The Worship of Srimati Tulasi Devi
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 this 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.
Antya 3.100
Haridasa Thakura used to chant the holy name on his beads 300,000 times daily. Throughout the entire day and night, he would chant the sixteen names of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra. One should not, however, imitate Haridasa Thakura, for no one else can chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra 300,000 times a day. Such chanting is for the mukta-purusa, or liberated soul. We can follow his example, however, by chanting sixteen rounds of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra on beads every day and offering respect to the tulasi plant. THIS IS NOT AT ALL DIFFICULT FOR ANYONE, AND THE PROCESS OF CHANTING THE HARE KRSNA MAHA-MANTRA WITH A VOW BEFORE THE TULASI PLANT HAS SUCH GREAT SPIRITUAL POTENCY THAT SIMPLY BY DOING THIS ONE CAN BECOME SPIRITUALLY STRONG. Therefore we request the members of the Hare Krsna movement to follow Haridasa Thakura’s example rigidly. CHANTING SIXTEEN ROUNDS DOES NOT TAKE MUCH TIME, NOR IS OFFERING RESPECTS TO THE TULASI PLANT DIFFICULT. THE PROCESS HAS IMMENSE SPIRITUAL POTENCY. ONE SHOULD NOT MISS THIS OPPORTUNITY.
Antya 3.141
She worshiped the tulasi plant, following in the footsteps of her spiritual master. Instead of eating regularly, she chewed whatever food she received as alms, and if nothing was supplied she would fast. Thus by eating frugally and fasting she conquered her senses, AND AS SOON AS HER SENSES WERE CONTROLLED, SYMPTOMS OF LOVE OF GODHEAD APPEARED IN HER PERSON.
NoD 11 Aspects of Transcendental Service
In the Skanda Purana there is a statement praising the tulasi tree as follows: “Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto the tulasi tree, which can immediately vanquish volumes of sinful activities. Simply by seeing or touching this tree one can become relieved from all distresses and diseases. SIMPLY BY OFFERING OBEISANCES TO AND POURING WATER ON THE TULASI TREE, ONE CAN BECOME FREED FROM THE FEAR OF BEING SENT TO THE COURT OF YAMARAJA [THE KING OF DEATH, WHO PUNISHES THE SINFUL]. If someone sows a tulasi tree somewhere, certainly he becomes devoted to Lord Krsna. And when the tulasi leaves are offered in devotion at the lotus feet of Krsna, there is the full development of love of Godhead.”
NoD 11 Aspects of Transcendental Service
In the Skanda Purana there is another statement about tulasi, as follows: “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 this 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.”
SB 3.15.19 P Description of the Kingdom of God
The most important thing about the spiritual world is that there is no envy among the devotees there. THIS IS TRUE EVEN AMONG THE FLOWERS, WHICH ARE ALL CONSCIOUS OF THE GREATNESS OF TULASI.
SB 5.3.6
O Supreme Lord, You are full in every respect. You are certainly very satisfied when Your devotees offer You prayers with faltering voices and in ecstasy bring You tulasi leaves, water, twigs bearing new leaves, and newly grown grass. THIS SURELY MAKES YOU SATISFIED.
SB 5.3.6
If one is fully absorbed in love and ecstasy, he need offer only a flower and a little water. As stated in Bhagavad-gita, patram puspam phalam toyam yo me bhaktya prayacchati: “If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a flower. fruit or water, I will accept it.” (Bg. 9.26)
The Supreme Lord can be pleased only by devotional service: therefore it is said here that the Lord is surely satisfied by devotion and nothing else. Quoting from the Gautamiya-tantra, the Hari-bhakti-vilasa states:
tulasi-dala-matrena
jalasya culukena va
vikrinite svam atmanam
bhaktebhyo bhakta-vatsalah
“Sri Krsna, who is very affectionate toward His devotees, SELLS HIMSELF to a devotee who offers merely a tulasi leaf and a palmful of water.” The Supreme Lord is causelessly merciful upon His devotee, so much so that even the poorest of men can offer Him a little water and a flower in devotion and thus please Him. This is due to His affectionate dealings with His devotees.
SB 7-5-23&24
(4) pada-sevanam. According to one’s taste and strength, hearing, chanting and remembrance may be followed by pada-sevanam. One obtains the perfection of remembering when one constantly thinks of the lotus feet of the Lord. Being intensely attached to thinking of the Lord’s lotus feet is called pada-sevanam. When one is particularly adherent to the process of pada-sevanam, this process gradually includes other processes, such as seeing the form of the Lord, touching the form of the Lord, circumambulating the form or temple of the Lord, visiting such places as Jagannatha Puri, Dvaraka and Mathura to see the Lord’s form, and bathing in the Ganges or Yamuna. Bathing in the Ganges and serving a pure Vaisnava are also known as tadiya-upasanam. This is also pada-sevanam. THE WORD TADIYA MEANS “IN RELATIONSHIP WITH THE LORD.” Service to the Vaisnava, TULASI, GANGES AND YAMUNA ARE INCLUDED IN PADA-SEVANAM. All these processes of pada-sevanam help one advance in spiritual life very quickly.
SB 7.5.23-24
If one commits any of the above offenses, one must read at least one chapter of Bhagavad-gita. This is confirmed in the Skanda-Purana, Avanti-khanda. Similarly, there is another injunction, stating that one who reads the thousand names of Visnu can be released from all offenses. In the same Skanda-Purana, Reva-khanda, IT IS SAID THAT ONE WHO RECITES PRAYERS TO TULASI OR SOWS A TULASI SEED IS ALSO FREED FROM ALL OFFENSES.
SB 9.4.18-20
sa vai manah krsna-padaravindayor
vacamsi vaikuntha-gunanuvarnane
karau harer mandira-marjanadisu
srutim cakaracyuta-sat-kathodaye
mukunda-lingalaya-darsane drsau
tad-bhrtya-gatra-sparse ‘nga-sangamam
ghranam ca tat-pada-saroja-saurabhe
SRIMAT-TULASYA RASANAM TAD-ARPITE
padau hareh ksetra-padanusarpane
siro hrsikesa-padabhivandane
kamam ca dasye na tu kama-kamyaya
yathottamasloka-janasraya ratih
Maharaja Ambarisa always engaged his mind in meditating upon the lotus feet of Krsna, his words in describing the glories of the Lord, his hands in cleansing the Lord’s temple, and his ears in hearing the words spoken by Krsna or about Krsna. He engaged his eyes in seeing the Deity of Krsna, Krsna’s temples and Krsna’s places like Mathura and Vrndavana, he engaged his sense of touch in touching the bodies of the Lord’s devotees, HE ENGAGED HIS SENSE OF SMELL IN SMELLING THE FRAGRANCE OF TULASI OFFERED TO THE LORD, and he engaged his tongue in tasting the Lord’s prasada. He engaged his legs in walking to the holy places and temples of the Lord, his head in bowing down before the Lord, and all his desires in serving the Lord, twenty-four hours a day. Indeed, Maharaja Ambarisa never desired anything for his own sense gratification. He engaged all his senses in devotional service, in various engagements related to the Lord. This is the way to increase attachment for the Lord and be completely free from all material desires.
Adi 3
Advaita Acarya was a contemporary of Lord Caitanya’s father. He felt sorry for the condition of the world because even after Lord Krsna’s appearance, no one had interest in devotional service to Krsna. This forgetfulness was so overwhelming that Advaita Prabhu was convinced that no one but Lord Krsna Himself could enlighten people about devotional service to the Supreme Lord. Therefore Advaita requested Lord Krsna to appear as Lord Caitanya. OFFERING TULASI LEAVES AND GANGES WATER, HE CRIED FOR THE LORD’S APPEARANCE. THE LORD, BEING SATISFIED BY HIS PURE DEVOTEES, DESCENDS TO SATISFY THEM. As such, being pleased by Advaita Acarya, Lord Caitanya appeared.
Adi 3.105-106
Advaita Acarya considered the meaning of the verse in this way: Not finding any way to repay the debt He owes to one who offers Him a tulasi leaf and water, LORD KRSNA THINKS, “THERE IS NO WEALTH IN MY POSSESSION THAT IS EQUAL TO A TULASI LEAF AND WATER.”
Adi 3.107
Thus the LORD LIQUIDATES THE DEBT BY OFFERING HIMSELF TO THE DEVOTEE. Considering this, the Acarya began worshiping the Lord.
