Importance of Plants as depicted in Puranas

Abstract

Plants according to the Purānas give happiness both here alone on the earth and hereafter. The paper highlights the importance of plants from religious, cultural, ritualistic and economic point of view. Visnudharmottara Purāna describes that by offering flowers to God, one gets blessings and leads propitious, prosperous and auspicious life. Offering flowers to deities also results in better fortune, glory, supremacy, opulence and happiness of mind. The plants described in Purā?as include Āmalakī, Aśoka, Bilva, Khadira, Tulasī, Aśvattha etc. Economically the plants play a vital role in making of garment, cosmetics, ornament and wood based industries etc. Plants are richest source of food and also have medicinal use.