becoming like the Goswamis in Vrindavana and hitting Tulsi Maharani

[Paramananda das]

becoming like the Goswamis in Vrindavana and hitting Tulsi Maharani

There was an online lecture by Ambhirama das a disciple of Srila Prabhupada from ISKCON Vrindavana , I wanted to make comments on two things

First was he was swinging his arms constantly and hitting the branches of Tulsi , because there was a Tulsi plant next to him ,when someone gives Bhagavatam class and they sit next to Tulsi such large gesturing should be avoided,, it is like a Deity and say you lectured and you had Srimati Radharani sitting next to you and you keep hitting Her arms while gesturing and you do not even apologize..finally at the end of the lecture one devotee moved Tulsi away from his immediate gesturing

This Prabhu somehow seems to have not been trained in Tulsi worship and respecting Tulsi Maharani , there are offences that can be made in worshipping Tulsi we should avoid them and beg forgiveness if we accidentally hit Tulsi devi even when taking her leaves for worship we apologize for any pain given to her
The Tulasi Devi Handbook (stephen-knapp.com)

Asta-Naam-Stava

Eight names of Tulasi Devi

Vrindavani, vrinda, visvapujita, pushpasara,
Nandina, krsna-jivani, visva-pavani, tulasi
Vrindavani – one who first manifested in Vrindavan.
Vrinda – The goddess of all plants and trees (even if one Tulasi plant is present in a forest it can be called Vrindavan.).
Visvapujita – one whom the whole universe worships.
Pushpasara – the top most of all flowers, without whom Krishna does not like to look upon other flowers.
Nandini – seeing whom gives unlimited bliss to the devotees.
Krishna-jivani – The life of Krishna.
Visva-pavani – one who purifies the three worlds.
Tulasi – one who has no comparison.

Anyone while worshipping Tulasi Devi chants these eight names will get the same result as one who performs the Asvamed Yagna and one who on the full moon day of Karttik (Tulasi Devi’s appearance day) worships her with this mantra will break free from the bonds of this miserable world of birth and death, and very quickly attains Goloka Vrindavan. On the full moon day of Karttik Lord Krishna Himself worships Tulasi Devi with this mantra..
One who remembers this mantra will very quickly attain devotion to Lord Krishna’s lotus feet.



Abhirama made a point in the lecture that Srila Prabhupada wanted us to become like the Goswamis and live in Vrindavana..I was laughing inside because some Prabhupada disciples and other devotees get offended when you remind them following in the footsteps of the 6 Goswamis also means you have to chant 64 rounds daily and avoid the 10 offenses


From Prema-vilasa Chapter 17: Shrila Narottama to Shrila Kaviraja on the direct process to achieve love of Krishna:

prabhura achaye sankhya tina laksha nama;
eka laksha bhaktagane kaila kripa dana.

"Lord Gauranga Mahaprabhu standard was to chant 3,00,000 names everyday. But He very mercifully awarded His devotees the process of chanting a minimum of 1,00,000 names of Krishna daily.

shri rupa kaila laksha granthera varnana;
tathapiha karila laksha nama grahana.

"Shrila Rupa Goswami has explained and quoted from over 100,000 different scriptures. Even though he was such a great scholar and devotee he himself chanted 100,000 Holy Names daily.

dasa gosvamira ache laksha pramana;
ei mata sarva bhakta kare harinama.

"Shrila Raghunatha dasa Goswami also rigidly followed the instructions of Lord Gauranga by chanting 100,000 names daily. In this way all the devotees chanted the Holy Names of the Lord daily without exception.

gauranga shrimukhe rupe kahila vaishnave;
laksha nama sankhya kari avasya karibe.

"Lord Gauranga gave the following instructions to all the Vaishnavas Himself and also through Shrila Rupa Goswami: Please compulsorily chant 100,000 names of Krishna daily



There are further glorification and instructions about Tulsi Maharani from the Haribhakti Vilasa

Abhirama Prabhu is a good devotee ,but just wanted to point this out, but I saw Bhavananda had given a speech in Vrindavana during last Kartika here is what Nara Narayana Prabhu said about Bhavananda :

Devotees recently glorified Nara Narayana Prabhu when he left his body here is what he said about Bhavananda :Bhavananda the Rakshasha (man eater) - ISKCON Memory from Nara Narayana Dasa ACBSP - YouTube

I met one of the Guru Kula children that was sexually abused by Bhavananda and asked Harikesa my then GBC representative that this Guru Kula boy and others that Bhavananda sexually abused should be allowed to testify to the GBC and to the Police in West Bengal , Harikesa said if I did not shut up Bhavanandas men ,fanatic disciples would kill me

lets purifie ourself and take shelter of Tulsi Maharani
Glorifications of Tulasi Devi

Sristikanda of Padma Purana

Kartikeya inquired : “My dear father (Lord Siva) which tree or plant is capable of giving love of God?”

