In the 2nd Verse of Chandrashekhara Ashtakam, 5 celestial trees are mentioned in the first line.
पञ्चपादपपुष्पगन्धपदाम्बुजद्वयशोभितं
भाललोचनजातपावकदग्धमन्मथविग्रहम् ।
भस्मदिग्धकलेवरं भवनाशनं भवमव्ययं
चन्द्रशेखरमाश्रये मम किं करिष्यति वै यमः ॥ २ ॥
Transliteration
pañcapādapapuṣpagandhapadāmbujadvayaśobhitaṃ
bhālalocanajātapāvakadagdhamanmathavigraham |
bhasmadigdhakalevaraṃ bhavanāśanaṃ bhavam avyayaṃ
candraśekharam āśraye mama kiṃ kariṣyati vai yamaḥ || 2 ||
Simple translation
I take refuge in Chandrashekhara, whose lotus feet are adorned with the fragrance of flowers from the five celestial trees; whose forehead eye produced the fire that burnt Manmatha; whose body is smeared with sacred ash; who destroys worldly sorrow and is the eternal Being. Having taken refuge in Him, what indeed can Yama do to me?
The details of these trees are found in Skanda Purāṇa (4.2.96.118-119). The Kāśī Khaṇḍa, Uttarārdha, in the chapter titled Vyāsaśāpavimokṣaṇam ("Vyāsa Released from the Curse"), the disciples describe Kāśī's glories to Vyāsa before he curses the city.
pañcapīyūṣadhārābhir viśveśaṁ snapayanti hi |
mandāraḥ pārijātaśca santāno haricandanaḥ ||118||
kalpadrumaśca pañcaite tarubhiḥ saha sarvadā ||119||
(All the oceans along with the herds of Kāmadhenus) bathe Viśveśvara with the flow of Pañcāmṛta. The five celestial trees, Mandāra, Pārijāta, Santāna, Haricandana and Kalpadruma, are always present here along with the other trees.
Here, each of the pañcavr̥kṣa of svarga are mentioned viz. mandāra, pārijāta. santāna, haricandana and kalpadruma.
Traditional lists vary slightly among the Purāṇas, but they commonly include:
- Mandāra
- Pārijāta
- Santāna
- Kalpavṛkṣa
- Haricandana
These divine trees are found in Svarga and are celebrated for their extraordinary fragrance and beauty.
Symbolic Meaning
In Indian iconography and philosophy, trees represent shelter, fruition, life energy (prāṇa), and cosmic abundance. The Pañcavṛkṣa (Five Celestial Trees of Svarga / Indra's abode) showering nectar upon the Supreme Lord carry deep layers of spiritual significance:
Cosmic Offering (Abhiṣeka):
Divine sovereignty is expressed when celestial nature honors the Supreme Source. Rather than granting material boons outward to beings, the wish-fulfilling trees offer their highest essence (nectar) inward to the Lord of the Universe, symbolizing that all prosperity ultimately belongs to and serves the Divine.
The Five Celestial Trees & Their Connotations:
Ayurvedic Profile: Its bark and leaves are known to be anti-inflammatory, anthelmintic (expels worms), and balancing to the Kapha and Vata doshas.
Classical Literature: Frequently cited in classical dramas (like those of Kālidāsa) to decorate the courtyards of palaces and hermitages due to its striking color
o Pārijāta (Nyctanthes
arbor-tristis / Night-flowering Jasmine): Symbolizes spiritual beauty, selfless love, fragrance, and the dawn of enlightenment. The tree's identity is built on fragrant flowers that bloom at night and fall with dawn Ayurvedic Profile: Highly valued in traditional medicine; a decoction of its leaves is a premier Ayurvedic remedy for sciatica, chronic fever, and arthritis due to its potent anti-inflammatory properties.
Classical Literature: The subject of the famous Pārijātaharaṇa episode, where Lord Kṛṣṇa battles Indra to bring this celestial plant down to Earth for his wife Satyabhāmā
and the continuity of life. The santana tree's leaves are traditionally said to promote fertility, and since santāna itself means lineage/offspring in Sanskrit, it's close to the plain sense of the name and its traditional association.
Ayurvedic Profile: Renowned as a premier cooling agent (śīta-vīrya). It treats burning sensations, blood disorders (rakta-pitta), and skin inflammation, while calming the mind for meditation.
Classical Literature: Described as the ultimate paste used by deities to cool themselves in the hot season.
*****
