Sri KaanthiMathyathMajayai Namaha,
(Sri Kaanthimathi Maami’yin Putthirar (Son) Ramanujar’ai Vanangugiraen)
Sri Dasarathiye Namaha,
Srimadh Vara Vara Muneye Namaha,
Sri Velukkudi Krishnan Guruvae Namaha,
Dear All Baktha’s,
With Acharyan & Sri Velukkudi Krishnan Swami blessings, below are some references that adiyen has heard from SriVaishana Upanyasakars as well as from Kainkarya Bakthas about Thulasi Maatha.
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< SHORT ANSWER, for what type of JeevAthma is Thulasi>
Sri Mahalakshi Thayar amsam’aaga pirantha oru Deivami thaan ‘Thulasi Maatha’.
a) Vrindha devi is a PIOUS JeevAthma (Enlighted JeevAthma due to Divya-Dampadhis ‘Thayar-Perumal’ Krupa Kataksham).
b) Vrindha devi is a Pure Devotee of Maha Vishnu by birth (BhagavAn Sriman Narayanan/SriKrishna).
c) Also Incarnation of Sri MahaLakshmi Thayar on to her, made the JeevAthma (Vrindha) ‘PIOUS’.
[When a JeevAthma receives BhagavAn Sriman Narayanan & Thayar Kataksham, then those JeevAthma’s become PIOUS automatically and such Pious JeevAthmas are DISTINCTLY noticable and should be RESPECTED with ATMOST DIGNITY like our Acharyas & Mahas like Sri Velukkudi Swami].
d) Since, there is ‘No match’ to her BEAUTY, Devi Vrindha got the name ‘Thulasi’ due to Thayar Kataksham.
e) BhagavAn gave Thulasi Maatha EQUAL STATUS as Sri Lakshmi Piratti Thayar and said that SHE will EXIST in the form of a Thavaram (Plant). So Thulasi Maatha is nothing but Sri MahaLakshmi Thayar herself (Wife of BhagavAn Sriman Narayanan).
f) Hence, “Pious JeevAthma (Thulasi Maatha in the form of Plant)” is present everywhere (Omnipresent) due to Thayar-Perumal Kataksham. So, we see Thulasi plants on all those places who considers HER as Sacred.
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< LONG ANSWER>
A) Why Devi Vrindha is named as ‘Thulasi’
‘Thula’ means ‘Weighing Balance’ Thulabaram.
[we put the object to be measured on one side of weighing machine and an equivalent weight on other side to measure the actual weight of the object].
After Thayar incarnation on to Devi Vrindha (JeevAthma), Vrindha became so beautiful, that there is no equal Beautiness anywhere that can match Vrindha’s beautiness.
So, Devi Vrindha’s Beauty couldn’t be ‘weighed’ (Thula).
So Vrindha’s name popularly bacame as Thula (si) due to feminine gender, so ‘THULASI’.
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B) How Vrindha Devi became a ‘Thulasi Plant’ (Holy Indian Bazil)
There are many stories floating about Vrindha Devi (Thulasi Maatha). But here is the story that Saantrorgal (Sathvik-Gurus) say about Thulasi Maatha. So, lets follow the same story.
MakaraDwajan’s daughter was Devi Vrindha and was beautiful due to Thayar Incarnation and hence ‘Thulasi’ name and also a Pure devotee of Maha SriVishnu by birth.
In the background, the demigod Indra (JeevAthma) visited Kailasam to meet Brahma’s son Shiva (JeevAthma). When, he couldn’t find Shiva in his normal palce, he started searching for him all over the place. Then, he saw a Munivar (Rishi) doing Tapas in kailasam. So he asked the munivar, where to find Shiva. But the Munivar neither responded nor opened eyes, since the Munivar was deep in ‘Tapas’. Then Indra started shouting at the Munivar after no response for long time. Due to Indra’s Rajas guna, he lost patience and he took his Vajrayudham and hit on the Munivar’s head. The munivar opened his eyes slowly and a Jwala (Neruppu/Agni) came out of Minivar 3rd eye and fell on the ocean. From which, a Asura (demon) “JalanDharan’ got created (Agni’yai Jala’thinaal Dhari’thadhaal, he got his name as JalanDharan). Then, Jalandharan started chasing Indra to beat Indra. Then only Indra realised that the Munivar was nothing but Shiva (Brahma’s son) doing ‘Tapas’ (Bakthi-Yoga Margam on Sriman Narayana for Moksha Praapthi). Indra fell on Shiva’s feet and asked for an apology and finally Jalandharan let Indra go away.
