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Tulsi

A spiritual discourse on the sacred Tulsī plant, its medicinal benefits, and the strict rituals required for its care.

"In every household, you must have Tulsī. You can use Tulsī leaves for tea... it helps improve the body's immunity and acts like an antibiotic."

"Tulsī is a very gentle plant, and it is not easy to keep her because she needs purity and very pure thoughts... If you can fulfill all these points, then take her to your house; otherwise, something negative can happen."

Swami Avatarpuri explains the profound cultural and spiritual significance of the Tulsī plant in Hindu tradition. He details its Ayurvedic uses for health and immunity, describes its role as a divine presence in the home that requires absolute physical and mental purity from its caretakers, and outlines the strict daily protocols necessary to keep it alive. He also mentions the rare ceremony for a "virgin Tulsī" that survives for eighteen years.

Recording location: Czech Republic, Strilky, Weekend seminar

Tulsī is a very useful plant. In Āyurveda, it is used extensively, and therefore, to protect this plant, we call it a holy plant. In every household, you must have Tulsī. You can use Tulsī leaves for tea. Every day when you make tea, put one or two leaves in. Or, eat two leaves daily; it helps improve the body's immunity and acts like an antibiotic. This is very beneficial. You will find Tulsī in nearly every Indian home. Tulsī is married to Kṛṣṇa, meaning she is appreciated by Kṛṣṇa. Every household lady, when she offers prayers to the sun and offers water to the Tulsī, prays for the good health of her husband and for the family: for light, knowledge, prosperity, wisdom, and protection. Tulsī is a very divine plant. In a house where there is no Tulsī, there are no positive vibrations. Where Tulsī is present, there is a divine vibration; there are goddesses, and no devils can enter that house. Tulsī is a very gentle plant, and it is not easy to keep her because she needs purity and very pure thoughts. First, you must bathe. Only then can you give her water. If you have not bathed, have not cleaned yourself, have not brushed your teeth, have not changed your clothes, and you give water to Tulsī, you will see the next day that the Tulsī will die. She is such a gentle plant. She is Lakṣmī, and that is why it is very hard to grow Tulsī at home. It is not easy to keep the Tulsī plant; it will die soon because Tulsī needs purity. There are two kinds of Tulsī: one is white Tulsī and one is black Tulsī. The bhaktas of Kṛṣṇa have the black Tulsī. The bhaktas of Abhidharma have the white Tulsī. So which do you want? Or do you want the orange Tulsī? We will make seeds available and try to plant them here in Strilky. They are very sensitive, as I told you. They will not survive in the cold outside in an open area. You must have a big pot and keep it in a room near the window, or in a glasshouse. Do not touch her without bathing. Without brushing your teeth, wash your hands, brush your teeth, and wash your hands again. Also, after eating, you must wash yourself. One thing I will tell you—you may not like it or you may laugh, you may say, "Swāmījī is sometimes terrible"—but do not take it as a joke or as offensive. Before you go to give water to Tulsī, you are not allowed to use toilet paper; you must use water, wash with water. This means the whole body must be clean, and then you go to the Tulsī. If you have used toilet paper and then wash your hands and go to the Tulsī, she will not like this; you will immediately feel she is becoming distant. You can measure the frequency of the vibration. She prefers ladies mostly, because ladies are generally of purer thinking. Men are too rude, though sometimes men are better than women. But she likes purity, kindness, and respect. You must respect her at all times. Ensure that in that house, no alcohol and no meat is used. She does not like cigarettes; she likes agarbatti (incense). Therefore, her place is like an altar, a divine place. So, if you can fulfill all these points, then take her to your house; otherwise, something negative can happen. Ensure that your husband or wife, your grandparents, and your children will respect this beautiful plant, and that no one uses alcohol or meat. This plant will bring happiness, light, and love. Suddenly, there will be love in the family. A husband who wants a divorce will come back and tell you, "How stupid I am. Please forgive me; I love you. We will stay together forever." You can say yes, but thanks to Tulsī; that is a miracle. Yes, there is a marriage ceremony for Tulsī. You may laugh, but do not laugh. I am telling you, it is true. If you have a virgin Tulsī at home and if she survives for eighteen years, then you must arrange her marriage. There is a Tulsī marriage ceremony; it is not a joke. There are mantras and everything. However, it is very rare that she remains in someone's house for so long. If you can keep her until eighteen or twenty years, it is a siddhi, a perfection. But we are not able to keep even our husband at home for eighteen years. How will we keep the Tulsī? So Tulsī is something great. We do not introduce you to her too much because, unfortunately, we lack discipline. Recording location: Czech Republic, Strilky, Weekend seminar

This text is transcribed and grammar corrected by AI. If in doubt, what was actually said in the recording, use the transcript to double click the desired cue. This will position the recording in most cases just before the sentence is uttered.

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