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Vrinda-vana
"The word 'vana' means forest. Vrindavana is the name given to
the forest where Srimati Vrinda-devi (Tulasi-devi), grows
profusely." (CC Madhya 17.l93p.) Another name of Tulasi is
Vrinda-devi (one who awards residence in Vrindavana). Srila
Narottama dasa Thakura says: krpa kori koro tare vrindavana
vasi, "Dear Tulasi, please bestow your mercy upon me, so that I
may forever reside in Vrindavana."
The Vrindavana forest is named after Vrinda-devi, who performed
penances here for 60,000 years. She was born as the daughter of
Emperor Kedera, a very pious king that attained Goloka Vrindavana. His daughter
Vrinda-devi, after sanctifying the forest by her penance, also attained Goloka. Ever
since, the forest has been known as Vrindavana. Pleased by Vrinda-devi's austerities
Lord Vishnu granted a boon to the Vrindavana forest: "Any penances performed here
will quickly fructify and bear excellent results." Later Tulasi-devi, daughter of King
Kusadhvaja, performed penances here and attained perfection. Tulasi's second name
is Vrinda.
Tulasi Is Dear To Sri Krsna
God has specifically said that among plants, He is the Tulasi (DS chap. 7). Tulasi,
Yamuna River and Govardhana Hill are eternally present in the spiritual world. They
appear in this world to benefit the living entities by giving love of Godhead. The
goddess of fortune 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 go to satisfy
Her numerous devotees. But the Tulasi leaves never forsake their position, and the
Lord therefore appreciates the service of Tulasi more than the service of Laksmi-devi.
The Glories of Tulasi-devi
In the Padma Purana there are thirty chapters describing Tulasi's appearance. Her
glorious attributes are recounted throughout the Vedic literature. "Just by looking at
Tulasi, all of one's sins are removed. Just by touching Her, one's body becomes
purified. All diseases are removed by praying to Her. Fear of death is destroyed by
watering Her. Just by planting or transplanting Her, one achieves realization of the
Supreme Personality of Godhead. If someone offers Her leaves at the lotus feet of Sri
Krsna, Tulasi will award liberation and devotion to Lord Sri Krsna." (SKP)
Sri Krsna is very fond of Tulasi, also called Maharani. Vayu Purana states: "The
Supreme Lord Hari does not accept anyone's worship without Tulasi." The poet
Candrasekhara says that Krsna does not care for even one of fifty-six offerings or
thirty-six curries if they are offered without a Tulasi leaf. "All the places of pilgrimage
on this planet and in the millions of universes, take shelter in a Tulasi leaf." (PP) "Sri
Krsna who is very affectionate toward His devotee, sells Himself to devotee who
offers merely a Tulasi leaf and a palmful of water."(CT)
1)
2)
3)
4)
5)
6)
7)
8)
gazing at Her
touching Her
remembering Her
glorifying Her
bowing down before Her
offering prayers to Her
planting Her
watering Her and worshiping Her
The astounding results of serving Tulasi in such ways include guaranteed residence in
Lord Krishna's transcendental abode for as many ancestors and descendants as there
are branches, sub-branches, seeds, flowers and leaves on the Tulasi a person has
planted. Candranana also informed Srimati Radhika that by offering Lord Krishna a
single Tulasi leaf one attains the result of offering Him every flower and leaf that
exists and that a person who worships Krishna with offerings of Tulasi leaves is not
touched by sin. Candranana further said that Yamaraja's servants will never enter a
home in the midst of a Tulasi forest.
The Importance of Worshiping Tulasi-devi
All the famous acaryas in our disciplic succession emphasize the importance of
worshiping Tulasi. Srila Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura, the spiritual master of
our Srila Prabhupada, commented that "Srimati Tulasi Maharani is our spiritual
master. She is the queen of Sri Vrindavana Dhama. It is only by Her mercy that one
can be qualified to enter in Sri Vrindavana Dhama. We wear Tulasi Maharani around
our neck, knowing that She is very dear to Lord Krishna. By our allegiance to Her, we
chant the name of Lord Hari."
