The Glory of Tulasi

Verse 1 (padma.4.22.1)

शौनकउवाच । माहात्म्यं ब्रूहि सर्वज्ञ शृण्वतां पापनाशनम् । सर्वप्राणिहितार्थाय तुलस्या अनुकंपया ।

śaunakauvāca māhātmyaṁ brūhi sarvajña śṛṇvatāṁ pāpanāśanam sarvaprāṇihitārthāya tulasyā anukaṁpayā

Shaunaka said: Tell me, O all-knowing one, out of compassion, the sin-destroying glory of tulasi, for the good of all beings, that which destroys the sins of those who hear it.

Verse 2 (padma.4.22.2)

सूत उवाच । तुलस्याः परिसरे यस्य काननं तिष्ठति द्विज । गृहस्य तीर्थरूपत्वान्नायांति यमकिंकराः ।

sūta uvāca tulasyāḥ parisare yasya kānanaṁ tiṣṭhati dvija gṛhasya tīrtharūpatvānnāyāṁti yamakiṁkarāḥ

Suta said: O Brahmin, in whosever house a grove of tulasi stands nearby, because that dwelling has the sanctity of a sacred tirtha, Yama's servants do not come there.

Verse 3 (padma.4.22.3)

तुलस्याः काननं विप्र सर्वपापहरं शुभम् । रोपयंति नराः श्रेष्ठास्ते न पश्यंति भास्करिम् ।

tulasyāḥ kānanaṁ vipra sarvapāpaharaṁ śubham ropayaṁti narāḥ śreṣṭhāste na paśyaṁti bhāskarim

O Brahmin, a grove of tulasi is auspicious and removes every sin. Those excellent men who plant it never behold the servant of Yama.

Verse 4 (padma.4.22.4)

रोपणं पालनं सेवां दर्शनं स्पर्शनं तु यः । कुर्य्यात्तस्य प्रणष्टं स्यात्सर्वपापं द्विजोत्तम ।

ropaṇaṁ pālanaṁ sevāṁ darśanaṁ sparśanaṁ tu yaḥ kuryyāttasya praṇaṣṭaṁ syātsarvapāpaṁ dvijottama

Whoever plants it, tends it, serves it, beholds it, or touches it, O best of Brahmins, all his sins are destroyed.

Verse 5 (padma.4.22.5)

कोमलैस्तुलसीपत्रैरर्चयंति हरिं तु ये । कालस्य सदनं विप्र ते न यांति महाशयाः ।

komalaistulasīpatrairarcayaṁti hariṁ tu ye kālasya sadanaṁ vipra te na yāṁti mahāśayāḥ

Those who worship Hari with tender tulasi leaves — those great souls, O Brahmin, never go to the abode of Time, of Yama.

Verse 6 (padma.4.22.6)

गंगाद्याः सरितः श्रेष्ठा विष्णु ब्रह्म महेश्वराः । देवैस्तीर्थैः पुष्कराद्यैस्तिष्ठंति तुलसीदले ।

gaṁgādyāḥ saritaḥ śreṣṭhā viṣṇu brahma maheśvarāḥ devaistīrthaiḥ puṣkarādyaistiṣṭhaṁti tulasīdale

The Ganga and other foremost rivers, Vishnu, Brahma and Maheshvara, together with the gods and sacred places such as Pushkara, all dwell in a tulasi leaf.

Verse 7 (padma.4.22.7)

यो युक्तस्तुलसीपत्रैः पापी प्राणान्विमुञ्चति । विष्णोर्निकेतनं याति सत्यमेतन्मयोदितम् ।

yo yuktastulasīpatraiḥ pāpī prāṇānvimuñcati viṣṇorniketanaṁ yāti satyametanmayoditam

Whatever sinner, adorned with tulasi leaves, gives up his life, goes to the abode of Vishnu — this I say truly.

Verse 8 (padma.4.22.8)

तुलसीमृत्तिकालिप्तो युक्तः पापशतैरपि । विमुंचति नरः प्राणान्स याति हरिमन्दिरम् ।

tulasīmṛttikālipto yuktaḥ pāpaśatairapi vimuṁcati naraḥ prāṇānsa yāti harimandiram

A man smeared with tulasi-clay, even one laden with a hundred sins, upon giving up his life, goes to the temple of Hari.

