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SriRangaSri List Archive: Message 00098 Dec 2005

 
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Dear Bhagavatas;
In addition to the informative posting of Sri Vasudean and Sri Sadagopan 
Swamins, I would like to provide the name of "Iluppai" as given by Dr. S. 
Chidambarathanu Pillai, an expert in Siddha vaidyam in his book "Index of herbs 
in languages" published by Siddha Medical Literature Research Cenre, Madras 600 
002.
------------------------------------------------------------
Tamil: Iluppai
Botanical: Bassia Longifolia
English: The narrow leaved mohua or Movva tree
Telugu:
ilippa chettu, Pinnia-ippa
Malayalam: Irippa
Kannada: Ippe gide
Sanskrit: Madhuka-vrishaha
Persian: Darkhte gul-chiken
Hindi: Moha/ MohvaBengali: Mohuva
Sinhalese: Mee
Dasoham
Anbil Ramaswamy
===========================================================



Dear Raama BhakthAs :

Sriman  VasudEvan quoted from Vaalmiki RaamayaNa slOkams to let us know
that Raamaa on hearing about His father's demise  at Chirakootam performed
Pithru TarpaNam using dharbham and Iluppai PiNNAkkau as PiNDam .

Sriman VasudEvan  requested comments on the nature and tradition of  Iluppai
Tree in our culture  .

Here are my comments following Sriman VasudEvan's two items below :
******************************************************************************
> 3. raama offered iluppai piNNaakku - oil cake - the solid refuse from the
> iluppai mara seeds after oil is >taken out - [please excuse me I am not
> able to explain what this iluppai is - in tamil if I say - it is
> something similar to punga maram - having broad flat red colour seeds
> and  with oil content - or pinnai >maram - a tree on which krishNa leans -
> dictionary says this iluppai tree as terminalia cattappa]

 > 6. in the forest raama, lakshmana and seetha did know the technique of
producing oil from the iluppai seeds, and take the cake and eat it as food.
May be the oil is used for cooking, in yagnaas as aahuthi [instead of ghee -
aajya - clarified butter] and for lighting a lamp.

******************************************************************************
A. Iluppai Tree is an ancient tree of India , which grows abundantly in the
forest   and is known by the Botanical name of Maducha Langifolia . It seeds
contain  a fatty oil and the astringent bark has medicinal properties
(emollient ); the flowers  are  a stimulant . You must have heard the
proverb : " AalillA Oorkku Iluppai Poo Chakkarai" . Iluppai tree is a sthala
Vrusksham  in many temples sung by NaayanmArs ( Thirumannippathikkarai ,
20 KM from  MayilAduthurai and maintained by Dharma Puram Aadheenam ;
Thirujn~Ana Sambhandhar has thEvArams on this Siva Sthalam) known for
its Iluppai Forest  .  Iluppakkudi ( one of the 9 NagaratthAr-NaattukkOttai
Chettiyar maintained temples)  is another Siva KshEthram named for its
abundance of Iluppai Forests . From Cauvery delta to Kaaraikkudi in Ramnad
District , ILuppai trees seem to have been abundant . Thirucchitthirakootam
is in
this belt .

B. AadhivAsigaLs ( Forest dwellers of ancient times) did not cultivate crops
and hence did  not eat rice or grains . They ate largely jungle fruits and
flowers . They used oil from some Tree seeds to cure diseases . Iluppai is
one such tree .

C. ThiruvaLLuvar , the great Tamil poet was born under an Iluppai Tree . His
memorial  is on the Eastern side of Sanskrit College , Mylapore at his birth
site .

D. Iluppai trees are planted on river banks to help prevent water run off
and soil erosion .

E. Siddhars use Iluppai oil for Kaama dahanam ( to burn away the improper
desires).  They soak the effigy of Kaaman in Iluppai oil and set fire to it
with their manthrams . Poovarasu, Iluppai , Punnai , Pungai , Kadampu and
Maracchurai have specific roles to play in siddhar Vaidhyam .

F. Last but not least is the connection of Iluppai tree to Revathy
Nakshathram , the birth star of Lord RanganAtha . In Nakshathra Poruttham
for Marriages , the star , animal , bird , Tree and GaNam are matched
between a potential bride and bridegroom for match . Each of the 27 stars
have 27 trees to match and they should not be the same or should be
seperated by some distance .

Revathy comes as the last in the list of stars but has important Vedic
significance .

Some samples of Stars and their correlates to trees are ( there are other
complex set of matches to be made as well in this scheme based on GaNam ,
MahEndhram , Nadi , Vedhai , ChevvAy dhOsham and Dasaa sAnthi) . Let us
stay with the Nakshathram and tree matches only here to bring out the
Iluppai tree in the scheme of things :

Aswini (Yetti Tree) , BharaNi ( Peru Nelli ) , Kaarthigai (Atthi) ,
RohiNi   (  Naaval/Jambhu    dear to KrishNa) , Mrugaseersham
( Hard wood tree : KarumkAli) ,

ThiruvAdhirai ( Tippili /SenkAli reminding us of AchArya RaamAnuja
being the KaashAyam for SamsAric illness ) , Punarpoosam ( Moongil tree
compared to Lord Ramachandran's    beautiful upper  arm ) , Poosam
( Arasa Maram ) , Aayilyam  ( PuNNai linked with    Rudran) ,

Makam ( Aala Maram) , Pooram ( PalAsu) , Uttharam (AraLi) , Hastham
( Kaattumaa)  , Chitthirai ( Vilvam linked to MahA Lakshmi) ,  SvAthy
( Marutham /Narasimhar ) , VisAkam ( ViLA maram /wood apple) , Anusham
( Mahizha Maram linked to Swamy NammAzhwAr) , JyEshtA /KEttai
( Kuttippalaa or stunted Jack Fruit tree) , Moolam (Mango) ,
PooraDam (Aasaa or Vanjikkodi ) , UthtirADam ( Palaa ) ,
TiruvONam ( Yerukku) , vittam ( Vanni linked to Agni ) ,
athayam ( KadAmpu linked to KrishNa ) , PoorattAthi ( ThEmaa) ,
UthtirattAdhi ( Vempu  with many mediicanl properties) ,
REVATHY ( ILUPPAI Tree) .

Many indeed are the links of Iluppai Tree and its flower , bark, oil
and  PiNNAkku ( extract after pressing for oil ) .

Sri RamabhadhrAya Nama:

V.Sadagopan





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