Saturday, November 24, 2012

TULSI VIVAH

 
 
Tulsi Vivah is the ceremonial marriage of the Tulsi plant to the Hindu god Vishnu or his Avatar Krishna.It is celebrated on the next day of Karthik Ekadashi. On this day Tulsi is married to Saaligram.
The tulsi plant is held sacred by the Hindus as it is regarded to be an incarnation of Mahalaxmi who was born as Vrinda. Tulsi was married to demon king Jalandhar. She prayed to Shri Vishnu that her demon husband should be protected, with the result no God was able to harm him. However on the request of the other Gods, Shri Vishnu took the form of Jalandhar and stayed with the unsuspecting Tulsi. When the truth emerged after Jalandhar’s death, Vrinda cursed Shri Vishnu and turned him to stone (Saaligram) and collapsed. From her body emerged the tulsi plant. That is why Vishnu puia is considered incomplete without tulsi leaves.

The very name Tulsi, that which cannot be compared, the "incomparable one", has spiritually uplifting qualities. Tulsi has been found to possess extraordinary powers of healing.