthly fertility, Demeter and Persephone, i.e., the legislator) and funerals. R. is an important attribute of the ceremony of choosing a leader, poetry and other competitions, court, etc. A special class of myths and ethnological legends explain the emergence and spread of cultural R. Often their origin is associated with the activities of a cultural hero.
The objects of mythologization are not only the R. itself, but also their roots, leaves, branches, as well as those parts that express the quintessence of not only the given, but all R. in general (flowers, fruit, grain, seed). Fruit (fruit) in various mythological traditions symbolizes the idea of abundance, fertility, success, harvest; in the spiritual sense - wisdom (in the heral-dick - happiness, luck, peace, etc.). In Christianity, the fruit is a symbol of heavenly bliss, virtue, atri-but of the Virgin Mary. The forbidden fruit from the tree of the knowledge of good and evil is associated with an apple, fig, lemon, orange, pomegranate, pear, quince. Spiritual fruit - in Christian tradition represented by a fig tree with fruits on it and flowers, plum, vine etc. The grain and the seed are the most general and deepest of all plant symbols, emphasizing the idea of the continuity of the development of life and fertility (in the animal code, they correspond to the egg).
Bamboo plays an essential role in Chinese and Japanese symbolism, it is one of the attributes of the New Year, marriage and funeral images.
In a number of traditions, birch symbolizes light, radiance, purity, obscurity, femininity, etc. In the Druidic tradition, birch is the tree of the beginning, a symbol of the first month of the year (December 24 - January 21). In Rome, birch attributes were used when the consul took over. In Scotland, birch was associated with ideas about the dead.
Hawthorn in the Celtic tradition is a tree of the deity of winter and darkness, in another version associated with the same one, hawthorn is Olven's father, who, due to heavy large eyelashes that covered his shoulders, was not able to see before until he (like the Slavic Wii) raised an eyelash with a pitchfork. The Celts considered hawthorn to be a tree of compulsory chastity. He was associated with May as a month of ritual abstinence from sexual intercourse, which has become a month of orgiastic ceremonial festivities around the "May" tree. In ancient Greece, hawthorn branches were burned on the altars of Hymen, and flowers were used to decorate the bride at the marriage ceremony (cf. Russian hawthorn, hawthorn, young lady). In the Christian tradition, it is associated with the Virgin Mary.
Elderberry in mythopoetic representations different nations belongs to the number of, as a rule, dubious R. associated with misfortune, death, evil spirits, creatures of the chthonic type. In some versions of Christian tradition, Judas weighed on an elder; at the same time, some Christian authors call it the crucifixion tree. In Ireland, it was believed that witches used elderberry twigs as a horse-day. The elder is associated with the sending of bad dreams, sometimes divinations (compare the mythologized image of the elder in the "Golden Pot" by E. TA Hoffmann). At the same time, among the Prussians, elderberry is a sacred tree. Under it live Pushkites and the gnomes-barzduki and marco-poly who are in his service.
Beech often acts as a symbol of majesty, prosperity, honor and victory, fortitude and fullness of vitality. Later, the symbolism of writing, literal knowledge, literature (Russian letter, Anglo-Saxon bos, English book "book", etc.) began to be associated with him.
In a number of traditions, the pomegranate acts as a paradise (golden) apple, a fruit from the tree of knowledge, a miraculous remedy (in a number of fabulous motives). In ancient Greece, it was considered an image of death, oblivion, but also divine food, hope for immortality, which is explained in the myth of Persephone, who swallowed a grain of granate. It was also believed that the pomegranate arose from the blood of Dionysus. In Christianity, the image of a pomegranate corresponds to the gift that Jesus Christ brought from heaven (cf. also the idea of a pomegranate as a sign of God's blessing in Hinduism); pomegranate is one of the emblems of the Virgin Mary. In Korea, pomegranate was interpreted as food of the gods and was dedicated to deceased ancestors.
Oak in many Indo-European traditions is a sacred tree, a heavenly gate through which a deity can appear before people, the dwelling of a god or gods. The oak is dedicated to Perkunas (apparently, and Perun), Thor, Zeus, Jupiter and other thunders; an oak broken by lightning in some traditions was considered unkind, in others (for example, in Lithuania), on the contrary, a favorable sign. Oak sometimes acts as an image of a tree, on which a deity (often solar) devoid of productive forces is crucified, which, however, is destined to be reborn. A special role in mythology is played by the image of an oak entwined with a "golden branch" of mistletoe. An oak log was also considered sacred; with his help, the eternal flame was maintained in the temple of Vesta; he was ritually burned in the middle of summer, comparing this action with the deprivation of the deity of the fertility of his male power... At the same time, the burning of logs was considered as an act leading to the resurrection of the spirit of fertility (in this regard, the widespread use of oak ash in folk medicine is characteristic). The oak club as a weapon of the thunderer or the sun god symbolized the firmness of power, severity. A wreath of oak leaves referred to the idea of strength, power, dignity. At the oak, revered as a royal tree, the most important rituals (sacrifices, judgment, oaths, etc.) were performed, and holidays were held. In the biblical tradition, the oak (along with the cedar) is a symbol of pride and high merit; Abimelach becomes king by the oak, Saul sits under the oak, Deborah is buried under the oak, Jacob buries other gods under the oak, and Abes-salom finds his end on the oak. For Christians, the oak is the emblem of Christ (according to some versions of Christian tradition, the crucifixion was made of oak). In Ancient Greece, the center of the sanctuary of Zeus in Dodona was an old oak tree, under which there was a spring. Zeus was also sacred to a special winged oak, on which a veil was thrown with the image of the earth, the ocean and the stars. In Athens, a boy who pronounced the marriage formula during the Eleusinian Mysteries was crowned with oak leaves and thorns (in Rome, oak branches were worn in marriage processes, seeing in them a symbol of fertility). According to some versions, the mast of the ship of the Argonauts was made of oak. Philemon and Baucis were posthumously transformed into oak and linden. Greek dryads and hamadryads were also "oak" nymphs. Oak was assigned a significant role in the mythopoetic representations of the Celts. In particular, under an oak tree the hero of folk legends Merlin works his magic. In a number of traditions, the origin of the human race was associated with the oak.
Spruce is a symbol of courage, courage (to the point of insolence, recklessness), an elated state of mind, loyalty, deathlessness, longevity, arrogance, royal dignities. In Ancient Greece, the spruce was considered a tree of hope (it was believed that the Trojan horse was partially made from spruce; the Greeks used spruce branches for divination). In the Celtic Druidic calendar of spruce, the day of December 23 is dedicated, when, according to the Celtic tradition, a divine child is born, embodying the spirit of fertility. The Christmas tree symbolizes the beginning of the annual cycle and life in general. Spruce cone - a symbol of the fire of life, beginning, restoration of health; in a number of traditions it is associated with the phallus. However, the spruce itself was also a symbol of fire (including heavenly), possibly due to its similarity
forms with the shape of a flame (compare English fir, "fir-tree", fire, "fire").
