Tulasi Devi’s glories can be found over and over again throughout sastra, they’re like hidden gems, yet we don’t hear them very often. The next few articles will dig up some of these hidden gems about wearing Tulasi wood; bringing them out into the open air for all of us to admire, learn from, and go a little bit deeper in our relationship with Tulasi Devi.
“Just as a pet dog has got a collar, similarly we are pet dogs of God. So we have got this collar. And Yamaraja, the Lord of Death will understand that he, the devotee, is God’s dog; he should not be shot down.”
-Srila Prabhupada (December 19, 1970 Srimad-Bhagavatam Class in Surat)
tulasī-kāstha-sambhūtāmśirasoyasyabhūsanam
bāhvohkarecamartyasyadehetasyasadāharih
“There is no need to perform atonement for a person who wears Tulasi neck beads. Factually, he does not become contaminated at any stage in his life. Sri Hari resides in the body of a person whose neck and arms are decorated with ornaments made of Tulasi.”
-Hari-bhakti-vilāsa 4.335
We all wear Tulasi malas around our necks, some of us perhaps for a number of years. It may have been some time since we reflected on the question, “What is the significance of wearing Tulasi Devi?” This article attempts to deepen our understanding of why we wear Tulasi Devi. We will focus on the glories of wearing Tulasi malas from the Skanda Purana’s second book (Vaishnavakhanda), fifth section (Margashirsha-mahatmya). This section is a dialogue between Lord Vishnu and Lord Brahma; we will focus only on the portion of this dialogue where Lord Vishnu speaks about the glories of Tulasi Devi.
The section of the Skanda Purana is as follows:
On seeing a garland of Tulasī twigs, the messengers of Yamaraja disappear from far like a leaf shaken off by wind. In Kali-yuga, sin does not contaminate that house where a Tulasī twig or leave, whether dry or green, is present.
(Lord Vishnu states:) The Brahmana who wears the garland of Tulasi twigs undoubtedly attains me (Bhagavan), even if he is unclean and devoid of good conduct. The man on whose body a garland made of Dhatri (amalaki) fruits or Tulasi twigs is visible is indeed a Bhagavata (devotee of the lord). He who wears the garland of Tulasi leaves, particularly the ones taken off from me, is worthy of being bowed to even by the Devatas. The garland made of Tulasi leaves or of Dhatri fruits (amalaki) grants salvation even to sinners. (Note: This is proof that everyone can and should wear Tulasi malas, even the most sinful) All the more so in the case of my devotees who serve me.
He who wears the garland of Tulasi leaves that has been worn by me attains the merit of ten horse sacrifices for every leaf in that garland. If a man wears a garland of Tulasi twigs, oh dear one, I grant him the merit arising from visiting the holy place of Dvaraka every day. After dedicating it to me with devotion, a man who wears a garland of Tulasi twigs devoutly has no sin at all.
I am always pleased with him who wears a garland of Tulasi twigs. He is as dear to me as my vital air. It is not necessary that he should perform any expiatory rite. There is nothing unclean or polluted in his body.
He whose body is ornamented with Tulasi twigs on the head, arms, and hands is dear to me. One should do meritorious acts after adorning oneself with a garland of Tulasi twigs. The auspicious merits performed by him shall have crores of times the benefit.
The Brahmana who wears the garland of Tulasī twigs undoubtedly attains me (Bhagavan), even if he is unclean and devoid of good conduct. The man on whose body a garland made of Dhatri (amalaki) fruits or Tulasi twigs is visible is indeed a Bhagavata (devotee of the lord).
On seeing a garland of Tulasi twigs, the messengers of Yamaraja disappear from far like a leaf shaken off by wind. In Kali-yuga, sin does not contaminate that house where a Tulasi twig or leave, whether dry or green, is present. If anyone, embellished with a garland of Tulasi twigs, moves about on the earth, he will not see bad dreams or ill omens or any danger from enemies.
If rationalists or heretics with sinful intentions refuse to wear a garland of Tulasi, they will never return from hell. They will be burnt by my anger. (Note: This is proof that everyone can and should wear Tulasi malas, even the most sinful) Hence a garland made of Tulasi twigs, seeds of lotus, or Dhatri (amalaki) fruits should be worn carefully and devoutly. It bestows excellent merit. Hence a devotee should have Urdhvapundra (tilaka) and the imprints of conch, etc. With Kusha grass in his hands, he should remember me and perform Sandhya prayers (Gayatri mantras) at the root of a Tulasi plant.
We welcome you to check out our other articles about Tulasi Devi from sastra.
Bibliography
- The Skanda Purana Part IV. Dehli: Motilal Banarsidass, 1998. Print.
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Om tat sat
Can pets wear tulasi?
Thank you for the question. We are not sure, if we come across any verses in our research in this regard we will let you know. Wearing Tulasi is a topic we plan to write more in depth about in the near future.