The Lovely Leaf

[Guest guest]

Srimate SrivanSatakopa Sri Vedanta

Desika Yatindra Mahadesikaya nama:

 

The Lovely Leaf

 

You must have noticed how bare and forlorn trees look in autumn. It is

as if they have been shorn of all their life and spirit and merely

exist, a mere shadow of their former majestic and magnificent selves.

Come Spring, however, they regain all their glitter and glory,

presenting a wonderful sight to the jaded human eye. What makes the

difference between their former and latter states is the rich and

luxurious foliage that adorns their branches—in other words,

the leaves that provide the trees dense cover and nutrition. It is

thus leaves that lend a look of majesty and splendour to their

parents, without which the trees look stripped and sad. It is they

who are the precursors of the much-awaited flower and fruit. When we

look at a pine forest, a dense copse of firs or a wood of tall

deodars, what impresses us first and foremost is their lush and

luxuriant foliage. Leaves thus are an indispensable part of trees,

big or small.

 

Before you start wondering as to why I have started holding forth on

botany (one among the innumerable subjects I am totally unqualified

to speak on) let me assure you that unlike many of my articles, this

does have a purpose. As a measure of importance of the Leaf, we find

several references to the same in the Scripture, some of which are

recounted here.

 

It is only a few people and objects that can boast of a close

association with the Supreme Being: the Leaf is one of them. I hear

you commenting derisively, “The Lord and the Leaf? What

possible connection could there be between the most exalted of beings

and the most humble of them? Does a leaf count at all, being an

extremely insignificant part of Creation, liable to be blown away by

a mere puff of wind?”

 

Yes, the Leaf does indeed count and occupies a pride of place in

Creation, having afforded a resting place to the Lord during the

Cosmic Deluge. Imagine the PraLayam, the virtual end of the world,

with great sheets of water covering all available landmass, leaving

the entire universe a raging ocean. All earth has disappeared and

along with it, all the myriad life forms which inhabited earth in

their teeming millions. The sole remnant of this MahApraLayam is the

Lord, in the form of an endearing infant, lying with élan, chewing

His toe held steady by one hand. This is the picture of the Lord

portrayed by the BAla MukundAshtakam—

 

“KarAravindEna padAravindam mukhAravindE vinivEsayantam

Vatasya patrasya putE sayAnam Balam Mukundam manasA smarAmi”

 

If there is no land, where does the Lord lie in such a bewitching

pose? It is on a banyan leaf, we are told, that the infant Mukunda

lies amidst all the swirling waters of the cosmic deluge, having

stored all beings and objects in His capacious tummy. Thus the Leaf

has the distinction of surviving even when all other components of

Creation have been wiped out. Not merely does it survive, it does so

with distinction, providing a resting place for none other than the

Supreme Lord. It is from this that Emperuman derives the glorious

name “Vata Patra SAyee”, literally meaning one who

reclines on a banyan leaf.

 

The sight of the enthralling infant recumbent on a leaf is so

captivating that almost all Azhwars have made appreciative mention of

the same. Listen to Sri TiruppANAzhwar, whose devotion-laden heart and

mind are filled with the glorious sight—

 

“Ala mA marattin ilai mEl oru bAlakanAi

gyAlam Ezhum uNdAn arangattu aravin aNayAn

kOla mA maNi Aramum muttu tAmamum mudiviladu Or ezhil

neela mEni iyyO nirai koNdadu en nenjinayE!”

 

Describing the leaf on which the Lord reclines, Azhwar says that it

belongs to the Great Banyan tree—“Ala mA maram”.

The Banyan tree is naturally tall and broad. However, the reason

ascribed here to its greatness is that it has provided refuge to the

Lord Himself.

 

All banyan leaves that we know are pretty small and wouldn’t

afford space on themselves for a biggish ant, leave alone an infant,

that too the Parabrahmam. How come then, that the Lord is described

as lying down on this tiny leaf? We have no answer to this question

except to point out the Lord’s capability for making the

impossible, eminently possible-- His “aghatita ghatana

sAmarthyam”. Though He is the Brahmam, by nature huge beyond

conception, He contracts His glorious tirumEni to fit the banyan leaf

and lies on it amidst the floods that signify the end of the world.

 

Sri Poigai Azhwar asks the Lord, with the liberty of those who are

close, where the banyan leaf came from, when the entire universe was

in the throes of destruction. Where could the parent tree have been

rooted, for there was absolutely no land left, having been inundated

by the swirling waters of the praLayam. Azhwar wonders sarcastically

whether the strange tree (which gave birth to the leaf on which the

Lord reclines) had its roots in the waters or in the sky. Azhwar

seeks a categorical reply from the Lord as to the origins of this

weird and wonderful tree, which had not a place to put out its roots,

yet was able to beget the leaf, which could accommodate the Lord

Himself. Here is the beautiful pasuram, for which the Lord had

apparently no reply-

 

“BAlan tanadu uruvAi Ezhulagu uNdu-Alilaiyin

mEl andru nee vaLarnda mey enbar-Al andru

vElai neer uLladO viNnadO maNNadO

sOlai soozh kundru edutthAi sollu”

 

Imagine the scene-all the Universe, with its innumerable inhabitants,

has been overrun by the swirling waters. There is a great emptiness,

relieved only by the deluge, in which all the oceans have combined to

inundate all available land. The sole remnant of the destructive

deluge is the Lord Himself, who has swallowed all the sentient and

non-sentient beings and stored them in His tiny tummy for

safekeeping, till the occasion arises for the next Creative process.

