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[edit] Plants used in rituals for Śiva

Image:Calotropis gigantea.jpg

Calotropis gigantea

Ak (आंक āṁk) is used in homa sacrifices, and the flowers are also offered to Śiva generally.

Calotropis spp., especially
- C. gigantea (L.) W. T. Aiton syn. Asclepias gigantea L.; the genus also written “Calatropis”

Ashoka (hi. अशोक aśok; sa. अशोक aśoka) flowers are offered to Śiva. Is said to remove sorrow (hence it’s name) and protect from harm. It’s auspicious to eat the red flower buds or to drink water wherein flowers have been. The tree itself is sacred (Śiva made it evergreen because Pārvatī made offerings to Śiva with aśoka flowers) and should be planted in the south-east direction.

Also called: asopalava, common saraca

Saraca indica L.; synonym of S. asoca (Roxb.) W. J. de Wilde?; the genus also written “Sarica”

Badari (sa. बदरी badarī) twigs are offered to Śiva (Rudra). The fruits are also offered to Śiva (a story in Mahābhārata tells of how [[Arundhati|Arundhatī] cooks and serves Śiva badarī fruits for twelve years, all-while fasting herself). Gaṅgā flows from the very roots of such a tree in Kailaś.

Also called: ajapriya, badara (sa. बदर badara), ber (hi. बेर ber), Indian cherry, Indian jujube, Indian plum, jujube, karkandhu (sa. कर्कन्धु karkandhu), vadara (sa. वदर vadara), vadari (sa. वदरी vadarī)

Ziziphus mauritiana Lam. syn. Mansana arborea J.F. Gmel. in L. syn. Rhamnus jujuba L. syn. Sarcomphalus mauritianus (Lam.) Raf. syn. Z. abyssinicus Hochst. in Rich. syn. Z. jujuba (L.) Lam. syn. Z. orthacantha DC. syn. Z. rotundata DC. syn. Z. sororia Roem. & Schult. syn. Z. trinervia Roth; the genus also written “Zizyphus”

Bilva (sa. बिल्व bilva). Is commonly associated with and offered to Śiva, especially the leaves. The trifoliate leaves are reminiscent of everything three; the trimurti, the triśula, the three eyes of Śiva et cetera. During śivaratri the leaves are sprinkled over or lain on the liṅga and other images of Śiva. The leaves are also common in decorations. The bilva tree has many origins and in many the tree is sprung from Lākṣmī: from the dung of a sacred cow (Lākṣmī); from her cut-off breast (she needed a replacement for lotus flowers in her worship of Śiva); Lākṣmī herself is turned into the tree as she awaited Śiva but he did not come (though he is inside it). In homa rituals it may be used as fire-wood, but some regard the tree to holy for that. The fruits may also be a symbol of the head of Śiva why they may or may not be eaten. It should be planted due north.

Also called: bael, bel (hi. बेल bel), bil, golden apple, vilva (sa. विल्व vilva), wood apple

Aegle marmelos (L.) Corrêa ex Roxb. syn. Belou marmelos (L.) A. Lyons syn. Crateva marmelos L.

Datura metel

Datura (धतूरा dhatūrā) is used in various sacrifices, where it often symbolises the male aspect. It is said to have sprung from Śiva’s chest (like how the lotus sprang from Viṣṇu’s navel). Also used in sacrifices for Kālī.

Also called: shivapriya (sa. शिवाप्रिया śivāpriyā)?

Datura spp., especially
- D. metel L. syn. D. alba Nees syn. D. chloranta Hook syn. D. fastuosa L. syn. D. metel var. fastuosa (L.) Saff.
- D. stramonium L. syn. D. inermis Juss. ex Jacq. syn. D. stramonium var. chalybea W. D. J. Koch [nom. illeg.] syn. D. stramonium var. tatula (L.) Torr. syn. D. tatula L.; the epithet also written “stominium”

Hibiscus rosa-sinensis

Gudahul flowers are offered to Kālī, especially (only?) the red ones.

Hibiscus rosa-sinensis L.

Kadamba (sa. कदम्ब kadamba) twigs are offered to Śiva.

Also called: kadam

Neolamarckia cadamba (Roxb.) Bosser syn. Anthocephalus chinensis auct. syn. A. indica syn. A. cadamba (Roxb.) Miq. syn. Nauclea cadamba Roxb. syn. Sarcocephalus cadamba; the genus also written “Anthocephallus”

Kunda (sa. कुन्द kunda) flowers are offered to Śiva.

Jasminum multiflorum (Burm. f.) Andrews syn. J. bracteatum syn. J. gracillimum Hook. f. syn. J. hirsutum syn. J. pubescens (Retz.) Willd. syn. Nyctanthes multiflorum Burm. f. syn. N. pubescens Retz.

Mallika twigs are offered to Śiva.

Jasminum arborescens Roxb.

Mandara (sa. मन्दार mandāra) is offered to Śiva.

Erythrina variegata L. syn. E. corallodendrum var. orientalis L. syn. E. indica Lam. syn. E. orientalis (L.) Merr. syn. E. variegata var. orientalis (L.) Merr. syn. Tetradapa javanorum Osbeck

Plaksha (sa. प्लक्ष plakṣa) twigs are offered to Śiva.