Did you know that the Bilva or Bael tree (Aegle marmelos) in its entirety is considered a symbolic representation of Lord Shiva, and it is mandatory to offer its leaves, known as Belpatra, in the worship of the Lord?
Bael tree, commonly known as bilva or bel, with the botanical name Aegle marmelos, is a species of tree native to the Indian subcontinent and Southeast Asia. It is also known by other names such as Sriphal, Bengal quince, golden apple, Japanese bitter orange, stone apple or wood apple. It is of great importance in Hindu religion as the tree is considered a symbolic representation of Lord Shiva. It is mandatory to offer bilva leaves or belpatra in the worship of Shiva who is also called 'Vilavadanda'. It is also believed to represent Parvati (consort of Shiva), Surya (Sun), and Lakshmi, goddess of wealth. The belief in offering the bilva leaves to Shiva Linga is stated to cool and refresh the heated deity and to perform His triple functions of creation, preservation and destruction.
Earliest evidence of religious importance of bael appears in Shri Shuktam of Rig Veda in the sixth hymn which reveres this plant as the residence of goddess Lakshmi, the deity of wealth and prosperity, and which reads:
In Sanskrit: आदित्यवर्णे तपसोऽधिजातो वनस्पतिस्तव वृक्षोऽथ बिल्वः ।
तस्य फलानि तपसानुदन्तु मायान्तरायाश्च बाह्या अलक्ष्मीः ॥६॥
Purport in English:
Harih Om. O Jatavedo, Invoke for me that Lakshmi, Who is of the Colour of the Sun and Born of Tapas; the Tapas which is like a Huge Sacred Bilva Tree,
Let the Fruit of That Tree of Tapas Drive Away the Delusion and Ignorance Within and the Alakshmi (in the form of Evil, Distress and Poverty) Outside.
These are several legends related to its significance in Hindu religion. In the Skanada Purana it is stated that one day while Parvati was resting, some drops of her sweat fell from her forehead on the mountain Mandara, from which grew the bael tree.
Girija (another name for Parvati) lives on the roots of the tree, Maheswar on its shoulder and Dukhdayani on its branches . Parvati resides among it leaves, Katyayini in its fruit, Gauri in its flowers while its thorns have numerous Shaktis. It is also a belief that Lakshmi lives in the bel tree as spelled out in the Rigvedic hymn quoted above. The fruits of the tree is known as Sriphala because it is said that the fruit is made out of the milk of Goddess Sri or Lakshmi. Its leaves symbolize the three gunas: Satva, Rajas and Tamas.
According to another legend it is said that Gods wanted a storement (store-man) for yonder Sun as he was not shining brightly. So they offered a white cow to Surya thus restoring his brilliance. The Bilva tree was born at the very reappearance of yonder Sun. Thus bel twigs are used in kindling yagna fire in religious ceremonies symbolically representing light due to its divine origin from yonder sun. The trifoliate, three leaves of bilva signifies three eyes of lord Shiva.
In the Newar culture of Nepal, the bael tree is part of a fertility ritual for girls known as the Bel Bibaaha (marriage). Girls are "married" to the bael fruit; as long as the fruit is kept safe and never cracks, the girl can never become widowed, even if her human husband dies. This is a ritual that guarantees the high status of widows in the Newar community compared to other women in Nepal.
Bael is an exclusive member of the monotypic genus Aegle, It is a deciduous shrub or small to medium-sized tree, which grows up 8 to 13 m tall with slender drooping branches and rather shabby crown. Bark is pale brown or grayish, smooth or finely fissured and flaking, armed with long straight spines. Its gum is described as a clear, gummy sap, resembling Gum Arabic. It is sweet at first taste and then irritating to the throat. Its leaf, belpatra, a mandatory offering to Lord Shiva during puja, is trifoliate, alternate. The flowers are 1.5 to 2 cm, pale green or yellowish, sweetly scented, bisexual, in short drooping unbranched clusters at the end of twigs and leaf axils. They usually appear with young leaves. The bael fruit typically has a diameter of between 5 and 12 cm. It is globose or slightly pear-shaped with a thick, hard rind and does not split upon ripening. It takes about 11 months to ripen on the tree and can even reach the size of a large grapefruit or pomelo, and some are even larger. The woody shell is smooth and green, gray until it is fully ripe when it turns yellow. The fruits can be eaten either fresh from trees or after being dried and produced into candy, toffee, pulp powder or nectar or juice. Generally, the tree is propagated by seeds but can also be propagated by root-cutting and layers
The Bilva leaves are antibacterial, anti fungal in nature. Its roots and leaves in powder form are used to cure constipation, dysentery, and dyspepsia, improves hemoglobin, improves metabolism, and is Immunity booster. Bel root is one of the ten ingredients in Dasamularishta, the famous tonic in Ayurveda,. Aegeline is a known constituent of the bael leaf and consumed as a dietary supplement with the intent to produce weight loss.
Bael juice is extracted from the mushy pulp of its fruit, and it is yellowish-orange in colour with a sweet taste. This juice is considered to be one of the best summer drinks for its incredible cooling properties. When it is spiked with black salt, black pepper powder and cumin seed powder, it tastes amazing. But over consumption of this juice is harmful by causing vomiting, upset stomach, fluctuation in blood sugar levels.
- Narasipur Char