Verse 9 (padma.4.22.9)

यो नरो धारयेद्विप्र तुलसीकाष्ठचंदनम् । तस्याङ्गं न स्पृशेत्पापं स याति परमं पदम् ।

yo naro dhārayedvipra tulasīkāṣṭhacaṁdanam tasyāṅgaṁ na spṛśetpāpaṁ sa yāti paramaṁ padam

O Brahmin, whatever man wears sandal-paste made of tulasi wood, sin does not touch his body; he goes to the supreme state.

Verse 10 (padma.4.22.10)

तुलसीकाष्ठमालां तु कण्ठस्थां वहते तु यः । अप्यशौचोप्यनाचारो भक्त्या याति हरेर्गृहम् ।

tulasīkāṣṭhamālāṁ tu kaṇṭhasthāṁ vahate tu yaḥ apyaśaucopyanācāro bhaktyā yāti harergṛham

Whoever wears around his neck a garland made of tulasi wood, even if impure or of improper conduct, goes with devotion to the abode of Hari.

Verse 11 (padma.4.22.11)

धात्रीफलकृतामाला तुलसीकाष्ठसंभवा । दृश्यते यस्य देहे तु स वै भागवतो नरः ।

dhātrīphalakṛtāmālā tulasīkāṣṭhasaṁbhavā dṛśyate yasya dehe tu sa vai bhāgavato naraḥ

Whoever is seen bearing upon his body a garland made of amla-fruit together with tulasi wood — such a man is truly a devotee of the Lord.

Verse 12 (padma.4.22.12)

तुलसीदलजां मालां कण्ठस्थां वहते तु यः । विष्णूच्छिष्टां विशेषेण स नमस्यो दिवौकसाम् ।

tulasīdalajāṁ mālāṁ kaṇṭhasthāṁ vahate tu yaḥ viṣṇūcchiṣṭāṁ viśeṣeṇa sa namasyo divaukasām

Whoever wears around his neck a garland of tulasi leaves, especially one that is the remnant offered to Vishnu, is worthy of homage even from the dwellers of heaven.

Verse 13 (padma.4.22.13)

यः पुनस्तुलसीमालां कण्ठे कृत्वा जनार्दनम् । पूजयेत्पुण्यमाप्नोति प्रतिपुष्पं गवायुतम् ।

yaḥ punastulasīmālāṁ kaṇṭhe kṛtvā janārdanam pūjayetpuṇyamāpnoti pratipuṣpaṁ gavāyutam

And whoever, wearing a tulasi garland around his neck, worships Janardana, obtains, for every flower, merit equal to the gift of ten thousand cows.

Verse 14 (padma.4.22.14)

धारयन्ति न ये मालां हैतुकाः पापबुद्धयः । नरकान्न निवर्तंते दग्धाः कोपाग्निना हरेः ।

dhārayanti na ye mālāṁ haitukāḥ pāpabuddhayaḥ narakānna nivartaṁte dagdhāḥ kopāgninā hareḥ

Those skeptics of sinful mind who do not wear this garland, burned by the fire of Hari's wrath, do not return from hell.

Verse 15 (padma.4.22.15)

न जह्यात्तुलसीमालां धात्रीमालां विशेषतः । महापातकसंहर्त्रीं धर्मकामार्थदायिनीम् ।

na jahyāttulasīmālāṁ dhātrīmālāṁ viśeṣataḥ mahāpātakasaṁhartrīṁ dharmakāmārthadāyinīm

One should never discard a tulasi garland, and especially not an amla garland — it destroys great sins and bestows dharma, artha and kama.

Verse 16 (padma.4.22.16)

स्पृशेच्च यानि लोमानि धात्रीमाला कलौ नृणाम् । तावद्वर्षसहस्राणि वसते केशवालये ।

spṛśecca yāni lomāni dhātrīmālā kalau nṛṇām tāvadvarṣasahasrāṇi vasate keśavālaye

For as many hairs on a man's body as an amla garland touches in the Kali age, for that many thousand years he dwells in Keshava's abode.

Verse 17 (padma.4.22.17)

निवेद्य केशवे मालां तुलसीकाष्ठसंभवाम् । वहते यो नरो भक्त्या तस्य वै नास्ति पातकम् ।

nivedya keśave mālāṁ tulasīkāṣṭhasaṁbhavām vahate yo naro bhaktyā tasya vai nāsti pātakam

Whatever man, having offered to Keshava a garland of tulasi wood, wears it with devotion — for him there is truly no sin.

