Asian Agri-History

Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Subscription Access
Open Access Open Access Open Access  Restricted Access Restricted Access Subscription Access

Classification of Flowers as Gleaned from Ancient Indian Literature and Culture


Affiliations
1 RMV Clusters, Phase2, Block2, 5th floor, Flat No.503, Devinagar, Lottegollahalli, Bengaluru 560094, Karnataka, India
     

   Subscribe/Renew Journal


Nature's diversity has fascinated humans from the ancient times. Plant and Animal diversity constitutes the foundation for sustainable livelihoods and happiness. Among plants, it is the flower that is the most attractive part which bewitches with its beautiful harmony, colors and fragrance, and thus symbolizing the blossoming of Universal Consciousness and the smile of spirit hidden in Nature. Poets of ancient India have described the glory and beauty of these flowers in their works. As the six seasons constitute the year, different flowers display their beauty by blooming at different times. Importance of flowers was recognized since ancient times and was classified based on many factors. These modes of classification have been discussed from Vedic period to the Post-Vedic texts and are presented in this paper. Flowers have therapeutic uses, religious uses and other general uses. Several texts are devoted only to them in the epics, Ayurvedic texts as well as those dealing with flowers.
User
Subscription Login to verify subscription
Notifications
Font Size

  • Amirthalingam M and Sudhakar P. 2013. "Plant and Animal Diversity in Valmiki's Ramayana", C. P. R. Environmental Education Centre, Chennai.

  • Arya Ravi Prakash and Joshi KL. 2005. Rigveda Samhita, With English translation according to HH Wilson and Sayanacharya Bhashya, Vols. I-IV, Parimal Publications, New Delhi.

  • Bhat M Ramakrishna. 1991. Varahamihira Brihat Samhita, Motilal Banarasidass Publishers, New Delhi, Vols. I-II.

  • Bhatt GP. 1993. Skandha Puranam, With English translation , 20 Vol s , Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, New Delhi. Sanskrit text from Venkateshwar Press, Bombay.

  • Bhattacharya V, Raghunatha Chakravarti, and ramakrishna Kavi M. 2001 . Samurtaarchanaadhikara (Atri Samhita), Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam Publication Series No. 489, Tirupati.

  • Bimali ON and Joshi KL. 2005. Vamana Puranam, Parimal Publications, New Delhi.

  • Chellaiah JV. 1985a. Pattuppattu- Ten Tamil Idylls , Tamil University, Thanjavur, Kurunchippattu. pp. 191-220.

  • Chellaiah JV. 1985b. Ibid., Maduraikanchi, pp.221-282.

  • Deshpande NA. 1992. Padma Puranam, with English translation, Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, New Delhi.

  • Doshi Sakharam Govindji Raoji. 1940. Kalyanakarakam of Ugradityaacharya, Sholapur, Published by Author.

  • Gondekar GK. 1925-1939. Maanasollasa by Chalukya king Someshwaradeva, Vols. I-III, Oriental Institute,Baroda. http://www. flowersofindia.net/botanical.html.

  • Gupta Anandaswarup. 1968, Vamana Puranam, All India Kashiraj Trust, Varanasi

  • Hultzsch E. 1981. "Parijatamanjari Natika of Madana", Dhar Prashasti of Arjunavarman, Epigraphia Indica, Vol. VIII, [1905-06], Archaeological Survey of India, New Delhi.

  • Jain Acharya Rajkumar. 1981 . "Samantabhadra Svami ka Ayurveda Grantha Kartritva", Jain Antiquary 34 (1): 7 - 16.

  • Jain Jagdish Chandra. 2004. History and Development of Prakrit Literature. Manohar Publishers, New Delhi.

  • Joshi KL. 2001. Text and Translation by Dutt, MN. Agni Puranam,Vols. 1-2, Parimal Publications, New Delhi.

  • Joshi KL. 2004. Atharvaveda Samhita (AV) with Sanskrit text, English translation according to W>D Whitney and Sayanacharya Bhashya, Parimal Publications, New Delhi.

  • Kak Ramachandra and Shastri Harabhatta. 1938. Kashmir Merchantile Press, Srinagar.

