Aum Vrindavanyai Namaha!

24

Tulasi

Namastulasi kalyani,

Namo Vishnu priye shubhe,

Namo moksha prade devi,

Namah sampad pradayini.

Salutations to Tulasi, the auspicious,

Salutations to the propitious beloved of Vishnu,

Salutations to the goddess who gives liberation,

Salutations to the one who gives all prosperity.

Tulasi had been a gopi in Goloka, the celestial abode of Krishna where Radha is queen. She had incurred Radha’s displeasure and been cursed by her to be born in the world as a human being. Tulasi had only one desire in her mind, and that was to be united with Lord Krishna, the supreme incarnation of Vishnu, known as Narayana.

She was born on Earth as the daughter of King Vrishadvaja and the celestially beautiful Madhavi. The queen had become pregnant due to the blessings of a deva. She carried the baby for a hundred years and at last gave birth to a baby girl on a most auspicious day, the day of the full moon in the month of Kartika, at a time when all the planets were in favorable positions. The baby, named Tulasi, was an incarnation of Lakshmi, the consort of Vishnu. She was a most enchanting infant with all auspicious signs. She remembered her past life perfectly, and as soon as she reached the age of puberty she decided to go to the most ancient and spiritual spot in the Himalayas, known as Badrikashrama, to do tapas in order to get Lord Narayana as her husband. Nothing and no one could deter her determination, and she practiced austerities for many years, subsisting for a long time only on fruits, then on leaves, then on air alone. At last Brahma manifested himself and told her to ask for a boon.

Tulasi informed Brahma that her only desire was to have Lord Narayana as her husband, and she had done tapas only with this aim. Brahma declared that getting Narayana as a husband was not such an easy thing, and before she achieved her desire, she would have to go through a period of time as the wife of another person, called Shankachuda, who had been practicing penance for many years in order to get Tulasi as his wife.

Brahma gave Tulasi an outline of Shankachuda’s previous life. He had been a gopala called Sudama who had been a close friend of Krishna in Goloka. Radha had cursed him to become a demon because he had become enamored of Tulasi. Brahma told Tulasi that she would have to marry this asura since he was also a devotee of Krishna and had set his heart on marrying her. After many trials she would get the blessings of Lord Vishnu and be changed into a plant known as tulasi. This plant would be beloved by Narayana. No puja (ritual) of his would be complete without the offering of tulasi leaves. She would be born in the forest of Vrindavana and would also be known as Vrindavani. All devotees of Krishna would have to offer tulasi leaves at his feet in order to please him. She would be as dear to Krishna as Radha. Thus Radha’s curse would really be a blessing to the whole world, since the tulasi plant would have great medicinal properties. Tulasi was very happy to hear this and continued to live in Badrikashrama, contemplating the lotus feet of Lord Narayana.

In the meantime, the gopala Shankachuda, who had been turned into an asura by Radha’s curse, had been doing severe penance at the only holy spot dedicated to Brahma, known as Pushkara. Brahma appeared to him and told him to proceed to Badrikashrama, where he would attain his heart’s desire. When Shankachuda reached Tulasi’s hermitage and saw her, his love for her overwhelmed him. He ran to her and knelt at her feet and begged her to marry him.

Tulasi told him that it was most unbecoming to talk of marriage to a young girl without getting the permission of her parents. Then Shankachuda reminded her of their connection in a previous life: “I was a gopala named Sudama, a close friend of Krishna, and I was born on earth due to Radha’s curse. I fell in love with you in Goloka but could not associate with you for fear of Radha. But now I have been given the opportunity of marrying you, so will you consent to be my wife?”

Tulasi gladly agreed, since his words tallied with what Brahma had told her. Just then Brahma appeared on the scene and gave Tulasi in marriage to Shankachuda. Since it was a marriage of mutual consent, no formalities, rites, or priests were necessary. The couple continued to live in the hermitage in perfect harmony and love. At last, when they tired of their solitude, Shankachuda took Tulasi back to his own kingdom. Soon, however, he began to display his asuric tendencies and fought with the gods, dispersing them from heaven.

The despondent gods, headed by Indra, went with their eternal complaints to Brahma. He professed his helplessness in this matter. They proceeded to Kailasa, the abode of Shiva, who told them that Vishnu was the best person to deal with this issue, since Shankachuda had been his devotee in his previous life.

When they came to him, Vishnu narrated to the gods the history of Shankachuda’s previous life:

O devas! As you know, Shankachuda was my favorite attendant in Goloka. He is fully protected by the armor that I gave him when Radha cursed him. As long as he wears this armor he is invincible, so first I will have to go to him in the form of a Brahmin and beg him for his armor. Brahma has also given him the boon that he can be killed only if his wife commits adultery. Since his wife, Tulasi, is dear to me and has done much austerity in order to procure me as her husband, I will personally approach her and tempt her. When she falls, as she is bound to do, Shiva will easily be able to kill him.

