Tulasi mahima is spoken of by Prahlada in Padma Purana, said P.T. Seshadri in a discourse. Prahlada says that rishis met Sadananda. They asked him whose name, if uttered, would destroy our sins and give us punyas. Sadananda told them about how Tulasi Devi’s avatara happened.
He said Rudra had told his son Subrahmanya about Tulasi Devi’s greatness. Sadananda said that when the milky ocean was churned, using the Mantara mountain as the churning rod, many things appeared from the ocean, including nectar. Sacred drops of water fell from Lord Narayana’s eye into the nectar pot. Tulasi came from one of these drops. Lord Narayana took for Himself only three entities that emanated from the ocean. They were Lakshmi, Kaustubha gem and Tulasi. Of these, He wore the first two on His chest, but He wore Tulasi all over His body. The Lord wanted to grant Tulasi a boon. Tulasi requested that no matter what sins a person had committed, if he prayed to Tulasi , his sins should be wiped out.
She further requested that those who did an archana to the Lord using Tulasi and those who consumed Tulasi offered at His feet must reach His feet. She also prayed that He must always think of her, just as she would be thinking of Him always. The Lord gave her the boons she asked for. In addition, He said that there were lots of flowers like lotuses, maalasugandha, jasmine and so on, which were offered to Him in worship. Some even offered flowers made of gold. But if these flowers were offered without Tulasi, He would not be pleased. Wilted flowers are removed from the Lord’s body, and discarded. But Tulasi leaves, even if they have wilted, will continue to please Him, He said. Moksha is guaranteed to those who use Tulasi when they do their daily aradhana to the Lord.
Nammazhvar, in his Thiruviruttam, points to the sacredness of tulasi, said P.T. Seshadri, in a discourse. Nammazhvar imagines himself to be Parankusa Nayaki, a girl pining for Krishna’s love. Parankusa Nayaki’s anxious mother sends for a woman fortune teller and asks her to suggest a remedy for her daughter’s problem. The fortune teller says that what ails her daughter is no ordinary disease, and ordinary medicines will be of no use. Tulasi is the only medicine that will help, says the fortune teller. She advises Parankusa Nayaki’s mother to place around her daughter’s neck a tulasi garland that has adorned the Lord. Or she could place a tulasi leaf on her head. Even a tulasi stalk can be placed on her head. Or the root of the tulasi plant can be put on her head. Even the soil in which a tulasi plant grew can be placed on her head and will cure her, says the fortune teller.
Padma Purana has the story of tulasi’s birth. When the milky ocean was churned and nectar was obtained, an auspicious drop of water from Lord Narayana’s eyes fell into the nectar pot and tulasi came from this. Padma Purana has a sloka which begins with the words “tulasi amrita janmaasi,” where not only is tulasi’s birth from nectar mentioned, but the purpose of her birth is also mentioned. The sloka says that tulasi is dear to Lord Kesava, and that she is being plucked only to be offered to Kesava. The sloka ends with a prayer for tulasi’s blessings. Prahlada recites this sloka in Padma Purana and says it should be recited before plucking tulasi leaves. Manavala Mamunigal quotes this sloka in his Jeeyar Thiruvaradhana krama, although he does not mention Padma Purana explicitly. Manavala Mamunigal too says this sloka must be recited before plucking tulasi leaves.
One who just sees Tulasi Devi gets the benefit of giving millions of cows in charity and when that person offers worship and prayers to Tulasi Devi then that person becomes worthy of worship in this Kali-yuga. In the Kali-yuga that person who plants a Tulasi tree for the pleasure of Lord Krsna, even if the messengers of Yamaraja are angry with him, what can they do to him, he need not fear even death personified.
tulasi amrta-janmasi sada tvam keshava-priya
keshavatam cinomi tvam varada bhava sobhane
tvadang sambavai aniyam pujayami yatha harim
tathe kuru pavitrangi kalou mala vinashini
One who chants this mantra while picking Tulasi leaves and then offers them to Lord Krsna's lotus feet, the results of that offering is increased millions of times.
Now listen carefully to the Tulasi Stava:
01
munayah sidha-gandhavah, patale nagarat svayam
prabhavam tava deveshi, gayanti sura-sattama
02
na te prabhavam jananti, devatah keshavadrite
gunanam parimananutu, kalpakotisha-tairapi
03
krsna-anandat samudbhnuta, kshiroda-mathanodyame
uttamange pura yena, tulasi-vishnu na dhrita
04
prapyaitani tvaya devi, vishno-rangani sarvashah
pavitrata tvaya prapta, tulasitvam namamyaham
05
tvadanga-sambavaih patrai, puja-yami yatha harim
tatha kurushva me vighna, yato yami para gatim
06
ropita gomati-tire, svayam-krsnena palita
jagadditaya tulasi, gopinam hita-hetave
07
vrindavane vicharata, sevita vishnuna svayam
gokulasya vivriddhyarth, kamsasya nidhanaya ca
08
vashisththa vachanat purvam, ramen sarayu-tate
rakshasanam vadharthaya, ropita-tvam jagat-priye
ropita-tapaso vridhyai, tulasi-tvam namamyaham
09
viyoge raghavendra-sya, dhyatva tvam janak atmaja
ashokavana-madhye tu, priyena saha-sangata
10
shankarartha pura devi, parvatya tvam himalaye
ropita sevita siddhyai, tulasi tvam-namamyaham
11
dharmaranye gayayam ca, sevita pitribhih svayam
sevita tulasi punya, atmano hita-michhata
12
ropita ramachandren sevita laksmanena cha
sitaya palita bhaktya, tulasi-dandake vane
13
trailokya-vyapini ganga, yatha-shastre-shu giyate
tathaiva tulasi devi drisyate sacharachare
14
risyamuke ca, vasata kapirajen sevita
tulasi balinashaya, tarasangam-hetave
15
pranamya tulasi-devi, sagarot kramanam kritam
krit-karyah prahusthascha, hanuman punaragataha
16
tulasi grahanam kritva, vimukto yati patakaih
athava munishardula, brahma-hatyam-vyapohati
17
tulasi patra-galitam, yastoyam-sirasa vahet
ganga-snanam avapnoti, dasha-dhenu phala-pradam
18
prasid devi deveshi, prasid hari vallabhe
ksirod-mathanod bhute, tulasi tvam namamyaham
19
dvadasyam jagare ratrou, yah pathet tulasi stavam
dvatrim-shadaperadhans cha, ksamate tasya keshavah
One who worships Tulasi Devi on the Dwadasi (12th day) and chants this Tulasi Stava destroys all 32 kinds of sinful reactions. Lord Krsna becomes very happy with that person.
In that house where this Tulasi Stava is present, misfortune never visits, not even by accident, and the goddess of Fortune will happily reside there.
One who recites this Tulasi Stava will attain devotion to Lord Krsna and his mind will never wander away form the Lotus-feet of Lord Krsna.
That person who stays awake on the Dwadasi night (12th day) after worshipping Tulasi Devi with this Stava will attain the benefit of visiting all the holy places and his mind will never contemplate enjoying separately from Lord Krsna. Not only this, but that fortunate devotee
will never be separated from the association of the Vaisnavas (devotees of Lord Krsna).