Guest guest Posted March 19, 2008 Report Share Posted March 19, 2008 Dear Narasimhaye, Namaskar! You are always welcome. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to share the information about Tulasi Devi with you and other members. I need some time to post all available information I have and I'll do this in several e-mails.      ------------------ Tulasi – Part One Some quotations from Padma Purana (Uttara Khanda) and Skanda Purana (Avanti Khanda):      ------------------ Lord Hari began to praise His glorious devotee: " The Tulasi trees collect in many groups, thus the pandits call it Vrinda. I praise that dear Tulasi. Long ago she appeared in the Vrindavana forest and is thus known as Vrindavani. I adore that auspicious and glorious one. She is always worshiped in countless universes and so is known as Vishvapujita – one who is worshiped throughout the world. I worship that Vishvapujita. " " Countless universes are made pure and holy by her contact. She is therefore called Vishvapavani – one who purifies the whole universe. Remembering her, I am suffering from separation from her. Though other flowers be heaped upon the demigods, they are not satisfied unless Tulasi is offered. Thus she is considered the essence of all flowers and is called Pushpasara. Now I am anguished and troubled and very eager to see her – she who is purity incarnate. I crave the favor of that goddess. Because attainment of her brings faith and joy, she is called Nandini. O may she be pleased with Me. In the whole world she is incomparable, thus she is called Tulasi. I take refuge of that dear Tulasi. Very chaste and dear, she is the life of Krishna and so is known as Krishnajivani. O may that goddess save my life. "  He blessed her by saying, " O Tulasi, you will be worshiped by all throughout the world. Dearest, I will hold you on my head and in my heart; and all the demigods will hold you on their heads. "      ------------------ Lord Narayana said : " The sanctifying Tulasi tree will grow in Goloka, on the coast of the Viraja River, on the rasa-dance site, in the forests of Vrindavana, Bhandira, Champaka, Chandana, and in the groves of Madhavi, Ketaki, Kunda, Mallika and Malati. You will live in sacred places and bestow the highest religious merit. All the holy spots will converge and reside at the root of the Tulasi tree, and thus spiritual merits will accrue to all. O fair one, all the demigods and I will wait there to gather the falling Tulasi leaves. " " Whoever will be moistened or anointed with the water that has been sanctified by Tulasi leaves, will reap the benefits of having bathed in all the sacred rivers and performed all kinds of sacrifices. " " Lord Hari will not be as pleased with the gift of a thousand jars of honey as with one Tulasi leaf. " " Offering one such leaf as a gift will bring the same reward obtained by offering millions of cows. "  " If one offers Tulasi leaves during the month of Kartika, he gets the same rewards as those just mentioned. " " If, at the time of death, one drinks or gets the Tulasi-leaf water, one will be freed of all his sins and proceed to Vaikuntha. " " Whoever drinks the Tulasi-leaf water daily will be redeemed in his lifetime and receive the benefit of a dip in the Ganges. " " Whoever plucks a Tulasi leaf, keeps it on his person, and then leaves his body in a holy place, will go to Vishnuloka. " " Anyone who worships Me with this leaf daily will reap the blessings of a hundred thousand horse sacrifices. " " Anyone who leaves his body holding a Tulasi leaf in his hands will be saved from all sins. " " Anyone who wears a necklace composed of Tulasi wood, will surely, at every step, get the reward of a horse sacrifice. " " Whoever breaks his promise while holding the Tulasi leaf will go to the Kalasutra hell for as long as the sun and moon last. " " Anyone who gives false evidence in the presence of the Tulasi leaf, will go to the Kumbhipaka hell for as long as the lifespans of fourteen Indras. " " Whoever at the time of death drinks or gets a little Tulasi-leaf water will certainly proceed to Vaikuntha, leaving in a jeweled airplane. " " Lord Hari will decapitate that person who, on the day of the new moon or the full moon, or on the twelfth or last day of the lunar month, or after being anointed with oil just before taking a bath, or at noon, night, daybreak or sundown, or in a state of impurity or in one's night dress--will cull or pluck the Tulasi leaf. " " O chaste one, even if such a leaf is kept for three nights and becomes dry, it can still be employed in connection with funeral ceremonies, vows, gifts, consecration of temples and the worship of demigods. " " If Tulasi leaves that were offered to Lord Vishnu have fallen on the ground or on water are then properly washed, they may still be used for other sacred purposes. "  " You will always be the presiding deity of the Tulasi plant here on Earth, and at the same time you will always sport with Shri Krishna in solitude in Goloka. You will also be the presiding deity of the Gandaki River, and thereby shower India with religious merit. You will further be the wife of the ocean of salt, which is My partial expansion. O chaste goddess, you will always remain personally by My side and