The Origin of Dhatri and Tulasi

Verse 1 (skanda.2.120.1)

॥नारद उवाच॥ क्षिप्तेभ्यस्तत्र बीजेभ्यो वनस्पत्यस्त्रयोऽभवन् ॥ धात्री च मालती चैव तुलसी च नृपोत्तम

nārada uvāca kṣiptebhyastatra bījebhyo vanaspatyastrayo'bhavan || dhātrī ca mālatī caiva tulasī ca nṛpottama

Narada said: From the seeds scattered there, three plants sprang up — Dhatri (amla), Malati, and Tulasi, O best of kings.

Verse 2 (skanda.2.120.2)

धात्र्युद्भवा स्मृता धात्री माभवा मालती स्मृता ॥ गौरीभवा च तुलसी तमःसत्त्वरजोगुणाः

dhātryudbhavā smṛtā dhātrī mābhavā mālatī smṛtā || gaurībhavā ca tulasī tamaḥsattvarajoguṇāḥ

Born of the tamas aspect, she was called Dhatri; born of the sattva aspect, she was called Malati; and born of the rajas aspect, Tulasi — thus these three embody the three gunas of tamas, sattva, and rajas.

Verse 3 (skanda.2.120.3)

स्त्रीरूपिण्यौ वनस्पत्यौ दृष्ट्वा विष्णुस्तदा नृप ॥ उत्तस्थौ संभ्रमाद्वृंदा रूपातिशयविभ्रमः

strīrūpiṇyau vanaspatyau dṛṣṭvā viṣṇustadā nṛpa || uttasthau saṁbhramādvṛṁdā rūpātiśayavibhramaḥ

O king, seeing those two plants in feminine form, Vishnu, still dazed by the beguiling loveliness of Vrinda's form, rose up in agitation.

Verse 4 (skanda.2.120.4)

दृष्ट्वा च याचते मोहात्कामासक्तेन चेतसा ॥ तं चाऽपि तुलसीधात्र्यौ रागेणैव व्यलोकताम्

dṛṣṭvā ca yācate mohātkāmāsaktena cetasā || taṁ cā'pi tulasīdhātryau rāgeṇaiva vyalokatām

Seeing them, bewildered and his heart bound by desire, he entreated them; and Tulasi and Dhatri too gazed upon him with affection.

Verse 5 (skanda.2.120.5)

यच्च लक्ष्म्या पुरा बीजमीर्ष्ययैव समर्पितम् ॥ तस्मात्तदुद्भवा नारी तस्मिन्नीर्ष्यापराऽभवत्

yacca lakṣmyā purā bījamīrṣyayaiva samarpitam || tasmāttadudbhavā nārī tasminnīrṣyāparā'bhavat

Since the seed that Lakshmi had earlier given was given out of jealousy, the woman born from it, Malati, too remained jealous of him.

Verse 6 (skanda.2.120.6)

अतः सा बर्बरीत्याख्यामवापाऽध विगर्हिताम् ॥ धात्रीतुलस्यौ तद्रागात्तस्य प्रीतिप्रदे सदा

ataḥ sā barbarītyākhyāmavāpā'dha vigarhitām || dhātrītulasyau tadrāgāttasya prītipradē sadā

Therefore she came to bear the reproachful name "Barbari," while Dhatri and Tulasi, through their affection, remained ever dear to him.

Verse 7 (skanda.2.120.7)

ततो विस्मृतदुःखोऽसौ विष्णुस्ताभ्यां सहैव तु ॥ वैकुण्ठमगमद्धृष्टः सर्वदेव नमस्कृतः

tato vismṛtaduḥkho'sau viṣṇustābhyāṁ sahaiva tu || vaikuṇṭhamagamaddhṛṣṭaḥ sarvadeva namaskṛtaḥ

Then, his sorrow forgotten, Vishnu, delighted, went to Vaikuntha together with those two, and all the gods paid homage to him.

Verse 8 (skanda.2.120.8)

कार्तिकोद्यापने विष्णोस्तस्मात्पूजा विधीयते ॥ तुलसीमूलदेशेऽस्य प्रीतिदा सा यतः स्मृता

kārtikodyāpane viṣṇostasmātpūjā vidhīyate || tulasīmūladeśe'sya prītidā sā yataḥ smṛtā

Therefore, in the concluding rite of the Kartika vow, Vishnu is worshipped at the base of the Tulasi plant, for she is remembered as ever dear to him.

