Tulasi Dhatri Mahatmya

r'^''''!''!6!
r'''
TULAS-DHTR-
MHTMYA
glorification of
rmat Tulas Dev
and the sacred Dhtr plant
from Kriyyogasara Khaa of
r Padma Pura, Chapter 24
Edited by His Holiness Bhakti Virambha Mdhava Swm
Tulas-Dhtr-Mhtmya 2
CONTENTS
TYPOGRAPHY ............ 3
MAGALCARAA . . 4
1. Homage to the
Spiritual Master .......... 4
2. Homage to rmat
Tulas Dev .................. 5
INTRODUCTION ....... 7
One is recommended to
chant in front of
rmat Tulas Dev ... 10
THE GLORIES OF
RMAT TULAS
DEV ......................... 16
TEXT 1 ...................... 16
TEXT 2 ...................... 17
TEXT 3 ...................... 20
TEXT 4 ...................... 21
TEXT 5 ...................... 26
TEXT 6 ...................... 29
TEXT 7 ...................... 30
TEXT 8 ...................... 33
TEXT 9 ...................... 35
TEXT 10 .................... 36
TEXT 11 .................... 37
TEXT 12 .................... 39
TEXT 13 .................... 42
TEXT 14 .................... 44
TEXT 15 .................... 46
TEXT 16 .................... 47
TEXT 17 .................... 50
TEXT 18 .................... 56
TEXT 19 .................... 63
TEXT 20 .................... 64
TEXT 21 .................... 67
TEXT 22 .................... 71
TEXT 23 .................... 73
TEXT 24 .................... 78
TEXT 25 .................... 82
TEXT 26 .................... 94
TEXT 27 .................... 98
TEXT 28 .................... 99
TEXT 29 .................. 101
TEXT 30 .................. 104
TEXT 31 .................. 107
TEXT 32 .................. 108
TEXT 33 .................. 111
TEXT 34 .................. 113
TEXT 35 .................. 115
TEXT 36 .................. 119
TEXT 37 .................. 121
TEXTS 38-39 ........... 123
TEXTS 40-42 ........... 124
TEXT 43 .................. 129
TEXT 44 .................. 131
TEXT 45 .................. 133
THE GLORIES OF THE
SACRED DHTR
TREE ....................... 133
TEXT 46 .................. 133
TEXT 47 .................. 134
TEXT 48 .................. 136
TEXT 49 .................. 137
TEXT 50 .................. 139
TEXT 51 .................. 139
TEXT 52 .................. 141
TEXT 53 .................. 142
TEXT 54 .................. 143
TEXT 55 .................. 144
TEXT 56 .................. 145
TEXT 57 .................. 146
TEXT 58 .................. 148
TEXT 59 .................. 149
TEXT 60 .................. 150
TEXT 61 .................. 151
TEXT 62 .................. 157
TEXT 63 .................. 159
TEXT 64 .................. 159
TEXT 65 .................. 160
TEXT 66 .................. 161
TEXT 67 .................. 164
CONCLUSION ....... 166
APPENDIX 1
Additional information
................................168
Magalcaraa ........ 168
Text 8 ...................... 170
Text 16 .................... 172
Text 18 .................... 173
Text 30 .................... 177
Text 47 .................... 178
Glossary .................. 181
Literary Works ........ 200
Tulas-Dhtr-Mhtmya 3
TYPOGRAPHY
The following typing conventions are utilized in this
text.
Devanagari script is generally used only for the text
of the original Sanskrit scripture, which is the main
subject matter of the text (i.e. the Tulas-mhtmya),
but not for the Sanskrit quotes. However Devanagari is
also used for quotes in Hindi language.
Italic is used for all Sanskrit quotes and terms used
in the text as well as for the names of the scriptures and
writings mentioned or quoted.
Asterisk (
*
) marks those terms for which
explanations can be found in the Glossary.
Short explanations for practically all names
mentioned in the text can be found in the Personal
Names section of the Glossary.
All Vedic scriptures and other writings (with their
authors) quoted or otherwise mentioned in the text are
listed in the Literary Works section of the Glossary.
Either bold italic or ALL CAPS are used by the
editor to emphasize some points of high importance.
When quotes are very long extending to several
paragraphs they are usually put without quotation
marks but indented on the left (this sentence is
formatted as described to serve as an example).
Tulas-Dhtr-Mhtmya 4
MAGALCARAA
1. Homage to the Spiritual Master
vande r-guru-deva ta
karu-varulayam
yat-kp-lava-leena
pmaro py amaryate
I bow unto the bona fide spiritual master, that
veritable ocean of compassion, a tiny fraction of
whose mercy can immortalize even a vile
outcaste.
vndvane ramaa-reti prasiddha-bhmau
tatrpi ka-balarma-supda-mle
jna para parama-ka-sudharmty ukta
daas tu deva prabhupda namo namas te
In the transcendental land of Vndvanas
pleasing Ramaa-reti sands, situated at the lotus
feet of Ka-Balarma, rla Prabhupda is
delivering the highest knowledge about Ka. I
repeatedly offer my respectful obeisances unto
that lord at whose lotus feet all the lords sit.
EDITORS NOTES
Explanation of the meaning of magalcaraa
can be found in Appendix 1.
Tulas-Dhtr-Mhtmya 5
In the following verse all the three purposes of
magalcraa are served: rmat Tulas Dev is
defined to be the objective of this work; obeisances
are offered to Her; and the blessing are listed for
one who serves Her in various ways.
2. Homage to rmat Tulas Dev
y d nikhilgha-sagha-aman
sp vapu-pvan
rogm abhivandit nirasin
siktntaka-trsin
pratysatti-vidhyin bhagavata
kasya samropit
nyast tac-carae vimukti-phalad
tasyai tulasyai nama
I offer my humble obeisances to rmat Tulas
Dev, by seeing whom all of ones sinful reactions
are destroyed; by whose touch, ones body
becomes purified; by whose glorification, ones
illnesses are cured; by watering whom, ones fear
of the wrath of Lord Yamarja
*
, who punishes the
sinful, is quelled; by planting whom, one attains
Kas association; and by offering whose leaves
at the lotus feet of Lord Ka
*
, one attains
liberation in the form of pure devotional service.
Tulas-Dhtr-Mhtmya 6
EDITORS NOTES
This verse from Skanda Pura, Avant-khaa
is quoted in the Bhakti-rsmta-sindhu (1.2.203)
and Hari-bhakti-vilsa (9.104). In the Hari-bhakti-
vilsa it is entitled prama-vkyam, the mantra
*
for offering obeisances.
rla Vivantha Cakravart hkura comments
on ropit nityam, grown regularly (daily) from
the next verse of Bhakti-rsmta-sindhu (1.2.204),
ropiteti ruha janmani prdurbhve ity asya ij-anta-
rpam. tath ca pratidina tasy patra-majary-di-
prdurbhva-prayojako bhaviyatti ttparyrtha, na
tu pratyaham utpdayiyatty artha.
Ropit is causative participle form of the root
ruh in the meaning of sprouting seeds (planting)
and making them visible (growing). Saropit
means one should plant, thus, the meaning is that
every day one should handle the rmat Tulas
Devs plant form in such a way that there will be
leaves and buds available every day, not that one
should plant them everyday. Although Shes
always pleased to offer these items even if the plant
form is neglected by us, yet that fact doesnt
diminish that we should expertly care for Her.
Tulas-Dhtr-Mhtmya 7
How much more Shell be pleased to provide
these items if She IS cared for expertly by us.
INTRODUCTION
The readers may often take these puranic
*
references as listed below as exaggeration, or some
fantasy, but these simply state the possibilities and
benefits one can reap if one performs them with
devotion. The Lord and His energy are bhva-grh
they accept the mentality of any service
performed.
Bhagavad-gt (2.40) enjoins us all,
nehbhikrama-no sti
pratyavyo na vidyate
sv-alpam apy asya dharmasya
tryate mahato bhayt
In this endeavor there is no loss or diminution
[a reduction in the size, extent, or importance of
(that which is done)], and a little advancement
on this path can protect one from the most
dangerous type of fear.
The editors guru
*
writes in His commentary:
Activity in Ka consciousness, or acting for
the benefit of Ka without expectation of sense
gratification, is the highest transcendental quality
Tulas-Dhtr-Mhtmya 8
of work. Even a small beginning of such activity
finds no impediment, nor can that small beginning
be lost at any stage. Any work begun on the
material plane has to be completed, otherwise the
whole attempt becomes a failure. But any work
begun in Ka consciousness has a permanent
effect, even though not finished. The performer of
such work is therefore not at a loss even if his
work in Ka consciousness is incomplete. One
percent done in Ka consciousness bears
permanent results, so that the next beginning is
from the point of two percent, whereas in material
activity without a hundred percent success there is
no profit. Ajmila
*
performed his duty in some
percentage of Ka consciousness, but the result
he enjoyed at the end was a hundred percent, by
the grace of the Lord.
Thus even any service to the Lord or His
energies can invoke the awarding of these benefits
even if slightly done by the performer. The Lord
and His energies are so kind to one and all.
That being the casewhold be foolish enough
to abandon the attempt to think these evidences
below to be exaggerations? No! We should all try
our best to devotionally apply these instructions
Tulas-Dhtr-Mhtmya 9
concretely in our miserable lives, if even in a slight
way we stand the chance of gaining a drop of these
benefits described herein.
Tulas-Dhtr-Mhtmya 10
One is recommended to chant in front of rmat
Tulas Dev
In r Caitanya-caritmta, Antya-ll (3.100) it
is said,
nirjana-vane kuira kari tulas sevana
rtri-dine tina laka nma-sakrtana
Haridsa hkura constructed a cottage in
solitary forest. There, he planted rmat Tulas
Devs plant, and in front of rmat Tulas Devs
plant he would chant the holy name of the Lord
300,000 times daily. He chanted throughout the
entire day and night.
Purport by the editors guru
...Haridsa hkura used to chant the holy
name on his beads 300,000 times daily.
Throughout the entire day and night, he would
chant the sixteen names of the Hare Ka mah-
mantra
*
. One should not, however, imitate
Haridsa hkura, for no one else can chant the
holy name 300,000 times a day [Editors note:
aside from Haridsa hkuras female disciple
Ka-ds most people can hardly do that]. Such
chanting is for the mukta-purua, or liberated soul.
We can follow his example, however, by chanting
sixteen rounds of the Hare Ka mah-mantra
*
on
beads every day and offering respect to rmat
Tulas Devs plant. This is not at all difficult for
anyone, and the process of chanting the Hare
Ka mah-mantra
*
with a vow before rmat
Tulas Devs plant has such great spiritual potency
that simply by doing this one can become
spiritually strong. Therefore we request the
members of the Hare Ka movement to follow
Haridsa hkuras example rigidly. Chanting
sixteen rounds does not take much time, nor is
offering respects to rmat Tulas Devs plant
difficult. The process has immense spiritual
potency. One should not miss this opportunity.
In r Caitanya-caritmta, Antya-ll (3.122) it
is said,
tulasre tke vey namaskra kari
dvre vasi nma une bale hari hari
After offering Her obeisances to rmat Tulas
Devs plant and Haridsa hkura, She [Editors
note: initiated as Haridsa hkuras female
disciple rmat Ka-ds according to the
Bhakti-ratnkara] sat down at the door. Hearing
Haridsa hkura chanting the Hare Ka
mantra, she also chanted, O my Lord Hari
*
, O my
Lord Hari.
Herein one can clearly see how a Vaiava
*
delivers a fallen soul by a transcendental trick...
The conclusion is that associating with a
Vaiava
*
, chanting the holy name of the Lord and
offering obeisances to rmat Tulas Devs plant
or a Vaiava
*
all lead one to become a
transcendental devotee who is completely cleansed
of all material contamination.
In rmad Bhgavatam (1.2.7) there is a verse,
vsudeve bhagavati
bhakti-yoga prayojita
janayaty u vairgya
jna ca yad ahaitukam
By rendering devotional service unto the
Personality of Godhead, r Ka, one
immediately acquires causeless knowledge and
detachment from the world.
One definition of bhagavati mentioned in the
old version of this loka
*
is devotees of Bhagavn
*
(the Lord).
In the conversations between r Nrada Muni
*
and his disciple Mgri (a former hunter who
became a great devotee by the grace of Nrada
Muni) in r Caitanya-caritmta (Madhya-ll
24.261) it is said,
tulas-parikram kara, tulas-sevana
nirantara ka-nma kariha krtana
After planting rmat Tulas Devs tree before
your house, you should daily circumambulate
rmat Tulas Devs plant, serve Her by giving
Her water and other things, and continuously
chant the Hare-Ka mah-mantra.
...In any condition, any man can live in a small
cottage, plant rmat Tulas Devs tree, water it in
the morning, offer it prayers, and continuously
chant the Hare Ka mah-mantra
*
. Thus one can
make vigorous spiritual advancement. This is not
at all difficult.
...In any case, a devotee can follow the
instructions of his spiritual master and engage in
devotional service by watering rmat Tulas
Devs plant and chanting the Hare Ka mantra.
Taking the advice of r Caitanya Mahprabhu
*
and our spiritual master, Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat
Gosvm Mahrja, one can go to any part of the
world and instruct people to become devotees of
the Lord by following the regulative principles,
worshiping rmat Tulas Devs plant and
continuously chanting the Hare Ka mah-
mantra.
''`''!'''!6!r'''
' '''!1 '6!''!! 'F'' `''!^'" '!+''r'
`''!''!!'^'"
'r'=''!! ''''!''
puruottama-mhtmya
atha r-pdme mah-pure saptama kriy-
khaa prrabhyate
kriyyogasara-khaa
caturvio dhyya
The Essence of Yoga by Activity

Chapter twenty-four
The Greatness of rmat Tulas Dev
and the sacred Dhtr plant
THE GLORIES OF RMAT TULAS DEV
TEXT 1
'r' ='!'
`!'''! `^' 'r='! ''r'! '''r'r' !
`r'!'^'`='!' `'!''!''' '+'' !! !!
sta uvca
ekday phala rutv
suprto jaiminis tata
ktjalir uvceda
ka-dvaipyana prabhum
sta uvcaSta Gosvm said; ekdayof
the Ekda (vow); phalamabout the result;
rutvafter hearing; su-prtacompletely
pleased; jaiminisage Jaimini; tataafter that;
ktjaliwith folded hands; uvcaspoke;
idamthis; ka-dvaipyanamto sage
Vysadeva; prabhumthe great.
Sta Gosvm
*
said: Being very much pleased on
hearing about the result of the Ekda
*
vow,
Jaimini Muni
*
, with the palms of his hands
joined, spoke these words to Lord Ka-
Dvaipyana, Vysadeva
*
.
TEXT 2
'''`='!'
=''!!=''' '!6!r'' r='r''!!r' '''! !
r'^'''! ' 6 '!6!r'' '='r'! ''!'''!'!'' !!!!
jaiminir uvca
vior devasya mhtmya
tvat-prasdc chruta may
tulasy brhi mhtmya
vat ppa-nanam
jaimini uvcasage Jaimini said; vio devasya
of Lord Viu; mhtmyamglories; tvatyour;
prasdtdue to the mercy; rutamheard; may
by me; tulasyof rmat Tulas Dev; brhi
please recite; mhtmyamthe glories; vatm
of those who listen; ppa-nanamthe destroyer
of the sins.
Sage Jaimini
*
said: Through your grace I have
heard the glories of Lord Vi u
*
. Now please tell
me about the glories of rmat Tulas Dev which
destroys the sins of the listeners.
EDITORS NOTES
In the Padma Pura, in a conversation of
Devadta and Vikuala, it is said,
ananya-manas nitya
tulas stauti yo nara
pit-deva-manuyn
priyo bhavati sarvad
A person who with an unwavering heart
glorifies rmat Tulas Dev with prayers
becomes very dear to the demigods, forefathers,
and human beings. (Hari-bhakti-vilsa 9.114)
The Hari-bhakti-vilsa (9.174) says,
tulasti ca yo bryat
tri-kla vadane yadi
nitya sa go-sahasrasya
phalam pnoti bhsura
O exalted Brhmaa
*
, one who simply utters the
word Tulas three times a day achieves the
benefit of giving one thousand cows in charity
every day.
rutbhilait d
ropit sicit nat
tulas dahate ppa
yugntgnir ivkhilam
Just as everything is burnt to ashes by fire at the
time of annihilation, all of ones sinful reactions
are burnt to ashes simply by hearing the glories
of rmat Tulas Dev, as well as by seeing Her,
planting Her, watering Her, and offering
obeisances to Her.
In rmad-Bhgavatam (11.14.19) Lord Ka
*
said,
yathgni su-samddhrci
karoty edhsi bhasmast
tath mad-viay bhaktir
uddhavainsi ktsnaa
My dear Uddhava
*
, just as a blazing fire turns
firewood into ashes, similarly, devotion unto Me
completely burns to ashes sins committed by My
devotees.
In the Bhan-nradya Pura it is stated,
sasra-ppa-vicchedi
gag-nma prakrtitam
tath tulasy bhakti ca
hari-krti-pravaktar
By glorifying Gag
*
, one becomes freed from
all sinful reactions. The same benefit can be
obtained simply by displaying devotion to those
who glorify rmat Tulas Dev and the
transcendental qualities of Lord Hari
*
. (Hari-
bhakti-vilsa 9.161)
TEXT 3
=''!' ='!'
1!9='r' '='r'^'' +'!='r'''! !
''=''! '='! ='' 'r'='!`^''! !! !!
vysa uvca
indrdyair daivatai sarvais
tulas bhagavaty asau
sasevy sarvad vipra
catur-varga-phala-prad
vysa uvcasage Vysadeva said; indra-dyai
headed by Indra; daivataithe demigods;
sarvaiby all; tulasrmat Tulas Dev;
bhagavatvery dear to the Lord; asauShe;
sasevyshould be served; sarvadalways;
vipraO Brhmaa; catur-vargathe four
principles of religiosity, economic development,
sense gratification, and liberation; phalaof the
results; pradthe giver.
rla Vysa
*
said: O Brhmaa
*
, revered rmat
Tulas Dev should be worshipped always by all
demigods headed by Lord Indra
*
. This worship
gives one the fruit of the four goals of human life.
EDITORS NOTES
Devadta and Vikuala, it is said:
pake pake tu samprpte
dvday vaiya-sattama
brahmdayo pi kurvanti
tulas-vana-pjanam
O foremost of vaiyas
*
, even demigods headed
by Lord Brahm
*
worship rmat Tulas Dev on
the Dvdas
*
in the fortnights of the waxing and
waning moon. (Hari-bhakti-vilsa 9.113)
TEXT 4
='! 'r'' ' ''!r'!^' r'^'' ^' +'! 'r'!' !
'r'='!`^''!F'r'''! +'` `! r' =' !! !!
svarge martye ca ptle
tulas durlabhsatm
catur-varga-phala-prptis
tasy bhakti karoti vai
svargein heaven; martyeon earth; caalso;
ptlein the subterranean region called Ptla;
tulasrmat Tulas Dev; durlabhvery
difficult to obtain; asatmfor impious people;
catur-vargathe four principles of religiosity,
economic development, sense gratification, and
liberation; phalaof boons; prptiobtainment;
tasymunto Her; bhaktidevotion; karoti
perfoms; vaicertainly.
For impious people, rmat Tulas Dev is
difficult to obtain in heaven, in the mortal world,
and in the nether world. One who is devoted to
Her attains the four goals of human life.
EDITORS NOTES
One may ask, When one can see rmat Tulas
Devs plant everywhere, how is rmat Tulas
Dev difficult to attain? The answer is: One may
have rmat Tulas Devs plant nearby, but
without intense service one hardly can know Her
as She is. Lord Ka says the same thing in the
Bhagavad-gt (7.3),
manuy sahasreu
kacid yatati siddhaye
yatatm api siddhn
kacin m vetti tattvata
Out of many thousands among men, one may
endeavor for perfection, and of those who have
achieved perfection, hardly one knows Me in
truth.
The same thing applies to rmat Tulas Dev.
Just because one has rmat Tulas Devs plant in
ones living area it doesnt mean one knows the full
glories and potencies of rmat Tulas Dev in
truthdoes it?
In the Agastya-sahit it is said,
caturm api var
ram vieata
str ca purun ca
pjitea dadti hi
tulas ropit sikt
d sp ca pvayet
rdhit prayatnena
sarva-kma-phala-prad
rmat Tulas Dev fulfills all the desires of
anyone from the four varas
*
and ramas
*
who
engages in Her worship. Planting rmat Tulas
Dev, watering Her, taking darana
*
of Tulas,
and touching Her awards one purification of his
existence. By worshiping Her with devotion, all
of ones desires are fulfilled. (Hari-bhakti-vilsa
9.109-110)
In the Bhan-nradya Pura (1.39.53), at the
end of r Yajadhvajas story, it is said,
durlabh tulas-sev
durlabh sagati satm
durlabhh hari-bhakti ca
sasrrava-ptinm
Service to rmat Tulas Dev is very rarely
obtained, as is the association of devotees and
devotional service to Lord Hari
*
. In this ocean of
material existence which entails repeated birth
and death these three are the only protectors.
(Hari-bhakti-vilsa 9.170)
One may ask: Why would sinful men who
exploit Her body get rmat Tulas Devs
association? The editor opines that such persons
must have performed some kind of pious activity
unknowingly in previous lives to get the benefit of
Her association, or the Supreme Lord is simply
facilitating the persons rapid destruction by
offending rmat Tulas Dev. Then does the
editor opine that it is offensive to utilize rmat
Tulas Devs body for modern medicine? The
answer is: Undevotionally (modern industrial
scale), yes, that is offensive, and not recommended
by the editor. If one devotionally offers Her
products to Her Lord as Her assistant, never will
one get sinful reaction!
Clearly there are some devotionally minded
persons wholl never ever make medicine
containing rmat Tulas Dev in it if their guru
*
never adopted Tulas medicine. Nonetheless, the
recipes how to make such are within the
yurvedic
*
chapters of Suruta-sahit and
Caraka-sahit. If one manufactures locally and in
small scale with devotion, offering it to the Lord
firstas all yurvedic
*
or natural herbal medicine
should be first offered then consumedhow then
will sinful reaction come to any person who does
this?
