the story of tulsi devi in short

*The story of Tulasi Devi in short*

Srimati Tulasi devi is one of the most exalted devotees of the Sri Krishna. All scriptures stress on the importance of getting the mercy of Tulasi devi if one has to make progress in the path of devotion. In the Skanda Purana it is said: ‘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 this tree, there is always auspiciousness. Anyone who comes in touch with the Tulasi tree in the above-mentionedways lives eternally in the Vaikuntha world."

*Vrinda devi*

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Above this material world is the eternal spiritual world comprised of millions of Vaikuntha planets. The topmost planet in Vaikuntha is Goloka which is presided by Sri Krishna in His original form. Here resides Vrinda devi, an intimate associate of and an expansion of Srimati Radharani. Her partial expansion is Tulasi devi in the Vaikuntha planets and they are all considered non-different from her.

As the embodiment of the lila-sakti (pastime potency), Vrinda devi is the organizer of all the transcendental pastimes between Sri Krishna and Srimati Radharani. In Goloka every thing is animate (cit) and only for the pleasure of Sri Krishna. Vrinda devi makes this happen. She is assisted by many confidential associates (which include two parrots) and with their help she makes sure that every thing is pleasing to Sri Krishna. She controls how the wind blows, when and where it rains, how the trees bend, and so many other things for the pleasure of the Divine Couple.

*Manifest Vrindavana*

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Five thousand years ago when Sri Krishna descended on Earth to do His pastimes, Vrinda devi created the proper environment for His pastimes in Vrindavana. Millions of years before the descent of Sri Krishna, Vrinda devi had appeared as the daughter of the pious Emperor Kedera. Then she performed penances for sixty thousand years. Pleased by her penances, Lord Vishnu gave the benediction that any austerities performed in Vrindavana would be very potent. Thus Vrinda devi sanctified the place and it got the name Vrindavana. Later Vrinda devi once again descended here as Tulasi devi, the daughter of King Kushadvaja to perform penances and attain perfection here.

*Pastimes of Radha-Krishna* 

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Vrindavana is completely under the control of Vrinda devi. Without her mercy it is not possible to even approach the confidential pastimes of Radha-Krishna, even as an audience. Even being allowed into Vrindavana dhama indicates that one has received some mercy from Vrinda devi.

In Krishna lila she appeared as a young gopi friend of Srimati Radharani. Under the instructions of Purnamasya (Yogamaya), she would arrange secret meeting between Krishna and Radha. She would also make all the material arrangements, like saffron, fruits, flowers, music etc. for Radha Krishna. Thus she carried on her eternal service in Goloka Vrindavana in the earthly Vrindavana.

Once Srimati Radharani was so pleased by the service of Vrinda devi that with the help of the other gopis she arranged a magnificent throne and had Krishna and Vrinda devi sit on it. Lalita sakhi acting as the priest recited the mantras and performed the marriage cermony of Krishna and Vrinda devi. Thus by the mercy of Srimati Radharani, Vrinda devi got Krishna.

In another pastime, Vrinda devi offered all the forests of Vrindavana to Srimati Radharani. Thus Radharani is also known as Vrindavaneshwari or the queen of Vrindavana.

*Tulasi devi becomes a plant* 

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Pastimes involving pure devotees are only for the benefit of conditioned souls in the material world. This pastime, given in the Padma purana and in the Brahma-vaivarta purana involvong Tulasi devi reveals this clearly.

Once Tulasi devi descended as the daughter of King Kushadvaja. She was married to Jalhandara. It is said that Samudra deva the demigod controlling the nether regions had Lakshmi devi as a daughter (since she appeared from him at time of the churning of the ocean) and Jalandara (one who is born from water).

Jalandara was married to Tulasi devi and drew strength from her purity and chastity. So firm was her chastity that even Lord Shiva could not defeat Jalandara in battle and all the demigods went to Lord Vishnu for help.

At this time, Lord Vishnu went to Tulasi devi assuming the form of her husband, Jalandara. When Tulasi devi greeted Him, thinking Him to be her husband, her chastity was momentarily broken. Taking advantage of this the demigods killed Jalandara.

