Simple Questions about Tulsi Devi -

So sorry if this is a painfully simple question:

Gaudiya Vaisnavas worship the plant Tulsi. They worship the plant with aroti and kirtan, use the wood for neck beads and chanting beads, use her leaves for offering food.

Why? Who is Tulsi? In Krishna lila? In Gaura lila? What is her connection to Radharani, our main worshipable deity? How is her worship connected to our goal of Radha-dasya?

This is going to be a bit fragmented reply as I'm pulling together information from a number of sources.

First of all, the classical story of how Tulasi came to be in this world as a plant. The story is narrated in Brahma-vaivarta-purana.

The 17th chapter of the text narrates how King Kusadhvaja had two qualified and pious daughters, Tulasi and Vedavati. Vedavati, performing austerities, attained Sriman Narayana as her husband, taking birth as Sita, the daughter of Maharaja Janaka.

Desiring to attain Hari as her consort, Tulasi performed austerities as well. However, by the will of providence it so happened that Durvasa Muni cursed her, and she attained Sankhasura as her husband. Eventually, it is told, she also attained Hari as her consort, but was cursed by him to become the Queen of the gods in the form of a tree. She then cursed Hari to become Shalagrama, the sacred stone we all know of. Therefore, the beautiful Tulasi is always on the chest of Shalagrama. The third chapter of the text describes how Radha cursed Sridama to become Sankhachuda, the husband of Tulasi. Unlike with Vedavati, who is identified with Sita, nothing is mentioned of Tulasi.

You may read a more elaborate narration of this story here, told by Padmanabha Goswami of the Radha Raman temple, Vrindavan. You may also want to read about the yearly celebration of the wedding of Tulasi and Shalagrama, here, by the same author.

The devotional merits of Tulasi are narrated throughout the scriptures. If there is interest, we may also go over some of the traditional Tulasi-mahima presented for example in the Hari-bhakti-vilasa. However, it is practically entirely tied with the relationship of Tulasi and Narayana.

In listing the numerous reasons for the name of the forest of Vrindavan, the following is noted:



Here we have a peculiar connection in names with Tulasi and a sakhi called Vrinda, who is incidentally the goddess of the forest of Vrindavan. I have heard it said that Tulasi in the form of a plant would be a partial incarnation of Vrinda-sakhi.

Rati Manjari has a nickname, Tulasi, but this I believe is altogether unrelated. More to follow.

In his Raga-vartma-chandrika, Visvanath Chakravarti has divided elements of bhakti-sadhana into five distinct categories according to their relevance to the essence of what is to be attained through the sadhana. These five are:

1) svAbhISTa-bhAva-maya, filled with the desired emotion.
2) svAbhISTa-bhAva-sambandhI, directly connected with the desired emotion.
3) svAbhISTa-bhAva-anukUla, favorable for the desired emotion.
4) svAbhISTa-bhAva-aviruddha, not in opposition of the desired emotion.
5) svAbhISTa-bhAva-viruddha, in opposition of the desired emotion.

The first includes aspects that are non-different from the desired emotion, such as the having of a self-identification, "I am a maidservant of Radha." The second includes aspects such as shravana, kirtana and smarana that are direct causes for the attainment of the desired flavor of prema. The third includes aspects such as fasting on Ekadashi, Janmashtami and so forth, observing the Karttika-vrata and wearing the symbols of a Vaishnava. All of them in one way or another establish one in the practices of the second category, and are therefore favorable for the desired mood.

Visvanatha classifies serving Tulasi in the third category without elaborating much on its rationale. Sri Ananta Das Babaji makes some relevant comments in his commentary on the text, first in the context of wearing the signs of a Vaishnava, such as a tulasi-mala around the neck.


Then, specifically in the context of the worship of Tulasi.


Babaji Maharaja clearly identifies her primarily as the embodiment of Vaishnavi-shakti in this world, the very emblem of devotion. zrI-vaiSNavI-zaktira adhiSThAna-rUpiNI zrI-tulasI.

This connection is drawn at least by Visvanath Chakravarti in the seventh stanza of his Vrinda-devy-astakam, appearing in the Stavamrita-lahari:



This verse describes her as having a role akin to yogamAyA. She has a deep bond with Paurnamasi, whom we know is Yogamaya personified. This note should be of interest in this regard. Indeed, Vrinda is the very personification of yogamAyA, in that she herself takes care of all the varieties of arrangements for the pastimes of Radha and Krishna, beginning with the preparation of the kunja, along with her vana-devis.

The glories of Vrinda-devi are again another matter, though we can explore that too if there is interest.

The famous song of Krishna Das in praise of Tulasi (tulasI kRSNa-preyasi namo namaH, rAdhA-kRSNa-sevA pAbo ei abilASI) is of course there -- I trust you are already familiar with that.

I am, and this is one of the things I was hoping to discuss in this connection. Firstly, which "Krishna das" is the author of this song?

This song indicates a very strong relevance of worshiping Tulsi in connection with aspiring for gopi bhava. At the same time, it's a newer composition. Do we find songs praying to Tulsi in this way in the writings of the Goswamis, Thakur Mahasaya, etc.? I don't recall seeing anything... Can anyone comment on why this may be the case?

I couldn't find anything in Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika, but here is something I spotted:

Oh yes, Gaura-lila. From Gaura-ganoddesa-dipika:

Jay Srimati TulasiDevi ki!
Dada, please post or give link for the song:
This ignorant one has only heard the first verse.
Jay Radhe!

There are some alternate readings to this song. This version is taken from Manohara-bhajana-dipika. I do not know which Krishna Das is the author of this song, nor whether his name is Dina Krishna Das or just Krishna Das. The song, jaya rAdhe jaya kRSNa jaya vRndAvana, giridhArI gopInAtha madana-mohana also ends with dIna kRSNa dAsa kahe nAma-saGkIrtan, and is possibly by the same author. Bengali song books often do not seem to be very concerned over who wrote what.

In this topic, you'll find some more prayers that may be used in the worship of Tulasi.

Again, from Manohara-bhajana-dipika. mA_iYA is sometimes spelled as meye, the former being a dialectic variation of the word. I am under the impression that the former is sung in the morning and the latter in the evening, but don't quote me on that.

My understanding has long been that the author of the song is the Krishna das often known as Siddha Krishna das from Govardhan, and that he referred to himself as Dina Krishna das. I can't remember clearly where I heard this, so I can't assert it as strictily authoritative.

And yes, let's have some nectar about Vrinda-devi, please!

I believe this view is presented somewhere in the writings of Gadadhar Prana Dasji. His view was quoted here, and if I'm not entirely mistaken, the footnotes are also his. The said footnotes describe Siddha Baba as a contemporary of Visvanath Chakravarti, a blunder which casts suspicion on the accuracy of the entire statement. Another thing is that if they were the work of Siddha Baba, they would undoubtedly be celebrated as such in the various song books we see published. There are Bengali padas Siddha Baba wrote, but I have never seen this Tulasi song listed as a work of his.

Thanks. I think we may have had this discussion before, too.

And how about some good stuff about Vrinda devi?