वनमाली

[Subrahmanian R]

Respected Scholars,

 

I would like to be enlightened about the description of Lord Vishnu or Lord Rama as

वनमाली as in Vishnu Sahasranama. Is it that he is fond of flowers from forest, jungle, grove or garden [pushpavana, udyaana, vrinda vana]? What are the favourite flowers of Lord Vishnu and of Lord Shiva  as per tradition?

I also observe that Saint Thyagaraja in one of his compositions [Bala kanaka maya] describes Lord Rama with the words "घन नील नव्य वन मालिकाभरण"

 

Reverentially

R Subrahmanian

[Hnbhat B.R.]

 धीरसमीरे यमुनातीरे वसति वने वनमाली ॥ 

१.३८१ चन्दनचर्चितनीलकलेवरपीतवसनवनमाली 

५.२३ तव विरहे वनमाली सखि सीदति  । ।

५.८३ धीरसमीरे यमुनातीरे वसति वने वनमाली  । ।

७.३८३ सखि या रमिता वनमालिना । । 

etc. are the popular line of गीतगोविन्द describing the amorous sports of Krishna using the word for him.  This is following Amara

वनमाली बलिध्वंसी कंसारातिर् अधोक्षजः //

विष्णुसहस्रनाम line in the same line names विष्णु as हलायुधः

" भगवान्  भगाहा नंदी वनमाली हलायुधः |"

which does not mean विष्णु was fond of plough as his weapon according to you he is fond of वनमाला. 

Nevertheless, the वनमाला is called वैजयन्ती also:

विश्वम्भरो यज्ञभोक्ता वनमाली सनातनः॥

पञ्चरूपा तु या माला वैजयन्ती गदाभृतः।

In the following usages it is used for Balarama, हलायुध.

MBh, 3, 119, 4.2

वनमाली हली रामो बभाषे पुष्करेक्षणम् /

MBh, 1, 212, 20.1

वनमाली ततः क्षीबः कैलासशिखरोपमः / (२०.१)

नीलवासा मदोत्सिक्त इदं वचनम् अब्रवीत् // (२०.२)

MBh, 4, 67, 20.2

तत्रागमद् वासुदेवो वनमाली हलायुधः / (२०.२)

MBh, 7, 10, 31.2

वनमाली हली रामस्तत्र यत्र जनार्दनः //

It is customary to use every epithet in सहस्रनाम that can be suitably used for any deity to show his all pervasiveness endowed with all attributes ascribed to others. If Thyagaraja describes राम as वनमालिन् he was his favorite personal  god.

The above is the definition of वनमाला and could be used for any god.  

And it is not seen used in respect of शिव as you expected, but he is described as रूण्डमालाधर

भाल त्रिपुण्ड्र मुण्डमालाधर। गल रुद्राक्ष-माल शोभाकर

and not seen described as वनमाली.

--
Dr. Hari Narayana Bhat B.R. M.A., Ph.D.,
Research Scholar,

Ecole française d'Extrême-OrientCentre de Pondichéry

16 & 19, Rue Dumas

Pondichéry - 605 001

[Hnbhat B.R.]

More descriptions of विष्णु as Vanamalin:

क्तापेक्षिकं अस्य, त्रिविधत्वं ..... इत्यालेपस्त्रिधा मतः । । २,१.३५५ । ।

 माला त्रिधा वैजयन्ती रत्नमाला वनस्रजः ।

रूपगोस्वामी describing विष्णु.

श्रीवासोल्लासि फुल्ल-प्रतिनव-वनमाला-अङ्कि राजत्भुजान्तम् 

श्रीशंकराचार्यः।

अग्निपुराणम् Ch. 373

अग्निमण्डलमध्यस्थः शङ्खचक्रगदाधरः । 29ab 

पद्मी चतुर्भुजो विष्णुरथ वाष्टभुजो हरिः ॥ 29cd 

शार्ङ्गाक्षवलयधरः पाशाङ्कुशधरः परः । 30ab 

स्वर्णवर्णः श्वेतवर्णः सश्रीवत्सः सकौस्तुभः ॥ 30cd 

वनमाली स्वर्णहारी स्फुरन्मकरकुण्डलः । 31ab 

रत्नोज्ज्वलकिरीटश्च पीताम्बरधरो महान् ॥ 31cd 

With regards

[Nityanand Misra]

I don't have the reference now but one source describes a वनमाला as one made of the flowers of तुलसी, कन्द, मन्दार, पारिजात and कमल and hanging from the neck to the feet. I will find the source and get back later.

