The Glory of Tulasi

Verse 1 (skanda.6.249.1)

वाण्युवाच । तुलसी रोपिता येन गृहस्थेन महाफला । गृहे तस्य न दारिद्र्यं जायते नात्र संशयः

vāṇyuvāca tulasī ropitā yena gṛhasthena mahāphalā gṛhe tasya na dāridryaṁ jāyate nātra saṁśayaḥ

Vani said: That householder by whom the greatly fruitful Tulasi has been planted — in his house poverty does not arise; there is no doubt of this.

Verse 2 (skanda.6.249.2)

तुलस्या दर्शनादेव पापराशिर्निवर्तते । श्रियेऽमृतकणोत्पन्ना तुलसी हरिवल्लभा

tulasyā darśanādeva pāparāśirnivartate śriye'mṛtakaṇotpannā tulasī harivallabhā

By the mere sight of Tulasi, the heap of sin turns away. Born from a drop of nectar for the sake of Shri, Tulasi is beloved of Hari.

Verse 3 (skanda.6.249.3)

पिबन्त्या रुचिरं पानं प्राणिनां पापहारिणी । यस्या रूपे वसेल्लक्ष्मीः स्कन्धे सागरसंभवा

pibantyā ruciraṁ pānaṁ prāṇināṁ pāpahāriṇī yasyā rūpe vasellakṣmīḥ skandhe sāgarasaṁbhavā

Drinking a lovely draught, she removes the sin of living beings. In her form dwells Lakshmi, and in her trunk dwells she who was born of the ocean.

Verse 4 (skanda.6.249.4)

पत्रेषु सततं श्रीश्च शाखासु कमला स्वयम् । इन्दिरा पुष्पगा नित्यं फले क्षीराब्धिसंभवा

patreṣu satataṁ śrīśca śākhāsu kamalā svayam indirā puṣpagā nityaṁ phale kṣīrābdhisaṁbhavā

In the leaves ever dwells Shri, and in the branches Kamala herself; Indira ever resides in the flowers, and in the fruit she who was born of the ocean of milk.

Verse 5 (skanda.6.249.5)

तुलसी शुष्ककाष्ठेषु या रूपा विश्वव्यापिनी । मज्जायां पद्मवासा च त्वचासु च हरिप्रिया

tulasī śuṣkakāṣṭheṣu yā rūpā viśvavyāpinī majjāyāṁ padmavāsā ca tvacāsu ca haripriyā

Tulasi, whose form pervades the whole universe even in her dry wood — in her pith dwells the lotus-dweller, and in her bark she who is beloved of Hari.

Verse 6 (skanda.6.249.6)

सर्वरूपा च सर्वेशा परमानन्ददायिनी । तुलसी प्राशको मर्त्यो यमलोकं न गच्छति

sarvarūpā ca sarveśā paramānandadāyinī tulasī prāśako martyo yamalokaṁ na gacchati

All-formed, mistress of all, the bestower of supreme bliss — the mortal who partakes of Tulasi does not go to the world of Yama.

Verse 7 (skanda.6.249.7)

शिरस्था तुलसी यस्य न याम्यैरनुभूयते । मुखस्था तुलसी यस्य निर्वाणपददायिनी

śirasthā tulasī yasya na yāmyairanubhūyate mukhasthā tulasī yasya nirvāṇapadadāyinī

He on whose head Tulasi rests is not seized by the servants of Yama; he in whose mouth Tulasi rests, for him she becomes the bestower of the state of liberation.

Verse 8 (skanda.6.249.8)

हस्तस्थातुलसीयस्य स तापत्रयवर्जितः । तुलसी हृदयस्था च प्राणिनां सर्वकामदा

hastasthātulasīyasya sa tāpatrayavarjitaḥ tulasī hṛdayasthā ca prāṇināṁ sarvakāmadā

He in whose hand Tulasi rests is freed from the threefold suffering; and Tulasi, resting in the heart, grants every desire of living beings.

Verse 9 (skanda.6.249.9)

स्कन्धस्था तुलसी यस्य स पापैर्न च लिप्यते । कण्ठगा तुलसी यस्य जीवन्मुक्तः सदा हि सः

skandhasthā tulasī yasya sa pāpairna ca lipyate kaṇṭhagā tulasī yasya jīvanmuktaḥ sadā hi saḥ

He on whose shoulder Tulasi rests is never tainted by sins; he around whose neck Tulasi rests is indeed ever liberated while living.

Verse 10 (skanda.6.249.10)

तुलसीसंभवं पत्रं सदा वहति यो नरः । मनसा चिन्तितां सिद्धिं संप्राप्नोति न संशयः

tulasīsaṁbhavaṁ patraṁ sadā vahati yo naraḥ manasā cintitāṁ siddhiṁ saṁprāpnoti na saṁśayaḥ

That man who always carries a leaf born of Tulasi obtains, without doubt, the accomplishment he has thought of in his mind.

