(MENAFN- AsiaNet News) Lord Vishnu holds the Tulasi leaf in the highest regard. Every Vishnu-tattva Deity needs a lot of Tulasi leaves. The Tulasi leaf garland is a favourite of Lord Vishnu. The highest form of worship is to place Tulasi leaves combined with sandalwood pulp on the Lord's lotus feet. However, we have to exercise extreme caution so that Tulasi leaves do not land on anyone else's foot except Lord Visnu and His different forms. Even Radharani's and the Spiritual Master's lotus feet cannot have Tulasi leaves placed upon them. It is exclusively meant to be placed on Krishna's lotus feet. Nonetheless, we can give Radharani some Tulasi leaves to place on Krishna's lotus feet.

According to Skanda Puran, "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 the 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."

How to worship Tulasi Devi?

Chant the following mantra while gathering Tulasi leaves:

tulasy amrta janmasi
sada tvam kesava-priya
kesavartham cinomi tvam
varada bhava sobhane

Meaning:
“ O Tulasi, you were born from nectar. You are always very dear to Lord Kesava. Now, in order to worship Lord Kesava, I am collecting your leaves and manjaris. Please bestow your benediction on me. ”

Select just the leaves that are growing adjacent to the manjaris (flowers) and those that are about to fall (they will become pale in colour); do not pick the newly emerging green leaves. As soon as the manjaris blossom, pick them. Avoid allowing them to grow to seed as this would sap the plant's energy, which may be better utilised by
producing additional leaves and flowers for Krishna's service. Pick each leaf with your fingertips, one by one. Avoid rubbing or shaking the branch to avoid damaging the healthy leaves. Pick with consideration and care. Do not use tools that cut.

Straight after Mangala-Aarti in the morning,
there
is a
tulasi-puja. As one of the devotees offers Her Aarti, the others encircle Tulasi-devi and offer her water as they sing prayers to Her. It is ideal to offer Tulasi Aarti in the evening, right before Sandhya-Aarti after Mangala-Aarti,
there
is a
tulasi-puja. As one of the devotees offers Her Aarti, the others encircle Tulasi-devi and offer her water as they sing prayers to Her. It is ideal to offer Tulasi Aarti in the evening, right before Sandhya-Aarti.

Begin Tulasi-arati by offering obeisances to Tulasi Devi, chanting the Tulasi pranama mantra three times.

vṛndāyai tulasī-devyai / priyāyai keśavasya ca
viṣṇu-bhakti-prade devī / satya vatyai namo namaḥ

Meaning :
I offer my repeated obeisances unto Vrinda, Srimati Tulasi-devi, who is very dear to Lord Keshava. O goddess, you bestow devotional service to Lord Krishna and you possess the highest truth.

Chant this mantra while circumambulating the Tulasi plant:

yāni kāni ca pāpāni / brahma-hatyādikāni ca
tāni tāni praṇaśyanti / pradakṣiṇaḥ pade pade

For the purpose of uplifting the souls of those living in the material world, Vishnu created Tulasi during the churning of the milk ocean. It is believed that Tulasi is more beloved by the Lord than Lakshmi since Vishnu gave in to her desire for marriage to the Lord via her extreme austerities and devoted adoration of him.
One gets freed from the sins accrued throughout one koti of lifetimes by offering Tulasi. All unmentionable and unnoticed sins are eliminated when Tulasi is offered to the Lord. One can atone for all major sins by using a Tulasi leaf to sprinkle water on the Lord's dwelling. Offering Tulasi ensures freedom from material birth, vanquishes adversaries
and increases wealth. One will definitely reach Vaikuntha.

MENAFN19112023007385015968ID1107453594