When Tulasi devi understood what happened, Lord Vishnu revealed His original form. An enraged Tulasi devi cursed Lord Vishnu for His stone hearted behavior to become a stone. Honoring His pure devotee, Lord Vishnu accepted this curse and promised to appear as the Saligrama shila in the Gandika river (now in Nepal). He also gave Tulsai devi the benediction that she will eternally reside with Him as His consort in Vaikuntha. He said that for the benefit of every one she will assume the form of a plant which will be most auspicious for anyone performing devotional service.

Thus devotees never offer anything to Krishna without a Tulasi leaf. He always adorns Himself with a Tulasi garland. The goddess of fortune, Laksmi, is sometimes envious of the Tulasi leaves which are placed at the lotus feet of the Lord, for they remain fixed there and do not move, whereas Laksmiji, although stationed by the chest of the Lord, sometimes has to please other devotees who pray for her favor. Laksmiji sometimes has to go to satisfy her numerous devotees, but tulasi leaves never forsake their position, and the Lord therefore appreciates the service of the tulasi more than the service of Laksmi.

*Tulasi as the source of bhakti* 

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The scriptures are full of pastimes that reveal the potency of Tulasi in developing devotion for the Lord.

The Srimad Bhagavatam talks about this pastime with the four Kumaras, the sons of Lord Brahma who were very much attached to the impersonal aspect of Godhead.

‘When the breeze carrying the aroma of tulasi leaves and saffron from the lotus feet of the lotus-eyed Personality of Godhead entered through the nostrils into the hearts of those sages [the Kumaras], they experienced a change in both body and mind, even though they were attached to the impersonal Brahman understanding.'

Thus by simply smelling the fragrance of the Tulasi leaves the four Kumaras became pure devotees of the Lord.

In Caitanya lila Srila Advaita Acarya was very much disturbed to see the growth of irreligiosity. Therefore He decided to call for the Personality of Godhead Krsna to descend by worshiping the Lord with tulasi leaves and the water of the Ganges. When Sri Krishna was please by this devotion He descended as Caitanya Mahaprabhu.

Haridasa Thakura a great devotee of Caitanya Mahaprabhu purified a prostitue who had come with the intention of seducing him with instructions to chant the holy name and worship Tulasi. She became so elevated by this service that even great Vaishnavas would come to get her mercy.

*Glories of Tulasi devi* 

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Quoting from the Gautamiya-tantra, the Hari-bhakti-vilasa states:

tulasi-dala-matrena 

jalasya culukena va 

vikrinite svam atmanam 

bhaktebhyo bhakta-vatsalah

‘Sri Krsna, who is very affectionate toward His devotees, sells Himself to a devotee who offers merely a tulasi leaf and a palmful of water.’

In the Nectar of Devotion, service to Tulasi is glorified as one of items of devotional service.

In the Srimad Bhagavatam (3.15.19) it is said that although flowering plants like the mandara, kunda, kurabaka, utpala, campaka, arna, punnaga, nagakesara, bakula, lily and parijata are full of transcendental fragrance, they are still conscious of the austerities performed by tulasi, for tulasi is given special preference by the Lord, who garlands Himself with tulasi leaves.

In the Skanda Purana there is a statement praising the Tulasi tree as follows: ‘Let me offer my respectful obeisances unto the Tulasi tree, which can immediately vanquish volumes of sinful activities. Simply by seeing or touching this tree one can become relieved from all distresses and diseases. Simply by offering obeisances to and pouring water on the tulasi tree, one can become freed from the fear of being sent to the court of Yamaraja [the King of death, who punishes the sinful]. If someone sows a tulasi tree somewhere, certainly he becomes devoted to Lord Krsna. And when the tulasi leaves are offered in devotion at the lotus feet of Krsna, there is the full development of love of Godhead.’

*All glories to Tulasi devi* !!

When God Needed a Tailor, he chose Her!

First meeting....

23 rd august, 2014, almost middle of night, I got an emergency to see at home. Being an homoeopathic doctor we don't have such emergencies but of and on you can't ignore them too. She was a frail body of flesh on the bones carried in the lap of his father. The winter sweaters were also not providing any decency to her pencil sleek curvature.

"She is vomiting and is unable to eat and have a lot of heaviness in the chest!" was the presenting complaint. But before I could rule in being a gastric problem due to unhealthy eating, a common practice in new formed teenagers like her, there came a casual remark, "She is also undergoing treatment for nephrotic syndrome."

Layman meaning, her kidnies were failing.

