Page 16 - NAMAH-Oct-2016

Namah Vol. 24, Issue 3, 15th October 2016

jīvantī refer to the rejuvenating nature of of substitutes, all these have contributed
the plant; jvarāśinī and jvarāri refer to the towards the great confusion in this field.
specific use of the plant for reducing fevers; However, a detailed and comparative study
bhiśakapriyā and bhiśakajitā signify that this of ancient medicinal as well as non-medicinal
plant is the favourite of the physicians; varā treatises dealing with plant sciences can enable
indicates that it is the best among medicines; us to understand better not only the principles
soumyā, candrahāsā and chandahāsā indicate its but also the advantages and disadvantages
nature of benevolence in action; devanirmitā, in the ancient Indian naming and classifying
amrtr asambhavā and surakrtr ā indicate the divine of plants.
origin of the plant (18).
Conclusion
One of the most important and special
properties of this plant is that it strengthens The ancient Indian rsr is s believed that each and
the flame of the heart. So, vakssāgnidipanī is every element in this creation has a consciousness.
one of its prabhāvas (strengths and effects) as There is nothing without consciousness. With
described in Eyurveda. Vakssa means ‘chest’ this understanding, when the ancient Indian
or ‘heart’ in Sanskrit. Agni means ‘flame’, botanical scientists dealt with plants they could
while dīpanī means ‘strengthening the flame’. feel the consciousness of the plants. As Manu
says, “tamasābahurūpennavessttitākarmahetunā /
A careful study of several Eyurveda texts, antahhsammjñābhavantyetesukhaduhhkhasamanvitāh1h
especially the nighannttu-granthas, containing (19).”
the names of the plants and the various
commentaries available, confirms that “Though it seems that plants are covered by
this system of naming the plants has its tamas yet they are conscious within and because
own limitations and disadvantages. The of this they feel pleasure and pain.” We also
widespread use of many names for a single see it in the Yogavāśissttha (6.1.10.23) (20)
plant and one name referring to many plants where Sage Vasishtha makes it clear that the
has resulted in great confusion; also, there consciousness-power (citśakti) lies dormant in all
is a great diminution of traditional expertise that is inanimate (citśaktirvāsanābījarūpinīn svāpad-
in identifying plants. Classical treatises dealing harminnīsthitārasatayānityammsthāvarādisus vastu-
with the classification of plants do not use sus ). Udayana, in his book, Kirannāvali under
consistently the principal names of the plants, the section prrthvīnirūpanna, speaks about the
so in most of the cases it is not possible phenomena of life, death, sleep, disease and
to know what the principal name of a movements in plants. Gunaratna, in his
plant is. Commentators also differ in their commentary on Śadddarśanasamuccaya also
view with regard to the identification of the deals with plant consciousness and gives a
plants. The lexicographers, the scribes of list of plants that display the phenomena of
the manuscripts, the texts suggesting use sleeping and waking.

1 “Enveloped by excessive tamas and owing to past actions, though the plants seem to be
deprived of consciousness, they are not. The consciousness in plants is dormant or latent and
that is clear from the plants that they feel pleasure and pain”.

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