Adi 3.107
Through devotional service one can easily please Lord Krsna with a leaf of the tulasi plant and a little water. As the Lord says in the Bhagavad-gita (9.26), a leaf, a flower, a fruit or some water (patram puspam phalam toyam), when offered with devotion, very much pleases Him. He universally accepts the services of His devotees. Even the poorest of devotees in any part of the world can secure a small flower, fruit or leaf and a little water, and IF THESE OFFERINGS, AND ESPECIALLY TULASI LEAVES AND GANGES WATER, ARE OFFERED TO KRSNA WITH DEVOTION, HE IS VERY SATISFIED. IT IS SAID THAT KRSNA IS SO PLEASED BY SUCH DEVOTIONAL SERVICE THAT HE OFFERS HIMSELF TO HIS DEVOTEE IN EXCHANGE FOR IT. Srila Advaita Acarya knew this fact, and therefore He decided to call for the Personality of Godhead Krsna to descend by worshiping the Lord with tulasi leaves and the water of the Ganges.
Madhya 15.9
Sri Advaita Prabhu would also place a flower garland around the Lord’s neck and TULASI FLOWERS [MANJARIS] ON HIS HEAD. Then, with folded hands, Advaita Acarya would offer obeisances and prayers unto the Lord.
Madhya 22.125
“TADIYA MEANS THE TULASI LEAVES, the devotees of Krsna, the birthplace of Krsna, Mathura, and the Vedic literature Srimad-Bhagavatam. KRSNA IS VERY EAGER TO SEE HIS DEVOTEE SERVE TULASI, Vaisnavas, Mathura and Bhagavatam.
Madhya 22.125
After item twenty-six (meditation), the twenty-seventh is TO SERVE TULASI, the twenty-eighth is to serve the Vaisnava, the twenty-ninth is to live in Mathura, the birthplace of Lord Krsna, and the thirtieth is to read Srimad-Bhagavatam regularly.
Madhya 23.51 Life’ s Ultimate Goal–Love of Godhead
“Krsna’s smile, the fragrance of His transcendental body, His flute, bugle, ankle bells, conchshell, the marks on His feet, His place of residence, HIS FAVORITE PLANT [TULASI], His devotees, and the observance of fasts and vows connected to His devotion all awaken the symptoms of ecstatic love.”
Madhya 24.115 The Sixty-One Explanations of the Atmarama Verse
” ‘When the breeze carrying the aroma of tulasi leaves and saffron from the lotus feet of the lotus-eyed Personality of Godhead entered through the nostrils into the hearts of those sages [the Kumaras], THEY EXPERIENCED A CHANGE IN BOTH BODY AND MIND, EVEN THOUGH THEY WERE ATTACHED TO IMPERSONAL BRAHMAN UNDERSTANDING.’
Antya 3.137
Although Krsna wants everyone to surrender to His lotus feet, because of people’s sinful activities they cannot do this. Na mam duskrtino mudhah prapadyante naradhamah: rascals and fools, the lowest of men, who engage in sinful activities, cannot suddenly surrender to the lotus feet of Krsna. NEVERTHELESS, IF THEY BEGIN CHANTING THE HARE KRSNA MANTRA AND RENDERING SERVICE UNTO THE TULASI PLANT, THEY WILL VERY SOON BE ABLE TO SURRENDER.
KB 30
The gopis then began to address the tulasi plants: “DEAR TULASI, YOU ARE MUCH BELOVED BY LORD KRSNA BECAUSE YOUR LEAVES ARE ALWAYS AT HIS LOTUS FEET.
SB 1.19.6
It is especially mentioned herein that Maharaja Pariksit took shelter of that particular river which is beautifully flowing, carrying the dust of the lotus feet of Lord Krsna, mixed with tulasi leaves. LORD KRSNA’S LOTUS FEET ARE ALWAYS BESMEARED WITH THE TULASI LEAVES, and thus as soon as His lotus feet contact the water of the Ganges and the Yamuna, the rivers become at once sanctified.
SB 3.15.19 Description of the Kingdom of God
Although flowering plants like the mandara, kunda, kurabaka, utpala, campaka, arna, punnaga, nagakesara, bakula, lily and parijata are full of transcendental fragrance, THEY ARE STILL CONSCIOUS OF THE AUSTERITIES PERFORMED BY TULASI, FOR TULASI IS GIVEN SPECIAL PREFERENCE BY THE LORD, WHO GARLANDS HIMSELF WITH TULASI LEAVES.
SB 3.15.49
The tulasi leaf is very useful EVEN FROM THE MEDICINAL OR ANTISEPTIC POINT OF VIEW.
SB 3.16.21
It is said in the Brahma-samhita that the Lord is always served by many hundreds of thousands of goddesses of fortune in His Vaikuntha planet, yet because of His attitude of renunciation of all opulences, He is not attached to any one of them. The Lord has six opulences–unlimited wealth, unlimited fame, unlimited strength, unlimited beauty, unlimited knowledge and unlimited renunciation. All the demigods and other living entities worship Laksmi, the goddess of fortune, just to get her favor, yet the Lord is never attached to her because He can create an unlimited number of such goddesses for His transcendental service. THE GODDESS OF FORTUNE, LAKSMI, IS SOMETIMES ENVIOUS OF THE TULASI LEAVES WHICH ARE PLACED AT THE LOTUS FEET OF THE LORD, FOR THEY REMAIN FIXED THERE AND DO NOT MOVE, WHEREAS LAKSMIJI, ALTHOUGH STATIONED BY THE CHEST OF THE LORD, SOMETIMES HAS TO PLEASE OTHER DEVOTEES WHO PRAY FOR HER FAVOR. LAKSMIJI SOMETIMES HAS TO GO TO SATISFY HER NUMEROUS DEVOTEES, BUT TULASI LEAVES NEVER FORSAKE THEIR POSITION, AND THE LORD THEREFORE APPRECIATES THE SERVICE OF THE TULASI MORE THAN THE SERVICE OF LAKSMI. When the Lord says, therefore, that it is due to the causeless mercy of the brahmanas that Laksmiji does not leave Him, we can understand that Laksmiji is attracted by the opulence of the Lord, not by the brahmanas’ benedictions upon Him. The Lord is not dependent on anyone’s mercy for His opulence; He is always self-sufficient. The Lord’s statement that His opulence is due to the benediction of the brahmanas and Vaisnavas is only to teach others that they should offer respect to the brahmanas and Vaisnavas, the devotees of the Lord.
SB 4.8.55
It is specifically mentioned herein that tulasi leaves are very dear to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, and devotees should take particular care to have tulasi leaves in every temple and center of worship. In the Western countries, while engaged in propagating the Krsna consciousness movement, WE WERE BROUGHT GREAT UNHAPPINESS BECAUSE WE COULD NOT FIND TULASI LEAVES. WE ARE VERY MUCH OBLIGED, THEREFORE, TO OUR DISCIPLE SRIMATI GOVINDA DASI BECAUSE SHE HAS TAKEN MUCH CARE TO GROW TULASI PLANTS FROM SEEDS, AND SHE HAS BEEN SUCCESSFUL BY THE GRACE OF KRSNA. NOW TULASI PLANTS ARE GROWING IN ALMOST EVERY CENTER OF OUR MOVEMENT.
Madhya 17.193
The word vana means “forest.” VRNDAVANA IS THE NAME GIVEN TO THE FOREST WHERE SRIMATI VRNDADEVI (TULASIDEVI) GROWS PROFUSELY. Actually it is not a forest as we ordinarily consider a forest because it is very thick with green vegetation. There are twelve such vanas in Vrndavana. Some are located on the western side of the Yamuna and others on the eastern side. The forests situated on the eastern side are Bhadravana, Bilvavana, Lauhavana, Bhandiravana and Mahavana. On the western side are Madhuvana, Talavana, Kumudavana, Bahulavana, Kamyavana, Khadiravana and Vrndavana. These are the twelve forests of the Vrndavana area.
