Tulasi in Hinduism
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Tulasi (
Traditionally, the tulasi is planted in the center of the central courtyard of Hindu houses.[2] The plant is cultivated for religious purposes, and for its essential oil.
Nomenclature
In the
One argument mooted is that goddess Lakshmi is also identical with Tulasi and hence it is also known as Lakshmi Priya; Tulasi is also identified with the wives of other incarnations of Vishnu, such as Rama and Krishna.
The name Tulasi is also believed to literally translate as "immeasurable". Tula means a scale or balance, where an item is place on one side and weights on the other to compare and measure the weight. Hence, Tulasi could also mean the one who cannot be measured or compared.
Legends
Lakshmi-Tulasi
The
The Curse of Tulasi
Shankhacuda, a mighty daitya, underwent a severe tapasya that pleased Brahma. He was granted the Viṣṇukavaca (the armour of Vishnu), and was blessed with another boon: As long as the Viṣṇukavaca was on his body, no one could slay him. Shankhacuda and Tulasi were soon married. His arrogance caused conflict with the devas, who petitioned Vishnu to relieve them. Vishnu granted his trishula to Shiva, who slew Shankachuda with the weapon. Vishnu appeared in the form of Shankacuda to Tulasi, and the two sported, and ceased when Tulasi realised that he was an imposter. When she jumped to curse him, Vishnu appeared as his true form and spoke to her, after which Tulasi joined him to depart to Vaikuntha:[5]
You have been doing penance for a long time to get me as your husband. Your husband Śaṅkhacūḍa was the chief of my Pārṣadas, Sudāmā. It is time for him to go back to Goloka getting himself released from the curse. By this time Śiva would have killed him and he would have gone to Goloka as Sudāmā. You can now abandon your body and come with me to Vaikuṇṭha to enjoy life as my wife. Your body will decay and become a holy river named Gaṇḍakī; your hair will become the Tulasī plant, the leaves of which will be held sacred in all the three worlds.
— Devi Bhagavata Purana, Skandha 9
In regional variations of this legend, Tulasi, in her anger and grief at her husband's demise, cursed Vishnu to be turned into stone. Vishnu turned into a stone, and resided on riverbank
Vrinda
The Skanda Purana, Padma Purana, as well as the Shiva Purana feature Tulasi in the tale of Vrinda and her husband, Jalandhara. Vrinda is the daughter of Kalanemi, an asura. Vrinda is described to be pious, and a great devotee of god Vishnu. Jalandhara, an asura born from Shiva's rage, marries her. Angered by the outcome of the Samudra Manthana, Jalandhara wages a successful war on the devas, conquering Svarga, and ruling as a virtuous monarch. However, after hearing details of Parvati's beauty from Narada, he demands Shiva hand her over to him. Infuriated, Shiva declares war on the asura, but finds him to be an invincible foe. After employing his illusory arts, the asura attempts to abduct Parvati in the guise of Shiva. She prays to Vishnu, and makes him realise that the asura was shielded from defeat by the chastity of his wife.[8]
Vrinda receives an ominous nightmare where she sees her husband seated on a buffalo, the sky enveloped in darkness, and a sun without lustre. Terrified of what it implied, she ran from forest to forest, forgetting herself. When a sage rescues her from two rakshasas, she begs him to inform her of the tidings of her husband's battle with Shiva. The sage's disciples produce the asura's hands, a head, and a headless trunk, upon which she falls into despair. She urges the sage to resuscitate her fallen husband, which he does. Witnessing her slain husband return to life, Vrinda sported with him for several days, until she realised his true identity. She cursed Vishnu that his wife, too, would be separated from him (Which happens when Sita is abducted by Ravana) and self-immolates, even as the deity attempts to stop her.[9] Her chastity broken, Shiva prevails over Jalandhara.
