Ninth Skandha · Chapter 25
Sourceनारद उवाच तुलसी च यदा पूज्या कृता नारायणप्रिया । अस्याः पूजाविधानं च स्तोत्रं च वद साम्प्रतम् ॥ १ ॥ केन पूजा कृता केन स्तुता प्रथमतो मुने । तत्र पूज्या सा बभूव केन वा वद मामहो ॥ २ ॥ सूत उवाच नारदस्य वचः श्रुत्वा प्रहस्य मुनिपुङ्गवः । कथां कथितुमारेभे पुण्यां पापहरां पराम् ॥ ३ ॥ श्रीनारायण उवाच हरिः संपूज्य तुलसीं रेमे च रमया सह । रमासमानसौभाग्यां चकार गौरवेण च ॥ ४ ॥ सेहे च लक्ष्मीर्गङ्गा च तस्याश्च नवसङ्गमम् । सौभाग्यगौरवं कोपात्ते न सेहे सरस्वती ॥ ५ ॥ सा तां जघान कलहे मानिनी हरिसन्निधौ । व्रीडया चापमानेन सान्तर्धानं चकार ह ॥ ६ ॥ सर्वसिद्धेश्वरी देवी ज्ञानिनां सिद्धियोगिनी । जगामादर्शनं कोपात्सर्वत्र च हरेरहो ॥ ७ ॥ हरिर्न दृष्ट्वा तुलसीं बोधयित्वा सरस्वतीम् । तदनुज्ञां गहीत्वा च जगाम तुलसीवनम् ॥ ८ ॥ तत्र गत्वा च सुस्नातो हरिः स तुलसीं सतीम् । पूजयामास तां ध्यात्वा स्तोत्रं भक्त्या चकार ह ॥ ९ ॥ लक्ष्मीमायाकामवाणीबीजपूर्वं दशाक्षरम् । वृन्दावनीति ङेऽन्तं च वह्निजायान्तमेव च ॥ १० ॥ अनेन कल्पतरुणा मन्त्रराजेन नारद । पूजयेद्यो विधानेन सर्वसिद्धिं लभेद् ध्रुवम् ॥ ११ ॥ घृतदीपेन धूपेन सिन्दूरचन्दनेन च । नैवेद्येन च पुष्पेण चोपचारेण नारद ॥ १२ ॥ हरिस्तोत्रेण तुष्टा सा चाविर्भूता महीरुहात् । प्रसन्ना चरणाम्भोजे जगाम शरणं शुभा ॥ १३ ॥ वरं तस्यै ददौ विष्णुः सर्वपूज्या भवेरिति । अहं त्वां धारयिष्यामि सुरूपां मूर्ध्नि वक्षसि ॥ १४ ॥ सर्वे त्वां धारयिष्यन्ति स्वमूर्ध्नि च सुरादयः । इत्युक्त्वा तां गृहीत्वा च प्रययौ स्वालयं विभुः ॥ १५ ॥ नारद उवाच किं ध्यानं स्तवनं किं वा किं वा पूजाविधानकम् । तुलस्याश्च महाभाग तन्मे व्याख्यातुमर्हसि ॥ १६ ॥ श्रीनारायण उवाच अन्तर्हितायां तस्यां च हरिर्वृन्दावने तदा । तस्याश्चक्रे स्तुतिं गत्वा तुलसीं विरहातुरः ॥ १७ ॥ श्रीभगवानुवाच वृन्दरूपाश्च वृक्षाश्च यदैकत्र भवन्ति च । विदुर्बुधास्तेन वृन्दां मत्प्रियां तां भजाम्यहम् ॥ १८ ॥ पुरा बभूव या देवी त्वादौ वृन्दावने वने । तेन वृन्दावनी ख्याता सौभाग्या तां भजाम्यहम् ॥ १९ ॥ असंख्येषु च विश्वेषु पूजिता या निरन्तरम् । तेन विश्वपूजिताऽऽख्यां पूजितां च भजाम्यहम् ॥ २० ॥ असंख्यानि च विश्वानि पवित्राणि त्वया सदा । तां विश्वपावनीं देवीं विरहेण स्मराम्यहम् ॥ २१ ॥ देवा न तुष्टाः पुष्पाणां समूहेन यया विना । तां पुष्पसारां शुद्धां च द्रष्टुमिच्छामि शोकतः ॥ २२ ॥ विश्वे यत्प्राप्तिमात्रेण भक्तानन्दो भवेद् ध्रुवम् । नन्दिनी तेन विख्याता सा प्रीता भवतादिह ॥ २३ ॥ यस्या देव्यास्तुला नास्ति विश्वेषु निखिलेषु च । तुलसी तेन विख्याता तां यामि शरणं प्रियाम् ॥ २४ ॥ कृष्णजीवनरूपा सा शश्वत्प्रियतमा सती । तेन कृष्णजीवनी सा सा मे रक्षतु जीवनम् ॥ २५ ॥ इत्येवं स्तवनं कृत्वा तस्थौ तत्र रमापतिः । ददर्श तुलसीं साक्षात्पादपद्मनतां सतीम् ॥ २६ ॥ रुदतीमवमानेन मानिनीं मानपूजिताम् । प्रियां दृष्ट्वा प्रियः शीघ्रं वासयामास वक्षसि ॥ २७ ॥ भारत्याज्ञां गहीत्वा च स्वालयं च ययौ हरिः । भारत्या सह तत्प्रीतिं कारयामास सत्वरम् ॥ २८ ॥ वरं विष्णुर्ददौ तस्यै सर्वपूज्या भवेरिति । शिरोधार्या च सर्वेषां वन्द्या मान्या ममेति च ॥ २९ ॥ विष्णोर्वरेण सा देवी परितुष्टा बभूव च । सरस्वती तामाकृष्य वासयामास सन्निधौ ॥ ३० ॥ लक्ष्मीर्गङ्गा सस्मिता च तां समाकृष्य नारद । गृहं प्रवेशयामास विनयेन सतीं तदा ॥ ३१ ॥ वृन्दा वृन्दावनी विश्वपूजिता विश्वपावनी । पुष्पसारा नन्दनी च तुलसी कृष्णजीवनी ॥ ३२ ॥ एतन्नामाष्टकञ्चैव स्तोत्रं नामार्थसंयुतम् । यः पठेत्तां च संपूज्य सोऽश्वमेधफलं लभेत् ॥ ३३ ॥ कार्तिक्यां पूर्णिमायां च तुलस्या जन्म मङ्गलम् । तत्र तस्याश्च पूजा च विहिता हरिणा पुरा ॥ ३४ ॥ तस्यां यः पूजयेत्तां च भक्त्या वै विश्वपावनीम् । सर्वपापाद्विनिर्मुक्तो विष्णुलोकं स गच्छति ॥ ३५ ॥ कार्तिके तुलसीपत्रं यो ददाति च विष्णुवे । गवामयुतदानस्य फलं प्राप्नोति निश्चितम् ॥ ३६ ॥ अपुत्रो लभते पुत्रं प्रियाहीनो लभेत्प्रियाम् । बन्धुहीनो लभेद् बन्धून् स्तोत्रश्रवणमात्रतः ॥ ३७ ॥ रोगी प्रमुच्यते रोगाद् बद्धो मुच्येत बन्धनात् । भयान्मुच्येत भीतस्तु पापान्मुच्येत पातकी ॥ ३८ ॥ इत्येवं कथितं स्तोत्रं ध्यानं पूजाविधिं शृणु । त्वमेव वेदे जानासि कण्वशाखोक्तमेव च ॥ ३९ ॥ तद्वृक्षे पूजयेत्तां च भक्त्या चावाहनं विना । तां ध्यात्वा चोपचारेण ध्यानं पातकनाशनम् ॥ ४० ॥ तुलसीं पुष्पसारां च सतीं पूतां मनोहराम् । कृतपापेध्मदाहाय ज्वलदग्निशिखोपमाम् ॥ ४१ ॥ पुष्पेषु तुलना यस्या नास्ति वेदेषु भाषितम् । पवित्ररूपा सर्वासु तुलसी सा च कीर्तिता ॥ ४२ ॥ शिरोधार्या च सर्वेषामीप्सिता विश्वपावनी । जीवन्मुक्तां मुक्तिदां च भजे तां हरिभक्तिदाम् ॥ ४३ ॥ इति ध्यात्वा च संपूज्य स्तुत्वा च प्रणमेत्सुधीः । उक्तं तुलस्युपाख्यानं किं भूयः श्रोतुमिच्छसि ॥ ४४ ॥
nārada uvāca tulasī ca yadā pūjyā kṛtā nārāyaṇapriyā | asyāḥ pūjāvidhānaṃ ca stotraṃ ca vada sāmpratam || 1 || kena pūjā kṛtā kena stutā prathamato mune | tatra pūjyā sā babhūva kena vā vada māmaho || 2 || sūta uvāca nāradasya vacaḥ śrutvā prahasya munipuṅgavaḥ | kathāṃ kathitumārebhe puṇyāṃ pāpaharāṃ parām || 3 || śrīnārāyaṇa uvāca hariḥ saṃpūjya tulasīṃ reme ca ramayā saha | ramāsamānasaubhāgyāṃ cakāra gauraveṇa ca || 4 || sehe ca lakṣmīrgaṅgā ca tasyāśca navasaṅgamam | saubhāgyagauravaṃ kopātte na sehe sarasvatī || 5 || sā tāṃ jaghāna kalahe māninī harisannidhau | vrīḍayā cāpamānena sāntardhānaṃ cakāra ha || 6 || sarvasiddheśvarī devī jñānināṃ siddhiyoginī | jagāmādarśanaṃ kopātsarvatra ca hareraho || 7 || harirna dṛṣṭvā tulasīṃ bodhayitvā sarasvatīm | tadanujñāṃ gahītvā ca jagāma tulasīvanam || 8 || tatra gatvā ca susnāto hariḥ sa tulasīṃ satīm | pūjayāmāsa tāṃ dhyātvā stotraṃ bhaktyā cakāra ha || 9 || lakṣmīmāyākāmavāṇībījapūrvaṃ daśākṣaram | vṛndāvanīti ṅe'ntaṃ ca vahnijāyāntameva ca || 10 || anena kalpataruṇā mantrarājena nārada | pūjayedyo vidhānena sarvasiddhiṃ labhed dhruvam || 11 || ghṛtadīpena dhūpena sindūracandanena ca | naivedyena ca puṣpeṇa copacāreṇa nārada || 12 || haristotreṇa tuṣṭā