Thanks, Bimal ji, for the great story and the presentation. ---------- Forwarded message --------- From: Bimal Sar kar <[email protected]> Date: Mon 16 Jul, 2018, 8:11 PM Subject: CALLOTROPIS GIGANTIA ( ARKA ) PLANT MENTIONED IN MAHABHARAT ( STORY OF UPAMANYU ) To:
Mahabharat does not mention many plant species in the narration. In this regard Ramayan is unique, it mentions almost 150 distinct plant species. Valmiki was a great observer of nature. The most important tree mentioned in Mahabharat is SHAMI( Prosopis cineraria). Another plant I found is ARKA. This plant is mentioned in story of Upamanyu. Most of you must be aware of this story. It goes like this. Rishi Ayoda Dhaumya had three disciples . One of them was Upamanyu. He was supposed to look after the cattle of Guru. Guru never asked him to take food but he observed that Upamanyu was healthy. Guru asked him how come he maintains good health without taking food. Upamanyu replied that he beg and survives on alms. On this Guru told him he must deposit it with Guru whatever he gets as alms. Upamanyu told that it would be done. Few days passed, Guru asked him what did he eat as we was depositing all the items to the Guru. On this Upamanyu told that he ask for alms second time. Guru told him that this practice should discontinue. Next time when Guru asked him the secret of his health, he told that he drinks milk from the cows. Guru told him to discontinue this practice. Next time he told Guru that he drank froth thrown out by the calves. Guru told him to stop that. As there was no other alternative Upamanyu ate Arka ( Callotropis gigantia ), turnd blind and fell into a well. Guru came with other disciples and rescued him. This what available literature says about toxicity of the plant under reference. " Callotropis is a poisonous plant .The milky latex sap of the plant is known to cause keratoconjuncivitis and reversible vision loss. " Attaching an image of this plant. Incidentally it is a host plant for Plain Tiger butterfly. -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "efloraofindia" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To post to this group, send an email to [email protected]. Visit this group at https://groups.google.com/group/indiantreepix. For more options, visit https://groups.google.com/d/optout.
