The Healing Power of Bael: A Sacred Tree with Health Benefits – Part 1
Every Hindu followers knows how much Bael leaves is dear to Lord Shankar. Just as Tulsi is dear to Shaligram. Similarly, Bael leaves to Lord Shiva. This is the reason why its synonym is “Shivadrum”. The Trinity resides in this three-part Bael Leaves. Other trees with three leaves are Dhhak and Semal, but they are not considered sacred. Bael leaves are like a trident (Trishul), offered to Lord Shiva with rituals. 3 numbers have special significance with Lord Shankar: Triloki, Trinetri, Trishul, Trijata, etc. Apart from this, there is a special amount of mercury in Bilva (Bael). Mercury is considered to be the semen of Shiva. In other words, Shiva is like mercury and mercury is like Shiva. The glory of Bael has been said to such an extent that the place where Bilva’s forest is, is Varanasi or Kashi. And this place is most sacred. Bilva leaves are dear to Lord Shiva and Bilva fruit is dear to Devi Lakshmi. Any type of accomplishment can be obtained from this. That is why it has been named “SarvaSiddhi”.
Consuming Bael Fruit and leaves increases the concentration of the mind. Bael is highly respected in Nepal, like Lord Pashupatinath. A ceremony is organized every 10 years at Bandipur in Nepal. In which mass marriage of girls is done with the Bilva tree. Such practices have been going on since ancient times. This is the belief of the Nepalese. By marrying girls with sacred trees, they do not face the sorrow of widowhood and remain happy throughout their lives.
Habitat
Bilva forests are found in the Himalayan foothills, Central and South India, Bihar, and Bengal. As well as in Sri Lanka, Burma, Thailand, Bangladesh, Nepal, Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, and Pakistan. Its trees are brought to the temple councils and gardens of India to get their leaves and fruits.
Useful Parts
Roots and Root’s skin, Raw Fruit, Ripe Fruit, Barks, Leaves
Apart from the pith, leaves, roots, and bark of ripe and unripe fruit, its seeds, wood, etc. are also useful as medicine. Raw fruits should be used for powder, semi-ripe fruits for jam, and ripe fruits for sherbet. In Dashmool decoction, the root or bark of the root is taken.
Use in Diseases
Diarrhoea, Heart Disease, Gonorrhea, Gout, Fever, and many more.
Classical Remedies
Bilvaadi kvaath, Bilvaadi churna, Bilvaadi oil, Bailva aasav
Name of BILVA (Bael) in other languages
- Botanical Name: Aegle Marmelos
- Hindi: Bael or Bel
- Bengali: Bel
- Tamil: Vilvam
- Telugu: Maredu
- Kannada: Bilva
- Malayalam: Koovalam
- Marathi: Bela
- Gujarati: Bili
- Punjabi: Bel
- Oriya: Bela
- Assamese: Bil
- Nepali: Bel
- Konkani: Kuvalo
- Kashmiri: Bel
- Sanskrit: Bilva or Shriphala
Chemical Composition
- An element called Bilvin or Marvelosin found in its fruits. These elements are the storehouse of its medicinal properties.
- The amount of riboflavin vitamin found in its fruits is higher than that of other fruits. Apart from this, pulp, pectin, sugar, astringency, oil, etc. are found in the pith of the fruit.
- Yellowish or green-colored essential oil is found in fresh leaves. Which is bitter. It has a specific aroma.
- Many bases like Igelin, Igelilin, etc. are found in the leaf. The seeds contain a light yellow-colored astringent oil. Ambelli ferin and other virgin and an alkaloid are found in the root and bark of the stem.
- Alkalies like Igelin, Igelilin, etc. are found in the leaf.
- The seeds contain a light yellow-colored astringent oil. Ambelli ferin and an alkaloid are found in the root and bark of the stem.
- Sodium and potassium salts, calcium and iron phosphate, calcium carbonate, magnesium carbonate, silica, etc. are found in the ashes of the stem.
- Rasa – Kashaya and Tiktaa
- Ripe fruit – astringent sweet
- Qualities – short, rough
- Semen – hot
- Vipaak – bitter
- Doshakarma – phlegm suppressant
Botanical introduction
- Its tree is 25 to 30 feet high, 4 to 5 feet thick, has leaves throughout the year, and is straight, sharp, axial, with one-inch long thorns. The leaves are compound, trifoliate, and fragrant.