Verse 9 (skanda.2.120.9)

तुलसीकाननं राजन्गृहे यस्याऽवतिष्ठते ॥ तद्गृहं तीर्थरूपं तु नाऽऽयांति यमकिंकराः

tulasīkānanaṁ rājangṛhe yasyā'vatiṣṭhate || tadgṛhaṁ tīrtharūpaṁ tu nā'āyāṁti yamakiṁkarāḥ

O king, in whatever house a grove of Tulasi stands, that house becomes like a sacred place of pilgrimage, and Yama's messengers do not approach it.

Verse 10 (skanda.2.120.10)

सर्वपापहरं नित्यं कामदं तुलसीवनम् ॥ रोपयंति नराः श्रेष्ठास्ते न पश्यंति भास्करिम्

sarvapāpaharaṁ nityaṁ kāmadaṁ tulasīvanam || ropayaṁti narāḥ śreṣṭhāste na paśyaṁti bhāskarim

The grove of Tulasi ever removes all sins and grants every desire; those excellent men who plant it never behold Yama, the son of the sun.

Verse 11 (skanda.2.120.11)

दर्शनं नर्मदायास्तु गंगास्नानं तथैव च ॥ तुलसीवनसंसर्गः सममेव त्रयं स्मृतम्

darśanaṁ narmadāyāstu gaṁgāsnānaṁ tathaiva ca || tulasīvanasaṁsargaḥ samameva trayaṁ smṛtam

Beholding the Narmada, bathing in the Ganga, and contact with a Tulasi grove — these three are held to be equal in merit.

Verse 12 (skanda.2.120.12)

रोपणात्पालनात्सेकाद्दर्शनात्स्पर्शनान्नृणाम् ॥ तुलसी दहते पापं वाङ्मनःकायसंचितम्

ropaṇātpālanātsekāddarśanātsparśanānnṛṇām || tulasī dahate pāpaṁ vāṅmanaḥkāyasaṁcitam

Through planting, tending, watering, beholding, and touching, Tulasi burns away the sins accumulated by men in speech, mind, and body.

Verse 13 (skanda.2.120.13)

तुलसीमंजरीभिर्यः कुर्याद्धरिहराऽर्चनम् ॥ न स गर्भगृहं याति मुक्तिभागी न संशयः

tulasīmaṁjarībhiryaḥ kuryāddhariharārcanam || na sa garbhagṛhaṁ yāti muktibhāgī na saṁśayaḥ

Whoever worships Hari and Hara with Tulasi's flower-clusters never enters a womb again; without doubt he attains liberation.

Verse 14 (skanda.2.120.14)

पुष्कराद्यानि तीर्थानि गंगाद्याः सरितस्तथा ॥ वासुदेवादयो देवास्तिष्ठंति तुलसीदले

puṣkarādyāni tīrthāni gaṁgādyāḥ saritastathā || vāsudevādayo devāstiṣṭhaṁti tulasīdale

The sacred fords beginning with Pushkara, the rivers beginning with the Ganga, and the gods beginning with Vasudeva — all dwell within a Tulasi leaf.

Verse 15 (skanda.2.120.15)

तुलसीमंजरीयुक्तो यस्तु प्राणान्विमुंचति ॥ यमोऽपि नेक्षितुं शक्तो युक्तं पापशतैरपि

tulasīmaṁjarīyukto yastu prāṇānvimuṁcati || yamo'pi nekṣituṁ śakto yuktaṁ pāpaśatairapi

He who gives up his life with a Tulasi flower-cluster upon him — even one burdened with a hundred sins — Yama himself is unable even to look upon him.