NoD 9 Further Considerations of Devotional Principles
A similar statement is in the Skanda Purana, which says, “Persons who are decorated with tilaka or gopi-candana [a kind of clay resembling fuller’s earth which is produced in certain quarters of Vrndavana], and who mark their bodies all over with the holy names of the Lord, and on whose necks and breasts there are tulasi beads, ARE NEVER APPROACHED BY THE YAMADUTAS.” The Yamadutas are the constables of King Yama (the lord of death), who punishes all sinful men. Vaisnavas are never called for by such constables of Yamaraja. In the Srimad-Bhagavatam, in the narration of Ajamila’s deliverance, it is said that Yamaraja gave clear instructions to his assistants not to approach the Vaisnavas. VAISNAVAS ARE BEYOND THE JURISDICTION OF YAMARAJA’S ACTIVITIES.
750801SB.NO Lectures
So I am very glad that you are seriously interested, and Krsna is pleased upon you. And that you are sincerely trying, I can understand from these tulasi plants. Yes. THIS IS THE PRACTICAL DEMONSTRATION. UNLESS THERE IS BHAKTI, THIS TULASI PLANT WILL NOT GROW. We must be very much thankful to our Govinda dasi. She first of all cultivated the tulasi plant in Hawaii. And now our tulasi plants are distributed. SO SHE HAS DONE A GREAT SERVICE. I THINK I GAVE HER THE SEEDS, AND SHE VERY NICELY DONE IT. NOW EVERYWHERE WE SEE TULASI PLANT. IT IS VERY PLEASING. SO THE SAME THING–DEITY WORSHIP AND WATERING THE TULASI PLANTS, CHANTING SIXTEEN ROUNDS AT LEAST, AND OBSERVING THE RULES AND REGULATION, REGULATIVE PRINCIPLE… THEN YOUR LIFE IS SUCCESSFUL. DON’T NEGLECT. VERY SERIOUSLY CONTINUE. AND IN THIS ONE LIFE YOU ARE GOING BACK TO HOME, BACK TO GODHEAD. IT IS SURE. I AM NOT FLATTERING YOU. KRSNA SAYS, MAN-MANA BHAVA MAD-BHAKTO MAD-YAJI MAM NAMASKURU, MAM EVAISYASI ASAMSAYAH. ASAMSAYAH, “WITHOUT ANY DOUBT, SIMPLY FOLLOWING THESE RULES AND REGULATION,” MAM EVAISYASI, “YOU COME BACK TO ME.”
69-04-13. Letter: Pradyumna
Regarding your questions, generally tulsi beads ARE REQUIRED FOR INITIATION, BUT IF IT IS NOT AVAILABLE, ORDINARY BEADS CAN BE USED. Sometimes the shopkeepers give ordinary beads and say it is tulsi, so it is very difficult to get tulsi beads without personal attendance.
SPL Govinda Dasi, 7 April, 1970 Honolulu
I am so very glad to learn that Srimati Tulasi Devi has favored you so much. IF YOU CAN ACTUALLY GROW THIS TULASI PLANT, AND I AM SURE YOU WILL DO IT, THEN YOU MUST KNOW IT FOR CERTAIN THAT YOUR DEVOTION FOR KRSNA IS TESTIFIED. I was very much anxious to introduce this worship of Tulasi plant amongst our Society members, but it has not become successful til now, therefore, when I hear that you have got this opportunity, MY PLEASURE DOES NOT HAVE ANY BOUNDS.
PLEASE TAKE CARE OF THE TULASI PLANTS IN THE FOLLOWING WAY. THIS IS THE BEST SEASON FOR GROWING TULASI PLANTS. FROM 15TH APRIL TO 15TH JUNE IS THE BEST SEASON FOR GROWING THIS PLANT. NOW I UNDERSTAND THAT THE SEEDLINGS ARE COMING OUT, SO THE WHOLE SPOT IF POSSIBLE MAY BE COVERED BY SOME NET BECAUSE THE SEEDLING STAGE CREEPERS BEING VERY DELICATE ARE SOMETIMES EATEN UP BY THE SPARROWS, SO WE HAVE TO GIVE A LITTLE PROTECTION FROM ATTACK OF THE SPARROWS. ALL THE DEVOTEES SHOULD POUR WATER AT LEAST ONCE IN THE MORNING BEFORE TAKING PRASADAM. THE WATERING SHOULD NOT BE VERY MUCH LARGE IN QUANTITY, BUT IT SHOULD BE POURED JUST TO KEEP THE GROUND SOFT AND MOIST. SUNLIGHT ALSO SHOULD BE ALLOWED. WHEN THE CREEPERS ARE GROWN AT LEAST 7 INCHES HIGH, THEN YOU CAN TAKE THEM OUT FROM THE PLANTING SOIL AND TRANSPLANT THEM IN A ROW IN A DIFFERENT PLACE. THEN GO ON WATERING AND THEY WILL GROW LIKE ANYTHING. I THINK THIS PLANT CANNOT GROW IN COLD COUNTRIES, BUT IF THE PLANTS ARE DISPATCHED FROM YOUR PLACE AND IF THE DEVOTEES TAKE CARE OF THE PLANT WITH A LITTLE CARE IN A FLOWER POT, THEN IT MAY GROW.
Tulasi leaf is very, very dear to Visnu. All Visnu-tattva Deities require profusely Tulasi leaves. Lord Visnu likes garland of Tulasi leaves. Tulsi 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, as you have seen on the Govinda Album.
I am giving you herewith three mantras for Tulasi Devi as follows:
vrindaai tulasi devyai priyaai kesavasya ca
visnubhaktiprade devi satyavatyai namo namah
This is offering OBEISANCES, bowing down (pancanga pranam). And when COLLECTING LEAVES from the plant, the following mantra should be chanted:
tulasya mrta janmasi sada tvam kesavapriya
kesavarthi cinomi tvam barada bhava sobhine
Then the mantra FOR CIRCUMAMBULATING the Tulasi tree.
yani kani ca papani brahmahatya dikani ca
tani tani pranasyanti pradaksinah pade pade
So there are three mantras, one for bowing down, one for circumambulating,* and one for collecting the leaves. The collecting of leaves should be done once in the morning for worshiping and for putting on the plates of foodstuff to be offered. On each bowl or plate there should be at lest one leaf. So you follow and practice these Tulasi affairs and you try to distribute your experience to all the other centers, that will be a new chapter in the history of Krsna Consciousness Movement.
70-11-12. Letter: Vamanadeva
THE NEW GROWTH OF TULASI IS TESTIMONY TO YOUR SINCERE DEVOTION BECAUSE SHE WILL ONLY GROW AND FLOURISH IN AN ATMOSPHERE OF KRSNA CONSCIOUSNESS.
70-11-30. Letter: Karandhara
Regarding worship of Tulasi, it is not very much important. Simply all the devotees may offer a LITTLE WATER EVERY MORNING AND IN THE EVENING OFFER OBEISANCES AND GHEE LAMP (ONE WICK) AND CIRCUMAMBULATING THREE TIMES REPEATING THE MANTRAS THAT I HAVE GIVEN YOU. The plant may remain in the garden.
70-12-29. Letter: Jagadisa
I am very glad to learn that you have begun worship of Tulasi in your Toronto Temple. THE PRESENCE OF TULASI IS PROOF OF TRUE DEVOTIONAL ATMOSPHERE THERE. Please offer Her all respects and carefully tend and Srimati Tulasi will be pleased upon you in gaining the auspicious favor of the Lord.
71-01-21. Letter: Bhavananda
So far as touching the Deity is concerned, that can be done only by the priest. Only on very special occasions are others allowed to touch the Deity. TOUCH MEANS TO PLACE TULASI MIXED WITH SANDALWOOD AT KRISHNA’S LOTUS FEET.
71-04-11. Letter: Krsnakanti
Yes, Krishna is providing everything. Krishna is so kind. As you require something for His service, he provides it. And Tulasi Devi is growing so nicely there. TEND TULASI VERY NICELY AND YOUR DEVOTION TOWARDS KRISHNA WILL INCREASE. IN THE EVENING A LAMP SHOULD BE OFFERED TO THE TULASI PLANT AND IN THE MORNING EACH DEVOTEE SHOULD OFFER A LITTLE WATER AND OFFER OBEISANCES.
71-05-28. Letter: Govinda
Your service in the matter of implanting Tulasi seeds as introduced in the Western countries has PROVED IT DEFINITELY THAT ACTUALLY YOU ARE GOVINDA DASI, MAID-SERVANT OF GOVINDA. I always speak to many gentlemen how strenuously hard you work to have introduced Tulasi in the Western countries and I am hearing from everywhere that Tulasi is growing very luxuriantly. MAY TULASI BE KIND UPON YOU AND INTRODUCE YOU TO KRISHNA, TO BE ONE OF THE ASSISTANT MAID-SERVANT GOPIS IN VRINDABAN.