TEXT 5
'''`r'^'' =''r'Br'''' ' ''' !
r''=' ''!! '=' '=''!'!='!'' !! ' !!
yatraikas tulas vkas
tihaty api ca sattama
tatraiva trida sarve
brahma-viu-ivdaya
yatrawherever; ekaone; tulasrmat
Tulas Dev; vkaplant; tihatiresides; api
even; caalso; sattamaO virtuous one; tatra
there; evacertainly; tridathe chief
demigods; sarveall; brahmaLord Brahm;
viuLord Viu; iva-dayaLord iva and so
on.
O best of the sages, demigods headed by Lord
Brahm
*
, Lord Viu
*
, and Lord iva
*
dwell at
that place where even one of rmat Tulas
Devs plant stands.
EDITORS NOTES
In the Tulas Upaniad (6-7) it is also said,
samantd devat sarv
siddha-craa-pannag
yan-mle sarva-trthni
yan-madhye brahma-devat
yad-agre veda-stri
tulas t nammy aham
tulasi r-sakhi ubhe
ppa-hrii puya-de
Around You all the upadevas
*
such as the
denizens of Siddha-loka
*
, Craa-loka
*
, and the
celestial serpents are situated. I offer my respects
to that rmat Tulas Dev in whose root all
places of pilgrimage are situated, in whose
middle Lord Brahm
*
and the demigods stay, and
in whose top the Vedic scriptures rest. O rmat
Tulas Dev, O friend of Goddess Lakm
*
, You
are all-auspicious, and You dispel sins and
bestow the merits of pious activity.
As stated in a commentary to a Telugu song
Tulas Jagaj-janani by a renowned South-Indian
poet Tygarja the following verse (exact puranic
source presently unknown, research is ongoing) is
to be recited daily by women while worshiping
(watering) rmat Tulas Dev,
yan-mle sarva trthni
yan-madhye sarva devat
yad-agre sarva ved ca
t tulas nammy aha
I offer obeisances to this rmat Tulas Dev in
whose root are all sacred places, in whose middle
part are all celestials, and in whose crown are all
Vedas.
In r Tulas Stotra (9) by r Puarka dsa
*
it
is said,
tulasy sakal dev
vasanti satata yata
atas tm arcayel loke
sarvn devn samarcayan
In rmat Tulas Dev all the demigods reside
all the time. Therefore one should worship Her,
thereby worshiping all demigods in this world.
r Puarka dsa, the crya
*
as He is, doesnt
wish to wade into the controversies herein. He
accepts all the stra-pramas
*
as they are given
in stras
*
. Following in the cryas footsteps so
should the readers.
By Puarka dsas above-mentioned verse he
shows that he is a proper diplomat: the crya
*
thus states to us, The demigods are there. The
readers may note that the crya
*
doesnt say
exactly where the demigods are situated. Thus He
accepts both the stra-pramas
*
given above. So
should all of us.
TEXT 6
`'!=' ''''''' ' '''!' ' ''!''r' !
'''='r' '!='r'B'^'''! '='`=' 6 !! !!
keava patra-madhye ca
patrgre ca prajpati
patra-vnte ivas tihet
tulasy sarvadaiva hi
keavaLord Keava; patra-madhyein the
middle of the leaf; caand; patra-agreat the tip
of the leaf; caand; prajpatiLord Brahm;
patra-vntein the stem of the leaf; ivaLord
iva; tihetreside; tulasyof rmat Tulas
Dev; sarvadalways; evacertainly; hiindeed.
Lord Keava
*
always dwells in the middle of
rmat Tulas Devs leaf, Lord Brahm
*
at the
tip of the leaf, and Lord iva
*
at the base of the
stem of the leaf.
TEXT 7
^'' '='r' '=' !!''' '"`! r''! !
'='!N!''! ='''r''r'r''''' =''r' ' !! ~ !!
lakm sarasvat caiva
gyatr caik tath
sarv cny deva-patnyas
tat-patreu vasanti ca
lakmGoddess Lakm; sarasvatGoddess
Sarasvat; caalso; evacertainly; gyatr
Goddess Gyatr; caikGoddess Durg; tath
in the same way; sarvall; caalso; any
other; deva-patnyawives of the demigods; tat
Her; patreuin the leaves; vasantireside; ca
also.
Goddess Lakm
*
, Goddess Sarasvat
*
, Goddess
Gyatr
*
, Goddess Caik
*
, and all the wives of
other demigods as well, dwell in the leaves of
rmat Tulas Devs plant.
EDITORS NOTES
Nrada Muni
*
has stated in the Krttika
*
-
mhtmya
*
section of the Padma Pura, Uttara
Khaa
*
,
ptivratyena vndsau
harim rdhya karma
prva-janmany asau lebhe
ka-sayogam uttamam
Setting an ideal example of chastity, rmat
Vnd
*
Dev had worshiped Lord Hari
*
in Her
previous life and thereby attained this most
glorious position, the union with Lord Ka.
The Brahma-vaivarta Pura 4.17.203-205, 207-
208 also mentions the marriage of rmat Vnd
Dev and Lord Hari,
datta durvsas tasyai
harer mantra su-durlabham
s virakt gha tyaktv
jagma tapase vanam
ai vara-sahasri
tapas tepe su-nirjane
virbabhva r-kas
tat-puro bhakta-vatsala
prasanna-vadana rmn
vara vv ity uvca ha
s ca ghra vara vavre
patis me tva bhaveti ca
tathstktv ca rahasi
cira reme tay saha
s jagma ca goloka
kena saha kautukt
rdh-sam ca saubhagyd
gop-reh babhva ha
From Durvs
*
Muni She (rmat Vnd Dev)
received a rare mantra of Lord Kas names.
Renouncing everything, She left home and went
to the forest to perform austerities. For sixty
thousand years She performed austerities in a
secluded place. Handsome, smiling Lord Ka
who dearly loves His devotees, appeared before
Her and said, Please ask for a boon. She at once
asked, Please be my husband. He replied, So
be it. And He enjoyed with Her in a secluded
place for a long time. She happily went with Lord
Ka to Goloka
*
. She became the best of the
gops
*
. She was almost equal to r Rdh
*
Herself.
Regarding the almost equal statement above,
in r Rdh-sahasra-nma-stotra (55) we find the
name Tulasy-adhiht-dev which means The
Goddess who is the mistress of rmat Tulas
Dev. Elsewhere in the same stotra
*
(105) She is
called Tulas-toik, One who pleases rmat
Tulas Dev.
Although in this material world not all of the
workers love the lord, master or employer whom
they work for, rmat Vnd Dev, as one of the
most expert of the gop
*
messengers in Vraja
*
, truly
loves and is fully happy with rmat Rdhik
rmat Vnd Devs mistress, Her employer.
rmat Tulas Dev is also optionally glorified
and celebrated on the last day of the lunar month
of Krttika
*
in the marriage ceremony of rmat
Tulas Dev and lagrma
*
, as described in the
Hari-bhakti-vilsa (20.342-363).
TEXT 8
1!'' '!''N=' '`r'='`!r''! !
''=''N `='N r'!^'!''! =''r''' !! < !!
indro gni amana caiva
nairtir varuas tath
pavana ca kuvera ca
tac chkhy vasanty am
indraLord Indra; agniLord Agni; amana
Lord Yamarja; caalso; evacertainly; nairti
Lord Nairiti; varuaLord Varua; tathin
the same way; pavanaLord Vyu; caalso;
kuveraLord Kuvera; caalso; tatin Her;
khymthe branches; vasantireside; amall
these.
The demigodsLord Indra
*
, Lord Agni
*
, Lord
Yamarja
*
, Lord Nairti
*
, Lord V a r u a
*
, Lord
Vyu
*
, and Lord Kuvera
*
dwell in the branches of
rmat Tulas Devs plant.
EDITORS NOTES
Details about Lord Yamarja
*
and Lord Nairti
can be found in Appendix 1.
For this verse and the next one may choose to
refer to this verse: in r Tulas Stotra (9) by r
Puarka dsa it is said,
tulasy sakal dev
vasanti satata yata
atas tm arcayel loke
sarvn devn samarcayan
In rmat Tulas Dev all the demigods reside
all the time. Therefore one should worship Her,
thereby worshiping all demigods in this world.
TEXT 9
!r''!'6! '=' ='H ='!N '='! !
=''='! ''''N=' r''! ='''''!'^'^'! !! !!
ditydi-grah sarve
vivedev ca sarvad
vasavo munaya caiva
tath devarayo khil
ditya-dithe Sun-god and so on; grah
planets; sarveall; vivedevdemigods called
Vivedevas; caalso; sarvadalways; vasava
the eight Vasus; munayasages; caalso; eva
certainly; tathin the same way; devaraya
celestial saints; akhilall.
All planets, like the Sun, the Vivedevas
*
, the
Vasus
*
, as well as all sages and all divine saints
always reside in Her.
TEXT 10
`!`'!"'''''' ''!' r''!' +'r'^' !
r'^''^''!'r'' r'!''=' '=''r' =' !! !!
koi-brahma-madhyeu
yni trthni bh-tale
tulas-dalam ritya
tny eva nivasanti vai
koimillions; brahmaof universes;
madhyeuamong; yniall those which; trthni
holy places; bh-taleon the earth; tulas-dalam
the rmat Tulas Devs leaf; rityataking
shelter; tnithose; evacertainly; nivasanti
reside; vaiindeed.
All holy places in the millions of universes as
well as on the earth, are sheltered in rmat
Tulas Devs leaves.
EDITORS NOTES
In the Padma Pura, Vaikha
*
-mhtmya
*
, it is
said:
pukardni trthni
gagdy saritas tath
vsudevdayo dev
vasanti tulas-dale
Pukara
*
and all other holy places, Gag
*
and
all other holy rivers, as well as Lord Vsudeva
*
and all other Deities reside in every one of
rmat Tulas Devs leaf. (Hari-bhakti-vilsa
9.143)
TEXT 11
r'^''` '='r' ''r' +'`+'!='''='r' !
'='r'!r'' r''!N ='! '!''r''! !! !!
tulas sevate yas tu
bhakti-bhva-samanvita
sevits tena trth ca
dev brahmdayas tath
tulasmrmat Tulas Dev; sevateserves; ya
who; tuand; bhakti-bhvawith devotional
mood; samanvitaendowed; sevitare served;
tenaby him; trththe holy places; caand;
devthe demigods; brahm-dayaLord
Brahm and so on; tathalso.
All holy places and demigods headed by Lord
Brahm
*
are worshiped automatically by one who
devoutly serves rmat Tulas Dev.
EDITORS NOTES
In the Agastya-sahita it is stated,
pupntarair antarita
nirmita tulas-dalai
mlya malayajlipta
dadyt r-rma-mrdhani
ki tasya bahubhir yajai
sampra-vara-dakiai
ki trtha-sevay dnair
ugrea tapaspi v
What is the use of performing various sacrifices
and giving lavish dakis
*
for a person who
prepares a garland of rmat Tulas Devs leaves
while placing flowers at intervals and offering it
on the head of Lord Rmacandra
*
? What is the
use of going to a place of pilgrimage for such a
person? There is no need for such a devotee to
give charity and undergo severe austerities.
(Hari-bhakti-vilsa 7.304-305)
In the Skanda Pura it is said:
yasya nbhi-sthita patra
mukhe irasi karayo
tulas-sambhava nitya
trthais tasya makhai ca kim
What is the use of many pilgrimages and
sacrifice for a person who places on his mouth,
head, ears, and navel rmat Tulas Devs leaf
offered to Lord Hari? (Hari-bhakti-vilsa 9.200)
Madhva
*
Vaiavas
*
are famous for keeping
Tulas leaf prasda
*
in the inner cavity (crux) of
their ears. The editor was told those Madhva
Vaiavas keep this Tulas leaf prasda in their
inner cavity of their ears precisely for purifying all
sound vibrations that enter the eardrum. The
readers may choose to do so also.
One may have to put that prasda
*
leaf in the
mouth of a dying animal or human. So to keep it
handy is important service.
TEXT 12
r' r'!'!^'!' r'^'''^''!' '' !
r'66'! '6r''! '!' r'r'!! !! !!
chindanti ta-jlni
tulas-mla-jni ye
tad-deha-sth brahma-haty
kiatti tat-kad dhari
chindanticut off; taof grass; jlni
network; tulas-mla-jnigrown at the root of
rmat Tulas Dev plant; yewho; tad-deha-
sthmwhich resides in their bodies; brahma-
hatymthe sin of killing a Brhmaa; kiatti
diminishes; tat-katat once; hariLord Hari.
If those who have murdered a Brhmaa
*
remove
masses of grass at the root of rmat Tulas Dev,
Lord Hari immediately destroys the sins within
their bodies.
EDITORS NOTES
In the Nrada Pura, Lord Yamarja
*
tells King
Bhagratha
*
,
tni tulas-mlt
yvanty apahioti vai
tvatr brahma-haty hi
chinatty eva na saaya
When a person removes the blades of grass
growing at rmat Tulas Devs roots, with each
blade of grass he becomes free of the sin of
killing a Brhmaa
*
. (Hari-bhakti-vilsa 9.165)
No one is advocating killing anything or anyone
what to speak of Brhmaas
*
. But herein it
simply states that hypothetically speaking, even if
one WERE guilty of the grievous sin of murdering
a Brhmaa, simply by clearing grass or weeds
from around rmat Tulas Devs roots cleans off
so many sinful reactions. In r Puarka dsas
Tulas-stotra (4) the crya
*
states that rmat
Tulas Dev gives hope to the hopeless,
nammi iras dev
tulas vilasat-tanum
y dv ppino marty
mucyante sarva-kilbit
I bow with my head to rmat Tulas Dev, who
possesses a shining form, having seen which,
sinful mortals become released from all guilt.
This verse states similarly.
The carers of rmat Tulas Dev may note and
post verses like these to attract the interest of
getting more assistants to help in rmat Tulas
Devs care.
TEXT 13
'''`!^' ''B '!'' '!r'^''^' !
r'^''''' `r='! '! '='!!'!'''!r' !! !!
grma-kle dvija-reha
sugandhai talair jalai
tulas-secana ktv
naro nirvam pnuyt
grma-klein summer; dvija-rehaO best
Brhmaa; su-gandhaiby fragrant; talai
cool; jalaiwaters; tulasrmat Tulas Dev;
secanam ktvhaving sprinkled; narathat
person; nirvamliberation; pnuytattains.
O best Brhmaa
*
, by sprinkling rmat Tulas
Dev plant with cool fragrant water in the
summer one obtains liberation.
EDITORS NOTES
This is also referring to the T ulas Jala Dna
*
time in the hot summer in warm climes around the
earth. In hot places even after that festival is over,
one may have to continue putting a clay pot
suspended by a rope above rmat Tulas Devs
plant, keeping a very small hole in the center of
the pot, with a thin string dropping-drop by drop-
water on rmat Tulas Dev.
Note that these verses from Hari-bhakti-vilsa
have been written with India in mind. Thus
according to where one lives one might have to
discuss with ones superiors about celebrating the
lunar calendar festivals on dates elsewhere in the
calendar year appropriate to ones geographical
location.
In the Nrada Pura, Lord Yamarja
*
(who
punishes the sinful) tells King Bhagratha
*
,
tulasy sicayed yas tu
culukodaka-mtrakam
kroda-yin srdha
vased candra-trakam
One who pours even a small quantity of water at
the root of rmat Tulas Devs plant will gain
the association of the Supreme Lord who resides
in the ocean of milk, for as long as sun and moon
shine in the sky. (Hari-bhakti-vilsa 9.166)
People often ask the benefit of tulas-jala-dna-
vrata
*
. Herein the benefits are clearly explained.
See also Text 15.
TEXT 14
'!r''' ='! ' ='! r''' ''r' '''r' !
=''!''r'! '!''' ' ' ` '=' ''!r'` !! !!
candrtapa v chatra v
tasyai yas tu prayacchati
vieato nidgheu
sa mukta sarva-ptakai
candra-tapammoonshine; vor; chatram
umbrella; vor; tasyaiunto Her; yawho; tu
certainly; prayacchatioffers; vieata
especially; nidgheuduring the hot summer; sa
he; muktabecomes liberated; sarvaall;
ptakaifrom sins.
He who provides rmat Tulas Dev with
moonlight or an umbrella, especially during
summer, is freed from all sins.
EDITORS NOTES
In the hot summer months whenever the editor
did Govardhana
*
parikrama
*
he wondered, How
can Govardhana tolerate this intense heatwhen
no one puts an umbrella over Govardhana hill?
The editors guru
*
told his disciples that if the
weather outside was too harsh to allow Tulas to
grow in the ground a suitable greenhouse should
be made for Her care. The benefits are incalculable
for one who does so.
By saying moonlight, this means that the top of
the greenhouse should be transparent enough to
allow the moonlight to enter. In the Bhagavad-Gt
(10.21) Lord Ka states that He is the
moonshine. Elsewhere in Bhagavad-Gt (15.13)
Lord Ka states that the moonshine gives life to
all vegetables,
gm viya ca bhtni
dhraymy aham ojas
pumi cauadh sarv
somo bhtv rastmaka
I enter into each planet, and by My energy they
stay in orbit. I become the moon and thereby
supply the juice of life to all vegetables.
Thus by making a transparent greenhouse roof
one will also indirectly get the blessings of the
predominating demigod present in the moon, Lord
Candra, by providing Him the opportunity to serve
rmat Tulas Dev.
Having a transparent roof on the greenhouse
where one keeps rmat Tulas Dev, which helps
to offer moonshine to rmat Tulas Dev, is good
for Her servicestrengthening Her leaves and
body for Her Lords service.
Likely the Lord and His dearmost spouse
rmat Tulas Dev will fully provide the finances
for these adjustments. The readers should note
that the Lords servants, as described above, are no
poor people like conditioned souls in this world
maybe on occasion.
TEXT 15
=''!!^'''r'''!!+'<''r'^''` ''
''''r'!'H''''' `^' '!'!r' 'r'''! !!'!!
vaikhe kata-dhrbhir
adbhir yas tulas jana
sicayet so va-medhasya
phala prpnoti nityaa
vaikhein the lunar month of Vaikha; akata
with continuous; dhrbhishowers; adbhi
of water; yawho; tulasmrmat Tulas Dev;
janaa person; sicayetsprinkles; sahe;
ava-medhasyaof the horse sacrifice; phalam
the result; prpnotiattains; nityaa
perpetually.
One who daily sprinkles rmat Tulas Dev
plant with continuous streams of water during
the lunar month of Vaikha
*
obtains the fruit of
a horse sacrifice.
EDITORS NOTES
During the Tulas Jala Dna
*
festival when it is
very hot outside one suspends with a rope swing a
clay pot with a very very very small hole in the
bottom of the pot with a tiny string that drips
water one drop at a time onto Her dirt. This is
what is described as the Tulas Jala Dna
*
festival
during the hot season in India.
This verse is also referring to when one keeps
rmat Tulas Devs plant outside. Naturally one
should avoid both the extremes of under- and
overwatering Her either inside or outside.
TEXT 16
''r'!`'!'! r'^''` '''' ''''r' !
'!''' ='!'='!'!r' '='''!''='=''r' !! !!
prastodaka-mtrea
tulas yasya secayet
so pi svargam avpnoti
sarva-ppa-vivarjita
prasta-udakaby a handful of water; mtrea
just; tulasmto rmat Tulas Dev; yasya
whose; secayetpours; sahe; apialso;
svargamheavenly planets; avpnotiattains;
sarvaof all; ppasins; vivarjitaafter being
freed.
He who sprinkles rmat Tulas Devs plant
with water from an outstretched hand is freed
from all sins and attains heaven.
EDITORS NOTES
devlayeu sarveu
puya-ketreu yo nara
vpayet tulas puy
tat trtha cakra-pina
ghaair yantra-ghabhi ca
sicita tulas-vanam
jala-dhrbhir viprendra
prita bhuvana-trayam
O exalted Brhmaa
*
, all the sacred places, or
temples of the Supreme Lord, where devotees
plant sacred rmat Tulas Dev, are transformed
into most sanctified places of Lord Hari who
carries a disk in His hand. By watering a forest of
rmat Tulas Devs plants, one satisfies all the
inhabitants of the three words. (Hari-bhakti-
vilsa 9.121-122)
In the Padma Pura, Krttika-mhtmya, it is
said:
yad-ghe tulas bhti
rakbhir jala-secanai
tad-ghe yamadt ca
drato varjayanti hi
The messengers of Lord Yamarja
*
(the demigod
in charge of punishing the sinful) stay far away
from the house where rmat Tulas Devs plant
is carefully protected, watered, and worshiped
every day. (Hari-bhakti-vilsa 9.145)
Dont overwater Her! One should not
contribute to root-rotthe symptoms of which are
some black tips on the leaves.
The devotees should
properly use a 3 in 1 probe
measuring Her PH-water-light
(see details in Appendix 1). It is
stuck in Her dirt to ensure that regardless of
summer or winter months, She doesnt get too
much water.
If the people keep watering Her daily, avoiding
such use of a watering measuring probe, thus
causing overwatering, one might give Her root rot
problems and overwatering problems resulting in
tiny black spots on the tips of Her leaves. One is
literally watering Her to death, killing your
rmat Tulas Dev with so-called love.
TEXT 17
`!''^''` '' ''''9! '!'' !
r''' ='''' =''''^''+'='r' 'N^'! !! ~ !!
kadcit tulas dugdhai
secayed yo narottama
tasya vemani viprarer
lakmr bhavati nical
kadcitsometimes; tulasmrmat Tulas Dev;
dugdhaiby milk; secayetsprinkles; yaone
who; nara-uttamathe best among men; tasya
of his; vemaniin the house; vipra-eO
Brhmaa sage; lakmGoddess Lakm; bhavati
remains; nicalsteady.
That person is the best of humans who
occasionally sprinkles rmat Tulas Devs plant
with milk. O Brhmaa
*
sage, Goddess Lakm
*
is
always present in that persons house.