Sent from my iPhone

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[Nityanand Misra]

To the best of my memory, this is the verse I heard somewhere, no idea about the source.

तुलसीकुन्दमन्दारपारिजातसरोरुहैः
पञ्चभिर्ग्रथिता माला वनमालेति गीयते

2012/6/18 Nityanand Misra <nmi...@gmail.com>

--
Nityānanda Miśra
Member, Advisory Council, Jagadguru Rambhadracharya Handicapped University
Chitrakoot, Uttar Pradesh, India
http://nmisra.googlepages.com
http://jagadgururambhadracharya.org/jrhu/donate

|| आत्मा तत्त्वमसि श्वेतकेतो ||
(Thou art from/for/of/in That Ātman, O Śvetaketu)
     - Ṛṣi Uddālaka to his son, Chāndogyopaniṣad 6.8.7, The Sāma Veda

[Sunder Hattangadi]

I could not find the verse as quoted, but came across 2 very interesting sites:

 

http://www.vgovindan.info/Nadopasaka/Tyagaraja%20Kritis/English/L/lAli%20lAlayya-kEdAragauLa.html#R2

 vana mAli - Lord vishNu's 'vaijayanti mAla' is called 'vanamAla'.
tuLasi, mallikA, mandAra, pArijAta and Lotus are considered as constituents of vanamAla.
For an article about 'garlands' and with particular reference to 'vaijayanti' and 'vanamAla'

http://www.ibiblio.org/sripedia/oppiliappan/archives/aug06/msg00110.html

"....There are several versions as to the actual composition of the Vaijayanti.
According to some, it is composed of Tulasi, Mallika, Mandara, Paarijaatam and
Lotus and extends from the Lord's neck to His holy feet. Some others say that
this necklace is composed of the five principal gems-Pearls, Rubies, Emeralds,
Sapphires and Diamonds. Whatever the Vaijayanti may consist of, it symbolizes
the five basic elements of nature-Fire, Water, Air, Atmosphere and Wind. The
Lord wears these five elements and the five Tanmaatraas in their subtlest form
around His neck in a floral form, says the Vishnu Puranam-..............."

 

 

Regards,

 

sunder

[Sunder Hattangadi]

This verse from Bhagavata Mahapurana lists many flowers, incl. those referred to in the 'vanamala' verse.

 

http://srimad-bhagavatam.com/?g=22126
 
  SB 3.15.19 
 
  TEXT 

  mandāra-kunda-kurabotpala-campakārṇa- 
  punnāga-nāga-bakulāmbuja-pārijātāḥ 
  gandhe ’rcite tulasikābharaṇena tasyā 
  yasmiṁs tapaḥ sumanaso bahu mānayanti 
 
SYNONYMS 
  mandāra—mandāra; kunda—kunda; kuraba—kuraba;
utpala—utpala; campaka—campaka; arṇa—arṇa flower;
punnāga—punnāga; nāga—nāgakeśara; bakula—bakula;
ambuja—lily; pārijātāḥ—pārijāta; gandhe—fragrance;
arcite—being worshiped; tulasikā—tulasi; ābharaṇena—with a garland;
tasyāḥ—of her; yasmin—in which Vaikuṇṭha; tapaḥ—austerity;
su-manasaḥ—good minded, Vaikuṇṭha minded; bahu—very much;
mānayanti—glorify. 
 
TRANSLATION 
  Although flowering plants like the mandāra, kunda, kurabaka, utpala,
campaka, arṇa, punnāga, nāgakeśara, bakula, lily and pārijāta are full
of transcendental fragrance, they are still conscious of the austerities
performed by tulasī, for tulasī is given special preference by the Lord,
who garlands Himself with tulasī leaves.  
  

 

Another delightful site for naturalists to explore:

 

http://www.flowersofindia.net/

 

 

 

Regards,

 

sunder

From: Nityanand Misra <nmi...@gmail.com>
To: "sams...@googlegroups.com" <sams...@googlegroups.com>
Sent: Monday, June 18, 2012 6:39 PM
Subject: Re: [Samskrita] वनमाली