पुष्पम् puShpam = flower, that which grows (vikasati).
the root word puSh means to nourish, and there are many similar words, as -
पोषण poShaNa (noun) = the act of nourishing;
पुष्ट puShTa (adj) = healthy, well-nourished;
पौष्टिक pauShTika (adj) = nutritious;
पूषा pUShA (n)= the nourisher, sun ("tat-tvam pUShaNa-apAvRiNu" from the upaniShad);
पुष्कर puShkara = nourisher, the famous lake in rAjathAna.
other words for flower:
प्रसूनम् prasUnam,
कुसुमम् kusumam,
सुमनसः sumanasaH,
सूनम् sUnam,
सुमनः sumanaH.
Photo taken in Coorg, Karnataka. On top of the flower, just behind you see a small face of local deity representing mother earth. The Coorg people, with many coffee plantations in the middle of jungle are very earth conscious people!
(c) Shashikant Joshi । शशिकांत जोशी । ॐ सर्वे भवन्तु सुखिनः ।