Verse 18 (padma.4.22.18)

तुलसीकाष्ठमालां तु प्रेतराजस्य दूतकाः । दृष्ट्वा नश्यन्ति दूरेण वातोद्धूतं यथा दलम् ।

tulasīkāṣṭhamālāṁ tu pretarājasya dūtakāḥ dṛṣṭvā naśyanti dūreṇa vātoddhūtaṁ yathā dalam

Seeing a garland of tulasi wood from afar, Yama's messengers flee, like a leaf scattered by the wind.

Verse 19 (padma.4.22.19)

तुलस्या विपिने धात्र्याश्छायासु यो नरोत्तमः । पिण्डं ददाति पितरो मुक्तिं यान्ति द्विजोत्तम ।

tulasyā vipine dhātryāśchāyāsu yo narottamaḥ piṇḍaṁ dadāti pitaro muktiṁ yānti dvijottama

O best of Brahmins, whatever excellent man offers the funeral rice-ball in a tulasi grove, or in the shade of an amla tree, his ancestors attain liberation.

Verse 20 (padma.4.22.20)

पाणौ मूर्ध्नि गले चैव कर्णयोश्च मुखे द्विज । धात्रीफलं यस्तु धत्ते स विज्ञेयो हरिः स्वयम् ।

pāṇau mūrdhni gale caiva karṇayośca mukhe dvija dhātrīphalaṁ yastu dhatte sa vijñeyo hariḥ svayam

O Brahmin, whoever wears amla fruit upon hand, head, neck, ears, and mouth, should be known as Hari himself.

Verse 21 (padma.4.22.21)

धात्रीपत्रैः फलैर्विप्र श्रीहरिं चार्चयेद्द्विज । कोटिजन्मार्जितं पापं पूजया नश्यति सकृत् ।

dhātrīpatraiḥ phalairvipra śrīhariṁ cārcayeddvija koṭijanmārjitaṁ pāpaṁ pūjayā naśyati sakṛt

O Brahmin, one should worship Shri Hari with amla leaves and fruits; through this worship, sin accumulated over a hundred million births is destroyed at once.

Verse 22 (padma.4.22.22)

यज्ञादेवाश्च मुनयस्तीर्थानि कार्तिके द्विज । धात्रीवृक्षं समाश्रित्य तिष्ठन्ति कार्तिके सदा ।

yajñādevāśca munayastīrthāni kārtike dvija dhātrīvṛkṣaṁ samāśritya tiṣṭhanti kārtike sadā

O Brahmin, the gods, sages, and sacred places all take refuge at the amla tree in the month of Kartika, and always dwell there.

Verse 23 (padma.4.22.23)

धात्रीपत्रं कार्तिके च द्वादश्यां तुलसीदलम् । चिनोति यो नरो गच्छेन्निरयं यातनामयम् ।

dhātrīpatraṁ kārtike ca dvādaśyāṁ tulasīdalam cinoti yo naro gacchennirayaṁ yātanāmayam

Whatever man plucks an amla leaf or a tulasi leaf on the twelfth tithi of Kartika goes to a hell of torment.

Verse 24 (padma.4.22.24)

धात्रीछायासु यो विप्र चान्नं भुनक्ति कार्तिके । अन्नसंसर्गजं पापमावर्षं तस्य नश्यति ।

dhātrīchāyāsu yo vipra cānnaṁ bhunakti kārtike annasaṁsargajaṁ pāpamāvarṣaṁ tasya naśyati

O Brahmin, whoever eats food in the shade of an amla tree during Kartika — the sin arising from that food's contact is destroyed for a whole year for him.

Verse 25 (padma.4.22.25)

तुलसीवनमध्ये च धात्रीमूले च कार्तिके । कुर्याद्धर्यर्चनं विप्र वैकुण्ठं याति स ध्रुवम् ।

tulasīvanamadhye ca dhātrīmūle ca kārtike kuryāddharyarcanaṁ vipra vaikuṇṭhaṁ yāti sa dhruvam

O Brahmin, in Kartika one should worship Hari in the midst of a tulasi grove, or at the root of an amla tree; he surely goes to Vaikuntha.

