Worshiping Thulasi(Tulsi) everyday will give unlimited benefits to the devotee. Thulasi will provide succor during Kali Yuga. Our ancestors were known to offer songs to Thulasi and some of them offered prayers too. The Kali Yuga is the smallest one and most harmful also. Therefore we need to offer our prayers to Thulasi regularly. People are quite busy these days and therefore they are forced to use a shorter method. We must remember that there are about three methods available for propitiating Thulasi. The devotees can choose a method which is favorable to their lifestyle.

One has to place a Sudarsanam in Thulasi Brindavanam and thereafter offer the worship. The Sudarsanam has to be buried inside. Just in case a Sudarsanam is not placed, one can place an icon of Lord Narayana. The devotees who pour water into the Thulasi Brindavanam will gain enormous merits. This offering will give them the benefits which would be equivalent to the ones they may get while praying to Lord Narayana. Thulasi will also get the padhodakam of Lord Narayana.

Men gain enormous benefits while offering their prayers to a Shailgramam and similarly women get similar benefits while praying to Thulasi. The lady should first light a lamp while beginning the pooja. She has invoked Ganga into the container which is used for holding the pooja water. Copper or silver containers are most suitable and one should never use iron or stainless steel containers. One should consider Thulasi to be enthroned with Lord Krishna. She would be dressed in the best of clothes and jewelry while in the company of Lord Krishna. The lady should offer the Shaligrama abhishekam milk for the Thulasi plant.

The water in the Kalasam should be then offered to the Thulasi plant. Thereafter one has to collect a few drops of water from the root region and then sprinkle it on oneself. The lady can offer sacred rice (Mantrakshata) in place of clothes. Pooja will continue with turmeric, vermillion, and sandalwood paste thereafter. The plant should be decorated with flowers. One should perform an archanai by reciting the 12 names of Thulasi ( Dwadasa Namam ). It would be better to give the Naivedyam ( food offering ) that was given to Lord Krishna. Otherwise one can just say ' Krishnarpanam Astu ' and make the offering to Thulasi. The devotee has to offer an arati before going around the Thulasi Brindavanam. A simple method has been shared here and devotees who wish to offer elaborate prayers can add a few songs and bhajans.

The 'Chaturmasya' period is very sacred since Lord Krishna would specially be present with Thulasi. Devotees should perform the Thulasi pooja twice per day during the Chaturmasya Punya Kalam. Taking a bath before the evening pooja is compulsory. Bhogavilyam has to be offered on Dwadasi days. It will consist of betel nuts, betel leaves and items used for adornment. The devotees can offer this to Lord Krishna , Thulasi and then place the Naivedyam in front of them. This can be then shared with a devout couple.

It is important to place items offered to Lord Krishna in front of Thulasi. She simply loves the Prasadam of Lord Krishna. One has to water Tulsi for three months before offering prayers to her. It is important to think of the forms of Lord Krishna within Thulasi while praying to her. People perform a vratam by offering pooja items during the holy Chaturmasyam period. Therefore one must prepare all the materials to be given on an Ekadasi. The pooja items shall include turmeric, vermillion, oil, ghee, flowers, items for preparing the Naivedyam and a Dakshina. This has to be offered with a Thulasi Dalam.

The devotee can make such an offering during the eight Dwadasi of the holy Chaturmasya. It would be appropriate to give a dhanam (making it over free of cost) of a Brindavanam with a Thulasi plant on each of the Dwadasi during the Chturmasyam period. One can also offer a Brindavam during each and every Dwadasi. The devotee should also recite the Thulasi Ashttotra Namavali (108 names of Thulasi) during the pooja.

Service minded Scientist Dr.R.Soundararajan is handing over Thulasi Brindavams to the tribals at Anaikatti on the outskirts of Coimbatore. He was closely associated with Pujyasri Swami Dayananda Saraswathi for many years. Sanatanis who wish to offer Vrindavanam to our Bharatiya tribals can contact him. His details are given below.

Thulasi will bless the devotees and donors with health, wealth, happiness and contentment.

Contact details :

Dr. R. Soundararajan,

Dayaseva OPC ( Private ) Limited,

Opp AVG Ashram,

Thadagam Anaikatti Road,

Anaikatti,

Coimbatore - 641108.

Phone number - 94454 38876

Krishnarpanamastu

Mr. Rajesh Govindarajulu is one of the founding members of The Verandah Club Pvt. Ltd. He is a leading columnist, historian, jeweler, entrepreneur, and a heritage enthusiast who is earnestly working to revive the past in the light of the present. Experiential learning about the history of Coimbatore is his main course of interest and he is also a panel member of many colleges in the city.