Chapter 105 - The Greatness of Dhātrī and Tulasī

[Sanskrit text for this chapter is available]

Nārada said:

1-15. O best king, from the seeds that were thrown (i.e. sown) there, three plants came up: Dhātrī, Mālatī and Tulasī. Dhātri is said to have come up from Dhātrī (the earth), Mālatī from Lakṣmī, and Tulasī from Gaurī (having) the qualities (constituents viz.) sattva (goodness), rajas (activity) and tamas (darkness, ignorance). O king, Viṣṇu, deluded by the excellence of Vṛndā’s beauty, seeing the herbs in the form of women got up in confusion. Then, with his mind attached to (i.e. full of) passion, he saw them. Tulasī and Dhātrī also looked at him with love only. Since formerly Lakṣmī gave the seed deceptively, therefore, the woman who came up from it, became jealous of him. Therefore, she is called Barbarī (i.e. low), and is very much condemned by Viṣṇu. Due to his love for them Dhātrī and Tulasī have always delighted him. Then Viṣṇu, forgetting his grief, went to Vaikuṇṭha with them. He was delighted and was saluted by all gods. Therefore, Viṣṇu’s worship is ordained at the time of the conclusion of the Kārtika (vow), since it is said always to cause delight (when done) at the root of Tulasī. O king, the house of him in whose house stands a Tulasī-grove, is of the nature of a holy place. Yama’s servants do not come (there). Those best men who plant a Tulasī-grove which destroys all sins, which is auspicious, which satisfies desires, never see (Yama) the Sun’s son. The three, viz. seeing (i.e. visiting) Narmadā, bathing in Gaṅgā, and contact with Tulasī-grove, are said to be equivalent. Due to men’s planting, protecting, sprinkling, seeing and touching Tulasī, Tulasī removes their sin committed through speech, mind and body. He who would worship Viṣṇu with Tulasī-blossoms, does not go to the abode of embryo (i.e. is not reborn), and gets salvation. There is no doubt about this. In the Tulasī-leaf live holy places like Puṣkara, so also rivers like Gaṅgā and gods like Viṣṇu. O best king, if a man dies with a Tulasī-leaf (on his person), he obtains absorption with Viṣṇu. This is the truth (and the only) truth.

16-29. Even Yama cannot look at him, even though he is full of hundreds of sins, who dies with Tulasī-clay smeared (on his body). He who would put on the sandal from Tulasī-wood, great sin, though committed by him, does not touch his body. O king, a man should offer śrāddha wherever there would be the shade of a Tulasī-grove. (Śrāddha) offered there becomes inexhaustible for the manes of the dead ancestors. The dead ancestors in hell, of him who offers piṇḍas under the shade of a Tulasī-plant, are gratified, O best king. He who keeps the Dhātrī-fruit on his head, in his hand, in his mouth, on his body, should be known to be Viṣṇu himself, O best king. He on whose body the Dhātrī-fruit or clay (from the root) of Tulasī from Dvārakā always remains, is called ‘liberated while alive.’ The fruit for that man who bathes with water mixed with Dhātrī-fruits or with Tulasī-leaves, is said to be like that of a bath in Gaṅgā. The man who would worship the deities with Dhātrī-leaves or Dhātrī-fruits, would obtain the fruit of worshipping them with various flowers (made) of gold. In Kārtika when the Sun has resorted to the Libra sign of the Zodiac, holy places, sages, deities, sacrifices always remain resorted to the Dhātrī. One who plucks a Tulasī-leaf on the twelfth day, and a Dhātrī-fruit in Kārtika, would go to very condemned hells. The sin due to contact with (prohibited) food, of the man who eats under the shade of a Dhātrī plant in Kārtika, perishes for the (whole) year. One who worships Viṣṇu (while sitting) at the root of a Dhātrī plant in Kārtika, has always worshipped at all places sacred to Viṣṇu. Even the god (Brahmā) having four mouths would not be able to narrate the greatness of Dhātrī and Tulasī as of god Viṣṇu. One who devoutly listens to or causes (others) to listen to the cause of the origin of Dhātrī and Tulasī, has his sins shaken off, and he, seated in an excellent aeroplane with his ancestors, goes to heaven.