Tulsi-Astrologer Vind Goel
‘Tulsi’ is a sacred plant. The plant grows to a height of two to three feet. There are two varieties – the black (krushna) and the white. This plant has vertical springs which bear small flowers. Most probably its root name is tulas (तुळस) and tulsi (तुलसी) is its Sanskrut version.
नरा नार्यश्च तां दृष्ट्वा तुलनां दातुमक्षमा: ।
तेन नाम्ना च तुलसी तां वदन्ति पुराविद: ।। – ब्रह्मवैवर्त पुराण, प्रकृतिखंड १५
Meaning: Man saw this plant but could not compare it to any other. Hence archaeologists began calling it tulsi. – Brahmavaivarta Puran, Prakrutikhand .5
If one worships Vishnu without tulsi leaves then it is in vain because without offering tulsi leaves or without sprinkling food with water using them, Vishnu does not partake of the offering. Looking at, touching, meditating upon, praying to, worshipping, planting or eating tulsi leaves can cleanse one of sins committed in several births in the bygone eras. It is said that all deities reside in this plant right from the roots to the shoots.’
Why are tulsi leaves offered to Vishnu?: —-
Commonly it is said that in the ritualistic worship of a deity, it is offered its favourite item; for example, Ganapati likes red flowers, Shankar bel and Vishnu tulsi. Then a story as to why that deity likes that particular substance is narrated. In reality superior deities like Shankar, Vishnu, Ganapati do not have any likes or dislikes. Yet the reason for offering certain substances to certain deities is as follows.
One of the objectives of ritualistic worship is that the idol which is to be worshipped should get charged with divine consciousness (chaitanya) and that it should help one in making spiritual progress. In order to generate that divine consciousness, the substance which is offered to that idol has more ability to attract the pure particles (pavitrakas) [most subtle spiritual particles] of that deity, from as far as the maha region as compared to other substances. Red flowers have the ability to attract the pure particles of Ganapati, bel of Shankar, tulsi of Vishnu, etc. Hence tulsi leaves are offered to Vishnu. A tulsi plant is planted on a pedestal in front of the house and tulsi is even wedded to Krishna.
प्रख्यात लेख