Shiva promised to help the gods and sent a messenger to Shankachuda asking him to return the heavens to the gods or come and fight with him. Shankachuda laughingly told the messenger to return to his master and ask him to get ready for battle. He then informed Tulasi of the impending encounter. She wept when she heard this and begged him not to go, for she had seen many ill omens.

Shankachuda said, “Be not afraid, O beauteous one! Everything happens due to the will of Maha Devi. I have satisfied my desires with you, and now it remains for you to fulfill your desire. You will certainly get Narayana as your husband, so be not afraid. Everything that is meant to happen will happen with the turning of the wheel of time.”

In the morning, Shankachuda bathed and prayed to Lord Krishna and set out for battle with Shiva. It is said that the battle went on for many days without any fatigue on either part. It was then that Vishnu took the form of a Brahmin and came to the battlefield and begged Shankachuda for his armor. The asura, who was noted for his great generosity, immediately took it off and gave it to the Brahmin. Vishnu then took the form of Shankachuda and arrived at the palace. He went to Tulasi and took her in his arms. She thought that her husband had returned to her and complied with his wishes.

At this precise moment Shiva hurled the fatal trident at Shankachuda. When Shankachuda saw the spear coming, he immediately sat in his chariot in the yogic posture and fixed his mind on Krishna. The world-consuming trident turned to ashes both the chariot and its occupant. To the amazement of all, the asura took the form of a gopala and got into a celestial car that had come for him. It is said that Shankachuda’s bones were turned into conches, which are considered most auspicious in Narayana’s puja. (Lakshmi resides in conch shells, and the water from all the holy rivers flow from these shells, so bathing a deity with water poured from them is considered most holy.)

In the meantime Narayana assumed his real form and gave Tulasi a vision of his beauteous countenance, blue in color, with lotus-petaled eyes. When she saw him, Tulasi was grief-stricken and said, “O master magician! Why have you betrayed me? In order to help the gods you have cheated me and allowed your devotee to be killed. Your heart is like a stone, so I curse you to take the form of a stone!”

The lord spoke gently to her:

O Tulasi! For many years you performed tapas in the mountains to get me as your husband. Now that I have accepted you, why have you changed your mind? Shankachuda also performed great austerity to get you as his wife. Such rigorous penance cannot go unrewarded. Both of you have achieved your heart’s desire. Divine ways are strange and inexplicable. Your husband, who is a true yogi, knew this. He has already gone back to Goloka and is residing in splendor and happiness with Krishna. You have a further role to play in the world. You will have to give up your earthly body, which will turn into a river known as Gantaki. Your hair will turn into a plant called tulasi. The leaves of this plant will be considered most sacred in all the three worlds and will be used in all pujas done to me. All holy rivers will reside at the foot of the tulasi plant, and all places where you are cultivated will become pure and holy. I myself with every one of the other gods will remain at your feet and await the falling of a single leaf. I will get more pleasure from the offering of one tulasi leaf than I would get from the offering of countless gems and holy waters. Puja done in the month of Kartika, when you were born, will be even more effective. One who drinks tulasi water at the time of death will be freed from all sins. He who wears a string of tulasi beads around his neck will get the same benefit as one who has conducted a horse sacrifice.

As for me, I will become the stones in the river Gantaki, in compliance with your curse. These stones will be known as saligramas, and each will have a mark of Vishnu inside them. My devotees will adore these stones. They will bring auspiciousness to the household in which they are kept and worshipped. The best way to venerate them will be to pour Ganga water over them and offer tulasi leaves. The devotee who does this will receive great prosperity and liberation at the end of his life.

Thus Narayana pacified Tulasi, further telling her, “O Tulasi! All my devotees will worship you. Everyone will keep you on his or her head. I myself will keep you on my breast, for you are a partial incarnation of Lakshmi.” Thus saying, he took his leave of her. Tulasi gave up her life and became the river Gantaki as well as the sacred plant tulasi. In these forms she continues to bless all devotees of Lord Krishna. And Lord Vishnu became the saligrama stones that are found only in the Gantaki River.

Devotees of Krishna or Vishnu perform tulasi puja on the day of the full moon of the month of Kartika, the day on which Tulasi was born on earth. One who worships her with devotion will attain the feet of Narayana and will attain liberation from the mundane world.

A bliss lived in her heart too large for heaven,

Light too intense for thought and love too boundless

For earth’s emotions in her skies of mind,

And spread through her deep and happy seas of soul,

All that is sacred in the worlds drew near,

To her divine passivity of mood.

—SAVITRI BY SRI AUROBINDO

Thus ends the twenty-fourth chapter of Shakti, known as “Tulasi,” which describes the greatness of Tulasi, the goddess of the sacred plant.

Aum Aim Hreem Kleem