EDITORS NOTES
In olden days everyone kept a cow. Fresh raw
milk is nice especially when it comes straight from
a householders cow. Devotionally minded people
would often ask the milk seller to bring the cow
directly to the doorstep to milk the cow, thus
eliminating the possibilities for the milk seller to
adulterate the milk that was going to be utilized
for the service of the Lord or His energy rmat
Tulas Dev. Such products of the cow were
treasured for use in the worship of the Lords arca-
avatra
*
in the house. Items offerable for the Lord
are also nice for offering afterwards to rmat
Tulas Dev as prasda
*
.
In the morning worship of rmat Tulas Dev,
often arghya
*
is used which contains small
amounts of the following items: milk, yoghurt,
barley, sesame seeds, white mustard, rice. This
style of arghya
*
can be offered to rmat Tulas
Dev daily as per the authorized manuals on Deity
worship.
One should NEVER ever give milk (or any milk-
based caramta
*
, i.e. pacmta etc.) to rmat
Tulas Devs roots, as that can cause root rot.
Instead of physically offering it, you can mentally
offer these items to Her, or offer it to Her with a
Deity spoon and put Her prasda
*
in another
containernever on Her soil, however.
In the Agastya-sahit, as quoted in the Hari-
bhakti-vilsa (9.98-100) it is stated,
bhtvtha bhaktimn rmat
tulasy knane prabhum
sampjybhyarcayet ta ca
r-ka-caraa-priyam
After completing the worship of Lord Ka,
one should go to the garden and worship rmat
Tulas Devs plant, which is very dear to Him.
prg dattvrghya tato vyarcya
gandha-pupkatdin
stutv bhagavat t ca
praamet prrhtya daavat
First, one should offer arghya
*
to rmat Tulas
Devs plant and then, one after another,
sandalwood paste, flowers, rice paddy, and so on.
After the worship is finished, one should offer
his obeisances to rmat Tulas Dev and also
offer some nice prayers.
riya riye riyvse
nitya rdhra-satkte
bhakty datta may devi
arghya gha namostu te
O Goddess rmat Tulas Dev, You are the
shelter and residence of rmat Lakm
*
Dev.
Lord rdhara
*
always respects You. I offer You
this arghya
*
with devotion, kindly please accept
it. My obeisances unto You.
Spraying rmat Tulas Dev in the cold winter
season with milk is a naturopathic remedy for
powdery mildew. Additionally, as a second option,
should the problem persist, other locally sourced
agro remedies may have to be additionally applied
if sprayed milk doesnt fix the problem. Cold
stagnant air is the usual culprit. After applying any
fix keep the room where rmat Tulas Dev stays
very hot (35C) and keep a small ventilator to
move the hot air.
Hot moving air is whats needed in all cold
months to prevent powdery mildew from
occurring or starting to manifest on Her leaves.
Readers may wonder: Whats so important
about milk? It is known that rmat Tulas Dev
came from the milk ocean,
nirmit tva pur devair
arcit tva sursurai
tulas hara me ppa
pj gha namostu te
O rmat Tulas Dev, You were created by the
demigods long ago. Both demigods and demons
worship You. Kindly destroy my sinful reactions
and accept my worship. I offer my obeisances
unto You. (Hari-bhakti-vilsa 9.101)
It is also confirmed in the Padma Pura
(2.119). There verse 6 states,
mathand deva-daityn
kany-ratna-catuayam
varuena darita prva
somenaiva tath puna
Due to the churning done by the demigods and
demons four precious maidens came out whom
Lord Varua
*
first pointed out and again Lord
Soma
*
also.
The four ladies are named as follows in verse 8,
sulakmr nma s caik
dvity vru tath
jyeh nma tathkhyt
kmodny pracakate
The first one was Goddess Sulakm by name.
The second was Goddess Vru. The third was
known as Goddess Jyeh. The other one was
called Goddess Kmod.
The origin of rmat Kmod Dev is
mentioned in verse 10,
amtasya taragc ca
kmodkhy babhva ha
The one called Goddess Kmod, has come up
from the ripple of the nectar.
And finally verses 13-14 declare Her identity as
non-different with rmat Tulas Dev,
amtd utthit dev
kmod nma puyad
vio prtyai bhaviye tu
vka-rpa praysyati
The Goddess Kmod, giver of merit, sprang
from the nectar. In the future She will have the
form of a tree for the pleasure of Lord Viu.
viu-prti-kar s tu
bhaviyati sadaiva hi
tulas-nma s puy
bhaviyati na saaya
She will always delight Lord Viu. She, the
auspicious one, will be certainly known by the
name Tulas.
TEXT 18
!!'''r'^'''^' '' `''!''^''''' !
''!'' ' ='''' r''' ''''`^' '! !! < !!
gomayais tulas-mla
ya kuryd upalepanam
sammrjana ca viprare
tasya puya-phala u
go-mayaiwith cow dung; tulasof rmat
Tulas Dev; mlamthe root; yawho; kuryt
does; upalepanamthe act of smearing;
sammrjanamthe act of cleaning; caalso;
vipra-eO Brhmaa sage; tasyahis; puya
pious; phalamabout merit; ulisten.
O Brhmaa sage, hear of the benefit of smearing
cow dung on the root of rmat Tulas Devs
plant and cleaning it.
EDITORS NOTES
Only very very sun- or oven-dried cow dung
should be sparsely used on rmat Tulas Dev.
Further instructions are mentioned at the bottom
of the editors notes to this loka
*
18.
In the Skanda Pura, in a conversation of Lord
Brahm
*
and Nrada Muni
*
, it is said,
tulas-gandham dya
yatra gacchati mruta
dio daa ca pt syur
bhta-grma catur-vidha
O Brhmaa
*
, the ten directions and the four
kinds of living entities become purified where
the sweet aroma of rmat Tulas Dev is wafted
with the help of the wind. (Hari-bhakti-vilsa
9.123)
When one enters Her greenhouse its difficult
not to become struck by Her aroma. Yet the
readers should note that the purifying aroma of
rmat Tulas Dev, albeit purifying to one and all
who smell it at anytime, non-the-less should be
relished not in the spirit of enjoyment. Her
fragrance belongs exclusively to Her Lord for His
pleasure, and then His parts and parcels can relish
Her fragrance after the Lord has relished itas we
do so for anything of rmat Tulas Dev thats
offered-this is the devotional idea of this verse.
In the Skanda Pura it is said,
bh-gatais tulas-mlair
mttik sparit tu y
trtha-koi-sam jey
dhry yatnena s ghe
yasmin ghe dvija-reha
tulas-mla-mttik
sarvad tihate dehe
devat na sa mnusa
tulas-mttika-lipto
yadi prt parityajet
yamena nekitu akto
yukta ppa-atair api
Know for certain that the clay found where the
roots of rmat Tulas Devs plant have spread
is as sanctified as millions of holy places of
pilgrimage. One should very carefully keep that
clay in his house. One whose body or house is
adorned with clay that was taken from the root of
rmat Tulas Devs plant is not to be
considered inferior to a demigod. One can escape
the wrath of Lord Yamarja
*
(the demigod who
punishes the sinful) if at the time of death his
body is smeared with the clay found at the root
of rmat Tulas Devs plant. (Hari-bhakti-
vilsa 9.182-184)
In the olden days before the government
supplied piped water for bath, people had to bathe
in rivers, ponds, lakes or wells, as these were the
locally available places of getting water for bath.
After bath, a devotionally minded person would
anoint ones body in 13 places with sacred clay
(tilaka
*
) sanctified with the holy names of the Lord
as mentioned in Hari-bhakti-vilsa (4.169, 173),
tato dvdaabhi kuryn
nmabhi keavdibhi
dvdageu vidhivad
rddhva-puri vaiava
Thereafter, a Vaiava
*
should mark twelve
parts of his body, forehead and other, with
tilaka
*
while chanting twelve names of the
Supreme Lord, beginning with Lord Keava
*
.
tat-praklana toyantu
vsudeveti murdhani
At the end, one should take a little water in his
hand to wash off the tilaka
*
and pour it on top of
his head while chanting o vsudevya nama.
One may utilize a pinch of rmat Tulas Devs
soil mixed in that tilaka
*
.
irasi kriyate yais tu
tulas-mla-mttik
vighnni tasya nayanti
snukul grahs tath
tulas-mttik yatra
kha patra ca vemani
tihate muni-rdla
nicala vaiava padam
O exalted Brhmaa
*
, all obstacles and dangers
that had befallen a person who touches the clay
from the root (as well as wood and other items
from the root) of rmat Tulas Dev plant to his
head are dispelled, and all the stars and planets
become pleased with Him. O great sage, Lord
Viu
*
cannot leave the house where there is clay
taken from the root, or wood and leaves of
rmat Tulas Devs plant. (Hari-bhakti-vilsa
9.185-186)
This verse shows one and all why it is
important that people should offer rmat Tulas
Devs wood neck beads to their relatives, as soon
as possible!
magalrtha ca doa-ghna
pavitrrtha dvijottama
tulas-mla-samlagna
mttikm vahed budha
tan-mla-mttik yo vai
dhrayiyati mastake
tasya tuo varn kmn
pradadti janrdana
O best of the Brhmaas, to achieve
auspiciousness and purity, intelligent people
smear their bodies with clay from the root of
rmat Tulas Dev and touch it to their heads.
Lord Janrdana
*
, being pleased with them, fulfills
all of their desires. (Hari-bhakti-vilsa 9.187-
188)
When transplanting Her from one small pot
into a larger pot when Her roots are pot-bound,
one may use highly crushed sun-dried, or in
winter oven-dried, highly composted cow dung
proportionately mixed into Her dirt with the other
ingredients of potting soil. Buy an organic potting
soil mixed with multiple Mycorrhizae bacteria
(special soil fungi that colonize the roots helping
to stimulate root growth and uptake of nutrients),
after transplanting as a nutrient top up. Cow
dung patties maybe used very very sparingly and
that too only a very small sun-dried bit (say 2 cm
diameter x 1/2 cm thick once a month for 25 cm
diameter pot). If one is transplanting Her, one may
use upto of total soil as highly composted or
oven-dried cow dung. If one has no sun then put
cow dung patties in the oven set to the lowest
temperature with the door ajar overnight in a tray
to dry it out.
Never use any fresh cow dung! That will burn
Her roots due to high levels of Nitrogen. One
should avoid any fertilizers containing any
chemicals or composted human excrement.
Two experts in caring for rmat Tulas Dev,
rman Patraka dsa and rmat Ina Dev Ds
had provided their recommendations on preparing
proper soil for rmat Tulas Dev that can be
found in Appendix 1.
TEXT 19
'! ' r'' ''!='r' +'r'!' ''' !
r'!='r`^'''6'!! '!r' =''!'! '6 !! !!
rajsi tatra yvanti
dr-bhtni jaimine
tvat kalpa-sahasri
modate viun saha
rajsidust particles; tatrathere; yvantias
many; dr-bhtniare removed; jaimineO
Jaimini; tvatfor so many; kalpaof Lord
Brahms days; sahasrithousands; modate
enjoys; viun sahawith Lord Viu.
O Jaimini
*
Muni, one will enjoy the company of
Lord Viu for as many thousands of kalpas
*
as
the dust particles removed by him from the root
of rmat Tulas Devs plant.
TEXT 20
''' ''r' ''''!''! '!'''''^''r'^' !
' ''!r' ' =''!! `^'`! `''='r' !!!!
pradpa yas tu sandhyy
sthpayet tulas-tale
sa yti mandira vio
kula-koi-samanvita
pradpaman oil or ghee lamp; yaone who; tu
certainly; sandhyymat the juncture of day
and night; sthpayetoffers; tulas-taleat the
root of rmat Tulas Devs plant; sahe; yti
goes; mandiram vioto the abode of Lord
Viu; kulaof family members; koiby
millions; samanvitaaccompanied.
One who places a ghee lamp at the root of
rmat Tulas Devs plant at the beginning
junctions of dawn and dusk, goes to Lord Vius
abode along with millions of his family members.
EDITORS NOTES
The editors guru
*
when asked by one disciple if
they could offer a ghee lamp to rmat Tulas
Dev, replied that one could offer in the evening
such a lamp. This is proved by this verse.
Additionally one may offer such a lamp in the
morning also.
yvac chkh-prakhbhir
bja-pupai phalair mune
ropit tulas pumbhir
vardhate vasudh-tale
kule te tu ye jt
ye bhaviyanti ye mt
kalpa yuga-shasra
te vso harer ghe
O sage, for one who plants rmat Tulas Dev
and takes care of Her branches, twigs, flowers,
fruit, and seedsall past, present, and future
members of his family will live in the abode of
Lord Hari for one thousand yuga
*
cycles. (Hari-
bhakti-vilsa 9.129-130)
In the Bhan-nradya Pura, Lord Yamarja
*
(The demigod in charge of punishing the sinful)
tells King Bhagratha
*
:
tulas-ropaa ye tu
kurvate manujevara
te puya-phala vakye
vadatas tva nimaya
sapta-koi-kulair yukto
mtta pittas tath
vaset kalpa-ata sgra
nryaa-sampaga
O King, hear now with rapt attention as I
describe the piety of those who plant sacred
rmat Tulas Dev. Such persons, along with
seven generations of their fathers family and
seven generations of their mothers family, go to
reside with Lord Nryaa
*
in His transcendental
abode for more than one hundred kalpas
*
. (Hari-
bhakti-vilsa 9.163-164)
Thus one will live in the Lords abode for such a
long period of time that the editors guru
*
translated such long periods of time as eternally.
TEXT 21
!!+'' H+'' ^'+''N '''''+''N 'r' !
'!'!+''r'^''` ''r' r' ' r`'!=' '! !!!!
gobhya vabhya kharebhya ca
manuyebhya ca rakati
iubhyas tulas yas tu
ta raket keava sad
gobhyafrom cows; vabhyafrom dogs;
kharebhyafrom asses; caalso; manuyebhya
from human beings; caand; rakatiprotects;
iubhyafrom kids; tulasmrmat Tulas
Dev; yaone who; tucertainly; tamhim;
raketprotects; keavaLord Keava; sad
always.
Lord Keava
*
always protects one who protects
rmat Tulas Dev from cows, dogs, asses,
people, and children.
EDITORS NOTES
In the Bhan-nradya Pura, Lord Yamarja
*
(the demigod in charge of punishing the sinful)
tells King Bhagratha
*
,
kaakvaraa vpi
vti khai karoti ya
tulasy u rjendra
tasya puya-phala mahat
yvad dinni santihet
kaakvaraa prabho
kula-traya-yutas tvat
tihed brahma-pade yugam
prkra-kalpako yas tu
tulasy manujevara
kula-trayea sahito
vio srpyata vrajet
Now, listen as I describe the piety of a person
who makes a fence out of wood, thorn bushes, or
any suitable material, for enclosing rmat
Tulas Dev. O King, as many days as that fence
remains, the person who built it will reside in
Brahmaloka
*
for that many yugas
*
along with
three generations of his family. A person who
builds a protective wall around rmat Tulas
Dev will attain the liberation of having the same
body features as that of Lord Viu
*
, along with
three generations of his family. (Hari-bhakti-
vilsa 9.167-169)
The editors guru
*
mentioned that dogs are some
of the worst offenders to rmat Tulas Dev.
Depending on area, one may have dangerous birds,
monkeys, dogs, or other animals and bad men,
that one may have to protect rmat Tulas Dev
by having a fence made to protect Her from these
animals. Lord Viu is happy to see such a fence.
Heres the story about making a fence to protect
rmat Tulas Dev in 1970s in the warm climate
of Hawaii. The editors God-brother His Grace
Babhru dsa narrates,
Our next-door neighbors did not like us at all.
They caused trouble in a number of ways
repeatedly, including screaming and blasting
rock music out the window during Sunday
lectures, etc. One day one of the guys came over
and cut down three or four of our large rmat
Tulas Devs plants that were growing in front
of the rock wall on the street. They were several
feet tall at the time, and those trees by the wall
eventually grew to be eight feet tall or taller.
Just about that time Govinda Ds got this in a
letter from the editors guru: Please accept my
blessings and offer the same to your good
husband Gaurasundar Dsa. How are your
rmat Tulas Devs plants in Hawaii? How are
they feeling? I am always thinking of them and
you. Please let me know how they are growing
and how you are taking care of them. This time
when I go to Hawaii I shall sit down in the
forest of rmat Tulas Devs plants and chant
Hare Ka. Actually, that was the whole letter,
and we wondered if he felt that something was
amiss. So Govinda Ds wrote him back to tell
him what had transpired. Heres the relevant
part of his next letter: I am very sorry to hear
about your demoniac neighbor cutting down
many of rmat Tulas Devs plants, but do not
worry, he shall get his due punishment in time,
rest assured. Simply go on in the normal way,
and gradually his threat will disappear. Such
men should be taken and beaten very hard with
shoesbut it will not be very much to our
credit if we are accused of fighting in this way.
But if that man is caught trespassing on our
property, then he may be severely punished by
us. YOU CAN PUT UP BARBED-WIRE FENCE
AROUND RMAT TULAS DEVS PLANTS
IF THAT WILL HELP, OR SOMEHOW OR
OTHER PROTECT THEM FROM FURTHER
DANGER. Our experience has been that if we
ignore them such demoniac class of men, they
will go away.
Some time later, one of the guys came over in
the middle of a krtana
*
, screaming and
pounding on our front door. And the
brahmacrs
*
jumped on him and beat the beans
out of him.
A few months later, we saw them very quietly
packing their stuff into a moving truck on a
Sunday morning. They did go away, and we
never heard from them again.
TEXT 22
r'^'''! !''! ''r' +'`r' ``r' ' !
' 'r' ''' '!' '!'!r''=' ' ''!'' !! !!
tulasy ropaa yas tu
bhaktita kurute nara
sa mta parama moka
prpnoty eva na saaya
tulasyof rmat Tulas Dev; ropaam
planting; yaone who; tuindeed; bhaktita
with devotion; kurutedoes; naraa person; sa
he; mtaafter death; paramamthe topmost;
mokamliberation; prpnotiattains; eva
certainly; na saayathere is no doubt.
There is no doubt that one who devoutly plants
rmat Tulas Dev obtains the highest liberation
after death.
EDITORS NOTES
In the Skanda Pura it is said,
nirkit narair yais tu
tulas-vana-vik
ropit yai ca vidhin
saprpta parama padam
Those who plant rmat Tulas Dev with
proper respect and who see a rmat Tulas Dev
forest, undoubtedly achieve the supreme abode.
In other Puras it is also stated,
tulas ye prayacchanti
surm arcanya vai
ropayanti ucau dee
te loko kaya smta
O King, those who offer rmat Tulas Devs
leaves in the service of the Supreme Lord, and
those who plant rmat Tulas Dev in such
sanctified places, attain His eternal abode.
TEXT 23
'+'!r' r'^''` '''''<`'!' ''! '!'' !
' =''!'!'''=' `^' '!'!r' '!'''' !! !!
prabhte tulas payed
bhaktimn yo narottama
sa viu-daranasyaiva
phala prpnoti ckayam
prabhtein the morning; tulasmrmat Tulas
Dev; payetsees; bhaktimnwith devotion; ya
who; nara-uttamathe best among men; sa
he; viuof Lord Viu; daranasyaof seeing;
evacertainly; phalamthe result; prpnoti
attains; caand; akayaminexhaustible.
One who devotedly looks at a rmat Tulas
Devs plant in the morning is the best of
humans. He obtains the result of seeing Lord
Viu.
EDITORS NOTES
In the Agastya-sahit it is said:
ananya-daran prtar
ye payanti tapo-dhana
aho-rtra-kta ppa
tat-kat praharanti te
O great ascetic, when one sees rmat Tulas
Dev as soon as he wakes up in the morning, all
of the sinful activities that he had committed
during the previous day and night are
immediately destroyed. (Hari-bhakti-vilsa
9.155)
One may keep rmat Tulas Dev near ones
sleeping area and offer Her respects just as one
offers respects to the guru
*
before resting.
Another verse also proves that sleeping in
rmat Tulas Devs company is permissable.
tulas-knane yas tu
muhrtam api viramet
janma-koi-ktt ppn
mucyate ntra saaya
A person who for even a moment rests in a
rmat Tulas Dev forest becomes freed from
the sins of ten million births. Of this there is no
doubt. (Hari-bhakti-vilsa 9.158)
If one circumstantially keeps rmat Tulas
Devs plant near ones resting areaone offers
respects to Her before resting and immediately
upon seeing Her in the morning upon rising up
from bed, one offers Her respects as one would do
their guru
*
same if one sees Her in the middle of
the night as well.
In addition, one may keep a rmat Tulas
Devs plant where one rests, spiritualizing ones
mind before rest. If someone finds out that some
ghosts come (who may appear anywhere as ghosts
are not partial to anyones location), one can
suspend a rmat Tulas Devs plant hung by a
rope swing directly above the afflicted persons
bed. Ladies may do this for mitigation of such
pains as labor pains when giving birth to a child.
In the 1970s in an evening lecture in Bengal by
the editors guru
*
, people would enter in the
middle of the lecture, blowing conchshells, waving
fragrant billowing frankencence incence, along
with the loud chanting of the Purua-skta
*
.
Alright, alright, thats enough, hed laugh.
If the ghosts still bother one, then its the Lords
will as a test of the sincerity of the devotee and one
should therefore become internal, tolerating the
remaining disturbances, considering that they have
been reduced by the service to the Lord.
As mentioned in the Brahma-sahit (54),
yas tv indra-gopam athavendram aho sva-karma-
bandhnurpa-phala-bhjanam tanoti
karmi nirdahati kintu ca bhakti-bhj
govindam di-purua tam aha bhajmi
I worship Govinda
*
, the primeval Lord, who
regulates the sufferings and enjoyments of the
fruitive activities for everyone, from Indra, the
king of heaven, down the smallest insect, the
Indragopa. That very Personality of Godhead
burns to ashes the karmic reactions of one
engaged in His devotional service.
In rmad-Bhgavatam (10.14.8) it is said,
tat te nukamp su-samkamo
bhujna evtma-kta vipkam
hd-vg-vapurbhir vidadhan namas te
jveta yo mukti-pade sa dya-bhk
My dear Lord, one who earnestly waits for You
to bestow Your causeless mercy upon him, all the
while patiently suffering the reactions of his past
misdeeds and offering You respectful obeisances
with his heart, words and body, is surely eligible
for liberation, for it has become his rightful
claim.
