Worshipping Lord Vishnu in Tulasi Plant

Siddhi B. Ranjitkar

Hindus believe in at least ten incarnations of Lord Vishnu. One of such incarnations of Lord Vishnu is a holy plant called Tulasi: a basil plant. Lord Vishnu needs to incarnate in Tulasi for four months every year, either for going to serve as a guard at the entrance to the residence of Monarch Bali Raja in another world or for atoning for the sin he has committed seducing the spouse of a holy man called Jalandhar Rishi or for going to hibernation. In either case, Lord Vishnu is not available for humans for four months. So, they worship Lord Vishnu in Tulasi plants during this period.

Lord Vishnu reincarnates in a basil plant called Tulasi for four months every year. Nepalis perform worship for Lord Vishnu in Tulasi plants for four months starting on Hari-sayani Ekadasi of the bright fortnight in Asad (June-July) and ending on Hari-bodhini Ekadasi of the bright fortnight in Kartik (Oct-Nov) in the Nepal Samvat calendar. This four-month period is called Caturmas. Hari-sayani Ekadasi means the eleventh day of the lunar fortnight, on which day Hari: another name of Lord Vishnu goes to sleep; and Hari-bodhini Ekadasi means the eleventh day of the lunar fortnight, on which day, Hari wakes up.

As Lord Vishnu prepares for going to serve as a guard at the entrance to the underground residence of Monarch Bali Raja or for atoning for his sin or for going to sleep for four months, Hindu Nepalis prepares for sowing seeds of the Tulasi plant believing Lord Vishnu resides in it for that period for worshipping Him in the Tulasi plant.

Hindu Nepalis sow Tulasi seeds in flowerpots on the eleventh day called Nirjala Ekadasi of the bright fortnight in Jyestha (May-June) in the Nepal Samvat calendar in preparation for transplanting it after a month on the day Lord Vishnu goes to Bali Raja or starts atoning for his sin or goes to hibernation for four months. For sowing the seeds of Tulasi plants, devotees first prepare a fresh flowerpot with good soil and compost. Then, they take a purification bath. They do not drink even water on this day to keep the body clean until the completion of sowing the Tulasi seeds. That is why they call this day Nirjala Ekadasi means the eleventh day of lunar fortnight without water. They sow seeds following Vedic rituals in a fresh flowerpot especially prepared for it.

After a month from the day of the sowing Tulasi seeds, in preparation for transplanting Tulasi seedlings on the day Lord Vishnu goes from the cosmic world to the underground world or starts atoning for his sin or goes to hibernation, every Hindu household prepares a special site or a fresh flowerpot for transplanting Tulasi seedlings. Some devotees prepare a special waist high hollow column with the surface area of one and a half feet by one and a half feet on its top if they have sufficient area around their houses. They fill it with fertile soil and compost. This is called a Tulasi Maath, and is built in such a place that devotees can go around it. According to the Hindu religious rituals, believers need to go around of any deity keeping the deity on the right side after completing offerings to the deity. Devotees having no areas for such a Tulasi Maath prepare a fresh flowerpot for transplanting Tulasi seedlings.

Every household transplants Tulasi seedlings on the eleventh day called Hari-sayani Ekadasi of the bright fortnight in Asad (June-July) in the Nepal Samvat calendar. Traditionally, only men perform the rituals of transplanting Tulasi seedlings. They do not drink or eat anything before performing the religious rituals of transplanting Tulasi seedlings, as drinking and eating defile their body following the Hindu religious belief.

Any person performing transplantation of Tulasi seedlings needs to undergo the purification rituals as in the case of sowing Tulasi seeds. While transplanting Tulasi seedlings, s/he first offers pure water to the Tulasi Maath or to a flowerpot for making it holy. Then, s/he transplants a few seedlings into the Tulasi Maath or into the freshly prepared flowerpot. Then, s/he makes offerings to Lord Vishnu in Tulasi plants.
 
Every Hindu household makes offerings to Lord Vishnu in Tulasi plants twice a day after the transplantation of Tulasi seedlings. Usually, a senior most woman in a household makes the daily offerings to Lord Vishnu before taking food or drinking tea or any other beverage, as the god will not accept the offerings made after eating or drinking anything. First, she waters the plants with holy water freshly collected from a tap. Then, she offers special items such as barley and sesame seeds: the two most favorite items of Lord Vishnu, and other regular puja (offerings) items such as vermilion, flowers, and incense for the morning offerings.

In the evening, the same woman or someone else makes offerings of light to Lord Vishnu in Tulasi plants. She lights a wick soaked in mustard oil, and offers it to the Tulasi plants.  Offering a light to a deity means asking for enlightenment. She may do it at any time after the sunset. Every household takes special care of Tulasi plants not to let them die believing the death of Tulasi plants will bring them misfortune.

Some Nevah households keep an oil lamp on their rooftops every night for four months starting on Hari-sayani Ekadasi and ending on Hari-bodhini Ekadasi believing in giving light to Lord Vishnu serving as a guard at the entrance to the dark underground residence of Monarch Bali Raja. Traditionally, they place an oil lamp in a small box made of a metal frame fitted with glass and hang it on a hook attached to the top of a bamboo pole pulling it up by a rope passing through the hook.

Hindus in general and people of the Vaisnavis sect of Hinduism in particular perform special offerings called Tulasa-yanark for the Tulasi plants on the eleventh day called Hari-pari-vartani Ekadasi of the light fortnight in Bhadra (Aug-Sept) of the Nepal Samvat calendar. Some devotees take a special one-day fast in the name of Lord Vishnu as the reverence for Him on this auspicious day. Devotees in thousands visit shrines to Lord Vishnu in various parts of the country to perform worship for him on this day. Hari-pari-vartani Ekadasi means the eleventh day of lunar fortnight when sleeping Hari changes his body position.

