Sri Garga Samhita
BY: SUN STAFF
Jan 26, CANADA (SUN) —
Canto Two, Chapter Two
Chapter Sixteen
Tulasi-pujana
The Worship of Tulasi
Text 1
sri-narada uvaca
radha-vakyam tatah srutva
rajan sarva-sakhi-vara
candranana pratyuvaca
samvicarya kshanam hridi
Sri Narada said: Hearing Radha's words, and reflecting on
them in her heart for a moment, Candranana, the best of all
friends, replied.
Text 2
sri-candrananovaca
param saubhagya-dam radhe
maha-punyam vara-pradam
sri-krishnasyapi labdhy-artham
tulasi-sevanam matam
Sri Candranana said: O Radha, service to Tulasi gives the
greatest piety, the greatest good fortune, and the greatest
benediction. It gives Lord Krishna's association.
Text 3
drishta sprishtathava dhyata
kirtita namita stuta
ropita sincita nityam
pujita tulasishta-da
You should always gaze on Tulasi, touch her, remember her,
glorify her, bow down before her, offer prayers to her, plant
her, and worship her. Then she will grant Your desire.
Text 4
navadha tulasi-bhaktim
ye kurvanti dine dine
yuga-koti-sahasrani
te yanti sukritam subhe
They who day after day serve Tulasi in these nine ways
attain the result of pious deeds performed in many thousands of
millions of yugas.
Texts 5 and 6
yavac chakha-prasakhabhir
bija-pushpa-dalaih subhaih
ropita tulasi martyair
vardhate vasudha-tale
tesham vamseshu ye jata
ye bhavishyanti ye gatah
a-kalpa-yuga-sahasram
tesham vaso harer grihe
A person who who plants Tulasi liberates his family. As many
branches, sub-branches, seeds, flowers, and leaves as are on the
Tulasi he has planted, so many ancestors and descendents in his
family for thousands of kalpa-yugas will go to Lord Krishna's
transcendental abode.
Text 7
yat phalam sarva-patreshu
sarva-pushpeshu radhike
tulasi-dalena caikena
sarvada prapyate tu tat
O Radha, by offering Lord Krishna a single Tulasi leaf one
attains the result of offering Him every flower and leaf that
exists.
Text 8
tulasi-prabhavair patrair
yo narah pujayed dharim
lipyate na sa papena
padma-patram ivambhasa
A person who with offerings of Tulasi-leaves worships Lord
Krishna is not touched by sin as a lotus-leaf is not touched by
water.
Text 9
suvarna-bhara-satakam
rajatam yac-catur-gunam
tat-phalam samavapnoti
tulasi-vana-palanat
By protecting a Tulasi forest one attains the result of
giving in pious charity a hundred bharas of gold or four hundred
bharas of silver.
Text 10
tulasi-kananam radhe
grihe yasyavatishthati
tad-griham tirtha-rupam hi
na yanti yama-kinkarah
A home in the midst of a Tulasi forest is a sacred
pilgrimage place. Yamaraja's servants will never enter that home.
Text 11
sarva-papa-haram punyam
kamadam tulasi-vanam
ropayanti narah sreshthas
te na pasyanti bhaskarim
They who plant a sacred Tulasi forest, which fulfills
desires and removes all sins, are the best of people. They will
never see Yamaraja.
Text 12
ropanat palanat sekad
darsanat sparsanan nrinam
tulasi dahate papam
van-manah-kaya-sancitam
For persons who plant, protect, water, see, or touch her,
Tulasi burns the sins committed with the body, mind, and words.
Text 13
pushkaradyani tirthani
gangadyah saritas tatha
vasudevadayo deva
vasanti tulasi-dale
On a single Tulasi leaf the holy places beginning with
Pushkara, the sacred rivers beginning with the Ganga, and the
Deities headed by Lord Vasudeva reside.
Text 14
tulasi-manjari-yukto
yas tu pranan vimuncati
yamo 'pi nekshitum sakto
yuktam papa-satair api
Even though stained with a hundred sins, a person who
touches a Tulasi-manjari as he leaves this life does not
see Yamaraja.
Text 15
tulasi-kashtha-jam yas tu
candanam dharayen narah
tad deham na spriset papam
kriyamanam apiha yat
Sin does not touch the the body of a sinner anointed with
Tulasi-paste.
Text 16
tulasi-vipina-cchaya
yatra yatra bhavec chubhe
tatra sraddham prakartavyam
pitrinam dattam akshayam
Wherever is the beautiful shade of a Tulasi forest, there
sraddha should be offered. There akshaya should be offered to the
pitas.
Text 17
tulasyah sakhi mahatmyam
adidevas catur-mukhah
na samartho bhaved vaktum
yatha devasya sarnginah
O friend, as four-faced Brahma cannot describe all the
glories of Lord Krishna, who holds the sarnga bow, so he cannot
descibe all the glories of Tulasi.
Text 18
sri-krishnacandra-carane
tulasim candanair yutam
yo dadati puman stri va
yathoktam phalam apnuyat
A man or woman who offers sandal-paste and Tulasi to Sri
Krishnacandra's feet attains the results I have told to You.
Text 19
tulasi-sevanam nityam
kuru tvam gopa-kanyake
sri-krishno vasyatam yati
yena va sarvadaiva hi
O gopi, serve Tulasi every day. Then Sri Krishna will always
be Your submissive servant.
Text 20
sri-narada uvaca
ittham candranana-vakyam
srutva rasesvari nripa
tulasi-sevanam sakshad
arebhe hari-toshanam
Sri Narada said: O king, after hearing Candranana's words,
Sri Radha, the queen of the rasa dance, in order to please Lord
Krishna, began to serve Sri Tulasi.
