Tulasi Poojaतुलसी पूजा
The sacred worship of Śrī Tulasī Devī — offerings, mantras, pradakṣiṇā and the Kārtika-māsa vow.
Tulasi Pūjā is the daily worship of Devi Tulasī (Vṛndā), most beloved of Lord Viṣṇu. Bathe morning and evening, and perform this vidhi before the Tulasi Kōṭa (planter). Special merit in Kārtika māsa when a lamp is lit and 108 pradakṣiṇā are done.
Ideal times: (1) After sunrise bath (2) At dusk with a ghee lamp (3) Every day of Kārtika māsa. Not on ordinary Sundays, Fridays, or eclipses — do not touch or pluck Tulasi on those days.
108 Pradakṣiṇā — 30 Day Streak
Materials
- Tulasi Kōṭa (planter) — cleaned with cow-dung water or fresh water
- Rangoli / muggu / kōlam around the pot
- Small brass or clay lamp with ghee/til oil + cotton wick
- Small bell, incense stick
- Kumkum, turmeric, sandal paste, akshata (rice + turmeric)
- Fresh flowers (avoid tulasi leaf itself as offering — she IS the offering)
- Naivedyam — jaggery / rock-sugar / a small sweet
- Uddharaṇi + water pot (pañca-pātra)
- Karpūra (camphor) & small plate for ārati
Bathe at dawn, clean the area around the Tulasi Kota with a damp cloth, sprinkle cow-dung water or fresh water for purity, and draw a rangoli / muggu around the pot. Apply kumkum and turmeric marks on the pot itself.
Standing or seated before the Tulasi, apply your own tilak, do añjali, and recite this śloka.
यन्मूले सर्वतीर्थानि यन्मध्ये सर्वदेवताः | यदग्रे सर्ववेदाश्च तुलसीं तां नमाम्यहम् || तुलसी श्रीः सखी शुभे पापहारि पुण्यदे | नमस्ते नारदनुते नारायण मनःप्रिये ||
Yan-mūle sarva-tīrthāni yan-madhye sarva-devatāḥ | Yad-agre sarva-vedāśca Tulasīṁ tāṁ namāmy-aham || Tulasī Śrīḥ sakhi śubhe pāpa-hāri puṇya-de | Namaste Nārada-nute Nārāyaṇa manaḥ-priye ||
'At whose root are all sacred rivers, in whose middle all deities dwell, at whose tip are all Vedas — to that Tulasi I bow. O Tulasi, Lakshmi, friend, auspicious one, remover of sins, giver of merit, praised by Nārada, dear to Nārāyaṇa's mind — salutations.'
Kārtika Pradakṣiṇā Counter
Kārtika Māsa
In Kārtika māsa (Oct-Nov), light a ghee lamp before Tulasi each evening for the whole month. Reciting the Tulasi Aṣṭakam and Dāmodara Aṣṭakam at that time is highly meritorious.