MYSTIC PLANTS. 403 



for their fancied resemblances to mystical objects. 

 The Trimurti, or representative of the Trinity, has 

 two plants dedicated to it, the bael tree (/Egle 

 marmelos) and the crataeva {Cratczva religiosd)} 

 Both these trees have trifoliate leaves, and, like the 

 shamrock, may be held to represent the Trinity. 



The national legend of Krishna is popular all over 

 India, and a kind of basil {Ocymum sanctum) is 

 sacred to him as well as to Vishnu. This is also a 

 white-flowered aromatic plant, receiving special 

 attention, and worshipped daily. 3 According to the 

 story, this hero is said to have gambolled with the 

 milkmaids of Brindabun under the kadamba tree 

 {Nauclea cadamba), and the ball-shaped yellow 

 flowers' are held to be particularly sacred to him. It 

 is held to be the holiest flower in India, and is exten- 

 sively imitated in the native jewellery ornaments. 

 The same hero is reported to have fascinated the 

 milkmaids by playing on his celebrated flute under a 

 bakula tree (Mimusops elengi), and the small yellow 

 fragrant flowers are now dedicated to him as well as 

 to Siva. The parejati (Erythrina indicd) may be 

 regarded as a mystical, though not a sacred, tree. 



1 See also on this subject, " The Industrial Arts of India," by 

 Sir G. C M. Birdwood, C.S.I. (1880), p. 85, &c. 



2 The Malays strew this plant with reverence over the graves 

 of their dead. 



2 D 2 



