Tulsi is very dear to Lord Krishna, she is always placed at Lord Krishna’s lotus feet. Anyone who worships her becomes dear to Krishna. So, it is said that one who wants to get the favour of Krishna should regularly and respectfully worship Tulsi (Tulasi), with love and devotion.
Before starting the worship of Tulasi devi one should offer one’s respectful obeisances, pancanga pranam, to her by chanting following mantra:
Vrindayai Tulasi devyai priyayai kesavasya cha
Vishnu bhaktiprade devi satyavatyai namo namaha
3 simple steps to follow to worship Tulasi Maharani at home or even at the temple
Achamana (purification): Before starting the worship of Tulasi it is important to do achamana by following the below process.
- Fill the achamana cup with normal water/tap water and add Ganges water to it. If one can use only Ganges water, then no need to use normal water or tap water.
- Take a spoon full of water from the achamana cup and sprinkle on both the hands. This will purify the hands.
- Now hold the spoon in the left hand, take water from the achamana cup, pour it on the right palm and sip it. While sipping the sacred water chant the mantra – om keshavaya namah. Repeat it again i.e. we do it two times.
- After sipping the water two times, sprinkle the water on the right palm to wash it.
- Again, holding the spoon in the left hand, take water from the achamana cup, pour it on the right palm and sip it. While sipping the sacred water chant the mantra – om narayanaya namah. Repeat it again i.e. we do it two times.
- After sipping the water two times, sprinkle the water on the right palm to wash it.
- Again, holding the spoon in the left hand, take water from the achamana cup, pour it on the right palm and sip it. While sipping the sacred water chant the mantra – om madhavaya namah. Repeat it again i.e. we do it two times.
- At the end wash both the hands with the sacred achamana water
#1. Offer incense to Tulsi Maharani:
- Sprinkle the achamana water on the incense stick and bell to purify it.
- After lighting the incense stick worship Tulsi Devi as follows
- Offer the incense to Tulsi Devi by slowly moving it around the entire body of Tulsi devi seven times in clockwise direction.
- After offering to Tulasi devi offer it to Srila Prabhupada and other assembled devotees in similar way.
- While offering the incense continue ringing the bell.
Note: If possible, use at least 3 incense sticks. If one can afford more than that then they should use it.
#2. Offer Ghee lamp to Tulsi Maharani:
- Light the ghee lamp and purify it by sprinkling achamana water on it. Show the ghee lamp as follows:
- Offer the ghee lamp by moving it around the base 4 times in the clockwise direction.
- Move it around the middle part of the Tulasi plant 2 times in the clockwise direction.
- Make three circles around the top in a clockwise direction.
- And finally, make seven circles around the entire Tulsi plant in a clockwise direction.
- Then offer it to Srila Prabhupada and assembled devotees
- While worshipping hold the bell in the left hand and continue ringing it.
#3. Offer flowers to Tulasi Maharani:
- Sprinkle achamana water on the flower to purify it.
- Offer the flower by making seven circles around the entire body of Tulasi Devi in a clockwise direction.
- Place some flowers at the base of the sacred plant
- Offer it then to Srila Prabhupada and assembled devotees.
- Continue ringing the bell while offering flowers.
When the Tulasi worship is going on devotees sing the song – namo namaha tulasi! krishna-preyasi.
After completion of Tulasi worship the devotees circumambulate Tulsi Maharani in a clockwise direction. Devotees should circumambulate at least 3 times. While circumambulating devotees sing –
yani kani cha papani
brahma-hatyadikani cha
tani tani pranashyanti
pradakshinaha pade pade
They also take arati which was offered to Tulasi Maharani and smell the offered flowers.
After Tulsi worship, the assembled devotees purify their hands with achamana water and pour few drops of water at the base of Tulasi.
At last devotees again offer their obeisances, pancanga pranam, to Tulasi Devi and chant the mantra.
Vrindayai Tulasi devyai priyayai kesavasya cha
Vishnu bhaktiprade devi satyavatyai namo namaha
The meaning of the mantra is - “I offer my repeated obeisances unto Vrnda, Srimati Tulasi Devi, who is very dear to Lord Kesava. O goddess, you bestow devotional service to Lord Krsna and possess the highest truth.”
In his book Sri Hari Bhakti Vilasa (Chapter: Ninth Vilasa), Sanatana Goswami elaborately explains how to worship Tulsi Devi and with what consciousness one should offer prayer to the sacred plant which is so dear to Krishna.
How to glorify Tulasi Devi with beautiful prayers
#1. Sanatana Goswami says, “One should go to a beautiful and glorious Tulasi forest to worship Tulsi(Tulasi) Devi who is dear to Lord Krishna’s lotus feet.” Text 98
#2. While worshipping beautiful and sacred Tulsi (Tulasi) forest one should offer arghya with scents, beautiful flowers, unbroken grains of rice and other items. After offering arghya to Tulsi (Tulasi) Devi, one should glorify her with beautiful prayers. After that one should pay obeisances to the sacred plant by bowing down before her like a stick (dandavat). Devotees then can make any request if he wishes to make. Text 99
#3. “Addressing her as a goddess, goddess of fortune’s glory, home of the revered goddess of fortune, the object of worship for the husband of the goddess of fortune one should plead her to accept the arghya which has been offered with devotion. Then one should again offer obeisances to her.” Text 100
#4. One should glorify Tulsi (Tulasi) Devi by saying “You were planted by the demigods in ancient times. You are so sacred that suras (demigods) and asuras (demons) both worship you. I beg you to remove my sins. Please kindly accept my worship and my offerings. Please accept my respectful obeisances unto you.” Text 101
#5. “O Tulasi Maharani, you are so kind, you are the mother of all mercy, you bestow good fortune upon conditioned souls. Please be merciful upon this unfortunate soul. Kindly accept my obeisances.” Text 102
#6. “O Tulasi Maharani please shower your mercy upon me. Give me the benediction of long life, of fame, of wealth, of glory, of prosperity, of happiness, of piety, of strength.” Text 103
#7. In Avanti khanda, it is mentioned one should always offer their respectful obeisances to Tulasi Maharani. While offering the obeisances one should glorify her by saying the following words:
- When someone sees her then she destroys the person’s all sins.
- When someone even touches her then she is so merciful that she purifies the person’s body.
- When someone offers obeisances to her then she is so kind that she cures all his diseases.
- When someone is offering water to Tulsi(Tulasi) plant then she makes Yamaraj fear that person.
- When someone plants the sacred Tulsi(Tulasi) then Tulsi Devi brings him closer to Krishna.
- And when someone places Tulsi Maharani at Krishna’s lotus feet then she becomes so pleased with him that she offers liberation to that person. Text 104
#8. In a prayerful mood, one should say, “Although I am an insignificant creature, my desire is to just relish and dive in the ocean of your glories. For any mistake and offense, I beg you to forgive me.” Text 105
Note: Reference to the text is from Sri Hari Bhakti Vilasa, Chapter – Ninth Vilasa
