Category Archives: Tulasi

Kamika Ekadashi in Krishna Paksha

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BrahmaKrishnaNarada

Yudhisthira Maharaj said, “Oh Sri Krishna, I would like to hear from You the glories of the Ekadashi that occurs during the dark fortnight (Krishna paksha) of the month of Shravana (July–August). Please be merciful to me and explain its glories.”

Sri Krishna, replied, “Oh King, please listen attentively as I describe the auspicious influence of this day, which removes all sins. Narada Muni once asked Lord Brahma about this same topic.

Lord Brahma replied, ‘My dear son Narada, for the benefit of all humanity I shall happily tell you everything you wish to know; for just hearing the glories of the Kamika Ekadashi bestows merit equal to that obtained by one who performs a horse sacrifice. Certainly, great merit is attained by one who worships, and who also meditates on the lotus feet of the four-armed Lord Gadadhara, who holds a conch shell, disc, club and lotus in His hands and who is also known as Sridhara, Hari, Vishnu, Madhava, and Madhusudana.

Observing Kamika Ekadashi bestows the same merit as donating a milch cow and her auspicious calf, along with their feed. On this all auspicious day, whosoever worships Lord Sri Sridhara-deva, Vishnu, is glorified by all the devas, Gandharvas, Pannagas, and Nagas.

Those who are afraid of their past sins and completely immersed in sinful materialistic life should at least observe this best of Ekadashis according to their ability and thus attain liberation. Oh Narada, Lord Shri Hari Himself once said about this Ekadashi, “One who fasts on Kamika Ekadashi attains much more merit than one who studies all the spiritual literatures.”

Anyone who fasts on this particular day and remains awake throughout the night will never experience the anger of Yamaraja, the king of death personified. 

Whosoever worships Lord Shri Hari with Tulasi leaves is freed from all implication of sin. Indeed, he lives untouched by sin, as the lotus leaf, although in the water, is untouched by it.

The Supreme Personality of Godhead is more pleased by one who offers Him a single Tulasi leaf than by one who worships Him with pearls, rubies, diamonds, etc. One who offers Lord Keshava newly grown manjari buds from the tulasi plant gets rid of all the sins he has committed during this or any other lifetime. Indeed, mere darshana of Tulasi on Kamika Ekadashi removes all sins, and merely touching her and praying to her removes all kinds of disease. One who waters Tulasi devi need never fear the Lord of death, Yamaraja. One who plants or transplants Tulasi on this day will eventually reside with Lord Shri Krishna in His own abode. To Srimati Tulasi devi, who awards liberation in devotional service, one should therefore daily offer one’s full obeisances.

Even Chitragupta, Yamaraja’s secretary, cannot calculate the merit obtained by one who offers Srimati Tulasi-devi a perpetually burning ghee lamp. So dear is this sacred Ekadashi to the Supreme Personality of Godhead that all the forefathers of one who offers a bright ghee lamp to Lord Shri Krishna on this day ascend to the heavenly planets and drink the celestial nectar there. Whoever offers a ghee or sesame oil lamp to Shri Krishna on this day is freed from all his sins and enters the abode of Surya, the Sun-god, with a body as bright as ten million lamps. This Ekadashi is so powerful that if one who is unable to fast simply follows the practices as mentioned herein, he / she is elevated to the heavenly planets, along with all their forefathers.’

Oh Maharaj Yudhisthira, Lord Shri Krishna concluded, “…these were the words of Prajapati Brahma to his son Narada Muni concerning the incalculable glories of this Kamika Ekadashi, which removes all sins. This sacred day nullifies even the sin of killing a brahmana or the sin of killing an unborn child in the womb, and it promotes one to the spiritual world by making one supremely meritorious.”

Whosoever hears these glories of the Kamika Ekadashi with faith becomes free of all sins and returns home, back to Godhead.

“Jai Shri RadheKrishna”

The Worship of Srimati Tulasi-devi

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TulasiTulasi-devi is an expansion of Vrinda-devi in this world. Every morning we pray to Vrinda-devi:

“ye tomara sarana loy tara vancha purna hoy krpa kori koro tare vrndavana-vasi“

“Whoever takes shelter of you, all his desires are fulfilled and by your mercy he becomes a resident of Vrndavana.”

Srimati Tulasi-devi is worshiped in the morning, after mangala-arati, when all the devotees should attend to her worship and circumambulation. First, obeisances are offered to Tulasi-devi with the Tulasi pranama mantra. Following, the Tulasi-puja-kirtana song is sung while Tulasi-devi is offered incense, a ghee lamp, and flowers. When the song is finished, the assembled devotees circumambulate Tulasi-devi four times, offering her water. During the circumambulation we are chanting the mantra: yani kani ca papani brahma-hatyadikani ca / tani tani pranasyanti pradaksinah pade pade. Finally, we again offer obeisances with the Tulasi pranama mantra.