71-07-09. Letter: Gaura Hari
I am so glad to hear how nicely Tulsi is growing. That is the sign of substantial devotional service. Every center should be encouraged to grow Tulsi. IF THERE IS ANY IMPEDIMENT IN GROWING TULSI, THAT MEANS THAT DEVOTIONAL SERVICE IS DEFECTIVE.
71-08-31. Letter: Ekayani
Tulasi plants are LIBERATED SOULS who want to serve Krishna in that way.
71-11-17 Letter: Patty Dorgan
Tulsidevi is part of Krishna’s entourage, she is Krishna-ised or Krishna Conscious, and in this pure state she has all the qualities of Krishna, and therefore she becomes worshipable just like Krishna. THERE IS A SAYING, LOVE ME, LOVE MY DOG. It is like that. To approach the President is very difficult, unless you are the friend of his son or daughter, then it becomes very easy. So worship of Tulsidevi and other of Lord Krishna’s Entourage is part of the total devotional attitude of pleasing Krishna.
SPL Honolulu 71-11-20 Govinda dasi,
Please accept my blessings and the blessings of Lord Caitanya also. Because you have done the Caitanya Mahaprabhu murti so wonderfully, I can understand that Caitanya Mahaprabhu had a special blessing upon you. So you first introduced Tulasi plant in the Western countries and now you have introduced the vigraha form of Lord Caitanya in the Western countries. So do it very nicely and very soon I shall be coming to your New Navadvipa by the month of March or April.
The Panca-tattva can all be golden. The Deity of Lord Caitanya is very nicely done so there is no need to change the color. Yes, Srivas Pandit has sikha. Vaisnava must have sikha. Advaita Prabhu has a full white beard. He was an old man. He was practically older than the father of Lord Caitanya. He was an elder gentleman in the town of Navadvipa, elder of the brahmana community. ALL SHOULD WEAR TULASI KUNTI BEADS, NOT LESS THAN TWO STRANDS. THREE, FOUR STRANDS OR MY GURU MAHARAJA HAD FIVE STRANDS. Only Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda wear crowns and nosepins. Lord Caitanya and Lord Nityananda can be decorated with all kinds of jewelry. FOR KRISHNA TULASI AND RAMA TULASI THE THE WORSHIP IS THE SAME. THERE IS NO DIFFERENCE BETWEEN RAMA AND KRISHNA. BOTH ARE THE SUPREME PERSONALITY OF GODHEAD. SIMPLY THEY ARE EXPANSIONS OF THE SAME ABSOLUTE TRUTH.
72-01-06. Letter: Radhavallabha
I am very glad to know that you are seriously taking to Srimati Tulasi Devi worship. Tulasi Devi is a pure devotee of Krishna and she should be treated with the same respect given to all Krishna’s pure devotees. Simply by worshipping her faithfully, a devotee can get himself free of 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.” So from this verse we can understand how pure is the service which Tulasi offers to Sri Krishna. So we should always endeavor after becoming servant of Tulasi Devi. I DO NOT KNOW WHO HAS TAUGHT YOU THAT PART OF A TULASI PLANT MAY BE CUT OFF AND THEN REPLANTED? FROM THE TULASI PLANT YOU CAN CUT OFF ONLY LEAVES FOR OFFERING THEM TO KRISHNA, NEVER FOR CUTTING AND PLANTING. THAT IS AN OFFENSE. THE MANJARIS (SEEDS) CAN BE OFFERED IN WATER AND IT MAKES THE WATER FRAGRANT AND TASTEFUL. AND THE MANJARIS CAN BE PLANTED FOR GROWING NEW TULASI PLANTS. Yes, the prayer you have enclosed is bonafide. TULASI DEVI NEVER GOES BACK TO GODHEAD, SHE IS ALWAYS WITH GODHEAD. SHE IS A PURE DEVOTEE AND THUS SHE HAS APPEARED ON THIS PLANET TO RENDER SERVICE TO KRISHNA BY BEING OFFERED IN ALL TEMPLES THROUGHOUT THE WORLD BY BEING OFFERED UP TO THE LOTUS FEET OF KRISHNA.
Honolulu 6 January, 1972 Govinda dasi
HOW ARE YOUR TULASI PLANTS IN HAWAII? HOW ARE THEY FEELING? I AM ALWAYS THINKING OF THEM and you. Please let me know how they are growing and how you are taking care of them. This time when I go to Hawaii I shall sit down in the forest of Tulasi plants and chant Hare Krishna.
72-02-12. Letter: Govinda
I am very sorry to hear about your demoniac neighbor cutting down many tulasi plants, but do not worry, HE SHALL GET HIS DUE PUNISHMENT IN TIME, REST ASSURED. Simply go on in the normal way, and gradually his threat will disappear. Such men should be taken and beaten very hard with shoes–but it will not be very much to our credit if we are accused of fighting in this way. But if that man is caught trespassing on our property, then he may be severely punished by us. You can put up barbed-wire fence around the tulasi plants if that will help, or somehow or other protect them from further danger. Our experience has been that if we ignore them such demoniac class of men, they will go away.
72-04-12. Letter: Anuttama
Thank you for the Tulsi leaves you have sent me. SRIMATI TULSI DEVI IS VERY DEAR TO LORD KRISHNA, SO YOU MUST ALWAYS CARE FOR HER VERY LOVINGLY AND ATTENTIVELY, AND IN THIS WAY KRISHNA WILL BE PLEASED.
73-01-04 Letter: Dhruvananda
Yes, the leaves of Srimati Tulasi Devi MAY BE OFFERED TO ALL VISNU-TATTVA EXPANSIONS OF KRSNA, INCLUDING NITYANANDA AND BALARAMA.
73-01-04 Letter: George
I have heard that your good wife, Patty is growing Srimate Tulasi devi there at your house with good success. That is another very auspicious sign. THE TULASI, SHE WILL NOT GO TO LIVE WITH ANYONE NON-DEVOTEE, AND BECAUSE SHE IS GROWING SO PROFUSELY, THEREFORE SHE IS GIVING YOU HER BEST FAVOR BECAUSE YOU ARE BEST DEVOTEE, THAT IS TO BE UNDERSTOOD.
73-02-11. Letter: Tosana
Your dedication to Srimati Tulasi-devi is very laudable and I am sure that if you consult with Karandhara das he will give you all assistance to help make your dream come true. But carving tulasi beads should not be your sole occupation. YOU SHOULD ALSO GO OUT FOR STREET SANKIRTANA AND DISTRIBUTE MY LITERATURE FOR THE CRIPPLE MINDED MASSES, and whatever spare time you have you can carve some tulasi beads for me to sanctify. But whatever you do should be done with wholehearted enthusiasm and strict adherence to the principles of chanting 16 rounds, rising for mangala arati, following the four basic principles, always remaining clean etc.
73-07-20 Letter: Nityananda
The picture of tulasi is especially indicative, BECAUSE IF TULASI GROWS LUXURIANTLY THAT PROVES THE SINCERE DEVOTIONAL SERVICE OF THE PLACE.
Babhru, 9 December, 1973 Los Angeles
That Gaurasundara and Siddha-svarupa have sold the Temple in Hawaii and abandoned the beautiful Tulasi plants there is a great fall down on their parts. They did not ask my permission. If they wanted to go away they could have, but they had no right to sell the Temple. It is actually a criminal act on their part. Anyone who follows them will also fall down without a doubt.
Now, we have by Krsna’s Grace built up something significant in the shape of this ISKCON and we are all one family. Sometimes there may be disagreement and quarrel but we should not go away. These inebrieties can be adjusted by the cooperative spirit, tolerance and maturity so I request you to kindly remain in the association of our devotees and work together. The test of our actual dedication and sincerity to serve the Spiritual Master will be in this mutual cooperative spirit to push on this Movement and not make factions and deviate. Try to convince Gaurasundara and Siddha-svarupa to return to ISKCON and let us forget whatever has happened in the past.