Oh! dear! They were telling me now when I was almost through with half of my prescription. With one stroke of pen I cancelled what I wrote earlier. I looked at them perplexed and with a sign I said, "What's her Cretenine?"

Layman language, the factor that indicate the extent of damage to kidnies.

"A week back it was 5!"

It's shouldn't pass more than 1.2 in normal scenario.

Are you kidding me, is it some kind of joke, I don't even have the present value. I wanted to say but curtailed my tongue. The girl was looking up to me in anticipation. Those puppy dog eyes in the shrinking sockets brimmed with tear line.

Hearts of hearts I know her Kidnies have gone and this is the complications of nephrotic syndrome I am dealing with, which ideally should be managed with a mechanical procedure of dialysis, to filter out the piling up excreta in her blood which in a usual scenario is done by kidnies. And one thing more I am not God! I knew my limitation.

I tried explaining them about it but to my surprise they already knew it and they were just trying to avoid it.

But it's not our choice.

I gave her something that relieved her for a while but it was temporary. I asked them to get the cretinine checked, first thing in the morning.

Night went, so the following half afternoon too, evening was difficult again and I received a call, what to do!

Go to the hospital, get the dialysis! What do they expect from me, I am not God!

25 th December, she was sinking. Her body failing, soul losing the grip but her will stronger than mountains. Doctors gave up on her but she shouted on them, "My other doctor said, if you do the dialysis on me, I will be fine again! So do it."

On duty doctor found no need because the statistics said it was just matter of time but she kept shouting at them. Consent forms signed and dialysis was done. Dark Christmas night went with yes and no, prayers and tears.....

Next morning was brighter, because she was back on but with a prescription sheet of dialysis three times a week.

But whatever, I was her favorite doctor, because it seemed as if I gave her the idea how to live.

Our Second meeting...

In 2015, we met again. This time she had more words than before because it was not an emergency. She had stories and boosted how she shouted over those doctors triple her age. And subsequent meeting were also the same, I used to take care of the adverse effects of the dialysis, strengthening her system to take the massive procedure and she used to play 'show and tell'. She was a gifted child and her art and craft was superb and was her drawings. And each time she visited me, she had something to show me and a big tale how she came up with the idea and how she eventually executed it. It was 5 minutes Doctor patient time and 10 minutes story time with her.

The girl had a will power to fight odds. She was the most positive person that I have ever came across.

Subsequent December of 2015 she was again hospitalized with certain infection. She was recovering well. Christmas was again overhead and this time she charmed the entire hospital corridors of kids wing with her drawings. She was darling in the hospital for one month she stayed. And she had big stories to tell me when she came back to me.

2016 also went with her frequent hospital stay and bouncing back to me. But after the fall of the year, her visits became less.

In 2017, she was put on water dialysis at home as her body reduced to just mere skin coating on the skeleton, so frail to take blood dialysis. But her spirits were high, though she detorated. In Feb, this year she came in for certain problem, told me about her ideas that she would be doing this year. Cupboards after cupboards were filled with her masterpieces. Some she gifted, some she kept, some she brought for me, a beautiful pink lotus she made once for me, couple of 'Happy Diwali' cards and my personal favorite her high spirited smile was all her legacy.

For sometime she was not coming for follow up. Well, the water dialysis that she have to undergo everyday made her more and more frail and weak, therefore maybe her visits tapered, I was assuming.

The House of Lucy...

16 august she was back again to me, with her show and tell items.

It's the long time she said.

This time she brought the beautiful purple slippers she made for herself. She was being carried by her father, because she couldn't walk. Still looking at those slippers she said, when I will be able to walk again I will wear them and they are going look awesome. I agreed, they were awesome.

Than came the 'house of lucy', the living booklet of the girl named lucy and her life style. It was so beautifully crafted. I asked her to give it to me to see but she said this is little complicated, it need to be explained.

"See Dr Sonal, this girls name is lucy, this is her bedroom where she sleeps like this. When she wakes up in the morning, she brushes her teeth like this, go to school, this is her school bus. She comes back and than watch television in her living room. Sometimes feel bore so go to shopping,Oh! this is her study room...."

And on and on she went, everything lively depicted in her craft book. She had charms in her eyes. She was less interested in medicine, more interested to update me with her craft. Before biding me adieu, she stumbled on one more of her genius invention, look I stitched dresses for my thakur, the worshiping deity of her house.