Lord Ka says in the Bhagavad-Gt (2.14),
mtr-spars tu kaunteya
toa-sukha-dukha-d
gampyino 'nitys
ts titikasva bhrata
O son of Kunt
*
, the nonpermanent appearance
of happiness and distress, and their
disappearance in due course, are like the
appearance and disappearance of winter and
summer seasons. They arise from sense
perception, O scion of Bharata
*
, and one must
learn to tolerate them without being disturbed.
Thus everyone is advised to simply tolerate
these miseries of life as they come accepting them
as destiny if ones attempts to counteract by above
mentioned means cause him to fail for one reason
or another.
rla Bhaktivinoda hkura
*
describes in his
songbook aragati in the section tma-nivedana
(Dedication of the Self, Second Principle of
Surrender), bhajana
*
8, verse 4,
tomra sevya, dukha hoya jato,
se-o to parama sukha
sev-sukha-dukha, parama sampada,
naye avidy-dukha
All the troubles encountered in Your service
shall be the cause of great happiness, for in Your
devotional service joy and sorrow are equally
great riches. Both destroy the misery of
ignorance.
As rla Bhaktisiddhnta Sarasvat, the guru
*
of
the editors guru, stated in his Amta-v
(Nectarian instructions): We are here for a short
timeif the body wears out by constant service to
Lord Hari then our efforts will be met with
success. Physical illness with hari-bhajana
*
(worship) is preferable to physical fitness without
hari-bhajana.
TEXT 24
r'^''` '!'9r' '! +'`''='r' !
!'''^' '''!! ='' 'r'r'r''' ='''r' !! !!
tulas praamed yas tu
naro bhakti-samanvita
yur bala yao vitta
santatis tasya vardhate
tulasmto rmat Tulas Dev; praametoffers
obeisances; yawho; tucertainly; naraa
person; bhakti-samanvitaendowed with
devotion; yulife span; balamstrength; yaa
fame; vittamwealth; santatiprogeny; tasya
his; vardhateincreases.
The lifespan, strength, fame, wealth, and progeny
increases, if one devoutly offers obeisances to
rmat Tulas Dev.
EDITORS NOTES
In the Skanda Pura it is also said:
atrughna ca supuya ca
r-kara roga-nanam
ktv dharmam avpnoti
iras tulas-dalam
Offering rmat Tulas Devs leaves to the Lord
enables one to vanquish ones enemies, awards
one good fortune, and enhances ones piety, and
cures ones illness. (Hari-bhakti-vilsa 9.201)
Herein it is stated that offering rmat Tulas
Dev to the Lord will help one vanquish ones
enemies. One may ask, How will that work?
Either their demoniac mentality will be changed,
or one will become more internal. Either, way one
who offers rmat Tulas Dev to the Lord benefits.
The editor herein wishes to clarify that he does
not support the desire to kill, harm, or otherwise
hurt any living being. In the Tulas-stotra (12) r
Puarka
*
dsa describes rmat Tulas Dev as
dharmy, religious, and dharmnan, the very face
of religiosity. Therefore, if one desires to eliminate,
harm, hurt any so-called enemy, such act should
be religiously sanctioned by rmat Tulas Dev, as
Blis
*
death by the hand of Lord Rmacandra
*
and
with the aid of Sugrva
*
(as it is described by The
great sage, Vlmki Muni
*
in the Rmyaa,
Kikindh-ka, chapters 5-25) was sanctioned by
rmat Tulas Dev. Indeed, according to the
Tulas-stva (Padma Pura, Si-khaa 61.29),
yamke ca vasat
kapi-rjena sevit
tulas vli-nya
tr-sagama-hetave
The king of the monkeys, Sugrva
*
, while living
on the yamka mountain (inaccessible for Bli
due to the curse of the sage Mataga) served
rmat Tulas Dev for destroying Bli, and for
being united with Blis wife Tr
*
.
Blis killing by Lord Rmacandra
*
instigated by
Sugrva
*
and Hanumn
*
was religiously sanctioned
due to Blis stealing the chaste wife of his younger
brother Sugrva
*
, Rum
*
Dev by name. Blis own
wife Tr
*
Dev was a trusted advisor and one of
the paca-kanys,
ahaly draupad kunt
tr mandodar tath
paca-kany-smare nitya
mah-ptaka-nanam
Great sins are destroyed by regularly
remembering the names of these five ladies:
Goddess Ahaly, Goddess Draupad, Goddess
Kunt, Goddess Tr, and Goddess Mandodar.
(Origin unknown)
This same Tr Dev advised Bli (see
Rmyaa 4.15.7-23) not to fight with his brother
Sugrva
*
as he would lose his life. Bli
*
disregarded
this valuable advice of Tr Dev due to the
benediction that whomever he fought with would
give half of his strength to Bli. After being shot by
the arrow of Lord Rmacandra, Bli first
questioned the righteousness of his killing, but
being convinced by the Lords arguments he
begged forgiveness and then requested Sugrva to
accept the throne of his kingdom, to take care of
his son Agada, to always heed the opinion of his
wise wife Tr Dev, and carry out Lord
Rmacandras task. (Rmyaa 4.22.5-15)
TEXT 25
r'^'''!'=' '='''!'' ='''''r' !
r'^'''''!''=' ''''r' =''!''''! '!!' !!'!!
tulas-smaraenaiva
sarva-ppa vinayati
tulas-sparanenaiva
nayanti vydhayo nm
tulasof rmat Tulas Dev; smaraenaby
remembrance; evacertainly; sarvaall; ppam
sins; vinayatiget destroyed; tulasof Tulas-
dev; sparanenaby touch; evacertainly;
nayantiget annihilated; vydhayadiseases;
nmof men.
By remembering rmat Tulas Dev all ones
sins perish, and simply by touching rmat
Tulas Devs plant all ones diseases are
removed.
EDITORS NOTES
In the Padma Pura, in the Vaikha-
mhtmya it is stated:
dridrya-dukha-rogrti-
ppni su-bahny api
tulas harato kipra
rogn iva hartak
Just as hartak
*
, cures all kinds of disease
rmat Tulas Dev alleviates poverty, disease,
and sinful reactions. (Hari-bhakti-vilsa 9.144)
rmat Tulas Dev is considered by the modern
demonic herbalists as an herb, She whose
devotees dont exploit Her materially.
ata ku-vahni-mantra-
tulas-vipra-dhenava
naite nirmlyat ynti
kriyama puna puna
darbh pieu nirmly
brhma preta-bhojane
mantr gaus tulas nce
city ca hutana
Therefore Kua
*
, Fire, Mantra
*
, rmat Tulas
Dev, Brhmaas
*
, and Cows do not lose their
purity by being used again and again. Darbha
*
(kua
*
) grass becomes unclean by rice balls;
Brhmaas, by eating the offerings for the
departed; Mantras, Cows, and Tulas, when
basely (lowly or mundanely) used; and fire, on
the cremation ground. (Garua Pura
Saroddhra 9.14-15)
Actually in the guise of an apparently medicinal
herb-rmat Tulas Dev nonetheless strives to
destroy mankinds diseasesespecially when
rmat Tulas Dev is first offered to Viu- T attva
*
Lords before being taken as any medicine.
See <http://news.iskcon.org/printpdf/3464>,
rmat Tulas Dev destroys a devotees disease
story of how a devotees utilization of rmat
Tulas Devs leaves destroyed the 4th stage blood
cancer of a devotee in Washington D.C. area.
The editor puts on record that although
devotionally minded servants of the Lord dont
exploit rmat Tulas Devs divine tree form
expressly for the purposes of the manufacture of
herbal medicinesthe medicinal value of rmat
Tulas Dev remains and nonetheless (in spite of
saintly persons aversion to exploiting Her body)
highly celebrated in all herbal and yurvedic
*
texts
and is especially made more potential when Her
products are first offered to the Supreme Lord.
Previously, in Vedic cultureall yurvedic
products were first offered to the Supreme then
only would mankind use them.
Yetits precisely due to the factthat in this
present age of quarrel and hypocrisy hardly
anything is first offered to the Supreme, that the
potency of the modern herbal medicines reduces
practically on a daily basis!
rmat Tulas Devs medicinal herbal value
may be part of Her strategy to capture the demons
attention as stated:
nirmit tva pur devair
arcit tva sursurai
tulas hara me ppa
pj gha namostu te
O rmat Tulas Dev, You were created by the
demigods long ago. Both demigods and demons
worship You. Kindly destroy my sinful reactions
and accept my worship. I offer my obeisances
unto You. (Hari-bhakti-vilsa 9.101)
kirbdhau mathyamne hi
tulas kma-rpi
utpdit mah-bhg
lokoddhraa-hetave
Supremely fortunate rmat Tulas Dev, who
fulfills all of ones desires, appeared during the
churning of the milk ocean for the purpose of
delivering all living entities. (Hari-bhakti-vilsa
9.210)
And as per the Tulas-stava
*
(Padma Pura,
Sti-khaa 61.26)
dharmraye gayy ca
sevit pitbhi svayam
sevit tulas puy
tmano hitam icchat
The forefathers also serve You in Gay
*
and
Dharmraya
*
. O auspicious rmat Tulas Dev!
You are served by those who desire to benefit
themselves.
Hopefully due to further future research by the
editorsthe Vedas may outline more of Her
strategies how rmat Tulas Dev plans to capture
the conditioned souls attention as the Hari-bhakti-
vilsa (7.279 quoting from Dvrak
*
-mhtmya
*
of
the Skanda Pura) states:
yath lakm priy vios
tulas ca tato dhik
Even though Goddess Lakm
*
is dear to Lord
Viu
*
, still rmat Tulas Dev is even more
dear to Him.
The editors guru
*
writes in his commentary to
rmad-Bhgavatam (3.16.21) thus,
The Goddess of fortune, Lakm, is sometimes
envious of the rmat Tulas Devs leaves which
are placed at the lotus feet of the Lord, for they
remain fixed there and do not move, whereas
Lakmj, although stationed by the chest of the
Lord, sometimes has to please other devotees who
pray for her favor. Goddess Lakmj sometimes
has to go to satisfy her numerous devotees, but
rmat Tulas Devs leaves never forsake their
position, and the Lord therefore appreciates the
service of the rmat Tulas Dev more than the
service of Goddess Lakm. When the Lord says,
therefore, that it is due to the causeless mercy of
the Brhmaas that Goddess Lakmj does not
leave Him, we can understand that Goddess
Lakmj is attracted by the opulence of the Lord,
not by the Brhmaas benedictions upon Him.
The Lord is not dependent on anyones mercy for
His opulence; He is always self-sufficient. The
Lords statement that His opulence is due to the
benediction of the Brhmaas and Vaiavas is
only to teach others that they should offer respect
to the Brhmaas and Vaiavas, the devotees of
the Lord.
People may rightly ask: What constitutes bona
fide use of rmat Tulas Dev in manufacture of
herbal medicine?
The answer is: When it is homemade and
offered to the Supreme Lord. Its impersonal
industrial wholesale manufacture that saintly
persons will object and never sanction the use of
such mass marketed herbal products containing
rmat Tulas Dev inside it.
Even those saintly persons who are naturally
averse to using rmat Tulas Devs products as
medicine, may take comfort in the instruction of
His Holiness B.R. rdhra Mahrja (the editors
gurus God-brother, a great Sanskritist), who told
one God-brother of the editor that if 27 rmat
Tulas Devs leaves are however taken within 24
hour periodthat is sufficient to boost the
immune system enough to ward off major
infectious diseaseswithout any further need of
inoculation with vaccines.
Again to put on record, that although saintly
persons dont exploit rmat Tulas Devs form for
medicine, Her medicinal glories follow Her like
Her shadow. There is a thin printed book by a
Gujarati doctor called The Tulas Regimen. Therein
the good Gujarati doctor sets up three groups of
patients with various diseases:
Group 1, the patients received only the
prescribed medicine for whatever ailment they
had;
Group 2, the patients received (not offered to
Viu-Tattva
*
Deities) rmat Tulas Dev along
with the prescribed medicine for whatever ailment
they had;
Group 3, the patients received (offered to
Viu-Tattva
*
Deities) rmat Tulas Devs leaves
along with the prescribed medicine for whatever
ailment they had.
Regardless of what disease they hadresearch
proved that Group 3 persons were healed quickest.
Thus the editors opine that if demoniac so-called
public wish to rid themselves of diseases
through the exploitation of Her body, at least if
Shes offered first to the Lord nicelythen used as
medicine the desired results will come quicker!
The editor opines that perhaps the medicinal
aspects of Her many bodily manifestations just
might be part of Her strategies. Only time and
research might reveal thisto attract the attention
of the demons!
If anyone bathes the Deity in pj
*
1/2 to 1
hour daily, all of a sudden their familys health
improves in all respectscolds etc. are less. The
smart thing for a devout family member to do then
is to drink a lot of caranmta
*
. rla
Bhaktisiddhnta Saravat hkur (the guru of the
editors guru) when sick would simply fast and
drink caranmtamost of the time that is all that
will be necessary.
ISKCON founder-crya
*
told Viujana Svm,
If after 3 days some disease doesnt go away by
itselfdeal with it!
He also used to quote a Hindi proverb in this
regard (like he did in his lecture in London on
March 10, 1975, on Bhagavad-Gt 7.2):
In Hindi they say, 0
12/, jvara aur par ko khn na
do to bhg jyege. Means Unwanted guest
and disease, you do not give him to eat, and
he will go away.
One can see profuse quotes on the benefits of
lagrma
*
-rmat Tulas Dev bath water in the
Hari-bhakti-vilsa:
dvrak-cakra-sayukta-
lagrma-il-jalam
akhe ktv tu nikipta
snnrtha tmra-bhjane
tulas-dala-sayukta
brahma-haty-vinanam
The water mixed with rmat Tulas Devs
leaves that was used to bathe the lagrma-il
*
or Dvrak-il
*
, and which had been poured
onto a copper plate with a conch shell, destroys
the sinful reactions awarded to one for killing a
Brhmaa
*
. (Krttika
*
Mhtmya
*
section of the
Padma Pura as quoted from Hari-bhakti-vilsa
4.143)
trthdhika yaja-atc ca pvana
jala sad keava-di-sasthitam
chinatti ppa tulas-vimirita
vieata cakra-il-vinirmitam
Water mixed with rmat Tulas Devs leaves
that has been glanced over by Lord Keava
*
and
especially water that was used to bathe the
lagrma-il
*
is more sanctified than the water
of all the holy places of pilgrimage and more
purifying than the performance of hundreds of
sacrifices because it destroys all sinful reactions.
(Bhad-viu Pura as quoted from Hari-bhakti-
vilsa 9.12)
In the Agastya-sahit it is said,
lagrma-il-toya
tulas-dala-vsitam
ye pibanti punas te
stanya-pna na vidyate
The caramta
*
of the lagrma-il
*
is full of
fragrance because it contains rmat Tulas
Devs leaves. Those who drink it will no longer
experience birth in this material world and thus
drink their mothers breast milk. (Hari-bhakti-
vilsa 9.90)
Not only would the editors gurus guru, rla
Bhaktisiddhanta, fast whenever his body was sick
but his female disciple Bhavatri Dev Ds
(the editors gurus sister pishim, or fathers
sister) was famous in the 1900s Gaudya groups
as Mdhanera m, the mother of Mdhana as
during a famous cholera epidemic in Kolkatta, she
cured her sons cholera only by administering him
caramta
*
no other medicine!
Rdh-Raman Ghera Gosvms have this story.
One of their predecessors Mdhava
Gaudevarcrya r Madhusdana Gosvm
Sarvabhauma, a renowned scholar, was a
contemporary of rla Bhaktivinoda hkura. This
Gosvms son named Rdh-Ka Gosvm had
some diseaseno medicine helped.
Lord Rdh-Ramana came in the boys dream,
Fool! Give up all other medicine but My
caramta. The young man stopped all
yurvedic
*
medicine except Lord Rdh-Ramanas
caramta and later on was totally cured!
In gratefulness, the man would sing cowherd
boy rgas
*
at night when the devotees would put
Rdh-Raman to rest. This was long time ago as no
one sings those rgas
*
for the Lord nowadays.
In the South Indian version of Mukunda-ml-
stotra which consists of 60 mantras (the current
BBT version which is based on rla Bhaktivinoda
hkuras Sanskrit edition published in 1895
consists of 53 mantras), there is an interesting
loka
*
(5):
r-govinda-padmbhoja-
madhuno mahad adbhutam
yat pyino na muhyanti
muhyanti yad apyina
The liquor distilled from Lord Govindas lotus
feet is most amazing, one who drinks that liquor
becomes free from intoxication, one who refrains
from drinking it becomes intoxicated (by
material illusions).
In 1981 when the editor memorized this, he
thought, This has to be the finest verse Ive so far
found about caramta
*
.
TEXT 26
''!'^'!r' r'^''''' '='''!''6 '!+'' !
r'!r''!'' ''!'' ''''r' r'r'!!r' !!!!
yo nti tulas-patra
sarva-ppa-hara ubham
tac-charrntara-sthyi
ppa nayati tat-kat
yaone who; antieats; tulas-patram
rmat Tulas Devs leaf; sarva-ppaof all sins;
haramdestroyer; ubhamauspicious; tathis;
arra-antarainside the body; sthyisituated;
ppamsin; nayatigets removed; tat-katat
once.
All sins that reside in ones body are removed the
moment one eats the auspicious rmat Tulas
Devs leaf.
EDITORS NOTES
In Hari-bhakti-vilsa (9.226-227) it is said,
ki citram asy patita tulasy
dala jala v patita punte
lagndhibhla-sthalam lavla-
mt-snp ktsngha-vinanya. iti.
rmat-tulasy patrasya
mhtmya yady apdam
tathpi vaiavais tan na
grhya krpaa vin
What can I say about the wonderful glories of
rmat Tulas Dev? Simply by touching Her
leaves, or putting water containing rmat Tulas
Devs leaves and clay from the root of rmat
Tulas Dev on ones foreheadall sinful
reactions are destroyed. Although such
statements are found in the scriptures,
Vaiavas
*
should never accept rmat Tulas
Devs leaves without first offering them to Lord
Ka.
yath jta-balo vahnir
dahate knandikam
prita tulas-patra
yath dahati ptakam
Just as blazing fire burns to ashes all the trees in
a forest, the potency of rmat Tulas Devs leaf
nullifies all the sinful reactions of one who eats
it.
yath bhakti-rato nitya
naro dahati ptakam
tulas-bhakat tat tad
dahate ppa-sacayam
Just as one nullifies his sinful reactions by
remaining engaged in the devotional service of
Lord Hari, one can burn to ashes his accumulated
sinful reactions simply by eating rmat Tulas
Devs leaf.
ktv ppa-sahasri
prve vayasi mnava
tulas-bhakan mucyet
rutam etat pur hare
Lord Hari has personally declared that after
committing thousands of sinful activities in the
early part of ones life, if one eats rmat Tulas
Devs leaves, he will be freed from the reactions
to all his sins.
In the Skanda Pura it is stated,
tulas-dalaj ml
kahasth vahate tu ya
vittr vieea
sa namasyo divaukasm
One who honors Lord Vius remnants of
rmat Tulas Devs leaves becomes worshipable
by the demigods. (Hari-bhakti-vilsa 4.324)
In the Tulas Upaniad She is called bhakat
vayuna-prad, the giver of wisdom to those who
eat Her leaves.
TEXT 27
r'^''`!B'+'r'! '!^'! ='6r' ''! ' !
r'66 ''!r'` '!r' 'r'''r''''!''r' !! ~ !!
tulas-kha-sambht
ml vahati yo nara
tad-dehe ptaka nsti
satyam etan mayocyate
tulas-khaof rmat Tulas Devs wood;
sambhtmmade; mlmstring of beads; vahati
wears; yawho; naraa person; tatin his;
dehebody; ptakama sin; nadoes not; asti
exist; satyamtruth; etatthis; mayby me;
ucyatetold.
I speak the truth: in the body of one who wears a
beads made of rmat Tulas Devs wood there
is no sin.
EDITORS NOTES
r Mrkaeya
*
i
*
has said in the Garua
Pura,
tulas-kha-ml tu
preta-rjasya dtak
dv nayanti drea
vtoddhta yath dalam
tulas-kha-mlbhir
bhito bhramate yadi
dusvapna durnimitta ca
na bhaya astraja kvacit
Just by seeing the rmat Tulas Devs beads on
a persons neck, the Yamadtas
*
flee to a distant
place. A person who wanders here and there after
putting on rmat Tulas Devs neckbeads has
nothing to fear from an accident, bad dreams, or
weapons. (Hari-bhakti-vilsa 4.337-338)
Therefore we should put rmat Tulas Devs
neckbeads on our relatives necks without any
delay.
TEXT 28
r'^'''''!^'r' ''r'!'' '!'! ='6r' !
!f`!''! h'!'' '''' ^'+'r' '!' ''!'' !! < !!
tulas-patra-galita
yas toya iras vahet
gagy snna-ja puya
labhate ntra saaya
tulas-patrafrom a rmat Tulas Devs leaf;
galitamdropped; yawho; toyamwater;
irason the head; vahetbears; gagyof
the river Gag; snna-jamborn of taking bath;
puyamthe piety; labhateobtains; nathere is
no; atrain this regard; saayadoubt.
There is no doubt that one who bears on his head
water dropped from the leaves of rmat Tulas
Dev, obtains pious merit equal to that of bathing
in Gag
*
.
EDITORS NOTES
Devadta and Vikuala, it is said:
darana narmadys tu
gag-snna vi vara
tulas-dala-saspara
samam etat traya smtam
ropat plant sekd
darant sparann nm
tulas dahate ppa
v-mana-kya-sacitam
O foremost vaiya
*
, bathing in Gag
*
, seeing
the river Narmad
*
, and touching rmat Tulas
Devs leaf are considered equal in merit. By
planting, maintaining, watering, seeing, and
touching rmat Tulas Dev, all of the sinful
reactions that one had accumulated by means of
his body, mind, and speech are burnt to ashes.
(Hari-bhakti-vilsa 9.139-140)
TEXT 29
='!+''r' ''''''='9r'^''` '!+'!' !