Verse 16 (skanda.2.120.16)

विष्णोः सायुज्यमाप्नोति सत्यं सत्यं नृपोत्तम ॥ तुलसीकाष्ठजं यस्तु चंदनं धारयेन्नरः

viṣṇoḥ sāyujyamāpnoti satyaṁ satyaṁ nṛpottama || tulasīkāṣṭhajaṁ yastu caṁdanaṁ dhārayennaraḥ

He attains union with Vishnu — this is true, O best of kings, truly true. Whatever man wears the sandal-paste made from Tulasi's wood —

Verse 17 (skanda.2.120.17)

तद्देहं न स्पृशेत्पापं क्रियमाणमपीह यत् ॥ तुलसीविपिनच्छाया यत्रयत्र भवेन्नृप

taddehaṁ na spṛśetpāpaṁ kriyamāṇamapīha yat || tulasīvipinacchāyā yatrayatra bhavennṛpa

no sin, even one being committed, touches that body. O king, wherever the shade of a Tulasi grove falls,

Verse 18 (skanda.2.120.18)

तत्र श्राद्धं प्रकर्तव्यं पितॄणां दत्तमक्षयम् ॥ धात्रीफलविमिश्रैश्च तुलसीपत्रमिश्रितैः

tatra śrāddhaṁ prakartavyaṁ pitṝṇāṁ dattamakṣayam || dhātrīphalavimiśraiśca tulasīpatramiśritaiḥ

there one should perform the shraddha rite, for what is offered to the ancestors there becomes imperishable. Bathing with water mixed with amla fruit and Tulasi leaves —

Verse 19 (skanda.2.120.19)

जलैः स्नाति नरस्तस्य गंगास्नानफलं स्मृतम् ॥ देवार्चनं नरः कुर्याद्धात्रीपत्रैः फलैस्तथा

jalaiḥ snāti narastasya gaṁgāsnānaphalaṁ smṛtam || devārcanaṁ naraḥ kuryāddhātrīpatraiḥ phalaistathā

with such water, a man attains the merit of bathing in the Ganga. Whatever man worships the gods with amla leaves and fruits —

Verse 20 (skanda.2.120.20)

सुवर्णमणिमुक्तौघैरर्चनस्याप्नुयात्फलम् ॥ तीर्थानि मुनयो देवा यज्ञाः सर्वेऽपि कार्तिके

suvarṇamaṇimuktaughairarcanasyāpnuyātphalam || tīrthāni munayo devā yajñāḥ sarve'pi kārtike

he obtains the merit of worship performed with gold, jewels, and pearls. In the month of Kartika, all sacred fords, sages, gods, and sacrifices —

Verse 21 (skanda.2.120.21)

नित्यं धात्रीं समाश्रित्य तिष्ठंत्यर्के तुलास्थिते ॥ द्वादश्यां तुलसीपत्रं धात्रीपत्रं तु कार्तिके

nityaṁ dhātrīṁ samāśritya tiṣṭhaṁtyarke tulāsthite || dvādaśyāṁ tulasīpatraṁ dhātrīpatraṁ tu kārtike

constantly take refuge in the amla tree while the sun is in Tula. Whoever, on the twelfth day of Kartika,

Verse 22 (skanda.2.120.22)

लुनाति स नरो गच्छेन्निरयानतिगर्हितान् ॥ धात्रीतुलस्योर्माहात्म्यमपि देवश्चतुर्मुखः ॥ न समर्थो भवेद्वक्तुं यथा देवस्य शार्ङ्गिणः

lunāti sa naro gacchennirayānatigarhitān || dhātrītulasyormāhātmyamapi devaścaturmukhaḥ || na samartho bhavedvaktuṁ yathā devasya śārṅgiṇaḥ

plucks without cause goes to the most reprehensible hells. Even four-faced Brahma is unable to fully proclaim the glory of Dhatri and Tulasi as it pertains to Vishnu, the bearer of the bow Sharnga.

Verse 23 (skanda.2.120.23)

धात्रीतुलस्युद्भवकारणं यः शृणोति यः श्रावयते च भक्त्या ॥ विधूतपाप्मा सह पूर्वजैः स्वैः स्वर्गं व्रजत्यग्र्यविमानसंस्थैः

dhātrītulasyudbhavakāraṇaṁ yaḥ śṛṇoti yaḥ śrāvayate ca bhaktyā || vidhūtapāpmā saha pūrvajaiḥ svaiḥ svargaṁ vrajatyagryavimānasaṁsthaiḥ

Whoever hears, or with devotion causes others to hear, this account of the origin of Dhatri and Tulasi is cleansed of all sin and goes to heaven, together with his ancestors, seated upon the finest of celestial chariots.