most fallen

Excellent!

I thought egypt was bad when I visited it, but India is off the charts.

It is very easy to miss the small f's. Great post.

Respected devotees, pamho.

I am no great scholar, and my understanding of this debate comes down simply to the following verses spoken by The Lord Himself.

BG As it is: 15.16

dväv imau purusau loke

ksaras cäksara eva ca

ksarah sarväni bhütäni

küta-stho ’ksara ucyate

There are two classes of beings, the fallible and the infallible. In the material world every living entity is fallible, and in the spiritual world every living entity is called infallible.

BG As it is:8.21

avyakto ’ksara ity uktas

tam ähuh paramäm gatim

yam präpya na nivartante

tad dhäma paramam mama

That which the Vedäntists describe as unmanifest and infallible, that which is known as the supreme destination, that place from which, having attained it, one never returns—that is My supreme abode.

In my innocence, I once asked my Bhagavad Gita teacher a question regarding the infallible nature of the jivas in the spiritual world. He told me we became envious of Krsna and thus ended up here. Last time I checked, envy was definitely a fallible quality to which all jivas in the material world are prone.

I don't know about my teacher, but I'm going with Krsna on this one.

Respected devotees,

I'm not sure about other plants but the mantras to be chanted prior to plucking and also while plucking Tulasi are as follows:

• When picking Tulasi leaves, chant the following mantra:

"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."

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:

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.

ys,

most fallen

Respected devotees,

Krsna (Paramatma) will provide you with the answer you are looking for. He is cognizant of the level of your sincerity and devotion and will guide you accordingly.

ys,

most fallen