''!!''' '! +'r''! =''!'''!`^' ^'+'r' !!!!
drvbhir akatai pupair
naivedyais tulas ubhm
samrdhya naro bhakty
viu-pj-phala labhet
drvbhiwith drv grass; akataiwith
unbroken grains; pupaiwith flowers;
naivedyaiby offerings of food; tulasmrmat
Tulas Dev; ubhmauspicious; samrdhya
having properly worshiped; naraa person;
bhaktywith devotion; viu-pjof the
worship of Lord Viu; phalamthe result; labhet
obtains.
One who devoutly worships the auspicious
rmat Tulas Dev with Drv
*
grass, unbroken
grains, flowers, and offerings of eatables, obtains
the result of worshiping Lord Viu.
EDITORS NOTES
ravaa-dvda-yoge
lagrma-ilrcane
yat phala sagame prokta
tulas-pjanena tat
It has been said that the same benefit one
obtains by worshiping the lagrma-il
*
on
ravaa-Dvda
*
at the confluence of two rivers
can be attained by worshiping rmat Tulas
Dev. (Hari-bhakti-vilsa 9.106)
Two rivers, in one sense one would think that
this refers to the confluence of Gag
*
and
Yamun
*
at Prayga
*
(modern day Allahabad), but
naturally, if one worships and remembers rmat
Tulas Dev anywhere, at the confluence of any
two rivers one is blest. What should those who
dont live on the banks or otherwise have two
rivers do? If one cant physically reside or do
something then offer it all mentally, worship
rmat Tulas Dev there in the mind. By that, as
long as devotion is there, one gets the same
benefits or even better than if one does it
physically!
In 1985 the editor asked an old associate of his
guru
*
what to do if more than 24 hours elapsed
between one worship and the other worship.
Mnasa (mentally), he said. Will Ka accept it
like the external worship? the editor queried.
WHY NOT! he screamed. Then his voice went
soft, Provided the love is there. Oh! The love is
the most important thing! The editor realized.
One tries ones best to offer with devotion the
nicest items, but in this Iron Age everything is
degrading even within some days or some years.
So the devotion with which one imbues the item is
more important than offering a nice item with no
devotion. Of course our mood fluctuates often, so
when one offers items with rmat Tulas Devs
leaves the Supreme Lord may choose to accept it
because of Her, not because of the worshiper.
However by Her kindness, rmat Tulas Dev
often pulls us in, as Her assistant, offering us to
rmat Tulas Devs Lord. Thats Her compassion.
In the Bhan-nradya Pura it is said:
tulas-mla-sambht
hari-bhakta-padodbhav
gagodbhav ca ml-lekh
nayaty acyuta-rpatm
One who decorates his body with tilaka
*
made
from clay found at the root of rmat Tulas
Devs plant, from the footprint of a Vaiava
*
, or
from the bank of Gag
*
, is accepted as non-
different from Lord Viu
*
. (Hari-bhakti-vilsa
9.189)
TEXT 30
'''!'r'! +'!='r' r'^'' `!''
'='9'''''=''''''r'''' !
'''!'`!''''!'r'!'' =''!
` r''' =''! '!!'''r''''!! !!!!
yenrcit bhagavat tulas kadcin
naivedya-pupa-vara-dhpa-ghta-pradpai
dharmrtha-kma-parammta-dyi vipr
ki tasya viu-carapaciti-prayogai
yenaby whom; arcitis worshiped; bhagavat
tulasthe Goddess rmat Tulas Dev; kadcit
sometime; naivedyaby offerings of eatables;
pupaflowers; varaexcellent; dhpaincense;
ghtaghee; pradpaiand lamps; dharmaof
piety; arthaof material welfare; kmaof sense
enjoyment; paramathe highest; amta-dthe
bestower of nectar (rmat Tulas Dev); ayi
viprO Brhmaas; kimwhat is the use; tasya
for him; viu-caraaof the lotus feet of Lord
Viu; apaciti-prayogaiof worship.
O Brhmaas, rmat Tulas Dev bestows the
highest nectar, piety, material welfare, and sense
enjoyment to one who has worshiped rmat
Tulas Dev with offerings of eatables, flowers,
excellent incense and ghee-lamps. Therefore,
what is the use (for such a person) of (them)
worshiping only Lord Vius feet?
EDITORS NOTE
r Puarka dsa in his Tulas-stotra (7) says,
tulasy npara kicid
daivata jagat-tale
yay pavitrito loko
viu-sagena vaiava
There is nothing on this earth more divine than
rmat Tulas Dev, by whom the world is
sanctified, through contact with Lord Viu
*
, as a
Vaiava
*
worldVaikuha
*
.
By saying, what is the use? rla Vysadeva
*
is
not trying to diminish the effects or need to
worship the Supreme Lord, but is stating that such
effects will be increased by loving and worshiping
Her, as She is both bhakta-caitanya-kri, the
efficient cause of devotional service (Tulas-
snana-mantra, source unknown), and sarva-
saubhagya-vardhin, everyones good fortune, is
expanded by rmat Tulas Devs grace. It is said,
mah-prasda-janan
sarva-saubhgya-vardhin
dhi-vydhi-haro nitya
tulas tva namostu te
O Goddess rmat Tulas Dev, you enhance the
good fortune of everyone. You are the mother of
mah-prasda
*
. You always remove the dangers
and diseases of your worshipers. My obeisances
unto you. (Hari-bhakti-vilsa 9.102)
Thus if one offers some items to Her it means
She offers the same items to Her Lord for the
benefit of the person who offered it. This is the
actual meaning of stating what is the use? etc.
One can see additional information on this
matter in Appendix 1.
TEXT 31
'!''' !''6r''' '!''=''!'
!!''''r' r'^''` 6r'`'' !
r'! 6U'!r'!'''''! '!'
r'+''! !r' ''' '''!'! ='' !! !!
sthneu doa-rahiteu suraugha-sevym
ropayanti tulas hari-tui-kartrm
tuo haris tri-jagatm adhipo murris
tebhyo dadti parama padam u vipra
sthneuin places; doafrom faults; rahiteu
free; suraof demigods; oghaby multitude;
sevymwhich is to be served; ropayantiplant;
tulasmrmat Tulas Dev; harito Lord Hari;
tui-kartrmwho is pleasing; tuabeing
pleased; hariLord Hari; triof three; jagatm
worlds; adhipathe Lord; murriLord
Murri; tebhyato them; dadtigives; paramam
padamthe supreme abode, Vaikuha; u
quickly; vipraO Brhmaa.
O Brhmaa, Lord Hari, the enemy of the Mura
demon, is the Supreme Lord of the three worlds,
and rmat Tulas Dev brings Him pleasure. The
Lord is pleased with those who plant rmat
Tulas Dev in faultless places. He quickly gives
them the entrance to His supreme abode
Vaikuha.
TEXT 32
''7' 'r' ' ''r''''''''r'!'!
!' '''''' `''!+' '''''! !
`='r' !''6r' r'^''r'^' '
r'!'''''!! '`^'!' +'='r' ''' !!!!
yaja vrata ca pit-pjanam acyutrc
dna yad anyad api karma-ubha manuy
kurvanti doa-rahite tulas-tale ca
tny akayi sakalni bhavanti nnam
yajama sacrifice; vratama vow; caand; pit
of dead ancestors; pjanamworship; acyuta
of the infallible Lord; arcmworship; dnam
charity; yatwhatever; anyatelse; apialso;
karmaacts; ubhamauspicious; manuy
men; kurvantiperform; doafrom fault; rahite
free; tulasof rmat Tulas Dev; taleat the
root; caalso; tnithose; akayi
inexhaustible; sakalniall; bhavantibecome;
nnamcertainly.
The auspicious actssacrifices, vows, honoring
the ancestors, worshiping Lord Acyuta
*
, and
giving gifts that people performs at the spotless
roots of rmat Tulas Dev become
inexhaustible.
EDITORS NOTES
The editor has made a shrine for rmat Tulas
Dev expressly to write under Her protective
shade. One should live and chant and do a lot of
service under rmat Tulas Devs protective
shade. The editor often worshiped his Lords under
Her shade as well as the photos at the beginning of
this work show. People may follow this to get the
benefit of Her auspicious shade.
Regarding the glories of rmat Tulas Devs
shadow it is stated in the Garua Pura
Sroddhra (9.6):
tulas-viapa-cchy
yatrsti bhava-tpah
tatraiva maran mukti
sarvad dna-durlabh
Wherever there is the shade of rmat Tulas
Devs plant form, which removes the pain of
material existence, there is always liberation
from death. Such liberation is difficult to obtain
by giving gifts.
The editor has seen another verse glorifying
rmat Tulas Devs shade, as there must be so
many verses in the Puras
*
as well.
The editor looked at this verse while placing a
very small rmat Tulas Devs plant directly
above his God-brother who was dying in r
Mypura
*
Dhma. When rmat Tulas Devs
very small plant was removed momentarily from
Her place above his body, the devotee confirmed
that his pain was higher. And when She came back
the pain was declared to be substantially reduced-
thus proving the substantiality of this verse. Ladies
may adopt hanging a small rmat Tulas Devs
plant above ladies who are about to give birthas
rmat Tulas Devs auspicious shadow may
reduce the pain of childbirth while bestowing
auspiciousness to both mother and child.
TEXT 33
'''`' ``r' ''' '''=''!
'!!''!'''r''! r'^''` =''! '
r'r'=''=' ='`^' +'='r' '
''1'!!''' ' 6 r''''r' ='=' !!!!
yad dharma-karma kurute manuja pthivy
nryaa-priyatam tulas vin ca
tat sarvam eva viphala bhavati dvijendra
padmekao pi na hi tuyati deva-deva
yatwhat; dharma-karmapious act; kurute
does; manu-jaa man; pthivymon the earth;
nryaato Lord Nryaa; priyatammdear;
tulasm vinwithout rmat Tulas Dev; ca
also; tatthat; sarvamall; evacertainly;
viphalamfruitless; bhavatibecomes; dvija-indra
O best of Brhmaas; padma-ikaathe lotus-
eyed one (Lord Viu); apialso; nanot; hi
certainly; tuyatiis pleased; deva-devathe
Lord of all demigods.
O best Brhmaa, all pious acts become fruitless
if a man performs them without rmat Tulas
Dev who is dear to Lord Nryaa. These acts do
not please the God of gods, the lotus-eyed one
Lord Viu.
EDITORS NOTES
The Supreme Lord has stated in the Garua
Pura,
tulas prpya yo nitya
na karoti mamrcanam
tasyha pratighmi
na pj atavrikm
Even after one hundred years, I do not
acknowledge the worship of a person who does
not offer Me rmat Tulas Devs leaves every
day. (Hari-bhakti-vilsa 7.260)
In Hari-bhakti-vilsa (7.262) it is said,
tulas vin y kriyate na pj
snna na tad yat tulas vin ktam
bhukta na tad yat tulas vin kta
pta na tad yat tulas vin ktam
Worship of the Lord without rmat Tulas
Dev does not count as worship, bathing the Lord
without rmat Tulas Dev does not count as
bathing, offering food without rmat Tulas
Dev does not count as eating by the Lord, and
offering a drink to the Lord without rmat
Tulas Dev does not count as drinking.
According to some this verse is also quoted in
the Padma Pura, the researchers will inform the
public if this verse is found elsewhere.
In the Padma Pura it is stated,
tulas na ye hari-pjanrtha
sampadyate mdhava-puya-vsare
dhig yauvana jvanam artha-santati
te sukha neha ca dyate pare
The lives, youthfulness, and wealth of those
who do not offer rmat Tulas Dev to Lord Hari
on auspicious days, such as Akaya-tritiy
*
and
Ekda
*
, in the month of Vaikha
*
, are
considered useless. Such persons cannot achieve
happiness in this life nor the next. (Hari-bhakti-
vilsa 7.259)
TEXT 34
''!'!' '''''r' '!+'! r'^''` ''=''!
''! +'`+'!=''6r'! '''! 6 ''' !
''!'!`^' '`^''=' 6''!!r'
r'''!'! '?'r' ='' ' ''r'r' !!!!
ytrsu payati ubh tulas pavitr
yo bhakti-bhva-sahito manujo hi nnam
ytr-phala sakalam eva hari-prasdt
tasyu siddhyati vaca sudha mamaitat
ytrsuduring pilgrimages; payatisees;
ubhmauspicious; tulasmrmat Tulas Dev;
pavitrmpure; yawho; bhakti-bhvawith
devotion; sahitaendowed; manu-jaa man; hi
indeed; nnamcertainly; ytrof pilgrimage;
phalamfruit; sakalamall; evacertainly; hari
of Lord Hari; prasdtby the mercy; tasyahis;
uvery soon; siddhyatiis obtained; vaca
words; sudhamfirm; mamamy; etatthese.
I firmly state that one, who with devotion sees
the auspicious, pure rmat Tulas Devs plant
during pilgrimage, quickly gets the fruit of the
pilgrimage by the grace of Lord Hari.
EDITORS NOTES
rati badhnti nnyatra
tulas-knana vin
deva-devo jagat-svm
kali-kle vieata
hitv trtha-sahasri
sarvn api iloccayn
tulas-knane nitya
kalau tihati keava
In Kali-yuga
*
, the Lord of the universe is not
pleased with anything other than a rmat Tulas
Dev forest. In this age of Kali
*
, Lord Keava
*
disregards thousands of holy places while
eternally residing in a forest of rmat Tulas
Devs plants. (Hari-bhakti-vilsa 9.115-116)
TEXT 35
r''r='! '!'' `'' +'=''`'!'!
'!`'^''!`'''''r' !
!K!r' 'R!'''` r'^''` ''!
'!'`!''' ''''!''=''!'!'!' !! ' !!
tyaktv sugandhi kusuma bhuvanaika-ntho
mandra-kunda-nalindikam apy ananta
ghti sad-gua-may tulas pramodai
ukm api pracura-ppa-vina-rakm
tyaktvleaving aside; sugandhifragrant;
kusumamflowers; bhuvanauniverse; ekathe
only one; nthathe Lord; mandraMandra
flower; kundaKunda flower; nalinaLotus;
dikamand so on; apieven; anantaAnanta,
the immeasurable Lord; ghtiaccepts; satof
good; guaqualities; maymfull; tulasm
rmat Tulas Dev; pramodaigladly; ukm
dry; apieven; pracuraabundant; ppasins;
vinadestruction; rakmwho ensures.
Ananta, the Lord of the world, abandons fragrant
flowers like Mandras (China Rose), Kundas (a
type of Jasmine), and Lotuses, but gladly accepts
even dry rmat Tulas Devs leaves which are
full of virtues and ensure the destruction of sins.
EDITORS NOTES
In the Nrada Pura it is stated,
tvad garjanti pupi
mlaty-dni bhsura
yvan na prpyate puy
tulas ka-vallabh
O Brhmaa, until the arrival of rmat Tulas
Dev who is very dear to Ka, flowers such as
M lati
*
(a kind of Jasmine flower) can display
their pride.(Hari-bhakti-vilsa 7.270)
In the Agastya-sahita it is stated,
prvam ugra-tapa ktv
vara vavre manasvin
tulas sarva-pupebhya
patrebhyo vallabh tata
The wise rmat Tulas Dev had previously
performed severe austerities and then had asked
for a benediction. Because of this, She has
become the most dear to Lord Ka among all
kinds of flowers and leaves. (Hari-bhakti-vilsa
7.273)
In a conversation between Lord Yamarja
*
(the
demigod who punishes the sinful) and a Brhmaa
found in the Vaikha-mhtmya (the glories of the
lunar month of the solar months of April-May)
section of the Padma Pura it is stated,
sarvs patra-jtn
tulas keava-priy
Among all kinds of leaves, rmat Tulas Devs
leaves are most dear to Lord Keava.
sarvath sarva-kleu
tulas viu-vallabh
Always, and in all circumstances, rmat Tulas
Dev is very dear to Lord Viu. (Hari-bhakti-
vilsa 7.274-275)
Nrada Muni has stated in the Krttika-
mhtmya (the glories of the lunar month of
Krttika) section of the Padma Pura, Uttara
Khaa,
tulas-dala-pjy
may vaktu na akyate
atyanta-vallabh s hi
lagrmbhidhe harau
I am unable to describe the glories of
worshiping the Lord with an offering of rmat
Tulas Devs leaves. rmat Tulas Dev is
extremely dear to Lord Hari in His form of
lagrma-il
*
. (Hari-bhakti-vilsa 7.276)
yat phala sarva-pupeu
sarva-patreu nrada
tulas-dala-mtrea
prpyate keavrcane
O Nrada Muni, the merit one obtains by
worshiping Lord Keava with offerings of all
kinds of flowers and leaves can be obtained
simply by worshiping Him with an offering of
only one of rmat Tulas Devs leaf. (Hari-
bhakti-vilsa 7.284)
Therefore in geographically cold places on the
planet, if one circumstantially doesnt have any
flowers one may simply offer one rmat Tulas
Devs leaf.
In the Bhagavad-Gt (9.26) it is said,
patra pupa phala toya
yo me bhakty prayacchati
tad aha bhakty-upahtam
anmi prayattmana
If one offers Me with love and devotion a leaf, a
flower, fruit or water, I will accept it.
The editors guru states that the word patram (a
leaf) refers especially to rmat Tulas Devs
leaves.
TEXT 36
r''!?' '=' r'^''` +'=' ''''r'
''!''!'!''!'' r'^'r'!+''!'+'r'!' !
7'!'r'! '6r'^'''''!''!
r'''! ''' 6r' 'r'r''=' 'r''' !!!!
utpya caiva tulas bhuvi nikipanti
ppay mta-latbha-nidna-bhtm
ajnato naraharis tulas-priyo sau
te riya harati santatam eva satyam
utpyaafter uprooting; caand; evacertainly;
tulasmrmat Tulas Dev; bhuvion the
ground; nikipantithrow; ppaof sins; ay
the reservoirs; amta-latnectar-giving
creeper; bhalike; nidna-bhtmpurifying;
ajnataout of ignorance; nara-hariLord
Narahari; tulas-priyaone who loves rmat
Tulas Dev; asauhe; temof them; riyam
opulence; haratitakes away; santatam
incessantly; evacertainly; satyamtruly.
rmat Tulas Dev is purifying like the creeper
of immortality. She is dear to Lord Narahari
*
,
who incessantly takes away the wealth of sinful
men who, out of ignorance, uproot and throw
rmat Tulas Dev on the ground. This is the
truth.
EDITORS NOTE
This verse is a suitable warning to any so-called
gardener that even if rmat Tulas Dev grew
accidentally there, propagated, due to ripen seeds
scattered by the wind, he should always put
rmat Tulas Dev somewhere else, NEVER
uproot Her and throw Her away or throw Her in a
sacred river or leave rmat Tulas Dev to leave
the body.
TEXT 37
'' '''' r' ^''r'^'''
`='r' ''''' ' '^' 'r'r' !
'''''! ='!''' ''r'''!r'`!'!
r'''! 6r''!'! 6'''!' !! ~ !!
mtra pura tulas-taleu
kurvanti ye pi ca mala satata
manuy devraye sacita-ptakn
te haraty u harir dhanni
mtramurine; puramstool; tulasof rmat
Tulas Dev; taleuat the roots; kurvantipass;
yethose who; apiand; caalso; malamput
dirty things; satatamalways; manuymen;
devaof demigods; rayein the abode; sacita
accumulated; ptaknmof those having sins;
temof them; haratitakes away; uvery
soon; hariLord Hari; dhanniwealth.
Lord Hari quickly removes the wealth of
extremely sinful people who urinate, excrete or
put filth at the roots of rmat Tulas Dev, the
abode of the demigods.
EDITORS NOTES
This means one should scrupulously avoid any
potting soil with human sludge (composted
human excrement) in it.
Even if one is forced to pass urine on the
roadside, in some countries of the world, in warm
climes, in the countryside, one should take care
that rmat Tulas Dev is not growing
accidentally thereas rmat Tulas Devs plants
are often propagated by seeds scattered by the
wind.
TEXTS 38-39
'!!''!'' '''!' ''!' r='! ''!'r' r' !
`'' ''!'!r'!9!''!9'' `'!=' !! < !!
r='''! =''! 'r' r'F' ''!' r='!'r' '! +' !
r='''! =''! '6!+'!! ''r' `' ''`^'' !!!!
nryaasya pjrtha
cinomi tv namo stu te
kusumai prijtdyair
gandhdyair api keava
tvay vin naiti tpti
cinomi tvm ata ubhe
tvay vin mah-bhge
samasta karma niphalam
nryaasyaof Lord Nryaa; pj-arthamfor
worshiping; cinomipluck; tvmYou; nama
astuobeisances; teunto You; kusumaiwith
the flowers; prijta-dyaiwith Prijta flower
and so on; gandha-dyaiwith sandalwood paste
and so on; apieven; keavaLord Keava;
tvayYou; vinwithout; na etidoes not
attain; tptimsatisfaction; cinomiI pluck; tvm
You; atatherefore; ubheO auspicious one;
tvay vinwithout You; mah-bhgeO most
fortunate one; samastamall; karmaacts;
niphalamare fruitless.
[O rmat Tulas Dev], obeisances to You. I
collect Your leaves to worship Lord Nryaa, for
without You, rmat Tulas Dev, even Prijta
*
flowers and Sandalwood paste cannot satisfy
Him. O holy one, without You, rmat Tulas
Dev, every act is fruitless.
EDITORS NOTES
These verses above may be chanted as well as
the standard rmat Tulas Dev collecting
mantras
*
one chants before one collects rmat
Tulas Devs leaves and flowers. The editors
Gurudeva stated that although the Sanskrit lokas
*
are preferred if one didnt know them the person
could request rmat Tulas Dev in his mother
tongue as well. Nevertheless, learning the Sanskrit
lokas
*
remains better!
TEXTS 40-42
r'r' r'^''=' ''!' ='! +'=' !
''''!<='^' r' ''6=' 6 '!''r' !! !!
r'r''=' '!?'!' r'^'' r='! ''!''6' !
`r'!'^''!''!' ''`r='! =''!='! '' !!!!
`r'!^''' r='! ''!r' r'^''^'' !
