Anthocephalus indicus (Kadam)
| A medium to large-sized deciduous tree with clean cylindrecal stem, horizontal branches and rounded crown, bark dark grey with longitudinal fissures peeling off in thin scales; leaves simple, elliptic-oblong or ovate, 30 cm long and 15 cm broad, pubescent beneath; flowers yellow or orange, in globose heads; fruits globose rseudocarps, yellow when ripe. Flowering-fruiting May to February. (Ashok Sheth (Ed.). 2005 The herbs of ayurveda vol.1 Gujarat : Ashok Sheth. p110) |
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नीचैराख्यां गिरिमधिवसेस्तत्र विश्रामहेतोस्
त्वत्संपर्कात्पुलकितमिव प्रौढपुष्पैः कदम्बैः । यः पण्यस्त्रीरतिपरिमलोद्गारिभिर्नागराणाम् उद्दामानि प्रथयति शिलावेश्मभिर्यौवनानि ॥ २५ ॥ You should stop by a mountain called Nīca for rest; ニーチャと呼ばれる山で休むといい、疲れたろうから |
In the cloud’s journey. Kadambas here are the expression of happiness, of the personified Nīca mountain. Kadamba flowers, with their bright yellow center and white filaments around, effectively show the excitement of the mountain, from having the cloud. Kadamba has sweet fragrance, and is also used for perfume, which is probably linked to the perfume of the women, and also the joy of youth.(Reference for Kadamba flower: 1 / 2) |
(c) Tomomi Sato 2013
Plants of Meghaduta 
Dear Tomomi,
I am impressed by your work! I am a Sanskritist from Poland. I would like to ask you if you would agree to use one of your pictures (kadamba) in the publication on Meghaduta I am suprvising now. It will contain selection of stanzas translated by my students (Jagiellonian University) and the students of indology from Wroclaw University. The students translated 40 stanzas from the Kalidasa’s Meghaduta and the same 40 from the Hindi translation of Tyagi. There is also an introductory part and some plants are discussed in it.
With best regards,
Lidia Sudyka
Dear Lidia,
Thank you for your comment. I will send you an email in reply.
Best,
Tomomi