Goddess Tulasi Mantras:
Tulasi Gayatri Mantra:
Om tulasyai vidmahe
Vishnupriyayei dhimahi
Tanno vrinda prachodayat
Vrindadevy-ashtaka/Eight Prayers Glorifying Vrinda Devi (Tulasi):
1) gangeya-campeya-tadid-vinindi-rocih-pravaha-snapitatma-vrinde bandhuka-randhu-dyuti-divya-vasovrinde namas te caranaravindam
O Vrinda Devi, I offer my respectful obeisances to your feet. You are bathed in your own splendor, which defeats the effulgence of lightning and the golden campaka flower. The luster of your transcendental garments defeats the beauty of the blue bandhuka flower.
2) bimbadharoditvara-manda-hasya-nasagra-mukta-dyuti-dipitasye vicitra-ratnabharana-shriyadhyevrinde namas te caranaravindam
O Vrinda Devi, I offer my respectful obeisances to your lotus feet.
Your face is illuminated by the splendor of the pearl decorating the tip of your nose, and by the extraordinary gentle smile on the two bimba fruits which are your lips. You are enriched by the beauty of the amazing and colorful jewels and ornaments you wear.
3) samasta-vaikuntha-shiromanau shri-krishnasya vrindavana-dhanya-dhamni dattadhikare vrishabhanu-putryavrinde namas te caranaravindam
O Vrinda Devi, I offer my respectful obeisances to your lotus feet.
Shrimati Radharani, the daughter of King Vrishabhanu, has made you the ruling monarch of Lord Krishna’s opulent and auspicious abode of Vrindavana, which is the crest jewel of all the Vaikuntha planets.
4) tvad-ajnaya pallava-pushpa-bhringa-mrigadibhir madhava-keli-kunjah madhv-adibhir bhanti vibhushyamanavrinde namas te caranaravindam
O Vrinda Devi, I offer my respectful obeisances to your lotus feet.
Because of your order, the groves where Lord Madhava performs His pastimes appear very splendid, decorated with blossoming flowers, bumblebees, deer, and other auspicious animals, flowers, and birds.
5) tvadiya-dutyena nikunja-yunoratyutkayoh keli-vilasa-siddhih tvat-saubhagam kena nirucyatam tadvrinde namas te caranaravindam
O Vrinda Devi, I offer my respectful obeisances to your lotus feet.
Who can describe your good fortune? You were the messenger who brought about the perfection of the amorous pastimes of Radha and Krishna, the youthful couple who enthusiastically sport in the groves of Vrindavana.
6) rasabhilaso vasatis ca vrinda-vane tvad-isanghri-saroja-seva labhya ca pumsam kripaya tavaivavrinde namas te caranaravindam
O Vrinda Devi, I offer my respectful obeisances to your lotus feet.
The living entities who attain the service of the lotus feet of your Lord reside in Vrindavana. And the desire to understand the Lord’s amazing pastimes of the rasa dance is only by your mercy.
7) tvam kirtyase satvata-tantra-vidbhirlilabhidhana kila krishna-
saktih tavaiva murtis tulasi nri-lokevrinde namas te caranaravindam
O Vrinda Devi, I offer my respectful obeisances to your lotus feet.
Those who have studied the Satvata-tantra glorify you. You are Lord Krishna’s potency for performing pastimes, and you are known as Tulasi Devi in the human society.
8) bhaktya vihina aparadha-lakshaihkshiptas ca kamadi-taranga-madhye kripamayi tvam sharanam prapannavrinde namas te caranaravindam
O Vrinda Devi, I offer my respectful obeisances to your lotus feet.
Those who are devoid of devotion to Lord Hari, and are thrown by their offenses into the waves of lust and other inauspicious qualities, may take shelter of you.
9) vrindashtakam yah shrinuyat pathed vavrindavanadhisha-padabja-bhringah sa prapya vrindavana-nitya-vashamtat-prema-sevam labhate kritarthah
O Vrinda Devi, I offer my respectful obeisances to your lotus feet.
Let a person who becomes like a bumblebee at the lotus feet of Radha-Krishna, and who reads or hears these eight verses describing the glories of Vrinda Devi, eternally reside at Goloka Vrindavana. He attains devotional service in pure love of Godhead, and all his spiritual aspirations become fulfilled.
Plucking Tulasi:
One who picks Tulasi without having bathed and then performs worship is an offender, and all his activities becomes useless. (Vayu Purana)
One should pluck the leaves with the right hand, holding the branch in the left hand, being careful not to break the branches.
patranam cayane vipra bhagna sakha yada bhavet
tada hridi vyatha vishnor diyate tulasi pateh
karatala trayam dattva cinuyat tulasi dalam
yatha na kampate sakha tulasya divyasattama
If when picking Tulasi leaves one breaks the branches, Vishnu feels pain in His heart. One should clap the hands three times before picking Tulasi and pick in such a way that the branches do not shake.
One should say:
tulasy amrita janmasi sada tva keshava priya
keshavarthe vicinvami barada bhava shobhane
tvad anga sambhavaih patraih pujayami yatha harim
tatha kuru pavitrangi kalau mala vinasini
Oh Tulasi, born from the ocean of nectar, you are eternally the dearmost of Keshava. For His worship I now pluck you. Please bestow blessings on me.
Oh Tulasi, being pure in body and the destroyer of the sins of Kali-yuga, I will worship the Lord using leaves coming from your body. You should make that worship successful.