After the conclusion of the battle, Vishnu is still traumatised by the death of the beautiful Vrinda, and refuses to move from her pyre. The devas invoke Prakriti, the personified force of nature, who offers them three seeds to be planted where Vishnu stays, which represent the sattva, rajas, and tamas gunas. The seeds grow to become three plants, Dhātrī, Mālatī, and Tulasī, who are personified as three women, Svarā, Lakṣmī, and Gaurī. Vishnu grows infatuated by the sight of these wondrous women. Since Mālatī is regarded to be "deceptive" (As she stems from Lakṣmī, who is already Vishnu's shakti), she is condemned. The goddesses of Dhātrī and Tulasī, however, bear genuine love for Vishnu, and make him forget about his misery. They accompany Vishnu to Vaikuntha, and greatly please and delight him.[10][11][12]
In a variation of this legend, Vrinda immolates herself in her husband's funeral pyre, but Vishnu ensures that she is incarnated in the form of tulasi plant upon the earth. She gains the status of a goddess named Tulasi, while her earthly form is the tulasi plant.[13][14]
Other Legends
A
Worship
Provenance
Tulsi has been used for its therapeutic properties since circa 5000 - 4000 BCE.[15] In the Rig Veda, Tulsi is mentioned and that is dated to 3500 - 2600 BCE.[16]
Prakash and Gupta (2011: p.2) assert that:
"Tulasi has been used in India for around 5000 years and is acclaimed for its healing properties of the mind, body and spirit".[17][18]
Prakash and Gupta (2011) also cite various ancient scriptures and texts that mention the religious and medicinal significance of tulsi, such as: the
General worship
While tree worship is not uncommon in Hinduism, the tulasi plant is regarded as the holiest of all plants.
The tulasi plant is grown in or near several Hindu houses, especially by
A person who waters and cares for the tulasi daily is believed to gain spiritual merit and the divine grace of Vishnu, even if he does not worship it. Traditionally, the daily worship and care of the plant is the responsibility of the women of the household. Though daily worship is prescribed, Tuesdays and Fridays are considered especially sacred for Tulasi worship. Rituals involve watering the plant, cleaning the area near the plant with water and cow dung and making offerings of food, flowers, incense, Ganges water, etc.
In the 19th century, some families in
In Orissa, on the first day of the Hindu month
Tulasi Vivaha
A ceremony known as
Religious traditions
Tulasi is especially sacred in the worship of Vishnu and his forms Krishna and Vithoba and other related Vaishnava deities.[23][7] Garlands made of 10000 Tulasi leaves, water mixed with Tulasi, food items sprinkled with Tulasi are offered in veneration to Vishnu or Krishna.
Vaishnavas traditionally use japa malas (a string of
Shaivism
There are conflicting accounts about Tulasi leaves being used in the worship of the god Shiva. While
Shaktism
Tulasi is taboo in worship of the Devi – the supreme goddess, as the pungent aroma of the tulasi plant is believed to anger her.[24]
Miscellaneous
It is also not allowed for the worship of Hanuman as he is celibate and Tulasi is regarded as a goddess.[4]
In
The Nayars of Malabar offer tulasi plants to pacify evil spirits.[32]
Importance
In the Srimad Bhagavatam, the significance of the Tulasi over other plants is described as:
Although flowering plants like the mandāra, kunda, kurabaka, utpala, campaka, arṇa, punnāga, nāgakeśara, bakula, lily and pārijāta are full of transcendental fragrance, they are still conscious of the austerities performed by tulasī, for tulasī is given special preference by the Lord, who garlands Himself with tulasī leaves
— Srimad Bhagavatam, Canto 4, Chapter 15, Verse 19[33]
Every part of the tulasi plant is revered and considered sacred. Even the soil around the plant is holy. The Padma Purana declares a person who is cremated with tulasi twigs in his funeral pyre gains moksha and a place in Vishnu's abode Vaikuntha. If a tulasi stick is used to burn a lamp for Vishnu, it is like offering the deities lakhs of lamps. If one makes a paste of dried tulasi wood (from a plant that died naturally) and smears it over his body and worships Vishnu, it is worth several ordinary pujas and lakhs of gaudanam (donation of cows).[34] Water mixed with the tulasi leaves is given to the dying to raise their departing souls to heaven.[7]
Just as tulasi respect is rewarding, her contempt attracts the wrath of Vishnu. Precautions are taken to avoid this. It is taboo to urinate, excrete or throw waste water near the plant. Uprooting and cutting branches of the plant is prohibited.[35] When the plant withers, the dry plant is immersed in a water body with due religious rites as is the custom for broken divine images, which are unworthy for worship.[7] Though tulasi leaves are necessary for Hindu worship, there are strict rules for it. A prayer of forgiveness may also be offered to Tulasi before the act.[35]
The word Tulasi is used in many place names and family names.[21]
References
- ISBN 9780842608220.
