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.

 

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A Hindu perspective:

Tulsi Vivah or Marriage: This is perhaps the most sentimental but not the

least important festival which falls on the 11th day of the bright half of

Kartik. This story from padma Puram revolves round Tulsi, the plant Ocimum

Sanctum which in her former birth was Vrinda, the daughter of a giant named

Nemi, and the faithful wife of demon Jalandhar. Being born in water

Jalandhar claims sovereignty over the ocean and demands the 14 treasures

churned out of the ocean in Vishnu's second incarnation. He declares war

and becomes a cause of danger to the gods. More so because of a boon that he

would be free drom death till his wife Vrinda was chaste. As a last resort

to kill Jalandhar, Vishnu beguiles Vrinda by assuming her husband's form.

Vrinda in her wrath cruses and turns Lord Vishnu into a Black stone

(Salagram) for his deceit. Vishnu too retaliates but in admiration of her

impeachable chastity and piety, he transfers her into the sacred Tulsi plant

and promises to marry her annually on this day of Kartik. The origin of the

ammonite black stone or Salagram found on the bed of the river Gandaki may

be attributed to their legend.

 

As a consequence, all devout Hindu women worship the Tulsi plant with

flowers and milk assuming Lord Krishna to be present on it on this

auspicious day. Literally a mock marriage is performed between the Tulsi

and the Salagram. The belief is that one who performs this ceremony of

giving away Tulsi considering them to be one's own daughters, gets the

credit as making a Kanyadan which is regarded as an extremely meritorious

act in pur religion. This sacred ceremonial day marks the auspicious

opening of the annual marriage season of the Hindus.