Patala tree
- For other use see Patala
Patala (Sanskrit :पाटल) or Bignonia suaveolens , synonym Stereospermum suaveolens, is a small tree that grows throughout India and Sri Lanka. B. suaveolens is an important plant used as medicine in India in ayurveda.
Botanical names
The botanical names of the trees mentioned in the text are Grislea Tormentosa, Shorea Robusta, Echites Antidysenterica, Bignonia Suaveolens, Aegle Marmelos, and Diospyrus Glutinosa. I have omitted the Kutaja (Echites) and the Tinduka (Diospyros melanoxylon). Griffith.
Mention by Panini
Patala (पाटल) is mentioned by Panini in Ashtadhyayi. [1]
In Ramayana
Bala Kanda Sarga 24 mentions that While crossing over the River Ganga, sage Vishvamitra sails them through its confluence with River Sarayu, which flows at their capital Ayodhya. The sage leads them to a deadly forest on the other bank of River Ganga and narrates about the provinces Malada and Karusha.
15b, 16a. Indeed, what is this wretched forest that is dense with Dhava, Ashvakarna, Arjuna, Bilva (Eagle marmelos), Tinduka (Diospyros melanoxylon), Patala (Bignonia suaveolens), and Badari trees." Thus Rama asked Vishvamitra. [1-24-15b, 16a] [2]
References
- ↑ V. S. Agrawala: India as Known to Panini, 1953, p.213
- ↑
- सिंह व्याघ्र वराहैः च वारणैः च अपि शोभितम् ।
- धव अश्वकर्ण ककुभैः बिल्व तिन्दुक पाटलैः ॥१-२४-१५॥
- संकीर्णम् बदरीभिः च किम् नु एतत् दारुणम् वनम् ।
- तम् उवाच महातेजा विश्वामित्रो महामुनिः ॥१-२४-१६॥
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