Willow has different (often opposite) symbolic meanings, sometimes found in the same traditions. It can act as a world tree or tree of life and symbolize longevity and abundance of life. In the European lower tradition, willows were attributed to enchantments against the moon and witches. In Middle Ages Europe, it was called the tree of singers and poets, since it was believed that it was able to bestow eloquence. In China, willow was associated with ideas of female beauty, softness, suppleness, and spring; there was a belief about the ability of willow branches, hung on the gate, to drive away evil spirits, which agrees with the more general idea of willow as a means of communication with the spiritual world. The complex of negative semantics of the willow image includes such symbols as misfortune and ignorance (among the ancient Jews), sadness, sadness, death, funeral (compare the image of a weeping willow in folklore and poetry). In Ancient Greece, the willow was dedicated to female deities, one way or another connected with the idea of death (Hecate, Kirk, Persephone). In Japan, willow is a tree of sadness, weakness, but also tenderness, girlish grace, tranquility, the need for constancy or connection.
In many Middle Eastern traditions of antiquity (Mesopotamia, Phenicia, Egypt), the palm tree acted as a tree of life (as a tree of life correlated with a righteous person, the palm tree is sometimes depicted in Christian art as well), and in Ancient Egypt as an image time, year. In a number of traditions, it is understood as the image of a phallus with a flame escaping from it, or as an androgynous and solar emblem, correlated with images of the "Maypole" type. In Christian art, it is a symbol of martyrdom and purity, a sign of those who visited the Holy Sepulcher (also a talisman against temptations), “palm resurrection” is the name of the day of Jesus Christ's entry into Jerusalem.
The peach tree, its fruits, flowers and branches were especially revered in ancient China as one of the main symbols of immortality. Branches and flowers, in particular, were used to drive out demons, in the treatment of "diseases, like amulets (especially in epidemics). A number of ritual objects were made from the peach tree. It was believed that arrows were made from it, with which Zhang Xian struck the heavenly dog. The idea of immortality associated with the peach tree and fruit was mythologically motivated by legends about Si-wan-mu with her peach gardens of immortality. the bride was presented with a blossoming peach branch.) The peach tree and fruits were also revered in Iran, the countries of the Middle East, Central Asia, etc.
The reed in the Eastern Mediterranean (in particular, in Egypt) acts as an emblem of royal power, in Christianity, on the contrary, it is a symbol of humility, but also of justice. The triad (reed, lily and oak leaf) in the Eastern Christian tradition embodies the weakness of man (reed), transformed through the resurrection (lily) into strength (oak leaf). The ancient population of Central America has a symbol of drought, lost youth and warmth of life. In Greek mythology, fire is associated with a reed as a life principle (Prometheus brings fire to people in a hollow reed). In myths, various wind musical instruments are made from reeds, often appearing in mythological texts (cf. Pan's flute).
The fig tree (fig tree) is understood as a symbol of marriage, fertility, lust, femininity, but also truth; often compared with the image of a many-breasted tree (fruits are visible earlier than leaves). Leaves and fruits are sometimes interpreted as a combination of masculine and feminine principles, symbolizing life and love. Sometimes the biblical tree of the knowledge of good and evil is considered fig. The fig leaf was Adam's first garment after eating the forbidden fruit. In Muslim tradition, the fig tree is considered sacred. In Buddhism, the fig tree is associated with the sacred bodhi tree, under which the truth was revealed to Buddha.
Not only trees and other large plants are mythologized, but also grasses, moss, and other objects of the plant world. The grass often acts as a symbol ordinary people, obedience, submission, obscurity, inconspicuousness, but also usefulness. In the Japanese tradition, the opposition of grass as a feminine principle to trees as a masculine principle is known. Ideas of longevity and health are associated with grass. In a number of traditions, the idea of grass as the hair of a certain first man is widespread, from whose members the earth or the universe arose. Several myphologically marked herbs are widely used in rituals. Moss often symbolizes boredom, in Japan, old age.
Special systems of symbolic meanings are formed by flowers and mushrooms.
Throughout history, we have composed mythological stories and endowed with magical powers almost everything that is under the Sun. However, trees are perhaps one of the most logical candidates for attributing such qualities. After all, trees are filled with vitality, live much longer than people, and rise above almost all life on Earth.
10. Kalpa Tree
Kalpavriksha, also known as Kalpataru, is a tree of desires, but its mythology is much more complex. Kalpavriksha is not just one particular tree in Indian mythology - it is a whole spiritual concept... However, wish fulfillment may not be the most direct translation, since the meaning of the tree is not to be a genie who can fulfill any of your wishes. Kalpavrikshas are worshiped because people believe they are related to the divine.
Even Alexander the Great went in search of these trees in the hope that his wishes would come true. Like many people, he was attracted by the idea of receiving without any effort all the earthly blessings that he could only wish for. There are many trees in India that are considered more or less sacred, depending on the claims that people have made about whether their wishes have been fulfilled. Many of these trees are still frequently visited by humans, and people leave gifts at these trees in the hope of gaining the favor of the gods. One tree in India is believed to have the power to help people in court, and those who go to a nearby court often pray to the tree before that.
9. Eternal Banyan Tree
Banyan tree is the type of tree under which the Buddha sat, according to some legends, but its mythological meaning is much deeper. While banyan trees are real trees, there are many beliefs regarding their magical nature that persist to this day. One story tells of a father who sent his son to pick a fruit from a tree and look at the seeds inside. He then told the boy to open one of the seeds and tell him what he saw inside. The boy said that he saw nothing, and his father explained that out of this nothing came the banyan tree.
In this story, he uses it as a lesson to explain how much life and greatness can come from so little. However, the tree has some truly mythical powers beyond its stunning size. Many people are still convinced that the roots of a banyan tree never stop growing, they grow down into the depths of the Earth and lead to a truly eternal tree. Just as a phoenix rises from the ashes, according to legend, a felled banyan tree will use its powerful roots deep underground to return to its former glory.
8. Nariphon
One of the strangest folk tales ever told, comes from Thailand and talks about what is called Narithon. Legend has it that the prince's wife was exiled to the Himvanti forest, where she came across trees with very strange fruits - miniature women. According to the legends, these trees were supposed to protect our heroine during her travels through the forests, because women were immune to their magic. However, according to legend, these trees were very dangerous for men.