- ^ Simoons 1998, pp. 17–18.
- ^ a b c Simoons 1998, p. 14.
- ^ ISBN 978-81-7017-397-7.
- ^ www.wisdomlib.org (28 January 2019). "Story of Tulasī". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 24 September 2022.
- ^ Mani pp. 797–8
- ^ a b c d e f Deshpande 2005, p. 203.
- ^ www.wisdomlib.org (27 February 2020). "Fight between Śiva and Jalandhara [Chapter 20]". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 24 September 2022.
- ^ www.wisdomlib.org (27 February 2020). "Vṛndā's Self-immolation [Chapter 21]". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 24 September 2022.
- ^ www.wisdomlib.org (27 February 2020). "The Origin of Dhātrī and Tulasī [Chapter 23]". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 24 September 2022.
- ^ www.wisdomlib.org (30 October 2019). "The Greatness of Dhātrī and Tulasī [Chapter 105]". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 24 September 2022.
- ^ www.wisdomlib.org (16 October 2018). "The Vanishing of Viṣṇu's delusion [Chapter 26]". www.wisdomlib.org. Retrieved 24 September 2022.
- ^ a b c Littleton 2005, pp. 1125–6.
- ^ Simoons 1998, p. 11.
- ^ Chauhan, Dr. Meenakshi (2019). 'Tulsi, Holy Basil (Ocimum Sanctum)'. Planet Ayurveda. Source: https://www.planetayurveda.com/library/tulsi-ocimum-sanctum/ (accessed: Wednesday September 27, 2023)
- ^ Chauhan, Dr. Meenakshi (2019). 'Tulsi, Holy Basil (Ocimum Sanctum)'. Planet Ayurveda. Source: https://www.planetayurveda.com/library/tulsi-ocimum-sanctum/ (accessed: Wednesday September 27, 2023)
- ^ Prakash, S. & Gupta, N. (2011). 'Tulasi: The Wonder Herb (Pharmacological Activities of Ocimum Sanctum)' in Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical and Clinical Research.
- ^ Narendra Singh, Mahendra Kumar Mishra & Rajeshwar Singh (2014). 'Tulsi: The Mother Medicine of Nature' in International Journal of Herbal Medicine.
- ^ Prakash, S. & Gupta, N. (2011). 'Tulasi: The Wonder Herb (Pharmacological Activities of Ocimum Sanctum)' in Asian Journal of Pharmaceutical and Clinical Research.
- ^ Narendra Singh, Mahendra Kumar Mishra & Rajeshwar Singh (2014). 'Tulsi: The Mother Medicine of Nature' in International Journal of Herbal Medicine.
- ^ a b c Simoons 1998, p. 8.
- ^ Simoons 1998, pp. 7, 9.
- ^ a b Simoons 1998, pp. 11–18.
- ^ a b Simoons 1998, p. 17.
- ^ Simoons 1998, pp. 18–20.
- ^ Simoons 1998, p. 20.
- ^ Simoons 1998, pp. 20–2.
- ISBN 978-0-631-21535-6.
- ^ Simoons 1998, p. 22.
- ^ "Tulsi Vivah". Sanatan Sanstha. 18 October 2000. Retrieved 30 June 2021.
- ^ Simoons 1998, pp. 14–6.
- ^ Simoons 1998, p. 16.
- ^ "ŚB 3.15.19". vedabase.io. Archived from the original on 24 February 2020. Retrieved 30 May 2023.
- ^ Mani p. 798
- ^ a b Simoons 1998, pp. 22–3.
Bibliography
- Littleton, C. Scott (2005). Gods, Goddesses, And Mythology, Volume 11. Marshall Cavendish. pp. 1124–26. ISBN 9780761475590.
- Simoons, Frederick J. (1998). Plants of life, plants of death. Univ of Wisconsin Press. pp. 7–40. ISBN 978-0-299-15904-7.
- ISBN 978-0-8426-0822-0.
- Deshpande, Aruna (2005). India: A Divine Destination. Crest Publishing House. p. 203. ISBN 81-242-0556-6.
- Dalal, Roshen (1998). Hinduism: An Alphabetical Guide. Penguin Books India. p. 424. ISBN 9780143414216.