Chapter Sixteen Tulasī-pūjana The Worship of Tulasī

Śrī Nārada said: Hearing Rādhā's words, and reflecting on them in her heart for a moment, Candrānanā, the best of all friends, replied.

Śrī Candrānanā said: O Rādhā, service to Tulasī gives the greatest piety, the greatest good fortune, and the greatest benediction. It gives Lord Kṛṣṇa's association.

You should always gaze on Tulasī, touch her, remember her, glorify her, bow down before her, offer prayers to her, plant her, and worship her. Then she will grant Your desire.

They who day after day serve Tulasī in these nine ways attain the result of pious deeds performed in many thousands of millions of yugas.

teṣāṁ vaṁśeṣu ye jātā ye bhaviṣyanti ye gatāḥ ā-kalpa-yuga-sāhasraṁ teṣāṁ vāso harer gṛhe yāvat—as; chākhā—branches; praśākhābhiḥ—and sub-branches; bīja—seeds; puṣpa—flowers; dalaiḥ—leaves; śubhaiḥ—beautiful and auspicious; ropitā—planted; tulasī—Tulasī; martyaiḥ—by human beings; vardhate—increases; vasudhā-tale—on the surface of the earth; teṣām—of them; vaṁśeṣu—in the families; ye—who; jātā—born; ye—who; bhaviṣyanti—will be; ye—who; gatāḥ—have gone; ā-kalpa-yuga-sāhasram—a thousand kalpa-yugas; teṣām—of them; vāsaḥ—residence; hareḥ—of Lord Hari; gṛhe—in the home. A person who who plants Tulasī liberates his family. As many branches, sub-branches, seeds, flowers, and leaves as are on the Tulasī he has planted, so many ancestors and descendents in his family for thousands of kalpa-yugas will go to Lord Kṛṣṇa's transcendental abode.

teṣāṁ vaṁśeṣu ye jātā ye bhaviṣyanti ye gatāḥ ā-kalpa-yuga-sāhasraṁ teṣāṁ vāso harer gṛhe yāvat—as; chākhā—branches; praśākhābhiḥ—and sub-branches; bīja—seeds; puṣpa—flowers; dalaiḥ—leaves; śubhaiḥ—beautiful and auspicious; ropitā—planted; tulasī—Tulasī; martyaiḥ—by human beings; vardhate—increases; vasudhā-tale—on the surface of the earth; teṣām—of them; vaṁśeṣu—in the families; ye—who; jātā—born; ye—who; bhaviṣyanti—will be; ye—who; gatāḥ—have gone; ā-kalpa-yuga-sāhasram—a thousand kalpa-yugas; teṣām—of them; vāsaḥ—residence; hareḥ—of Lord Hari; gṛhe—in the home. A person who who plants Tulasī liberates his family. As many branches, sub-branches, seeds, flowers, and leaves as are on the Tulasī he has planted, so many ancestors and descendents in his family for thousands of kalpa-yugas will go to Lord Kṛṣṇa's transcendental abode.

O Rādhā, by offering Lord Kṛṣṇa a single Tulasī leaf one attains the result of offering Him every flower and leaf that exists.

A person who with offerings of Tulasī-leaves worships Lord Kṛṣṇa is not touched by sin as a lotus-leaf is not touched by water.

By protecting a Tulasī forest one attains the result of giving in pious charity a hundred bhāras of gold or four hundred bhāras of silver.

A home in the midst of a Tulasī forest is a sacred pilgrimage place. Yamarāja's servants will never enter that home.

They who plant a sacred Tulasī forest, which fulfills desires and removes all sins, are the best of people. They will never see Yamarāja.

For persons who plant, protect, water, see, or touch her, Tulasī burns the sins committed with the body, mind, and words.

On a single Tulasī leaf the holy places beginning with Puṣkara, the sacred rivers beginning with the Gaṅgā, and the Deities headed by Lord Vāsudeva reside.

Even though stained with a hundred sins, a person who touches a Tulasī-maṣjarī as he leaves this life does not see Yamarāja.

Sin does not touch the the body of a sinner anointed with Tulasī-paste.

Wherever is the beautiful shade of a Tulasī forest, there śrāddha should be offered. There akṣaya should be offered to the pitās.

O friend, as four-faced Brahmā cannot describe all the glories of Lord Kṛṣṇa, who holds the śārṅga bow, so he cannot descibe all the glories of Tulasī.

A man or woman who offers sandal-paste and Tulasī to Śrī Kṛṣṇacandra's feet attains the results I have told to You.

O gopī, serve Tulasī every day. Then Śrī Kṛṣṇa will always be Your submissive servant.

Śrī Nārada said: O king, after hearing Candrānanā's words, Śrī Rādhā, the queen of the rāsa dance, in order to please Lord Kṛṣṇa, began to serve Śrī Tulasī.

harid-dhīraka-muktānāṁ prākāreṇa mahollasat sarvatas tolikā-yuktaṁ cintāmaṇi-su-maṇḍitam hema-dhvaja-samayuktaṁ uttoraṇa-virājitam haimair vitānaiḥ parito vaijayantam iva sphurat etādṛśaṁ śrī-tulasī- mandiraṁ su-manoharam tan-madhye tulasīṁ sthāpya harit-pallava-śobhitam abhijin-nāma-nakṣatre tat-sevāṁ sā cakāra ha samāhūtena gargeṇa diṣṭena vidhinā satī ketakī—of ketaki trees; vana—the forest; madhye—in the middle; ca——and; śata-hastam—a hundred hastas; su-vartulam—round; uccaiḥ—high; hema—gold; khacit—studded; bhitti—wall; padmarāga—rubies; taṭam—sides; śubham—beautiful; harit—of emeralds; hīraka—diamonds; muktānām—and pearls; prākāreṇa—with an outer wall; mahollasat—very splendid; sarvataḥ—everywhere; tolikā-yuktam—with gates; cintāmaṇi—with cintāmaṇi gams; su-maṇḍitam—nicely decorated; hema-dhvaja-samayuktam—with gold flags; uttoraṇa-virājitam—splendid with archways; haimaiḥ—with gold; vitānaiḥ—awnings; paritaḥ—everywhere; vaijayantam—Indra's palace; iva—like; sphurat—manifest; etādṛśam—like that; śrī-tulasī—of Śrī Tulasī; mandiram—the temple; su-manoharam—beautiful; tan-madhye—inh the middle; tulasīm—Tulasī; sthāpya—placing; harit—green; pallava—leaves; śobhitam—beautiful; abhijin-nāma-nakṣatre —the star named abhijit; tat-sevām—the service of her; sā—She; cakāra—did; ha—indeed; samāhūtena—called; gargeṇa—by Garga Muni; diṣṭena—instructed; vidhinā—by the rules; satī—the saintly girl. Taking Tulasī, beautiful with many green leaves, to the middle of a ketakī forest, and placing her in a Tulasī-temple that was round, tall, a hundred hastas in size, beautiful with walls of gold and rubies, splendid with an outer wall of emeralds, diamonds, and pearls, decorated with cintāmaṇi gems, arched gateways, gold flags, and gold awnings everywhere, and glorious like Indra's palace, at the time of the star abhijit, saintly Rādhā, following Garga Muni's instructions, served Śrī Tulasī.