'''! ' `''r' '!!^'! r'^'''! '''' !!!!
atas tu tulas-devi
cinomi varad bhava
cayanodbhava-dukha te
yad devi hdi jyate
tat-kamasva jagannthe
tulas tv nammy aham
ktjalir imn mantrn
pahitv vaiavo jana
karatla-dvaya datv
cinoti tulas-dalam
yath na kampate kh
tulasy dvija-sattama
atatherefore; tuindeed; tulas-deviO rmat
Tulas Dev; cinomiI collect; varadthe giver of
boons; bhavaplease be; cayana-udbhava
produced by collecting; dukhampain; teYour;
yatwhich; deviO Goddess; hdiin the heart;
jyateis generated; tatfor that pain; kamasva
kindly forgive; jagatof the world; ntheO
protector; tulasO rmat Tulas Dev; tvm
unto You; nammioffer obeisances; ahamI;
kta-ajaliwith palms joined; imnthese;
mantrnhymns; pahitvafter reciting;
vaiavaa devotee of Lord Viu; janaa
person; karatlaclapping; dvayamtwice; datv
after doing; cinoticollects; tulas-dalam
leaves of rmat Tulas Dev; yathin such a way
that; na kampatedoes not shake; kha
branch; tulasyof rmat Tulas Dev; dvija-
sattamaO best Brhmaa.
O Goddess rmat Tulas Dev, this is the
reason I collect Your leaves. O Goddess of the
world, grant me a boon: forgive me for giving
pain to Your heart by collecting Your leaves. O
rmat Tulas Dev, I offer my obeisances unto
You.
O best Brhmaa, a devotee of Viu joins the
palms of his hands, recites these hymns, and
clapping twice collects rmat Tulas Devs
leaves in such a way that Her branches do not
shake.
EDITORS NOTES
It is stated in the Viu Smti
*
,
kara-tla-traya dattv
cinuyat tulas-dalam
yath na kampate kh
tulasya divyasattama
Oh! Best of those who are divinely endowed,
one should clap the hands three times before
picking rmat Tulas Dev and pick in such a
way that the branches do not shake.
Note by the word divyasattama. This means
that this instruction was given to a high class
intellectual. The readers should note the high
instruction and apply accordingly.
Herein it is mentioned dvaya dattv, or two
times clapping.
The public may thus wonder, Is it clapping the
hands three times or two times before collecting
rmat Tulas Devs leaves? The answer is: two
times is the minimum, three times is better!
Worshippers may choose to offer this verse as
well as others after collecting rmat Tulas Devs
leaves at appropriate early morning hours on
appropriate days for the Lords worship.
o tulasy amta-janms
sad tva keava-priy
keavrtha cinomi tv
varad bhava-obhane
O rmat Tulas Dev, You are born from
nectar. You are always very dear to Lord Keava.
Now, in order to worship Lord Keava, I am
collecting rmat Tulas Devs leaves and
majars
*
. Please bestow Your benediction on me
to serve the Lord. (Padma Pura 1.61.12)
If rmat Tulas Dev is needed at other times,
one may touch rmat Tulas Devs wood as an
offering of rmat Tulas Dev or invoke Her
name:
tulas-rahit pj
na ghti sad hari
kha v sparayet tatra
no cet tan nmato yajet
Lord Hari never accepts worship without
rmat Tulas Dev. If rmat Tulas Devs
leaves are not available then one should simply
touch rmat Tulas Devs wood to the body of
the Lord. If Tulas wood is not available then one
should chant the name of rmat Tulas Dev
while worshiping Lord Hari. (Hari-bhakti-vilsa
7.263 quoting from the Vyu Pura)
TEXT 43
''''' '''' =' +'' '!!^'! ''! +'='r' !
r'! 6 ='''! =''!!'!''r' r'^''''r' !!!!
patrasya cayane dev
bhagna-kh yad bhavet
tad hdi vyath vior
jyate tulas-pate
patrasyaof a leaf; cayanewhile collecting; dev
rmat Tulas Dev; bhagnabroken; kh
whose branch; yadwhen; bhavethappens to
be; tadthen; hdiin the heart; vyath
anguish; vioof Lord Viu; jyateis
produced; tulas-pateof the Lord of rmat
Tulas Dev.
Lord Viu, the Lord of rmat Tulas Dev, feels
anguish when a branch of rmat Tulas Dev
breaks at the time of collecting Her leaves.
EDITORS NOTE
It is stated in the Viu Smti:
patr cayane vipra
bhagn kh yad bhavet
tad hdi vyath vior
dyate tulas-pate
If when picking rmat Tulas Devs leaves one
breaks the branches, Lord Viu feels pain in His
heart.
The editor remembers that whenever
accidentally one 1/2 broke a branch he would
attach it somehow by tying with string or blue-
tack or some putty or beeswaxsomething
while praying to Her, Oh, rmat Tulas Dev,
pleaseI hope Your branch will live. Kindly
excuse my foolishness! We would purposefully
look at that 1/2 broken branch throughout the
week to make sure it healed and were sad if it
didnt.
People should note that this is not condoning
any past or present offensive behavior, yet its
more important attitude to express what precisely
one will do going forward in the future, than what
offensive mentality one had. No one is surprised
by seeing ignorance as we are all born ignorant in
this world, one is surprised, however, if one sees
others behaving properly!
TEXT 44
'!!^'!'!r''r'r' +''! ''' ''' ''!r''' !
r''!'' ''''! !!='! '''``+''6' !! !!
khgrt patita bhmau
patra patra purtanam
tenpi pjyo govindo
madhu-kaiabha-mardana
kh-agrtfrom the tip of a branch; patitam
fallen; bhmauon the ground; patram patram
every leaf; purtanamold; tenaby that; api
even; pjyashould be worshiped; govinda
Lord Govinda; madhuof the Madhu demon;
kaiabhaof the Kaiabha demon; mardanathe
slayer.
Lord Govinda, the destroyer of the Madhu and
Kaiabha demons, should be worshiped even
with whatever old leaf of rmat Tulas Dev that
has fallen from the tip of a branch.
EDITORS NOTES
In the Jna-ml it is stated,
na paryuita-doo sti
jalajotpala-campake
tulasy-agastya-bakule
bilve gag-jale tath
There is no fault in offering Lotus flowers,
Campaka
*
flowers, rmat Tulas Dev leaves,
Agastya
*
flowers, Bakula
*
flowers, Bilva
*
flowers,
and Gags watereven if they are old. (Hari-
bhakti-vilsa 7.213)
yogin viratau vch
kmin ca yath ratau
pupev api ca sarveu
tulasy ca tath hare
nirasya mlat-pupa
mukt-pupa saroruham
ghti tulas ukm
api paryuit hari
Just as yogs
*
are very attached to renunciation,
and lusty people are very attached to sexLord
Hari is more attached to rmat Tulas Dev than
to all the other plants. Lord Hari renounces
Mlati
*
, Mukt
*
, and Lotus flowers and longs for
rmat Tulas Devs leaves, even if they are
wilted or dry. (Hari-bhakti-vilsa 7.280-281)
TEXT 45
`!'^'r'^'''''''!''''''r' '+'' !
'=' ' ^'+'r' '!' ''9r' 'r''! !! ' !!
komalais tulas-patrair
yo rcayed acyuta prabhum
sarva sa labhate ghra
yad yad icchati cetas
komalaiwith tender; tulas-patrai rmat
Tulas Devs leaves; yaone who; arcayet
worships; acyutamLord Acyuta, the infallible;
prabhumthe all-powerful; sarvamall; sahe;
labhategets; ghramvery soon; yat yat
whatever; icchatihe desires; cetasin the heart.
He who worships Lord Acyuta with tender leaves
of rmat Tulas Dev quickly gets whatever he
desires within his heart.
THE GLORIES OF THE SACRED DHTR TREE
TEXT 46
'''`='!'
r'^''=''''! `! =''!'r' '''+' !
r''6 7'!r''!' '6 'r''='r''r' !! !!
jaiminir uvca
tulas-vka-sada
ko vko sti dvijarabha
tam aha jtum icchmi
brhi satyavat-suta
jaiminisage Jaimini; uvcasaid; tulas-vka
to rmat Tulas Dev tree; sadasimilar; ka
which; vkatree; astiis there; dvija-abha
O best among the Brhmaas; tamthat; aham
I; jtumto know; icchmidesire; brhi
please tell; satyavat-sutaO son of Satyavat.
Jaimini Muni
*
said: O best Brhmaa
*
, I desire to
know what tree is there which is most similar to
rmat Tulas Dev. O son of Satyavat
(Vysadeva), please tell me about it.
TEXT 47
=''!' ='!'
'''! '''r''! =''!!r'^'' 'r'r' ' !
r''! '''r''! ''!' '='''!'''!!'!' !! ~ !!
vysa uvca
yath priyatam vios
tulas satata dvija
tath priyatam dhtr
sarva-ppa-prain
vysathe sage Vysadeva; uvcareplied; yath
as; priyatamdear; vioof Lord Viu;
tulasrmat Tulas Dev; satatamalways; dvija
O Brhmaa; tathsimilarly; priyatamdear;
dhtra tree called Dhtr; sarvaof all; ppa
sins; prainthe destroyer.
The blessed Sage Vysadeva said: O Brhmaa,
just like rmat Tulas Dev, the Dhtr
*
tree
which destroys all sins is always very dear to
Lord Viu.
EDITORS NOTES
In Texts 47-67 rla
Vysadeva glorifies the
malak
*
(Dhtr
*
) plant,
a.k.a. eng. Indian Gooseberry,
which is simultaneously one
with rmat Tulas Dev
both being dear to Viuyet
different in appearance and although many
spiritual benefits are similar, yet different also.
Result? Devotees should keep and love BOTH.
For details on growing malak see Appendix 1.
TEXT 48
r'^''='''!'!9 ''! ''!r'Br' ='r'! !
!'^'''!r'^' r'!r'! '=''r' '!'' !!<!!
tulas-vkam sdya
y ys tihanti devat
malakys tale ts t
nivasanti dvijottama
tulas-vkama tree of rmat Tulas Dev;
sdyahaving taken shelter; y yall those
who; tihantidwell; devatdemigods;
malakyof the malak tree; taleat the root;
t tthose; nivasantireside; dvija-uttamaO
best Brhmaa.
O best Brhmaa, the demigods who dwell in
rmat Tulas Devs plant, also reside at the
roots of malak
*
tree.
EDITORS NOTES
rla Vysadeva
*
in reply mentions that Dhtr
*
is also dear to Lord Viu, and one would think
therefore, albeit, not as dear as rmat Tulas Dev
is, if one doesnt have Dhtr
*
(malak
*
) but has
rmat Tulas Dev present, they have the spiritual
benedictions of worshipping Dhtr
*
, yet its not
the other way around.
Yet, in this loka
*
48 rla Vysadeva says that
the spiritual benedictions one gets from rmat
Tulas Dev one can get from Dhtr
*
.
Still people may keep Dhtr
*
in pots near
rmat Tulas Dev around the world indoors or
outdoors as one does rmat Tulas Dev.
TEXT 49
!f`!' ' r''!' r''=' '''' !
=''! '''r''! ''!' ''=''! ''' r'Br' !! !!
gagdni ca trthni
tatraiva dvija-sattama
viu-priyatam dhtr
pavitr yatra tihati
gag-dnisuch as the river Gag; caand;
trthnithe holy places; tatraare there; eva
certainly; dvija-sattamaO best Brhmaa; viu
of Lord Viu; priyatammost dear; dhtr
Dhtr tree; pavitrpure; yatrawhere; tihati
there is.
O best Brhmaa
*
, the holy places such as Gag
*
reside wherever pure Dhtr
*
which is most dear
to Lord Viu
*
grows.
EDITORS NOTES
In Hari-bhakti-vilsa (9.239) it is said:
yasmin ghe bhavet toya
tulas-dala-vsitam
dhtr-phalai ca viprendra
ggeyai ki prayojanam
O foremost Brhmaa, what is the need of
Gag water for a person in whose house there is
water in which Tulas leaves and the pulp of
malak
*
fruit have been placed?
By mentioningWhat is the need?this verse
is stating that it means that ordinary water that
containing rmat Tulas Devs leaves and
malak, is non different from Gag water. The
readers may like to note that many people like to
store Gag water for use later, and often lament if
they dont have Gag water to use for auspicious
functions.
TEXT 50
'!+' ='! '!+' ='!'' ''r`'!'^'`r'^' !
`''r' '!'='='' +'=''r'r''''''' !! ' !!
aubha v ubha vpi
yat karmmalak-tale
kriyate mnavair vipra
bhavet tat satyam akayam
aubhaminauspicious; vor; ubham
auspicious; vor; apialso; yatwhatever;
karmaact; malakof malak tree; taleat the
root; kriyateis done; mnavaiby men; vipra
O Brhmaa; bhavetbecomes; tatthat; satyam
certainly; akayaminexhaustible.
Acts done by men at the root of malak
*
,
auspicious or inauspicious, certainly become
inexhaustible, O Brhmaa.
TEXT 51
''='''r'' '''''!''! '' '''''' !
' ' ` ''!'''!^'' '!'''' ^'+'r' 6 !! ' !!
pavitrair ntanai patrair
dhtry ya pjayed dharim
sa mukta ppa-jlena
syujya labhate hare
pavitraiwith pure; ntanaifresh; patrai
leaves; dhtryof Dhtr tree; yaone who;
pjayetworships; harimLord Hari; sahe;
muktabeing freed; ppaof sins; jlenafrom
the network; syujyaman impersonal liberation;
labhateattains; hareof Lord Hari.
One who worships Lord Hari with pure, fresh
leaves of Dhtr
*
, is freed from masses of sins and
attains the syujya liberation (merging with Lord
Viu).
EDITORS NOTES
Although devotees of the Lord do not aspire for
the impersonal kind of liberation, but rather
despise it, other followers of Vedas including
karma-kas
*
and impersonalists also often
worship Lord Viu as part of their daily religious
practice. Therefore it should be understood that
this verse does not imply that one would have to
accept this kind of liberation by such worship,
rather it is stated here just to inspire those who
may be interested in it to worship the Lord.
As stated in rmad Bhgavatam (2.3.10),
akma sarva-kmo v
moka-kma udra-dh
tvrea bhakti-yogena
yajeta purua param
A person who has broader intelligence, whether
he be full of all material desire, without any
material desire, or desiring liberation, must by
all means worship the supreme whole, the
Personality of Godhead.
The editors are presently trying to find out
precisely how one utilizes the leaves of Dhtr in
the Lords service. The readers may look to the
future updates on this verse!
TEXT 52
''!' ' r'^''=' ' r'B9' ' '' !
'!' r'''='' ''!?' ' `''!`^' ^'+'r' !!'!!
dhtr ca tulas-dev
na tihed yatra jaimine
sthna tad apavitra syn
na ca kriy-phala labhet
dhtrDhtr tree; caor; tulas-devrmat
Tulas Dev; nadoes not; tihetexist; yatra
where; jaimineO Jaimini; sthnamplace; tat
that; apavitramimpure; sytis; nanot; ca
and; kriyof activity; phalamresult; labhetis
obtained.
O Jaimini, a place where there is neither rmat
Tulas Dev nor a Dhtr
*
tree is impure. Acts
performed there will not bear result.
TEXT 53
' r'Br''!'' '''' ''!' ' r'^'' '!+'! !
r'' `' `r' '=' ' ' !r' ''`^'' !!'!!
na tihaty rame yasya
dhtr ca tulas ubh
tena karma kta sarva
nna gacchati niphalam
nadoes not; tihatiexist; ramein the
hermitage or home; yasyawhose; dhtrDhtr
tree; caor; tulasrmat Tulas Dev; ubh
auspicious; tenaby him; karmaactivity; ktam
performed; sarvamall; nnamcertainly;
gacchatibecomes; niphalamfruitless.
All activity performed in ones hermitage is
fruitless if the auspicious rmat Tulas Dev or
Dhtr
*
trees are absent there.
TEXT 54
''!''! r'^'''! 6' ' '^''' '''' +'' !
^'' ''!r'` '=' `^'N r' ' r'!''r' !!'!!
dhtry tulasy hna ca
nilaya yasya bhsura
alakm ptaka sarva
kali ca tena toita
dhtryDhtr tree; tulasyrmat Tulas Dev;
hnamwithout; caand; nilayamresidence;
yasyawhose; bh-suraO Brhmaa (lit.
demigod on earth); alakmpoverty; ptakam
sins; sarvamall; kaliquarrel; caand; tena
by him; toitais experienced.
O Brhmaa, if there is no plants of rmat
Tulas Dev and Dhtr in ones house, one
experiences poverty, all kinds of sin, and quarrel.
TEXT 55
'!' r''''B ' ''!' r'^'' ' ' !
'''!!'r'^'' '!' r'7''' r'=''!+' !!''!!
sthne tasmin dvija-reha
na dhtr tulas na ca
mana-tulya sthna tad
vijeya tattva-daribhi
sthnein place; tasminthat; dvija-rehaO
best among Brhmaas; nais not there; dhtr
Dhtr; tulasrmat Tulas Dev; nais not
there; caand; manaas crematorium; tulyam
as good; sthnamplace; tatthat; vijeyam
should be regarded; tattva-daribhiby learned.
The wise should look upon places without
rmat Tulas Dev or Dhtr
*
as a cremation
ground, O best Brhmaa.
EDITORS NOTES
na dhtr sa-phal yatra
na vius tulas-vanam
tat mana-sama sthna
santi yatra na vaiav
That place where there is no malak
*
tree,
where there is no Deity of Lord Viu, where
there is no forest of rmat Tulas Devs plants,
and where there are no Vaiavas is no better
than a crematorium. (Hari-bhakti-vilsa 9.118)
At the end of the story about Yajadhvaja that is
found in the Bhan-nradya Pura it is stated,
yad ghe nsti tulas
lagrma-ilrcane
mana-sada vidyt
tad-gha ubha-varjitam
The house where there is no rmat Tulas Dev
plant for the worship of the lagrma-il
*
is
compared to a crematorium because it is very
inauspicious. (Hari-bhakti-vilsa 7.261)
TEXT 56
''!' ' r'^'' ''' r'B''!^'^'! '! !
' ''!'r'^''''' r''='!^'^'''!r'`' !! ' !!
dhtr ca tulas yatra
tihet tatrkhil sur
na dhtr-tulas-patra
tatraivkhila-ptakam
dhtrDhtr; caor; tulasrmat Tulas
Dev; yatrawhere; tihetexists; tatrathere;
akhilall; surdemigods; na(where) does
not exist; dhtrDhtr; tulasof rmat Tulas
Dev; patramleaf; tatrathere are; eva
certainly; akhilaall; ptakamsins.
All demigods dwell where rmat Tulas Dev or
Dhtr
*
are growing, while all sins thrive where
there are leaves of neither rmat Tulas Dev
nor Dhtr.
TEXT 57
''!'`^''' ''r' ''!''6'` ='6 ''' !
r'''!'r'' r'' =''! '! r'B''! '6 !!'~!!
dhtr-phala-sraja yas tu
ppa-hantr vahed budha
tasyritya tanu viu
sad tihec chriy saha
dhtrof Dhtr; phalaof fruits; srajama
garland; yawho; tucertainly; ppaof sins;
hantrmthe destroyer; vahetwears; budha
wise; tasyain his; rityaaccepting as
residence; tanumbody; viuLord Viu; sad
always; tihetresides; riyGoddess Lakm;
sahaalong with.
Lord Viu
*
with Goddess Lakm
*
reside in the
body of a wise man who wears a garland of
Dhtr
*
fruit which destroys sins.
EDITORS NOTES
This verse shows
that not only
should all devotees
wear malak
necklaces on the
neck further down
on the chest for
easy removal so as
not to wear at night or
while showering,
additionally devotees
may choose to grow a
Dhtr (malak) tree in
their residences as well
as they grow rmat Tulas Dev reverently.
The editors are presently trying to manufacture
these very necklaces, when the manufacturing
process for the same has suitably become timely
and effective the correct manufacturing process
will be delineated herein.
TEXT 58
''!'`!B'' '!^'! ' ''! ='6'r''!?' !
r''' 6 ''!'r'' r'Br' '='='r'! !! '< !!
dhtr-khasya ml ca
yo vahen matimn nara
tasya deha samritya
tihanti sarva-devat
dhtrof Dhtr; khasyamade of wood;
mlma garland; caand; yawho; vahet
wears; mati-mnan intelligent; naraperson;
tasyain his; dehambody; samrityataking
complete shelter; tihantireside; sarvaall;
devatdemigods.
All demigods reside in the bodies of the
intelligent men who wear garlands of Dhtr
*
wood.
TEXT 59
''!'`^''' !K' ''r`' ``r' ' !
r'r'=''''' '! ` '!+' ='! '' ='!'!+'' !! ' !!
dhtr-phala-sraja ghan
yat karma kurute nara
tat sarvam akaya prokta
ubha v yadi vubham
dhtrof Dhtr; phalafruits; srajama
garland; ghanwhile wearing; yatwhatever;
karmaact; kuruteperforms; naraa person;
tatthat; sarvamall; akayaminexhaustible;
proktamis said; ubhamauspicious; vor;
yadiwhether; vor; ubhaminauspicious.
All ones acts, auspicious or inauspicious, are
said to be inexhaustible, if one wears a garland of
Dhtr
*
fruit.
EDITORS NOTES
Naturally one will have to answer by the law of
karma
*
for any activity that one has done. Wearing
malak garlands on ones neck shows that one
happily is ready to accept this fact. Accept or not,
we WILL get the slaps or sweetsprecisely only
the reactions one deserve. As Nti-stra claims, If
ones mind and senses are controlled ones
reputation follows one like ones shadow. If ones
mind and senses are NOT controlled, ones
reputation follows one like ones shadow. (source
under research) Thus either good or bad activity
one should be happy to accept any reaction the
good Lord chooses for one.
Some people think mistakenly that if theyll
wear malak* seed necklaces theyll not be able to
sin and therefore they shouldnt wear them at all,
should note that the benefits of wearing them far
outweigh any so called opposite reactions to them
not wearing it. The people should never worry at
all- simply buy and wear them! Period!