  • Kale MR. 2002. Ritusamhara of Kalidasa, Sanskrit text with English translation and notes, New Delhi.

  • Kale MR. 2010. Kalidasa's Abhijnana Shakuntalam - Text with translation, Motilal Banarsidas Publishers, Delhi.

  • Kashyap Tara. 2001. "Literature concerning flowers", Flowers - an Indian perspective, International Centre for Indian Art and Cultural Studies, pp. 5 - 11.

  • Kavi M Ramakrishna. 1956. Bharata Natyashastra, Gaekwad Oriental Series, Baroda.

  • Krishnamurthy KH. 1996. "A Botanical account of Valmiki's Panchavati", Indian Journal of History of Science 31(2): 131-156.

  • Lakshmithathachar MA and Alwar MA (Eds.), Shankar R. (Translator). 2009. Kshemakutuhalam of Kshemasharma , Foundation for Revitalization of Local Health Traditions (FRLHT) Bangalore.

  • Magee Mike. 2011. Matrikabheda Tantra, Prakasha Publishing (ebook).

  • Mehendale MA. 1986. "The Flora in the Aranyakaparvan of the Mahabharata". Annals of the Bhandarkar Oriental Research Institute, LXVII: 233-242.

  • Mishra Mandan. 1988. Sriman Mahabharata, (Notes) With commentary of Caturdhara Nilakantha Tika, Namanukramanika and notes by Mishra, Mandan, Vols. I-IX, Nag Publishers, New Delhi, Numbers in Slokas indicate the Parva, Adhyaya and shloka.

  • Mishra P Madhusudhana. 1934 . Kavyamimamsa of Rajashekhara with Madhusudani commentary, Chowk hambha Sanskrit series, Varanasi.

  • Mudholakara Srinivasa Katti (ed.). 1991. SrimadValmiki Ramayana , with commentaries-Tilaka of Rama, Ramayana Shiromani of Shivasahaya and Bhushana of Govindaraja, Parimal Publications, New Delhi.

  • Parthasarathi RB. 1998. Vaikhanasiya Kashyapa Jnaanakaandam, Tirumala Tirupati Devasthanam Publication Series No. 492, Tirupati.

  • Parthasarathi RB, and Bhattacharya MKSS. 1997. Vaikhanasiya Khiladhikaara ( Bhrigu Samhita ) , Tirumal a Tirupati Devasthanam Publication Series No. 490, Tirupati.

  • Phatasimha Gosvami Lakshmi Narayana Deekshita. 1970. Simhasiddhantasindu of Gosvami Shri Shivananda Bhatta , Rajasthan Oriental Research Institute Series No.115, Jodhpur.

  • Durgaprasad and Parab Kashinatha Panduranga. 1887. Karpooramanjari of Rajashekhara with commentary of Vasudeva, Nirnaya Sagar Press, Bombay. Also Ghosh, M. 2005, Karpooramanjari - The Prakrit play of Rajashekhara, English translation, Cosmo Publications, New Delhi.

  • Rai Pradeep Kumar. 2010. Mundamala Tantra, Prachya Prakashan, Varanasi.

  • Ramashastry R and Shastry S Narayana Swamy (eds). 1969. Shivatattva Ratnakara of Keladi Basavaraja (1694-1714 AD), Vol. I-III, Oriental Research Publication No. 112, Oriental Research Institute, University of Mysore.

  • Sampath RN and Padmanabhan Seetha. 1974 and 1982. Padma Samhita, Vols. I (Jnana, Yoga and Kriya Pada) and Vol. II (Charya Pada), Pancharatra Parishodhana Parishad, Madras.

  • Sharma PV. 2015. "Pushpayurveda", Chaukhambha Sanskrit Series, Varanasi.

  • Shastri Bishwanarayan. 1991. Kalika Puranam, 3 Vols, Nag Publishers, Delhi.

  • Shastri HP. 1905-1915. "A Descriptive Catalogue of Palm leaf manuscripts and selected paper manuscripts in Darbar Library, Nepal", 2 Vols. Baptist Mission Press, Kolkata.

