Why do we worship ‘Tulsi’ plant?

I am happy to write this third article in continuation of the series ‘The Why of Indian Tradition’. Today the topic is ‘Tulsi’ plant. In India, Hindu religion has bestowed ‘Tulsi’, with the status of mother. Traditional Hindu families consider it auspicious to plant Tulsi in their homes. They worship it and take every care of it. Also known as ‘Sacred or Holy Basil’, Tulsi, has been recognized as a religious and spiritual devout in many parts of the world.

We, Indians have a special respect for Tulsi. We see this everyday in our family when our mother or grandmother worship Tulsi and offer water to it. This tradition is continuing since ages, we even do not know since when. However, one point is very clear, our brilliant Rishis (sages) knew the benefits of Tulsi and that is why they personified it as a Goddess and gave a clear message to the entire community that it needs to be taken care of by the people, literate or illiterate. Today, we do not do any harm to Tulsi and try to protect it because it is like Sanjeevani for the mankind.

Documented as something being used in many traditional ceremonies, Tulsi plant is thought to open the heart and mind and bestow love, compassion, faith and devotion. With such belief it has been widely used in religious rituals and ceremonies throughout the continents.

Today, inspite of the fact that the mankind has scaled the heights in medicine, the entire medical fraternity world over acknowledges the traditional and herbal characteristics of Tulsi. The properties of Tulsi, which the world has acknowledged today was known to Indians since ages. Tulsi has great medicinal properties. It is an awesome antibiotic and a healthy tea as well. Taking Tulsi everyday as tea or otherwise increases immunity and help the drinker prevent diseases, stabilize his or her health condition, balance his or her body system and most important of all, prolong his or her life. Keeping Tulsi plant at home prevents insects and mosquitoes from entering the house. It is said that snakes do not dare to go near the Tulsi. This was reason, in ancient times, people would grow lots of Tulsi near their house. Tulsi also produces great quantity of oxygen which is again most vital for the survival of mankind.

Today more and more people from different walks of life have included Tulsi tea drinking in their daily routines- giving them a more relaxed and refreshed feeling. This wonder plant has been highly classified as something that is indeed organic, botanical, naturally safe, healthy, flavorful, aromatic, relaxing and refreshing.

The properties of Tulsi, which the world has recognized after so much of scientific testing and research was known to us (Indians) for thousands of years. Our Rishis were indeed great—isn’t it?

                                                                                               

                                                                                                 -Shitanshu Srivastava

Why do we worship Sun God?

In continuation of coming up with logical and scientific reasons behind our traditions, this time we will discuss why do we worship Sun God and especially offer water to it in the morning.

Most of us see our parents or grand parents and also even some of us offer water to Sun God in the morning. That is a different question if our ‘mornings’ for offering water to Sun god varies from 8:00 AM to 12:00 Noon J, but those who are regular don’t see the timing and do it whatever time it is possible. Ever wondered why do we offer water to Sun God? Is it because Sun has the status of a God in our Indian customs? Is it because our parents or grand parents do and they know better about traditions so we should also follow suit? Or is it because we want to follow it for the sake of following it? Well the reason why our brilliant ancestors followed it had none of these reasons but a very strong logical and scientific reason behind it.

We offer water to Sun God in the morning between 8:00 AM to 12:00 Noon as per our convenience with a Lota. When we pour water by raising both our hands towards Sun God a very thin flow of water falls from the Lota and we do not even see towards the Sun because of the strong rays coming from it. While our ancestors would offer water to Sun God at the time of dawn, when the Sun rises, with a utensil which had a wide edge, something like the one in figure 1.1. When the water was offered by raising both the hands towards the Sun God a wide film of flowing water would be made in front of the eyes and our ancestors (sages, saints) would see the Sun God through that film of flowing water. The rays of the Sun coming (filtered from the flowing film of water) at the time of sun rise were not only excellent for their eyes but it would also energize their entire body and soul.

It is a proven scientific fact that the early morning sun rays are good for the human being, after all human body is also a bundle of energy. The human body is made up of five things, air (vayu), water (jal), earth (prithvi), fire (energy) and space (aakash) and the cure of all the ailments of the body is amongst these five things only and the rays of the rising sun are one of these things. Many diseases can be cured by the use of sun rays e.g. ailments of the heart, eyes, jaundice, leprosy and weak mind. Rigveda says, it is sun that wakes one up from sleep. It is due to thesun that all can work and are active. All living beings of the creation depend on the sun. The sun removes physical, mental and spiritual weaknesses and makes one healthy and long lived. The seven colours of the sun are very good and important for the health. If early morning one has a bath and after offering prayers to the Lord one has sun bath and allows the sun rays to fall on one's body then one could free the body of all ailments and increase one's intelligence.

                                                                     Figure 1.1

                                                                                                              -Shitanshu Srivastava

Why do we worship 'Peepal Tree'!!

I wanted to give an effort to bring out the scientific reasons behind the various traditions, customs we, as Indians, follow. Why I thought to start this column, is the basic reason of following some traditions without knowing the reason why we are following them. Normally, we do so by seeing our parents/grand-parents doing it. Even if we ask them the reason most of the time we get a reply which is related to God or religion or simply saying, “ye hamari parampara hai”.

I do not know whether I’d be able to do justice to what I am trying to do here, but I’ll try my level best.

To start the series, let us take up a very common tradition, worshiping and offering water to ‘Peepal’ tree. Why do we do that? Hindu religion asks us to offer water to ‘Peepal’ tree because as per it, it’s the abode of God. The religion asks us not to uproot any ‘Peepal’ tree because it will bring bad omen to us. There is a fear of God created for the ‘Peepal’ tree and we worship it thinking that it is the abode of God and God will get angry if we uproot them. Ever wondered, why we worship ‘Peepal’ and not ‘Neem’??

‘Peepal’ tree is almost useless for an ordinary person living in a village (think of thousands of years back when the society was not this modern and literate) except that its shadow is used for ‘Panchayat’ or other meetings etc in a village. ‘Peepal’ does not a have a delicious fruit, its wood is not strong enough for any purpose then why should a common villager or person worship it or even care for it? On the other hand every part of ‘Neem’ tree is useful for a common man but still he does not worship it. Why?

Our ancestors (the thinkers of that time) were very intelligent. They knew the quality of a ‘Peepal’ tree which an ordinary man would not either understand or probably would not bother to understand as it does not have any direct benefit for the ordinary man. Our ancestors knew that ‘Peepal’ is one of the very few trees (or probably the only tree) which produces oxygen even at night. (It must be brought to the readers’ notice that all trees use carbon dioxide in day time while doing photosynthesis and produce oxygen which is ‘pran vaayu’ for human beings and at night all trees ‘inhale’ oxygen and ‘exhale’ carbon dioxide at night.) But ‘Peepal’ tree ‘exhales’ or produces oxygen even at night. It generates so much oxygen in one minute which is enough for approx 1000 living creatures.

Our ancestors knew that a common man would probably not understand this scientific reason so in order to save this tree because of its unique property they related it to God/religion and a common is, most of the time, God fearing. This fear of God and the belief that a ‘Peepal’ tree is God’s abode we offer water to ‘Peepal’ tree, we do not uproot it and take every care of it.

Just think if it was not linked to God we would not respect a ‘Peepal’ tree which has so much benefit for we human beings.

If you also know about any such scientific reason behind our traditions please do contribute. Let’s know the ‘why’ of Indian traditions and reason they are still going strong since ages.

                                                         

-Shitanshu Srivastava