If a man chopped down Narithon, or plucked a fruit woman from its branches, and then had sex with her, he became sterile. If he possessed any magical abilities, then he also lost them. The strangest part of the legend is that these fruity girls are described in many stories, and their body length is about 20 centimeters, so even if you stretch your imagination, it is rather difficult to imagine how a man would have succeeded.
7. Yggdrasil
Yggdrasil is the ancient Scandinavian tree of life, and a very important part of the tales of the god Odin. According to myths, Odin hoped to gain more wisdom, so he set out on a journey on his horse, Sleipnir. During the action, which has several parallels with the story of Christ, Odin hanged himself on the world tree, and hung on it for a total of nine days and nine nights. Odin was also impaled by a spear, although in this myth he injures himself. The myths also say that after long trials, Odin was still able to obtain the wisdom he was looking for from magical runes.
In some stories, the tree of life is more than just a symbolic tree from which Odin hanged himself. Most likely, it is also an interpretation of heaven itself. It is sometimes described with an eagle at the top, which was associated with Odin, and a snake at the bottom, which represented the underworld.
6. Jinmenju
While the fruity girls from Thai folklore are a bit weird, they still have a certain innocence. However, their Japanese cousin, Jinmenju, is much more difficult to deal with. In myths, these trees grow in mountainous areas, as a rule, very rarely and far from the place where anyone could confirm their existence. What makes these trees unique is that their fruits are actually human faces. These faces laugh when people pass by, and could probably make an ordinary person run without looking back in the opposite direction.
Fortunately, the Jinmenju don't actually attack people, and if you laugh at the tree, the fruit will shake and fall to the ground. If you have a craving to taste a human face and can find one of these mythological trees, you're in luck, because according to legends, heads taste like citrus fruits.
5. Zakkum (Tree Of Zaqqum)
Zakkum is mentioned in the Quran several times and according to legend, exists only in hell. It contains a very bitter fruit that is fed to people in hell who ask for something to eat. It is believed that this demonic tree draws its nourishment directly from the flame of hellfire. Passages from the Qur'an explain that when the inhabitants of hell start to go crazy with hunger, they have no choice but to eat the foul-smelling fruit from Zakkum.
But that's not all: after the damned inhabitants of hell eat the fruit from which their faces fall away, they are given a terrible brew of boiling liquid for drinking. This causes their bodies to fall apart into a molten heap of flesh and bone. They then go back to hellfire and repeat the process. It doesn't really matter which mythology religion tells the story: Hell sounds pretty scary in any of them.
4. Whispering Oak Of Dodona
Photo: Fingalo
This mythical oak comes from Greek mythology and was one of the earliest oracles of Zeus in ancient times. The tree itself could not speak a human language, but, like any tree, its leaves rustled in the wind and made a noise. While it is rather difficult to say for sure who first came up with this idea, according to some sources, the first oracle of Dodona was most likely an Egyptian priestess who was kidnapped and brought to the area.
While the tree did have a true story, it also appeared in mythology. In the history of the Argonauts, the gods told Jason to use a tree branch in the construction of his ship in order to secure his journey. In the Iliad, Achilles also traveled to Dodona to receive instruction. Unfortunately, the real tree was felled after Christianity became the dominant religion in the area.
3. Sky-High Tree
This folk tale from Hungary begins with a shepherd boy sneaking into the royal garden. He saw a magnificent tree and decided that he absolutely needed to climb it. As he climbed higher and higher, he encountered some of the most fantastic things he has ever seen. High in the sky, at the top of a tree, he discovered entire temples, castles and beautiful landscapes. However, Hungarians are not the only ones to have a heavenly tree in mythology.
In Siberian mythology, the legends of a tree that reaches the heavens are quite popular. In these legends, the tree has a more important task than just being a place of miracles, it literally holds the sky above. According to ancient myths, the sky needs something to support. However, there are some differences between the legends. Some believe that the tree does not necessarily hold the sky, that it actually passes through it, and according to other legends the tree bends when it reaches the top of the sky. However, in both cases, the tree is a kind of portal to other worlds. If you manage to get to the very top of the Celestial Tree, you will find the entrance to some version of paradise.
2. Lotus Tree
While the lotus flower is definitely a real thing, the lotus tree has been present in various mythologies for a long time. And considering that it has passed through several cultures, the stories about this tree are very different from each other. The Greeks may have had one of the strangest versions of it. According to Greek myth, there was a young goddess named Lotus, and she eventually turned into a tree to protect herself from unwanted sexual advances by another god named Priapus.
The fruit of the lotus tree is also featured in Homeric legends when Odysseus and his men plant on the land of the Lotus Eaters. When these people ate the fruits from the tree, they were so tasty that they made them forget about everything that was important to them in life. This myth gave rise to the term Lotofag to describe people who lead a decadent lifestyle, but, in fact, live boring and meaningless lives.
The very name of the lotus has great meaning in many religious beliefs, and has also been mentioned in connection with God. Some myths say that in paradise, on the right hand of God, the Lotus tree grows. In addition, some myths endow symbolic meaning the idea of a tree and the presence of divinity. In fact, the symbol of God over the lotus shows how the divine can transcend the material world.
1. Jubokko
According to folklore, if you ever travel to Japan, you should take a good look around before approaching any tree, because it may turn out to be Jubokko. This tree is extremely deceiving, and from a distance it looks like a completely harmless tree. However, if you look closely, you will notice that its branches look oddly capable of grabbing things, and if you pay attention to the base of the tree, you will see human remains piled up in heaps. If you come across anything like this, run as fast as you can until you become the next victim of the vampire tree.
Jubokko trees were once ordinary trees, existing according to the laws of ordinary trees, until the ground on which they grew was stained with blood. When the roots of trees were drenched in blood, they turned into otherworldly, evil spirits of trees that feed exclusively on blood. If you get too close to one of these trees, it will grab you with its long arms, and forcefully scream with its branches at you, and then suck all the beautiful red liquid from your body. Then your body will be left as a bloated corpse for the birds of prey, and no, Jubokko will not call you the next day.
A long time ago, in the ocean of nothingness, Prantipurusha floated among the impenetrable darkness ... Desiring to make various beings out of himself, first of all He created waters and put a seed in them. This seed turned into a Golden Egg, shining like the Sun, in which He Himself was born in the form of Brahma. He spent a whole year in the Golden Egg, and then divided it in thought into two parts. From the two halves of the shell, He formed Heaven and Earth, and between them He placed airspace, the countries of the world and a container for water. Thus, the Golden Flower blossomed. (Legend of the Golden Egg)
World tree in the mythological model of the world of the Indo-Europeans, it is a symbol of the unity of the three worlds - the upper (heavenly), middle (terrestrial) and lower (underground). According to these beliefs, the crown of the World Tree reaches the heavens, the roots descend into the underworld, and the trunk denotes the center of the earth, its axis. Relative to the surface of the earth, the trunk of the World Tree symbolizes the center of the main directions: east, west, north and south. Therefore, the World Tree is surrounded by four more gods with their sacred animals, denoting the cardinal points. In Indian mythology, the axis of the three worlds is Mount Meru, but the symbolism of the World Tree is also present in many other myths.