In his poem titled Sri Sankalpa-kalpadruma,
Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti Thakura has prayed:
vrindavana-sthira-caran paripalayitri
vande tayo rasikayor ati-saubhagena
adhyasi tat kuru krpam ganana yathaiva
sri-radhika-parijanesu mamapi siddhet
O Vrinda-devi, O protectress of the moving and non-moving living entities in
Vrindavana, you are wealthy in the mercy of the Divine Couple who enjoy pastimes
in Vraja. Please be merciful to me. Please place me among Sri Radhas associates.
he sri-tulasy uru-krpa-dyu-tarangini tvam
yan murdhni me carana-pankajam adadhasvam
yac caham apy apibam ambu manak tadiyam
tan me manasy udayam eti manorathoyam
O Srimati Tulasi-devi, O celestial Ganges river of mercy, it is because I once placed
my head at your lotus feet and drank some drops of water that washed your lotus
feet, that these desires have risen in my heart.
kvaham parah sata-nikaty-anuviddha-cetah
sankalpa esa sahasa kva su-durlabherthe
eka kalpaiva tava mam ajahaty upadhisunyeva mantum adadhaty agater gatir me
O Srimati Tulasi-devi, how low I am, my heart pierced by hundreds of offenses! How
exalted and difficult to attain is my aspiration! Your causeless mercy is my only hope.
It is by Your mercy that I, who am so fallen, can have these desires in my thoughts.
The Caitanya Bhagavata states that Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu's disciples would keep
a Tulasi tree beside Him. The Lord would sit, taking darshan of Srimati Tulasi
Maharani and chant His prescribed number of rounds. "Just as a fish cannot live
when taken out of water, so I cannot remain alive in separation of Tulasi Maharani,"
Sri Caitanya Mahaprabhu used to say.
In his Sri Sri Radha-Krishna-Ganoddesha-Dipika, Srila Rupa Gosvami describes
Vrinda-devi as the best of Krishna's gopi messengers. The gopi messengers expertly
know the geography of Vrindavana and they intimately know each grove and garden
there. They are also learned in the science of gardening.
All the gopi messengers are filled with great love for Sri Sri Radha
and Krishna, but among them, Vrinda-devi is the best. She has a
beautiful complexion, like molten gold, wears blue garments, and
is decorated with pearls and flowers. Srila Raghunatha Dasa
Gosvami has explained in VRAJA VILASA STAVA that "Vrinda-devi
is the transcendental orchestrator of Radha-Krishna's pastimes.
She decorates the pastime groves and creates a festive
atmosphere to enhance the divine couple's pleasure." She is
expert at arranging the meeting of Radha and Krishna, and She
knows the best places for the Divine Couples rendez-vous.
Flowers, creepers, vines and trees are under Her supervision, and
all the birds and animals in Vrindavana carry out Her orders. Her
chief disciple, the yellow parrot Daksa, resides upon Her left
hand. From there he sends the other one hundred thousand
parrot disciples flying all over Vraja to deliver Vrinda-devi's
messages or warnings of unforeseen events.
Nandagram, the eternal residence of Nanda Maharaja, is built on Nandisvara Hill.
Vrinda-devi's place, Vrinda-kunda, is at the foot of Nandisvara Hill, near Pavana
Sarovara, where Srimati Radharani comes every morning to cook Krishna's
breakfast. Meanwhile, Krishna and Balarama milk the cows, and Paurnamasi, the
guru of Vraja, meets Vrinda-devi at Her place to plan the Divine Couple's pleasure
pastimes for that day. For each of the eight-fold daily pastimes of Radha and Krishna
Vrinda-devi makes elaborate arrangements for an appropriate forest spot and
specific trees, creepers, fruits, flowers, birds and other animals. She personally
selects the various color combinations, fragrances, songs and musical instruments to
be offered for the pleasure of Radha and Krishna; and She decides who, among the
unlimited number of gopis and manjaris, will assist Lalita and Visakha offer
sandalwood pulp, serve refreshments, play musical instruments, fan the Divine
Couple with camaras, and offer pan, betel nuts and spices on a jeweled tray. Every
single detail of each and every one of Radha and Krishna's eight fold daily pastimes-which peacocks will dance, which bumble bees will hum, which parrots and kokilas
will sing, which breezes will blow--is engineered by Vrinda-devi.