Later, due to Asura Jalandharan’s popularity, MakaraDwajan wedded his daughter Vrindha to him. But, Vrindha devi was Vishnu Bakthai by birth and she does Dyanam on Vishnu on all the time. Due to her Pious nature and Vishnu Dyanam, her husband was Explicitly getting benefitted (no one to challenge him) and his populairty (attrocities) started increasing.
At one point, Shiva was fed-up with Jalandharan and wanted to finish him. So he came with his Shoolam. But Shiva couldn’t kill Jalandaharan as there was some power saving JalanDharan. Shiva realised, that the power was due to his Wife Vrindha’s Dyanam (pure devotion) on Sri Vishnu, and that Dyanam was as a ‘Kavacham’ (Protection) to Jalandharan.
So Shiva went to Sri Vishnu and fell on HIS Lotus feet and showered his concern.
Since Shiva did Sharanagathy, BhagavAn Sriman Narayanan wanted to help him. So BhagavAn made a plan and said Shiva to attack Jalandharan. Meantime BhagavAn will disguise as JalanDharan and go infront of Vrindha, so her Dyanam will be scattered. At that moment, Shiva can kill JalanDharan and finally it happened as per BhagavAn’s plan to help the Sharanagathan Shiva.
Vrindha Devi was so upset and disappointed with BhagavAn Sriman Narayanan’s act. She cried and asked, why did YOU betray me, when I’m YOUR devotee and was doing dyanam on YOU.
BhagavAn consolidated her that Jalandharan attrocities were touching sky-roof and also had to Help his devotee Shiva, since Shiva did Sharanagathy on HIS lotus feet.
BhagavAn Sriman Narayanan said, “TO COMPENSATE ALL THESE HAPPENINGS,
- a) I WILL GIVE YOU AN EQUAL STATUS AS SRI LAKSHMI PIRATTI THAYAR IN SRIVAIKUNTAM,
- b) FROM NOW ON, YOU WILL EXIST AS A ‘THAVARAM (PLANT)’ IN THE NAME OF THULASI,
- C) AND ONE WHO DOES “ARCHANI” ON ME WITH THULASI LEAVES, THEY WILL GET ALL THE “SATHVIKA ANOKOOLA BLESSINGS” FROM ME.
After BhagavAn’s Krupai, Vrindha Devi did Agni Pravesham along with her Husband and from the Ashes emerged a ‘Thavaram (THULASI PLANT)’ and thus Vrindha Devi became a DEIVAM and called as “THULASI DEVI THAYAR”.
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C) Thulasi Plant “Greatness” as per Shastras/Thulasi Stotram:
1) Bottom ‘Root’ Portion of Thulasi plant –> All Holy Rivers reside.
2) Mid ‘Stem’ portion of Thulasi plant –> BhagavAn’s all Kalyana Gunas reside (distributed via Deva JeevAthmas).
3) Top ‘Tip’ portion of Thulasi plant –> All Vedas reside.
4) The ‘Soil’ of Thulasi plant –> made for Thirumann to be put in our forehead along with Thayar Chooram (Kumkumam). It is ‘Kaappu’ (Rakshai/Protection) from evil gunas.
5) Overall, from Top to Bottom including the Soil of THULASI PLANT is all HOLY/PIOUS, like How a COW (Pasu maaadu) is PIOUS.
6) Thulasi Plant, Neem Plant are some of the Plants which releases Oxygen in night as well. So these plants keeps our Body, Mind & Athma Helathy. Other plants release Carbon-di-oxide in night, so who sleeps under such trees or plants, gets breathing problems etc…
7) The atmosphere of Thulasi, Neem plant are Sathvik Breeze in nature and it is ‘Kirumi Naashini’ (Kills unwanted germs/bacteria/virus in Air),
8) Where Thulasi Plant is ‘Respected’ and ‘Kept’ and ‘Prayed’, in those homes, the poisonous creatures like Pooran, Paambu etc,, will NOT come, since they dont like the smell of Thulasi leaves. So, it is abivious that Thulasi is Sathvik guna and the poisonous creatures are Rajas/Tamas gunas, hence they done come near Sathvik Guna Thulasi.
