Wonderful post adding a new dimention. Thanks, Pankaj ji. On 10 January 2012 07:13, Pankaj Kumar <[email protected]> wrote:
> In Buddhism and many other religion including Hinduism there are > supposed to be Four Heavenly Kings in the sky (Chinese - Sì Da > Tiānwáng), often called as the four Guardians of the world. In > Sanskrit they are called, Vaiśravaṇa (Kubera, He who hears > everything), Virūḍhaka (Patron of Growth), Dhṛtarāṣṭra (Watcher of the > Lands) and Virūpākṣa (He who sees all). They are followed by Yakṣas, > Kumbhāṇḍas, Gandharvas and Nāgas respectively. In different countries > they have been depicted differently in particular colours and with > particular thing or objects in their hand. In general world they can > be depicted as North, South, East and West respectively. > > The person in the shared picture here depicts the third Guardian or > the King of Skies, Dhṛtarāṣṭra, i.e., East and followed by Gandharvas > according to Buddhist and Hindu mythology. In China he is called, Chí > Guó Tiānwáng [持國天王]. He is known to carry a musical instrument, > usually a flute or a pipa (a Chinese musical instrument). > > This is the Flora picture of the Year 2011 for me. To know why, please > check the PIPA! That's an Orchid, Cymbidium sp. > > The picture was taken at just over 100 years old, Po Lin Buddhist > monastery, on Ngong Ping Plateau, Lantau Island, Hong Kong. > > Hope you will like it. Thank you! > Pankaj > > -- > ********************************************************************** > "Taxonomists getting Extinct and Species Data Deficient !!" > > > Pankaj Kumar Ph.D. (Orchidaceae) > Conservation Officer > > Office: > Orchid Conservation Section > Flora Conservation Department > Kadoorie Farm and Botanic Garden (KFBG) Corporation > Lam Kam Road, Tai Po, New Territories, Hong Kong. > > Residence: > 36c, Ng Tung Chai, Lam Tseun > Tai Po, New Territories, Hong Kong. > > email: [email protected] > [email protected] > [email protected] > Phone: +852 2483 7128 (office - 8:30am to 5:30pm) > +852 9436 6251 (mobile) > -- With regards, J.M.Garg ([email protected]) http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/User:Jmgarg1 'Creating awareness of Indian Flora & Fauna' The whole world uses my Image Resource of more than a *thousand species* & eight thousand images of Birds, Butterflies, Plants etc. (arranged alphabetically & place-wise): http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/Category:J.M.Garg. You can also use them for free as per Creative Commons license attached with each image. For identification, learning, discussion & documentation of Indian Flora, please visit/ join our Efloraofindia Google e-group: http://groups.google.co.in/group/indiantreepix (more than 1760 members & 1,00,000 messages on 21/12/11) or Efloraofindia website: https://sites.google.com/site/efloraofindia/ (with a species database of more than 6000 species). Also author of 'A Photoguide to the Birds of Kolkata & Common Birds of India'.
