Random Meditations Through Her 1,000 Names (XXI): The Flowers Adorning Her Ears

Read the previous part here.

The form of the goddess emerges from the fire pit — the inner fire pit. The Sahasranama now sings the beauty of her face, describing each of her divine organs.She is the resplendent one with capitate globose heads of kadamba flowers placed over her earlobes: Kadambamanjariklipta karnapuramanohara.

In tantric rituals and in the devotion to the goddess, the kadamba tree occupies a very important place. In the hymn to Adya Kali in Mahanirvana Tantra, the goddess is hailed as one who wanders in the kadamba forest, one who is pleased with the flowers of the forest, one who has her abode in the kadamba forest, one who wears a garland of kadamba flowers and one who drinks the wine made of these flowers.The association of kadamba tree and the goddess tradition may go back well into the most ancient times in India.

In the Harappan or Sindhu-Saraswati civilisation seals, there is a very interesting one showing a vegetation emanating from the vulva of the goddess.

All the above would show clearly why the kadamba tree is important as a sacred ritual component and an inner imagery that has come with us in the goddess tradition from time immemorial.

There is more to it than definitely aesthetically pleasing poetic imagery. In Hindu tradition, this capitate inflorescence of kadamba has a specific implication. As of now we know that it was Aryabhata who employed this imagery first.

When establishing the shape of the earth, refuting those who considered, the famous astronomer-mathematician of the fifth century CE, states: Like as a ball formed by the blossoms of the kadamba is on every side beset with flowerets, so is earth-globe with all creatures terrestrial and aquatic.