After Krishna and Balarama finish Their morning meal, They go to to the forests of
Vrindavana to tend Their cows with Their cowherd boyfriends, while Srimati
Radharani and Her associates walk back to Her home in Yavat. On the way Srimati
Radhika stops at Vrinda-kunda and secretly meets Krishna there, at the spot named
Gupta-kunda. (Gupta means secret.) Since Gupta-kunda is the first daily meeting
place of Radha and Krishna, the residents of Vrindavana refer to that place as a
"Yoga-pitha," or a center of eternal pastimes.
From dawn to sunrise, Vrinda-devi lovingly engages in the service of the Divine
Couple. It is She who prepares Their bed of flowers at night, She who wakes Them
up and sends Them to Their respective homes before sunrise. Her love for Them is
unlimited.
Another famous and respected gopi messenger in Vraja is Vira-devi. She can be very
bold and arrogant, but She can also speak sweet and flattering words, as Vrinda-devi
does. Her complexion is dark and She wears splendid white garments and various
jewels and flower garlands. Vira-devi resides at the corner of Gupta-kunda behind
Vrinda-kunda. By the mercy of Her follower Sri Madhava dasa Baba, Vrinda-kunda
and Gupta-kunda were rediscovered less than fifty years ago and subsequently
handed over to the care of ISKCON.
Quotation: Chaitanya Charitamrita Madhya Lila chapter 24 Verse 261
tulasi-parikrama kara, tulasi-sevana
nirantara krsna-nama kariha kirtana
tulasi-parikrama kara-circumambulate the Tulasi plant; tulasi-sevana-just supply
water to the root of Tulasi-devi; nirantara-continuously; krsna-nama-the holy name
of Krsna; kariha-just perform; kirtana-chanting.
After planting the Tulasi tree before your house, you should daily circumambulate
that Tulasi plant, serve Her by giving Her water and other things, and continuously
chant the Hare Krsna maha-mantra.
Quotation by Srila Visvanatha Cakravarti:
Tulasi, although exalted in many ways, is not normally considered an especially
fragrant plant. However, early in the morning Tulasi emits a transcendental fragrance
that ordinary people cannot perceive but that transcendental personalities fully
appreciate. The bees who are privileged to swarm about the flower garlands worn by
the Supreme Personality of Godhead certainly appreciate this fragrance, and Srila
Visvanatha Cakravarti quotes from the Bhagavatam (3.15.19) to the effect that the
most fragrant plants in Vaikuntha also appreciate the special qualifications of Tulasidevi.
The Glories of Tulasi-devi
(from the "Pancaratra Pradipa", a manual on Deity Worship, authorized by the GBC
body of ISKCON)
As quoted from Vedic scripture in the Vaisnava work " Nectar of Devotion "(Bhaktirasamrta-sindhu) by Srila Rupa Gosvami:
"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.
If someone sows a Tulasi tree somewhere, certainly he becomes devoted to Lord
Krishna. And when the Tulasi leaves are offered in devotion at the lotus feet of
Krishna, there is the full development of love of Godhead." (from the Skanda Purana,
as quoted by Srila Rupa Gosvami)
Tulasi is glorified throughout the Puranas and Pancaratra: It was for the spiritual
upliftment of the souls in the material world that Lord Visnu created Tulasi as the
ocean of milk was being churned. Tulasi is more dear to the Lord than Laksmi, for
Tulasi-devi undertook extreme austerities and worshiped the Lord with love in order
to have Him as Her husband, and the Lord fulfilled Her wish.
