How Krishna brought the Parijataka tree from heaven to Dwarka at Satyabhama's insistence

In Indian mythology, trees, flowers and plants are not seen merely as symbols of beauty. Devotion, reverence and many intriguing tales are attached to them. One such fragrant, sacred and special tree is the Parijataka, also called Prajakta. Its white flowers bloom at night, with saffron-coloured stalks, and a carpet of blossoms lies on the ground at dawn, making the tree a favourite of many. The legend of how this divine tree came from heaven to earth is more interesting still.

According to tradition, many divine jewels emerged when the gods and demons churned the ocean, the Samudra Manthan. Some Puranic tales say the Parijataka tree was among them. Indra, king of the gods, planted the tree in Nandanavana, the garden of heaven. Its flowers were extremely fragrant and enchanting, and so the Parijataka came to be regarded as a divine tree of special importance.

A tale from the Dvapara Yuga says that the divine sage Narada once brought Parijataka flowers from heaven and offered them to Lord Krishna. Krishna gave the flowers to his wife Rukmini, who adorned her hair with them.

When Krishna's other wife, Satyabhama, learnt of this, she too wanted Parijataka flowers. But a few flowers did not satisfy her. She insisted that the entire Parijataka tree be brought and planted in her courtyard. To fulfil her wish, Krishna decided to bring the tree from heaven to earth.

Krishna went to heaven and asked Indra for the tree. Indra, however, objected to taking the divine treasure of heaven to earth, and a conflict broke out between the two. According to the legend, Krishna defeated Indra and brought the tree down to earth. It was carried to Dwarka with the help of Garuda. This is how the story of the heavenly Parijataka coming to earth became popular.

The tale has another charming turn. The Parijataka was planted in Satyabhama's courtyard, but Krishna planted it in such a way that, although the tree stood in her courtyard, its flowers fell in Rukmini's courtyard next door.

The episode shows Krishna's cleverness and his skill in keeping the love between his two wives. Satyabhama got the whole tree, while Rukmini also enjoyed the fragrance and beauty of its flowers. This is the popular belief behind the tale.