The four-month reverence for Lord Vishnu in Tulasi plants comes to an end on the eleventh day called Hari-bodhini Ekadasi of the bright fortnight in Kartik (Oct-Nov). By this time the Tulasi plants have grown and matured. Lord Vishnu also has completed his services to Monarch Bali Raja in another world, or finished off atoning for his sin, or is waking up from the sleep and prepares to go back to his abode called Baikuntha in the cosmic world.

Therefore, Hindus perform a fire worship called Yajna for the Tulasi plants as the final religious rites. Some people call it the wedding of Tulasi plants with Bala Krishna. Normally, Hindu priests perform the last offerings to Tulasi plants on behalf of their clients. Thereafter, people let the plants dry for collecting seeds for the next season. Some people save the dry leaves and use them as medicine.

When Nepalis have begun to perform worship for Lord Vishnu in Tulasi plants is hard to say. However, Hindus have begun worshipping Lord Vishnu since the fifth century during the reign of Licchavi Monarch called Manadeva in Nepal according to the stone inscription made in 464 A.D. in the Gregorian calendar set at the Changu Narayan temple.  People believe that Nepalis must have started venerating Lord Vishnu much earlier than the fifth century.

Lord Vishnu is rightly called the preserver of the world order. He intervenes whenever and wherever something goes wrong. He reincarnates in the worldly mortals such as Ram and Krishna to bring back the order in the society of that time finishing off the evil spirits called demons. However, He reincarnates in Tulasi plants primarily for atoning for his sins.

Lord Vishnu drove Monarch Bali Raja to the underground world for preserving the heavenly throne for Indra. This He did in return for the devotion of Indra's mother to Him.

Monarch Bali Raja is a pious monarch. He has done so much meritorious work and accumulated merits that he would replace Indra on the heavenly throne of the cosmic world if let him continue his meritorious activities. Knowing the threat to her son's job, the mother of Indra has meditated on Lord Vishnu and pleased Him with her dedication to Him. Lord Vishnu appeared before her and said, "I am pleased with you very much, tell me what you wish for, I will fulfill it". Indra's mother without losing a single moment said, " O! Lord, please stop Monarch Bali Raja from doing any more meritorious things. He has won most of the territories in the world of mortals, and he has continued his virtuous deeds and soon will replace Indra in the cosmic world. He will soon occupy the divine throne if he is not stopped from his meritorious deeds."

Lord Vishnu has already given his words to Indra's mother, so He has no choice but to undertake the most disgusting task. He transfers him to a dwarf Brahman and goes from the cosmic world to the mundane world. Noticing a half-human-sized Brahman coming toward him, Monarch Bali Raja said, "What can I do for you, venerable Brahman? Let me know your wish, I will fulfill it."  Lord Vishnu in the guise of a dwarf asked Bali Raja, "Do you really promise to give me what I want?"  Monarch Bali Raja said to the dwarf, "Yes, I promise."  The dwarf said to Bali Raja, "Give me a piece of land enough for my three steps."  Bali Raja said, "What a wonderful nonsense! Is it your wish? So small thing, have it."

Counselors to the monarch have rightly suspected that probably the dwarf is not an ordinary Brahman of the human world. They, therefore, advised the monarch to back off from commitment to give a piece of land to the Brahman. Monarch Bali Raja, however, refused to break his code of ethics.

The dwarf has began growing larger and larger until his single foot covers the whole earth and another foot the sky and then asks Bali Raja for his third foot saying, "Where can I step my third foot on?" Monarch Bali Raja offers his own head for the third foot to step on."  Gigantic Vishnu steps on the head of Monarch Bali Raja and pushes him to the underground world ending his activities in the mundane world.

Realizing the Indra’s mother has tricked him to send Bali Raja to the underground world and having compassion for Monarch Bali Raja, Lord Vishnu said, "O! Pious monarch, I am pleased with you for keeping your words.  Now, tell me, what do you want from me?" With clasped hands in prayer, Monarch Bali Raja said to Lord Vishnu, "O! Lord, thank you for your kind offer. Here, in this underground world I have to live in darkness.  I, therefore, want your company."

Lord Vishnu said to Bali Raja, "I cannot remain with you in this world forever, however, I will guard your entrance for four months a year."  Thus, Lord Vishnu has obliged himself to be in the company of Monarch Bali Raja in another world for four months during which he reincarnates in a basil plant for mortals on earth every year.

Another legend has it that Lord Vishnu has seduced Brinda by deceit. Brinda is a beautiful woman. Her beauty has attracted even Lord Vishnu. One day while her spouse Jallandhar is out for a long hour purification bath in a nearby river, Lord Vishnu descends from the cosmic world to the human world and takes the guise of Jallandhar and goes to Brinda. The early return of the spouse surprises Brinda because he is supposed to take a long bath. She, however, is glad to have her spouse back. Again, to her utmost astonishment her spouse makes advances to her at such an unusual time of a day. She, however, cannot resist the temptation of her husband and gives in. When Lord Vishnu in disguise is about to leave Brinda, her real spouse arrives causing great embarrassment to Brinda and the spouse. Brinda being furious with Lord Vishnu at the deceit immediately puts a curse on Him to be a plant. Lord Vishnu realizing his mistakes begs Brinda for lifting the curse. Brinda, however, cannot lift the curse but she reduces it to four months a year. Thus, Lord Vishnu needs to reincarnate in a basil plant for four months a year to atone for His sin every year.

November 18, 2010

Note:
•    Ekadasi means the eleventh day of the fifteen days in a lunar calendar.
•    Ekadasi is the day of Lord Vishnu.
•    Hari-bodhini Ekadasi is on November 17 in 2010.