9) Where there is LOT of Thulasi Plants, then in those places, there will be no Mosquitos, hence no Malaria. The Allopathy doctors have confirmed this based on research, which all Sanatana Dharmis were followng it for a long period.
10) Irrespective of all materistic research findings, Our age old SHASTRAS have always said, Every House should a Thulasi Maadam in our front yard. (All diseases and bad happenings are due to No Thulasi maadam in houses and due to no respect to BhagavAn-Thayar). If we live in Apartments, atleast we can have a pot with Thulasi plant on balcony. If no balcony, then we can keep Thulasi plant near the window where there is Sun-light and maintain with proper care.
11) We SHOULDNOT wear or keep any ‘foot-wear’ near or around Thulasi Plants, since Thulasi Maatha is Sri Lakshmi Piratti herself. Thulasi Plant should be RESPECTED/PRAYED with ATMOST DIGNITY.
12) Having Thulasi leaves as Prasadham ( 5 leaves daily as said in Charakar Samhithai) after offering to SriKrishna daily & praying with both hands together on Thulasi Maatha helps “Chitta-Suddhi” (Cleansing our Bad-Karmas/Odd-Vaasanais) and they will get NO diseases as well. Padma Puranam says, Consuming Thulasi leaves as Perumal Prasadham daily removes “Drishti Dhosham” (Black Magic and Billi Soonyam becomes IN-Effective).
13) We should not pluck Thulasi Leaves in these days : “Maadha pirappu sandhi velai (Junction of the 1st day of Month), Chathurdashi, Dwadashi, Pournami, Ammavasai, Tuesday, Friday”.
14)…..
15)….
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……. etc….etc…..
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This was one of the Agenda that Swami Ramanujar implemented in Sri Vaishnava Koil as :
a) Made all Varnas/Kulams come to Temple, so ‘ALL JeevAthmas” can be benefitted by Shastras/Vedas,
b) Have “Thulasi Prasadham‘ after offered to Bhagavn Sriman Narayana, so “Sathvika Guna” Improves and removes Evil Gunas/Forces,
c) Get ‘Perumal Sri Paadha Theertham” with Thulasi leaves on it, so our “Karmas/Vaasanais” get removed,
d) Get “Shaddaari (Perumal ThiruvAdi, nothing but Swami NamAlwar), so we reach “Moksham” through HIS ThiruvAdi for Kainkaryam.
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Like, how “A Cow” gives PanchaGavyam, everything from Cow is useful/divine. Same with ‘Thulasi plant’ and same effect with other three as well in the below list.
Our Shastras says:
1) A Sathvik Brahman who has learned Vedam,
2) A Thulasi Plant,
3) A Cow (Pasu Maadu),
4) Ganga river,
5) Arasa Maram (Peepal Tree)”,
all FIVE are EQUALLY HOLY/GREAT and ‘PIOUS’ Naturally and EACH of them should be Treated with atmost RESPECT/DIGNITY.
Anyone, inside India or Globally (irrespective of caste, creed, Indian or outsiders), who RESPECTS ‘Thulasi’ and all of the above 5, they get Thayar-Perumal blessings automatically.
* Sri Andal (Godhai) calls Thulasi as “NaatraThuzhai’ means ‘Scented Holy Bazil’ plant in Thirupaavai Divya Prabhandham.
* Good Athmas in India (or Bharata Kandam or outside India) call Thulasi as “ThiruThuzhai in Tamil” or “Thulsi in Hindi”.
* Good Athmas residing in British body call Thulasi as “Royal Plant”.
* Good Athmas residing in French body call Thulasi as “Plante Royale”.
* Good Athmas residing in other Mathams also use Thulasi for their sacred ceremonies.
* Good Athmas in Greek use Thulasi plant in their medicine to purify Mind, Body and Athma based on our Shastras/Puranas.
* Globally, Thulasi is present (OmniPresent due to Thayar Incarnation on Vrindha Devi).
