Showing posts with label Tree. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Tree. Show all posts

Wednesday, December 3, 2025

How does Hindu Gods family tree look like?

 Lord Vishnu sleeps in the cosmic ocean. Vishnu’s sister is Adi Shakti whose husband is Lord Shiva. From his navel appears a lotus and on top of it, sits Brahma. Brahma is the creator of the universe and the grandfather of all gods. His mindborn sons are the Saptarishis, Sanaka Kumara, Daksha, Narada and Rudra. Atri married Anusuya and had Durvasa, Chandra, Dattatreya as sons. Bhrigu married Khyati and had Shukracharya as a son. Vashistha married Arundhati and was a Brahmarishi. Vishwamitra was a Brahmarishi too and gave the Gayatri Mantra. Gautama married Ahalya who was redeemed by Rama. Jamdagni married Renuka and Parshuram was their child.

Prajapati Daksha’s thirteen daughters were married to Kashyap. One was Aditi and another was Diti. Aditi had 12 sons named Adityas or Devas and was the mother of Upendra, Indra, Surya, Agni, Varuna, Tvashta and all the other Devas. These Devas had sons in Mahabharata. One of the Adityas, Manu had a whole lineage of Suryavansh in Ramayana and grandfather of Dhruva. Diti had sons named Hiranyaksha and Hiranyakashyap. Hiranyaksha had an adopted son named Andhaka who was originally the son of Mahadev. Hiranyaksha was killed by Varaha Avatar and his brother by Narsimha. Hiranyakashyap’s son was Prahlada who was the Daityaraja. Prahlada’s son was Virochana. Virochana’s son was Bali. For Bali, arrived Upendra Avatar of Vishnu. Bali’s son was Banasura whose daughter was married to Krishna’s grandson. Kashyapa had wives Kadru and Vinata who were the mothers of Snakes and Garuda respectively. Any personality or figure in Hinduism is definetely related somehow to Brahma’s family.

Saturday, November 29, 2025

What are some strange tree behaviors?

 Giant sequoias have a unique relationship with fire.

Everybody knows them: Giant sequoias.

They are the largest — most massive — trees in the world (if measured by trunk volume), and only grow in the wild in a very few groves in the Sierra Nevada.

The famous General Grant tree — one of the largest specimens in the world — measures 267.4 ft (81.5 m), has a circumference (at the ground) of 107.6 ft (32.8 m), and has an estimated volume of 46,608 cubic ft (1,320 cubic m).

Also, Giant sequoias are amongst the oldest living organisms in the world (some are 3,500 years old !).

Needless to say, there were much more sequoias before humans started to harvest the wood of these ancient giants, and destroy the population.

But did you know that Giant sequoias LOVE fire, and even more: NEED fire ?:

Sequoias rely on fire to release most seeds from their cones, to expose bare mineral soil in which seedlings can take root, to recycle nutrients into the soil, and to open holes in the forest canopy through which sunlight can reach young seedlings.

Their (extremely soft) bark is unusually fire resistant, and can grow to be more than 3 ft (0.9 m) thick.

Although the seeds can germinate in moist needle humus in the spring, seedlings will die as the duff dries in the summer. They require periodic wildfire to clear competing vegetation and soil humus before successful regeneration can occur.

Without the fire, shade-loving species will crowd out young sequoia seedlings, and sequoia seeds will simply not germinate.

“Love is a burning thing
And it makes a fiery ring
Bound by wild desire
I fell into a ring of fire

I fell into a burning ring of fire
I went down, down, down and the flames went higher
And it burns, burns, burns
The ring of fire, the ring of fire”


Follow me on Quora at Thomas Cayne !

References: Google images and the sites quoted in the text. The quote at the end is taken from “Ring of fire” (Johnny Cash, of course).

Saturday, March 1, 2025

What is the Parijata tree mentioned in Brahma Puran?

 

Parijata is a celestial tree that emerged from Samudra manthana and was a great favourite of Sachi devi. It was planted in Indra's garden. For Satyabhama's sake, Lord Krishna uprooted the tree and brought it to Dwaraka after defeating all the Devas. This story is narrated not just in Brahma Purana but also in Mahabharata, Harivansa, Vishnu Purana etc.

(Since the question is about Brahma Purana I will answer based on that.)

Krishna and Satyabhama had slayed Narakasura and retrieved the earrings of Aditi. They went to swarga to return it. While in Swarga, Satyabhama and Krishna happened to see the parijata tree in Indra's garden.

Qualities of Parijata tree

There Kesava, the lord of the Universe, the destroyer of Kesin saw the Parijata tree which put forth bunches of excessively fragrant flowers, which was divine, which caused cool comfort and delight, which was beautified by tender sprouts, which had the lustre similar to that of gold and which was produced when the milk ocean was churned for getting nectar.

  • Chapter 95, Brahma Purana.

Satyabhama demands the tree

O Krsna, why is not this tree taken to Dvaraka If these words of yours are true—“Satya is my most beloved one”, let this tree be taken to my house for beautifying my garden. O Krsna, these pleasing words are often mentioned by you to me—“O Satya, neither Jambavati nor Rukmini is so much desired by me as you are”. If, O lord, those are not mere complimentary flattering words, if they are really meant, let this Parijata be an ornament to my houseI shall appear very splendid amongst my co-wives if I wear the bunch of its flowers on my braid of hair. Hence I desire for It.

  • Chapter 95, Brahma Purana.

Krishna then uprooted the tree and placed it on Garuda. The gaurds of the garden the informed Sachi about this. Sachi send Indra and the devas to get the tree back. But Krishna easily defeated all the Devas

Then lord of the worlds playfully split each of the missiles and weapons discharged by Devas, into a thousand bits. Garuda snatched the noose of the king of waters (i.e. Varuna), split it into bits like the body of a young serpent and moved about. The lord, the son of Devaki, struck down on to the ground the staff discharged by Yama. It was broken when he hurled his iron club at it. The lord Krsna smashed the palanquin of the god of wealth into minute bits like gingelly seeds. The sun and the moon lost their prowess as it was destroyed by a single glance of the lord. The fire god was split into hundreds by means of arrows. The Vasus were made to flee in all directions. The tips of the tridents of Rudras were split by the discus and the Rudras themselves were struck down on to the ground. The Sadhyas, Vivedevas, Maruts and Gandharvas were sent up into the sky like the cotton bits from a Śālmali tree by the Sarnga-bearing lord through his arrows. Garuda killed and ate Devas and Upadevas by means of his beak, wings and claws.

  • Chapter 95, Brahma Purana.

Indra then threw Vajra at Krishna but Krishna easily caught it

When weapons and missiles were split and scattered, Indra hastily seized the thunderbolt and Krsna took up his discus Sudarsana. On seeing the king of Devas and Śrī Kṛṣṇa holding up their thunderbolt and discus respectively the whole of the universe consisting of mobile and immobile beings raised a hue and cry. Lord Krsna caught hold of thunderbolt hurled by Indra. Without releasing his discus he told him ‘stay, stay’. As the king of Devas lost his thunderbolt, as his vehicle was wounded by Garuḍa, he became inclined to run away then.

  • Chapter 95, Brahma Purana.

Seeing Indra trying to run away, Satyabhama mocked him. Indra then turned around and worshipped Krishna. Indra agreed that Parijata will remain in Dwaraka as long as Krishna was on earth

As you are, so you are, O lord of the universe. O lord, you are firmly fixed in your work. O slayer of Asuras, you remove thorns of the universe. O Krsna, may this Parijata tree be taken to DvaravatiExcept with you this will not remain anywhere else in the mortal world.

  • Chapter 95, Brahma Purana.