enjoy My company, as Lakshmi does. "      ----------------- Whoever worships Tulasi Devi with her eight names and their meanings – Vrinda, Vrindavani, Vishvapavani, Vishvapujita, Tulasi, Pushpasara, Nandini, and Krishnajivani – acquires the merit of performing an Ashvamedha (horse) sacrifice. Because Tulasi was born on the lunar day of the full moon in the month of Kartika, Lord Hari prescribed this day for her worship. Whoever worships her on this day will be freed from all sins and go to Vaikuntha. Whoever, out of reverence, gives Lord Vishnu a Tulasi leaf in the month of Kartika, will gain the same benefit obtained by giving the gift of ten million cows. By hearing or recalling the Tulasi hymn, a son will be born to the sonless woman, a wife will be obtained by the wifeless man, health will be restored to a diseased person, freedom will be given to a prisoner, fearlessness will be bestowed upon the terrified, and salvation will be given to the sinners.  In the Kanva Sakha branch of the Vedas, the method of worshiping and meditating on Tulasi Devi is described. Without invoking the goddess, one can reverentially meditate on her and adore her with sixteen ingredients in the following way: " Of all flowers, Tulasi is the best. She is worshipable and beautiful, and burns up the fuel of sins like a flame of fire. Of all the goddesses, she is the most sacred. Because no one can compare to her, she is called Tulasi. I worship this goddess who is entreated by all. She is placed on the heads of all, desired by all, and makes the universe holy. She bestows liberation from this world and devotion to Lord Hari. I worship her. " After this meditation and worship, the wise should read her praises and bow down to her.      ----------------- Tulasi Ashta-nama Stava (The Eight Names of Tulasi) from Padma Purana: vrindavani-vrinda-vishvapujita-pushpasara- nandini-krishnajivani-vishvapavani-tulasi: VRINDAVANI - One who first manifested in Vrindavana VRINDA - The goddess of all plant and trees VISHVAPUJITA - One whom the whole universe worships PUSHPASARA - The topmost of all flowers NANDINI - Seeing whom gives unlimited bliss KRISHNA-JIVANI - The life of Krishna VISHVA-PAVANI - One who purifies the three worlds TULASI - One who has no comparison      ----------------- 108 Names of Tulasi: om shri tulasyai namah om nandinyai namah om devyai namah om shikhinyai namah om dharinyai namah om dhatryai namah om savitryai namah om satyasandhayai namah om kalaharinyai namah om gauryai namah om devagitayai namah om draviyasyai namah om padminyai namah om sitayai namah om rukminyai namah om priyabhuushanayai namah om shreyasyai namah om shrimatyai namah om manyayai namah om gauryai namah om gautamarchitayai namah om tretayai namah om tripathagayai namah om tripadayai namah om traimuurtyai namah om jagatrayayai namah om trasinyai namah om gatrayai namah om gatriyayai namah om garbhavarinyai namah om shobhanayai namah om samayai namah om dviradayai namah om aradyai namah om yagyavidyayai namah om mahavidyayai namah om guhyavidyayai namah om kamaksyai namah om kulayai namah om shriyai namah om bhuumyai namah om bhavitryai namah om savitryai namah om saravedavidamvarayai namah om shankhinyai namah om chakrinyai namah om charinyai namah om chapaleksanayai namah om pitambarayai namah om prota somayai namah om saurasayai namah om aksinyai namah om ambayai namah om sarasvatyai namah om samshrayayai namah om sarva devatyai namah om vishvashrayayai namah om sugandhinyai namah om suvasanayai namah om varadayai namah om sushronyai namah om chandrabhagayai namah om yamunapriyayai namah om kaveryai namah om manikarnikayai namah om archinyai namah om sthayinyai namah om danapradayai namah om dhanavatyai namah om sochyamanasayai namah om shuchinyai namah om shreyasyai namah om pritichinteksanyai namah om vibhuutyai namah om akrityai namah om avirbhuutyai namah om prabhavinyai namah om gandhinyai namah om svarginyai namah om gadayai namah om vedyayai namah om prabhayai namah om sarasyai namah om sarasivasayai namah om sarasvatyai namah om sharavatyai namah om rasinyai namah om kalinyai namah om shreyovatyai namah om yamayai namah om brahmapriyayai namah om shyamasundarayai namah om ratnaruupinyai namah om shamanidhinyai namah om shatanandayai namah om shatadyutaye namah om shitikanthayai namah om prayayai namah om dhatryai namah om shri vrindavanyai namah om krishnayai namah om bhaktavatsalayai namah om gopikakridayai namah om harayai namah om amritaruupinyai namah om bhuumyai namah om shri krishnakantayai namah om shri tulasyai namah      ----------------- Tulasi Pranama vrindayai tulasi-devyai priyayai keshavasya ca krishna-bhakti-prade devi satyavatyai namo namah I offer my repeated obeisances unto Vrinda, Tulasi-devi, who is very dear to Lord Keshava. O goddess, you bestow devotional service to Lord Krishna and possess the highest truth.      ----------------- Tulasi Pradakshina Mantra yani kani ca papani brahma-hatyadikani ca tani tani pranashyanti pradakshinah pade pade By the circumambulation of Tulasi-devi all the sins that one may have committed are destroyed at every step, even the sin of killing a brahmana. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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