Lord Siva replied : “My dear son, of all trees and plants Tulasi Devi is the topmost; She is all auspicious, the fulfiller of all desires, completely pure, most dear to Lord Krsna and the topmost devotee.

Long ago, Lord Krsna for the welfare of all conditioned souls brought Vrindadevi in her form of a plant (Tulasi) and planted her in this material world. Tulasi is the essence of all devotional activities. Without Tulasi leaves, Lord Krsna does not like to accept flowers, food stuffs, sandalwood paste, in fact anything without Tulasi leaves is not looked upon by Lord Krsna.

One who worships Lord Krsna daily with Tulasi leaves attains the results of all kinds of austerities, charity, fire-sacrifices. In fact he does not have any other duties to perform, and he has realized the essence of all scriptures.

Just as the Ganges river is purifying all who bathe in her, so Tulasi Devi is purifying the three worlds.

It is not possible to describe the full benefit of offering Tulasi Manjaris (flowers) to Lord Krsna. Lord Krsna, along with all the other demigods lives wherever there is Tulasi Devi. For this reason one should plant Tulasi Devi at one’s home and offer worship daily. One who sits near Tulasi Devi and chants or recites prayers will attain the results much faster.



When collecting leaves

tulasya mrita janmasi sada tvam keshavapriya

keshavarthi chinomi tvam barada bhava sobine



“O Tulasi, you were born from nectar. You are always very dear to Lord Keshava. Now in order to worship Lord Keshava, I am collecting your leaves and manjaris. Please bestow your benediction on me.”





While offering arotika

narao namo Tulasi krishna preyasinamo namah

radha krsna seva pava ei abhilasi

ye tomara sarana lasa tara vancha purna haya

kripa kari kara tare vrindavanavasi

mora ei abhilasa vilasa kunje dio vasa

nasane heriva sada yugalaruparasi

ei nivedena dhara sakhira anugata kara

seva adhikara kiye kara nija dasi

dina krishna dase kaya ei yenamora haya

sri radha govinda-preme sada yena bhasi



“O Tulasi, beloved of Krishna, I bow before you again and again. My desire is to obtain the service of Sri Sri Radha-Krishna.

“Whoever takes shelter of you has his wishes fulfilled. Bestowing your mercy on him, you make him a resident of Vrindavana.

“My desire is that you also grant me a residence in the pleasure groves of Sri Vrindavana-dhama. Thus, within my vision I will always behold the beautiful pastimes of Radha and Krishna.

“I beg you to make me a follower of the cowherd damsels of Vraja. Please give me the privilege of devotional service and make me your own maidservant.

“This very fallen and lowly servant of Krishna prays ‘May I always swim in the love of Sri Sri Radha and Govinda.”





While Circumambulating Tulasi

yani kani cha papani brahmahatya dikani ca

tani tani prana syanti pradakshinah pada pade



“By the circumambulation of Srimati Tulasi Devi all the sins one may have committed are destroyed at every step, even the sin of killing a brahmana.”



All forms of ghosts and demons run away from that place where Tulasi Devi is planted and all kinds of sinful reactions are destroyed when one comes close to Tulasi Devi. One who makes a garden of Tulasi plants gets the result of all charities and of one hundred fire sacrifices.

One who puts into his mouth or on his head the Tulasi leaves after they have been offered to Lord Krsna attains the abode of Lord Krsna. In Kali-yuga, one who worships, performs kirtan in front of, remembers, plants or keeps Tulasi burns up all his sinful reactions and attains Lord Krsna’s abode very quickly.

One who preaches the glories of Tulasi Devi and also practices what he preaches, becomes very dear to Lord Krsna.

One who worships Tulasi Devi has already satisfied his guru, the Brahmins, demigods, and all the Holy places.

One who offers a Tulasi leaf to Lord Krsna becomes a Vaishnava very quickly. What is the need of understanding all the scriptures for one who has offered the wood or leaves of Tulasi Devi to Lord Krsna, for he will never have to taste the milk from the breast of a mother again (he will never take birth again).

One who has worshipped Lord Krsna with the leaves of Tulasi Devi has already released all his ancestors from this realm of birth and death.

My dear Kartikeya, I have told you many of the glories of Tulasi Devi. If I was to describe her glories for eternity I still would not be able to reach their conclusion.

One who remembers or tells others these glorifications of Tulasi Devi will never take birth again.