news details |
|
|
| Lotus flower - metaphor for knowledge | | | Mahadeep Singh Jamwal | 3/24/2018 10:46:35 PM |
| Flowers are the music of the ground, from earth's lips spoken without sound -Edwin Curran, an American poet. From the lotus to roses and many flowers in between, one can literally spend a lifetime exploring the various deep significances of how these natural beauties are beholden in different religions. Every different culture and religion around the world has certain ceremonies, traditions, and practices, and flowers are a very important part of most of the major ones. The Christians use white lilies and roses as a standard definition for purity. Flowers have a significant role in special occasions such as; baptisms and funerals while their popularity in weddings cannot be ignored. The popularity of flowers in Islamic culture and traditions are not particularly high. In certain instances, roses are chosen for funerals and marriages along with a variety of palm leaves. Sometime we come across; rose water is sprinkled over new graves at the end of the rituals and religious ceremonies. The lotus plays a central role in Indian religions as it is a flower with a wealth of spiritual symbolism tied to Egyptology, Hinduism, Buddhism, Jainism and Sikhism. In Buddhism flowers are greatly revered, especially the lotus which stands as a symbol of the highest level attainable to man as far as his spiritual elevation is concerned. More than symbols of virtue and divinity, Buddhists also consider the lotus to be a metaphor for knowledge. For Buddhists, the lotus flower symbolizes the most exalted state of human; head held high, pure and undefiled in the sun, feet rooted in the world of experience. The lotus is used in a large number of Buddhist artworks for representing Lord Buddha. The lotus flower traditionally and universally especially within the Indian sub-continent is understood to signify enlightenment, wisdom a greater/higher understanding, spirituality, higher human consciousness and purity. It is believed for this reason the Sikh Gurus have used the example of the lotus in Guru Granth Sahib Ji approximately 420 times where lotus flower is symbolic of the human soul. In Hinduism a number of flowers can be found as metaphorical references in numerous scripts. There are some flowers that correspond to specific gods with their usage being limited to certain rituals and days. Certain special ceremonies, such as funerals and weddings, often feature floral garlands with jasmine being the popular choice. The lotus has various associations and is one of the most important flowers for the Hindu community. The lotus plant is cited extensively within 'Puranic' and 'Vedic' literature.
If we are to trace out the mention of any flower for first time in universe, we stumble upon an anecdote that lotus arose from the navel of 'God Vishnu' with 'Brahma' (the creator) sitting at the center of the flower. The pages of 'Padma Purana' interpret that world was born through a 'Golden Lotus. Hindu texts describe that water represents the procreative aspect of the absolute, and the cosmic lotus, the generative. In 'Bhagavad Gita', a Hindu scripture, a human is adjured to be like the lotus; it is mentioned; "one, who performs his duty without attachment, surrendering the results unto the Supreme Lord, is unaffected by sinful action, as the lotus is untouched by water". Each culture lends a slightly different take, but the lotus in general is reflective of spiritual awakening, purity, potential, rebirth, creation, and eternity. The lotus comes from the murkiest water but grows into the purest thing. It is considered to be one of the main water flowers and taken as king of flowers. This flower grows along with the group of leaves on the water surface and roots are deeply fitted into the mud. Chinese scholar Zhou Dunyi, a cosmologist in 11th century, during 'Song Dynasty', conceptualizing a Neo-Confucian cosmology wrote: I love the lotus because while growing from mud, it is unstained. We find mention of the lotus flower in Trilok Chandra Majupuria's work in Nepal, mentioning that when divine life-substance was about to put forth the universe, the cosmic waters grew a thousand petalled lotus flower of pure gold, radiant like the sun. This was considered to be a doorway, or an opening of the mouth of the womb of the universe. This Lotus flower is considered to have religious importance. The Mahabharata mentions that 'Lakshmi' emerged from a lotus which grew from the forehead of 'Lord Vishnu', and a garland of 108 lotus seeds is today used for the worship of 'Lakshmi', a patron of wealth and good fortune, portrayed as sitting on a fully bloomed pink lotus as her divine seat and holds a lotus in her right hand. The Goddess of Power, 'Durga', was created by 'Lord Shiva' to fight demons and was adorned with a garland of lotus flowers by 'Varuna'. Goddess of Wisdom, 'Saraswati' is associated with the white lotus. The lotus flower has its penetration in Yoga also in the form of postures of 'Hatha Yoga', the lotus position 'Padmasana', is adopted by those striving to reach the highest level of consciousness. The lotus pose helps to open the hips, strengthen the back, and flexibility of the knees, it is also used as a base for meditation. 'Paramhansa Yogananda', an Indian Yogi and Guru who introduced millions of Indians and westerners to the teachings of 'Meditation' and 'Kriya Yoga' through his organization 'Yogoda Satsanga Society of India' has mentioned about Lotus in his immortal piece of literature, 'Autobiography of a Yogi' as; "The lotus flower signifies a divine symbol in India; its unfolding petals suggest the expansion of human soul; the growth of its pure beauty from the mud of its origin holds a benign spiritual promise".
Lotus is native to eastern Asia and Australia sometimes called the Indian lotus or the sacred lotus, and it is also known in Egypt and in Africa as the white lotus. 'Flowers always make people better, happier and more helpful; they are sunshine, food and medicine to the soul' - Luther Burbank, an American botanist and horticulturist. Lotus is considered to be the most beautiful flower in all over the India. Lotus with scientific nomenclature, 'Nelumbo Nucifera', is the national flower of India and symbolizes the culture, history and heritage of India. It is a sacred flower and occupies a unique position in the art and mythology of ancient India and has been an auspicious symbol of Indian culture since time immemorial. The lotus is also the national flower of Egypt and Vietnam. Along with cultural significance the national flower's seeds are medicinal and are used in the treatment of spleen, heart ailments and kidney. Lotus has its use in traditional Chinese medicine for diarrhea. Lotus root contains both fiber and complex carbohydrates. These two components work together to help manage your body's cholesterol and blood sugar. Fiber and complex carbohydrates also help maintain a slow and steady digestive process. Recent research suggests that the seeds of both red and white lotus varieties could help reduce inflammation. The stem of the lotus plant is full of minerals and nutrients such as vitamin C that are important for your body's daily function. One of these minerals is potassium, which helps regulate blood pressure. The seeds of the lotus are edible. The leaf and leaf stalk are eaten as vegetable in India. The tubers of the lotus taste like the sweet potato. Its petals are used for garnish and the large leaves are used as the wrap for the leaves. Its seeds called 'Phool Mukhana' are used in the Indian cooking. The lotus is one with the Indian identity and represents the core values of Indian psyche. It is termed as 'Padma' in Sanskrit and enjoys a sacred status among the Indian culture. The Jammu and Kashmir State Government has also chosen this flower as state symbol. It is also state flower of several Indian states, including Karnataka, Haryana, and Andhra Pradesh.
Concluding with the advice of 'Suzy Kassem', an evolutionary thinker and creative artist "Whenever you should doubt your self-worth, remember the lotus flower. Even though it plunges to life from beneath the mud, it does not allow the dirt that surrounds it to affect its growth or beauty. Be that lotus flower always". |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
|
|
 |
|
|
|
|
STOCK UPDATE |
|
|
 |
| BSE
Sensex |
 |
| NSE
Nifty |
|
|
| |
CRICKET UPDATE |
|
|
|
|
| |
| |
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
