Tulasi flowers

Expressions researched:
"flowers from a tulasi" |"flowers of the tulasi" |"flowers of tulasi" |"manjaris can be planted for growing new Tulasi plants" |"tulasi buds" |"tulasi flower" |"tulasi flowers" |"tulasi leaves and buds" |"tulasi manajris" |"tulasi manjari" |"tulasi manjaris"

Notes from the compiler: Betatesting SB 10, 11 and 12 canto and Krsna book still to be compiled

SB Canto 5

Bees intoxicated by the honeylike fragrance of the tulasī flowers hum very sweetly around the vaijayantī garland, which thus becomes more and more beautiful.

SB 5.25.7, Translation:

Śukadeva Gosvāmī continued: The demigods, the demons, the Uragas (serpentine demigods), the Siddhas, the Gandharvas, the Vidyādharas and many highly elevated sages constantly offer prayers to the Lord. Because He is intoxicated, the Lord looks bewildered, and His eyes, appearing like flowers in full bloom, move to and fro. He pleases His personal associates, the heads of the demigods, by the sweet vibrations emanating from His mouth. Dressed in bluish garments and wearing a single earring, He holds a plow on His back with His two beautiful and well-constructed hands. Appearing as white as the heavenly King Indra, He wears a golden belt around His waist and a vaijayantī garland of ever-fresh tulasī blossoms around His neck. Bees intoxicated by the honeylike fragrance of the tulasī flowers hum very sweetly around the garland, which thus becomes more and more beautiful. In this way, the Lord enjoys His very magnanimous pastimes.

CC Adi-lila

Thinking of the lotus feet of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, Advaita Ācārya constantly offered tulasī buds in water from the Ganges.

CC Adi 3.108, Translation:

Thinking of the lotus feet of Śrī Kṛṣṇa, He constantly offered tulasī buds in water from the Ganges.

CC Madhya-lila

Upon the stack of boiled rice and all the vegetables were flowers of the tulasī trees.

CC Madhya 3.56, Translation:

Upon the stack of boiled rice and all the vegetables were flowers of the tulasī trees. There were also pots filled with scented rosewater.

Śrī Advaita Ācārya fed the two Lords cloves and cardamom mixed with tulasī flowers.

CC Madhya 3.103, Translation:

Śrī Advaita Ācārya fed the two Lords cloves and cardamom mixed with tulasī flowers. Thus there was a good flavor within Their mouths.

Śrī Advaita Prabhu would also place a flower garland around the Lord’s neck and tulasī flowers (mañjarīs) on His head.

CC Madhya 15.9, Translation:

Śrī Advaita Prabhu would also place a flower garland around the Lord’s neck and tulasī flowers (mañjarīs) on His head. Then, with folded hands, Advaita Ācārya would offer obeisances and prayers unto the Lord.

The flowers of the tulasī tree were placed atop the mound of rice.

CC Madhya 15.220, Translation:

On two sides of the stack of food were pitchers filled with scented cold water. The flowers of the tulasī tree were placed atop the mound of rice.

"I hope the food has already been offered to Kṛṣṇa, since I see there are tulasī flowers on it."

CC Madhya 15.227, Translation:

"I hope the food has already been offered to Kṛṣṇa, since I see there are tulasī flowers on it.

The Bhaṭṭācārya offered Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu flavored spices, tulasī-mañjarīs, cloves and cardamom.

CC Madhya 15.254, Translation:

After Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu finished eating, the Bhaṭṭācārya poured water for the Lord to wash His mouth, hands and legs and offered Him flavored spices, tulasī-mañjarīs, cloves and cardamom.

CC Antya-lila

For worship of the govardhana-śilā, one needs a jug of water and a few flowers from a tulasī tree.

CC Antya 6.296, Translation:

"For such worship, one needs a jug of water and a few flowers from a tulasī tree. This is worship in complete goodness when performed in complete purity.

Śrī Caitanya Mahāprabhu instructed Raghunātha dāsa: "With faith and love, you should offer eight soft tulasī flowers."

CC Antya 6.297, Translation:

"With faith and love, you should offer eight soft tulasī flowers, each with two tulasī leaves, one on each side of each flower."

On the rice and vegetables were tulasī flowers.

CC Antya 12.126, Translation:

On the rice and vegetables were tulasī flowers, and in front of the Lord were cakes, sweet rice and other prasādam of Jagannātha.

Kṛṣṇa was followed by a swarm of bumblebees maddened by the fragrance of tulasī flowers.

CC Antya 15.51, Translation and Purport:

Lord Caitanya continued, "O trees, kindly tell us whether Balarāma’s younger brother, Kṛṣṇa, welcomed your obeisances with loving glances as He passed this way, resting one hand on the shoulder of Śrīmatī Rādhārāṇī, holding a lotus flower in the other, and being followed by a swarm of bumblebees maddened by the fragrance of tulasī flowers.

