Chapter 1 — Tulasi

Now we shall discuss the Tulasi Upanishad (the Upanishad glorifying Srimati Tulasi Devi from a collection of Upanishads). The sage of this Upanishad is Närada Muni. The meter used for this Upanishad is the meter of the hymns of Atharva Veda. The deity of this Upanishad is eternal Srimati Tulasi Devi. The bija of this Upanishad is the word “nectar”. The Earth is the sakti of this Upanishad. Lord Näräyana is the kilaka of this Upanishad. He is a devotee of Lord Visnu who knows about Her that: (1) She is a Śyāma woman, (2) She has a blackish body, (3) Rg Veda is Her body, (4) Yajur Veda is Her mind, (5) transcendental Atharva Veda is Her life air, (6) ritual is Her hands, (7) She is described by the Puranas", (8) Her joy is imperishable, (9) She is the bud of eternal transcendental mellows, (10) She is unlimited, (11) She gives the enjoyment of unlimited transcendental mellows, (12) She is devoted to Lord Visnu, (13) She is Lord Vişnu's beloved, (14) She destroys the cycle of birth and death, (15) She destroys the sins of those who see Her, (16) She saves those who touch Her, (17) She removes the diseases of those who offer obeisances with respectful prayers to Her, (18) She removes the debilitating effects of death of those who serve Her, (19) She removes the misfortune of those who use Her leaves in worship of the Lord of Vaikuntha, (20) She gives wisdom to those who eat Her leaves, (21) She destroys the poverty of those who circumambulate Her, (22) She smashes even the great sins of those who smear the soil from Her roots over their bodies. (23) She destroys the internal impurity of those who become satisfied by smelling Her. One should not whimsically cut Srimati Tulasi Devi’s plant form. Upon seeing Her one should circumambulate Her. One should not touch Her at night. One should not break or part Her branches. If one does break or part Her branches, by that he hurts Lord Vishnu. Oblations are offered unto Srimati Tulasi Devi! Oblations are offered unto Her who is dear to Lord Vishnu! Oblations are offered unto Her who is immortal! Let us understand Srimati Tulasi Devi and let us meditate on Her who is dear to Lord Vishnu. May She, the immortal goddess, inspire us.

O Goddess, your form is eternal, and You are able to bestow immortality to others. Please lift me from the ocean of material existence, O daughter of the milk ocean!

O friend of Srimati Lakshmi Devi, O eternally blissful one! You are always dear to Lord Mukunda, and You are difficult to attain. Please watch over me with Your generous hands bestowing fearlessness.

O Srimati Tulasi Devi, you are ever young, your form is unequalled and resembles ten million piles of gold. You have both tree and non-tree forms. Please destroy my tree-like ignorance.

You are unequalled, and surely only the Lord is present in such unequalled entities. You are certainly the mother of the whole universe, and You are Lord Vishnu's beloved.

You indeed are the object of worship for all the demigods, and the bestower of liberation. In Your shadow Srimati Lakhmi Devi lives, and in Your root imperishable Lord Vishnu is residing.

Around You all the upadevas such as the denizens of Siddha-loka, Cäraëa-loka, and the celestial serpents are situated. I offer my respects to that Srimati Tulasi Devi in whose root all places of pilgrimage are situated, in whose middle Lord Brahmä and the demigods stay.

In whose top the Vedic scriptures rest. O Srimati Tulasi Devi, O friend of Srimati Lakshmi Devi, you are all-auspicious, and You dispel sins and bestow the merits of pious activity.

Obeisances to You! Närada Muni praises You; You are dear to the mind of Lord Näräyana; You are born from His tears of transcendental bliss; and Your residence is in Vrindävana.

O immortal nectar of the Upanishads, you are complete in all Your parts. O virtuous one, please deliver me from the vast dangerous ocean of great sins.

Your service is certainly atonement for all sins. You are always dear to the demigods, the sages, and the forefathers.

If a Brahmana worships forefathers without Srimati Tulasi Devi (after offering to the Supreme Lord), such worship is useless, and the forefathers get no benefit from it.

If leaves of Srimati Tulasi Devi (first offered to Lord Hari) are not used for a ceremony of worship, then such worship is to be considered demoniac, and it does not please Lord Vishnu.

No sacrifice, Shräddha ceremony, or demigod worship should be performed, no donation given, no mantra chanted, no place of pilgrimage visited, no offering made, no cleaning or any other activity done without Srimati Tulasi Devi (after offering to Lord Hari).

By chanting the mantra on beads made of the wood of Srimati Tulasi Devi’s plant (after offering to Lord Hari) all purposes are fulfilled. One who does not know this is no better than the lowest dog-eater, even if he is a Brahmana.

Thus spoke the Supreme Lord Narayana to Lord Brahmä, who in turn retold this to Närada Muni and the four Kumäras. The four Kumäras had passed this knowledge to Srila Vyäsadeva, and he taught it to his son Sukadeva Gosvämi. From Sukadeva, Vämadeva had heard this and repeated in the assembly of sages, who explained it to the Manus. One who knows the truth of this, is relieved of the sin of killing a woman, a hero, or a Brahmana. He is also saved from the great fear of material existence, and from the great suffering caused by ignorance, and upon leaving this body surely attains the Vaikuntha. These are the contents of the Upanishad. Thus ends the Tulasi Upanishad.

Chapter 1 — Tulasi Upanishad