HOW TO PERFORM TULASI PUJA (WORSHIP)?
This is very nice occasion to write about Tulasi Devi. Actually, a prayer to Krishna is not complete without offering worship to Tulasi Devi. Tulasi Puja must be performed very sincerely with clean body and thoughts, as she is the pure devotee of Lord Krishna.
TULASI ARATI PRAYERS
Srila Prabhupada the founder of ISKCON, reccommended the devotees the following prayers for worshiping Tulasi Devi:
STEP- (1):
First bow to Tulasi Devi on the ground while reciting the following Manthra:
SRI TULASI PRANAMA MANTHRA
vrndayai tulasi-devyai prlyayai kesavasya ca
krsna-bhakti-prade devi satyavatyai namo namah
MEANING:
“I offer my repeated obeisances unto Vrnda, Srimati Tulasi Devi, who is very dear to Lord Kesava [Krsna]. O goddess, you bestow devotional service to Lord Krsna and possess the highest truth.”
Also read THIS POST to know HOW TO GROW, MAINTAIN AND PLUCK THE TULASI PLANT.
STEP- (2):
Next, Perform Deep Arati to Tulasi Devi reciting the following Manthra:
SRI TULASI KIRTANA
namo namah tulasi krsna-preyasi
radha-krsna-seva pabo ei abhilasi
ye tomara sarana toy, tara vancha purna hoy
krpa kori’koro tare brndavana-basi
mor ei abhilas, bilas kunje dio vas
nayane heribo sada jugala-rupa-rasi
ei nivedana dharo, sakhir anugata koro
seva-adhikara diye koro nija dasi
dina krsna-dase koy, ei jena mora hoy
sri-radha-govinda-preme sada jena bhasi
MEANING:
“O Tulasi, beloved of Krsna, I bow before you again and again. My desire is to obtain the service of Sri Sri Radha- Krsna.”
“Whoever takes shelter of you has his wishes fulfilled. Bestowing your mercy on him, you make him a resident of Vrndavana.”
“My desire is that you will also grant me a residence in the pleasure groves of Sri Vrndavana-dhama. Thus, within my vision I will always behold the beautiful pastimes of Radha and Krsna.”
`’I beg you to make me a follower of the cowherd damsels of Vraja. Please give me the privilege of devotional service and make me your own maidservant.”
“This very fallen and lowly servant of Krsna prays, ‘May I always swim in the love of Sri Sri Radha and Govinda.’ ”
(Also read THIS POST about TULASI DEVI (VRINDA) – GLORIES AND HER ROLE IN RADHA KRISHNA LILAS AND OUR DEVOTION!)
STEP-3:
Now, Circumbulate (come round ) the Tulasi Plant 3 times reciting this manthra:
SRI TULASI PRADAKSHINA MANTHRA
(Sung while circumambulating Tulasi.)
“yani kani ca pa pani brahma-hatyadi kani ca
tani tani pranasyanti pradaksinah pade pade”
MEANING:
`’By the circumambulation of Srimati Tulasi Devi all the sins one may have committed are destroyed at every step, even the sin of killing a brahmana.”
STEP-4:
Finally, do the Step-1 again by bowing down before the Tulasi Plant reciting the same manthra:
vrndayai tulasi-devyai prlyayai kesavasya ca ;
krsna-bhakti-prade devi satyavatyai namo namah
Thats all. You have performed Puja to Tulasi Devi.
(Also read THIS POST to know about TULSI VIVAH (MARRIAGE) WITH SALAGRAMA (KRISHNA) – COMPLETE DETAILS AND HOW TO CELEBRATE IT.)
STEP-5: EXTRA PRAYER ON TULASI:
SRI TULASI ARATI PRAYER
(By Candrasekhara Kavi – Can be sung whenever you like preferably in the evening)
(1)
namo namah tulasi maharani,
vrnde maharani namo namah
namo re namo re meiya namo narayani
(2)
jako darase, parase agha-nasa-i
mahima beda-purane bakhani
(3)
jako patra, manjari komala
sri-pati-carana-kamale lapatani
dhanya tulasi meiya, purana tapa kiye,
Sri-salagrama-maha-patarani
(4)
dhupa, dipa, naivedya, arati,
phulana kiye varakha varakhani
chapanna bhoga, chatrisa byanjana,
bina tulasi prabhu eka nahi mani
(5)
siva-suka-narada, aura brahmadiko,
dhurata phirata maha-muni jnani
candrasekhara meiya, tera jasa gaowe
bhakati-dane dijiye maharani
(Read THIS POST to know whether Krishna Rings, dollars, Tulasi mala, etc. – Necessary or Not.)
MEANING:
(1) O Tulasi Maharani! O Vrnda! O mother of devotion! O Narayani, I offer my obeisances to you again and again.
(2) By seeing you or even by touching you, all sins are destroyed. Your glories are described in the Vedas and Puranas.
(3) Your leaves and soft manjaris are entwined at the lotus feet of Narayana, the Lord of Laksmi. O blessed mother Tulasi, you performed successful austerities and have thus become the chief consort and queen of Sri salagrama-sila.
(4) You engladden and shower your rain of mercy upon one who offers you some incense, a ghee lamp, naivedya, and arati. The Lord does not care for even one of fifty-six varieties of cooked food or thirty-six different curries offered without tulasi leaves.
(5) Lord Siva, Sukadeva Gosvami, Devarsi Narada, and all the jnanis and great munis, headed by Lord Brahma, are circumambulating you. O mother! O Maharani, Candrasekhara thus sings your glories. Please bestow upon him the gift of pure devotion.
Now, the process is with you. Start Tulasi Puja immediately and inform me if you have newly started. I will be happy to know that.
Vrinda Devi Ki Jai.
(Also read THIS POST with the Procedure to wear Kanti (Tulasi) mala around neck)