This verse is quoted from Śrīmad-Bhāgavatam (10.30.12).

Nectar of Devotion

Because tulasī buds are usually offered up to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, a devotee once prayed to the tulasī buds to give him some information about the lotus feet of the Lord.

Nectar of Devotion 26:

Lord Kṛṣṇa is very fond of tulasī leaves and buds. Because tulasī buds are usually offered up to the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, a devotee once prayed to the tulasī buds to give him some information about the lotus feet of the Lord. The devotee expected that the tulasī buds would know something about the glories of Lord Śrī Kṛṣṇa's lotus feet.

Srimad-Bhagavatam Lectures

If you are continually giving tulasī flower and water and praying, "Kṛṣṇa, give me intelligence how can I serve You nice," then Kṛṣṇa says, "Yes."

Lecture on SB 3.28.21 -- Nairobi, November 1, 1975:

Jñāna: Śrīla Prabhupāda, will you please explain the phrase, I mean, "serving the lotus feet of the spiritual master," "serving the lotus feet."
Prabhupāda: Yes. Give little water and tulasī and flower. That's all. It is very difficult job? Then everyone can do it. Patraṁ puṣpaṁ phalaṁ toyaṁ yo me bhaktyā prayacchati. No. Simply... Just as Advaita Prabhu, He simply offered Gaṅgā-jala and tulasī to please the Lord to come. Caitanya Mahāprabhu came. This is... There is no difficulty at all. Because we simply use..., misuse our intelligence, misuse our opportunity, there is trouble. Otherwise there is no difficulty. Where is the difficulty? Tulasī-patra you can have, and little water, offer to the, on the lotus feet of Kṛṣṇa, and pray, "Give me intelligence so that I can serve You nicely." And he gives intelligence. Teṣāṁ satata-yuktānām (BG 10.10). If you are continually giving tulasī flower and water and praying, "Kṛṣṇa, give me intelligence how can I serve You nice," then Kṛṣṇa says, "Yes." Teṣāṁ nityābhiyuktānām: "One who is engaged in this way, teṣāṁ nityābhiyuktānām...

1971 Correspondence

The leaves and flowers of Tulasi may be offered to the devotees of the Lord for offering to the Lotus Feet of the Lord Krsna, not even Srimati Radharani.

Letter to Upendra -- Bombay 4 January, 1971:

Regarding your tendency to become angry in public, that is alright provided there is positive reaction. Otherwise we do not wish to create any unnecessary enemies and you should curb your anger by your advanced intelligence in Krishna Consciousness. We have to better correct the faulty habits of the conditioned souls by persuasive authoritative preaching and personal example without stop. The mantra to Ganapati is not bona fide. That is another nonsense. Your worship of Guru-Gauranga and Nrsimhadeva is very nice. Please make it as attractive and gorgeous as possible though simple. The leaves and flowers of Tulasi may be offered to the devotees of the Lord for offering to the Lotus Feet of the Lord Krsna, not even Srimati Radharani. It appears that Fiji is very nice place for Krsna consciousness from the appearance of such nice flowers and Tulasi for the worship of Krsna there.

1972 Correspondence

The manjaris (seeds) can be offered in water and it makes the water fragrant and tasteful. And the manjaris can be planted for growing new Tulasi plants.

Letter to Radhavallabha -- Bombay 6 January, 1972:

I am very glad to know that you are seriously taking to Srimati Tulasi Devi worship. Tulasi Devi is a pure devotee of Krishna and she should be treated with the same respect given to all Krishna's pure devotees. Simply by worshiping her faithfully, a devotee can get himself free of from all material miseries. In the Nectar of Devotion I have given two verses from the Skanda Purana, one of which is: "Tulasi is auspicious in all respects. Simply by seeing, simply by touching, simply by remembering, simply by praying to, simply by bowing before, simply by hearing about, or simply by sowing the tree, there is always auspiciousness. Anyone who comes in touch with the Tulasi tree in the above mentioned ways lives eternally in the Vaikuntha world." So from this verse we can understand how pure is the service which Tulasi offers to Sri Krishna. So we should always endeavor after becoming servant of Tulasi Devi. I do not know who has taught you that part of a Tulasi plant may be cut off and then replanted? From the Tulasi plant you can cut off only leaves for offering them to Krishna, never for cutting and planting. That is an offense. The manjaris (seeds) can be offered in water and it makes the water fragrant and tasteful. And the manjaris can be planted for growing new Tulasi plants. Yes, the prayer you have enclosed is bona fide. Tulasi Devi never goes back to Godhead, she is always with Godhead. She is a pure devotee and thus she has appeared on this planet to render service to Krishna by being offered in all temples throughout the world by being offered up to the lotus feet of Krishna.