Peepal tree/ Ficus religiosa L.
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Botany
Family : MORACEAE
Family (As per The Plant List) : Moraceae
Species : Ficus religiosa
Species Name (as per The Plant List) : Ficus religiosa L.
Common name : Peepal Tree, Sacred Fig
Vernacular name : Ashwatha, Pipalah, Ashvattah (San.); Ppipal, Pipli, Pipar (Hin.); Ashwathamara, Arali mara (Kan.)
Key identification features : A large deciduous tree. The characteristic heart-shaped leaves are long-petioled with the apex drawn into a tail-like structure. Figs are globose, small and purplish when ripe. Bark yellowish or grey-brown, smooth becoming scaly with age.The glossy long-tipped leaves hanging down from extended petioles are distinctive and clatter noisely in the slightest breeze.
Habit : Tree
Native : India, Burma
Comments : A sacred Tree. Widely cultivated and planted in and around places of worship, avenues and gardens. Bark, leaves and seeds have medicinal properties and are used in local medicine
Distribution Locality in Karnataka: Bagalkot, Bangalore, Belgaum, Bellary, Bidar, Bijapur, Chamrajnagar, Chikamagalur, Chikkaballapur, Chitradurga, Dakshina Kannada, Davanagere, Dharwad, Gadag, Gulbarga, Hassan, Haveri, Kodagu, Kolar, Koppal, Mandya, Mysore, Raichur, Ramanagara, Shimoga, Tumkur, Udupi, Uttara Kannada, Yadgir
Significance: in religion, Ayurved, ecology
Authors:
Romesh Mengi |Why people pray to Peepal tree| Daily Excelsior - 11/06/2017
Sathya Narayanan | Peepal Puja Vidhi and Mantra | FEB 12, 2016 |Speaking Tree
Ancestors:- Hinduism teaches its followers to respect their ancestors. And the mythology narrates that the Hindu ancestor’s soul resides in this tree. This leads Hindus to respect and worship this tree throughout the year. (Romesh Mengi | Daily Excelsior)
Ayurvedic Significance:- We all know that Ayurveda is considered as the ancient medical practice of India. It is known to heal a vast majority of diseases. Now, Peepal is considered quite useful within the realms of Ayurveda. The bark of the Peepal tree is used to yield tannin whereas its leaves, when heated, are quite useful in treating wounds. This does add to the importance of the tree, hence the worshipping. (Romesh Mengi | Daily Excelsior)
Bacteria Killer:- Researchers have also proved that the interacting flow of wind as well as the sound, with peepal leaves, kills infection bacteria slowly (Romesh Mengi | Daily Excelsior)
Benefits attained by Peepal tree worship Through the worship of peepal tree, people attain a stable mind and clear thinking. The power to make proper decisions is facilitated. Through the blessings of Jupiter one can gain the power of logic and intelligence favouring luck and fortune. The obstacles in one’s marriage are removed. This is highly relevant for children since it can sharpen their intelligence and make them shine in academics. In business people, it can bring about a significant increase in income in addition to facilitating multiple sources of income. Good health, happiness and prosperity are the predominant results of peepal tree worship. (Sathya Narayanan | Speaking Tree)
Brahma Purana:- According to Brahma Purana, lord Vishnu is said to have hidden in the Peepal tree as the demons had defeated all the Gods. It further states that Lord Vishnu’s birth took place under a Peepal tree as well which makes it a symbol of Lord Vishnu. With such imperative role to render within the Indian mythology, Peepal trees are considered as a god-like figure. (Romesh Mengi | Daily Excelsior)
Brihaspati/ Jupiter: Peepal tree is said to be related to the planet Jupiter and is also called as Brihaspati or Guru. In Indian theology, Jupiter is considered the preceptor of the gods. In astrology, Jupiter is considered a highly benevolent planet that confers propitious results to the different zodiac signs while transiting through the different houses of the horoscope. However, certain positions of Jupiter are said to be afflicted, which bring bad results. Under such conditions, worshipping Peepal tree is considered to assuage the severity and bring prosperity. (Sathya Narayanan | Speaking Tree)
