SRI TULASI: THE SPIRITUAL POWERHOUSE
THE POWER OF TULASI::
Sri Tulasi, Sri Lakshmi's matchless incarnation, has been the greatest positive force that has been guiding India's spiritual,occult and cultural destiny from time immemorial. She is the Emperess among the great heritage of holy plants that India has bookmarked for spiritual seekers of the world. Sri Tulasi must be considered the National Holy Plant of India as she has been the greatest influence that has directed the masses of India towards that characteristic way of life with a spiritual background which is the hallmark of India's great and glorious spiritual culture, the envy of all the world's nations.
The powers of Sri Tulasi and the benefits she can give to her devotee is well documented in the "Sri Tulasi Kavacham" embedded in the Tulasi Mahatmya part of Sri Brahmaanda Purana and also in the classical prayer of Pundalika known as the "Tulasi Stotram". Taking the cue from the Atharva veda, Tulasi has been euologised in Srimad Bhagavatham, the Kurma and other puranas, and various spiritual and religious texts.
Sri Tulasi emanates an aura of positive spiritual force all around. No negative force of the universe can withstand her spiritual healing power. A strong feeling of Bhakti and purity of body and mind alone is needed to obtain her blessings. In this service to humanity, She has the Grace of the almighty Vishnu who is always with her.
Tulasi has become the most popular plant among the people of India. She is, to the simple folk of India, what the Saaligraama is to the brahmin elite. Next to GOD and the SADGURU, Sri Tulasi is the greatest object of reverence in India. In her lies the secret of Grihastha Dharma which is one of the classical fourfold dharmas that occur naturally in the life of man.
Sri Tulasi, herself, takes the place of the Sadguru if a Sadguru has not entered one's life. She helps to recognise the Sadguru when He comes. In fact, the Sadguru, like the Jagadguru, Sri Krishna, always resides in her heart. Sri Tulasi is the only hope for the millions who are still missing the company of a Sadguru.
FOLKUSE & CUSTOM:
The popularity of Ocimum Sanctum (Sri Tulasi) among the people gave her the name Vrinda in the language of the elites. All folklore relating to the plant are of very ancient origin and may be more ancient than the Vedas.
Prehistoric urban civilizations arose on river banks in regions lying between equatorial and temperate climates. Endemic malaria became rampant in these areas. So malaria, in competition with plague must have taken a heavy toll on these early human settlements. It is possible that the mother species of Sri Tulasi was a marsh plant which grew in the waterlogged areas of river banks where our ancient civilization was born. Malaria being endemic in these areas, the locals soon found that this plant could ward off malaria both by its presence, its fragrance and by therapeutic administration. It soon became a leading medicinal plant in folkuse. It is interesting to note that many ethnic tribes of India have parallel mythologies regarding Tulasi as a holy plant and have special rituals associated with its use.
While plague epidemics wiped out, in short periodical bursts, commercial seafaring habitations near the seashores, endemic malaria weakened and paralysed locals in waterlogged areas around estuaries and river banks more inland. These diseases, endemic and epidemic, were thought to be caused by the wrath of the Almighty. Therefore, natural antidotes, miraculously God-given, found in these areas, were accepted as being divine in origin and as special blessings from God to pious Man. Soon Sri Tulasi came to be adopted, even by the later elites, as Vishnupriyaa, the Spouse of the Almighty.
.
The religious believe that worship of Lord Hari with Tulasi frees one from all sin. God is more pleased by one who offers Him a single Tulasi leaf than by one who worships Him with a variety of valuable offerings.
Wearing a garland of Tulasi beads, auspiciously made from stems obtained from specially laid out Tulasi gardens or wearing one gifted by a satguru, was known to give protection from negative thoughts, evil influences, bad luck, and painful accidents.
A devoted wife knew that, by praying to and circambulating the plant daily, she protected, from all dangers, her husband who was away from home. Her ritual of daily prayers would bring long life, health and prosperity to all members of her family and to the country in which she resided.
Sri Tulasi, plucked with reverence, masticated with piety and partaken with acceptance, before one set out on a journey or one's daily occupation or assignment, would make the start auspicious and eradicate all occult forces that caused obstacles to achievement. Just the sight of the Tulasi plant on a Kamika Ekadahi day would remove all sin. The ritual of watering the plant daily would give longevity. Planting Tulasi and presenting Tulasi plants to devotees would bring great virtue. Lighting a ghee lamp to Tulasi on Ekadashi days would give long life. To raise Tulasi's emanation level to man's height when planted in temple and homes, Tulasi was planted in an elevated receptacle.