sā cāvirbhūtā mahīruhāt | prasannā caraṇāmbhoje jagāma śaraṇaṃ śubhā || 13 || varaṃ tasyai dadau viṣṇuḥ sarvapūjyā bhaveriti | ahaṃ tvāṃ dhārayiṣyāmi surūpāṃ mūrdhni vakṣasi || 14 || sarve tvāṃ dhārayiṣyanti svamūrdhni ca surādayaḥ | ityuktvā tāṃ gṛhītvā ca prayayau svālayaṃ vibhuḥ || 15 || nārada uvāca kiṃ dhyānaṃ stavanaṃ kiṃ vā kiṃ vā pūjāvidhānakam | tulasyāśca mahābhāga tanme vyākhyātumarhasi || 16 || śrīnārāyaṇa uvāca antarhitāyāṃ tasyāṃ ca harirvṛndāvane tadā | tasyāścakre stutiṃ gatvā tulasīṃ virahāturaḥ || 17 || śrībhagavānuvāca vṛndarūpāśca vṛkṣāśca yadaikatra bhavanti ca | vidurbudhāstena vṛndāṃ matpriyāṃ tāṃ bhajāmyaham || 18 || purā babhūva yā devī tvādau vṛndāvane vane | tena vṛndāvanī khyātā saubhāgyā tāṃ bhajāmyaham || 19 || asaṃkhyeṣu ca viśveṣu pūjitā yā nirantaram | tena viśvapūjitā''khyāṃ pūjitāṃ ca bhajāmyaham || 20 || asaṃkhyāni ca viśvāni pavitrāṇi tvayā sadā | tāṃ viśvapāvanīṃ devīṃ viraheṇa smarāmyaham || 21 || devā na tuṣṭāḥ puṣpāṇāṃ samūhena yayā vinā | tāṃ puṣpasārāṃ śuddhāṃ ca draṣṭumicchāmi śokataḥ || 22 || viśve yatprāptimātreṇa bhaktānando bhaved dhruvam | nandinī tena vikhyātā sā prītā bhavatādiha || 23 || yasyā devyāstulā nāsti viśveṣu nikhileṣu ca | tulasī tena vikhyātā tāṃ yāmi śaraṇaṃ priyām || 24 || kṛṣṇajīvanarūpā sā śaśvatpriyatamā satī | tena kṛṣṇajīvanī sā sā me rakṣatu jīvanam || 25 || ityevaṃ stavanaṃ kṛtvā tasthau tatra ramāpatiḥ | dadarśa tulasīṃ sākṣātpādapadmanatāṃ satīm || 26 || rudatīmavamānena māninīṃ mānapūjitām | priyāṃ dṛṣṭvā priyaḥ śīghraṃ vāsayāmāsa vakṣasi || 27 || bhāratyājñāṃ gahītvā ca svālayaṃ ca yayau hariḥ | bhāratyā saha tatprītiṃ kārayāmāsa satvaram || 28 || varaṃ viṣṇurdadau tasyai sarvapūjyā bhaveriti | śirodhāryā ca sarveṣāṃ vandyā mānyā mameti ca || 29 || viṣṇorvareṇa sā devī parituṣṭā babhūva ca | sarasvatī tāmākṛṣya vāsayāmāsa sannidhau || 30 || lakṣmīrgaṅgā sasmitā ca tāṃ samākṛṣya nārada | gṛhaṃ praveśayāmāsa vinayena satīṃ tadā || 31 || vṛndā vṛndāvanī viśvapūjitā viśvapāvanī | puṣpasārā nandanī ca tulasī kṛṣṇajīvanī || 32 || etannāmāṣṭakañcaiva stotraṃ nāmārthasaṃyutam | yaḥ paṭhettāṃ ca saṃpūjya so'śvamedhaphalaṃ labhet || 33 || kārtikyāṃ pūrṇimāyāṃ ca tulasyā janma maṅgalam | tatra tasyāśca pūjā ca vihitā hariṇā purā || 34 || tasyāṃ yaḥ pūjayettāṃ ca bhaktyā vai viśvapāvanīm | sarvapāpādvinirmukto viṣṇulokaṃ sa gacchati || 35 || kārtike tulasīpatraṃ yo dadāti ca viṣṇuve | gavāmayutadānasya phalaṃ prāpnoti niścitam || 36 || aputro labhate putraṃ priyāhīno labhetpriyām | bandhuhīno labhed bandhūn stotraśravaṇamātrataḥ || 37 || rogī pramucyate rogād baddho mucyeta bandhanāt | bhayānmucyeta bhītastu pāpānmucyeta pātakī || 38 || ityevaṃ kathitaṃ stotraṃ dhyānaṃ pūjāvidhiṃ śṛṇu | tvameva vede jānāsi kaṇvaśākhoktameva ca || 39 || tadavṛkṣe pūjayettāṃ ca bhaktyā cāvāhanaṃ vinā | tāṃ dhyātvā copacāreṇa dhyānaṃ pātakanāśanam || 40 || tulasīṃ puṣpasārāṃ ca satīṃ pūtāṃ manoharām | kṛtapāpedhmadāhāya jvaladagniśikhopamām || 41 || puṣpeṣu tulanā yasyā nāsti vedeṣu bhāṣitam | pavitrarūpā sarvāsu tulasī sā ca kīrtitā || 42 || śirodhāryā ca sarveṣāmīpsitā viśvapāvanī | jīvanmuktāṃ muktidāṃ ca bhaje tāṃ haribhaktidām || 43 || iti dhyātvā ca saṃpūjya stutvā ca praṇametsudhīḥ | uktaṃ tulasyupākhyānaṃ kiṃ bhūyaḥ śrotumicchasi || 44 ||
English translation
1-2. Narada said When the Devi Tulasi has been made so dear to Narayana and thus an object for worship, then describe Her worship and Stotra (the hymn of Tulasi) now. O Muni! By whom was She first worshipped? By whom were Her glories first sung? And how did She become therefore an object of worship? Speak out all these to me.
3. Suta said Hearing these words of Narada, Narayana, laughing, began to describe this very holy and sin-destroying account of Tulasi.
4-15. Narayana said Bhagavan Hah duly worshipped Tulasi, and began to enjoy her with Laksmi; He raised Tulasi to the rank of Laksmi and thus made her fortunate and glorious Laksmi and Ganga allowed and bore this new union of Narayana and Tulasi. But Sarasvati could not endure this high position of Tulasi owing to Her anger. She became self-conceited and beat Tulasi on some quarrel before Hah. Tulasi became abashed and insulted and vanished off. Being the IsVari of all the Siddhis, the Devi, the Self-manifest and the Giver of the Siddhiyoga to the Jhanins, Tulasi, Oh! what a wonder, became angry and turned out as invisible to S’ri Hah even.
Not seeing Tulasi, Hari appeased Sarasvati and getting Her permission went to the Tulasi forest. Going there and taking a bath in due accord, and with due rites, worshipped with His whole heart the chaste Tulasi and then began to meditate on Her with devotion.
O Narada! He gets certainly all siddhis who worships Tulasi duly with the ten lettered mantra “S’rim Hrim Klim Aim Vrindavanyai
Svaha,” the King of mantras, yielding fruits and all gratifications like the Kalpa Tree. O Narada! At the time of worship, the lamp of ghee, was lighted and dhup, sindura, sandal, offerings of food, flowers, etc., were offered to Her. Thus hymned by Hari, TulasT came out of the tree, pleased. And She gladly took refuge at His lotus feet. Visnu, then, granted her boon that, “You will be worshipped by all; I will keep you in My breast and in My head and the Devas also will hold you on their heads.” And He then took her to His own abode.