Verse 26 (padma.4.22.26)

तुलसीमूलदेशेऽपि स्थितं वारि द्विजोत्तम । गृह्णाति मस्तके भक्त्या पापी याति हरेर्गृहम् ।

tulasīmūladeśe'pi sthitaṁ vāri dvijottama gṛhṇāti mastake bhaktyā pāpī yāti harergṛham

O best of Brahmins, whoever, with devotion, bears upon his head the water standing near the root of a tulasi plant — even a sinner — goes to the abode of Hari.

Verse 27 (padma.4.22.27)

तुलसीपत्रगलितं यस्तोयं शिरसावहेत् । सर्वतीर्थेषु स स्नातश्चांते याति हरेर्गृहम् ।

tulasīpatragalitaṁ yastoyaṁ śirasāvahet sarvatīrtheṣu sa snātaścāṁte yāti harergṛham

Whoever bears upon his head the water that has trickled down from a tulasi leaf has bathed in all the sacred waters, and at the end goes to the abode of Hari.

Verse 28 (padma.4.22.28)

पुरा कश्चिद्द्विजश्रेष्ठो द्वापरेऽभून्महामुने । स्नात्वैकदा तुलस्यै स वनं दत्वा गृहं गतः ।

purā kaściddvijaśreṣṭho dvāpare'bhūnmahāmune snātvaikadā tulasyai sa vanaṁ datvā gṛhaṁ gataḥ

Formerly, in the Dvapara age, O great sage, there lived an excellent Brahmin. One day, having bathed, he watered a tulasi grove and set out for home.

Verse 29 (padma.4.22.29)

आदित्यो वर्चसा नाम्ना मार्त्तंड इव पुण्यतः । तृषार्तो भक्षकः कश्चिदागतो बहुकल्मषः ।

ādityo varcasā nāmnā mārttaṁḍa iva puṇyataḥ tṛṣārto bhakṣakaḥ kaścidāgato bahukalmaṣaḥ

There came a hunter, laden with much sin, tormented by thirst — one named Varchas, radiant as the sun in splendor, though not in merit.

Verse 30 (padma.4.22.30)

तुलस्यामूलतस्तोयं पीत्वा चासौ हतांहसः । त्वरयाप्यागतो व्याधो नाम्ना यश्चासिमर्द्दनः ।

tulasyāmūlatastoyaṁ pītvā cāsau hatāṁhasaḥ tvarayāpyāgato vyādho nāmnā yaścāsimarddanaḥ

Drinking the water at the base of the tulasi, his sins were destroyed. Swiftly another hunter, named Asimardana, also arrived there,

Verse 31 (padma.4.22.31)

उवाच भुक्तं चान्नं च भुक्त्वा भग्नं गतः किमु । कृत्वा मे पाकभांडस्थं चागतो हिंसकस्य ते ।

uvāca bhuktaṁ cānnaṁ ca bhuktvā bhagnaṁ gataḥ kimu kṛtvā me pākabhāṁḍasthaṁ cāgato hiṁsakasya te

— and said: "Having eaten my food, where have you gone off to, having spoiled it? Taking from my cooking-vessel, you have come here as my enemy —"

Verse 32 (padma.4.22.32)

विव्याध तं गतप्राणं नेतुं वै शमनाज्ञया । आगताः किंकराः क्रुद्धाः पाशमुद्गरपाणयः ।

vivyādha taṁ gataprāṇaṁ netuṁ vai śamanājñayā āgatāḥ kiṁkarāḥ kruddhāḥ pāśamudgarapāṇayaḥ

— and struck him dead. To take him, now lifeless, away, by Yama's command enraged servants came, nooses and clubs in hand.

Verse 33 (padma.4.22.33)

बद्ध्वा नेतुं मनश्चक्रुरागता विष्णुकिंकराः । तदा छित्त्वा चर्मपाशं स्यंदने तं मनोहरे ।

baddhvā netuṁ manaścakrurāgatā viṣṇukiṁkarāḥ tadā chittvā carmapāśaṁ syaṁdane taṁ manohare

They resolved to bind him and lead him away — but then Vishnu's messengers arrived. Cutting the leather noose, they seated him upon a beautiful chariot —

Verse 34 (padma.4.22.34)

तूर्णमारोहयामासुः पप्रच्छुर्विनयान्विताः । तेऽपि पुण्येन भोः संतः केन वै नीयतेऽप्यसौ ।

tūrṇamārohayāmāsuḥ papracchurvinayānvitāḥ te'pi puṇyena bhoḥ saṁtaḥ kena vai nīyate'pyasau

— swiftly, and asked with humility: "O worthy ones, by what merit, and by whom, is this man being taken?"

