The 21 Herbs of Ganesh

English: Holy basil.

Main uses:

• Prananvaha srota (respiratory system)
• Anti-Bacterial and anti-viral
• Adaptogen – Tulsi not only helps protect the body from the degenerative effects of stress but also repairs the body from the damage done.
• Read more about Tulsi here.

English: Pomegranate.

Main uses:

• Pitta balancing – excess acid, reducing burning sensation (daha), helps internal bleeding (raktapitta).
• Reduces thirst (trsna).
• The rind is used for anti-worm and anti-parasite action.
• Blood purifier and strengthens the heart (Hrdaya) (C.S.).
• Digestion – inflamed stomach and intestines, relieves hyperacidity and nausea, binds loose bowels and helps with dysentery (Pravahika). Helps in spure (celiac) (Grahani), bleeding diarrhoea (raktatisara), bleeding piles (raktarsas).
• Good for the pancreas.
• Chardinigrahana (reduces vomiting).(C.S).

Main uses:

• Excellent to balance vata.
• Great for amavat (rheumatoid arhtirits).
• One action is kapha-vata-hara (reduces both vata kapha). This is rare because vata and kapha are opposites and usually when one increases, the other decreases and visa versa.
• Anti-inflammatory, pain relieving, helps in sciatica.
• Important herb for post-partum mothers (Sutika).
• Good for respiratory tract diseases like bronchitis.
• Good leaf to incorporate in Patra Poultice treatment.
• Anti-parasite (Krimighna) action due to usna virya, katu rasa and katu vipaka (Susruta and Vaghbata).

English name: Jasmine

Parts used: Flowers and Leafs.

Main uses:

• Skin disorders (Caraka) with its bitter and astringent taste.
• Heals and purifies wounds (Vrana Ropana and Vrana Shodana).
• Respiratory system – opens the channels, regulated mucus in the system.
• Aromatic and improves the sense of smell.
• Also opens one to more subtle channels with its light and soft quality (Laghu, Mrdu Gunas).
• Reduces all 3 doshas.
• Helpful in disease of the eyes (Akshiroga), ears and head (Shiroga).

Main uses:

• Tumour (Gulma)
• Anti-parasite (Krmiroga)
• Itching (Kandu)
• Skin diseases (Kushta) (Bhavapraksa)
• Swelling (Udararoga) – When the aggravated vata is localised within the skin and muscles, it causes swelling in the abdomen. (Bhavapraksa)
• Heals wounds (Vrana)
• Asthma (Svasa)
• The sap is the best purgative drug. (Bhavapraksa)
• This is also the plant of Surya (sun), and used in Surya rituals.

Caution: This plant is poisonous if not purified properly.

English name: Jimson weed / Devil’s trumpet / Moon flower.

Main uses:

• Antispasmodic Respiratory Support – overcomes the spasm of bronchial tubes (M.M. Nadkarni) to relieve wheezing and tightness in the chest, helping with coughing and asthma.
• Hydrophobia.

Caution: This plant contains toxic alkaloids that produces delirium, hallucination hyperthermia, tachycardia and bizarre behaviour. It must be purified properly. Use Oxalis corniculata in cases of poisoning. (M.M. Nadkarni)

English name: Bael fruit

Main uses:

• One of the best herbs to balance vata.
• Digestion – Enkindles the digestive fire (deepena) with its light quality (laghu guna) and heating energy (usna virya). Thus helps low and sluggish digestion (Agnimandya). Further it’s katu vipaka helps to digest ama (Pachana).
• Grahi – helps dry the moisture of the body and of the wastes. Thus helps in diarrhoea and dysentery (pravahika).
• Balya) – Although this plant is very heating and light, its special quality (prabhava) is that is strengthens the body.
• A plant of Lord Shiva, thus the leaves are used in intentional ceremonies to balance the destruction operator in nature (Shiva).

English name: Himalayan Cedar
The sanskrit name of this very tall tree translates to “wood of the gods.”

Main uses: 

• Many vata diseases (Susruta) like Amavata (rheumatoid arthritis).
• Urinary diseases including diabetes (Prameha) – helps reduce kapha with its light quality (laghu guna), bitter taste (tikta rasa) heating energy (usna virya) and pungent post-digestive effect (katu vipaka).
• Cough (kasa) – Its bitter and pungent taste is the perfect combination to remove kapha; it dries the excess mucus and therefore helps to clear the wet stagnation. Its snigdha and unctuous property loosens phlegm and facilitates expectoration helping to alleviate kapha and dry excess mucus. (A.P,I., S. Pole)
• Digestion – Enkindles agni (Deepana) (D.V.S.) to help in weak digestion, especially associated with distention. As it alleviates vata it can reduce intestinal spasms and cramping by relaxing the nervous system and easing flatulence. Clears constipation by relaxing and lubricating the bowel.

English name: Sacred Fig / Bodhi Tree
Hindi name: Peepal

Main uses:

• Female hormone issues like gonorrhoea and STIs. Its astringency helps with leucorrhea.
• It’s astringent quality helps with aphthous mouth ulcers and dysentery.
• It’s cooling energy (sheeta virya) helps in skin diseases and imparts skin colour complexion (Varnya).
• Very good for Vata diseases like Vatarakta (gout).
• A very important and holy herb in the Vedas. Buddha acquired enlightenment sitting under this tree. One of the few trees that emit oxygen 24/7.

These herbs are grown in a garden in Tirupati, India, on the road up to Tirumala hill next to the Ganesh temple. This photo is outside the garden.

Check out our special medicated ghee prepared with help from Ganesh.

Abbreviations:

A.P. I. – Ayurvedic Pharmacopeia of India.
D.V.S. – Dr. J. N. L. Sastry, Dravyaguna Vijnana.
C.S. – Caraka Samhita.
A.S. – Astanga Samgraha of Vaghbata.

Photo credits:

feature photo: White Wall Studio
Jati: Pintrest.
Arka: Plantas: Beleza e Diversidade
Datura: Taka, Wikipedia.
Bilva: Kens Nursery.
Devadaru – Pablo Evans
Ashwvatta – Alexey Sergeev