Yes, you may return to Hawaii with Sudama Maharaja and take charge of caring for Tulasi devi there. I CANNOT UNDERSTAND HOW GOVINDA DASI COULD ABANDON TULASI DEVI. KINDLY TRY TO INDUCE HER TO RETURN.
Tusta Krsna 7 November, 1973
Just now I have received the news that in Hawaii the tulsi plants are drying for want of watering. How has Govinda dasi left the tulsi plants which she nourished so lovingly? Please therefore all of you go to your respective positions and revive your devotional activities without any further delay, and if you cannot cope with the GBC men, which I suppose there must have been some disagreement, I shall deal with you directly. But, do not leave the Krsna consciousness movement, at any cost. IF POSSIBLE KINDLY LET ME KNOW WHERE IS GAURASUNDARA. ON MY BEHALF PLEASE REQUEST HIM TO COME BACK TO THE TEMPLE AND SAVE THE TULSI PLANTS. ASK GOVINDA DASI ALSO ON MY BEHALF TO DO THIS WITHOUT DELAY.
73-12-06 Letter: Kirtida Kanyaka
Please accept my blessings. THANK YOU VERY MUCH FOR THE TULASI LEAVES OFFERED TO LORD CAITANYA’S LOTUS FEET. IF ONE IS FORTUNATE ENOUGH TO RECEIVE SUCH HOLY PRASADAM THEN ALL SINFUL REACTIONS ARE IMMEDIATELY PURIFIED WITHIN THE HEART AND PURE DEVOTIONAL SERVICE IS VERY EASILY OBTAINED.
74-11-25. Letter: Sarada
Please accept my blessings. I am in due receipt of your letter dated October 17, 1974 and have noted the contents. I am very glad to hear that you are engaged in the service of tulsi devi. Tulsi leaves are very important for satisfying Lord Krishna. BUT TULSI DEVI IS NOT PLEASED BY THE NICE TUNE OF SINGING BUT BY THE NICE DEVOTION. So you continue to your best, and you will automatically advance more and more in Krishna consciousness.
75-05-31 Letter: Kirtanananda
ACTUALLY, ONE SHOULD NOT CIRCUMAMBULATE WHEN THE DEITY IS OPEN. It is stated in the Nectar of Devotion. I think you can close the doors to the Deity room during Tulasi puja and then open them again afterwards.
75-07-26. Letter: Vrnda
Please accept my blessings. I am in receipt of your letter, undated. Regarding the booklet, “A Guide to the Care of Srimate Tulasi devi,” yes, the book is very nice. It is approved. But one thing is that NO SPRAYS CAN BE USED, NOT AT ALL. TULASI IS A WORSHIPABLE PLANT SO THERE IS NO QUESTION OF USING ANY SPRAYS. THE BEST THING IS TO SIMPLY DAILY WATER TULASI DEVI AND KEEP HER CLEAN. NOTHING ELSE IS REQUIRED.
Vidya dasi, 25 October, 1976
If it is not possible for Tulasi to survive the winters when planted in the ground, then a suitable house should be provided for her. Even in the Canadian temples which are in a much colder climate are keeping Tulasi nicely. Why should there be so much difficulty in Los Angeles, which has such a nice climate. Just do everything very carefully. Tulasi flourishes where there is love and devotion.
In answer to your questions; 1) TULASI IS ONE DEVOTEE WHO APPEARS WHEREVER THERE IS DEVOTION TO KRSNA. 2) TULASI’S BODY IS SPIRITUAL. 3) Yes, jewelry is alright. 4) If possible. 5) Tulasi leaves should be offered to the Deity. 6) If possible. 7) Yes. 8) Yes. 9) YOU MAY CUT THE DEAD BRANCHES, BUT WHAT IS THE NECESSITY. 10) I never said that. 11) No. 12) Yes. 13) Use the wood for beads as far as possible, THE BALANCE MAY BE PLACED WITHIN THE EARTH. 14) I SAID NO CHEMICAL SPRAYS. 15) Undisturbed means what? 16) Use common sense and if you have none then consult with others. 17) No. 18) Don’t try to introduce something new. THE MOST IMPORTANT THING IS THE LOVE AND DEVOTION.
94-08-08. Letter: VARIOUS
…whether we may prune the leaves of Tulasi, NO, THERE IS NO QUESTION OF PRUNING. BUT YOU CAN TAKE FOR WORSHIPING KRSNA LEAVES FROM THE TULASI. FIRST UTILIZE THE DEAD LEAVES OR LEAVES WHICH HAVE FALLEN DOWN, AND IF MORE LEAVES ARE REQUIRED FOR WORSHIPING KRSNA, YOU MAY TAKE THEM FROM TULASI PLANT IN THIS WAY: FIRST APPROACH TULASI DEVI AND OFFER YOUR OBEISANCES, REQUESTING HER THAT FOR WORSHIPING KRSNA YOU WANT TO TAKE SOME LEAVES. THEN IF SHE ALLOWS YOU MAY TAKE. THERE IS NO QUESTION OF PRUNING IN THE MANNER OF GARDENERS JUST TO MAKE NICE BEAUTIFUL PLANT FOR ORNAMENTAL PURPOSES. And if there are any dead branches, these may be made into beads, like neck beads, and if they are large branches you can make japa beads. THERE IS NO NEED TO KEEP CANDLE BURNING ALL NIGHT, BUT YOU CAN BURN CANDLE IN THE EVENING FOR ONE HOUR FOR TULASI DEVI, THAT WILL BE NICE.
760314mw.may Conversations
Prabhupada: Everyone…. He is giving mercy. That is general. But if He does not like, He may not give you. You cannot make Him obliged.
Panca-dravida: So why is it, then, if it’s a question of ajnata-sukrti… The Indians, from their birth they’re watering tulasi, they’re chanting Hare Krsna, they’re doing so many activities, but mostly your disciples are foreigners?
Prabhupada: So that…. no, MEANS THAT IS TEMPORARY. THEY MAY COME AGAIN. IT WILL NEVER GO IN VAIN. Just like this cloud. Cloud is meant for raining. Now it is not raining, but when there is sufficient cloud, it will rain. YOU CANNOT SAY THERE IS NO RAIN. THERE IS, BUT IT IS NOT SUFFICIENTLY COLLECTED. WHEN IT IS SUFFICIENTLY COLLECTED, THEN.
761231rc.bom Conversations
Prabhupada: Every temple we have got big, big tulasi. Especially Hawaii WE HAVE GOT SIX FEET HIGH TULASI.
NoD 35 Neutral Love of God
In the Third Canto, Fifteenth Chapter, verse 43, of the Srimad-Bhagavatam, there is a statement by the four saintly persons known as Catuh-sana, headed by Sanaka-kumara. They went to visit the Lord of Vaikunthaloka in the spiritual sky, and when they bowed down before the Lord, the aroma of the tulasi, mixed with saffron, entered their nostrils and immediately attracted their minds. Although these four saintly persons were always absorbed in the thought of impersonal Brahman, FROM ASSOCIATION WITH THE LORD AND FROM SMELLING THE TULASI LEAVES THE HAIRS ON THEIR BODIES IMMEDIATELY STOOD UP. THIS SHOWS THAT EVEN A PERSON WHO IS SITUATED IN BRAHMAN REALIZATION, IF HE IS PUT INTO ASSOCIATION WITH DEVOTEES IN PURE DEVOTIONAL SERVICE, WILL IMMEDIATELY BECOME ATTRACTED TO THE PERSONAL FEATURE OF THE LORD.
tulasi-dala-matrena
jalasya culukena va
vikrinite svam atmanam
bhaktebhyo bhakta-vatsalah
“Sri Krsna, who is very affectionate toward His devotees, SELLS HIMSELF TO A DEVOTEE who offers Him merely a tulasi leaf and a palmful of water.”
About the Author
Hare Krishna! All glories to Srila Prabhupada! All glories to Srimati Tulasi Devi!
While doing a little service to Tulasi Devi today I realized how great mercy of pure devotees it is that they have made themselves so easily available to us fallen souls. Simply by watering Tulasi Devi, simply by offering her obeisances, even simply by seeing her, simply by reading Srila Prabhupada’s books or hearing him through his lectures, etc. we can get the highest benefit of human form of life. Without their mercy, we would keep rotting in this hell of material world where there is only birth, death, old age and disease
Hare Krishna Prabhu
Please accept my humble obeisances
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Is it written in scriptures that one’s sins are destroyed if his dead body is burned with Tulasi wood on it? I don’t like it when Tulasi wood is wood for this purpose. Isn’t it disrespectful to Tulasi Devi? Apart from this in many other ways people are using Tulasi leaves whis seems very disrespectful to Tulasi Devi like in toothpaste or handwash. I never use any such products and try my best to not let my family members use such products.