In Hindu mythology, a tree is often mentioned growing in the Primordial Ocean. According to some sources, this tree Vetasa, grown during the creation of the world from the fragments of the shell of the Golden Egg. Apparently, he has a real prototype, for vetas trees in many sources are referred to as growing in nature. According to other sources, Narayana, the Supreme God, lies on a leaf of a banyan tree floating in the primordial waters (Nara) and sucks on the toe, symbolizing eternity. In another version of this myth, Narayana, in the form of a baby, reclines on the branches of a banyan tree growing from the Primordial Ocean.
In the Upanishads, asvattha (pippal) is used as a metaphor for creation, "whose root is at the top, and the branches grow downward." In the mythological symbolism of the Mahabharata, the nyagrodha tree (Skt. nyag-rodha- “growing downward”). The name is explained by the specifics of the structure of this plant: its branches, roots, go down and grow into the ground. Ashwattha, pippal, banyan, nyagrodha are the names of plants from the genus of ficus, which will be discussed later.
Parijata tree
“When the sura gods lost their immortality and became weak because of the curse of Durvasa Muni, the asuras attacked them, many of the gods parted with their lives and could not come to life again. Then they decided to churn the eternal ocean in order to get amrita - the drink of immortality. Among the wonderful things and creatures that resulted from the churning of the ocean was the parijata tree, which adorns the heavenly planets and grants wishes. ”( Srimad-Bhagavatam. 8.8.)
Ocean Churned Wood Parijata The god Indra, the king of the gods and the lord of the heavenly world, Indraloka, planted in his garden. The bark of the tree was made of gold, decorated with piercing young leaves of copper color and branches with numerous clusters of fragrant fruits. Rishi Narada brought the flower of this tree as a gift to his friend Krishna, who presented it to one of his wives, Rukmini. Narada reported this to another wife of Krishna, Satyabhama, surprised that the flower was not presented to her as a beloved wife. Satyabhama, of course, was upset, and then Narada advised her to ask Krishna for the Parijata tree itself in order to plant it near the house. But the tree belonged to Indra, who would not have parted with it voluntarily, and Krishna would have to kidnap Parijata. Having given this advice, the sage flew to Indra and warned him to guard the tree more closely, after which he waited for the development of events.
Satyabhama retired to the "room of anger" where wives who felt unhappy retired. When Krishna came to her, she asked for a Parijata tree as a proof of love. Sneaking into Indra's garden, Krishna began to dig up Parijata in order to carry off the tree with its roots and plant it near Satyabhama's house. Then Indra appeared, however, seeing who was the kidnapper - after all, Krishna was the avatar of the god Vishnu - he generously allowed the tree to be taken away. Krishna proved his love to both wives: he planted a tree in the garden of Satyabhama, but its branches extended over the garden of Rukmini, dropping their flowers there. After the death of Krishna, the city of Dvaraka, where he lived, sank into the ocean, and the Parijata tree returned to heaven.
Probably, before "returning to heaven", this wonderful tree managed to multiply, since the parijata trees, or har singhar, are still growing in India. Their flowers resemble jasmine, but the corolla tubes are colored orange. Asvagosa, the spiritual mentor of King Kanishka, when describing the jungle of the lower belt of the Himalayas, mentions many beautiful trees, including the parijata, shining in their grandeur and regally towering above other trees burdened with lush bloom... They are widespread in the gardens of eastern Rajasthan.
Kalpa vriksha
“During the heat of the afternoon, the tree crowns closed like an umbrella over the head of Krishna, covering Him in the shade. Seeing this, the Lord turned to His friends: “Just look at these magnificent trees that have given their lives to serve others! Without thinking about themselves, they protect us from wind, rain, heat and snow. Just think how wonderful these trees are taking care of all living things! They weren't born in vain. They are like great saints, for everyone who turns to them in need will never leave disappointed. " ( Srimad Bhagavatam 10.22)
The Indian epic often mentions Kalpa vriksha, translated as "tree of desires", the image of which is captured in ancient Indian sculptural decorations. According to legend, one has to stand under the branches of a tree, and it will give everything that is asked of him. One of the earliest sculptural representations of vegetation in India is dedicated to the Kalpa Vriksha. It was created in Besnagar in the 3rd century BC. e. and is now in the Kolkata Museum. M. Radhava describes this tree as a banyan tree, at the foot of which are depicted jugs and a shell from which coins and lotus flowers are poured. The coconut tree is also often called Kalpa Vrksa.
It is believed that kalpa-vrikshas used to grow in the Vrindavan forest, the favorite place of Krishna's childhood pastimes, but it has not been possible to establish what kind of trees they were. According to the Hare Krishnas, these trees fulfilled the wishes of not every person who approached them with a request. First the aspirant had to become a devotee of Lord Krishna. The desire tree is impartial and free from material attachment. It grants the fulfillment of desires only to those who deserve such mercy.
The Indian botanist K. M. Waid is inclined to consider the baobab the prototype of this magic tree, but baobabs do not grow in India. Perhaps Wade meant shemal (shalmali) Is a cotton tree from the genus Bombax, the species of which are often called baobabs. Cotton, or silk, wood (B. malabaricum or B. ceiba) Is one of the largest trees in India. This tree is called cotton because its fruits contain a lot of fine hairs, which are used instead of cotton wool. In spring, its long branches are covered with scarlet bowl-shaped flowers, "which makes the tree look like the many-armed goddess Lakshmi, who holds red lamps in her palms" (M. Randhava).
Jambu tree
The Puranas tell about seven mythical continents, the inner of which is our world. This world is called Jambudvipa (mainland Jambu) after the name of the mythical tree Jambu that grows on one of the mountains. The fruits of this tree, the size of an elephant, when ripe, they fall on the mountain, and their sap forms the Jambu River, the waters of which bring health and life. There is also a real tree jambu, or "pink apple", which is quite possible to grow.
In the Buddhist cosmogony, Jambudvipa is one of the four continents of the universe, the human world, located on the southern side of Mount Sumeru. In the north of the mainland, between the mountains of Snezhnaya and Incense, there is the dwelling of the king of dragons and the quadrangular sea of Mapama, on the shore of which the Jambu tree grows. The tree gets its name from the sound "jambu" with which its ripe fruits fall into the sea. Some of them serve as food for the king of dragons, and some turn into gold of the Jambu River, which is called "gold-bearing". Further to the north, the king of trees, Sala, dwells.
