One of the most sacred plants of the Hindus is the Tulsi Plant (Ocimum Sanctum). There is not one household where you will not find the plant in front of the house. Tulsi plant is held in great Veneration because it is supposed to be the incarnation of Lakshmi. Every pious Hindu takes care to water it daily and make circumambulation of it while praying.
In the month of shukla or bright half of kartik, on an auspicious day between the eleventh day and the fifteenth, God Krishna is married to Tulsi. A mock marriage is performed with an idol of Krishna or the Salarama believed to be Krishna himself and Tulsi. Tulsi, the plant, was in her former birth Vrinda, the daughter of a giant named Nemi or Kalanemi. Tulsi was married to a demon named Jalandhar. Her husband was, according to legend, born out of the sweat which Shiva had thrown from his brow into the ocean when he perspired at being insulted by Lord Indra. As he was born in water or Jala, he was named Jalandhar. Due to this he claimed suzerainty of the Ocean and as his heritage demande back from Indra all the fourteen treasures churned out of the ocean in the second incarnation of Vishnu. But, Indra, the king of the Gods refused. To avenge Indra, Jalandhar worshipped Brahma and did severe penance.
Brahma being pleased grants him freedom from death as long as his wife Vrinda remained virtuous and chaste, because Vrinda was renowned for her faithfulness and chastity.
This is why Vishnu has turned into a shaligram, the ammonite found chiefly in the river Gandaki, and Vrinda into Ocimum sanctun, the Tulsi plant. Vishnu won over by Vrinda's unimpeachable chastity vows to marry her every year. This has been immortalised by performing their marriage annually on the 11th day of the month of Kartik. With the ceremony of Tulsi's marriage, the annual marriage season of the Hindus begins. This day also coincides with the end of Vishnu's four months sleep, known as Prabodidhinyekadasi (Awaking Eleventh).
Another slight deviation in Tulsi's story of that when Vrinda discovered she was deceived, she built a pyre and immolated herself. But Vishnu adminring her chastity and sorry for the wrong done to her, was inconsolable till the Gods planted a Tulsi shrub and summoned her spirit into it. Since then she is believed to come into the shrub every evening leaving it in the morning. This is the reason why the Tulsi leaves are not plucked after sunset
Jalandhar quite secure of his life wages war on Indra and invades Amaravati, the capital of Swarga, compelling all he Gods to flee. They seek Shiva and Vishnu's protection and fight the demon but get defeated. Finally Vishnu deputes Lakshmi to Jalandhar to learn th secret of his death. Jalandhar yields to her charms and discloses the fact. At first Shiva is sent to Vrinda in Jalandhar's form to entice her but he fails. Then, Vishnu himself goes to Vrinda in the guise of Jalandahr and betrays her. No sooner Vrinda loses her virtue, Jaladhar gets killed. Vrinda on discovering the identity and the horrible deed he had committed cursed Vishnu that he would become a black stone. Vishnu also retaliates and cursed her saying that she sould become a Tulsi shrub.
This is why Vishnu has turned into a shaligram, the ammonite found chiefly in the river Gandaki, and Vrinda into Ocimum sanctun, the Tulsi plant. Vishnu won over by Vrinda's unimpeachable chastity vows to marry her every year. This has been immortalised by performing their marriage annually on the 11th day of the month of Kartik. With the ceremony of Tulsi's marriage, the annual marriage season of the Hindus begins. This day also coincides with the end of Vishnu's four months sleep, known as Prabodidhinyekadasi (Awaking Eleventh).
Another slight deviation in Tulsi's story of that when Vrinda discovered she was deceived, she built a pyre and immolated herself. But Vishnu adminring her chastity and sorry for the wrong done to her, was inconsolable till the Gods planted a Tulsi shrub and summoned her spirit into it. Since then she is believed to come into the shrub every evening leaving it in the morning. This is the reason why the Tulsi leaves are not plucked after sunset.
Lord KRISHNA says to RADHARANI in Brahma Vaivarta Purana (Sri Krishna Janma Khanda):
yathA tvaM rAdhikA devI goloke gokule tathA
vaikuNTeca mahA lakShmIr bhavatI ca sarasvatI
bhavatI martyalakSmIzca kSIroda sayina priyA
dharma putra vadhUstvaM ca sAntir lakSmI svarUpiNI
kapilasya priyA kAntA bhArate bhAratI satI
dvArAvatyAM mahAlakSmIr bhavatI rukmiNI satI
tvaM sIta mithilayAM ca tvacchAyA draupadi satI
rAvaNena hRtA tvaM ca tvaM ca rAmasya kaminI
http://saigan.com/heritage/gods/godimages/krishn7.jpg
O Radhey! Just as You are My Beloved Soul of Goloka and the Queen of Gokula, in the same way You manifest as Maha Lakshmi and Sarasvati in Vaikunta, and also as Martyalakshmi, the consort of Lord Vishnu. You appear as the opulent form of Santi who is the wife of Dharmaputra. You alone are Bharati Sati, the consort of Kapila Deva.
http://saigan.com/heritage/gods/godimages/krishn6.jpg
You manifest in Dvaraka, as Mahalakshmi, Queen Rukmini and Your Shadow Itself takes up the form of Draupadi Sati. You ALONE appear in Mithila as Sita Devi and become the Beloved of Sri Rama and are abducted by Ravana.
tulasI puNya rupa ca gaGgA bhuvana pAvanI
brahma loke ca sAvitrI kalayA tvaM vasundharA
goloke rAdhikA tvaM ca sarva gopAlakezvarI
You are Radhika, the eternal Mistress of all Gopis in Goloka. You are also identified as the origin of Prakriti, and as Savitri in Lord Brahma's abode.
You are worshipped as the Sacred Plant Tulasi and as ever purifying River of the three worlds, Ganga, and in part as Mother Earth.
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