Hindu mythology, Vedic and Purânic . THE BEL. 391 CHAPTER IX SACRED TREES. SEVERAL trees are regarded as sacred ; they being repre-sentative of, or peculiarly dear to, some of the deities. It is ameritorious act to plant and water them, and such is the respectcherished for them, that even their withered branches are not. THE BANYAN TREE. allowed to be burnt. The same ceremonies are observed atthe planting of these trees, or, when they have been taken careof for some time, at their consecration, as are observed at thesetting up of an image. The following are the names of thesacred trees :— The


Hindu mythology, Vedic and Purânic . THE BEL. 391 CHAPTER IX SACRED TREES. SEVERAL trees are regarded as sacred ; they being repre-sentative of, or peculiarly dear to, some of the deities. It is ameritorious act to plant and water them, and such is the respectcherished for them, that even their withered branches are not. THE BANYAN TREE. allowed to be burnt. The same ceremonies are observed atthe planting of these trees, or, when they have been taken careof for some time, at their consecration, as are observed at thesetting up of an image. The following are the names of thesacred trees :— The Asvatta, or Pipul Tree (Fiats religiosd), sacred toVishnu. /2 Tin: Inferior Deities. The Yata, Banyan or Indian Fig Tree * (Ficus Indica), also red to Vishnu. The Yilva, or Wood-apple, or Bel Tree f {&gk Marmelos),red to Siva. The Vakula (Mimusops Elengi).The Haritaki {Terminalia chebuld). The Amalaki, or Etnblic Myrobalans (Phyllanthus emblicd).The Nimba, or Nim Tree % (Melia azadirachta).The Tulsi § (Ocintutn gratissimum or sanctum).The Tulsi is very commonly worshipped by the followers ofVishnu ; and the plant is most carefully tended as his repre-sentative. Every morning the ground near it is cleaned witha-dung and water ; at night a lamp is hung near it. Duringth i hottest months of the year, a vessel


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Keywords: ., bookcentury1800, bookdecade1880, bookpublisheretcetc, bookyear188