She awards liberation and devotion to Him, therefore I pay my humble obeisances to
such a wonderful Tulasi-devi.
pradaksinam bhramitva ye namaskurvanti nityasah
na tesam duritam kincid aksinam avasisyate
(Hari Bhakti Vilasa 9/111 from Agastya samhita)
If someone daily goes around Tulasi and pays obeisances to Her, there is no more
sin to be destroyed in him.
hitva tirtha-sahasrani sarvan api siloccayan
tulasi kanane nityam kalau tisthati kesavah
(Hari Bhakti Vilasa 9/116 from Skanda Purana)
In Kali-yuga, Lord Sri Kesava, after giving up thousands of places of pilgrimage and
holy days, He resides in the forest of Tulasi-devi.
drstva sprstva tatha dhyata kirtita namita srta
ropita sevita nityam pujita tulasi subha
navadha tulasim nityam ye bhajanti dine dine
yuga koti sahasrani te vasanti harer grhe
(Hari Bhakti Vilasa 9/126,127 from Skanda Purana, conversation between Lord
Brahma and Narada Muni)
Any person who daily sees Tulasi, touches Tulasi, chants Tulasi's prayers, meditates
on Tulasi, pays obeisances to Her, hears about Her, transplants, waters and worships
Her, he achieves all auspiciousness. Any person who does these nine kinds of service
goes to the abode of the Supreme Lord Hari and remains there eternally.
snane dane tatha dhyane prasane kesava arcane
tulasi dahate papam ropane kirtane kalau
(Hari Bhakti Vilasa 9/132 from Skanda Purana, Avanti khanda)
In Kali-yuga Tulasi-devi burns up all of a person's sins who bathes Her, gives Her in
charity, meditates on Her, eats Her leaves, worships Lord Sri Kesava with Her,
transplants Her or sings Her glories.
tulasy alankrta ye ye tulasi nama japakah
tulasi vana palaye te tyajya durato bhatah
(Hari Bhakti Vilasa 9/133 from Skanda Purana, Kasi khanda, Yamaraja instructs his
messengers)
Oh messengers, anybody who is decorated with Tulasi wood or chants Her name,
always protects a Tulasi forest, you should give up bringing such persons to my
abode.
(Hari Bhakti Vilasa 9/165 from Brhan Naradiya Purana, conversation between
Yamaraja and Bhagiratha)
Anybody who removes the straw or dirt from the root of a Tulasi-devi, as many as
he has removed, that many sinful reactions of killing brahmanas will be removed
from him without a doubt.
durlabha tulasi seva durlabha sungatih satam
durlabha hari bhaktis ca sansararnava-patinam
(Hari Bhakti Vilasa 9/170 from Brhan Naradiya Purana)
Those people who have fallen in the midst of this material world, among them
worship of Tulasi is very rare, the association of real saintly persons is very rare, and
real devotion to Lord Hari is also very rare.
yasmin grhe dvija srestha tulasimula mrttika
sarvada tisthate dehe devata na sa manusa
tulasi mrttika yatra kastham patran ca vesmani
tisthate muni sardula niscalam vaisnava padam
(Hari Bhakti Vilasa 9/183,186 from Skanda Purana, conversation between Lord
Brahma and Narada Muni)
Oh best among the brahmanas, in anybody's house or on his body, if the mud from
Tulasi is available, they are not just men, but they are equal to the demigods. Oh
best among the sages, in anyone's house, if there is the clay of Tulasi, Tulasi wood,
and Tulasi leaves available, that house is certainly a place of Lord Visnu.
tulasi mula sambhuta hari bhakta padodbhava
gangodbhava ca mrllekha nayaty acyuta rupatam
(Hari Bhakti Vilasa 9/189)
Any person who puts on tilaka from the mud or clay from the root of Tulasi, mud
from the lotus feet of Sri Vaisnava, and mud from the Ganges is said to be equal to
the form of Lord Sri Visnu.
