Marriage of Shalagrama and Tulasi

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Marriage of Shalagrama and Tulasi written by Sri Padmanabha Gosai.

 

Shri Vasishthaji said that what I have heard in ancient times from Lord

Brahma about the marriage of Tulasi I will now describe according to

what is

written in the Narada-pancaratra. First one should plant Tulasi either

in

the house or the forest, and after three years one may perform her

marriage.

The auspicious times when one may perform the marriage of Shalagrama and

Tulasi are described as follows. When the sun is moving in the north,

Jupiter and Venus are rising, in the month of Kartika, from the Ekadashi

to

the full moon in the month of Magha, and when constellations that are

auspicious for marriage appear, especially the full moon day. - First

one

should arrange a place for sacrifice (yajna-kunda) under a canopy

(mandapa).

Then after performing shanti-vidhana, one should install sixteen

goddesses,

and do the shraddha ceremony for his female maternal ancestors. One

should

call four brahmanas learned in the Veda, and appoint one to be the

Brahma,

one to be the acarya, one to be the rishi, and one to be the priest. One

should establish an auspicious waterpot (mangala-ghat) under that

mandapa

according to the Vaishnava rituals. Then one should establish an

attractive

shalagrama-shila (Lakshmi-Narayana). After that one should perform home

sacrifice (griha-yajna), worship the sixteen goddesses, and do the

shraddha

ceremony. - When it is dusk one should install a golden Deity of

Narayana

and a silver murti of Tulasi according to one's means. With vasa-shanta

mantra two cloths should be tied together, with yadavandha mantra the

marriage bracelets (kangana) should be tied on the wrists, and with ko'

dat

mantra the marriage should be consecrated. Then the host along with the

acarya, rishi, and others should make nine offerings in the yajna-kunda.

After these marriage rites have been done, the wise gurudeva should

offer

sacrifice according to the Vaishnava rituals chanting, "Om namo

bhagavate

keshavaya namah svaha." - The host with his wife, friends, and relatives

should then do parikrama of Tulasi four times with shalagrama-shila.

Everyone should then recite the following prayers in front of the

yajna-kunda: shatkumbha-sukta, pavamani-sukta, shakti-kadhyaya,

nava-sukta,

jiva-sukta, and vaishava-samhita. After this the ladies should blow

conch

and other similar instruments, sing auspicious songs, and recite

mangalacarana. Following this the final sacrifice should be done

(purnahuti)

and then abhisheka. An ox is to be given to the Brahma, a cow, cloth,

and

bed to the acarya, and cloth to the rishi. Dakshina should be given to

all.

- In this way installing Tulasi Devi one should begin her regular

worship

along with Lord Vishnu. Whoever sees the marriage of Tulasi Devi will

have

all of the accumulated sins of his life removed. Whoever with devotion

plants Tulasi, collects her leaves, or installs her along with Vishnu

will

achieve liberation, the abode of the Lord, all varieties of enjoyment,

and

will enjoy along with Shri Hari.

 

*The author is a well-known Vaishnava Acharya and a Head Priest of the

famous Radharaman Mandir in Vrindavana, India.