Ashvattha

{{Short description|Sanskrit term for Ficus religiosa}}

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According to Hindu scriptures, Aśvattha, ({{langx|sa|अश्वत्थ}}) or Sacred fig (Ficus religiosa), is a sacred tree for the Hindus and has been extensively mentioned in texts pertaining to Hinduism,{{cite book |last1=Haberman |first1=David L. |title=People Trees: Worship of Trees in Northern India |date=25 April 2013 |publisher=OUP USA |isbn=978-0-19-992917-7 |page=73 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=X-556JuJa4QC&q=ashvattha&pg=PA73 |access-date=24 November 2021 |language=en}} for example as peepul in Rig Veda mantra I.164.20.{{cn|date=July 2021}} In Buddhism, the Bodhi Tree under which Gautama Buddha gained enlightenment is also of the same species.

Adi Shankara derives it from shva (tomorrow) and stha (that which remains). {{cite book|title=Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide|author=Roshan Dalal|date=25 April 2013|page=44|isbn=978-0-19-992917-7|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=X-556JuJa4QC&dq=ashvattha+tree&pg=PA73}} Ashva (horse) and stha (situated), meaning where horses are tied, is another derivation.{{cite book |last1=Cox |first1=Robert |title=The Pillar of Celestial Fire: And the Lost Science of the Ancient Seers |date=1 November 1997 |publisher=1st World Publishing |isbn=978-1-887472-30-2 |page=57 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=ykEN2zHvCpQC&dq=ashvattha+stha&pg=PA57 |access-date=24 November 2021 |language=en}}

Yama, while instructing Naciketa describes the eternal Asvattha tree with its root upwards, and branches downwards, which is the pure immortal Brahman, in which all these worlds are situated, and beyond which there is nothing else (Katha Upanishad Verse II.iii.1). Meanwhile, Krishna tells us that the Asvattha tree having neither end nor beginning nor stationariness whatsoever has its roots upwards and branches downwards whose branches are nourished by the Gunas and whose infinite roots spread in the form of action in the human world which though strong are to be cut off by the forceful weapon of detachment to seek the celestial abode from which there is no return (Bhagavad Gita XV.1-4).{{cite Q|Q108659922|url=https://www.holy-bhagavad-gita.org/chapter/15/verse/1|chapter=Chapter 15, Verses 1-4}} The former teaches that the Asvattha tree is real being identical with Brahman and therefore impossible to cut-off; the latter insists that the Asvattha tree must be regarded as unreal being identical with existence which needs to be cut-off.{{cite book|title=A Constructive Survey of Upanishadic Philosophy|year=1926|author=R.D.Ranade|publisher=Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan|pages=[https://archive.org/details/A.Constructive.Survey.of.Upanishadic.Philosophy.by.R.D.Ranade.1926.djvu/page/n180 145]-146|url=https://archive.org/details/A.Constructive.Survey.of.Upanishadic.Philosophy.by.R.D.Ranade.1926.djvu }}{{pd-notice}}

The fire sticks used in Hindu sacrificial fire like agnihotra also contain dried wood of ashvatha tree.