Lord Vishnu holds the Tulasi leaf in the highest regard. Every Vishnu-tattva Deity requires a significant number of Tulasi leaves, as they are a favorite offering to Lord Vishnu. The highest form of worship is to place Tulasi leaves combined with sandalwood pulp on the Lord’s lotus feet. However, it is crucial to ensure that Tulasi leaves do not land on anyone else’s feet except those of Lord Vishnu and His various forms. Even Radharani’s and the Spiritual Master’s lotus feet should not have Tulasi leaves placed upon them. Nonetheless, Radharani can be given Tulasi leaves to place on Krishna’s lotus feet.
According to the Skanda Purana, “Tulasi is auspicious in all respects. Simply by seeing, touching, remembering, praying to, bowing before, hearing about, or 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:
Mantra:
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 the leaves that are growing adjacent to the manjaris (flowers) and those that are about to fall, as they will become pale in color. Do not pick the newly emerging green leaves. As soon as the manjaris blossom, pick them to prevent the plant’s energy from being sapped by producing seeds. Pick each leaf with your fingertips, one by one, avoiding rubbing or shaking the branch to prevent damaging the healthy leaves. Do not use cutting tools.
Tulasi-Puja Rituals
Straight after Mangala-Aarti in the morning, there is a Tulasi-puja. One of the devotees offers her Aarti while 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 Aarti 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
Significance of Tulasi Devi
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 granted her desire for marriage to Him due to her extreme austerities and devoted adoration.
Offering Tulasi leaves has numerous spiritual benefits. It is said that 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. Using a Tulasi leaf to sprinkle water on the Lord’s dwelling atones for all major sins. Offering Tulasi ensures freedom from material birth, vanquishes adversaries, increases wealth, and guarantees that one will reach Vaikuntha.