Even today, these beliefs are strong among the people and both the masses and the elite adore and worship Tulasi and enjoy its bounties. The Tulasi plant has come down to us as a partner, like our Go Maatha, in building our civilization from river-bank villages and townships of yesterday to the cities of today. Sri Tulasi has become a living institution as one of the perineal symbols of our culture.
SOME PREVAILING CUSTOMS:
The Saligrama stone and the Tulasi plant are worshipped together by the elites. In the month of Kartik there is a ritual marriage of the Saaligraama with Tulasi.
Placed on cooked food, Tulasi leaves were known to prevent spoilage and pollution by damp suroundings, damp weather and negative occult forces.
Along with the chant of Sri Vishnusahasranaama, Tulasi is used as an antidote to poisonous bites and stings, by the elites.
It is considered doubly effective to sleep in the sacred and healthy ambience of the Tulasi plant. Fugmigation with the dried plant repels insects..
In some parts of India, Tulasi branches are added on to a burning funeral pyre in the belief that the departing soul will move towards heaven.
The tulasi plant is believed to be so pure that the slightest pollution can kill it. One should approach and touch a Tulasi plant only when one is physically and spiritually clean. Therefore, women are not supposed to touch the Tulasi plant while they are menstruating.
The daily ritual worship of Sri Tulasi is an example of simple devotional service which every one can perform without difficulty. Planting Tulasi, watering the Tulasi plant, presenting the plant to others, are all considered as devotional services. Even a poor man can engage in these devotional services and so obtain the blessings of this Holy Plant.
MYTHOLOGICAL BASIS:
There are more than one mythological version relating to the origin of the Tulasi plant. Both the masses and the eductaed elite have joined forces to build up this varied traditional mythology.
Books recite that Sri Lakshmi was born to Dharmadhwaja's wife Madhavi. Her parents named her Tulasi. Being beautiful and virtuous, she was married to Vishnu. Vishnu desired her to cast off her body and stay with Him in spirit. Her body then become the river Gandaki. Vishnu's body became the Saaligraama stone and resided in the river. Sri Lakshmi's hair grew into a plant, become the famous Tulasi, an object of worship.
There is also another version. Tulasi was the wife of Jalandhara, a water demon, who caused great suffering to people. Lord Vishnu had to abduct her to kill Jalandhara. Lord Vishnu then lifted the plant to higher levels by placing her leaves on His head. It is also said that Vishnu abducted Tulasi to help Shiva kill the demon.
Another version recites that Sarasvati's curse once turned Lakshmi into a Tulasi plant and forced her to live on the earth causing Vishnu to come down from Heaven and stay near her as the Saaligraama. That is why the Saaligraama is to be found under the river Gandaki where the Sal tree grows and also in the Narmada river from which many brahmin communities migrated to South India later on. Saaligrama being Bhagavan Vishnu's counterpart for Sri Lakshmi's Tulasi, this sacred stone, now considered to be an ammonite fossil, is also euologised in the puranas.
Mythological stories relating to the Uppiliyappapn temple of South India also refers to the Tulasi plant. A south Indian tradtion of Choodi and Hosilu pooja is also related to the plant. In the Utthaana Dwadashi vrata of South India a twig of the Aamalaki plant with fruit is planted beside the Tulasi plant and worshipped. There are many vratas, anushtaanas and rituals wherein the fresh leaves of the Tulai plant play an important role.
The Indian tradition honours Sri Tulasi in different communities, in different parts of the country, in different ways.
FOLK THERAPEUTICS:
The earth round the Tulasi Plant is used as application in the form of a paste for massaging the body to counteract the effects on the skin of debilitating, marshy environments. Famous Indian wrestlers have used it to come out victorious among opponents, depending for strength only on pure vegetarian food.
Tulasi leaves placed with water in a shining copper vessel overnight and partaken in the morning, activates a student's brain and increases concentration and memory. It is said that Adi Shankaraachaarya had in memory all the four Vedas by the time he was seven years old. Moreover, India is known ,even today, for its Sahasraavadhaanis and Shathaavadhaanis who can perform incredible superhuman feats of concentration and memory.