Tulasi leaf is very, very dear to Visnu. All Visnu-tattva Deities require profusely Tulasi leaves. Lord Visnu likes garland of Tulasi leaves. Tulasi leaves mixed with sandalwood pulp and placed on the lotus feet of the Lord is the topmost worship. But we must be very careful that Tulasi leaves cannot be placed on the feet of anyone else except Lord Visnu and His different forms. Tulasi leaves cannot be placed even on the lotus feet of Radharani or on the lotus feet of the Spiritual Master. It is entirely reserved for being placed on the lotus feet of Krsna. We can place, however, Tulasi leaves in the hands of Radharani for being placed on the lotus feet of Krsna.

Tulasi-devi is a pure devotee of Krsna and she should be treated with the same respect given to all Krsna’s pure devotees. Simply by worshiping her faithfully, a devotee can get himself free from all material miseries. In the Nectar of Devotion I have given two verses from the Skanda Purana, one of which is: “Tulasi is auspicious in all respects. Simply by seeing, simply by touching, simply by remembering, simply by praying to, simply by bowing before, simply by hearing about, or simply by sowing the tree, there is always auspiciousness. Anyone who comes in touch with the Tulasi tree in the above mentioned ways lives eternally in the Vaikuntha world.”

The following list was compiled from scriptures.

  • Tulasi’s body is spiritual. Although Tulasi appears as many individual trees, she is one person, and she comes wherever she sees devotion to Krsna.
  • Every morning devotees should water and pray to Tulasi-devi and circumambulate her three times.
  • Worship Tulasi with nice food, flowers, incense, a ghee lamp, and other traditional articles of worship.
  • Protect the delicate Tulasi seedlings from birds and insects. It is an offense to turn the seedlings back into the soil.
  • In places where Tulasi cannot survive the winters when planted in the ground, provide a suitable house for her.
  • Every day provide Tulasi fresh air, water (as needed be careful not to water too much), and sunshine (or plant lights).
  • Neglecting to care for or water Tulasi properly is a great offense. Do everything carefully.
  • When picking Tulasi leaves, chant the following mantra:

tulasy amrta janmasi
sada tvam kesava-priya
kesavartham cinomi tvam
varada bhava sobhane

“O Tulasi, you were born from nectar. You are always very dear to Lord Kesava. Now, in order to worship Lord Kesava, I am collecting your leaves and manjaris. Please bestow your benediction on me.”

Pick only the leaves that grow next to the manjaris (flowers) and the leaves that are ready to drop (they will turn a pale color) not the new, green ones. Pick the manjaris as soon as they blossom. Avoid letting them go to seed, which takes much energy from the plant that can be used to make more leaves and flowers for Krsna’s service. Pick the leaves one at a time with your fingertips. Don’t shake or stroke the branch and damage healthy leaves. Pick with care and attention. Avoid using cutting tools.

  • Never cut or prune Tulasi-devi. This is a great offense. Remove dead branches if absolutely necessary. If branches obstruct a passageway, tie them back, but don’t cut them.
  • Pick Tulasi leaves and flowers in the morning, never at night (from sunset to sunrise).
  • Never use chemical sprays on Tulasi.
  • Collect leaves once in the morning for worshiping Krsna and for putting on the plates of food to be offered to Him. Put at least one leaf on each preparation. Never pick Tulasi leaves for any other purpose than to offer to the Lord.
  • Lord Krsna likes garlands of Tulasi leaves. Tulasi leaves mixed with sandalwood pulp and placed on the lotus feet of the Lord is the topmost worship. Do not place Tulasi leaves on the feet of anyone other than Lord Visnu in His various forms. Srimati Radharani can be given a Tulasi leaf in Her hand for offering to Lord Krsna.
  • Krsna accepts even dry Tulasi leaves. Tulasi wood (taken after a plant has fully dried naturally) can be used to carve worship paraphernalia, such as beads. Place leftover Tulasi wood within the earth.
  • Never use Tulasi leaves or flowers to make teas or juices, even after they’ve been offered to Krsna. It is a great offense to cook or heat Tulasi, or to use her for mundane purposes, such as medicines and ointments.
  • Never cut down or pull up living Tulasi plants. This is a great offense.
  • Avoid stepping on Tulasi-devi’s shadow.
  • Tulasi-devi is very, very dear to the Lord. Therefore, most important is to serve her with love and devotion.Plucking TulasiOne should be clean before touching or plucking Tulasi.

    asnatva tulasim citva yah pujam kurute narah
    so’paradhi bhaven nityam tat sarvam nisphalam bhavet

    One who picks Tulasi without having bathed and then performs worship is an offender, and all his activities becomes useless. Vayu Purana

