During the months
of March and April, and even May, you will find a
fine yellow carpet spread on the roads of the park in
Pondicherry. At the same time a sweet intoxicating
fragrance fills the air and the eye can take delight
in the wonderful display of bright yellow against a
background of dark green foliage. Some time later we
can see how the large trees have formed in abundance,
beautiful copper coloured seeds. This is the copper-pod
tree.
The copper-pod is a
native of Sri Lanka, the Andamans, the Malay
peninsula and North Australia. It is a very handsome
tree with its spreading crown of many branches
consisting of feathery mimosa like leaves and
abundance of bright yellow blooms. When the copper-red
seedpods cover the tree in profusion it is a
wonderful sight.
Thus the tree is
much cultivated as an ornamental and is often planted
alternately with Gul Mohur (Delouir regia). It is
easily propagated by seeds and the timber is used for
cabinet work.
The beautiful name
given by the Mother to the copperpod is "Service".
It is a simple word but with a deep meaning and a
great importance in spiritual life. When the Mother
was asked, "What is my tree worth in this life?",
She replied, "To serve the Divine".
Here are two more
beautiful quotations from the Mother on "Service".
"No joy
can be greater than that of serving the Divine.
We must be always, solely and exclusively, the
servitor of the Divine".
"All
service done sincerely to the Divine is sadhana
and all increase in the urge to serve is a sure
sign of progress".