Sacred plants.
Lotus is an invariable attribute of the gods
“The universe was originally water, liquid. Looking reverently at this space, Prajapati wondered: "How can one further distinguish this universe?" And then he saw a lotus leaf towering over the water. He thought, "There is something that he relies on." Taking the form of a boar, he rushed down to this goal. Far below, he found land. Having broken off some part of it, he rose to the surface. " ( Taittareya-brahmana)
Lotus (padma or kamala) Is a sacred and most revered plant in India. The chakras are depicted in the form of lotuses, especially it is associated with the thousand-petalled Sahasrara, located just above the crown of the head. The most important meditative pose in yoga is called Padmasana - the lotus position. The gods and goddesses of India are depicted standing or sitting on a lotus flower, with a lotus in hand or emerging from a lotus. The lotus comes out unspotted from mud and dirt and is therefore a symbol of divine birth. In Hinduism, paradise was presented as a beautiful lake, overgrown with huge pink lotuses, where righteous souls rest. The lotus on the threshold of the temple means the abode of the deity and the prayer state of purity and dispassion. The triple-stemmed lotus represents the triple aspect of time.
Brahma sitting on a lotus
According to the Bhagavata Purana, the God of the Universe produced from his navel a lotus with a bright brilliance equal to a thousand suns joined together. The lotus was so large that it could contain all living beings. From this lotus came Brahma, born of himself and named Kamalasana - "sitting on the lotus." Thereafter, Brahma created all beings and gave each of them a name and form. As the thousand-petalled lotus grew, the universe grew, petals gave rise to mountains, forests, rivers and valleys. In the mythical geography of Hinduism, the lotus is a representation of the earth, which floats like a water flower on the surface of the ocean.
Lotus in one of the four hands of Vishnu
The Srimad-Bhagavatam describes how the Lord appeared before the devotee in his eternal form, and his body, decorated with a garland of white lotuses and water lilies, shone like the sun. The Lord was dressed in immaculately clean robes of yellow silk, and his lotus-like face was framed by glittering locks of black curly hair. Decorated with a crown and earrings, he held in three hands his attributes: a shell, a disc and a club, and in his fourth hand was a white lily flower. However, according to other sources, Vishnu's flower is a blue lotus, "the rarest flower in the world."
Lakshmi emerging from the waters on a lotus flower
The lotus in India is a symbol of purity: growing out of mud, it is never stained. With such chastity, Indian mythology endowed the goddess Shri, or Lakshmi, the wife of Vishnu, who was considered the goddess of happiness, the patroness of fertility and prosperity. Lakshmi is so beautiful and pure that she is called Padma (lotus). She is also called "born of a lotus", "standing on a lotus", "painted with a lotus." According to legend, Lakshmi appeared while churning the ocean, emerging from the waters on a lotus flower. In the medallion of the Sanchi temple, the goddess Lakshmi is depicted standing on a lotus: surrounded by its leaves and flowers, she swims across the ocean.
Buddha - "pearl of the lotus"
In Buddhism, the lotus is dedicated to the Buddha who appeared from the lotus in the form of a flame and is called the "Pearl of the Lotus". Gautama Buddha has "lotus eyes, lotus feet and lotus thighs." The Buddha is considered the heart of the lotus, he sits on a throne that looks like a fully opened flower. According to legend, at the moment of the Buddha's birth, a plentiful rain of lotuses poured down from the sky, and a huge lotus grew everywhere, wherever the foot of the divine baby went. Since ancient times, Buddhist monasteries have been decorated with inscriptions, and monks continuously repeat on their rosary "Om-mani-padme-hum" - "Be blessed, jewel in the lotus!"
Tulsi plant - Vishnu's wife
"You have appeared before us in Your eternal form, which is adorned with a wonderful wreath of tulasi leaves." ( Srimad Bhagavatam)
Tulsi, or tulasi, – holy basil (Ocimum sanctum)... This plant is dedicated to Vishnu and personifies his beloved wife - Tulsi. There is a legend that at first Tulsi, who was then called Vrinda, was the wife of the asura Jalandhara, the incarnate wrath of Shiva. Jalandhara, through austerity, received the gift of invincibility, effective as long as his wife remains faithful to him. Tulsi-Vrinda was famous in the three worlds for her loyalty, so the asura did not worry about himself. He sent a message to Indra, demanding the treasures from the churning of the ocean. A war began between Indra and Jalandhara, but even Indra could not cope with the invincible enemy, so he turned to other gods for help. Lord Vishnu assumed the form of Jalandhara and entered the chambers of his wife. Tulsi cheated on her real husband, not recognizing the substitution, and Jalandhara was defeated by Indra. When the deception was revealed, Tulsi cursed Vishnu in anger, which turned the god into a shalagram stone. The offended Vishnu also cursed her, and she turned into a tulsi plant. However, later Tulsi began to be considered the wife of Vishnu.
Tulasi flowers are grown for offerings to the gods in every home and temple. Without tulasi, no daily puja or any other religious ritual can be performed. It exudes a strong fragrance, which according to Indian beliefs heals many diseases. The dried plants are used to make sacred necklaces (tulasi-mani). Tulasi for puja is collected before sunrise (but not in the middle of the day), in the evening or at night, in addition, it should not be plucked with nails. Tulasi plants are grown in pedestal-shaped pots called "Brindavan". Tulasi are usually placed in the northeastern corner of the site and worshiped daily.
Plants dedicated to Shiva
“Once upon a time there lived in the city of Champaka a very rich merchant named Chand Sadagar. He was a zealous devotee of Shiva and treated Manasa-devi and her worshipers with disdain. He lived outside the city in a luxurious house, surrounded by a spacious well-tended garden, in which grew a variety of beautiful flowers. Wanting to teach the proud merchant a lesson, Manasa let several snakes into his garden, and with their poisonous breath they turned the garden into a desert. But Chand, by his devotion to Shiva, gained magical power, with which he again turned the desert into a garden. " ( P. Thomas. Legends, myths and epics of ancient India)
Bilva (bael, bel), or Aegle marmelos, - Shaivite tree. Its fruits, flowers and leaves are sacred to Shiva, who is the peak of liberation. Planting bilva trees around a house or around a temple is an act of consecration, equal to worshiping a lingam with an offering of bilva leaves and water.
Flowers conry ("shower of gold")- a symbol of the sweet mercy of Shiva in our life. Associated with its shrines and temples located throughout India, cassia (Cassia fistula) glorified in countless Tirumurai hymns. It is a tree that blooms with golden yellow flowers, gathered in bunches.