    Tulasi should not be plucked on dvadasi.

    nacchindat tulasim vipra dvadasyam vaisnavah kvacit

    The Vaisnava should never pick Tulasi on dvadasi tithi. Visnu Dharmottara

    One should pluck the leaves with the right hand, holding the branch in the left hand, being careful not to break the branches.

    patranam cayane vipra bhagna sakha yada bhavet
    tada hrdi vyatha visnor diyate tulasi pateh
    karatala trayam dattva cinuyat tulasi dalam
    yatha na kampate sakha tulasya divyasattama

    If when picking Tulasi leaves one breaks the branches, Visnu feels pain in His heart. One should clap the hands three times before picking Tulasi and pick in such a way that the branches do not shake. Visnu Smrti

    One should say:

    tulasy amrta janmasi sada tva kesava priya
    kesavarthe vicinvami barada bhava sobhane

    tvad anga sambhavaih patraih pujayami yatha harim
    tatha kuru pavitrangi kalau mala vinasini

    Oh Tulasi, born from the ocean of nectar, you are eternally the dearmost of Kesava. For His worship I now pluck you. Please bestow blessings on me.

    Oh Tulasi, being pure in body and the destroyer of the sins of Kali-yuga, I will worship the Lord using leaves coming from your body. You should make that worship successful.

    If Tulasi is unavailable, one may touch Tulasi wood to the Lord’s body as an offering of Tulasi. If wood is unavailable one should chant the name of Tulasi and perform the puja meditating on her presence. (i.e. etat tulasi patram sri krsnaya namah)

    If one offers Tulasi to anyone other than Hari, that sin is equal to killing a brahman or a cow, or having sex with ones guru’s wife.

    Tulasi prasadam may be offered to the hand of sakti and jiva-tattva, and unoffered Tulasi may be offered to their hand for offering to Krsna. If bhoga (not mahaprasadam) is offered to sakti or jiva-tattvas as naivedyam, Tulasi may be placed on the naivedyam, since, being devotees of the Lord they always offer the naivedyam to Krsna before taking it themselves.

    Tulasi leaf is very, very dear to Visnu. All Visnu-tattva deities require profuse Tulasi leaves. Lord Visnu likes garlands of Tulasi leaves. Tulasi leaves mixed with sandalwood pulp and placed on the lotus feet of the Lord is the topmost worship. But we must be very careful that Tulasi leaves cannot be placed on the feet of anyone else except Lord Visnu and His different forms. Tulasi leaves cannot be placed even on the lotus feet of Radharani or on the lotus feet of the spiritual master. It is entirely reserved for being placed on the lotus feet of Krsna. We can place, however, Tulasi leaves in the hands of Radharani for being placed on the lotus feet of Krsna. On each bowl or plate there should be at least one leaf.

    “Jai Shri RadheKrishna”

Benefits of Worshiping Tulasi-devi

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tulasi1Although we can never fully describe the glories of Tulasi-devi, an eternal associate of Lord Krsna. The scriptures give us a hint of the value of worshiping her. The following list comes from the Padma Purana.

Tulasi is the essence of all devotional activities.
The leaves, flowers, roots, bark, branches, trunk, and shade of Tulasi-devi are all spiritual.
One who with devotion applies the paste of Tulasi wood to the Deity of Krsna will always live close to Krsna.
One who puts mud from the base of the Tulasi tree on his body and worships the Deity of Lord Krsna gets the results of one hundred days worship each day.
One who offers a Tulasi manjari to Lord Krsna gets the benefit of offering all other varieties of flowers, and he goes to the abode of Krsna.
One who sees or comes near a house or garden where the Tulasi plant is present gets rid of all his sinful reactions, including that of killing a brahmana.
Lord Krsna happily lives in the house, town, or forest where Tulasi-devi is present.
A house where Tulasi-devi is present never falls on bad times, and it becomes purer than all holy places.
The fragrance of Tulasi-devi purifies all who smell it.
Lord Krsna and all the demigods live in a house where mud from the base of the Tulasi tree is found.
Without Tulasi leaves, Lord Krsna does not like to accept flowers, food, or sandalwood paste.
One who worships Lord Krsna daily with Tulasi leaves attains the results of all kinds of austerity, charity, and sacrifice. In fact, he has no other duties to perform, and he has realized the essence of the scriptures.
One who puts into his mouth or on his head Tulasi leaves that have been offered to Lord Krsna attains Lord Krsna’s abode.
In Kali-yuga, one who worships, remembers, plants, keeps, or performs kirtana before Tulasi burns up all sinful reactions and quickly attains Lord Krsna’s abode.
One who worships Lord Krsna with Tulasi leaves releases all his ancestors from the realm of birth and death.
One who remembers the glories of Tulasi or tells others about them will never take birth again.

“Jai Shri RadheKrishna”