Tulsi----Purity,peity,perfection

[Guest guest]

Dear all,

Pure devotees are rare and when we get the opportunity to

serve one we jump at it. It is for this reason that Tulasi devi

moves all over the world, to give us the benediction of her seva and

her association. The Sanskrit root word Tulam means similarity and

the word Tulasi means one that does not permit similarity. One who

is incomparable. Nobody can compare with her greatness. Tulasi has

no equal. In Padma Purana it is said, "Wherever the aroma of the

Tulasi is carried by the wind, it purifies the atmosphere and frees

men and animals from baser tendencies." Just as the Ganga is

described as pure, and has been proven so by scientific studies, so

also scientific studies have supported scriptural statements about

Tulasi.

 

For example, a study at Sri Venkatesvar University at Tirupati

established that the Tulasi plant exhales ozone, the molecules of

which contain 3 atoms of oxygen, in place of ordinary atmospheric

oxygen which only has 2 atoms of oxygen in each molecule.

 

Interestingly the British during the occupation of India named

Tulasi the mosquito plant. During the British period George Birdwall

wrote an article in the Times which described that cultivation of

Tulasi plants prevented malarial infections in Calcutta. The

antimalarial properties, as well as other miraculous healing

properties, were attributed to the Tulasi plant by the non-Hindu.

 

Ayurveda extols the glories of Tulasi for maintaining health simply

by daily eating four or five offered Tulasi leaves from the Lord's

prasadam. Sri Arybhishah, an ayurvedic text, describes that a

certain gas emanates from the Tulasi plant and purifies the

surrounding air and promotes health and it is for this reason that

Tulasi is grown in every Vedic household. Tulasi is sattvik and

possessing spiritually uplifting qualities. Thus we wear Tulasi

beads and chant on Tulasi japa.

 

Yet, in spite of all the wonderful things we hear about Tulasi, she

has become so familiar and easily obtainable that devotees tend to

take her for granted. There is a saying in Sanskrit that even a

thing of great importance and a person of great merit appears common

and ordinary to persons overly familiar with them. Srila Prabhupada

used to say "Familiarity breeds contempt and although contempt

hasn't developed, certainly Tulasi's importance has at times been

eclipsed by our lack of understanding. Perhaps Srila Prabhupada

could see this, thus he described Tulasi's glories so emphatically

in S.B. in order to protect us and the future generations of

devotees from offense to their ignorance and lack of spiritual

vision.

 

A well-known Dr. Nalini Nath wrote an article in a magazine Chikita

Prakash. One of his friends went to the residence of the chief

engineer of Calcutta City, a Britisher. He was astonished to see

Tulasi's growing everywhere at his bungalow. It was a shock to see

an Englishman decorating his house and grounds with Tulasi instead

of flowers and ornamentals. So he questioned the engineer on this.

The Englishman said: "That you are surprised at seeing Tulasi plants

at my bungalow surprises me even more. Though you are a Hindu, you

are not aware of the great importance of Tulasi? Extensive

literature has been published in my country on Tulasi. Is there no

book dealing with Tulasi in India? The fact is no other plant

contains as much electrical energy as Tulasi. All the air within a

distance of 600 ft. from a Tulasi plant is influenced. As a result

the microorganisms causing malaria, plague, T.B., and other

illnesses are destroyed."

Yours yoically,

Dattu

[Guest guest]

Dear Dattuji,

 

i must thank you for the wonderful contribution you are making to this forum and

i must say i am really impressed by your knowledge.

 

Thanks

- Prakash

-

shivam_param

 

Monday, October 11, 2004 3:40 AM

Tulsi----Purity,peity,perfection

Dear all, Pure devotees are rare and when we get the opportunity to serve

one we jump at it. It is for this reason that Tulasi devi moves all over the

world, to give us the benediction of her seva and her association. The Sanskrit

root word Tulam means similarity and the word Tulasi means one that does not

permit similarity. One who is incomparable. Nobody can compare with her

greatness. Tulasi has no equal. In Padma Purana it is said, "Wherever the aroma

of the Tulasi is carried by the wind, it purifies the atmosphere and frees men

and animals from baser tendencies." Just as the Ganga is described as pure, and

has been proven so by scientific studies, so also scientific studies have

supported scriptural statements about Tulasi.For example, a study at Sri

Venkatesvar University at Tirupati established that the Tulasi plant exhales

ozone, the molecules of which contain 3 atoms of oxygen, in place of ordinary

atmospheric oxygen which only has 2 atoms of oxygen in each

molecule.Interestingly the British during the occupation of India named Tulasi

the mosquito plant. During the British period George Birdwall wrote an article

in the Times which described that cultivation of Tulasi plants prevented

malarial infections in Calcutta. The antimalarial properties, as well as other

miraculous healing properties, were attributed to the Tulasi plant by the

non-Hindu.Ayurveda extols the glories of Tulasi for maintaining health simply

by daily eating four or five offered Tulasi leaves from the Lord's prasadam.

Sri Arybhishah, an ayurvedic text, describes that a certain gas emanates from

the Tulasi plant and purifies the surrounding air and promotes health and it is

for this reason that Tulasi is grown in every Vedic household. Tulasi is sattvik

and possessing spiritually uplifting qualities. Thus we wear Tulasi beads and

chant on Tulasi japa.Yet, in spite of all the wonderful things we hear about

Tulasi, she has become so familiar and easily obtainable that devotees tend to

take her for granted. There is a saying in Sanskrit that even a thing of great

importance and a person of great merit appears common and ordinary to persons

overly familiar with them. Srila Prabhupada used to say "Familiarity breeds

contempt and although contempt hasn't developed, certainly Tulasi's importance

has at times been eclipsed by our lack of understanding. Perhaps Srila

Prabhupada could see this, thus he described Tulasi's glories so emphatically

in S.B. in order to protect us and the future generations of devotees from

offense to their ignorance and lack of spiritual vision.A well-known Dr. Nalini

Nath wrote an article in a magazine Chikita Prakash. One of his friends went to

the residence of the chief engineer of Calcutta City, a Britisher. He was

astonished to see Tulasi's growing everywhere at his bungalow. It was a shock

to see an Englishman decorating his house and grounds with Tulasi instead of

flowers and ornamentals. So he questioned the engineer on this. The Englishman

said: "That you are surprised at seeing Tulasi plants at my bungalow surprises

me even more. Though you are a Hindu, you are not aware of the great importance

of Tulasi? Extensive literature has been published in my country on Tulasi. Is

there no book dealing with Tulasi in India? The fact is no other plant contains

as much electrical energy as Tulasi. All the air within a distance of 600 ft.

from a Tulasi plant is influenced. As a result the microorganisms causing

malaria, plague, T.B., and other illnesses are destroyed." Yours

yoically, DattuJay Gurudev