Seeds rudraksha (blue marble tree)- red-brown, with a complex relief and the size of a large grape - are praised as tears of compassion shed by Shiva at the sight of the suffering of people. Rudra is the name of the Vedic thunder god, who in Hinduism is considered the prototype of Shiva the destroyer. Shaivites wear rosary beads made from rudraksha seeds.
Sacred ficuses in Hinduism
The sacred trees ashwattha, pippal, banyan tree, nyagrodha, vata (wat) are all names of plants from the genus of ficus. There are other sacred figs - gular, or udumbara (Ficus glomerata) and crybaby (Ficus arnottiana). In general, most of the evergreen ficuses originate from India and neighboring countries. Here, these plants are the most diverse and revered by the local population.
Pipal dedicated to Trimurti
Ashwattha, or pippal - sacred ficus, or religious (Ficus religiosa), the most revered tree in India. Pippal, dedicated to Trimurti (the three main gods - Shiva, Brahma and Vishnu), is often visited by all the gods, so it is especially sacred. No one should touch him, and women should honor him and walk around a thousand times a day. The Srivan Mahatmya text prescribes the worship of the tree every Saturday in the month of Sravan (July-August).
Banyan tree dedicated to Vishnu
Banyan, or tree cotton wool, – ficus bengal (Ficus bengalensis). Banyan tree is dedicated to the god Vishnu - the keeper of the world. There is a legend that Vishnu himself turned into this tree, therefore in Hinduism the ceremony of tying a cord on a tree and "marrying" it to Tulsi is performed. Since this is a long-lived tree, and its branches put down roots hanging down, giving life to all new "trees", it is considered immortal.
The banyan tree is characterized by an amazing form of growth: aerial roots appear on its large horizontal branches, which, upon reaching the ground, take root, while their above-ground part thickens, acquiring the shape of a trunk. Branches supported and nourished by such roots can grow indefinitely, giving branches of the second order both growing upward and horizontal. One such "tree-forest" can take up a huge area. This form of growth in honor of the Bengal ficus is also called "banyan", but it is characteristic of many types of ficus. Therefore, not only the Bengali ficus is called nyagrodha and banyan, but also other ficuses growing in the form of a banyan tree.
Without banyans, as without the Ganges and the Himalayas, it is impossible to imagine the nature of India. Under the thick cover of banyans, hermits loved to set up their abodes. In the form of a silent ascetic sage, the god Shiva himself sits under a banyan tree. The legendary rishis Nara and Narayana also took refuge under the roof of this tree. In each village, it was prescribed to plant vata and pippal trees, for they not only give a thick shade, but also protect fields and gardens from birds. During fruiting, these trees are covered with so many fruits (figs) that thousands of birds feed on them for weeks, leaving the crop of cultivated plants unharmed.
Historically, the existence of the cult of individual nyagrodha trees is attested, for example, in Gaya and Prayag, the sacred banyan tree is revered to this day. Some very old trees are truly grandiose in size. There is a banyan tree in Chicoli, covering an area of about one and a half acres, and the giant from Chunhanakuppa stretches over three acres and is almost 500 years old. In literature, the banyan tree is called a tree symbolizing Hinduism, which stretches its branches in all directions, feeds on many roots, creates a lot of shadow and still grows out of one large trunk.
Vrindavan forest in Krishnaism
“Sri Krishna said:“ The sweet, fragrant nectar oozing from the still unopened mango buds invariably attracts swarms of bees, and this whole forest trembles with the gentle breezes blowing from the slopes of Mount Malaya, overgrown with sandalwood trees. Thus, this Vrindavan forest increases my transcendental bliss. " Vidagdha Madhava 1.23)
Vrindavan- literally, "the forest (vana) of Tulasi (Vrinda) trees" - the place where the spiritual pastimes of Krishna took place 5,000 years ago. The land of Vraja is divided into different vans (forests). There are twelve of them in total and they stretch for 168 miles. Although all twelve forests are called Vrindavana, this name especially refers to one of these forests, the most beautiful and auspicious. “O holy land,” said Krishna, “this twelfth forest of Vrindavana is capable of destroying all inauspiciousness and is protected by Vrinda-devi. This is my favorite forest. In this place, where the demigods are not allowed, I enjoy playing with My friends and girlfriends. "
Imli Tala- especially the sacred place of Vrindavana. Imli means "tamarind" in Sanskrit. Not so long ago there was tamarind tree, which was about five thousand years old. This was Radha's favorite place. Once, while the rasa dance was taking place, Radha disappeared. Krishna looked everywhere for her and came under the Imli Tala tree, where a swing hung, on which they rode together. Krishna came running here hoping to meet his beloved, but she was not there either. Krishna sat under a tree, and the degree of his separation from his beloved was so great that his body became golden in color, like that of Radha herself.
Kadamba and tamala trees
“Beaming with happiness, the king of the forest, Krishna, was completely enchanted by the sly glances of the queen of the forest, Radha, who also shone with joy when Krishna decorated Her with flowers from the lord of the trees. kadamba... I pray that the fabulously rich king of trees kadamba appeared before me and gave my eyes transcendental happiness " (Vraja-vilasa-stava.)
The kadamba tree represents Radha, and the tamala tree represents Krishna. Trees kadamba grow in large numbers on the banks of the Yamuna River. They bloom with small golden flowers, collected in globular inflorescences. The flowers are reminiscent of Radha's body color and exude an amazing heady herbal scent. The Kadamba-khandi grove is a frequent place for Radha and Krishna's pastimes. Once Krishna stole the clothes of the bathing shepherdesses, hid in the crown of a kadamba tree and waited for them to discover the loss. In Kadamba-khandi, Krishna sat on the branches of a kadamba tree and played the flute, the sounds of which bewitched the ears of the transcendental surabhi cows. Tying up his beautiful hair, Krishna forced the kadamba tree to bend over to the water itself and jumped into the Yamuna River to kill the serpent demon Kaliya. Since the kadamba tree got a few drops of nectar brought by Garuda, it still grows in Vrindavan.
Krishna appeared on earth in a transcendental body that resembled a bluish tree tamala, and “the only meaning of the holy name of Krishna is that his body is dark blue, like a tamala tree” (C.C. Antya). Since the color of tamala reminds of Krishna, Radha always rested in the shade of this tree, apart from him. Once, when Krishna was walking by on the road, one of Radha's friends asked, "Don't you think that a tamala tree is walking by us?" Feeling the intolerance of separation from Krishna, Radha painted an unusually beautiful portrait of him on the sand with the sap of a tamala tree. Then, embracing his neck with her flexible, like a vine, arms, she fainted.