Tulasi is used by Indian physicians in the treatment of mental weakness, such as loss of concentration and memory , confusion, depression, melanchoia, hysteria, migrane headache, cerebral congestion, etc. Its use in psychosomatic conditions has given it the name Bhutaghni.
Tulasi leaves, eaten as a daily routine in marshy districts, make one immune to fever. A few fresh leaves of Tulasi chewed and eaten with very little pepper, daily in the morning, on an empty stomach prevents malaria and helps to cure it. A garland of Tulasi beads worn in contact with the body or a little piece of its stem used in the same manner, can protect one from diseases caused by cold and dampness. The aroma of Tulasi or fumigation with dry leaves, wards off malaria in homes. Tulasi essence extracted in vegetable oil by exposure to the Sun in a closed, transparent container, can cure aches, pains and cramps caused by cold, damp wet weather.
Tulasi is employed by Ayurvedic and traditional gyanecologists in regulating menstrual cycle in women. It is used to improve fertility both in the barren and in those who are unable to safely reach full term. At the commencement of the postpartum, it helps to regularise the lochia.
Tulasi is used to purify blood in blood poisoning and similar conditions, along with the juice of neem leaves.
As a common household remedy, it is found very effective in common cold, laryngitis, pharyngitis, tonsillitis, cough, influenza and its complications.
In brochial asthma and respiraory allergic conditions, a pinch of pure Turmeric powder mixed with honey and the juice of Tulasi is very effective.
It is useful externally and internally in relieving discomfort and pain associated with dental decay such as caries and chronic infective conditions such as pyorrohea.
In alimentary disorders causing gastritis, flatulence, colic and dyspepsia, Tulasi is very useful to stimulate digestive secretions.
Seasonal arthritis triggered by humid weather is relieved by this rememdy.
In pneumonia, physcians use it as anupana for specific remedies. In the preparation of Tribhuvanakirti Rasa a classical; Ayurvedic remedy that protects the lungs and clears congestion in the later stages of Influenza, Tulasi is one of the juices used in herbally activating the preparation.
Regular use of Tulasi prevents pleurisy and also supports specific curative remedies used to treat the same.
Externally and internally, it is useful in palliating eye symptoms caused by conjunctivitis such as redness, lachrymation, adhesive secretions and photophobia.
Tulasi cures dimness of eye sight. Its juice, regularly used as eye drops, prevents cataract formation. Here it is as efficient as the homeopathic remedy ,Cinereria maritima .
It is very useful in itching and irritaion of the ear and difficulty of hearing caused by Vathakapha Samsarga Dosha which builds up as age advances.
Tulasi gives a glow to the skin when constantly used both internally and externally. It is a freely available cosmetic for women. As Tulasi's origin is in Sri Lakshni's hair folds, its judicious use may benefit the texture and colour of a woman's hair more effectively than many modern applicatons.
Fresh juice of the plant, steeped in honey, is a great paediatric remedy for colds and coughs in children. Being mildly laxative, it will also help elimination, via the intestinal tract, of the phlegm automatically swallowed, during productive coughs in infants.
Partaken with ginger juice after meals, Tulasi acts as a carminative and digestant.
VARIETIES OF TULASI
Ayurveda nighantus state that there are 7 varieties of Tulasi some of which are not obtainable. They might be found in remote forest areas , as some species of Labiate are, on the lower slopes of the Himalayas or in other mountainous regions.
In India, the two common varieties of Ocimum Sanctum available are Krishma Tulasi and Shweta Tulasi, the former being preferred in rituals and both in medicine.
I recall, in this context, a chance meeting I had with a professional ayurvedic physician in Delhi during Maharshi Mahesh Yogi's conference of Ayurvedic physicians in the last decade of the last century:
This physician was preparing classical Ayurvedic medicines for an establishment of nuns in Germany who, employing these medicines in their dispensaries, wanted to manufacture them locally.
The physician found it difficult to get fresh Tulasi plants used in the preparation of the famous Ayurvedic remedy, Tribhuvanakeerti Rasa which the nuns found very useful. It was suggested to him that a similar herb growing on the slopes of Alps might be used. He agreed to test them. These plants were collected and used. The collection belonged to the genus Marjorum, a close relative of the Ocimum genus. The juice of the fresh plant was to be used for "bhaavana" ( soaking the main ingredients with Tulasi juice and grinding to a paste) before closed heating on a special fire (puta) after being sealed airtight in earthen containers.
