PEEPAL TREE

PEEPAL TREE

Peepal tree grows very fast

Roots attached to trunk as pillar last

Trunks irregular shaped, low buttresses

Barks light grey, peel in patches

It is epiphytic growing on trees

A strangler with rope like roots, one sees

Grows in cracks on walls, cracking a lot

Resistant to drought and frost

Leaves smooth, shiny, leathery

Oval in shape, apex into tail lengthy

Base is over all heart shaped

Oxygen rich in morn due to thick foliage.

Flowers hidden in figs, green turning into purple

Between stalk of leaves and branches at an angle

Three colorless male stamen with opening at apex

Female flower with five petals, pistil enclosure

Round the year Peepal with fig fruits

Birds, bats, fond of the fruits

Seeds undigested into gutters and walls

Germinate and grow anywhere well.

Indus valley civilization from Mohenjo-Daro times

Hindus worshipped the tree, considered divine.

Symbol of happiness, longevity, good luck, prosperity

Vraksha rajaya namah, salutations to king of trees

Peepal tree, a home of Trinity, a Hindu belief

Brahma in roots, Vishnu in trunk , Shiva in leaves

In Bhagavad Gita Krishna says, Asvathah sarvvi Krishnam

Meaning peepal tree His own image, says Krishna.

Upanishads explain body and soul

With Peepal fruit one realizes well

Fruit of tree like body enjoys and feels

Seed within, a silent observer of things.

Plants in Hanuman and Shani temples

Women circumbulate the tree thrice for blessings

Merit for progeny, sorrows redeemed, diseases cured

On Shravan Saturdays prayers observed.

Peepal tree is married to Neem illustration

Fruit of Neem Shiva linga representation

Leaf of peepal, yoni, power of female action

Representing creation through sexual union

For Buddhists too the tree so sacred

Buddha enlightened under this tree in GAYA

Later known as Gautama Buddha, spiritual founder

Worship of Peepal equals worship of Gautama ever.

Peepal with a diameter of three meters

Height to diameter ratio of ten one observes

Oldest plant of nearly three centuries before Christ

Gaya Gautama’s enlightenment site

K.S.V.SESHADRI

BANYAN TREE

BANYAN TREE

Banyan tree, Indian National tree

Of extraordinary natural beauty

A tree for exuding rest and tranquility

For meetings and business providing a nice canopy

Elliptical leaves, leathery glossy green

Leaf buds covered by two large scales seen

Young leaves seen in color red

Attractive to eyes nicely spread

Seeds dispersed from host tree

By fruit eating birds you see

Into cracks and crevices, germinates

Send roots to ground to terminate.

Aerial prop roots into thick woody trunks

With age not distinguishable from main trunk

Spreads laterally, covering large area on ground

Root structures unique in reproduction found.

Tree in Calcutta two hundred fifty years old

With widest occupation of four acres land

In Acharya Jagadeesh Chandra Bose Botanical garden

World’s largest, despite lightning striking trunk Main.

A plant four feet tall in Fort Meyers Florida

Planted in USA by Thomas Alva Edison

Grown from nineteen twenty five to feet four hundred

Third largest tree in the world

Leaves chat with each other

As if patting back of one another

As they rustle in the gush of wind

It is so musical to ear you find.

In Bhagavad Gita Krishna speaks

One branch to another materialistic seek

Such one has no end for liberation

Leaves represent Vedas, seeking illuminating Sun.

K.S.V.SESHADRI

GRAND CANYON

GRAND CANYON

One of seven world wonders

Transcended beauty, our heart plunders

Powerful inspiring landscape location

Overwhelms and thrills our sensations

A great chasm carved by Colorado River

Cutting rocks of Colorado plateau, over thousands of years

An awe inspiring view one mile in depth

Eighteen times in width, two hundred and seventy seven in length

For Archeologists a site thousands of years old

For Geologists, the visible cross section nowhere else on globe

For foresters three different communities

For hydrologists, Colorado River and streams plenty.

Climb eighty five steps of watch tower

An inspiring omnidirectional viewer

Navajo and Lipan points on Southwest thrills

Geological stories of rocks they tell.

Moran point presents Colorado River sight

Grand view point tales of forest fire fright

Watch the red and browns of cliffs from skies

And in contrast to desert sand, blue lakes.

Hualapai Indians, natives of west

Life styles and value of mother Earth best

Hualapai tribe music and dance in traditional style

Watch their footsteps so agile.

K.S.V.SESHADRI

INTUITION

INTUITION

Tuition, a fee paid to learn

Intuition from within you learn

Mind of yours no role to play in decisions

Soul, governs your mind in actions.

Promote intuition in you

Taking out for this time from you

Let meditation in silence grow

No need to think, analyze to know

Answer comes out of soul, you will know

Open your mind and shut off ego

New paths to pursue, an urge

Out of Creativity, an expression of soul emerge.

Painting, dancing, writing hobbies that flow

In Intuition guidance nicely grow

Time flies, work guiding force all along

Satisfaction to one and all belong.

Ask questions, inner spirit guides

Tap thoughts and directions wise

Intuition begins to govern the mind

Nurture it wonderful you will find.

K.S.V.SESHADRI

GREED

GREED

Wealth, status and Power

In humans greediness empower

Promotes excess desire

Multiplying wealth and power

Manipulation of authority

Theft, violence and robbery

Scavenging and hoarding of materials and objects

Greed a promoter of all these subjects.`

Greed to collect and store surplus commodity

Create artificial shortages, unethical practice

Market adulterated commodities

Become rich quickly in society.

Riches stored in underground vaults

Converted money in Swiss banks

Protected by strong security force

Ultimately Administration tackling ways knows.

Wealth accumulation not in need is greed

Think of millions in poverty need

God men with golden means

Shun accumulation and enjoyment with means.

Bill Gates, a talented man philanthropic practice

Uses his wealth to eradicate harmful diseases

Share the wealth for good of humanity

Of course after satisfying self fully.

Greed promotes love of money

Love of money leads to misery

Three gates to Atma Nashana

Kama, Krodha, and Lobha*

The birds that soar high

For them no storage lies

Animals with stomach full

Allow others to move around as they will.

Oh man the royal supreme power

Endowed too with reasoning power

Give up the over greed in you

Grab not wealth and properties around you.

Greed surfaces where fear is forgotten

Fear is suppressed when power is given

Power surfaces when people’s faith shown

Faith gets beating with Greed eruption.

K.S.V.SESHADRI

*LUST, ANGER, GREED

ATMA NASHANA MEANS SELF DESTRUCTION

MAHALAKSHMI

MAHALAKSHMI

Mahalakshmi Infinite, our obeisance to you

Abode of all righteousness present in you

Destroyer of sorrows of world

Resides in chest of Narayana, the Lord.

Goddess Maha Lakshmi we pray to thee

Six great qualities in you perceive

SreyathE, SruNothi, SrayathE,

SrAvanyathee, SruNAthi, SreeNathi.

Mother Supreme up lifts or redeems devotees

Protects devotees, praying with sincerity

Listens to your appeals, appeals to Lord

For multitudes of transgressed deviations, protection from Lord

Clears obstacles devotees encounter

Perfects Qualities of those seeking Her as protector

Six qualities in Sanskrit of Maha Lakshmi, be a benefactor

K.S.V.SESHADRI