Oh, very beautiful, why don't you stitch one for my Thakur too, I said.

Next time, she said.

24 th August, she came empty handed. I was not feeling well this week, sorry I couldn't bring you the thakur dress was her opening lines.

I said no problem, maybe next time.

Her spirits were low and the smile missing.

I couldn't get her talking today, she was not her usual self.

To start a conversation I said, Hey do you believe in magic.

Her eyes charmed as if I was going to do some trick.

I said, I have magical beads, if you chant the name of God, maybe some magic happens in your life. I gave her japa mala to chant hari naam mantra at it. I asked her to chant three times. And also a Lord Jaggarnath Batch.

Well the trick was, I was planning a photo shoot for her with my team, so that we could promote her on social networking sites and ask for kidney for her. {She was adopted child therefore her parents couldn't give her kidney and her blood type was rare and her foster parents were not financially strong too}. Almost all details were done except some corners to be covered. I thought once she will chant I will break the news to her that we are planning the campaign and she would have stronger trust in God and would be excited.

She promised she will chant.

I said maybe you get the kidney.

She said, she doesn't need them anymore.

Than How will it get cure.

You will see doctor, all by itself....

All By itself.

GoD Is Always Going To Be GoD!

She was right, her sufferings ended. It was all by itself.

She had ordered an sewing machine form the amazon to stitch clothes for my thakur. On 28th August, Monday of the past week it was delivered and two hours later she was no more.

She died!

She died with a thought to stitch clothes for God after she chanted on her beads holding the batch of Jaggarnath in other hand.

Her suffering ended. There was no place in her body which was not punctured. Her entire body was covered with boils. Her breathing was difficult and she couldn't walk one step. Only her sole pure like a blossom lotus and hence left the weak falling body cloth for a new journey, for a new designation.

WAS THAT GOOD, WAS THAT BAD!

Her parents believe, especially her father, that she is never ever going to come back in any form, she has gone to live with God for eternity and would be stitching his clothes.

"sariram yad avapnoit yac capy utkramatisvarah

grhtvaitani samyati vayur gandhan ivasayat" 15.8 Bhagvad Gita

Meaning, The living entity in the material world carries his different conceptions of life form one body to another as the air carries aromas. Thus he takes one kind of body and again quits it to take another.

It's said what ever last thought the living being dies with, that is thought he begins his another life with. May be God was missing a tailor therefore he summoned her up to his service, to his personal abode of happiness, tranquility and bliss. he welcomed her with open hands.

And she was very right, her sufferings will end all by itself by mercy of lord.

After all GoD is always Going to be God!

Regards

Hare Krsna!

Half God, Half Peacock!

Once upon a time in the land of vraja, Srimati Radha rani became very very angry with Krsna. She was so enraged that she went into isolation.

Krsna went in search of his lady love, only finding her alone in deep forests of Vrindavan. He immediately fell in feet of Srimati Radharani and started apologizing without even knowing what wrong he had done to her. Its said intelligent men never argue with women and immediately apologizes irrespective of the fact whether or not they are at mistake. Krsna was very intelligent and therefore following the age old principle he went on his knees in front of radha rani.

But this time Radha Rani, knowing the reputation and tactics of Krsna didn't yield, instead she started crying inconsolably.

Krsna again went, "Oh! Radha, I hate tears. Don't do this to me. Punish me if it pleases you...."

But Radha Rani was furious, "Oh! You rascal, get out from my sight. I don't want to talk to you, see you and even bear you near my vicinity. You keep breaking my heart over and over again. Go away. Go and play with your friends your beloved gopas and go and get on swings with your girlfriends, the gopis of vraja, why do you need poor radha for. She is no use to you."

And radha rani kept on weeping. All the ornaments on her body went lose and begin to fell on ground.

Krsna tried to charm her over and over again. Sometimes he went and brought her Champa and Jasmine flowers and made beautiful garlands out of it, which Radha rani refused to accept. Other time, he brought her lilies to put it in her hair but instead she opened her long locks so that no flower could stay in there. He even gave away his very dear flute and kept it in her feet but she was not ready to budge.

Every time he tried something he made her more furious and weepy than before.

Being an utter failure he couldn't think of a better plan to bring her out of her sulkiness. It was breaking his heart in million pieces seeing Radha Rani in such desolate condition.