The preparation made with Marjoram was found to be more effective and potent than the one prepared in India with the juice of Ocimum Sanctum. The physician rightly felt that this new plant could be one of the classical varieties of Tulasi mentioned in the texts but considered unobtainable.
There are many such classical remedies in the Ayurvedic Pharmacoepia where Tulasi is either one of the main ingredoients or used as an activator during preparation of a classical coimpound medicine.
ALTERNATIVE THERAPIES:
Tulasi is a HOLY HERB of Indian spiritual, religious and medical folklore. It is in folkuse widely, ever since the appearance of the Indian Civilization. Alternative Medicine, as being developed in India, cannot afford to disregard its historically proved medicinal effects in the different fields of medical practice.
Nature Cure:
Dr.Sharma, the father of a well known Indian Nature Cure tradition, who was also an inspirer and friend of Mahatma Gandhi and a close devotee of Bhagavan Ramana Maharshi ,propounded the great revolutionary concept of Vital Economy which recognised the place of Prana as a foundational reality in the system of nature Cure. He recognised that availablity of the destined quanta of a man's life force for curative and longevity purposes depends on consevation of Prana. Various kinds and stages of Pranayama and Brahmacharya were recognised as tools to achieve this purpose.
Natural anaphrodisiacs have been long used in Indian tradition to aid in such effort. Ocimum Sabctum, among other holy plants, is known to have this property to the correct measure as it can achieve the purpose without disturbing tridoshasaamyaavastha i.e. natural physiological harmony.
Homoeopathy:
Homeopathic materia medicas mention a species of Ocimum among their drug pictures.This shows that homoeopathists have studied some of the Ocimum species but did not have cognition of the Indain counterpart. Much Later, some homeopaths of Bengal did attempt to prove some of the Indian medicinal plants according to the homoeopathic method of provimg . Ocimum Sanctum has been mentioned by them.
Regarding Ocimum Sanctum, I would say that it appears to be related to the homoeopathic remedy Kali bichromicum as can be seen from the group action they both commonly represent, especially their common affinity to tissues of endodermal origin such as the mucous membranes. Other similarities can also be ennumerated.
In this context, it is interesting to note that, in aerial mineral deposit surveys, where it is known that plants growing in certain regions give indications of mineral deposits down under, it has been found that deposits of Chromium can be identified where plants of the Labiatae family are found growing on the surface soil.
Homoeopathy has confirmed that there is a correlation between the drug picture of a plant remedy and a mineral remedy when the mineral predominates in the soil where the plan naturally grows. An example of this is Calcarea carb. which is considered a "chronic" of Belladonna. And strange as it may seem, the Belladonna plant ,as well as other plants of the Solanaceae family (like the Indian plant, Dhatura), sprout and grow well only on Calcium soils.
It is no wonder, therefore, that the known therapeutic action of Tulasi shows a good relation with the homoeopathic drug picture of Kali Bichomicum.
RESEARCH:
As can be seen from the short dissertation above, there is great scope for correlated research on Ocimum Sanctum, in the fields of Ethnobotany, Nature Cure, Homoeopathy and other Alternate Systems of Medicine. Some examples of reaearch projects are given below. But these, in no way, exaust the many possibilities for research projects on this Ocimum species:
1. A potency of Ocimum Sanctum can be prepared and its drug picture delianated by provings supplemented and correlated with clinical and folklore knowledge that already exists.
2. Indian Naturopathy's revolutionary concept of "Vital Economy" can be further elaborated and correlated with the folklore and religous medical knowledge of India's Holy Plants.
3.An elaborate study of the Ocimum species in relation to the dawn and progress of the Indian civilization can be attempted to understand how a study of our "Holy Plants" from the ethnobotanical point of view will give us an insight to fill the gaps in the history of the development of human civilization on the Indian sub-continent.
4. If Marjoram species is indeed one of the ancient Tulasi bhedaas, then, ,it lays before us an ethnobotanical riddle regarding migration of races to and from prehistoric India that would be a challenge to solve.
5.It would be interesting to know what research has been conducted on Chromium as a nutritive trace element in plants and human beings and what symptoms and signs accompany the deficiency of this element in the nutritional status of plants and man.