16. Narada said “O Highly Fortunate One! What is Tulasi’s dhyan, stotra and method of worship? Kindly describe all these.”
17. Narayana said When TulasT vanished, Hari became very much agitated at her bereavement and went to Vrindavana and began to praise her.
18-44. The Bhagavan said The TulasT trees collect in multitudinous groups; hence the Pundits call it Vrinda. I praise that dear TulasT. Of old. She appeared in the Vrindavana forest and therefore known as VrindavanT. I worship that fortunate and glorious One. She is worshipped always in innumerable universes and is, therefore, known as VisVapujita (worshipped by all). I worship that VisVapujita. By whose contact, those countless universes are always rendered pure and holy; and therefore She is called VisVapavani (purifying the whole universe). I am suffering from her bereavement, I remember the DevT. Without TulasT, the Devas do not get pleased, though other flowers be heaped on them; therefore She is considered as the essence of all the flowers. Now I am in sorrow and trouble and I am very eager to see her, who is of the nature of purity incarnate. The whole universe gets delighted when the Bhaktas receive her; hence She is called NandinT; so may She be pleased with me. There is nothing in the universe that can be
compared to Her; hence She is called TulasT; I take refuge of that clear TulasT. That chaste dear one is the life of Krisna, hence She is known as KrisnajTvanT. Now may She save my life. O Narada! Thus praising, RamapatT remained there. The chaste TulasT then came to His sight and bowed down to His lotus feet; when She becoming sensitive out of the insult, began to weep. Bhagavan Visnu, seeing that sensitive dear one, immediately took her to His breast. Taking, then, SarasvatT’s permission. He took her to His own home and brought about, first of all, the agreement between her and SarasvatT. Then He granted her the boon, “You will be worshipped by all, respected by all, and honoured by all; and all will carry you on their heads.” I will also worship, respect and honour you and keep you on My head. Receiving this boon from Visnu, the DevT TulasT became very glad.
SarasvatT then attracted her to her side, made her sit close to her. LaksmT and Ganga both with smiling faces attracted her and made her enter into the house. O Narada! Whosoever worships her with her eight names Vrinda, VrindavanT, VisVapujita, VisVapavanT, TulasT, Puspasara, NandanT and Krisna JTvanT and their meanings and sings this hymn of eight verses duly, acquires the merit of performing AsVamedha Yajha (horse sacrifice). Specially, on the Full Moon night of the month of Kartik, the auspicious birth ceremony of TulasT is performed. Of old Visnu worshipped her at that time. Whoever worships with devotion on that Full Moon combination, the universe purifying TulasT, becomes freed of all sins and goes up to the Visnu Loka. Offerings of TulasT leaves to Visnu in the month of Kartik bring merits equal to those in giving away Ayuta Cows.
Hearing this stotra at that period gives sons to the sonless persons, wives to the wifeless persons and friends to friendless persons. On hearing this stotra, the diseased become free of their diseases, the persons in bondage become free, the terrified become fearless, and the sinners are freed of their sins. O Narada! Thus it has been mentioned how to chant stotra to her. Now hear her dhyan and
method of worship. In the Vedas, in the Kanva S’akha branch, the method of worship is given. You know that one is to meditate on the Tulasi plant, without any invocation (avahana) and then worship her with devotion, presenting all sorts of offerings as required to her.
Now hear Her Dhyanam. Of all the flowers, Tulasi (the holy basil) is the best, very holy, and captivating the mind. It is a flame burning away all the fuel of sins committed by man. In the Vedas it is stated that this plant is called Tulasi, because there can be made no comparison with Her amongst all the flowers. She is the holiest of them all. She is placed on the heads of all and desired by all and gives holiness to the universe. She gives Jivanmukti, mukti and devotion to S’ri Hah. I worship Her. Thus meditating on Her and worshipping Her according to due rites, one is to bow down to Her. O Narada! I have described to you the full history of S’ri Tulasi Devi. What more do yo want to hear now, say.
Here ends the Twenty-fifth Chapter of the Ninth Book on the method of worship of Tulasi Devi in the Mahapuranam S’ri Mad Devi Bhagavatam of 18,000 verses by Maharsi Veda Vyasa.
Complete chapter-aligned witnesses. Sanskrit Wikisource page 24513, revision 75097 (2016-07-25T03:28:20Z). English is Swami Vijñanananda’s complete 1921–23 public-domain translation, controlled against the archival OCR and its chapter page at https://sacred-texts.com/hin/db/bk09ch25.htm. Historic spelling and transliteration are lightly normalized; no verse-by-verse alignment is asserted.