Tulasi Arati

Tulasi worship

“Tulasi is auspicious in all respects. Simply by seeing, simply by touching, simply by praying to, simply by bowing before, simply by hearing about, or simply by sowing this tree there is always auspiciousness. Anyone who comes in touch with the Tulasi tree in the above mentioned ways lives eternally in the Vaikuntha world.”(Skanda Purana)

Why devotees worship Tulasi?

The Tulasi plant gets her name from Srimati Tulasi-devi, one of Lord Krishna’s dearmost eternal consorts, a pure devotee in the form of a gopi, who lives in the spiritual world. The Tulasi plant is a manifestation or expansion of her. Because Tulasi is so dear to Krishna, one gains all kinds of benefits by worshiping her. By attaining her mercy, one can more quickly make spiritual advancement and gain entrance into the spiritual world.

How To Perform Tulasi Aarati

Tulasi-puja is relatively simple, consisting of only three articles: incense, a ghee lamp, and flowers. Before worshipping her chant the following Tulasi pranama mantra three times , and after each time all the devotees should chant responsively.

vṛndāyai tulasī-devyai priyāyai keśavasya ca

viṣṇu-bhakti-prade devī satya vatyai namo namaḥ

Place Tulasi on a stand or table in the middle of the room. Then the Tulasi arati song mentioned in the beginning of this section should be sung as the arati is performed as follows:

1. Acamana (purification)

Take the spoon from the acamana cup and purify both hands by sprinkling water onto them.
A spoon full into your right palm, chant om keshavaya namah, and sip.
A spoon full into your right palm, chant om narayanaya namah, and sip.
A spoon full into your right palm, chant om madhavaya namah, and sip.

2. Offering the incense

Purify (sprinkle with a spoon full of water) the bell and the incense holder.
Light the incense.
Pick up the bell in the left hand; ring the bell throughout the puja.
Pick up the incense holder in the right hand and offer the incense to Tulasi with seven circles around her whole form.
Offer to Srila Prabhupada and then all the devotees.

3. Offering the ghee lamp:

Purify the ghee lamp (sprinkle with a spoon full of water).
Light it.
Offer it to Tulasi: Four circles to the base, two to the middle, three to the top, and seven to the whole.
Offer to Srila Prabhupada and then all the devotees.

4.Offering the Flowers:

Purify the flowers (sprinkle with a spoon full of water).
Offer them to Tulasi with seven circles to the whole form.
Place one at her base (optional).
Offer them Srila Prabhupada and then all the devotees.

Sri Tulasi Pranama:

vṛndāyai tulasī-devyai priyāyai keśavasya ca

viṣṇu-bhakti-prade devī satya vatyai namo namaḥ

Translation: I offer my repeated obeisances unto Vrnda, Srimati Tulasi Devi, who is very dear to Lord Kesava. O goddess, you bestow devotional service to Lord Visnu and possess the highest truth.

Sri Tulasi Kirtana

(1)

namo namaḥ tulasī kṛṣṇa-preyasi namo namaḥ

rādhā-kṛṣṇa-sevā pābo ei abilāṣī

(2)

ye tomāra śaraṇa loy, tara vāñchā pūrṇa hoy

kṛpā kori' koro tāre vṛndāvana-vāsi

(3)

mora ei abhilāṣa, vilāsa kuñje dio vāsa

nayana heribo sadā yugala-rūpa-rāśi

(4)

ei nivedana dhara, sakhīra anugata koro

sevā-adhikāra diye koro nīja dāsī

(5)

dīna kṛṣṇa-dāse koy, ei yena mora hoy

śrī-rādhā-govinda-preme sadā yena bhāsi

(6)***Circumambulate while chanting this verse***

yāni kāni ca pāpāni brahma-hatyādikāni ca

tāni tāni praṇaśyanti pradakṣiṇaḥ pade pade

TRANSLATION

1) O Tulasi, beloved of Krsna, I bow before you again and again. My desire is to obtain the service of Sri Sri Radha-Krsna.

2) Whoever takes shelter of you has his wishes fulfilled. Bestowing your mercy on him, you make him a resident of Vrndavana.

3) My desire is that you will also grant me a residence in the pleasure groves of Sri Vrndavana-dhama. Thus, within my vision I will always behold the beautiful pastimes of Radha and Krsna.

4) I beg you to make me a follower of the cowherd damsels of Vraja. Please give me the privilege of devotional service and make me your own maidservant.

5) Dina Duhkhi Krsnadasa prays, ''May I always swim in the love of Sri Radha and Govinda.

By the circumambulation of Srimati Tulasi Devi all the sins that one may have committed are destroyed at every step, even the sin of killing a brahmana

Taking care of Tulasi

Tulasi plants and their leaves are very important in devotional service. Devotees are recommended to water the Tulasi tree every day and collect the leaves to worship the Lord. (Srimad-Bhagavatam 3.15.19 purport) The glories of Tulasi 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. (Skanda Purana)

Tulasi leaf is very, very dear to Visnu. All Visnu-tattva Deities require profusely Tulasi leaves. Lord Visnu likes garland of Tulasi leaves. Tulasi leaves mixed with sandalwood pulp and placed on the lotus feet of the Lord is the topmost worship. (Srila Prabhupada Letter to Govinda, 7 April 1970) You should collect them in the morning (during daylight hours- not at night), using scissors reserved for this purpose. Be careful when circumambulating her and offering water to her, so that you do not hurt her in any way . Remember that Tulasi is not an ordinary pant.;she is a great pure devotee. Cut Tulasi’s manjaris (seed receptacles , or buds as soon as they appear. Otherwise many Tulasi plants will start to grow everywhere, and it will be difficult to care for them properly. Also, early cutting of manjaris helps Tulasi grow strong and healthy.

Keep Tulasi in such a way and in such a place that animals wont disturb her.(Dogs actually like to urinate on Tulasi, and goats like to eat her. She should be placed away from pathways so that people will not thoughtlessly brush her as they pass. Children (and adults too!) should be trained to treat her respectfully. Tulasi does not 43 like hot summer sun, so try to keep her in the shade. In cold countries, of course, one has to use artificial lighting during the winter months to give her enough light.

Although Tulasi has medicinal qualities, devotees do not think of her as medicine. She is a pure devotee and is worshippable by us. Devotees cultivate Tulasi to cultivate their devotion and for no other reason. Tulai leaves should be offered in devotion at the lotus feet of Vishnu Tattva Deities and pictures and no one else. This means that Tulasi leaves are to be offered to the lotus feet of Lord Krishna, Lord Narasimhadeva, Lord Chaitanya, Nityanandaprabhu, Advaita prabhu, etc., but not to the lotus feet of even Radharani, Gadhadara Pandita, Srivasa Pandita, or the sampradaya acaryas. However, in Deity worship you may place Tulasi in the right hand of your guru for him to offer at Krishna’s lotus feet. Tulasi leaves are also necessary for offering bhoga(food preparations for the Lord.

While plucking the leaves from the Tulasi plant, the following mantra should be chanted:

Om tulasyamrta janmaasi sada tvam kesabapriya

Kesabaartham chinomi tvam baradaa bhabashovane