patram puspam phalam kastham tvat sakha-pallavankuram
tulasi sambhavam mulam pavanam mrttikady api
(Hari Bhakti Vilasa 9/191 from Prahlada samhita and Visnu dharmottara)
Leaves of Tulasi, flowers of Tulasi, fruits of Tulasi, branches of Tulasi, bark of Tulasi,
sprout of Tulasi, blossom or bud of Tulasi, and clay of Tulasi are all completely
purified.
yah kuryat tulasi kasthair aksa malam surupinim
kantha malam ca yatnena krtam tasyaksayam bhavet
(Hari Bhakti Vilasa 9/199 from Skanda Purana, Agastya samhita, conversation
between Lord Brahma and Narada Muni)
Any person who makes a beautiful japamala or neck beads out of Tulasi wood and
uses them, if he does not perform any worship to Lord Sri Visnu, all of his activities
become unlimitedly resultful.
yasya nabhi sthitam patram mukhe sirasi karnayoh
tulasi sambhavam nityam tirthais tasya makhais ca kim
(Hari Bhakti Vilasa 9/200 from Skanda Purana, conversation between Lord Brahma
and Narada Muni)
If anyone daily has Tulasi leaves on his navel, in his mouth, on his head, or on both
of his ears, what is the use of him going to the places of pilgrimage in this world?
yah kascit vaisnavo loke mithyacaro'py anasrami
punati sakalan lokan sirasa tulasim vahan
(Hari Bhakti Vilasa 9/202 from Skanda Purana)
If any Vaisnava in this world becomes a liar or becomes degraded from his own
asrama, if he has a Tulasi leaf on his head, he can alone purify the three worlds.
Srila Sanatana Gosvami gives his Digdarsani-tika commentary on this verse, stating
that if Vaisnavas wear articles which have been offered to the Supreme Lord, then
one may question how a Vaisnava can wear something which has not been offered to
the Supreme Lord. In answer to this, it can be stated that only a lying or cheating
"Vaisnava" can do such a thing because they are all hypocrites and not real
Vaisnavas.
bhaksitam lubdhakenapi patram tulasi sambhavam
pascad distantam apanno bhasmi bhutam kalevaram
sita sitam yatha niram sarva papa ksayavaham
tatha ca tulasi patram prasitam sarva kamadam
(Hari Bhakti Vilasa 9/213,214 from Skanda Purana, conversation between Vasistha
and King Mandhata)
Even if a most sinful hunter eats a Tulasi leaf and dies afterwards, whatever sins he
has in his body turn into ashes. As whitish and blackish water (Ganges and Yamuna
water) remove all kinds of sins, in the very same way white (green) and black Tulasis
removes all kinds of sins, and if he eats these leaves (after offering them to Lord
Krsna), all of his desires are perfectly achieved.
krtva papa sahasrani purve vayasi manavah
tulasi bhaksanan mucyet srutam etat pura hareh
(Hari Bhakti Vilasa 9/218 from Skanda Purana, conversation between Vasistha and
King Mandhata)
If any person in his young age commits thousands of sins but later on eats a Tulasi
leaf, he becomes free from all sins. This narration was heard previously near Lord Sri
Hari.
kim citram asyah patitam tulasya
dalam jalam va patitam punite
lagnadi bhala sthalam alavala
mrtsnapi krtsna agha vinasanaya
srimat tulasyah patrasya mahatmyam yadyapi drsam
tathapi vaisnavas tan na grahyam krsnarpanam vina
(Hari Bhakti Vilasa 9/226,227)
What can I say about the wonderful glories of Tulasi? Her fallen leaves, Her rotten
leaves and Her water, even if fallen (mixed with Her mud?) is purifying. If even a
minute quantity of the mud which has emanated from the Tulasi root has been
placed on one's head, all of one's sins are removed. Although Tulasi is so glorious
(and Her leaves are so purifying), still Vaisnavas never eat Tulasi leaves without first
offering them to the Supreme Personality of Godhead, Krsna.