The leaves are oval and 2–4 inches long. The fruit is spherical, 2-4 inch diameter, indented and yellowish. The inner part of which has 8 to 15 sections. The skin of the fruit is hard, smooth, and fragrant.
The pith of the fruit is yellow in color, sweet and fragrant. In which there are many small seeds. Which are there in large numbers. leaves fall in summer. And the fruits ripe in May or June.
The tree that grows from the bael seed starts bearing fruits after 7 to 8 years and the grafted tree starts bearing fruits after 4-5 years. 200 to 400 fruits can be obtained from a 10 to 15-year-old tree.
Due to its tolerant nature, this tree can be grown successfully even in acidic lands where there is water shortage and where there is no irrigation.
Two Types of Bael Tree: Wild and Rural. In wild Bael, the fruit is smaller and has more thorns, and in rural Bael, the fruit is bigger and has fewer thorns. Rural trees are considered to be of good quality.
Doses
- Powder – 3 to 6 grams
- Swaras – 10 to 20 ml
- Sherbet – 20 to 40 grams
Religious importance of Bilva Tree
Bilva has been prevalent in India for thousands of years. There is mention of Bael even in the Vedic period. According to Hindu tradition, Bilva leaves are offered to Lord Shiva. That’s why it has special importance. Its leaves are considered to be the symbol of the Trinity. Bilva is mentioned during the epic period of Ramayana. In Valmiki’s Ramayana, this tree is mentioned at places like Bhardwaj Ashram, Chitrakoot, and in front of Sutikshna’s Ashram etc. The shade of the Bilva tree provides not only happiness and peace but also health. Due to this, the glory of the Bilva fruit and Bilva leaves has been sung in our mythological religious texts. Bilva leaves are also used in the Shalakya of Yagya.
Chanting mantra “Om Hreem Hansah Suryay Namah” on Sunday morning, take out the root of the Bilva tree and cover it in a red cloth and tie it on the arm. People who are unable to wear Diamond should wear this. He/she will get benefitted like diamond wearer.
How to store
Pluck small unripe Bael fruits from the tree, peel them, cut them into round pieces, dry them, and keep them in a cool place in a tied box. Wild Bael is more suitable for use in medicine. Use ripe fruits for sherbet. The shelf life of unripe fruit and root is one year.
Medicinal Uses of Bilva Tree
- It is beneficial in almost all patients with digestive problems. Being digestive and anti-helminthic, the raw fruit is beneficial in dysentery, diarrhoea, and duodenum. It also cures colic, worm disease, and acidity.
- The bark of the root is also used in these diseases. Raw fruit roasted in fire with honey or old jaggery is useful in diarrhea with blood, and haemorrhages. Ripe Bilva fruits are also beneficial in these diseases.
Ripe fruits are beneficial in constipation but harmful in Piles. The extract of Bilva leaves along with black pepper relieves jaundice and constipation. Eating Bael ripe fruit daily is also beneficial for resistance to dysentery.
It is beneficial in inflammation. Its roots and leaves cure fever diseases. It is useful in respiratory diseases like catarrh, asthma, cough, etc. The fruit and its root, being a sedative of the nervous system, are useful in arthritis insomnia, etc. Bilva’s root, bark, leaves, or fruits can be used in urinary disorders and diabetes.
It is beneficial for diabetic patients to consume 10 to 20 ml of wood apple (Bael) leaf juice. Mix Bael leaves with water and grind. The amount of juice that comes out is considered as Juice. If black pepper or basil leaves are mixed with juice, juice will become tasty.
Giving fresh leaves of Bael along with Marich and Pipli to diabetic patients reduces the amount of sugar and cholesterol in the blood. Lord Charak has described in the treatment of obesity that bael fruit is beneficial in the treatment of obesity too.
It is best in removing leucorrhea and inflammation of the uterus in gynecological diseases.
In this way, almost all the useful parts of the Bilva tree can remove all digestive system disorders. Especially roots and leaves are beneficial in heart weakness and heart diseases.
Read our blog Bilva Part 2 to learn the Ayurveda remedies with other herbs for better health.