History of Dharmashastra (Ancient and Mediaeval Religious and Civil Law in India) v6.c81.2039

v6.c81.2039

*Vṛkṣotsavavidhi*—Great importance was attached to the planting of trees Mat 59 (verses 1-20 same as Pad. V. 24. 192-211) contains the procedure of tree festival. It is briefly as follows:—trees in a garden should be sprinkled with *sarvauṣadhi* water, decked with fragrant powder and flowers and cloth should be wound round them; the trees should be pierced with a golden needle (imitating karṇavedha) and collyrium applied to them with a golden pencil; on the platforms of trees seven or eight golden fruits should be placed, jars containing pieces of gold should be established under the trees homa to be offered to Indra, Lokapālas and Vanaspati; a milch cow covered with white cloth decked with gold ornaments and having horns tipped with gold should be let loose from the midst of trees; the performer (owner of the trees) should honour all priests with gifts of cows, golden chains, rings, clothes &c. and feed brāhmaṇas with a dinner full of milk for four days; homa with yavas, black sesame and mustard and *palāśa* fuel sticks and festival on 4th day; performer reaps all desires Mat 154 512 states that a son is equal to ten deep reservoirs of water and a tree planted is equal to ten sons It is said by Var. (172 36-37) that just as a good son saves his family, so a tree laden with flowers and fruits saves its owner from falling into hell, and that one who plants five mango trees does not go to Hell; Vi Dh. (III. 297. 13) remarks about trees 'a single tree nurtured by a man performs what a son would do in that it gratifies gods with its flowers, travellers with its shade, men with its fruits; there is no fall in hell for the planter of a tree.'