Verse 11 (skanda.6.249.11)

तुलसींसर्वकायार्थसाधिनीं दुष्टवारिणीम् । यो नरः प्रत्यहं सिञ्चेन्न स याति यमालयम्

tulasīṁsarvakāyārthasādhinīṁ duṣṭavāriṇīm yo naraḥ pratyahaṁ siñcenna sa yāti yamālayam

That man who daily waters the Tulasi — who accomplishes every bodily purpose and wards off evil — does not go to the abode of Yama.

Verse 12 (skanda.6.249.12)

चातुर्मास्ये विशेषेण वन्दितापि विमुक्तिदा । नारायणं जलगतं ज्ञात्वा वृक्षगतं तथा

cāturmāsye viśeṣeṇa vanditāpi vimuktidā nārāyaṇaṁ jalagataṁ jñātvā vṛkṣagataṁ tathā

Especially during Chaturmasya, when merely honoured, she bestows liberation. Knowing Narayana as present in the water, and likewise present in the tree,

Verse 13 (skanda.6.249.13)

प्राणिनां कृपया लक्ष्मीस्तुलसीवृक्षमाश्रिता । चातुर्मास्ये समायाते तुलसी सेविता यदि

prāṇināṁ kṛpayā lakṣmīstulasīvṛkṣamāśritā cāturmāsye samāyāte tulasī sevitā yadi

out of compassion for living beings, Lakshmi has taken refuge in the Tulasi tree. When Chaturmasya has come, if Tulasi is served,

Verse 14 (skanda.6.249.14)

तेषां पापसहस्राणि यांति नित्यं सहस्रधा । गोविन्दस्मरणं नित्यं तुलसीवनसेवनम्

teṣāṁ pāpasahasrāṇi yāṁti nityaṁ sahasradhā govindasmaraṇaṁ nityaṁ tulasīvanasevanam

then a thousand sins of theirs are destroyed daily, a thousandfold. The constant remembrance of Govinda is found in the service of the Tulasi grove.

Verse 15 (skanda.6.249.15)

तुलसीसेचनं दुग्धैश्चातुर्मास्येऽतिदुर्लभम् । तुलसीं वर्द्धयेद्यस्तु मानवो यदि श्रद्धया

tulasīsecanaṁ dugdhaiścāturmāsye'tidurlabham tulasīṁ varddhayedyastu mānavo yadi śraddhayā

Watering Tulasi with milk during Chaturmasya is a most rare act of merit. And that man who, with faith, causes Tulasi to flourish,

Verse 16 (skanda.6.249.16)

आलवालांबुदानैश्च पावितं सकलं कुलम् । यथा श्रीस्तुलसीसंस्था नित्यमेव हि वर्द्धते

ālavālāṁbudānaiśca pāvitaṁ sakalaṁ kulam yathā śrīstulasīsaṁsthā nityameva hi varddhate

purifies his whole lineage by making a basin and giving her water. Just as Shri, established in Tulasi, ever increases,

Verse 17 (skanda.6.249.17)

तथातथा गृहस्थस्य कामवृद्धिः प्रजायते । ब्रह्मचारीगृहस्थश्च वानप्रस्थो यतिस्तथा

tathātathā gṛhasthasya kāmavṛddhiḥ prajāyate brahmacārīgṛhasthaśca vānaprastho yatistathā

so, correspondingly, the fulfilment of desire increases for the householder. The celibate student, the householder, the forest-dweller, and likewise the ascetic —

Verse 18 (skanda.6.249.18)

तथा प्रकृतयः सर्वास्तुलसीसेवने रताः । श्रद्धया यदि जायन्ते न तासां दुःखदो हरिः

tathā prakṛtayaḥ sarvāstulasīsevane ratāḥ śraddhayā yadi jāyante na tāsāṁ duḥkhado hariḥ

and likewise all classes of people devoted to the service of Tulasi — if they engage in it with faith, Hari does not become a cause of sorrow for them.

Verse 19 (skanda.6.249.19)

एको हरिः सकलवृक्षगतो विभाति नानारसैस्तु परिभावितमूर्तिरेव । वृक्षाधिवासमगमत्कमला च देवी दुःखादिनाशनकरी सततं स्मृताऽपि

eko hariḥ sakalavṛkṣagato vibhāti nānārasaistu paribhāvitamūrtireva vṛkṣādhivāsamagamatkamalā ca devī duḥkhādināśanakarī satataṁ smṛtā'pi

The one Hari, present in all trees, shines forth, his form as if pervaded by manifold essences; and the goddess Kamala too, ever held in remembrance, the remover of sorrow and all else, went to dwell in a tree.