Hare Krishna Prabhu
Please accept my humble obeisances
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Is it a good idea to transplant all the Tulasi plants who are not in a proper place in one place and serve them by watering even if they are in large number? Prabhu, some people in my family including my father do not like a large number of Tulasi plants outside my house. My father doesn’t protest much but one person becomes very angry and starts quarreling and even threatening to harm the Tulasi plants even though they don’t occupy much space, it’s in around 1m radius circle around a Neem tree and I’m trying my best to bring all the Tulasi plants which are growing outside my house as the rain is falling in one place under that neem tree. The same person created much disturbance at my home today as when I started chanting Hare Krishna on the terrace, he started beating the cow and talking badly about the cow and the calf. This created much verbal fighting. I couldn’t control myself from speaking against such words for the cows and Tulasi. I hope he’s repentant now as he has done some service to Tulasi in the past and he helped me in getting Srila Prabhupada’s books safe when I ordered them last year.
Prabhu, so do you think it’s a good idea for me to serve Tulasi Devi like this and serve cows also, even if these things cause some people to become envious and start fighting? I’m praying to Srila Prabhupada to please show me the way to engage in Krishna Consciousness. I don’t know what’s the right thing to do for me. Without Srila Prabhupada and Krishna’s guidance I can’t make any progress in Krishna Consciousness.
Prabhu I think it is a good idea for you, if you want to stay there, to not create undue disturbance. You have to do things without too much upsetting the other people there. You are on a farm in a village, so if they get disturbed by your chanting in the house go out into the fields and chant Hare Krishna, sit underneath a tree and chant Hare Krishna. Be considerate of others, if they do not like what you are doing then, if you want to stay there, you have to act in such a way that you do not disturb them too much.
One of the offenses is trying to preach to people who are not interested in hearing from you. So don’t try preaching to people who don’t want to hear from you.
When you write these stupid things “Without Srila Prabhupada and Krishna’s guidance I can’t make any progress in Krishna Consciousness.” I wonder about you. Srila Prabhupada is living in his books, Krishna is present within your heart. So Srila Prabhupada’s guidance is in his books, it is in his lectures, it is in his letters, it is in his video and film recordings. Personally I have always got Srila Prabhupada’s and Krishna’s guidance. I am never lost, I am never alone, and if sometimes I don’t know what to do I just keep on chanting Hare Krishna and reading Srila Prabhupada’s books until I do know what to do. So I do not understand all these things you write.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
I would like to buy all your books. Please tell me how to get started. Namaste.
Very good, you can get all the books at:
https://krishnastore.com/books-srila-prabhupada-om-21_38.html
Hare Krishna Prabhu
What to do with dead Tulasi plants? There are quite a lot now outside my house as in the winter season all but one of them dried. Now I don’t know what to do with the dead plants and at the same time others are saying they should be burned which I think should not be done.
You can make beads from them. Neck beads, japa beads, etc. Otherwise I do not know. Better to try and look after them so they don’t die, but if the weather is bad this may not be possible. So you know, I don’t know, you just do your best in the situation. Try and get some new Tulsi plants growing and think of some way to try and keep more of them alive next time winter comes. But some will die always of course. That is the way in the material world. The devotees have to take birth and at the appointed time change their bodies.
Hare Krishna Prabhu
Please accept my humble obeisances
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
I buried them all under a hibiscus flower tree. It was very nice doing this service.
Yes Prabhu, I will try to become better and better at serving Tulasi Devi. As the rainy season comes, new Tulasi plants will again appear in large number as the seeds which had fallen are there under the soil. I and 3-4 other members in my family water Tulasi plants in the morning and I try to water all of them even if I have to water them alone. And it is great benefit and blissful serving Tulasi Devi and having her around you. Some people are very happy seeing Tulasi growing luxuriantly. I’m thinking by serving Tulasi my life will become successful!
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Hare Krishna Prabhu
Please accept my humble obeisances
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
I buried them all under a hibiscus flower tree. It was very nice doing this service.
Yes Prabhu, I will try to become better and better at serving Tulasi Devi. As the rainy season comes, new Tulasi plants will again appear in large number as the seeds which had fallen are there under the soil. I and 3-4 other members in my family water Tulasi plants in the morning and I try to water all of them even if I have to water them alone. And it is great benefit and blissful serving Tulasi Devi and having her around you. Some people are very happy seeing Tulasi growing luxuriantly. I’m thinking by serving Tulasi my life will become successful!
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
It is wonderful to be engaged in the service of Tulasi Devi! And it is so easy!
Hare Krishna Prabhu
Please accept my humble obeisances
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
What is the proper way to water Tulasi Devi?
These are stupid questions. You just water. Just do it…
Hare Krishna!
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Last year I was completely fallen down but in June I brought all Tulasi plants growing around my house some of them in unclean places and planted them in a clean place together with the help of some of my family members and those plants by causeless mercy of Tulasi Devi and Krishna have grown very well now and I offer her leaves to Krishna. By grace of Tulasi Devi now I’m able to follow the basic rules and regulations of Krishna Consciousness. Hope to keep receiving the mercy of Tulasi Devi like this always.
This article is very, very, very good. It has given me the impetus to serve Tulasi Devi.
Hare Krishna
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
Hare Krishna Prabhu
Dandavat Pranam
All glories to Srila Prabhupada!
What to do when family members or other people around us put Tulasi Devi in bad condition?
Hare Krishna Aman Prabhu
Educate them. In India most people, even if they are not very serious about Krishna consciousness, respect Srimati Tulsi Devi, at least that is the culture. So you can just educate them about their culture and the benefits they can get also by offering respect to Srimati Tulis Devi. It is so much benefit just by offering obeisances and watering Tulsi, so if they understand the benefits, they will respect Tulsi, even if they are not very serious devotees.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna… What if Tulasi leaves are used for worshipping the demigods… Here in south India.. they are using tulasi leaves for offering to demigods… and so they request us to supply the leaves from our garden.. how can we deny them… What is the remedy? Even if we try to explain the reason… because they are mayavadis they will not accept and the priest is requesting… What shall be done… Hare Krishna
Tulsi is only for offering to Krishna. They can not force you to give. You have to work it out, exactly what to do, because I do not know your situation.
Hare krishna prabhu
I once plucked a tulsi leaf on sunday to offer it to shri krishna deity. I later came to know that tulsi should be undisrturbed on sundays. Plucking tulsi leaves on sundays is a sin and such a person is cursed to death. I am very worried
Please guide me what should be done?
Hare Krishna Prabhu
Don’t worry about it. In Kali-yuga we are so fallen we are doing so many things that should not be done. But Lord Caitanya is so merciful that He has distributed this Hare Krishna maha mantra:
Hare Krishna Hare Krishna Krishna Krishna Hare Hare
Hare Rama Hare Rama Rama Rama Hare Hare
There is one verse, you may know it, ‘This age of Kali is an ocean of faults, but there is one great boon [benefit, benediction] that simply by chanting the Hare Krishna mantra one can be very easily liberated.’ So the point is in Kali-yuga we can not follow all the strict rules and regulations that may be mentioned in the various parts of the sastras. But if we simply chant this Hare Krishna maha-mantra and strictly follow the four regulative principles: no illicit sex, no meat-eating, no gambling and no intoxication and we read Srila Prabhupada’s books at least 1-2 hours a day then everything will be adjusted. This chanting of the Hare Krishna mantra makes everything perfect even though there may be many imperfections from the strict interpretation of all the Vedic regulations.
A good example of this is deity worship. It is not possible to properly perform the deity worship strictly adhering to all the many, many rules and regulations in the Vedas, but if we try very sincerely and make our best effort then whatever imperfections may be there will be purified.
So there is no fault in you plucking a tulsi leaf for offering to Krishna. And I am sure you were chanting Hare Krishna also. So there is no problem from your side. But even if, according to some old Vedic regulation, it should not have been done, it does not matter, you did not know, and we do not know in ISKCON. This is not something we follow. We pluck Tulsi leaves on Sundays to offer to Krishna. So there is nothing wrong with it.
