FICUS RELIGIOSA

Family: Moraceae
Sanskrit: Aswattha
Hindi: Peepul, Bo tree, Bodhi tree
English: Indian Fig tree

Sacredness of Aswattha
• The Aswattha is unrivaled throughout
Hinduism, the tree mentioned in
the Bhagavata Gita where it is called the
“one that is not the same tomorrow”,
with reference perhaps, to this earth,
that is ever changing.
“Aswattha, having its roots above and branches below is eternal. Its leaves are the Chhandas. He
who knows it, knows the Vedas. Downwards and upwards are stretched its branches which are
enlarged by the qualities; its sprouts are the objects of sense. Downwards, its roots leading to
action are extended to this world of men”.

• “upwards and downwards means from the highest to the lowest of created things. Enlarged by the
qualities i.e. the qualities appearing as the body, the senses etc. The sprouts are the objects of sense,
being attached to the senses themselves as sprouts to branches. The roots extending downwards are the
desires for diverse enjoyments”.

Hindus associate the tree with the three gods Brahma, Vishnu and Siva.
Roots of Aswattha represent Brahma; its bark represents Vishnu and its
branches Mahadeva.
• The tree is considered to be a Brahman and worshiped daily after the morning bath
• The tree is considered to be Vishnu himself and at the same time Vishnu is
believed to have been born under it. That is the reason why the tree or its
branches are never cut unless it is for worship.
• The plant is also a symbol of fertility and is worshiped by women for the grant of
a child.
PEOPLE AND TREES: INTIMATELY CONNECTED THROUGH THE AGES
Their cycles of growth, shedding of leaves, and re-flowering in the spring, people have long perceived trees as
powerful symbols of life, death, and renewal. Since the beginning of time, humans have had a sense that
trees are sentient beings just like us, that they can feel pain, that they bleed when they are hurt. Trees even
look like us. People have a trunk; trees have arms. And so we innately feel a deep connection to them.

TREES SPEAK TO THE SOUL OF HUMAN BEINGS

• People can feel a tree’s vibrational energy when placing their hand upon its bark. With their deep
roots, trees carry significant grounding energy. We naturally feel peace and serenity when walking
in the shade of trees or on a forest trail.
Sacred Fire:
Since the fire is produced by friction between the Aswattha and the Sami plant in the sacred Horns
ceremony, the analogy between this and the intercourse of sexes is apparent. Aswattha is the male,
Sami is the female and the Agni thus produced is the child. Agni once hid himself in the Aswattha tree
and because of this temporary home of Agni devatta, Aswattha tree became sacred.
Buddhism:
Buddhists also consider the tree sacred as Prince
Siddhartha sat in meditation under this tree and found
enlightenment. The tree since then is known as the Bo or
the Bodhi tree.
There are three trees associated with the
attainment of Omniscience by Lord
Buddha.

• Buddha tree of Enlightenment;

• Nyagrodha tree (bliss of illumination).
• Muchalinda (hood from a storm).

Bodhi tree, worship- as seen in early Buddhist Stupa in Sanchi dated from 300 BCE.
MINOAN CIVILIZATION OF CRETE

• Minoan sacred symbols include the Bull, Bull's Horns of

Consecration, Double Axe, Pillar, Snakes, Sun, and Tree.

• There are numerous representations of goddesses, which leads

to the conclusion that the Cretans were polytheistic, while others
argue that these represent manifestations of the one goddess.

• The most popular goddess seems to be the "Snake Goddess“,

who has snakes entwined on her body or in her hands. Since the
figurine is only found in houses and in small shrines in the
palaces, it is believed that she is some sort of domestic goddess
or goddess of the house.
Snake Goddess
MINOAN SACRIFICE with a slaughtered bull in the middle, two terrified animals below him and a woman
offering on the right. Notice the double axe and horns of consecration next to the altar.
Sacred Gardens
Greek civilization drew upon the Minoan civilization of Crete which drew upon West Asia and Egypt. Religious
ideas passed along this chain, with Osiris worshiped in Greece.
Greek gods took human forms but continued to represent concepts. Apollo, the god of light, awe, wisdom and
divine distance, was associated with a range of sacred interests, including medicine, animals, music and the
Delphi oracle.
The formal elements of any Greek sanctuary are first, the specifically sacred landscape in which it is set, and
second, the buildings that are placed within it.
The temples of Delphi stand