* Any JeevAthmas either Good or Bad karmas when subjected to the above b), c) & d) as Ramanujar implemented in SriVaishana Koil, their bad karmas gets removed and become Sathvika automatically. So, try to bring as much as other JeevAthmas to Koil for Kainkaryams, so they can realize their true nature (JeevAthma Swaroopam) and get Athma Ujjivanam.
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D) Pundarikakshar Maharishi wrote/recited “Sri Thulasi Stotram”.
* Pundarikakashar Maharishi (Gyanam Muthirndha Bakthar) was responsbile for the ThirukadalMallai Koil Stapanam (Initiation) in Mahabalipuram which is one of the 108 divya desams.
* Sthala Shayana Perumal. Nila Manghai Thayar.
* Takes only 2 minutes to Chant if we already learned it , or play the audio (Hearing/Shravanam has same effect as well) and slowly after few days, we will be able to chant.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eNFzykUWvIM
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[Please don’t dwell Baktha’s mind too much about who is NithyAthma and who is BaddhAthma, because, once a ‘BaddhAthma (with Karmas)’ in the Samsaram gets BhagavAn/Thayar/Acharyar Krupa Kataksham (mercyful blessings), then they become Pious JeevAthma (Enlighted JeevAthmas, means karmas getting cleanised and more Sathvik nature is revealed, Like a DIAMOND Glows by itself once the covered Dirt is removed (no need to impart light to Diamond “Swayam Prakasham”. Diamond is ourselves JeevAthmas (only Gyanam) & Dirt is our Karmas.
Thulasi Matha story is one such Pious JeevAthma story and BhagavAN gave Thulasi Maatha EQUAL status as Piratti Thayar in SriVaikuntam.
NithyAthmas in SriVailuntam don’t have any Karma-Vaasanai AT ALL at any time (“Asprishta Samsara Gandhargal“, means Karmas UN-TOUCHED). When BaddhAthma like us reach SriVaikuntam with Acharya Krupai, then we BaddhAthma’s become as ‘MuktAthma’ and get the SAME PERMANENT PIOUS QUALITIES as a NithyaAthma, since we will not have any karmas anymore in SriVaikuntam as it gets washed in “Virajai Nadhi” snanam, and No Rajas/Tamas in SriVaikuntam due to Acharya Ramanuja Krupai.
Other Pious ‘JeevAthma’s’ with ‘Servitude’ attitude towards BhagavAn Sriman Narayanan are:
Pious Andal to Sri Krishna…. Pious Prahalada to Sri NaraSimha Perumal……… Pious Anjaneeya (Hanuman)/Lakshmana/Bharata to SriRama…… Pious all Alwars to all Perumal avataras…..Pious Ramanujar to Sri NamPerumal and all Sriman Narayanan avatars…….. Pious all Acharayas to all Sriman Narayanan avatars………Pious Markandeyar to AalElai(Leaf) SriKrishna…….Pious Sant. Thukaram to SriVittalan…….there could be many……
So a BaddhAthma covered with Karmas/Agyamam (Ignorance) have to follow such ‘PIOUS’ JeevAthmas (Enlighted JeevAthmas who has Servitude ‘Kainkaryam’ attitude towards Sriman Narayanan) which leads us to Sriman Narayanan Lotus feet. This is the fundemenatal understanding that a SriVishnu Baktha possess.
All Bakthas including adiyen in this forum are JeevAthmas (BaddhAthmas with karmas/vaasanais, but because of Thayar-Perumal-Alwar-Emperumanaar-Acharyar-Mahas like Sri Velukkudi Swami’s Anugraham, our karmas are getting cleanised (Chiita-Shuddhi), and we are also becoming Sathvik (Pious) and get Moksha Praapthi for ‘Kainkaryam’ in same birth with their KRUPAI/KARUNAI.]
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All Sathvika Upanyasakars and Kainkarya Baktha’s ThiruvAdikku Pallandu,
Sri Velukkudi Krishnan Swami Thiruvadigalaey Thanjam,
Thayar-Perumal-Alwar-Emperumanaar-Jeeyar-Acharyar Thiruvadigalaey Sharanam,
VrindhaVana’tthil (Thulasi Vana’tthil) Gopas/Gopikas/Pasu Maadu/all Jeevarasi’galudan Vilayaadum Sri Krishna BhagavAn ki Jai,
Sarvam Sri Krishna Kudumbham.