Verse 35 (padma.4.22.35)

ऊचुस्तेऽसौ पुरा राजा पुण्यं बहुतरं कृतम् । अकरोद्धरणं कांचित्सुंदरीं चांगनामयम् ।

ūcuste'sau purā rājā puṇyaṁ bahutaraṁ kṛtam akaroddharaṇaṁ kāṁcitsuṁdarīṁ cāṁganāmayam

Yama's messengers said: "Formerly this man was a king who performed abundant merit, but he had abducted a certain beautiful woman —"

Verse 36 (padma.4.22.36)

अनेन चांहसा राजा गतो वै शमनक्षयम् । तत्रक्लेशं तु युष्माभिर्दत्तं वै शमनाज्ञया ।

anena cāṁhasā rājā gato vai śamanakṣayam tatrakleśaṁ tu yuṣmābhirdattaṁ vai śamanājñayā

"— because of that very sin, O king, that king met his end. There, by Yama's command, we inflicted this suffering upon him —"

Verse 37 (padma.4.22.37)

ताम्रमय्यास्त्रियासार्द्धं क्रीडां सुप्त्वा चकार सः । तप्तायां लोहशय्यायां वैक्लव्यं कर्मणा नृप ।

tāmramayyāstriyāsārddhaṁ krīḍāṁ suptvā cakāra saḥ taptāyāṁ lohaśayyāyāṁ vaiklavyaṁ karmaṇā nṛpa

"— he had, while asleep, sported with a woman made of copper; O king, because of that deed he was made to suffer anguish upon a heated bed of iron."

Verse 38 (padma.4.22.38)

तप्तायोभीषणं तप्तं लोहस्तंभं यमाज्ञया । ततः स्थितः समालिंग्य भुक्त्वा दुःखं चिरं नृपः ।

taptāyobhīṣaṇaṁ taptaṁ lohastaṁbhaṁ yamājñayā tataḥ sthitaḥ samāliṁgya bhuktvā duḥkhaṁ ciraṁ nṛpaḥ

"By Yama's command, made to stand embracing a fearsome, glowing pillar of heated iron, he suffered for a long time, O king,"

Verse 39 (padma.4.22.39)

सिक्तः क्षारांबुधाराभिरन्यैर्वै शमनालये । ततो नरकशेषे च पापयोनौ मुहुर्मुहुः ।

siktaḥ kṣārāṁbudhārābhiranyairvai śamanālaye tato narakaśeṣe ca pāpayonau muhurmuhuḥ

"— and was drenched with streams of caustic water and other torments in Yama's abode. Then, having completed the remainder of his hellish punishment, taking birth again and again in sinful wombs —"

Verse 40 (padma.4.22.40)

जन्मासाद्य चिरं दुःखमनुभूतं स्वकर्मणा । तुलसीमूलकं वारि पीत्वा याति हरेर्गृहम् ।

janmāsādya ciraṁ duḥkhamanubhūtaṁ svakarmaṇā tulasīmūlakaṁ vāri pītvā yāti harergṛham

"— he suffered great misery for a long time through his own deeds. But now, having drunk the water from the root of a tulasi plant, he is going to the abode of Hari."

Verse 41 (padma.4.22.41)

इदानीं तद्वचः श्रुत्वा गतादूता यथागताः । तेन सार्द्धं विष्णुदूता गता वैकुंठमंदिरम् ।

idānīṁ tadvacaḥ śrutvā gatādūtā yathāgatāḥ tena sārddhaṁ viṣṇudūtā gatā vaikuṁṭhamaṁdiram

Hearing these words, Yama's messengers departed just as they had come; and Vishnu's messengers went, together with him, to the temple of Vaikuntha.

Verse 42 (padma.4.22.42)

माहात्म्यं कथितं ब्रह्मन्तुलस्याः पापनाशनम् । कुर्वंति सेवां ये भक्त्या न जाने किं भवेन्मुने ।

māhātmyaṁ kathitaṁ brahmantulasyāḥ pāpanāśanam kurvaṁti sevāṁ ye bhaktyā na jāne kiṁ bhavenmune

O Brahmin, this is the sin-destroying glory of tulasi that I have told you. As for those who serve her with devotion, I do not know, O sage, what greater good might come to them!