Santalum ablbum is commercially known as “East Indian sandalwood” and the essential oil distilled from fragrant heartwood is the “East Indian Sandalwood oil”. It has been recognized as one of the oldest perfumery material for several centuries.
“Chandana” is the Sanskrit name ascribed to S.album. The name has been used in India for thousands of years and is frequently mentioned in the ancient Sanskrit literature, some of which predates to Christian era; while sandalwood in Timor has been mentioned before the intervention of colonial interests. Sandalwood in different languages are called.
Sanskrit : Chandana, Sri Ghanda, Krishna Chandana, Srikanda, Peethachandana.
Hindi : Chandan, Chandal, Sandal, Safaid Chandan.
Kannada : Sri Ghanda
Telugu : Chandanum, Chandana Chettu.
Tamil : Sri Ghandam Sandanam.
Gujarat : Sukesh
Bengali : Chandan, Petthachandon
Greek : Svtador, Santalon
French : Santal
English : Sandal
Sanskrit synonyms for sandalwood
Chandana, Gandhasara, Malayaja, Srikanda, Bhadrashri, Chandrayuti, Gandharajam.
Meanings:
Chandana – Chandati ahladasya iiti – pleasant to see
Ghandasara – Gandhasara asya – Aroma is situated in heartwood
Malayaja – Malaye pradeshe jata – Grows in Malaya region
Srikhanda – Shriya utani khandany asya – which is very beautifully good.
Bhadrashri – Barrashri shoba asya – pleasant and auspicious
Chandrayuti – Chandra Jyosna vada ahaladakam – Cooling and pleasant to see, like a moon.
Gandharajam – Gandha dravyanam raja shrestatham – best among all aromatic substances.
Indian sandalwood incense is perhaps the oldest known type of incense used for over 4000 years; Treaties of loud hymns, Rig Veda, and singing hymns of Sama Veda do not make direct evidence to sandalwood. But during the period of Yajur Veda, for havan’s (sacrificial fires), many aromatic and oily plant parts were sacrificed including sandalwood.
Samhitha period (era epic) starts from B.C. 600; In Bhagavatha purana, in the appreciation hymns of Lord Krishna (Krishna ashtothra); we find chants like ‘Kubja Gandha anuliptanga mayee parana poorusshha’ Krishna and Balarama on their way to Kamsa’s palace comes across a dwarf woman (Kubja) who is carrying the fragrant substances to king Kamsa, she gives sandalwood paste to these divine brothers. After applying the sandalwood paste, Lord Krishna blessed the dwarf lady and she became a beautiful woman. The hymns, magical incantations of Vedic age are continued in the societies. Incense was a part of these ceremonial events.
Susrutha Samitha (B.C.150) a great text on Indian wisdom on surgical procedures, equally preferred sandalwood for the management of wounds. There are much more citations available in Indian literature to claim sandalwood are indigenous.
It is believed that Chinese in their sacred temple used fragrant wood to make idols and also built numbers of ancient temples out of sandalwood. Sandalwood incense has been used by many cultures; by the Chinese, it was used in religious ceremonies and many of their deities are made from this beautiful fragrant wood, ancient Egyptian not only used for religious purposes, but also for embalming mummies and for medicinal purposes. It has been reported that sandalwood oil has been used by Sri Lankans (Ceylon) for embalming dead bodies during early 9th century.
Herbalists believe that the incense helps to promote an atmosphere of open-mindedness, peace and spiritual awareness. It is used in the death ceremonies of many cultures. Hindus use as a cleansing agent for the sins; Muslim use sandalwood during burial in order to ensure a quick ascent of the soul to heaven. The Hindu temples, Catholic Churuch, and Jewsih Synagogues are just a few among the many religions that the sandalwood incense.