Dhattūra

Dhattūra

Grammar: masculine noun; a plant, also written dhatūra (Telugu ummetta).

Meaning: the thorn-apple plant.

In the scriptures: the wood of dhattūra kindles the fire in the rite of the anthill-earth image in the Vināyaka pūjā, and its flowers are named among the offerings to Gaṇapati (Brahma Parva, Chapter 30). In testing the ground for a Sūrya mandira, the site must be free of dhattūra (Brahma Parva, Chapter 130). On Caitra śukla caturdaśī, called Dambhabhañjinī, Kāmadeva is given pūjā at the root of the dhattūra, and this gives an excellent place (Madhyama Parva, Bhāga 2, Chapters 7–8). It is the third of the twelve flowers of the Śiva Caturdaśī vrata (Uttara Parva, Chapters 96–97). When the ocean was churned, Agastya Muni distributed the last of the Kālakūṭa poison among the dhatūra, arka and other plants (Uttara Parva, Chapter 118).

Sources

• Bhavishya Purāṇa, Brahma Parva, Chapters 30, 130; Madhyama Parva, Bhāga 2, Chapters 7–8; Uttara Parva, Chapters 96–97, 118