His form, however, is that of a bewitching infant, apparently in

hunger and chewing the toe of His foot, holding it still in His right

hand. And amidst all the deluge and the raging waters, He reclines on

a small banyan leaf, hardly enough to provide full cover to His

little back. Amidst the chaotic inundation, this wonderful leaf and

its worthy occupant alone remain stable and steady, unaffected by the

terrifying torrents. It is this scene that makes the Azhwar wonder

where the leaf could have come from and how it was able to

accommodate the great and glorious Lord Himself. However, Azhwar

asserts that the episode is indeed true, quoting great

souls—“mey enbar”.

 

Azhwars tell us that it is the Great Snake AdisEsha, who normally

forms the Lord’s bed—“pulgum aNayAm TirumArkku

aravu” “aravarasa perum sOthi anantan ennum aNi viLangum

uyar veLLai aNayai mEvi” etc. If this is true, then the

little leaf that Emeperuman lay on must indeed have been Adisesha,

assuming the form of the banyan leaf.

 

Leaves continue to provide the Lord with a place of residence, in

Srimad Ramayana too. When Sri Lakshmana puts up a beautiful cottage

for Sri Rama and Sri Sita, it is covered on top with appropriate

leaves, providing a pleasantly cool roof—

 

“kusa kasa sharai: parNai: suparicchAditAm tathA”

 

In fact, leaves play such a dominant role in the Lord’s

residence, that the cottage is termed as a “ParNashAlA”

or a leafy home.

 

And leaves provide not only the Lord, but His acolytes also refuge

and camouflage. When Sri Hanuman seeks a hiding place to observe the

proceedings in the AshOka vanam, it is dense foliage and an

impenetrable leafy cover that supply him with requisite protection

from the prying eyes of rAkshasis—

 

“avEkshamANascha dadarsa sarvam supushpitE parNa ghanE nileena:”

 

Does the Leaf’s association with the Lord stop with having

provided Him a place of rest during Pralayam? Not at all, for it is a

constant and continuing connection, as we shall presently see.

 

When there is any number of beautiful objects with which

Emperuman’s eyes could be compared, it is again a Leaf, which

finds favour with poets and philosophers. Listen, for instance, to

the Adikavi Valmiki describing Sri Rama’s eyes as resembling

beautiful lotus leaves—“Rama: kamala patrAksha:”.

The leaves of the lotus are so beautifully round and broad that they

provide the perfect analogy for the Paramapurusha’s eyes. It

is not only Chakravartthi Tirumagan whose eyes resemble a lotus leaf,

but Sri Krishna too, as the KrishNAshtakam

attests—“utphulla padma patrAksham neela jeemoota

sannibham”. If this is how the Lord’s eyes look, can His

Consort’s be different? We thus find Valmiki comparing Sri

Janaki’s eyes too to lotus leaves—

“SItAm kamala patrAkshIm idam vachanam abravIt”

“Padma patra visAlAkshIm satatam priya pankajAm”

 

There is a speciality about lotus leaves—though they are

constantly in water and dot the surface of ponds, water doesn’t

stick to them, but just runs off them—“nalinI dala gata

jalam ati taralam”. Despite their being born in water and

spending their entire existence in it, they are not attached to their

aquatic environs. Their non-stick nature is thus held out to be an

example of how we should remain unattached to this world and its

attractions, while remaining in our mundane locales.

Thus, one who performs his duty without attachment, surrendering the

results unto the Lord, remains unaffected by sinful action, as is the

lotus leaf unattached to the water it lies on, says the Bhagavat Gita,

providing yet another illuminating comparison with the incomparable

lotus leaf-

 

“BrahmaNi AdhAya karmANi sangam tyaktvA karOti ya:

lipyatE na sa pApEna padma patram iva ambhasA”

 

The Gita contains yet another beautiful reference to the Leaf.

Listing even humble offerings, which He accepts with delight when

accompanied by devotion, Sri Krishna gives pride of place to the

Leaf—

 

“Patram pushpam phalam tOyam yO mE bhaktyA prayacchati

tadaham bhakyupahritam asnAmi prayatAtmana:”

 

The Lord tells us that even if it is a mere leaf, a flower, fruit or

just plain water, if the same is offered with devotion and love, He

accepts the same with great pleasure and contentment, as if they are

the best of gourmet dishes. Here, the Leaf is mentioned ahead,

because it precedes the flower and the fruit, in the order of

appearance on the tree, says Swami Desikan in the TAtparya ChandrikA.

