SRI TULASI PUJA
SADHANA - 4.55 am -
After Mangala Arati and Narasimhadeva song, Tulasi puja — or the worship of Tulasi Devi — is performed.
‘Tend Tulasi very nicely and your devotion towards Krishna will increase. In the evening a lamp should be offered to the Tulasi plant and in the morning each devotee should offer a little water and offer obeisances.’ (Srila Prabhupada’s letter to Krishnakanti, April 11, 1971)
‘Yes, … Sri Tulasi is the eternal consort of Krishna, and the most pure devotee, and therefore, the Tulasi plant is worshiped by Vaisnavas.’ (Srila Prabhupada’s letter to Balai, March 22, 1968)
Lord Krishna (Vishnu) likes to wear garlands made of Tulasi leaves. Sandalwood paste and Tulasi leaves are often placed on the lotus feet of Sri Krishna/Vishnu-tattva Deity (but the leaves shall never touch anyone else’s feet, even Srimati Radharani’s, and certainly —not those of a human). Therefore, she is worshipped and respected. She is the Source of Bhakti.
We also wear Tulasi neck beads as one of the Vaisnava attributes, Srila Prabhupada always said that one should never be without Tulasi neck beads even for a second. While chanting, devotees mostly use the Tulasi beads. This shows that Srimati Tulasi Devi is present everywhere.
Srimati Tulasi Devi (Vrnda Devi in Goloka) is the pure and dearest devotee of the Lord who is present in this world in a form of a tree. Tulasi is so auspicious, that it is stated that for any worship of Sri Krishna to happen, she has to be there, thus devotees always try to have a Tulasi tree at home. You can learn more about it here: The Tulasi Devi Handbook
All scriptures stress on the importance of getting the mercy of Tulasi Devi if one wants to make progress on the path of devotion. In the ‘Skanda Purana’ it is said,
‘Tulasi is auspicious in all respects. Simply by seeing, simply by touching, simply by remembering, simply by praying to, simply by bowing before, simply by hearing about or simply by sowing this tree, there is always auspiciousness. Anyone who comes in touch with the Tulasi tree in the above-mentioned ways lives eternally in the Vaikuntha world.’
‘ Tend Tulasi very nicely and your devotion towards Krishna will increase. In the evening a lamp should be offered to the Tulasi plant and in the morning each devotee should offer a little water and offer obeisances.’ (Srila Prabhupada’s letter to Krishnakanti, April 11, 1971)
‘Yes, … Sri Tulasi is the eternal consort of Krishna, and the most pure devotee, and therefore, the Tulasi plant is worshiped by Vaisnavas.’ (Srila Prabhupada’s letter to Balai, March 22, 1968)
Srimati Tulasi Devi (Vrnda Devi in Goloka) is the pure and dearest devotee of the Lord who is present in this world in a form of a tree. Tulasi is so auspicious, that it is stated that for any worship of Sri Krishna to happen, she has to be there, thus devotees always try to have a Tulasi tree at home. You can learn more about it here: The Tulasi Devi Handbook
Lord Krishna (Vishnu) likes to wear garlands made of Tulasi leaves. Sandalwood paste and Tulasi leaves are often placed on the lotus feet of Sri Krishna/Vishnu-tattva Deity (but the leaves shall never touch anyone else’s feet, even Srimati Radharani’s, and certainly —not those of a human). Therefore, she is worshipped and respected. She is the Source of Bhakti.
In the ‘Skanda Purana’ it is said:‘Tulasi is auspicious in all respects. Simply by seeing, simply by touching, simply by remembering, simply by praying to, simply by bowing before, simply by hearing about or simply by sowing this tree, there is always auspiciousness. Anyone who comes in touch with the Tulasi tree in the above-mentioned ways lives eternally in the Vaikuntha world.’
We also wear Tulasi neck beads as one of the Vaisnava attributes, Srila Prabhupada always said that one should never be without Tulasi neck beads even for a second. While chanting, devotees mostly use the Tulasi beads. This shows that Srimati Tulasi Devi is present everywhere.
BELOW YOU WILL FIND ALL THE REQUIRED DETAILS FOR TULASI PUJA.
DAILY, YOU CAN EITHER PERFORM THE WHOLE PUJA OR SIMPLY SING THE SONG, WATER TULASI AND CIRCUMAMBULATE HER.
FOR THIS PARTICULAR ARATI
ITEMS THAT ARE USED
Arati plate with incense stick, a ghee lamp (cotton wick soaked in ghee), fresh flowers, bell, acaman cup and small water pot.
BHAKTI DEVI KI JAY!
TULASI PUJA STEP BY STEP
If you do not ahave Tulasi plant at home, a picture will be enough, you will not be watering her (but even then you can try if the picture is in a glass frame or is laminated), that is the only difference.
TULASI PUJA STEP BY STEP
1) offer your obeisances while chanting the introductory mantra, perform an acaman;
2) sprinkle your hands and a bell with acaman water; light the candle and from this fire light the incenses as well, sprinkle them lightly with acaman water;
3) start singing or play the song, and then, while ringing the bell with your left hand, offer the incenses to Tulasi Devi with your right hand (4 clockwise circles for the feet, 2 for the waist, and 7 for the whole body, and then 3 circles of offering to Srila Prabhupada/and your own Guru);
HOW TO DO IT
ARATI AT HOME
In this VIDEO you will learn how to do arati at home
CHANT AND DANCE
THE TUNE OF THE SONG AND THE LYRICS
The song itself is from the 1st to 5th verse.
You will find the notes of the tune to play on your own, by clicking here
FOR SINGING
LYRICS IN SANSKRIT
TULASI PUJA SANSKRIT LYRICS
(introductory mantra that is chanted while bowing dow)
vṛndāyai tulasī-devyai priyāyai keśavasya ca
viṣṇu-bhakti-prade devī satya vatyai namo namaḥ
(1)
namo namaḥ tulasī kṛṣṇa-preyasi namo namaḥ
rādhā-kṛṣṇa-sevā pābo ei abilāṣī
(2)
ye tomāra śaraṇa loy, tara vāñchā pūrṇa hoy
kṛpā kori’ koro tāre vṛndāvana-vāsi
TULASI PRAYERS
ENGLISH TRANSLATION
TULASI PUJA ENGLISH TRANSLATION
Introductory mantra, ‘I offer my repeated obeisances unto Vrnda, Srimati Tulasi Devi, who is very dear to Lord Kesava. O goddess, you bestow devotional service to Lord Visnu and possess the highest truth.’
1) O Tulasi, beloved of Krishna, I bow before you again and again. My desire is to obtain the service of Sri Sri Radha-Krishna.
2) Whoever takes shelter of you has his wishes fulfilled. Bestowing your mercy on him, you make him a resident of Vrndavana.