TEXT 60
''r' ''!'`^' +'5` '!'='!'^'^' r'='='r' !
r'66!+''r''!'' '=' ''!'' ='''''r' !! !!
yas tu dhtr-phala bhukte
mnavo khila-tattva-vit
tad dehbhyantara-sthyi
sarva ppa vinayati
yawho; tuindeed; dhtrof Dhtr; phalam
fruit; bhukteeats; mnavaa man; akhila
of all; tattvatruth; vitthe knower; tathis;
deha-abhyantarainside the body; sthyi
situated; sarvamall; ppamsins; vinayatiget
destroyed.
All sins that stay in ones body are destroyed
when one eats a Dhtr
*
fruit. That person knows
all truths.
EDITORS NOTES
Thus even if one lives in cold climatical areas of
the globe, still one should keep dried or made into
Jam- malak fruit.
TEXT 61
''!'`^''''` '!^'! ''! ='6 '''' !
'='' '! '!6!r'' '='''!''6 ''' !! !!
dhtr-phala-may ml
yo vahed dvija-sattama
bravmi u mhtmya
sarva-ppa-hara param
dhtrof Dhtr; phala-maymmade of fruit;
mlmgarland; yawho; vahetwears; dvija-
sattamaO best Brhmaa; bravmiI shall tell;
ulisten; mhtmyamglories; sarvaof all;
ppasins; haramthe destroyer; paramgreat.
O best Brhmaa, I shall now tell you the glories
of wearing a garland of Dhtr
*
fruit. Listen, for
hearing that supreme glorification destroys all
sins.
EDITORS NOTES
na jahyt tulas-ml
dhtr-ml vieata
mah-ptaka-sahantr
dharma-kmrtha-dyinm
One should not fail to wear rmat Tulas
Devs beads (kept on the hands or neck) made
from Her wood, and especially, malak
*
beads.
This practice destroys all sinful reactions and
awards one success in religiosity, economic
development, and sense gratification. (Hari-
bhakti-vilsa 4.318)
dhtr-phala-kt ml
tulas-kha-sambhav
dyate yasya dehe tu
sa vai bhgavatottama
tulas-dalaj ml
dhtr-phala-ktpi ca
dadti ppin mukti
ki punar viu-sevinm
A devotee who is decorated with garlands of
Dhtr
*
fruit and rmat Tulas Devs beads
made of Her wood, is a topmost Vaiava
*
.
Garlands of rmat Tulas Devs leaves and
malak
*
fruit can award salvation to even the
most sinful people. (Hari-bhakti-vilsa 4.323,
325)
Therefore, intelligent people should wear
malak
*
seed necklaces long enough to reach the
middle of their chest, albeit, one should avoid
showering or sleeping with it to avoid the fragile
seeds breaking up.
In the Hari-bhakti-vilsa (4.329-330) it is said,
yvad dinni vahate
dhtr-ml kalau nara
tvad-yuga-sahasri
vaikuhe vasatir bhavet
ml-yugma vahed yas tu
dhtr-tulasi-sabhavam
vahate kaha-dee tu
kalpa-koi diva vaset
In the age of Kali
*
, a person becomes qualified
to reside in Vaikuha
*
for as many thousands of
years as the number of days he keeps a bead
made of malak
*
fruit around his neck. A person
who always wears beads made of Dhtr
*
fruit
and rmat Tulas Dev on his neck becomes
eligible to reside in the heavenly planets for
millions of kalpas
*
.
The Supreme Lord spoke the following verse to
Lord Yamarja
*
(the demigod who punishes the
sinful), as recorded in the Skanda Pura,
dhtr-phala ca tulas
mtyu-kle bhaved yadi
mukhe yasya ire dehe
durgatir nsti tasya vai
There can never be degradation for a person
whose mouth, head, and body is decorated with
rmat Tulas Devs leaves or malak
*
fruit.
Gautama Muni
*
speaks to Ambara Mahrja
*
,
vibhari kahe tva nitya
dhtr-phala-samudbhavm
ml makhyuta-sam
tulas-patra-sambhavm
Do you wear beads made from malak
*
fruit on
your neck? Do you place on your head rmat
Tulas Devs garland that was offered to the
Lord? (Hari-bhakti-vilsa 13.309)
There are sixty-four types of worship involving
the body, senses and mind. In his Bhakti-
rasmta-sindhu (1.2.84) rla Rpa Gosvm
*
describes one of these types, number 23, as dhtir
nirmlyde which means wearing the garlands,
flowers and sandalwood offered to the Deity.
Then in verse 1.2.125 rla Rpa Gosvm
*
explains this rule in more detailnirmlya-dhti,
yath ekdaeWearing the garlands used by the
Lord (verse 1.2.84), shown in the Eleventh Canto
of rmad-Bhgavatam (11.6.46) quoting r
Uddhava
*
,
tvayopabhukta-srag-gandha-
vso lakra-carcit
ucchia-bhojino dss
tava my jayema hi
Simply by decorating ourselves with the
garlands, fragrant oils, clothes and ornaments
that You have already enjoyed, and by eating the
remnants of Your meals, we, Your servants, will
indeed conquer Your illusory energy.
rla Santana Gosvm
*
also describes this
word nirmlya in Hari-bhakti-vilsa (4.319) by
quoting from Agastya-sahit,
nirmlya-tulas-ml-
yukto ya crcayed dharim
yad yat karoti tat sarvam
ananta-phala-da bhavet
By engaging in the worship of the Supreme Lord
and performing other ritualistic activities after
putting on a garland of rmat Tulas Dev that
was offered to the Lord, one achieves unlimited
benefit.
In his own Digdari commentary to this verse
(319), rla Santana Gosvm explains, nirmalya
bhagavacchea, tad-rp y tulas-ml tay
yukta san, Nirmlya means the remnants of the
Lord. One should wear exactly this kind of Tulas
garlands.
This verse shows that not only can one wear
offered flower garlands that are first offered to the
Lord. One may also wear rmat Tulas Devs
garlands that are first offered as well. Not only that
but this verse shows that (for those living in warm
climes) although one usually will never offer
rmat Tulas Devs garlands to akti-tattva
*
Deities (i.e. rmat Rdhr
*
or Subhadr Dev
*
).
If a worshipper has profuse extra garlands made of
rmat Tulas Dev, any worshiper may privately
touch the hand of r
*
Rdh
*
(or Subhadr Dev)
with rmat Tulas Devs garland placing it on
Her Lords neck, and take it off His neck and place
it immediately on the neck of that akti-tattva
*
Deity (rmat Rdhr or Subhadr Dev etc).
Touch another of rmat Tulas Devs garland to
the akti-tattva Deities hand and place it on the
neck of Their Lord. Both of Them will certainly be
happy with you. You may have to explain it to the
public however.
TEXT 62
'''!!'''' ''! 'r''r''' ''!6='''!!r' !
!f`!'!' '''' ''!'!r' ' ''!'' !! !!
mane pi yad mtyus
tasya syd daiva-yogata
gag-maraa-ja puya
samprpnoti na saaya
manein a crematorium; apieven; yad
when; mtyudeath; tasyaof him; syt
happens; daiva-yogataby providence; gag-
maraa-jamresulted from dying at the river
Gag; puyamthe pious credit; samprpnoti
he attains; na saayathere is no doubt.
Even if, by chance, one (who wears such
neckbeads made of rmat Tulas Devs beads
kept on the hands or on ones neckmade from
Her wood, and especially, malak beads) dies in
a cremation ground, he obtains the pious merit of
dying at Gag
*
. There is no doubt about it.
EDITORS NOTES
There may be many reasons why one attending
a cremation dies, often due to shock at the
departure of a loved one etc. Everyone is on the
path of death, its a question of how long and
where one will die. Knowing this fact, therefore,
one should give rmat Tulas Devs neckbeads
and malak necklaces to ones relatives quickly!
Even if they are sinful or condemnable, these two
will somehow or other purify them eventually.
TEXT 63
r' B! ''!''' '=' ''!'''!^' '!`! !
'9 =' ''''r' ''`!`'!r''' !! !!
ta dv ppina sarve
ppa-jlai sudruai
sadya eva pramucyante
janma-koi-atair api
tamhim; dvseeing; ppinasinners; sarve
all; ppaof sins; jlaiby the networks; su-
druaifierce; sadyaimmediately; eva
indeed; pramucyanteare released; janmabirths;
koimillions; ataiby thousands; apieven.
Seeing that person (who wears such a necklace)
sinners are instantly freed from heaps of very
fierce sins, even those committed during millions
of previous births.
TEXT 64
'r'' !K!r' ='' ''! ''!'`^'`'' !
' ' ^'+'r'''' ''!'!r' ' ''!'' !!!!
nitya ghti viprendra
yo dhtr-phala-kardamam
dine dine labhet puya
samprpnoti na saaya
nityamalways; ghtiaccepts; vipra-indraO
best Brhmaa; yawho; dhtrof Dhtr;
phalaof fruits; kardamama lump; dine dine
day after day; labhetgains; puyamthe piety;
samprpnotiattains completely; na saaya
there is no doubt.
There is no doubt, O best Brhmaa, that one
who eats a lump of a Dhtr
*
fruit every day
obtains permanent pious merit.
EDITORS NOTE
Therefore even if ones climate doesnt allow the
tree to grow still one should keep stock of
malak
*
fruit, either dried or made into jam.
TEXT 65
''!'r'` ' ''! 6r' '='='!!!'''' !
' !r' 6 ! '!r' '!r''' ''!'' !! ' !!
dhtr-taru ca yo hanti
sarva-deva-garayam
sa dadti harer ange
ghta nsty atra saaya
dhtr-taruma Dhtr tree; caand; yaone
who; hantiharms; sarvaall; deva-gaa
demigods; rayamthe shelter; sahe; dadti
gives; hareof Lord Hari; ageon the body;
ghtamhurts; na astithere is no; atrain this
regard; saayadoubt.
There is no doubt that one who harms a Dhtr
*
tree, the residence of all demigods, hurts the
body of Lord Hari.
EDITORS NOTES
Protecting a garden of rmat Tulas Dev by
constructing a fence was mentioned in Text 21.
Now its mentioned here that one should protect
the Dhtr
*
plant also from harm by dogs,
monkeys, bad-natured human beings etc.
TEXT 66
'='='''' ''!' =''!''!r`'!=''''! !
'''='` !! r'''! '!!'' ' '!''r' !!!!
sarva-deva-may dhtr
viet keava-priy
samyag vaktu gua tasy
brahmapi na akyate
sarva-deva-maythe abode of all demigods;
dhtrDhtr; vietespecially; keava-priy
dear to Lord Keava; samyakcompletely; vaktum
to describe; guamqualities; tasyof Her;
brahmaby Lord Brahm; apieven; nanot;
akyatepossible.
Dhtr
*
is the residence of all demigods. She is
especially dear to Lord Keava
*
. Even Lord
Brahm
*
cannot completely describe Her virtues.
EDITORS NOTES
According to the Puras
*
Lord Brahm
*
is
manifested as the Pala
*
tree and is the husband
of Sarasvat
*
Dev (malak
*
) the Goddess of
mundane learning, yet herein it is mentioned even
Lord Brahm cant fully describe her virtues. So
there must be more glories in the Puras. Even if
one cant fully describe someones glories whatever
one does know is sufficient to start serving.
In this regard in rmad-Bhgavatam (2.7.41) in
the conversation between Lord Brahm and his
divine son r Nrada Muni it is said,
nnta vidmy aham am munayo gra-js te
my-balasya puruasya kuto var ye
gyan gun daa-atnana di-deva
eo dhunpi samavasyati nsya pram
Neither I nor all the sages born before you know
fully the omnipotent Personality of Godhead. So
what can others, who are born after us, know
about Him? Even the first incarnation of the
Lord, namely ea, has not been able to reach the
limit of such knowledge, although He is
describing the qualities of the Lord with ten
hundred faces.
Also in rmad-Bhgavatam (2.7.46) continuing
further, it is said,
te vai vidanty atitaranti ca deva-my
str-dra-ha-abar api ppa-jv
yady adbhuta-krama-paryaa-la-iks
tiryag-jan api kim u ruta-dhra ye
Surrendered souls, even from groups leading
sinful lives, such as women, the laborer class, the
mountaineers and the Siberians, or even the
birds and beasts, can also know about the science
of Godhead and become liberated from the
clutches of the illusory energy by surrendering
unto the pure devotees of the Lord and by
following in their footsteps in devotional
service.
la-ik means to learn what is proper
behavior, kim u ruta-dhra ye means what to
speak of the good fortune of one who holds
(memorizes) what they hear.
TEXT 67
''!''!r'^'''! ='''!r' +'`
''! '!'='! 7'!r'''r'r'=' !
+'r='! ' +'!!!' '`^'!r'r'!'r'
' '`'!'! r' 6 ''!!r' !! ~ !!
dhtrys tulasy vidadhti bhakti
yo mnavo jta-samasta-tattva
bhuktv ca bhogn sakals tato nte
sa muktim pnoti hare prasdt
dhtryof Dhtr; tulasyof rmat Tulas
Dev; vidadhtiperforms; bhaktimservice; ya
who; mnavaa man; jtaby whom is
understood; samastaall; tattvathe above-
mentioned truth; bhuktvafter enjoying; ca
and; bhognmaterial gains; sakalnall; tata
there after; anteat the end; sahe; muktim
liberation; pnotiattains; hareof Lord Hari;
prasdtdue to the grace.
One who, knowing the entire truth, has devotion
for rmat Tulas Dev and Dhtr
*
enjoys all
pleasures, and at the end attains liberation by the
grace of Lord Hari.
EDITORS NOTES
Knowing means application. Without practical
application in ones life how does one prove to
others that one knows something? Therefore
knowing means concrete application in ones life.
Knowing means jna, knowledge, and practical
application means vijna, realized knowledge.
The application of realized knowledge is more
important than having some simple knowledge
with no application.
r' '''1''!! `''!''!!'!
r'^'''!6!r'' '!' 'r'=''!!''''!''
iti r-padma-pure kriy-yoga-sre
tulas-mhtmya nma catur-vio dhyya
itithus; r-padma-purein the Padma Pura;
kriy-yoga-srein the section called Kry-yoga-
sra; tulas-mhtmyamthe glories of rmat
Tulas Dev; nmaknown as; catur-via
twenty fourth; adhyyachapter.
Thus ends the twenty-fourth chapter of the
Kriy-yoga-sra section of the Padma Pura,
entitled The Greatness of rmat Tulas Dev.
CONCLUSION
bhagavatys tulasys tu
mhtmymta-sgare
lobht krditum icchmi
kudras tat kamyat tvay
O Goddess rmat Tulas Dev, although I am
most insignificant, I am trying to plunge into the
nectarean ocean of Your glories, out of intense
eagerness. Please forgive my offenses.
EDITORS NOTES
This verse is from the Hari-bhakti-vilsa
(9.105).
The editors have exhaustively tried to provide
the reader with the best research and evidences
that they are presently able to obtain. It is hoped
that this will invoke the pleasure and blessings of
r Gurudeva, the Supreme Lord, along with
rmat Tulas Dev and Her servants. If one is
somehow not able or desirous to make concrete
efforts to apply these instructions tangibly in ones
life,
1) They may not have faith in these
instructions;
2) They are too deeply distracted by the illusory
energy to take full or partial advantage of them.
As Benjamin Franklin, one of the USA founding
fathers, quipped, A man convinced against his
will is of the same opinion still.
APPENDIX 1
Additional information
Magalcaraa
rla Gopparaadhana Prabhu writes in his
commentary to the Tattva-sandarbha of rla Jva
Gosvm
*
:
The word magala-caraa literally means
an enactment of auspiciousness, usually in
the form of a sanctifying poetic invocation. Lit-
erary tradition in India dictated that authors be-
gin their serious works with one or more verses
of magalcaraa. The often-cited reasons for
this convention are two: first, that such prayers
help remove obstacles to assure the successful
completion of a book; and second, that cultured
authorities have set such a precedent. As men-
tioned in the Govinda-bhya-skma-k
(1.1.1), nirvighnyai tat-prtaye icra-pari-
prpta-...magalam carati: To remove
obstacles and assure the completion of a work,
one should offer an auspicious invocation, fol-
lowing the precedent of the cultured. And even
if inferior writers get mediocre results by fol-
lowing the tradition, great authors use the
magalcaraa to summarize a books message
concisely and establish at the very outset an el-
evated level of discourse.
rla Kadsa Kavirja Gosvm, after offer-
ing his magalcraa at the start of r Caitan-
ya-caritmta (di 1.22), lists the purposes an
invocation serves:
se magalcaraa haya tri-vidha prakra
vastu-nirdea, rvda, namaskra
The magalcaraa may do three things:
define the objective, offer benedictions, and of-
fer obeisances.
With these two verses the editor offers his
obeisances to his guru and all predecessors in the
disciplic succession as well as all other superiors.
The source of the first verse is not yet found. The
second verse is composed in 1975 by Pait
Ananta str, the Sanskrit professor at the Ka-
Balarma Gurukula.
(Back to Magalcaraa )
Text 8
Regarding Lord Nairti, it is stated in the
Mahbhrata 1.60.52-53,
prajnm anna-kmnm
anyonya-paribhakat
adharmas tatra sajta
sarva-bhta-vinana
Adharma (sin) was born when creatures from
want of food began to devour one another. And
Adharma always destroys every creature.
tasypi nirtir bhry
nairt yena rkas
ghors tasys traya putr
ppakarma rat sad
bhayo mahbhaya caiva
mtyur bhtntakas tath
And Adharma has Nirti for his wife from whom
three terrible Rakasa
*
sons always engaged in
sinful deeds where born who are thus called
Nairtas (offspring of Nirti). They are Bhaya
(fear), Mahbhaya (terror), and Mtyu (death)
the slayer of all created things.
So by the name Nairti here the death
personified is referred to. In other places he is also
called Nirti. He is subordinate to Lord Yamarja,
as it is described in the eighth chapter of the
Narasiha Pura where Mtyu and Yamadtas
were instructed by their lord after being chased
away and wounded by Viudtas
*
at the attempt
to seize Mrkaeya i who was performing
severe austerities and worshipping Lord Hari.
The name Nirti can also refer to one of the
Vasus or one of the Rudras, but these meanings do
not seem to fit here.
In rmad-Bhgavatam (10.89.43-44, word-for-
word meanings) it is said that Lord Nirti is the
subordinate god of death, a happy servant of Lord
Yamarja, but distinct from the latter.
Lord Yamarja is glorified in rmad-
Bhgavatam (6.3.20) as a mahjanaa very great
soul, a very very great devotee of the Lord. He is
serving in the universal management of Lord
Brahm as the lord of death who punishes the
sinful. Lord Niriti is so fortunate.
Who wouldnt feel blessed to be Lord
Yamarjas subordinate servant?(Back to Text 8)
Text 16
About the 3 in 1 probe.
This nice probe is available at major plant stores
or otherwise order online (e.g. see
www.1topstore.com/product_info.php?
language=en&currency=USD&products_id=5453).
The purveyors of fine goods in devotional shops
may order it online in bulk:
1) to save the shipping costs of ordering it
individually;
2) people are often lazy and they mostly wont
order it online even if it is so beneficial for Tulass
service what to speak of other house plants?
Therefore the purveyors of devotional shops
should order it providing it for them.
The proper light is about 6500 Kelvin units,
usually, 3 such lamps are suspended: one directly
above Her and the other 2 on each side of Her.
Regarding PHwhich is the alkalinity vs
acidity of Her soil. rmat Tulas Devs soil should
be 5.5 PH slightly on the alkaline side. (Back to
Text 16)
Text 18
rmat Ina dev ds, who has a college
major in Botanical science, kindly gave her
opinions on soil fertilizers as follows,
If you have a good ready-made potting soil,
then nothing needs to be added. The exception
would be if you are transplanting into a very big
pot, and by very big, I mean one that is about 20-
24" deep or deeper. For a while everything will be
fine in these big pots, but over time, they will start
to settle down and will become too compacted.
Adding sand, or perlite, is one way to help avoid
this soil compaction problem (I have read on the
package of one brand of potting soil not
recommended for pots over 24, and this is why).
If you are in a remote area where you have only
a very sandy soil for rmat Tulas Dev, then
please start compost with your veggie clippings.
When the veggies turn into compost, you can add
that to your soil to improve the soil structure. The
only problem with using a very sandy soil is with
the lack of water retention, and corresponding lack
of nutrient retention. You will have to water more
often, and also feed Her more often. Mixing
compost into the soil will help (neem cake, the
leftover from pressing neem oil out of the neem
seeds, is supposed to be an excellent soil addition,
if any of that is available). Well-composted manure
can also be used. Always be careful using manure
on rmat Tulas Dev in a pot: not only should it
be thoroughly composted and dried as the editor
suggested, but it is also high in salts, and one will
have to guard against too high a salt buildup in the
pot (and this is why some of the manures available
in bags at the garden centers are labeled Not for
container plants).
I would recommend the products from Medina
Agriculture, in Hondo, Tx. I use their Hasta-gro
@ and it is very good. They do use urea as their
source of nitrogen in Hasta-gro but the urea is
made from ammonium mixed with dry ice (CO2).
It is just a more stable compound for adding
nitrogen to a mix. I dont see a problem using it.
The problem with chemical fertilizers is that they
do nothing for the soil and the organisms in the
soil. Medina adds soil microbes and also food for
those soil microbes. You can buy the products
individually, or you can get the Hasta-gro @
which has the NPK nutrients along with the soil
conditioners and food for those microbes already
added. It is a three in one product. The source of
these extras is sea kelp and humic acid. Medina
also has agricultural molasses, which is essentially
the same as the biobizz products (a Dutch
company which has gone out of business).
rman Patraka dsa also shares his expert
opinion about soil,
I used sand in the past, but now I have found
that it really doesnt help much. Heres why:
1) Most potting mixes have perlite mixed in with
it. The perlite is basically to add air to the soil and
to help with drainage. Sand is not useful unless the
soil is very high in clay content. If you have too
much clay, then sand will break it up and allow for
better drainage. But no potting soil ever has clay in
it anyway so there is little need for sand in this
regard.
2) In the summer, the intense heat usually dries up
rmat Tulas Devs pots pretty quick. If you have
sand in the pot, rmat Tulas Dev does not have
as much soil to hold water, which means the pot
dries out much faster than pots without sand.
Even if you water Her thoroughly, most of it
drains away quickly, and what remains is held by
some peat moss or other organic matter in the soil.