The Acharya provides further enlightenment by pointing out that the

leaf, flower or fruit mentioned above refer to the simple ones

available in plenty in nature, without the need for purchasing

them—

 

“patrEshu pushpEshu phalEshu tOyEshu akreeta labhyEshu sadaiva satsu

bhakti Eka labhyE purushE purANE muktyai kimarttham kriyatE na yatna:”

(Garuda Puranam).

 

Leaving common garden leaves, we shall now consider an extremely

exalted specimen, held holy and venerated by all—the Tulasi.

Glorified by the sobriquet “Tiru TuzhAi”, Tulasi occupies

the pride of place among leaves, being extremely dear to Emperuman,

who wears it practically on all parts of His divine body—

 

“tOLiNai mElum nan mArbin mElum sudar mudi mElum

tALiNai mElum punainda taNNam tuzhAi udai ammAn”

 

says Sri Nammazhwar, describing the Lord to be a veritable walking

forest of Tulasi, with the leaf adorning Him from head to foot.

 

The Tulasi enjoys such close association with the Lord that it is

impossible to think of ever worshipping Him without using the lovely

leaf. It is not even necessary that the leaf should be

fresh—even a dried one is equally dear to the Lord, we are

told. Commensurate with its status, Shastras prescribe several rules

for plucking Tulasi leaves for the Lord’s worship—

 

--they should be plucked in a group of four and not as single leaves

--they should not be plucked on Sundays, Tuesdays, Fridays etc.

--they should not be plucked on EkAdasi, DwAdasi, amAvAsya and similar days

--removing the leaf from the plant should be done gently and without

hurting the plant, our sharp nails not playing a part in it

--a mantra should be uttered while plucking Tulasi leaves, propitiating the sacred plant.

 

Few are the homes unadorned by Tulasi plants and fewer still are the

homes where they are not worshipped, attesting to the sanctity

attached to them. Apart from its sacredness and use in the

Lord’s worship, Tulasi has abundant medicinal properties and

serves as a sure cure for a host of diseases.

 

If it is Tulasi that pleases the Lord, His Consort is enamoured of the

Bilva leaf, we are told. Her ashtOttara Sata nAma stotram tells us

that Sri Mahalakshmi resides in the Bilva—“Bilva nilayAm

varArOhAm yashasvinIm”.

 

Another leaf, which is indispensable in vaidIka karmAs like

PuNyAhavAchanam, is that of the Mango tree. Water sanctified by

recitation of the PavamAna sUktam is to be sprinkled over the KartA

and his home, using mango leaves, to the accompaniment of VEda

mantras like “DEvasya tvA Savitu: prasavE…..”,

“VAstOshpatE pratijAnIhi asmAn svAvEsO anamIvO bhavA

na:….”. And be it any auspicious function—marriage,

upanayanam, seemantOnnayanam or other, no festivity or celebration is

complete without a festoon of mango leaves hung across the doorway.

On EkAdasI, DwAdasi, ChaturdasI, ashtamI, navamI, prathamA, PourNamI,

the day of the annual ceremony, Fridays, Tuesdays, Saturdays and on

one’s birthday, when use of twigs, etc. is forbidden for

brushing the teeth, it is customary to use the leaves of the mango

tree for the purpose.

 

It is again a leaf, that of the Plantain tree, which is used for

offering food to both Devatas and the Pitru vargam. It is noteworthy

that during ShrAddha karmAas, annam, pAyasam, bhakshaNam, etc. are

offered to the concerned Pitru devatas, to VisvEdEvas and to Sri

Mahavishnu, on plantain leaves. Even the regular Pitru tarpaNam

performed on various occasions like amavAsyA, monthly SankramaNam,

etc. is offered on plantain leaves and not on silver, brass or

stainless steel plates.

 

Shall we end this piece with a beautiful English idiom, viz.,

“turning over a new leaf”? This usage appears eminently

applicable to Prapatti, which involves a sea change in one’s

attitude, requiring one to give up all that is not to the

Lord’s liking and to adopt a way of life totally in conformity

with His wishes. We are required to eschew all that is taboo and to

espouse all norms of right conduct. And as a prelude to such a

change, we seek the Lord’s forgiveness for all our acts of

omission and commission, performed during innumerable births. We

accept Him as our sole Saviour and surrender ourselves to Him, body

and soul. Saranagati is thus the essence of the idiom,

“turning over a new leaf”, in its most comprehensive sense.

 

Though any number of pages could be written on the subject, I shall

end here, with a (mis) quote from Frost-

 

“The leaves are lovely, dark and deep

But I have promises to keep

And miles to go before I sleep

And miles to go before I sleep”

 

Srimate Sri LakshmINrismha divya paduka sevaka SrivanSatakopa Sri

Narayana Yatindra Mahadesikaya nama:

dasan, sadagopan