Offering Tulasi to Demigods! Why it is offensive? Clear Reasons!
Reena Menon asked like this:
“Hare Krishna… What if Tulasi leaves are used for worshiping the demigods… Here in south India.. they are using tulasi leaves for offering to demigods… and so they request us to supply the leaves from our garden.. how can we deny them… What is the remedy? Even if we try to explain the reason… because they are mayavadis they will not accept and the priest is requesting… What shall be done… Hare Krishna.”
REPLY:
Tulasi must be offered only to the Vishnu tatvas and avatars of Vishnu/ Krishna. Offering Tulasi to demigods is offensive.
Lord Vishnu, Lord Krishna, Lord Narayana, Lord Rama, Lord Narasimmha deva, etc., can be offered Tulasi leaves.
(HOW TO PERFORM TULASI PUJA (WORSHIP)? READ HERE!)
Why?
Because, Tulasi is a confidential devotee and also a servant of Lord Krishna. She directly took part in the lilas of Lord Krishna with Radharani and other gopis.
Tulasi is also a gopi. Gopis are the confidential associates of Krishna who had the fortune of getting Krishna Himself.
Therefore, Tulasi is best to be offered to the original source form, ie, Krishna form because the Lord did all His confidential activities in that Krishna form only.
Krishna form is the first eligible form to whom we can offer Tulasi.
Next comes His other avatars and expansions. This too is acceptable because they too are the forms and expansions of Krishna.
As far as the demigods are concerned, they too are worshiping Krishna. In their process of worship, they have to worship Tulasi also because there is no worship of Krishna without the worship of tulasi.
Now, a problem.
The demigods are the servants of Krishna. That means, Krishna is worshiped by the demigods. Worship of Krishna is not complete without the worship of Tulasi. So, the demigods have to worship Tulasi also.
How can the demigods be offered tulasi at their lotus feet as they themselves worship Tulasi? It is 0ffensive to offer the worshiped person at the feet of the worshiper.
It is similar to offering the tulasi at our feet.
(CAN DEVOTEES USE MEDICINES & PRODUCTS CONTAINING TULASI? READ HERE!)
Because, we worship Krishna. Demigods too worship Krishna. If offering the Tulasi at our feet is an insult to the purity of tulasi, offering Tulasi at the feet of demigods is also an insult to Tulasi.
Can we offer the worshipable person Tulasi under the feet of her devotees?
Tulasi is a confidential associate of Krishna. So, she holds a special position in the worship of Krishna.
So, the demigods will not accept if we offer tulasi under their feet.
However, Tulasi is used in Hanuman worship. But, the right way of offering tulasi to Hanuman is that we can offer tulasi first to Lord Rama and then offer that as a Prasadam to Hanuman.
Hanuman will be happy if we offer Tulasi to him as the Rama Prasadam. He Himself will not accept if we offer tulasi directly to Hanuman because Hanuman is the loyal servant of Lord Rama. He will not accept the offering of tulasi directly to him because Hanuman knows that Tulasi is the associate of Lord Rama as Rama is Vishnu Himself.
(Is Taking Onion and Garlic while Chanting with Tulasi beads permitted? READ HERE!)
That is why, in the temples of Hanuman, it is recommended to chant the names of Lord Rama, not that of Hanuman. Hanuman will be happy only if we chant Lord Rama’s Name in his temple.
If there are this much of procedure even for Hanuman ji, what to say about the demigods!
So, the conclusion is: Offering Tulasi at the feet of demigods is an insult to her Purity as the associate of the Lord Krishna.
Give them this reply to read. Let them change their offensive action that is not recommended anywhere.
Curiosity has no importance in devotion. Only the Rules are important in worship.
Hope you are clear about the offenses in Offering Tulasi to demigods.
(Is using Tulasi based cosmetics INNOCENTLY also an offense? READ HERE!)