Hanuman ji:- If the stories are to be believed; it is often concurred that Lord Hanuman used to sit upon this tree and witnessed the hardships faced by the wife of Lord Rama. Also, the Peepal tree used to provide shelter to Sita and, therefore, the tree is considered to have a special place in the heart of Lord Hanuman. (Romesh Mengi | Daily Excelsior)
Lakshmi, Goddess:- It is believed that goddess Lakshmi resides under the tree every Saturday. Therefore, women pray to this tree and wish to be granted with a son. They also tie a red thread or a red cloth on its branches hoping to have their wishes granted. (Romesh Mengi | Daily Excelsior)
Mantra: Peepal Tree Mantra Peepal tree is considered to embody the trinity in its roots (Brahma), in its stem (Vishnu) and in its leaves (Shiva). This tree is also called Vruksharaja or the king of trees. The other name of Peepal tree is Ashvatta in Sanskrit. The following mantra praises peepal tree which needs to be chanted while circum-ambulating a peepal tree or doing puja to it. ------- Moola to brahma rupya Majhi to vishnu roopine agratho shivaroopaya vriksha rajaya namo namahah (Sathya Narayanan | Speaking Tree)
Oxygen Provider, Largest:- Peepal is considered to be the largest oxygen provider, along with Neem and Tulsi. It is widely known at several places that these trees release oxygen even at night. They can uptake CO{-2} during the night as well. (Romesh Mengi | Daily Excelsior)
Saturday worshipping: One of the many mythological stories surrounding Peepal tree exhibits the importance of worshipping the tree on a Saturday. According to Brahma Purana; Ashvattha and Peepala were demons who possessed magical powers. They’d pursue people to touch the tree so as to kill them. But both of them were killed by lord Shani which significances the importance of Saturday. (Romesh Mengi | Daily Excelsior)
Saturdays: Why Peepal tree puja on Saturdays The notorious demons called Ashvatta and Peepal were playing mischievous games with people. One of them took the form of the peepal tree to get people near and kill them. Both these demons were annihilated by Saturn or Shani which makes worshipping Peepal tree on Saturday highly auspicious. In addition, Goddess Lakshmi is said to reside in this tree on Saturdays and so the puja is done to Peepal tree on Saturdays. (Sathya Narayanan | Speaking Tree)
Speech Irregularities Cured:- It is believed that if you lick honey placed on a peepal leaf, your speech irregularities will be cured. (Romesh Mengi | Daily Excelsior)
Trimurti coherence :- It is further believed that Lord Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva used to hold their councils under this tree. This has led to deeper faiths within the Peepal tree. (Romesh Mengi | Daily Excelsior)
Who must worship Peepal tree Peepal tree worship is recommended for all ascendants meaning the people of all zodiac signs. However, it is highly appropriate for the zodiac signs in which Jupiter is weak or afflicted. However, by worshipping peepal tree, the boons conferred by Jupiter can be augmented. The benefits conferred by Jupiter include health, fortune, luck, wisdom and progeny. In females, Jupiter facilitates marriage and a positive relationship with the husband. Jobs in the corporate world are said to be facilitated by Jupiter. Since propitiating Jupiter is done the best way through Peepal tree worship, it is a highly auspicious one. (Sathya Narayanan | Speaking Tree)
Dwindling numbers: We can say that Urbanisation or Urban Sprawl led to the sharp reduction in peepal tree plantation. We donot have the time and space to plant it but we have the time to cut these important trees on the name of urbanization. Like the sparrows , the peepal tree too seem to be disappearing from our cities. (Romesh Mengi | Daily Excelsior)
Health benefits
ANI cited Acharya Bal Krishan on 16 benefits
ANI |16 health benefits of the peepal tree that you had no idea about | November 9, 2017
Peepal is a tree is worshipped since the dawn of civilization and has great medicinal value apart from religious significance.