harid-dhīraka-muktānāṁ prākāreṇa mahollasat sarvatas tolikā-yuktaṁ cintāmaṇi-su-maṇḍitam hema-dhvaja-samayuktaṁ uttoraṇa-virājitam haimair vitānaiḥ parito vaijayantam iva sphurat etādṛśaṁ śrī-tulasī- mandiraṁ su-manoharam tan-madhye tulasīṁ sthāpya harit-pallava-śobhitam abhijin-nāma-nakṣatre tat-sevāṁ sā cakāra ha samāhūtena gargeṇa diṣṭena vidhinā satī ketakī—of ketaki trees; vana—the forest; madhye—in the middle; ca——and; śata-hastam—a hundred hastas; su-vartulam—round; uccaiḥ—high; hema—gold; khacit—studded; bhitti—wall; padmarāga—rubies; taṭam—sides; śubham—beautiful; harit—of emeralds; hīraka—diamonds; muktānām—and pearls; prākāreṇa—with an outer wall; mahollasat—very splendid; sarvataḥ—everywhere; tolikā-yuktam—with gates; cintāmaṇi—with cintāmaṇi gams; su-maṇḍitam—nicely decorated; hema-dhvaja-samayuktam—with gold flags; uttoraṇa-virājitam—splendid with archways; haimaiḥ—with gold; vitānaiḥ—awnings; paritaḥ—everywhere; vaijayantam—Indra's palace; iva—like; sphurat—manifest; etādṛśam—like that; śrī-tulasī—of Śrī Tulasī; mandiram—the temple; su-manoharam—beautiful; tan-madhye—inh the middle; tulasīm—Tulasī; sthāpya—placing; harit—green; pallava—leaves; śobhitam—beautiful; abhijin-nāma-nakṣatre —the star named abhijit; tat-sevām—the service of her; sā—She; cakāra—did; ha—indeed; samāhūtena—called; gargeṇa—by Garga Muni; diṣṭena—instructed; vidhinā—by the rules; satī—the saintly girl. Taking Tulasī, beautiful with many green leaves, to the middle of a ketakī forest, and placing her in a Tulasī-temple that was round, tall, a hundred hastas in size, beautiful with walls of gold and rubies, splendid with an outer wall of emeralds, diamonds, and pearls, decorated with cintāmaṇi gems, arched gateways, gold flags, and gold awnings everywhere, and glorious like Indra's palace, at the time of the star abhijit, saintly Rādhā, following Garga Muni's instructions, served Śrī Tulasī.

harid-dhīraka-muktānāṁ prākāreṇa mahollasat sarvatas tolikā-yuktaṁ cintāmaṇi-su-maṇḍitam hema-dhvaja-samayuktaṁ uttoraṇa-virājitam haimair vitānaiḥ parito vaijayantam iva sphurat etādṛśaṁ śrī-tulasī- mandiraṁ su-manoharam tan-madhye tulasīṁ sthāpya harit-pallava-śobhitam abhijin-nāma-nakṣatre tat-sevāṁ sā cakāra ha samāhūtena gargeṇa diṣṭena vidhinā satī ketakī—of ketaki trees; vana—the forest; madhye—in the middle; ca——and; śata-hastam—a hundred hastas; su-vartulam—round; uccaiḥ—high; hema—gold; khacit—studded; bhitti—wall; padmarāga—rubies; taṭam—sides; śubham—beautiful; harit—of emeralds; hīraka—diamonds; muktānām—and pearls; prākāreṇa—with an outer wall; mahollasat—very splendid; sarvataḥ—everywhere; tolikā-yuktam—with gates; cintāmaṇi—with cintāmaṇi gams; su-maṇḍitam—nicely decorated; hema-dhvaja-samayuktam—with gold flags; uttoraṇa-virājitam—splendid with archways; haimaiḥ—with gold; vitānaiḥ—awnings; paritaḥ—everywhere; vaijayantam—Indra's palace; iva—like; sphurat—manifest; etādṛśam—like that; śrī-tulasī—of Śrī Tulasī; mandiram—the temple; su-manoharam—beautiful; tan-madhye—inh the middle; tulasīm—Tulasī; sthāpya—placing; harit—green; pallava—leaves; śobhitam—beautiful; abhijin-nāma-nakṣatre —the star named abhijit; tat-sevām—the service of her; sā—She; cakāra—did; ha—indeed; samāhūtena—called; gargeṇa—by Garga Muni; diṣṭena—instructed; vidhinā—by the rules; satī—the saintly girl. Taking Tulasī, beautiful with many green leaves, to the middle of a ketakī forest, and placing her in a Tulasī-temple that was round, tall, a hundred hastas in size, beautiful with walls of gold and rubies, splendid with an outer wall of emeralds, diamonds, and pearls, decorated with cintāmaṇi gems, arched gateways, gold flags, and gold awnings everywhere, and glorious like Indra's palace, at the time of the star abhijit, saintly Rādhā, following Garga Muni's instructions, served Śrī Tulasī.

