Dandavats Pranams
Are there any absolute scriptural injunctions for regulative principles required to be able to wear Tulasi Kanthi Mala?
First I found an old posting here which said:
I remember when I first joined, initially the devotees were saying that only fully surrendered devotees who strictly followed should wear neck beads. But then, and I think this is bona fide but I can't remember the source, it was decided that it is beneficial for anyone to wear tulasi neckbeads so the uninitiated could wear one single strand. That was ok. Maybe someone has a quote from Prabhupada, I dont, but this become the ISKCON standard I think.
Y.S.,
Priitaa d.d.
Then I found this Q&A with HH Jayapataka Swami:
Q: I have a friend to whom I am preaching and is chanting two rounds since 15 days. He wants to wear the neck bead but is a non-vegetarian. Can he wear or not?
A: We cannot give nor prohibit anyone from wearing neck beads. It is their own free will to do so. I have heard that if one wears tulasi neck beads he is to maintain his body in a more pure manner and avoid eating non-veg. I haven't seen it written anywhere as a rule. In Bengal this tradition is largely followed so people wear Bael fruit beads if they are non-veggies.
However, I know people were non-veggies who have worn tulasi purchasing the beads themselves and after wearing the beads they lost the taste for eating meat. Can this Bhakta take the risk of wearing tulasi and not eating prasadam? It is his own risk. Don't give him free tulasi beads. Whatever one buys for himself is his own risk / responsibility.
http://www.radiokrishna.com/Vv_06.php
I also found an article at VNN which gave some very heavy scriptural injunctions.
Wearing Tulsi Beads Around The Neck
BY SRI SRILA BHAKTI KUSUM SRAMAN GOSWAMI MAHARAJA
EDITORIAL, Jan 7 (VNN) — Sri Srila Bhakti Kusum Sraman Goswami Maharaja
Former President Acharya of Akara mathraj Sri Chaitnya Math and Its branch maths
(1900-1986)
(Taken from "Gaudiya Darshane Bhagvat Kathamrita 1"of Sri Srila Bhakti Kusum Sraman Goswami Maharaja)
It is said in Vishnudharmottar : The Lord says that one who wears the beads made out of the wood of Tulsi in one's neck, even if he is untidy and ill- charactered, will undoubtedly attain Me only.
In Garud Purana it is stated: All those people of evil argumentative mentality who say why to wear Tulsi beads, what results are attained by wearing them, and don't wear Tulsi beads around their neck, burn in the fire of anger of Sri Hari and will never get liberated from hell.
Sri Krishna will grant the fruit of being the resident of Dvarka immediately to those who wear Tulsi beads around the neck. The sins of the person who wears neck beads made of Tulsi with devotion after offering to Sri Vishnu will get vanquished and Devakinandan Sri Krishna will always remain pleased with him, he does not need to undergo further atonement, no more sins remain in his body.
In Kaliyuga, one, who is bedecked with the beads made of Tulsi, performs ritual activities and activities pertaining to ancestors and demigods, obtains crores times more results. The messengers of Yama will flee away by the sight of the Tulsi beads just as leaves are blown off by wind.
In Skanda-puran it is stated :- Those who wear neck beads made of Tulsi after offering it to Sri Hari are definitely foremost among the devotees of Lord. Those fools who wear Tulsi beads without offering to Hari will definitely go to hell. After presenting the mala, it should be purified with panca-gavya ; after that the mula -mantra should be recited followed by the recitation of the gayatri mantra for eight times. Touching with incense, worship with this Sadyojata -mantra with utmost devotion:
Om sadyojatah prapadyami sadyojataya vai namo namah
Bhave tave nadi bhave bhajeswamam bhavod-bhavaya namah
After that, this prayer should be made, "Oh! Mala ! You are made of Tulsi and are dear to Vaisnavas . I wear you around my neck; you make me dear to Sri Krishna. 'Ma' means 'me', 'La' means 'to give'. Oh Hari-Vallabhe ! You have given me to Vaisnava devotees, hence you are known as mala . Those Vaisnavas who pray in accordance with rituals in this manner and first offer the mala in the neck of Sri Krishna and then puts it to themselves attain the Lotus feet of Sri Vishnu."
It is stated in Padma Purana : either during morning ablutions or bathing or eating or at any state which is clean or unclean, Tulsi mala has to be worn always; that means mala should not be removed under any circumstance.
Shastras say: Tulsi mala should always be worn as yajna -sutra or sacred thread. Those who remove Tulsi mala even for a moment are considered to be Vishnu- drohi .
Notes:
[1] The book "Gaudiya Darshane Bhagvat Kathamrita" is a collection of selected articles published initially in the journal Gaudiya and newspaper Daily Nadiya Prakash (both published by Shri Gaudiya Math). The present article was originally published in the journal Gaudiya , in 465-466, Gaurabd -Era (1951-52 AD).
http://www.vnn.org/editorials/ET0401/ET07-8513.html
I have not been able to find some definite statements from Srila Prabhupada recorded in the folio.
Well, I am not initiated and do not follow all the 4 regulative principles. I eat fish, eggs, onions and garlic. I have been wearing Tulasi Mala since 5 years. Now I am wondering if I should stop wearing Tulasi until I am free of these things? I am now very afraid of committing offences while wearing Tulasi, if this has/will ruin my spiritual life altogether.
Please help me,
Thank you very much,
Satyadharma