This sacred tree native to the Indian subcontinent is a storehouse of medicinal value and is used to treat many ailments and diseases, ranging from a simple incident like a snake bite to Asthma, skin diseases, kidney diseases, constipation, dysentery, impotency and various blood-related problems, said Acharya Bal Krishan of the Patanjali Ayurveda Ltd. in Haridwar, Uttarakhand.
Peepal tree leaves contain Glucose, Asteriod and Mennos,Phenolic while its bark is rich in Vitamin K, tainen and Phaetosteroline.
All of these ingredients make the peepal tree an exceptional medicinal tree.
According to the science of Ayurveda, every part of the peepal tree - the leaf, bark, shoot, seeds and its fruit has several medicinal benefits, and it is being used since ancient times to cure many diseases.
Acharya Bal Krishan has given the following medicinal tips for the use of Peepal:
1. For bleeding diarrhoea: Take soft stems of peepal, coriander seeds,crystal sugar in equal quantity and mix them well and take its 3-4 grams twice a day and it is very useful in this disease.
2. For poor appetite: Take ripe fruits of Peepal. Peepal fruit can also be taken for cough, pitta, blood-related problems, burning sensation and vomitting etc.
3. For stomach pain: Make paste of 2.5 leaves of a peepal plant and mix with 50 grams jaggery and make small tablets of the mixture and take it 3-4 times a day. It will soothe the stomach pain.
4. For Asthma: Take a bark of plant and its ripe fruits. Make their powder separately and mix them in equal quantities. In take of this mixture thrice in a day is very effective in this problem. Make a powder of dry fruits of peepal and take it with two to three grams of water for 14 days twice a day and this will prove very effective.
5. Snake Bite: In case of a snake bite give 2-2 spoons of the extracts of Peepal leaves three to four times to reduce the effect of the poison
6. For skin diseases: Eat the soft leaves of Peepal and the problem itching and other skin diseases are cured. Taking 40 ml tea of this leaf is equally effective.
7. Eczema itching: Take 50 gms peepali bark ash and add lime and ghee properly and make the paste of the mixture. Apply this paste on effective areas and it will prove soothing effects. Take 40 ml tea of peepal bark regularly and it will also be useful.
8. Cracked Heals: Apply Peepal leaf extracts or its milk on cracked hands and heels to get best results.
9. For blood purification: Take one to two gm of Peepal seeds powder and take it with honey twice a day and it will purify the blood. In the gastric-related blood disorders take 40 ml kwath and five gms of honey for best results.
10. For impotency: Take half spoon of peepal fruit powder thrice a day with milk. You will get rid of impotency and give strength to the body.
Equal quantity of peepal fruits, its roots,bark and shunthi may be mixed and treat it with milk and then add sugar candy and honey in it and take the mixture twice a day and it will improve sex power.
Take equal quantity of peepal fruit, roots, bark and shunga and add sugar and honey in it. It will increase sex power
11. For constipation: Take 5-10 fruits of peepal daily and it will cure the problem of constipation permanently
12. For Liver and spline disease: Take 3-4 fresh leaves of Peepal and mix crystal sugar in it and make its powder. Mix the powder in 250 ml water and then filter the mixture. This squash has to be given twice a day to the patient for 5 days. This medicine is very effective for patient of Jaundice.
13. For Swelling in Spline [spleen?]: Take 10-20 gms of peepal bark and burn it out and add equal quantity of Kalmi Shora and pour it in ripe banana and eat one such banana each day and it will cure swelling of spline swelling.
14. For Hiccups: Take 50-100 gms bark of peepal and make tis charcoal and extinguish it in water. The intake of this water is very useful for patients of Hiccups
15. For eye pain: Take the milk of the leaves of the plant and apply on the eye. It will cure eye pains
16. For tooth disease: Take barks of both peepal and banian tree in equal quantity and mix them well and boil the mixture in hot water. Use it for rinsing in the mouth and it will cure teeth pain.
