Bhaktisandesam / Tulsi and Hunduism

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Tulsi: The Holy Power Plant

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The holy Indian basil is a miracle plant.

The 'tulsi' plant or Indian basil is an important symbol in the Hindu

religious tradition. The name 'tulsi' connotes " the incomparable

one " . Tulsi is a venerated plant and Hindus worship it in the morning

and evening. Tulsi grows wild in the tropics and warm regions. Dark

or Shyama tulsi and light or Rama tulsi are the two main varieties of

basil, the former possessing greater medicinal value. Of the many

varieties, the Krishna or Shyama tulsi is commonly used for worship.

 

Tulsi As A Deity

The presence of tulsi plant symbolizes the religious bent of a Hindu

family. A Hindu household is considered incomplete if it doesn't have

a tulsi plant in the courtyard. Many families have the tulsi planted

in a specially built structure, which has images of deities installed

on all four sides, and an alcove for a small earthen oil lamp. Some

households can even have up to a dozen tulsi plants on the verandah

or in the garden forming a " tulsi-van " or " tulsivrindavan " - a

miniature basil forest.

 

Places that tend to inspire concentration and places ideal for

worship, according to the Gandharv Tantra, include " grounds overgrown

with tulsi plants " . The Tulsi Manas Mandir at Varanasi is one such

famous temple, where tulsi is worshipped along with other Hindu gods

and goddesses. Vaishnavites or believers of Lord Vishnu worship the

tulsi leaf because it's the one that pleases Lord Vishnu the most.

They also wear beaded necklaces made of tulsi stems. The manufacture

of these tulsi necklaces is a cottage industry in pilgrimages and

temple towns.

 

Tulsi As An Elixir

Apart from its religious significance it is of great medicinal

significance, and is a prime herb in Ayurvedic treatment. Marked by

its strong aroma and a stringent taste, tusli is a kind of " the

elixir of life " as it promotes longevity. The plant's extracts can be

used to prevent and cure many illnesses and common ailments like

common cold, headaches, stomach disorders, inflammation, heart

disease, various forms of poisoning and malaria. Essential oil

extracted from karpoora tulsi is mostly used for medicinal purposes

though of late it is used in the manufacture of herbal toiletry.

 

According to Jeevan Kulkarni, author of Historical Truths & Untruths

Exposed, when Hindu women worship tulsi, they in effect pray

for " less and less carbonic acid and more and more oxygen - a perfect

object lesson in sanitation, art and religion " . The tulsi plant is

even known to purify or de-pollute the atmosphere and also works as a

repellent to mosquitoes, flies and other harmful insects. Tulsi used

to be a universal remedy in cases of malarial fever.

 

Prof Shrinivas Tilak, who teaches Religion at Concordia University,

Montreal has made this historical citation: In a letter written to

The Times, London, dated May 2, 1903 Dr George Birdwood, Professor of

Anatomy, Grant Medical College, Bombay said, " When the Victoria

Gardens were established in Bombay, the men employed on those works

were pestered by mosquitoes. At the recommendation of the Hindu

managers, the whole boundary of the gardens was planted with holy

basil, on which the plague of mosquitos was at once abated, and fever

altogether disappeared from among the resident gardners. "

 

Tulsi In Legends

Quite a few myths and legends found in the Puranas or ancient

scriptures point to the origin of importance of tulsi in religious

rituals. Although tulsi is regarded as feminine, in no folklore is

she described as the consort the Lord. Yet a garland solely made of

tulsi leaves is the first offering to the Lord as part of the daily

ritual. The plant is accorded the sixth place among the eight objects

of worship in the ritual of the consecration of the Kalasha, the

container of holy water.

 

According to one legend, Tulsi was the incarnation of a princess who

fell in love with Lord Krishna, and so had a curse laid on her by his

consort Radha. Tulsi is also mentioned in the stories of Meera and of

Radha immortalised in Jayadev's Gita Govinda. The story of Lord

Krishna has it that when Krishna was weighed in gold, not even all

the ornaments of Satyabhama could outweigh him. But a single tulsi

leaf placed by Rukmani on the pan tilted the scale.

 

In the Hindu mythology, tulsi is very dear to Lord Vishnu. Tulsi is

ceremonially married to Lord Vishnu annually on the 11th bright day

of the month of Karttika in the lunar calendar. This festival

continues for five days and concludes on the full moon day, which

falls in mid October. This ritual, called the 'Tulsi Vivaha'

inaugurates the annual marriage season in India.

 

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Jai Shree Krishna !