Om Vishnupad 108 Tridandi Swami Sri Srimat Bhakti Sravan Tirtha Goswami Maharaj
In the month of Kartik, the Dwadashi tithi of the bright fortnight following Edakashi, is observed in most parts of India as Sri Tulasi Vivaha. It is the day when Vrinda Devi was married to Krishna, by Srimati Radharani and Lalita sakhi officiated as the priest.
Vrinda devi or Tulasi as she is known in Krishna lila, is very, very dear to Krishna, so much so that even Srimati Radharani observed a rigorous vrat for her in order to atain Krishna. Here is the delightful story:
The Glories Of Tulasi puja from Sri Garga-Samhita
Sri Radhika, the central figure of the rasa dance, spoke to Her friend Candranana, wise in knowledge of religion. Sri Radha said, “Please tell Me what kind of worship should I perform to please Sri Krishna; worship that will bring auspiciousness, piety, and the fulfillment of My desire. O beautiful one, you have heard the religious scriptures from Garga Muni’s own mouth. O noble hearted one, please tell Me what vow or what worship I should perform.”
Hearing Radha’s words, and reflecting on them in her heart for a moment, Candranana, the best of all friends, replied, “O Radha, service to Tulasi gives the greatest piety, the greatest good fortune and the greatest benediction. It gives Lord Krishna’s association. You should always have darshan of Tulasi, worship her, take her shelter. Then she will grant Your desire.”
“They who, day after day, serve Tulasi attain the results of pious deeds performed in many thousands of millions of yugas… As many branches, sub-branches, seeds, flowers and leaves as are on the Tulasi he has planted, so many ancestors and descendants in His family for thousands of kalpa-yugas will go to Lord Krishna’s transcendental abode. O Radha, a person who, with offerings of Tulasi-leaves worships Lord Krishna is not touched by sin as a lotus is not touched by water… A home in the midst of a Tulasi forest is a sacred pilgrimage place. Yamaraj’s servants will never enter that home.”
“O friend, as four-faced Brahma cannot describe all the glories of Lord Krishna, who holds the Sarnga bow, similarly he cannot describe all the glories of Tulasi. A man or woman who offers sandal-paste and Tulasi to Sri Krishnacandra’s feet attains the results I have told to You. O gopi, serve Tulasi every day. Then Sri Krishna will come under Your control.
After hearing Candranana’s words, Sri Radha, the queen of the rasa dance, in order to please Lord Krishna, began to serve Tulasi. Taking Tulasi, beautiful with many green leaves, to the middle of a ketaki forest, and placing her in a Tulasi-temple that was round, tall, a hundred hastas in size, beautiful with walls of gold and rubies, splendid with an outer wall of emeralds, diamonds and pearls, decorated with cintamani gems, arched gateways, gold flags and gold awnings everywhere, and glorious like Indra’s palace, at the time of the star Abhijit, saintly Radha served Sri Tulasi.
Beginning with the full moon of the month of Asvina (Sept/Oct), and ending with the full moon of Caitra (Mar/Apr), to please Sri Krishna, the best of Gopis Sri Radha followed a vow with great devotion. Month after month She sprinkled Tulasi with milk, sugar-cane juice, grape-juice, mango-juice, pancamrta, and many kinds of sweet and cool juices.
On the first day of Vaisakha (Apr/May), She ended the vow. King Vrsabhanu’s daughter, Radha, then pleased two hundred-thousand brahmanas with a great feast of fifty six courses. Then Radha gave them daksina of a hundred bharas of gold and pearls to each brahmana. The demigods showered flowers on the Tulasi temple.
Then, seated on a glorious throne on a gold pedestal, Her eyes like lotus petals, and Her gold crown and earrings glittering, beautiful four-armed Tulasi, who is dear to Lord Krishna, appeared. Descending from the sky, Tulasi, beautiful as a flowering vine, with Her four arms embraced and then kissed Radha, who wore a new Vaijayanti garland, and whose snake-like braids were covered with a yellow cloth.
Sri Tulasi said, “O daughter of Kalavati, I am pleased with You. I am eternally conquered by Your loving devotion. O beautiful one, as if You were an ordinary human being, You very carefully followed this vow. The desire that fills Your heart, ind, intelligence and senses will be attained. Lord Krishna will be kind to You, You are very fortunate.”
To Tulasi, who spoke these words and who is dear to Lord Krishna, Radha bowed and said, “May I have unalloyed devotion for Lord Krishna’s lotus feet.” Saying, “So be it, ” Krishna’s beloved Tulasi disappeared. Then Radha, King Vrsabhanu’s daughter, went home happy at heart.
A devotee who hears this wonderful story of Sri Radha attains first the three goals of material life and then the supreme spiritual goal of life.
Source- Sri Chaitanya Institute of Vaisnavic Culture
