Motif of Tree

The women of Bharhut railing in few cases are depicted with their right hand raised bending down the branch of a tree. On certain occasions one of their legs is shown as entwining the trunk of the tree (latavestika).

By Indra Deo Mishra

The Hindus in their own turn associated gods and goddesses with certain trees. For example, Asoka tree has been associated both with Vishnu, Durga and Bhoddisattva each of whom has been attributed separately with the power of creation.

The woman and tree motif from on early mediaeval and till to now has drawn the attention of many scholars in this field. Here in this article, I want to draw the attention into a analysis of only one aspect of it and this is the related issue of fertility.

The women of Bharhut railing in few cases are depicted with their right hand raised bending down the branch of a tree. On certain occasions one of their legs is shown as entwining the trunk of the tree (latavestika)

Incidentally such woman and tree motif, in general, has been attributed with various names by Roth Gustav, in his book "The women and Tree motif, JAS.

Here I used the term for the motif, ‘Salabhanjika’. In Avadana Sataka takes the term ‘Salabhanjika’ to mean the breaking of a branch and relates a story in which a girl fell down from a tree since a branch gave in and as a result the girl died instantly. However, the story further states that by the grace of the Lord Buddha, she was reborn among the gods. (Avadana Sataka, Ed. J.S. Speyer, Bibl. Buddha, III, st. Petersburg, 1902, p. 302.)

The very pose of Mayadevi during the period of delivering the Boddhisattva has been described as "dohada-Salabhnjika". Before the birth of Buddhisttva, Mayadevi expressed her desire to play "Salakrida".

The Latlita Vistara says that having realised the craving of the devi for "Salakrida", the king became very happy (muditacitta) and kiss his beloved face having odor of earth and satisfied (tustah) and ordered his courtiers to decorate the Lumbini garden. (Lalit Vistara 58.4) But Mayadevi’s case was expressly declared to be freed from desires when Boddhisattva entered her womb and hence her pose during delivering child should reckoned as a pose that reminds one of a Salabhanjika.

Mayadevi while holding the branch of a tree, the Boddhisttva miraculously emerged from the right side of her womb. Henceforth, the tree was assessed by the Buddhists as a tree possessed of amazing powers.

But what was the exact tree under which Boddhisttva was born? According to Nidanakatha it was sale tree(shorea Robusta), to Mahavastu and Lalita Vistara the tree had been Plaksa, Asokavadna refers the tree as Mango (Magnifera Indica) and Divyavadana and Hiuen Tsang the Boddhisttva was born under the Asoka tree. Attempts have thus been made to associate the terms "Salabhenjika" with notion of fertility. It is said that "Salabhanjika" the tree fertilises a woman. Barren women should approach tree spirits if they desire child was the view of epic. Ancient Indian, believed that the tree could fulfill all human desires " Sarva-Kama- phalavrksa. The tree offers life and this idea perhaps led to the coining of a word "Jivna-vrksa" (Tree of life).

The belief continued for centuries thereafter. There is a reference in Kalika Purana (82.67-68) of saga bhrgu who advised mothers of Jamdagnya and Visvamitra and embrace Asvattha and Udumbara trees so that they could bear child, such instructions to barren mothers to embrace trees were not altogether fantastic and there much been certain scientific basis for it. A women may have several complications that stand against her in conceiving a child. She may have uterine disorder, irregular menstruation, anaemia, menorrhagia, etc. Abortion may be another factor. Sometimes woman do not feel any sexual urge as well. Such physiological and psychological factors play in obstructing a women in conceiving a child. Our ancient Aurvedic practitioners had given serious thought to these sap of which was successfully used a medicine against the diseases mentioned above. Thus when a women is instructed to embrace a tree it was actually meant to obtain the sap of it through the extractions of its roots, barks, leaves, flowers and fruits.

Our early compilers of Aurvedic texts such as Caraka prescribe decoction of Asoka as astringent and analgesic. Susruta reccomends the same for the disorder in the womb. To Dhanvantari Nighansu it cures haemorrhoids and latter Aurvedic texts prescribed repeatedly Asokaista and Asokaghrta and certain other preparations from the tree as medicines against all types of uterine disorders and also as preventive against abortion.

The magic aspects of tree was apparently recognised as early as the days of Harappan culture. In later days, the Buddhists appear to have honoured such indigenous beliefs. King Asoka in his Ruphnath Minor Edict obliquely remarked "amisa deva misa kata" which Prof. Agrawal, V.S. Pracina Bharatiya lokadharma (in Hindi), Gyanodaya Granthmala Ahmedabad, 1964,p. 131) takes to mean to acceptance of pre-Buddhist folk deities in Buddhist hierarchy. In the same way certain beliefs and practices of indigenous Indians found their way in Buddhist culture and some of these were conceived in their plastic art.

The belief in Asoka tree and its evident association with fertility has not faded away from the memories of our people and Bengali married women till date eat the buds of Ashoka flowers on the sixth day in dark half and the same day in the bright half in the month of chaitra (March-April) in the hope of conceiving a child and also for the sake keeping of those who are already born.

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