There are people who are overly attached to the Vedic rules and regulations so much so that their service to Krishna and the preaching is hampered. So this is an example of missing the point.
So don’t worry. Even we did something that is actually very sinful in the past, and in Kali-yuga it would be difficult to find anyone who has not done something terribly sinful in the past, it does not matter. We can not change the past, but we can change the future. Lord Caitanya is Patita Pavana Gaura Hari, He is the deliverer of the most fallen. So us being fallen is no disqualification, rather, for us, the followers of Lord Caitanya, He is particularly merciful to the most fallen. But we have to give up our sinful habits. That is the only consideration. We can not remain fallen and imagine we are devotees of Krishna.
So we have to sincerely surrender to and actually follow the basic points: chant at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra every day, strictly follow the four regulative principles: no illicit sex, no meat eating, no gambling and no intoxication and read Srila Prabhupada’s books at least 1-2 hours a day, and we will be safe. If we really surrender to these points and follow them strictly we will make rapid advancement in spiritual life and naturally we will remember Krishna at the time of death and go back home, back to Godhead. Then our life will be totally successful. So these are the important points to concentrate on following. There are so many rules and regulations people present as Vedic. Some real and some not. But they are not so important. The important things are chanting Hare Krishna, following the regulative principles and reading Prabhupada’s books. If we surrender to and follow these simple point then automatically everything else in our lives will become perfect.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Namaste. I am the lead administrator for the Facebook Tulsi group. Madhudvisa Prabhu, you are a solid Tulasi-sevaka, and thanks for doing this service. I would like to point out, though, that the picture you provide is NOT Tulasi Maharani (ocimum sanctum, also called ocimum tenuiflorum). Rather it is Kapoor “Tulasi”, which is actually ocimum kilimandscharicum, or African basil. The Latin taxonomical name indicates its native environment close to Mt. Kilimanjaro. So actually calling this plant Tulasi is a misnomer that confuses people, especially because many websites mistakenly call it ocimum sanctum. They haven’t done their research and they don’t know what they are talking about. The Kapoor basil has different leaves, different manjaris, and a different scent. Some people in India think that the Kapoor is actually pujya Tulasi Maharani, but no sadhu does. Srila Prabhupada would NOT worship the Kapoor basil. You can trust pictures from the Facebook Tulasi group to be bonafide. You don’t have to take my word for all of this; you could consult learned Tulasi pujaris or even university professors. Remember ONLY ocimum sanctum is Tulasi Maharani, and any plant that would be rejected as the Maharani in our FB group IS NOT OCIMUM SANCTUM. As a disciple of A.C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada and a Tulasi-sevaka, I respectfully implore you to change the picture. It will only add to an already confused and bewildered situation. Thanks for taking the time to read this. PS: Vana “Tulasi” is also bogus. These are nice plants and offerable, like roses, gardenias, etc. But Prabhupada would not approve them as pujya Tulasi Devi Maharani. Jaya Tulasi Ma!
Hare Krishna Prabhu
What are the prescribed rules for plucking the tulsi leaves for offering to Lord Krishna?
And how should they be offered?
Hare Krishna Prabhuji, please accept my humble obicences. Dandvats. All glories to Srila Prabhupada and Gauranga Mahaprabhu!
Prabhuji, I have a question that in my house, we have a toilet built on our terrece with a big plastic water tank on it, along with the tank there is some soil gathered. As the tank is filed with water, the water comes out and goes in the soil ,so 3 little peple plants and one tulasi is grown on its own. I do not have tulasi devi yet at my home but now she’s grown herself, but above the toilet. First I couldn’t realize that it’s tulasI devi, I thought it’s something else like any other small plant, but it’s leaves put me in doubt and when I rubbed my finger on the leaf and smelt it, I realised it’s tulasi devi, now she’s also having manjris. Now prabhuji, I want to ask that it’s grown upon the toilet unknowingly but it’s tulasi devi, so I shall plant it in a pot and nicely serve her because she is tulasi or shall I not because she’s grown on the toilet.
I didn’t had tulasI devi, so I had to go to the local temple and bring some leaves to offer bhoga and to krishna, as the local temple (hanuman ji temple) authorities are not taking care of Tulasi devi there, so I go and take care of it by cleaning the soil and it’s surroundings, by taking the excessive manjris, etc. Now, tulasi devi has herself come! So shall I take it from the soil near the water tank, and serve her and take her for serving krishna for bhoga and further offering or let it be there, letting it be there dosent seems nice. So please advise prabhuji, what to do?
This is not a rare case, tulasi devi grows here and there sometimes and, here in delhi people are really demonic not caring for it, so what shall be done when I see some?
Hare Krishna, deep respects,
Jai Srila Prabhupada !
Hare Krishna Vanshika
Yes. It is great mercy that Srimati Tulsi Devi has come. So just replan in new pot with new soil and worship and water her.
It is Ok, no problems, just repot and move to nice place where you can worship and water and she can grow nicely.
Thanku prabhuji,
Hare Krishna, Dandvats. Jai Srila Prabhupada and Gauranga Mahaprabhu!
Hare Krsna Prabhu,
I found some Tulasi Plants in our locality. Someone has uprooted them. The house where Tulasi Devi had grown had been lying vacant for many years and now the rent house is occupied and the house members have uprooted all of them. I don’t know what calamity will befall the person after this grievous offence! Prabhu, can I bring the plants and plant them in my house. There are already some Tulasi Plants in my house. Will the offence created by the person/s also touch me or Tulasi Devi will accept my service if I bring her? Please reply soon Prabhu, or the plants may be disposed off by someone.
My second question is- When I take the the responsibility of serving Tulasi Devi, if someone commits any offence to Tulasi Devi and I am not able to prevent it will I also suffer the bad consequences and will it affect my devotional service? I try to stop from commiting the offences but they won’t listen to me because I am not a old man because according to them-old is wise and whatever they do is all right because the society do the same.
Hare Krishna Hrishikesh
Just take the tulsi plants and plant them in your house and look after them by chanting Hare Krishna and watering and circumnabulating make your best effort in this way.
You are not responsible for others offenses. So just make the best arrangement you can to save the tulsi plants.
Do not worry so much. Srimati Tulsi Devi is a pure devotee of Krishna. If you see her in distress try and help her. That is all. You can not control what other people do. You are not responsible for what other people do.
After all Krishna is a person, Srimati Tulsi Devi is a person, a pure devotee of Krishna. They understand the situation we are in and they know our hearts. So if in our heart we want to serve Krishna and Krishna’s pure devotees then they know that. That is all that matters.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krsna Prabhu,
I planted the Tulasi plants and was thinking of serving her faithfully. But today morning my parents uprooted the new plants and threw them. They said that the plants were dead and it is not good to keep dead plants. They donot take Tulasi devi very seriously, exploit her in many ways like using as medicine etc. I have tried to convince them but the result has always turned worse. They are never going to listen anything on spiritual knowledge. Infact I have become a source of laughter, anger, and so many things.I had to even stop my deity worship as my father threatened me to break the temple altar. Now I only water the Tulasi Plants, listen to Srila Prabhupada’s MP3 files, read his books and Vani Samadhi, and chant Hare Krishna. Apart from Offering water to Tulasi-devi everything else I do without there notice.So nowadays I donot agitate them much. If I replant those plants, may be out of anger they may uproot the other previous 10-12 plants.
Prabhu, I am thinking of keeping her wood for some service of Krishna like carving beads, keeping besides Prasadam when Tulasi leaves are not available and the remaing small branches I have buried in the ground where other Tulasi plants are there.
Please show me some way Prabhu. Have I done the right thing, or will Tulasi devi will be angry at me for breaking her branches. I am confused, neither I could leave her in that distressful condition nor I could serve her at my home…
Hare Krishna Hrishikesh
You have done the right thing. And yes. It is good to keep the wood for making beads, etc.
What can we do? It is very difficult living surrounded by demons like this but that is unfortunately the nature of Kali-yuga.
But you should not reduce your devotional service at all. Just go on with it like Prahlada Maharaja did and Lord Nrsimhadeva will protect you just like He protected Prahlada.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krsna Prabhu,
Sorry for disturbing you again and again. I know you are very busy, but I have no alternative. I am neophyte in this field so I have to seek guidance. I have not read all of Srila Prabhupada’s. I have just started it. Please consider answering my questions in your free time, I will not mind the delays in replying.