Trees and flowers in Buddhism
“Carefully, like butter in a bowl, Queen Mahamaya wore the Bodhisattva for ten lunar months. When her time came, she wished to visit her parents' house in the city of Davadakh. On the way there was a grove of fat trees, which was called Lumbini - a grove of amusements. At this time, all of it, from roots to tops, was covered with flowers, and among the branches a multitude of bees of five different colors, and, sweetly singing, the birds fluttered. Seeing all this, the queen felt the desire to take a walk in the garden. She approached a tall sal tree and reached for one of the branches. Then this branch, like a flexible reed, bent down to her and was at the level of her hands. The queen touched her, and at the same moment she was shocked by birth pangs. Thus, holding on to the branches, the queen was relieved of the burden. " ( The story of the birth of Buddha)
In Buddhism, a special place is given to man's love for nature, and few other religions in the world are so closely related to the plant world. According to legend, Gautama Buddha was born under a tree ashoka, attained enlightenment under a tree pippal, preached his new teaching in mango groves and in the shade of giant ficuses - banyan and died among the thickets of trees sal... By associating trees such as sal, ashoka and plaksha with the life of the Buddha, Buddhism declared them sacred.
The most important Buddhist symbol - bodhi tree, or Bo under which Buddha attained enlightenment. "Bodhi" is one of the main terms in Buddhism, denoting the highest state of consciousness, spiritual enlightenment. Traditionally, the pippal (sacred ficus) tree is considered a Bodhi tree, but according to some sources there are seven bodhi trees associated with the title of Buddha - "bodhisattva". Bodhi is not a name for a tree, but a characteristic that emphasizes its role in the path of the Buddha. It is believed that the attainment of the bodhi state is possible only under the Bodhi tree, therefore it is an integral attribute of all Buddhas at all times and in all worlds.
One of the evidence of the significant role of trees in Buddhism is the remarkable temple located in Barut. In the sculpture of Baruta, the image of the Buddha himself is not yet found - he is represented only symbolically: the lotus flower means his birth, the pippal tree - insight, etc. A special place among the sculpted trees and plants is occupied by seven bodhi trees. These trees provide a thick shade, and it is not surprising that the grateful inhabitants of the hot country awarded them with the sacred title. The pippal tree is carved with great care on the Prazenajit memorial pillar. Among the other trees depicted in Baruta's sculpture, we also find the banyan tree, or nyagrodha, gular, or fig tree, also known as udumbara, sal and mango.
The mango tree is found more often than others, for example, it is present in the relief depicting the offering at the Jetavana monastery. According to legend, during the Buddha's stay in Magadha, a wealthy merchant Anatapindaka visited him and presented him with Jetavana Park with transparent pools, lush greenery and countless flowers. In this park, Buddha delivered his sermons to the people. One of the bas-reliefs shows tala- well-known palmyra palm (Borassus flabellifer)... The sculptures of the Sanchi Temple in Central India also indicate that sacred trees played an important cult role in Buddhism in the early centuries.
By converting his subjects to Buddhism, King Ashoka (264–227 BC) renounced violence and not only encouraged the planting of forests, but also made it part of his state policy. He called for cultivating gardens and turning roads into shady alleys. In Sri Lanka, you can still see a tree descendant of the famous sacred Bodhi tree. It is believed to have grown from a branch of the original tree that King Ashoka sent from India in the 3rd century BC. e. The sacred tree is very popular with pilgrims who gather in the thousands to turn to it with words of prayer and reverent thanks.
Religious ceremonies.
In the Vedic religion, plants play a significant role in almost all ritual ceremonies and folk holidays... On the great day of Mahashivaratri, the leaves of a tree are sacrificed to Shiva white, and on Rakhi-purnima, the sacrifice to the water god Varuna is carried out by throwing coconuts into the water. During Dasera, the Maharaja sits on a carpet under a tree. shami and at the end of the puja the fruit is cut with a sword gourd tree... Holi, the feast of fertility, is accompanied by bundles of ears and ripe fruits. There is also a ritual practice to shower the lingam with flower heads and decorate the statues of the gods with flower garlands.
Soma sacrifice ritual
“O plants that are the queens of catfish, manifold and great in number! You have a power of perception that is a hundred times greater than that of a human. It is better for you not to find someone who could help in fulfilling any desires of the heart. " ( Rig Veda X.97.18-19)
In the Vedas, the god Soma is referred to as a deity, which is an intoxicating drink from a plant. catfish... One hundred and fourteen hymns of the ninth book of the Rig Veda are completely dedicated to him, as well as several hymns in other books, in addition, the mention of him contains the overwhelming majority of hymns. In some hymns, Soma is extolled as the creator or father of the gods, and scholars believe that he was the most popular deity at the time. Even the head of the gods, Indra, was a devoted devotee of Soma.
According to legend, originally the Soma plant grew in the mountains where the Gandharvas lived. Then the goddess of speech Sarasvati came to the Gandharvas, and they presented her with this plant as a gift. When she brought it to the gods, they argued over who would get the first sip of the drink. It was decided to establish this by running a race. Indra tried his best to get ahead of Vayu, but he could not, and then he made such an offer to Vayu: let him let Indra come to the finish line with him, and Indra give him two-thirds of a throat. Vayu did not agree to this, but when Indra offered to give him three-quarters, he accepted the offer. They came on an equal footing and shared the first sip of Soma among themselves.
The question of the correct identification of the catfish plant has not been completely resolved. According to Roxburgh, this is one of the types gourd - Asclepias acida, creeping plant, almost devoid of leaves. Its white, fragrant flowers cluster around the tips of the branches. It secretes milky sap, cleaner than any other plant, not pungent and acidic in nature. In one of the brahmanas of the Rig Veda, there is a description of the sacrifice of soma. According to W. D. Wilkins, it is sometimes performed today, but few priests are familiar with the ritual of this once very common rite.
The most plausible interpretation of soma is given by the famous Ayurvedic specialist D. Froli. From a Vedic point of view, plant sap contains a powerful vital essence - soma. Soma of plants is compatible with the vital essence of our body and even raises it to more high level activity, promoting healing and transformation processes at all levels. In fact, there is a catfish in every plant. Twenty-four somaceous plants are mentioned in the classical texts. The main method of obtaining catfish from plants has always been the first squeezing of their juices. Some catfish preparations were used for spiritual purposes, others for medicinal purposes.
Puja - offerings to the gods
“Anyone can easily offer a green leaf to the Lord in worship. Anyone can feed a cow. Anyone can donate a piece when they sit down to eat. Anyone can say nice words to others. " ( Tirumantiram)
The offering of aromas, flowers, incense, lamps and fresh fruit are all five elements of traditional puja, culminating in the offering of lamps. In the puja, whole rice, burning camphor, incense, sacred ash, water, red turmeric powder, flowers and food, and sometimes milk, rose water and sandalwood paste are offered to God.
