Why does a coconut have exactly three holes?

Coconut is called as Sriphal in Sanskrit. Sriphal means God's fruit. So, coconut is essentially the fruit of the God. Breaking a coconut symbolizes smashing ego and humbling yourself before God. Well, if you observe keenly, the coconut has exactly three holes - not less than three or more than three. Do you ever think about the significance of the three holes?

The three marks on the coconut are regarded as the three eyes of the lord Shiva. Some people also consider the three marks as Brahma, Vishnu and Maheshwara. Allegedly, the black shell of coconut represents Lord Karthikeya, white coconut inside signifies Gauri and inside water indicates Ganga.

The coconuts jagged outside fibers look like hairs, and its round shape and the three eyes remind you of a face. For this reason, the coconut has been frequently used to represent the three eyes of Lord Shiva.

Let us have a quick look at the history and significance of coconut.

History:

Attracted by his father Lord Shiva’s third eye during his childhood; Lord Ganesh went to touch it one day. Lord Shiva immediately stopped him and presented a unique ball with three eyes to play. While Lord Ganesh is playing with the ball, it suddenly fell down from the hands of Ganesh and lands on the earth. A person on the earth found that special ball as a God’s gift and treated it as a holy thing. Since then, coconut is treated as very special to God and is frequently offered in temples.

Myths about Coconut in Hindu Mythology:

According to Indian mythology, the coconut was made by Sage Vishwamitra to prop up King Satyavrata, a famous king of the solar dynasty, who attempted to gain entry into swargaloka (heaven) as a mortal but was thrown out by the Gods.

Spiritual significance of coconuts in every ritual:

Smashing the coconut is symbolic of extinguishing the ego. Be it in weddings, festivals or any important pooja, coconut is a must-have item on the list as it can be used for the good start for an occasion. This spiritual may appear to be a simple and little bit bizarre act but it is very powerful.

Miracle:

The miracle of coconut is - it always falls on ground and it never falls on anyone’s head and even if a person is standing under the coconut tree, it never falls down. If it falls on anyone’s head, it is believed that the person may live more than 100 years.