The more sand you add, then naturally you have
less of the other stuff, so you end up with a soil
that doesnt retain so much water. Really hot days
will easily cook the soil dry and you are left with
wilted rmat Tulas Dev all the time. Also, it is
important to add that when She experiences too
much stress due to heat, She will send down roots
in search of water. Since the roots cant go deep (as
they would if they were actually in the ground),
they end up going round and round in circles in
the bottom of the pot. Instant root-bound rmat
Tulas Dev!
I would only use sand if you are making the soil
mix yourself and you have to use real topsoil from
the garden or wherever you are getting topsoil
from. I have seen people use garden soil in pots,
and usually it will rot Her roots unless you use
something to break it up and get good drainage.
That is the only situation where I can justify the
use of sand.
Regarding rman Patraka dsas analysis,
rmat Ina Dev ds gives her agreement,
I agree with this. Only in a big big pot do you
have to worry about normal potting soil not being
good enough. And I have found out that perlite
would be a better soil fluffer than sand. (Back to
Text 18)
Text 30
Regarding this statement that service to the
Lords devotee is better than service to the Lord
Himself, editors guru writes in his purport to
rmad-Bhgavatam (2.4.10):
Not only was ukadeva Gosvm vastly learned
in the Vedic literatures, but he was also a great
self-realized soul and a powerful devotee of the
Lord. A powerful devotee of the Lord is, by the
grace of the Lord, more than the Lord Himself.
The Personality of Godhead r Rmacandra
attempted to bridge the Indian Ocean to reach the
island of Lak, but r Hanumnj, the unalloyed
devotee of the Personality of Godhead, could cross
the ocean simply by jumping over it. The Lord is
so merciful upon His pure devotee that He
presents His beloved devotee as more powerful
than Himself. The Lord expressed Himself to be
unable to save Durvs Muni, although the Muni
was so powerful that he could reach the Lord
directly under material conditions. But Durvs
Muni was saved by Mahrja Ambara, a devotee
of the Lord. Therefore, not only is a devotee of the
Lord more powerful than the Lord, but also
worship of the devotee is considered more
effective than direct worship of the Lord (mad-
bhakta-pjbhyadhik [SB 11.19.21]).
rmad-Bhgavatam (11.19.21), purport:
The words mad-bhakta-pjbhyadhik are
significant in this verse. Abhyadhik indicates
superior quality. The Lord is extremely satisfied
with those who offer worship to His pure devotees,
and He rewards them accordingly. Because of the
Lords generous appraisal of His pure devotees,
worship of the pure devotees is described as
superior to worship of the Lord Himself.
(Back to Text 30)
Text 47
People may think that they might have seen a
Dhtr tree growing locally, but they should know
that Dhtr grows outside in Zone 10 climate areas.
Indian Gooseberry grows well in Zone 10A
(Hawaii and Southern California, Florida, some
parts of Southern Europe).
If one is growing it in other nearby areas better
to check up with the local botanical garden or
local tree nurseries how best to grow it outdoors.
One may have to put mulch of grass clippings in
the cold winter months (as low as 30F/-1C), with
branches taped over with tree tape and a plastic
screen kept to prevent cold drafts from the top
branches.
See http://www.gardenguides.com/75504-grow-
amla.html This site has good guides to grow
malak in warm areas like Malaysia, India, China.
How far north it will grow is any nursery mans
best guess. Yet no harm trying in warm climes!
In other places where there are devotees it can
also be grown, but keep it inside in the coldest
months, as even in North Florida the growing
Zone is 8B (Alachua area) and Indian Gooseberry
grows best in 10A (Miami area). You may have to
take extra care for the first 3 years of outside life in
Zone 8B. The lowest winter temperature must be
no less than 30F so as to protect the branches in
the winter if one cant keep it indoors. This tree
may also grow in southern Europe and other fairly
warm climes.
Saintly persons in other colder areas will be
forced to keep their Dhtr plants in clay pots
indoors and heated suitably as one does rmat
Tulas Dev.
Inside or outsidelet these divine trees fruiting
nicely be in every devotees yard wherever possible!
(Back to Text 47)
Glossary
cryaa spiritual master who teaches by his
own example, and who sets the proper religious
example for all human beings
Acyuta(lit. infallible) name of Lord Ka
Agastya (flower)a small tree, in the genus
SesbaniaSesbania grandiflora (also known as
agati, syn. Aeschynomene grandiflora) or
hummingbird tree or scarlet wisteria
Agnithe demigod who controls fire
Ajmilaa fallen Brhmaa who was saved from
hell by unintentionally chanting the Lords
name at the time of death
Akaya-tritiya third day of waxing moon of
lunar month of Vaikha; concidered auspicious
for starting new ventures
malaksee Dhtr
Ambara Mahrjaa great devotee-king who
perfectly executed all nine devotional practices
(hearing, chanting, etc.); a great king glorified
by Narada Muni
ratiworship ceremony offered to the Deity
Arca-avatraDeity form of the Lord
Arghyaa ceremonious offering, in a conchshell,
of water and other auspicious items
Arthaeconomic development; one of the four
goals or paths of human life (see also dharma,
kma, and moka)
rama1. hermitage of a sage; 2. one of the four
spiritual orders in Vedic societies
Asurademon
Avatthaa sacred tree
yurvedaone of the secondary or
supplementary Vedic sciences dedicated to
health or medicine
Bakulaa fragrant flower very pleasing to Lord
Kna.
Bliking of monkeys killed by Lord Rmacandra
Bhajana1. worship, service; 2. the term refers to
the singing of devotional songs about Ka,
usually accompanied by musical instruments
Bhagavnthe Supreme Personality of Godhead,
who possesses in full the opulences of wealth,
beauty, strength, knowledge, fame, and
renunciation; an epithet of the Supreme Person.
See Ka
Bhagrathathe king who performed austerities to
bring the Ganges to earth to save his ancestors
Bhaktidevotion
Bhaktivinoda hkuracrya in the line of
Gauya Vaiavas to which the editor also
belongs; the author of many important books
Bharatasaintly king of the Kuru dynasty
Bilvaa sacred tree, also known as Bengal quince
(stone apple)
Brahmacrthe first spiritual order in Vedic
society; celibate student
Brahmthe first created living being and
secondary creator of the material universe; the
presiding deity of the mode of passion
Brahmalokathe highest planet in the material
world where Lord Brahm resides
Brhmaathe first, intellectual and priestly,
social order in Vedic society
Caitanya MahprabhuLord Ka in the aspect
of His own devotee; appeared in Navadvpa,
West Bengal, and taught pure love of God by
inaugurating the congregational chanting of the
holy names of the Lord; is understood by
Gauya Vaiavas to be Lord Ka Himself;
the Golden Avatra of the Supreme Personality
of Godhead who descended into the material
world 500 years ago at rdhma Mypur
Cakra1. the disc weapon of the Supreme Lord,
Viu; on the top of Viu temples there is
usually a cakra; 2. one of seven centers of vital
energy located in the body: kualin,
mldhra, svdhihna (nbhi), maipra,
anhata, viuddha, and j-cakra
Campakaa yellowish and very fragrant flower
from the campaka tree; very dear to Lord Ka
Caika form of Durg
Candrapresiding deity of the moon
Craa-lokaone of the heavenly planets
Caranmtawater used to bathe a Deity form of
the Lord
Darbha(lit. strung or tied together) a bunch of
grass (usually kua) for the use in sacrifices
Daranaaudience with the Deity in the temple
Dsaterm used as addition to the name of a
initiated disciple, meaning servant of Ka
Dharmareligiosity; one of the four goals or paths
of human life (see also artha, kma, and moka)
Dharmrayaa Puranic city in the mountainous
part of Magadha
Dhtrsacred tree very dear to Lord Viu; also
known as malak, eng. a.k.a. Indian
Gooseberry; a.k.a. botanically known as
Phyllanthus emblica
Durgthe personification of the material energy;
see also Prvat
Durvs Munia partial incarnation of Lord iva,
a powerful mystic yog, famous for his fearful
curses
Drvsacred grass used in sacrifices
Dvdathe twelfth day of waning and waxing
moon
Dvrakthe island kingdom of Lord Ka, lying
off Indias west coast, where He performed
pastimes five thousand years ago
Dvrak-ilworshipable Deity of the Lord in
the form of a stone of special kind found in the
sacred Gomat river near Dvrak
Ekdathe eleventh day of waning and waxing
moon when one should avoid eating grains;
fasting whilst performing spiritual practices,
such as remaing without sleep whilst
simultaneously performing spiritual activities,
and rememberance of the Lord thoughout the
night, is very auspicious on that day and very
pleasing to the Lord. The readers are thus
encouraged to Put your best foot forward i.e.
try to increase ones spiritual activities on that
day and night.
Gagone of the wives of Lord Nryaa;
incarnates in the material world as the sacred
river Gag
Gautama Muni one of the seven sons born from
Lord Brahmas mind; he belongs to the family of
Agir i and is the author of Nyya-stra, the
science of logic, which explains that the
combination of atoms is the cause of everything
Gaya famous holy place on the bank of the
Phalgu River in the state of Bihar, where many
pilgrims go to offer worship on behalf of their
forefathers; the imprint of the lotus feet of the
Lord are enshrined there, and it was there that
Lord Caitanya met and was initiated by Ivara
Pur; Lord Buddha attained here nirva; this is
one of the four places in India where many
pilgrims come to offer oblations to deparated
ancestors
Gyatra sacred mantra that a brhmaa chants
silently three times a day at sunrise, noon and
sunset to attain the transcendental platform; the
Vedic mantra that delivers one from material
entanglement
Golokasee Vndvana
Gopcowherd woman of Vraja in either conjugal
or parental relationship with Lord Ka
Govardhanathe hill in Vraja which was lifted by
Lord Ka at the age of seven to protect the
inhabitants of Vraja from the wrath of Lord
Indra; serves the Lord in his pastimes in various
ways and therefore is described as hari-dsa-
varya, the best of the servants of Lord Hari
Govindaname the Supreme Lord Ka. "One
who gives pleasure to the land, the cows and
the senses"
Guruspiritual master, preceptor
Dakia disciples gift to his spiritual master
upon initiation, collected by begging and given
as a token of gratitude; donation
Hanumngreat devotee of Lord Rmacandra
Harisee Ka or Viu
Haridsa hkuraalthough born in a Muslim
family, he was a confidential associate of r
Caitanya Mahprabhu; he was so absorbed in
the nectar of the Holy Name that he chanted
day and night, and it was his regular practice to
chant 300,000 names of the Lord daily; Lord
Caitanya made him the nmcrya (teacher of
chanting of the holy name)
Hartakyellow Myrobalan tree, Terminalia
Chebula
Janrdanaa name for the Supreme Personality of
Godhead meaning "He who is the original
abode and protector of all living beings"
Janmamfestival to celebrate the appearance
day of Lord Ka usually celebrated in the
solar month of August
Japasoft repeatedly recitation of a mantra
Jaiminidisciple of Vysadeva to whom the Sma
Veda mantras where taught; founder of one of
the six Vedic schools known as Karma-
mms; the one to whom the scriptures
detailing rules of morality were entrusted by his
guru the preceptor and author of the Vedas
Jva Gosvman crya in the line of Gauya
Vaiavas to which the editor also belongs; the
author of very many important books
Indrathe king of demigods
Kmasence gratification; one of the four goals or
paths of human life (see also dharma, artha, and
moka)
Karmaany material action which will incur a
subsequent reaction
Karma-kathe division of the Vedas which
deals with fruitive activities performed for the
purpose of gradual purification of the grossly
entangled materialist; the path of fruitive work
Kali-yugathe Age of Quarrel and Hypocrisy;
the fourth and last age in the cycle of a mah-
yuga; this is the present age in which we are
now living, it began 5,000 years ago and lasts
for a total of 432,000 years, it is characterized
by irreligious practice and stringent material
miseries. See Bhagavad-gt 16
th
chapter and
rmad-Bhgavatam Canto 12 Chapter 3 for
more info.
KalpaBrahms daytime, 4,320,000,000 years
KrttikaVedic lunar month corresponding to
October-November
Keava(lit. the killer of the Kei demon) see
Ka or Viu
Khaaa section of book
Krtanaloud chanting or recitation of the holy
names and glories of the Lord
Kathe original, two-armed form of the
Supreme Lord, who is the origin of all
expansions
Kuntmother of Pavas; paternal aunt of Lord
Ka
Kuaa kind of sacred grass used in sacrifices and
worship
Kuveraone of the important demigods in
heaven, and the treasurer of wealth
Lakmthe goddess of fortune, the wife of Lord
Viu; an expansion of rmat Rdhr
Madhva also known as nandatrtha and
Prapraja, crya Madhva re-established the
Brahm Sampradya in the thirteenth century
AD; considered to be the incarnation of Lord
Vyu and Hanumn; prolific writer and
undefeatable in debate, he established Dvaita
Vednta in direct opposition to akarcryas
Advaita Vednta
Mahdevaname of Lord iva
Mah-mantrathe great chanting for deliverance:
Hare Ka, Hare Ka, Ka Ka, Hare
Hare Hare Rma, Hare Rma, Rma Rma, Hare
Hare; the great mantra composed of the
principal names of Godhead in their vocative
forms; is found in the Puras and Upaniads
and is specifically recommended for chanting in
this age of Kali as the only means of God
realization; Lord Caitanya personally designated
it as the mah-mantra and practically
demonstrated the effects of the chanting
Mah-prasdafood remnants directly transferred
from the Deities plate
Mhtmyaglorification of the name, fame, etc
Mlata kind of white jasmine
Majarflower buds of rmat Tulas Dev
Mantrasacred verse for meditation, sacrifice or
prayer
Mrkaeyasage who received the benediction
to live for seven kalpas (days of Lord Brahm)
Mypurthe town near Navadvipa in West
Bengal where Lord r Caitanya Mahprabhu
appeared
Mokaliberation; one of the four goals or paths
of human life (see also dharma, artha, and
kma)
Muktkind of flower
Murriname of Lord Ka meaning the enemy
of the Mura demon
Nrada Munia pure devotee of the Lord, one of
the sons of Lord Brahm, who travels
throughout the universes in his eternal body,
glorifying devotional service while delivering
the science of bhakti
Naraharithe half-man, half-lion incarnation of
Lord Ka
Nryaaan expansion of Supreme Lord r
Ka; the presiding Deity of the Vaikuha
planets
Narmada sacred river in central India
Palaa sacred tree stated in the Puras to be
non-different from Lord Brahm.
Pa cmta five kinds of nectar used to bathe the
Deity
Pavasfive princes, brothers Yudhihira,
Bhma, Arjuna, Nakula, and Sahadeva; causins
and great devotees of Lord Ka
Paitascholar
Parikramacircumambulation; in Vedic culture a
person or a sacred place is circumambulated to
indicate respect
Prijtaan extraordinarily fragrant white flower
from the heavenly planets
Prvatdemigoddess, wife of Lord iva, the
personification of material energy
Ptlaplanetary systems in the regions below the
earth; often indicate hell
PramaSanskrit evidences
Pramaan offering of respect and glorification
to a revered person; prama-mantra is a prayer
to be chanted while offering obeisances to a
particular respected person
Prasda(lit. mercy) the remnants of food
taken by the Lord
Praygamodern Allahabad; a very sacred place,
mentioned in the Puras, situated at the
confluence of the holy Ganges, Yamun and
Sarasvat Rivers; a Mgha-mel and a Kumbha-
mel are celebrated here
Priydearmost spouse
Pjworship ceremony
Puarka dsamedieval South-Indian Vaiava
poet
Pura(lit. very old) the eighteen major and
eighteen minor ancient literatures within the
smti section of the Vedic scriptures compiled
rla Vysadeva that are histories of this and
other planets; there are eighteen mah-puras,
of these, the greatest is the Bhgavata Pura,
also called rmad-Bhgavatam
Purua-sktaa sacred hymn glorifying the
Supersoul of the universe
Pukaraa holy place in Rjasthna wherein
pilgrims go during the last five days of the holy
month of Krttika
Rdh (r)Lord Kas most intimate consort;
the personification of the internal, pleasure
potency of Lord Ka, His feminine
counterpart
Rgamelodic pattern to be used in music;
different rgas are used in different periods of
time during the day
Rakasaman-eater demon; ogre
Rma(candra)an incarnation of Lord r Ka
playing the role of an ideal king
isage
Rudraa category of demigods
Rumwife of Sugrva
Rpa Gosvmone of the principal followers of
r Caitanya Mahprabhu
akti-tattva persons who are plenary expansions
of the Lords internal potency; the various
energies of the Lord
lagrma-ilworshipable Deity of Lord
Nryaa in the form of a stone from the river
Gaak
Sapradyaa disciplic succession of spiritual
masters, along with the followers in that
tradition, through which spiritual knowledge is
transmitted
Sasrathe cycle of birth and death in the
material world
Santana Gosvmone of the principal followers
of r Caitanya Mahprabhu
Sannysarenunciation; the final of the four
spiritual orders of Vedic society
Sarasvatone of the wives of Lord Nryaa;
incarnates in the material
straVedic scriptures
Siddha-lokaone of the heavenly planets
Siddhiperfection; some special goal to be
achieved
Stwife of Lord Rmacandra
ivathe superintendent of the mode of
ignorance; takes charge of destroying the
universe at the time of annihilation; considered
the greatest Vaiava, or devotee of Lord Ka
lokaSanskrit verse
Smtirevealed scriptures including the
Mahbhrata and the Puras supplementary to
the ruti, or original Vedic scriptures, which are
the Vedas and Upaniads
Somathe presiding deity of the moon
ravaa-dvdathe twelfth day of the bright
fortnight in the month of Bhdra (August-
September)
r (rj in Hindi)1. the highly respectable
name of both rmat Lakm Dev and rmat
Rdhr; 2. title optionally attributed to the
female names of respectable persons, and/or
spiritual books
rdharaname of Lord Viu meaning the
bearer of the goddess of fortune
rla, rmanrespectful title for a male person
meaning endowed with the blessings of r, the
goddess of fortune and consort of Lord Viu
rmatrespectful title for a lady
Stavaglorification, prayer
Stotrahymn, glorification
Subhadryounger sister of Lord r Ka, and
an incarnation of Yogamy, the internal
potency of the Supreme Lord
Sugrvayounger brother of Bli; became an ally
of Lord Rmacandra and helped Him to rescue
the Lords consort rmat St Dev
Sryasun; sun-god
Sta Gosvm the great sage who related the
discourse between Parkit Mahrja and
ukadeva Gosvm, which forms the basis of the
rmad-Bhgavatam; also related other Puras
Trwife of Bli; his most trusted and regarded
by him as his most highly intelligent advisor
Tilakasacred clay markings placed on the
forehead and other parts of the body to
designate one as a follower of Viu, Rma,
iva, Vedic culture, etc
T ulas Jala Dna Vedic festival which starts on
mea-sakrnti (when the sun enters the
zodiacal sign Aries, April) and goes on till
vabha-sakrnti (zodiacal sign Taurus, May)
Uddhavaa learned disciple of Bhaspati; in
Kas Mathur and Dvrak ll is Kas best
confidential friend; in the Eleventh Canto of
rmad-Bhgavatam, Ka imparts most
important transcendental knowledge to him
Upadevacategory of subordinate demigods
Vaikuha(lit. [the place] bereft of anxiety)
planets in the spiritual world
Vaiavaa devotee of Lord Viu or Ka
VaikhaVedic lunar month; approximately
April-May of the solar calendar
Vaiyathe third social order of Vedic society;
merchants and farmers
Vlmki Muni former humter who by the mercy
of his spiritual master Nrada Muni became the
author of Rmyana, the story of Lord
Rmacandra
Varaone of the four social orders of Vedic
society
Varuathe demigod in charge of the oceans
Vasucategory of demigods
Vsudevaname of Lord Ka
Vyuthe demigod in charge of the wind
Viu(lit. the all-pervading God) the Supreme
Personality of Godhead in His four-armed
expansion in Vaikuha; a plenary expansion of
r Ka; supervises the maintenance of the
created universe
Viudtamessenger of Lord Viu
Viu-Tattvaprimary expansion of Lord Ka
having full status as Godhead
Vivedevasthe 10 demigods who are the persons
in charge of the 12th day of the Vedic lunar
calendar, Dvda
Vrajasee Vndvana
Vnda gop messenger in Goloka Vndvana
who is directing the pastimes of Lord Ka;
expands in the material world in the form of
rmat Tulas Dev
Vndvana1. Kas eternal abode, where He
fully manifests His quality of sweetness; also
known as Goloka; 2. the village on this earth in
which He enacted His childhood pastimes five
thousand years ago
Vysadevaincarnation of the Lord who divided
and compiled the Vedas to be used during Kali-
yuga
Yajasacrifice
Yamadtamessenger and servant of Lord
Yamarja
Yamarjathe demigod who punishes the sinful
Yamundaughter of the Sun-god and sister of
Yamarja; appears on the earth as the sacred
river Yamun (Klind); in the earthly pastimes
of Lord Ka becomes one of His 16,108 wives
Yoga(lit. connection) 1. a spiritual discipline
meant for linking ones consciousness with the
Supreme Lord, Ka; 2. one of the six systems
of Vedic philosophy, taught by Patajali
Yuga one of the four ages of the universe, which
differ in length and which rotate like calendar
months
Literary Works
Bhagavad-gt
Brahma Pura
Brahma-vaivarta Pura
Bhan-nradya Pura
Garga Sahit
Garua Pura
Garua Pura Saroddhraa compilation of
quotes from mostly Garua Pura regarding
death and Vedic rites for the departed
Hari-bhakti-vilsa
Mahbhrata
Mrkaeya Pura
Nrada Pura
Padma Pura
Rmyana by Vlmki
aragati by rla Bhaktivinoda hkura
iva Pura
Skanda Pura
r Rdh-sahasra-nma-stotra
r r Rdh-Kojjvala-kusuma-keli by
Raghuntha dsa Gosvm
rmad-Bhgavatam
Tulas-kavaca
Tulas-stotra by r Puarka dsa
Tulas Upaniad
Varha Pura
COPYRIGHT
2012 Bhakti Virambha Mdhava Svm
www.bvmadhavaswami.com
mail-to: bvmadhavswami@gmail.com

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