harid-dhīraka-muktānāṁ prākāreṇa mahollasat sarvatas tolikā-yuktaṁ cintāmaṇi-su-maṇḍitam hema-dhvaja-samayuktaṁ uttoraṇa-virājitam haimair vitānaiḥ parito vaijayantam iva sphurat etādṛśaṁ śrī-tulasī- mandiraṁ su-manoharam tan-madhye tulasīṁ sthāpya harit-pallava-śobhitam abhijin-nāma-nakṣatre tat-sevāṁ sā cakāra ha samāhūtena gargeṇa diṣṭena vidhinā satī ketakī—of ketaki trees; vana—the forest; madhye—in the middle; ca——and; śata-hastam—a hundred hastas; su-vartulam—round; uccaiḥ—high; hema—gold; khacit—studded; bhitti—wall; padmarāga—rubies; taṭam—sides; śubham—beautiful; harit—of emeralds; hīraka—diamonds; muktānām—and pearls; prākāreṇa—with an outer wall; mahollasat—very splendid; sarvataḥ—everywhere; tolikā-yuktam—with gates; cintāmaṇi—with cintāmaṇi gams; su-maṇḍitam—nicely decorated; hema-dhvaja-samayuktam—with gold flags; uttoraṇa-virājitam—splendid with archways; haimaiḥ—with gold; vitānaiḥ—awnings; paritaḥ—everywhere; vaijayantam—Indra's palace; iva—like; sphurat—manifest; etādṛśam—like that; śrī-tulasī—of Śrī Tulasī; mandiram—the temple; su-manoharam—beautiful; tan-madhye—inh the middle; tulasīm—Tulasī; sthāpya—placing; harit—green; pallava—leaves; śobhitam—beautiful; abhijin-nāma-nakṣatre —the star named abhijit; tat-sevām—the service of her; sā—She; cakāra—did; ha—indeed; samāhūtena—called; gargeṇa—by Garga Muni; diṣṭena—instructed; vidhinā—by the rules; satī—the saintly girl. Taking Tulasī, beautiful with many green leaves, to the middle of a ketakī forest, and placing her in a Tulasī-temple that was round, tall, a hundred hastas in size, beautiful with walls of gold and rubies, splendid with an outer wall of emeralds, diamonds, and pearls, decorated with cintāmaṇi gems, arched gateways, gold flags, and gold awnings everywhere, and glorious like Indra's palace, at the time of the star abhijit, saintly Rādhā, following Garga Muni's instructions, served Śrī Tulasī.

harid-dhīraka-muktānāṁ prākāreṇa mahollasat sarvatas tolikā-yuktaṁ cintāmaṇi-su-maṇḍitam hema-dhvaja-samayuktaṁ uttoraṇa-virājitam haimair vitānaiḥ parito vaijayantam iva sphurat etādṛśaṁ śrī-tulasī- mandiraṁ su-manoharam tan-madhye tulasīṁ sthāpya harit-pallava-śobhitam abhijin-nāma-nakṣatre tat-sevāṁ sā cakāra ha samāhūtena gargeṇa diṣṭena vidhinā satī ketakī—of ketaki trees; vana—the forest; madhye—in the middle; ca——and; śata-hastam—a hundred hastas; su-vartulam—round; uccaiḥ—high; hema—gold; khacit—studded; bhitti—wall; padmarāga—rubies; taṭam—sides; śubham—beautiful; harit—of emeralds; hīraka—diamonds; muktānām—and pearls; prākāreṇa—with an outer wall; mahollasat—very splendid; sarvataḥ—everywhere; tolikā-yuktam—with gates; cintāmaṇi—with cintāmaṇi gams; su-maṇḍitam—nicely decorated; hema-dhvaja-samayuktam—with gold flags; uttoraṇa-virājitam—splendid with archways; haimaiḥ—with gold; vitānaiḥ—awnings; paritaḥ—everywhere; vaijayantam—Indra's palace; iva—like; sphurat—manifest; etādṛśam—like that; śrī-tulasī—of Śrī Tulasī; mandiram—the temple; su-manoharam—beautiful; tan-madhye—inh the middle; tulasīm—Tulasī; sthāpya—placing; harit—green; pallava—leaves; śobhitam—beautiful; abhijin-nāma-nakṣatre —the star named abhijit; tat-sevām—the service of her; sā—She; cakāra—did; ha—indeed; samāhūtena—called; gargeṇa—by Garga Muni; diṣṭena—instructed; vidhinā—by the rules; satī—the saintly girl. Taking Tulasī, beautiful with many green leaves, to the middle of a ketakī forest, and placing her in a Tulasī-temple that was round, tall, a hundred hastas in size, beautiful with walls of gold and rubies, splendid with an outer wall of emeralds, diamonds, and pearls, decorated with cintāmaṇi gems, arched gateways, gold flags, and gold awnings everywhere, and glorious like Indra's palace, at the time of the star abhijit, saintly Rādhā, following Garga Muni's instructions, served Śrī Tulasī.

