वृक्षायुर्वेद (सुरपाल - प्राचीन भारतीय पादप-विज्ञान, कृषि एवं वृक्ष-चिकित्सा सटीक)

asvakarna of horses, Stereospermum suaveolens of cows,
and plantains of abundance of goats.

Water availability

Surapala mentioned that the natural occurrence of
Syzygium cuminii near ant hills (verse 304), Scirpus
grossus (verse 306), Ziziphus mauritiana and Butea
monosperma (verse 309), kastha and Ficus glomerata (verse
310), bibhitaka (verse 312), and kovidara, Desmostachya
bipinnata, and Indigofera tinctoria (verse 315) would
indicate availability of water for irrigation. These claims
need to be verified.

Other situations

Surapala also compiled folklore on tree species (verse
323) which were considered as indicators of happiness
(mango), fear (bhallataka), health (palm tree), famine
(khadira and Prosopis cineraria), and rain (Terminalia
arjuna). The flowering of Azadirachta indica warded off
famine, Limonia acidissima suggested cry of hunger, and
Barringtonia acutangula indicated fear of dry spells or
epidemic conditions (verse 324).

Ethno-botany

Sacred plants

Several verses (10–19) of Vrikshayurveda elucidate
the relationship between certain species of plants
and the religious life of people. Specific plant
species were considered sacred and especially
associated with specific gods and goddesses, e.g., Aegle
marmelos and Ficus benghalensis (Siva), Azadirachta indica
(Sun), Mangifera indica (Garuda), Butea monosperma
(Brahma), Ficus glomerata (Moon), Madhuca indica
(Parvati; also other deities), and Ficus religiosa (Vishnu,
Hari).

Auspicious and inauspicious plants

Surapala (verses 24–26) provided a list of auspicious and
inauspicious trees for planting and their location near a
house, e.g., Ficus benghalensis (auspicious when planted
in the east but not in the west), Ficus glomerata (south,
not north), Ficus religiosa (west, not east) and Ficus lacor
(north, not south side of a house). He also mentioned
that laying of a garden to the south, southwest, or
northeast of a house leads to quarrels, distress, and
adversity (verse 33). Therefore, he recommended that
gardens should be laid out on the western, northern,
and eastern sides of a house (verse 34). He mentioned
that shadows of trees should not fall on the house (verse
28).
Surapala also listed (verses 29–32) several plant species
considered to be inauspicious. The planting or natural
occurrence of such plants leads to unhappiness (Ricinus
communis, Bauhinia variegata, Cordia wallichii, Terminalia
arjuna, and Pongamia pinnata), danger from enemies
(thorny plants, in general), loss of wealth (Manilkara
hexandra), and loss of progeny and prosperity (Ziziphus
mauritiana, Musa paradisiaca, Punica granatum, Citrus
limon, Indigofera tinctoria, and Curcuma longa). The taboos
associated with inauspicious trees and planting of
auspicious trees contained in Vrikshayurveda evoke
curiosity. The text does not specifically mention why
specific plant species are to be avoided. The text is also
silent on the issue of planting specific trees but not about
others on a particular side of the house. Perhaps, it may
refer to the climate and direction of the sun and rain in
relation to different rooms and their uses within the
household.
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