Week 14 Lab: Storybook Research

Peepal Tree
Image Link

Guide to the Peepal

  • Very long life- 900-3000 years
    • Can live in almost any climate; sometimes considered a weed because of its invasiveness
    • Ashwattha means a very large tree
    • first-known depicted tree in India
  • Sacred fig trees
    • meditate beneath/around as a mark of worship
      • can be worshipped to escape contagious diseases and enemies
    • vriksha rajaya namah- salutation to the king of trees
    • ancient stories tell of many times the tree was destroyed by jealous naysayers; faithful supports always regrow it
      • cutting down a peepal is as great a sin as murdering a Brahmin; whoever does so will surely go to hell
      • one who plants the tree may be liberated from the bond of life and death
      • anyone who water the tree should earn merit for his descendents, sorrows redeemed and diseased cured
  • Sita is believed to have sat under this tree too; somehow this lady has sat under every tree in India

  • there was an incident in which the demons defeated the deities 
    • Lord Vishnu was able to hide in the Peepal tree for some time
    • people consider it to be a means of offering prayers to Vishnu
    • spontaneous worship can be offered without needing his image or temple
  • some legends say Vishnu was born under the peepal
    • Krishna supposedly died under the tree (Krishna is an incarnation of Vishnu)
  • Goddess Lakshmi will reside in it on Saturdays
    • especially in the month of Shravana the tree is worshipped on Saturdays 
    • due to the strong influence of Shani Maharaj that it is considered safe to touch the peepal tree on Saturdays
    • Shani Dev is known to ward off evil and remove obstacles
  • our ancestors' souls reside in the tree
    • during ceremonies to the ancestors, peepal's are worshipped
      • offerings made at its roots can reach the ancestors
    • believed to be the abode of Lord Yama, the God of Death (and Shani's brother)
    • evil spirits cannot reside in the tree, making it always auspicious (success, prosperous)
  • a few stories claim this tree to be the home to the trinity of gods and not the banyan
  • Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva hold their councils under the tree
    • important universe management decisions are done by them under the peepal
    • people like to come to the tree to make life decisions
    • associated with spiritual understanding
  • the fruit is used to explain the difference between body and soul
    • the body is the fruit, being outside feeling and enjoying things
    • the soul is the seed, inside witnessing things
  • if you do not have a son you are supposed to consider the peepal as your own child
    • will bring good name and prosperity to the family
    • women can tie a red thread to the trunk or branches and ask the deities to bless and fulfill her desires
  • All the gods wanted to visit Lord Shiva but it wasn't a good time for him
    • Indra didn't heed the warning to leave Shiva alone and assured the gang that it was fine to go visit, that he would protect them if anything were to happen
    • Parvati heard of Indra's lack of respect/arrogance and cursed the gods to turn into trees
    • everyone begged for forgiveness so Parvati promised they would attain fame as trees
    • Indra turned into a mango tree, Brahma became a palash tree, and Vishnu turned into a peepal
  • there was a time when the two demons Ashvattha and Peepala found joy in harassing people
    • Ashvattha would take the form of the peepal tree and Peepala would be a Brahmin (I think it should have been switched)
    • the fake Brahmin Peepala would tell people to touch the tree but when they did Ashvattha would kill them
    • Shani Dev would later kill both of the demons; it is through him that it is auspicious to touch the tree on Saturday
  • some think the tree can produce oxygen day and night, making it a life sustainer
    • charge the atmosphere with freshness and life remedying pollution
    • is seen as something protecting the environment and offsetting carbon emissions
    • should be saved a multiplied for these reasons
    • Vishnu gives life, the tree gives oxygen which gives life, the tree does Vishnu's work
  • the tree's canopy is one of Lord Ganesh's most favorite residences
    • is the compassionate and benevolent son of Parvati and Shiva; he loves simplicity and is happy with genuine devotion from his followers
    • Ganesh's images in often installed and worshipped under the peepal tree

Maybe write the story from the point of view of the original peepal tree's children
Peepal Tree in India, Source
Wikipedia, Link 

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