Trees in Indian Mythology

Trees are the nature’s major processors of solar energy which is vital for our existence and yielding flowers fruit wood or medicine have been worshipped by the Hindus as a matter of gratitude. Man believed that trees were conscious like them and felt the pleasure and pain sensed by human beings. Indian sages and seers eulogized asvattha or peepal (Ficus religiosa) gular (Ficus glomerata) neem (Azadirachta indica) bel (Aegle marmelos) bargad or banyan (Ficus bengalensis) Asoka (Saraca asoca) amala (Phyllanthus emblica) Arjuna (Terminalia arjuna) and many other trees which acquired social and religious sanctity with the passage of time. Bel rudraksa (seeds of Elaeocarpus) and ber (Zizyphus jujuba) are considered dear to Lord Siva sala (Shorea robusta) and pipal to Lord Visnu; kadamba (Anthocephalus cadamba) to Lord Krishna; mango (Mangifera indica) to Lord Hanuman asoka to Kamadeva; silk cotton (Bombax malabaricum) to the goddess Laksmi; and coconut or sriphala (Cocos nucifera) to Varuna or the lord of waters and to many other gods and goddesses.