View source for Tulasi - an essential subject

[[Category:Essential Subjects]] 
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The tulasi plant is traditionally worshipped in many Indian and Vaishnava households as it is considered to be sacred. It is not like any other plant because it is very dear to Lord Krishna. In fact, Tulasi is often referred to as 'she' because she is a pure devotee of the Lord. In the Gita, Lord Krishna clearly states that any offering made to him without a tulasi leaf is unacceptable and is therefore a waste. This shows the importance of Tulasi maharani, and how everyone must pay her due respects if they want to advance in their devotional service. 
 
Srila Prabhupada's books, lectures, conversations and letters offer a comprehensive presentation of this essential subject as seen in the Vaniquotes '''[[Vaniquotes:Category:Tulasi|Tulasi]]''' category. An introduction from his books is given below in the following 8 quotes. 
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== Quotes from Srila Prabhupada's books == 

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{{VaniQuotebox|A pure devotee therefore never approaches the Lord directly, but tries to please the servant of the Lord's servants, and thus the Lord becomes pleased, and only then can the devotee relish the taste of the tulasi leaves stuck to His lotus feet|Kṛṣṇa is never obtainable directly. Lord Caitanya therefore designated Himself as gopī-bhartuḥ pada-kamalayor dāsa-dāsānudāsaḥ (CC Madhya 13.80), or "the most obedient servant of the servants of the Lord, who maintains the gopī damsels at Vṛndāvana." A pure devotee therefore never approaches the Lord directly, but tries to please the servant of the Lord's servants, and thus the Lord becomes pleased, and only then can the devotee relish the taste of the tulasī leaves stuck to His lotus feet. In the Brahma-saṁhitā it is said that the Lord is never to be found by becoming a great scholar of the Vedic literatures, but He is very easily approachable through His pure devotee. '''(Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 2.3.23)'''}} 

{{VaniQuotebox|Chanting sixteen rounds does not take much time, nor is offering respects to the tulasi plant difficult. The process has immense spiritual potency. One should not miss this opportunity|We request the members of the Hare Kṛṣṇa movement to follow Haridāsa Ṭhākura's example rigidly. Chanting sixteen rounds does not take much time, nor is offering respects to the tulasī plant difficult. The process has immense spiritual potency. One should not miss this opportunity. '''(Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Antya-līlā 3.100)'''}} 

{{VaniQuotebox|One who reads the thousand names of Visnu can be released from all offenses. In the same Skanda-Purana, Reva-khanda, it is said that one who recites prayers to tulasi or sows a tulasi seed is also freed from all offenses|One who reads the thousand names of Viṣṇu can be released from all offenses. In the same Skanda-Purāṇa, Revā-khaṇḍa, it is said that one who recites prayers to tulasī or sows a tulasī seed is also freed from all offenses. Similarly, one who worships the śālagrāma-śilā can also be relieved of offenses. '''(Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 7.5.23-24)'''}} 

{{VaniQuotebox|One time an atheistic svami remarked, "What is the use of watering the tulasi plant? It is better to water eggplant. By watering the eggplant one can get some fruits, but what is the use of watering the tulasi?"|Tulasī plants and their leaves are very important in devotional service. Devotees are recommended to water the tulasī tree every day and collect the leaves to worship the Lord. One time an atheistic svāmī remarked, "What is the use of watering the tulasī plant? It is better to water eggplant. By watering the eggplant one can get some fruits, but what is the use of watering the tulasī?" These foolish creatures, unacquainted with devotional service, sometimes play havoc with the education of people in general. '''(Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 3.15.19)'''}} 

{{VaniQuotebox|One should decorate his body with gopicandana, wear neck beads, collect tulasi leaves from the tulasi tree, cleanse his cloth and the altar, cleanse his own house or apartment and go to the temple and ring the bell just to draw the attention of Lord Krsna|One should decorate his body with gopīcandana, wear neck beads, collect tulasī leaves from the tulasī tree, cleanse his cloth and the altar, cleanse his own house or apartment and go to the temple and ring the bell just to draw the attention of Lord Kṛṣṇa. '''(Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 24.333)'''}} 

{{VaniQuotebox|His (Krsna's) favorite plant (tulasi), His devotees, and the observance of fasts and vows connected to His devotion all awaken the symptoms of ecstatic love|“Kṛṣṇa's smile, the fragrance of His transcendental body, His flute, bugle, ankle bells and conchshell, the marks on His feet, His place of residence, His favorite plant (tulasī), His devotees, and the observance of fasts and vows connected to His devotion all awaken the symptoms of ecstatic love.” '''(Caitanya-caritāmṛta, Madhya-līlā 23.51)'''}} 

{{VaniQuotebox|Lord Krsna's lotus feet are always besmeared with the tulasi leaves, and thus as soon as His lotus feet contact the water of the Ganges and the Yamuna, the rivers become at once sanctified|Mahārāja Parīkṣit took shelter of that particular river which is beautifully flowing, carrying the dust of the lotus feet of Lord Kṛṣṇa, mixed with tulasī leaves. Lord Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet are always besmeared with the tulasī leaves, and thus as soon as His lotus feet contact the water of the Ganges and the Yamunā, the rivers become at once sanctified. '''(Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 1.19.6)'''}} 

{{VaniQuotebox|The person who has never experienced the aroma of the tulasi leaves from the lotus feet of the Lord is also a dead body, although breathing|The person who has not at any time received the dust of the feet of the Lord's pure devotee upon his head is certainly a dead body. And the person who has never experienced the aroma of the tulasī leaves from the lotus feet of the Lord is also a dead body, although breathing. '''(Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam 2.3.23)'''}} 
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