Beginning with the full moon of the month of Aśvina (September-October), and ending with the full moon of the month of Caitra (March-April), to please Śrī Kṛṣṇa, saintly Rādhā followed a vow with great devotion.

paṣcāmṛtena tulasīṁ māse māse pṛthak pṛthak udyāpana-samārambhaṁ vaiśākha-pratipad-dine kṛtvā—doing; nyasiṣcat—watered; dugdhena—with milk; tathā—so; ca—and; ikṣu-rāsena—with sugar-cane juice; vai—indeed; drakṣayā—with grape; amra-raseṇa—with mango juice; api—also; sitayā—cool; bahu-miṣṭayā—with many sweet liquids; paṣcāmṛtena—with paṣcāmṛta; tulasīm—Tulasī; māse—month; māse—after month; pṛthak pṛthak—individually; udyāpana—samārambhaṁ vaiśākha—of April-May; pratipad-dine—on the first day after the full moon. Month after month She sprinkled Tulasī with milk, sugar-cane juice, grape-juice, mango-juice, paṣcāmṛta, and many kinds of sweet and cool juice. On the first day of Vaiśākha (April-May), She ended the vow.

paṣcāmṛtena tulasīṁ māse māse pṛthak pṛthak udyāpana-samārambhaṁ vaiśākha-pratipad-dine kṛtvā—doing; nyasiṣcat—watered; dugdhena—with milk; tathā—so; ca—and; ikṣu-rāsena—with sugar-cane juice; vai—indeed; drakṣayā—with grape; amra-raseṇa—with mango juice; api—also; sitayā—cool; bahu-miṣṭayā—with many sweet liquids; paṣcāmṛtena—with paṣcāmṛta; tulasīm—Tulasī; māse—month; māse—after month; pṛthak pṛthak—individually; udyāpana—samārambhaṁ vaiśākha—of April-May; pratipad-dine—on the first day after the full moon. Month after month She sprinkled Tulasī with milk, sugar-cane juice, grape-juice, mango-juice, paṣcāmṛta, and many kinds of sweet and cool juice. On the first day of Vaiśākha (April-May), She ended the vow.

O king, following Garga Muni's instructions, King Vṛṣabhānu's daughter Rādhā then pleased two hundred thousand brāhmaṇas with a great feast of fifty-six courses.

O king of Videha, then Rādhā gave them dakṣiṇā of a hundred-thousand splendid large pearls and many costly garments and ornaments.

Rādhā gave ten million bhāras of gold to Garga Muni. With great devotion She gave a hundred bhāras of gold and pearls to each brāhmaṇa.

The demigods' drums sounded and the apsarās danced. The demigods showered flowers on the Tulasī-temple.

Then, seated on a glorious throne on a gold pedestal, her eyes lotus petals, and her gold crown and earrings glittering, beautiful four-armed Tulasī, who is dear to Lord Kṛṣṇa, appeared.

Descending from the sky, Tulasī, beautiful as a flowering vine, with her four arms embraced and then kissed Rādhā, who wore a new vaijayantī garland, and whose snake-braids were covered with a yellow cloth.

Śrī Tulasī said: O daughter of Kalāvatī, I am pleased with You. I am eternally conquered by Your loving devotion. O beautiful one, as if You were an ordinary human being, You very carefully followed this vow.

The desire that fills Your heart, mind, intelligence, and senses, will be attained. Lord Kṛṣṇa will be kind to You. You are very fortunate.

Śrī Nārada said: To Tulasī, who has spoken these words and who was dear to Lord Kṛṣṇa, Rādhā, the daughter of King Vṛṣabhānu, bowed down and said: May I have unalloyed devotion for Lord Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet.

Saying, "So be it", Kṛṣṇa's beloved Tulasī disappeared. O ruler of Mithilā, O best of kings, then Rādhā, King Vṛṣabhānu's daughter, went home happy at heart.

O king, a devotee who hears this wonderful story of Śrī Rādhā attains first the three goals of material life and then the supreme spiritual goal of life. .pa