  • Shastri JL. 1970. Shiva Puranam, With English translation, Vols. I-IV, Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, New Delhi.

  • Shastri Krishna Mohana. 1961. Banabhatta's Kadambari with Chandrakala and Vidyotini commentary, Kashi Sankrit Series No. 151, Chowkhambha Sanskrit Sansthan, Varanasi. Also see kadambari Kathamukha of Bhanabhatta , English translation by ChakravothyJNS. 1965. Notes by Kane, P. V., Oriental Book Agency, Shukrawar Peth, Pune.

  • Shastri MMT Ganapati . 1990 . Ishanashivagurudevapaddhati of Ishanashivagurudeva, Vols. I-II, Bharatiya Vidya Prakashan, New Delhi.

  • Shastri Haragovinda. 2013 . Shishupalavadha of Magha with Sarvaankasha Sanskrit commentary by Mallinathaand ' Maniprabha' Hindi commentary, Chowkhambha Sanskrit series, Varanasi.

  • Shastri Raghunatha. 2014. Meru Tantra, Khemraj Shrikrishnadass Publishers, Mumbai.

  • Shastry TV Venkatachala. 2003 and 2006, 'Siribhoovalaya' of Kumudendu Muni, Vols. I-II, Pustaka Shakti Prakashana, Bangalore.

  • Sheshadri KG. 2014. "Garland making art in ancient Indian texts", Shodh Prabha - Journal of Sri Lal Bahadur Shastri Rashtriya Sanskrit Vidyapeetha, Delhi, April 2014. pp.87-94.

  • Sabharatnam Shivacharyar SP. 2015. Kamika Agama [ Purvapaada and Uttarapaada] - Text with English translation posted online, Himalayan Academy Publications.

  • Shukla Ganesh. 2000. Chaarucharya of King Bhoja - Sanskrit text with Hindi translation, CCRAS, Delhi.

  • Sircar NN and Sircar Roma . 1996 . Vrikshayurveda of Parashara, Sri Satguru Publications, Delhi.

  • Swaminathan Santanam. 2012. "Flowers in Tamil Culture" , From Blog tamilandvedas.com/2012/08/25/flowers-in-ta mil-culture/.

  • Tagare GV and Shastri, JL. 1998. Narada Puranam, 5 Vols. , With English translation, Motilal Banarsidass Publishers, New Delhi; Sanskrit Edition by Shastri, Hrishikesh.

  • , Chaukhambha Sanskrit Series, Varanasi.Tripathi Indradeo. 1998. Rajanighantu with Introduction of Vishwanath Dwivedi, Chowkhambha Sanskrit series, Varanasi.

  • Varadan KP. 1 9 8 5 . "Introduction to Pushpayurveda". Ancient Science of Life 4 (3): 153-157.

  • Varnekar Shridhar Bhaskar. 1988. Sanskrit Vanmaya Kosha, Vol. 2, Bharatiya Bhasha Parishad, Kolkata.


Abstract Views: 647

PDF Views: 0




  • Classification of Flowers as Gleaned from Ancient Indian Literature and Culture

Abstract Views: 647  |  PDF Views: 0

Authors

K. G. Sheshadri
RMV Clusters, Phase2, Block2, 5th floor, Flat No.503, Devinagar, Lottegollahalli, Bengaluru 560094, Karnataka, India

Abstract


Nature's diversity has fascinated humans from the ancient times. Plant and Animal diversity constitutes the foundation for sustainable livelihoods and happiness. Among plants, it is the flower that is the most attractive part which bewitches with its beautiful harmony, colors and fragrance, and thus symbolizing the blossoming of Universal Consciousness and the smile of spirit hidden in Nature. Poets of ancient India have described the glory and beauty of these flowers in their works. As the six seasons constitute the year, different flowers display their beauty by blooming at different times. Importance of flowers was recognized since ancient times and was classified based on many factors. These modes of classification have been discussed from Vedic period to the Post-Vedic texts and are presented in this paper. Flowers have therapeutic uses, religious uses and other general uses. Several texts are devoted only to them in the epics, Ayurvedic texts as well as those dealing with flowers.

References