3 Trees in Shree Vishnu Sahasranama

3 Trees in Shree Vishnu Sahasranama 

dt 12th Feb 2012

GREETINGS
4 names in Shree Vishnu Sahasranama are taken up viz

Sulabha,--- Nyagrodha,Udumbara,Ashwattha

Brief explanation :


Prefixed with "Sulabha"- 817. easy to do means: The lords blessings are easily obtained by Bhakti alone-When the creation gives a leaf,flower, fruit , water we can offer with all our love - mind & heart. REFER leaf,flower, fruit ,water--when offered with pure devotion ref. Chp 9 Gita. -
the Anugraha -of lord is Sulabha- easy to obtain .This is to enable a devotee to seek and strive to Parama-Purusha by the simple way of Devotion alone.


Three Trees 

1) The Banyan Tree: "NYAGRODHA"-822. name has been derived from the analogy to this tree- and it's Roots; but here the Aerial Roots have been used in analogy; Roots grow downwards firmly holding it--but  -aerial roots in  of a Banyan and the Tree stands tall, spreading all scross, giving shade to all-anyone  under a wide canopy -
i.e. The Lord stands above VIEWING CREATION...Protects all, gives shade to all .
There is no sectarian outlook in Mother Nature's care.

The Banyan also symbolizes Trimurti with Vishnu as the bark, Shiva as the branches and Brahma as the roots. Indian culture acks the Banyan tree as 'Kalpa Vriksha' the tree that fulfill all your wishes.Thus the mighty Banyan Tree is considered as immortal and has always been the focal point for the village communities in India. It is probably the biggest and friendliest of all trees- used by people as a shady place to rest.
Several meanings in analogy are taken with the Banyan tree and they are far reaching

• As Vata Vriksha as in Shri Dakshinamurthy stotra.

• The Banyan tree analogy is explained in detail in Gita Chp 15- Inverted Tree of Life and is accepted as an Upanishad.  

2) UDUMBARA. 823.- Has several meanings inc food, nourishment, --the one who nourishes the universe,
The name derived from ut-ambarah, i.e. issued from the Sky-
the Supporter of universe, cause of creation and it's sustenance.
As food from shruti- urgva annadyam, udumbaram.
thus we have the upanishadic statement "Annam brahmeti"-food indeed is God.


OUDAMBER-Dattatreya Guru:  son of the Rishi Atri and Anasuya. His birth was a divine boon, hence his name: Datta–“given”–and atreya–“son of Atri.” Considered a divine incarnation and known as the Lord of Avadhutas, is  revered as the embodiment of the Supreme Guru. Also authorship of the Avadhuta Gita, the Jivanmukti Gita, and the Tripura Rahashya. 
ASHVATTHA-824. svah tishtati iti svasthah -means that which will stand tomorrow also-i.e. to explain permanency or symbolic of  permanent, not taken away by time,,,is Asvattah.
Ashwattha -Pipal tree-Scientific name Ficus Religiosa
The tree of enlighenment of Gautama Buddha-called as  Bodhi Tree (peepal tree)


GROWTH - Banyan Tree ( FICUS BENGHALENSIS)
The Banyan is of a Ficus genus ( by figs) actually starts as a Fig-as an Ephiphyte when its seeds germinate any where –sometime in most unusual places a Tree-or a cement crack even in the cracks and crevices of buildings. The seeds of banyan are distributed all over at random by Birds and Wind The Sapling sends down strong roots and they may even expand and twist around and take over its base and cover the host tree esp.
The name Strangler Fig is used for Banyan & Pipal esp. when Roots take control over place of origin NOTE-See the Trunk of such trees in many places, even public places and roads where Roots twist all around for growth and search for moisture and sunlight , got the name “strangler fig”-seen in many trees.
The leaves of Banyan tree are broad dark green and thick like plastic and elliptical in shape. Young leaves have a reddish shade. Older banyan trees have Aerial Roots that grow from main trunk-into Giant Trees with age and cover a wide area.
Natures Wonder
TR

Thought" Protect all Plants and trees -flora & fauna"

Dharmo Rakshati, RakshitaH

(Protect Dharma and it will protect you)

SOURCES -The Aswattha  (Arasa Maram in Tamil ) is worshiped in most parts of India and a murthy of God is consecrated below the tree. In Kerala and Tamil Nadu, the family which plants the tree, does a sacred thread ceremony to the tree and then conducts its marriage with the neem tree. Most of the Naga Temples in Kerala and Ganesha temples in Tamil Nadu are constructed below this tree. Women who are not able to beget children are asked to go round the tree daily. The great shade of the tree is used as the meeting place of senior citizens in every village.

Srimad Bhagavad Gita Chp 15: There is a banyan tree which has its roots upward and its branches down, and the Vedic hymns are its leaves. One who knows this tree is the knower of the Vedas." (-Gita 15.1) Here the material world is described as a tree whose roots are upwards and branches are below. We have experience of a tree whose roots are upward: if one stands on the bank of a river or any reservoir of water, he can see that the trees reflected in the water are upside down. The branches go downward and the roots upward. Similarly, this material world is a reflection of the spiritual world. The material world is but a shadow of reality. In the shadow there is no reality or substantiality, but from the shadow we can understand that there is substance and reality. In the desert there is no water, but the mirage suggests that there is such a thing as water. In the material world there is no water, there is no happiness, but the real water of actual happiness is there in the spiritual world.

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

FROM SOURCE: moola mantra, significance

• Moolatho Brahma roopaya, madhyatho Vishnu roopine,
  Agratha Shiva roopaya Vruksha rajaya they nama., 1.
  
  My salutations to the king of trees. Whose root is the form of Brahma,
  Middle is the form of Lord Vishnu, And top is the form of Lord Shiva