Texts 21-25
ketaki-vana-madhye ca
sata-hastam su-vartulam
uccair hema-khacid-bhitti-
padmaraga-tatam subham
harid-dhiraka-muktanam
prakarena mahollasat
sarvatas tolika-yuktam
cintamani-su-manditam
hema-dhvaja-samayuktam
uttorana-virajitam
haimair vitanaih parito
vaijayantam iva sphurat
etadrisam sri-tulasi-
mandiram su-manoharam
tan-madhye tulasim sthapya
harit-pallava-sobhitam
abhijin-nama-nakshatre
tat-sevam sa cakara ha
samahutena gargena
dishtena vidhina sati
Taking Tulasi, beautiful with many green leaves, to the
middle of a ketaki forest, and placing her in a Tulasi-temple
that was round, tall, a hundred hastas in size, beautiful with
walls of gold and rubies, splendid with an outer wall of
emeralds, diamonds, and pearls, decorated with cintamani gems,
arched gateways, gold flags, and gold awnings everywhere, and
glorious like Indra's palace, at the time of the star abhijit,
saintly Radha, following Garga Muni's instructions, served Sri
Tulasi.
Text 26
sri-krishna-toshanarthaya
bhaktya paramaya sati
ishu-purnam samarabhya
caitra-purnavadhi vratam
Beginning with the full moon of the month of Asvina
(September-October), and ending with the full moon of the month
of Caitra (March-April), to please Sri Krishna, saintly Radha
followed a vow with great devotion.
Texts 27 and 28
kritva nyasincad dugdhena
tatha cekshu-rasena vai
drakshayamra-rasenapi
sitaya bahu-mishtaya
pancamritena tulasim
mase mase prithak prithak
udyapana-samarambham
vaisakha-pratipad-dine
Month after month She sprinkled Tulasi with milk, sugar-cane
juice, grape-juice, mango-juice, pancamrita, and many
kinds of sweet and cool juice. On the first day of Vaisakha
(April-May), She ended the vow.
Text 29
garga-dishtena vidhina
vrishabhanu-suta nripa
shat-pancasattamair bhogair
brahmananam dvi-lakshakam
O king, following Garga Muni's instructions, King
Vrishabhanu's daughter Radha then pleased two hundred thousand
brahmanas with a great feast of fifty-six courses.
Text 30
santarpya vastra-bhushadyair
dakshinam radhika dadau
divyanam sthula-muktanam
laksha-bharam videha-rat
O king of Videha, then Radha gave them dakshina of a hundred-
thousand splendid large pearls and many costly garments and
ornaments.
Text 31
koti-bharam suvarnanam
gargacaryaya sa dadau
sata-bharam suvarnanam
muktanam ca tathaiva hi
bhaktya paramaya radha
brahmane brahmane dadau
Radha gave ten million bharas of gold to Garga Muni. With
great devotion She gave a hundred bharas of gold and pearls to
each brahmana.
Text 32
deva-dundubhayo nedur
nanritus capsaro-ganah
tan-mandiropari surah
pushpa-varsham pracakrire
The demigods' drums sounded and the apsaras danced. The
demigods showered flowers on the Tulasi-temple.
Text 33
tadavirasit tulasi hari-priya
suvarna-pithopari sobhitasana
caturbhuja padma-palasa-vikshana
syama sphurad-dhema-kirita-kundala
Then, seated on a glorious throne on a gold pedestal, her
eyes lotus petals, and her gold crown and earrings glittering,
beautiful four-armed Tulasi, who is dear to Lord Krishna, appeared.
Text 34
pitambarac chadita-sarpa-venim
srajam dadhanam nava-vaijayantim
khagat samuttirya ca ranga-valli
cucumba radham parirabhya bahubhih
Descending from the sky, Tulasi, beautiful as a flowering
vine, with her four arms embraced and then kissed Radha, who wore
a new vaijayanti garland, and whose snake-braids were covered
with a yellow cloth.
Text 35
sri-tulasy uvaca
aham prasannasmi kalavati-sute
tvad-bhakti-bhavena jita nirantaram
kritam ca loka-vyavahara-sangrahat
tvaya vratam bhamini sarvato-mukham
Sri Tulasi said: O daughter of Kalavati, I am pleased with
You. I am eternally conquered by Your loving devotion. O
beautiful one, as if You were an ordinary human being, You very
carefully followed this vow.
Text 36
manorathas te sa-phalo 'tra bhuyad
buddhindriyais citta-manobhir agratah
sadanukulatvam alam pateh param
saubhagyam evam parikirtaniyam
The desire that fills Your heart, mind, intelligence, and
senses, will be attained. Lord Krishna will be kind to You. You are
very fortunate.
Text 37
sri-narada uvaca
evam vadantim tulasim hari-priyam
natvatha radha vrishabhanu-nandini
pratyaha govinda-padaravindayor
bhaktir bhaven me vidita hy ahaituki
Sri Narada said: To Tulasi, who has spoken these words and
who was dear to Lord Krishna, Radha, the daughter of King
Vrishabhanu, bowed down and said: May I have unalloyed devotion for
Lord Krishna's lotus feet.
Text 38
tathastu cokta tulasi hari-priya-
thantardadhe maithila raja-sattama
tathaiva radha vrishabhanu-nandini
prasanna-citta sva-pure babhuva ha
Saying, "So be it", Krishna's beloved Tulasi
disappeared. O ruler of Mithila, O best of kings, then Radha,
King Vrishabhanu's daughter, went home happy at heart.
Text 39
sri-radhikakhyanam idam vicitram
srinoti yo bhakti-parah prithivyam
traivargya-bhavam manasa sametya
rajams tato yati narah kritarthatam
O king, a devotee who hears this wonderful story of Sri
Radha attains first the three goals of material life and then the
supreme spiritual goal of life.