My first question, Can I offer Tulasi leaves to Panca tattva.I offered Tulasi leaves to dead body of my grandfather, I once uprooted a tulasi plant and kept the branches in a box for using as beads in future.
How will I counteract these offences? Will Krsna forgive me?
My second question is,I have Deities of Krsna and Visnu but I am not fixed up in devotional service. So I have kept them in a box. Instead of committing offences I have put up an altars of Panca tattva. Shall I keep Him in that box or take Him to a temple. I am in dilemma. People seldom visit to temples, neither there are any pujari. There are some prayer halls where most of the people go, helds Kirtanas but there deity worship is not allowed.There is one Krsna temple in our village but it seems that no one cares for the deity. I go there often but the deity remains in the same condition I leave, the garland I give dries up, the deity becomes filled with dust, the temple is dirty…
What should I do Prabhu?
Hare Krishna Hrishikesh
Yes. It is very sad. No one cares for the deities in the temples anymore. Some big temples they put on a grand show but generally that is not for the pleasure of the Lord. It is because if the pujaris put on a grand show the visitors to the temple will give good donations and the pujaris will spend the money and live luxuriously.
These days we can not depend on temples. We have to make our own arrangements to worship the Lord. And if we are sincere He will give us the inspiration and intelligence so we can serve Him nicely.
As far as offering tulsi leaves to Panca Tattva it is a difficult subject matter. Of course Lord Caitanya is Krishna, so in that sense you can offer tulsi leaves, but His mood is as a devotee of Krishna. So if some of his disciples would offer him foodstuffs that were not first offered to Krishna with big bunches of tulsi leaves He would be upset.
But actually Lord Caitanya is Krishna and we know that and He knows that. He is in your heart and knows what you are thinking. He knows also that He is the Supreme Personality of Godhead and I think if you offer Him bhoga with tulsi leaves on it He will accept it.
But really I am no expert on these things and I can not give you an actual authoritative answer on this. In ISKCON different temples have different opinions. I know in ISKCON Melbourne they do not offer Sri Sri Gaura-Nitai grains on Ekadasi even. But I do not think this is a widely accepted practice. So I can not give you the real authoritative answer to this Prabhu.
As far as worshiping Radha Krishna the main thing is that you are yourself firmly fixed up in following the four regulative principles and chanting at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra every day. And that you can actually worship the Deities properly every day without fail. It does not have to be such a big program like they do in the temples. But you have to at least offer Mangal-arotik every day, offer some water and foodstuffs a few times a day. In your house you have to cook daily anyhow. So if you cook for Krishna then there is really no difference.
So my feeling is that if you can actually organize a regular program of worship that you will actually strictly do every day for your Radha Krishna Deities then you should take Them out of the box and start worshiping Them.
But if you can not strictly follow the regulative principles or if you are not able to chant at least 16 rounds of the Hare Krishna mantra every day or if you do not think you will be able to maintain the Deity worship you should first concentrate on becoming firmly fixed up in these things and living a very regulated life before you start the Radha-Krishna Deity worship program.
Do not worry too much about things you have done in the past that are not good. We have all done so many bad things in the past but we have no power to change the past. It is better to look forward that to look back. We can change the future, we can not change the past. And as we sincerely chant the Hare Krishna mantra then all the reactions of our sinful activities in the past will be washed away and we need to take the vow to not commit any new sinful activities and in that way everything will be corrected by the power of Krishna in the form of His holy names.
We need to keep on reading Srila Prabhupada’s books. The more you read Srila Prabhupada’s books the more you will find he is answering the questions you want answered.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna Prabhu
Please accept my humble obeisances.
After reading the above reply of yours to Hrishikesh Prabhu’s question I have a question in my mind. What should one do if he is not following the basic rules and regulations but has got Radha-Krishna Deity with him? Should They be kept in a box until one can worship Them properly?
He should just start following the basic rules and regulations and keep worshiping the deities.
We have to follow the rules and regulations, otherwise the result is misery anyhow. So we should not give up trying to follow the principles…
Thank you for such an informative article. It makes for a wonderful read and is worth saving for future reading also (I\’ve bookmarked the page).
It has been mentioned that plucking of leaves / watering of Tulasi Devi is forbidden on Sundays and other days as per the Lunar Calendar. However, we\’re curious if there are days when we are forbidden to bring Tulasi Devi into our homes.
JAI SHRI KRISHNA 🙂
No. There are no days when we can not bring Srimati-Tulsi inside our homes for worshiping her.
Sri Tulasidevi wonderful, understanding, loved in all aspects by the Lord. I wear a string of her beads around my neck, they wonderful and spiritually comforting.
I love Sri Tulasidevi.
Om Sri Krsnaya namaha
Dandavat Namahas
Radha Kanta Das
I want to know the place of Tulsi tree and Temple at home Our house is rectangle shape .
why we cannot pluck leaves at night or sunday
Hare Krishna
Dandavats
My Tulasis have a lot of Manjaris, what should I do with them? I should cut them? and in what periode is the best to cut?
or just leave them like this?
If someone expert, I have also more questions about Tulasi Maharani..
Hope I explain right with my bad english.
Thank you
Haribol
ys
Uttamasloka d
Thank you for the many wonderful services that you provide.
Please consider refraining from using CAPITALIZED text to stress important points.
Here is a sample from your article about Tulasi Devi:
“We can follow his example, however, by chanting sixteen rounds of the Hare Krsna maha-mantra on beads every day and offering respect to the tulasi plant. THIS IS NOT AT ALL DIFFICULT FOR ANYONE, AND THE PROCESS OF CHANTING THE HARE KRSNA MAHA-MANTRA WITH A VOW BEFORE THE TULASI PLANT HAS SUCH GREAT SPIRITUAL POTENCY THAT SIMPLY BY DOING THIS ONE CAN BECOME SPIRITUALLY STRONG.”
This kind of capitalization insults the intelligence of the reader. It is like shouting in a persons ears when you want to make an important point. It gives the impression that you do not believe that the reader has the intelligence to get the message without your forcing into their attention.
It is also makes you appear to be fanatical, that you become overwhelmed by emotion, exasperated, and unreasonable.
Shrila Prabhupada did not use this kind of rhetoric. I am sure you want to follow his examples.
Thank you for your time and consideration.
Das ‘Osmi,
Madhavadasa Das
PAMHO
If Tulsi Maharani goes to large,Should we cut it or tie it?
Ys
Gayatri
hare krishna…
i was thinking of wearing tulsi beads around my neck, but i want to confirm if there are any precautions that need to be taken in order to be worthy of the beads…
kindly help.
hari bol
Hare Krishna Malvika
For wearing Tulsi beads around your neck you should be determined to follow the four regulative principles: no illicit sex, no meat eating, no gambling and no intoxication, and to chant the Hare Krishna maha mantra. Wearing the tulsi neck beads is a sign of a devotee of Krishna and a devotee of Krishna must be chanting Hare Krishna and following the regulative principles otherwise he is not a devotee of Krishna.
So it is not a very big requirement. And you may sometimes have some difficulty, that is natural in the beginning. But as long as you are determined to follow the principles and chant Hare Krishna and even if you have some problem you keep on trying, then you can wear the tulsi beads.
Srimati Tulsi Devi is a pure devotee of Krishna and she will help us and protect us in so many ways in our endeavors to make advancement in Krishna consciousness. So it is really quite essential for all devotees to wear tulsi neck beads. But if one is not serious about Krishna consciousness he should not wear tulsi beads just for show. That is offensive.
Chant Hare Krishna and be happy!
Madhudvisa dasa
Hare Krishna Prabhu,
I am so impressed with the way you are helping other devotees with all this information. I am new to this path and need Mercy of Lord Krishna to bless us and help us from Distracting.
I have not read the whole page yet, will surely do so.
However Just wanted to know, That i have seen The TULSI HOLY PLANT placed in the front yard (aangan) in everyone’s place. Is that so, that we should not place the Holy plant inside our home, but it should always be in the Aangan (Front Yard). And we should not pluck the leaves on sundays.
Is there anyother related information that one should know about Holy Plant.
Please help me with that.
Thank you so much for all your information provided here.
May Krishna Bless all of us and all the devotees everywhere.
Hari Bol