Archana- an abbreviated form of temple puja, when the name, the star under which man is born, and his spiritual line (gotra) offered to God to invoke special personal, family, or group blessings or assistance. For offering to the deity, garlands of flowers, bananas and a coconut (they must be thoroughly washed, and you cannot even breathe on them), sacred ash, incense, camphor, rose water are brought to the deity.
“Flowers are used by the people of India as a ritual gift in morning prayers. According to one of the Indian folk tales, flowers were born not for their beauty or scent, not to decorate loved ones; they are created so that man has something to sacrifice. However, for this they must be grown in the believer's own garden, for there is no merit in sacrificing flowers cherished by another person. That is why such flowering trees as champaka and kadamba were planted near the temples ”(M. Randhava).
Among plants, it also stands out pancha pallava- five trees, the leaves of which are used in kalasha puja. These are ashwatha (pipal), atti (jagumbara), kirugoli (plaksha), mango (chuta), goli (naygrodha) and banyan. The leaves of the jacak tree are used only as a replacement in the absence of the listed plants, but are not indicated anywhere in scriptures... Moreover, mangala driveyas- auspicious powders of arasina (turmeric) and kumkum - are used in all religious ceremonies and pujas, for they expel evil spirits.
During the month shravan Indians follow the tradition of plucking the leaves of the tree bilva... Three-pointed leaves are usually written with red paste "Om Namah Shivaya" after which the leaves are offered to Shiva. Such worship continues throughout the month, during which the mantra is written continuously.
Sacred herbs kusa and durga
Herbs jackpot (Poa cynosuroides - comb-like bluegrass) and durga (Agrostis linearis- one of the types field grass) are considered sacred and are offered to the gods in various rites of worship. Armfuls of these herbs have also long been used by ascetics as a sitting mat during meditation.
Kusha grass is a bluish-gray cereal. In Tibetan, this herb is called durva. It is one of the most sacred plants, an attribute of the god Brahma. Thus, in the Srimad Bhagavatam there is an episode in which a sage offered prayers to the Supreme Deity. Suddenly, three gods (three aspects of the Supreme Deity) appeared before him, whom he recognized by their attributes. Lord Vishnu sat on a huge eagle and held a disc in his hand, Brahma sat on a swan and held the kusa grass, and Lord Shiva sat on a bull and held a small drum damaru. The kusa herb is always associated with pious brahmanas and is considered very auspicious.
According to Buddhist legends, a man named Mangalam presented the kusha herb to Buddha for sitting under the Bodhi tree. This story is described in the text "Sodnam Tsemo", or "The Door Leading to the Teaching." Before reaching enlightenment, Buddha thought about what he should sit on in order for it to come. He learned that all the previous Buddhas were sitting on a grass seat. To the right of the road, the herb seller was collecting the mown "grass of happiness" shanaka, and Buddha told him: "Today this herb can bring me great benefit: having overcome Mara along with his hordes, I will attain the highest enlightenment and peace." Then the seller brought him a sheaf of grass, as well as blue-green kusha grass, similar to the neck of a peacock. Gently spreading the grass with the tops inward, the roots outward, the Bodhisattva walked seven times around the Bodhi tree and sat cross-legged at the place of attainment of enlightenment.
Spring holidays of love and flowers
Here is champa, a strong aroma streaming wonderful flowers. Here is a warm amra, it grows in the fields of heaven. Nagkesara is dry, sparkles with its smile, And hot kittikum, teasing, inflames our feelings. And now, the love arrow on the bowstring sang, That a burning flame will light, its name is white.
(Quoted from: P. Thomas. Legends, Myths and Epics of Ancient India)
Kama in Hinduism is the god of love, he is married to Rati (passion) and has a friendship with Vasanta (spring). The bow of Kama is made from the stalk of sugarcane, the bow is made from the buzzing bees. In order to instill love in the heart of his victim, Kama strikes her with not one, but five arrows, therefore he is called Panchabana - "scorching with five arrows." These arrows various flowers corresponding to different feelings. One of these flowers is a flower amry(mango).
The greatest fun in ancient India was the spring festival celebrated in honor of Kama. In a slightly modified form, this holiday has survived to this day. It falls in the first week of February, when it blooms sarson... Women wear yellow saris and men wear saffron turbans. During the festival, the girls sacrifice young shoots of crops to the god of love and let many lighted clay lamps float across the sacred waters of the Ganges and Yamuna.
In India, the color of love, passion and devotion has long been considered red, therefore the Ashoka tree, which blooms with red flowers, is associated with the cult of Kamadeva. The popular holiday dedicated to the collection of Ashoka flowers was celebrated in the spring. The young women participating in this ceremony wore beautiful dresses and weaved ashoka flowers into their jet-black hair. The Ashoka tree has been associated with the concept of youth and beauty. There was a belief that it blooms only at the moment when, completing the dance, a young pretty girl touches its roots with her left foot.
Ashoka, Indian Saraca (Saraca indica)- a tree from the legume family, surprisingly beautiful in bloom. The ashoka flower has no petals, but the brightly colored lobes of the calyx of the flower completely replace them. Kalidasa, the court poet of Chandragupta II, in his book Ritusamara (Carnival of the Seasons) describes Ashoka trees with their young foliage, flowing tassels, among which shine coral-red flowers, instilling longing in the hearts of young maidens.
In the ancient city of Shravashti, which once flourished on the site of the modern district of Gond in Uttar Pradesh, Salabanjika was celebrated on a large scale - the festival of women and trees. Those of the women who desired to have offspring worshiped the blossoming sal tree. View lard, or shorea robusta, in full bloom is impossible to forget. In the last week of March, it is completely covered with fragrant creamy inflorescences.
Ganesha worship tradition
“If you worship the elephant-faced Vinayaka, your life will be multiplied by gifts. If you worship the white-tinted Vinayaka, worries and doubts will leave you. Therefore, worship him by lovingly offering grain, plantain and mango fruits, and thus lighten the burden of your actions. " ( St. Auwayar)
Ganesha is invariably worshiped at any undertaking, before a long journey or on the first page of a treatise. It is believed that Ganesha should be served with edible food, especially fruit. Mangalam (Tamil) - An eye-pleasing pattern that resembles the fruit of a mango, associated with Ganesha. Mango is the sweetest fruit, symbolizing the auspiciousness and the happy fulfillment of lawful worldly desires. This symbol of happiness and prosperity in South India is depicted on the floor or on the walls of temples and dwellings. Kalasha, a peeled coconut lined with five mango leaves in a pot, is used in puja to represent God, especially Ganesha. Breaking a nut in front of his altar is tantamount to breaking the ego in order to find the sweet fruit inside.