For a while he too went away to think what he could do better. He was definitely not thinking to give up, may it take ethos of time to make her smile again.

Krsna was gone for a while now. Even though Radha rani was crying outwardly but in hearts of hearts it was giving her immense pleasure to have an undivided attention of the most popular boy of Vraj Bhoomi. But now when Krsna was away she felt more lonely and heart broken and it made her weep more. Rivers of tears were flowing from her eyes flooding the forests of Vrindavan.

Suddenly from her weepy eyes she saw an odd looking peacock dancing weirdly.

She rubbed her eyes to have a clear look at that creature.

Mama Mia! It was none other than Krsna disguised as peacock and coming dancing towards Radha rani.

The black blue boy of vraja borrowed feathers from the flock of peacock and pasted it on his body to charm the love of his life.

Radha rani couldn't control herself and burst into laughter. Her innocent child like laughter echoed in the vrindavan. She clapped and forgot that she was angry at Krsna.

Her sulkiness was broken. Earlier she was crying of anger, but now she was crying of laughter. Tears flowing from the outer corners of her eyes on her silky cheeks.

Eventually the beautiful Radha Rani soon joined her beloved in the peacock dance.

This is the Maan-Bhang Leela of sweet past times of srimati radha rani and krsna in the holy dham of vrindavan.

There is still present a temple called maan temple at holy dham of vrindavan that witnessed this leela.

krsna and radha rani dressed up like peacocks.

Happy birthday to Radha rani.

jai ho radha rani ki, jai vrindavaneshvari thakurani ki, jai ho hari priya maharani ki.

jai jai shree radhe!

hare krsna

one bucket list, two deaths and three horses

One bucket list.....

The other day I was talking to someone, telling them about my retirement plans and my bucket list.The person who I was talking to was taken aback and told me, doctor, you are too young to think about it. You still have plenty years to go thinking about it. Just enjoy the time of youthfulness rather doing what oldie, with one of their leg hanging in grave does.

Well that would have made sense taking in consideration of just one vector that's of my age. But we live life in dimensional units, so the blunder we do is missing on other vectors.

My bucket list came into such a scrutiny, was it a wrong assessment on my side to plan it soon and being so eager or there is something we all so conveniently blind our eyes too.

Two deaths.....

This man had a wonderful life till now, born in a rich family, running a successful business of his own, aristocratic friend circle, an extraordinary beautiful wife, two daughters and one son. Picture perfect fairy tale life till death took it away at thirty five.

(I am thirty one by the way)

Anyways coming back to his abrupt unfortunate end is that there was no trail of lurking medical history in the background.

Perfectly healthy life style which included regular morning walks and a good sleeping schedule. Nothing seemed out of the box. The night before he was talking to his acquaintance about their monthly party at Leela Palace, discussing minute details and next morning on his regular walk schedule felt little uncomfortable in his body. Instead of coming home straight, went to the hospital got his blood pressure and ECG checked and everything was just perfect like his perfect life. Doctors send him home, only to encounter his lifeless body half hour later.

Brain dead because of stroke. Some random clot just thought to go for a stall and got blocked in the thin vessel of brain, cutting away all the oxygen supply and rest it was matter of 8 seconds, he collapsed like the last autumn leaf on the tree.

The family was affluent, wife too young to be widowed and kids too small to be fatherless, therefore thought to fight death. Put the brain dead body on life support, shunted hospitals, and got pandits performing ritualistic sacrifices in hope that the body could breath again on its own.

Seven days of fight on the lost battle, ultimately the fire devoured what was remaining. 

The man died with a last thought of party plan.

Well, this boy was twenty. Suffering from Azorian disease. It's a form of genetic disorder which manifest late in life like early teenage. He too manifested symptoms of it at the age of fourteen. It's a degenerative disease which effects all muscles and nerves of the body compromising it's basic functioning of locomotion, breathing, eating and talking. The person becomes bed ridden and is completely dependent on attendants to do the basic needful. The disease is a progressive type, without unknown aetiology that screwed the genetic material in first place. Medical science is still incompetent to find any breakthrough treatment in such cases.

The only silver lining in the darkest black clouds is that this disease doesn't effect the mental faculty and the people suffering from it are well oriented till their end, it's only the expressing faculty goes away. In language of shastras 'vak indriya' {sensory system} goes away but the 'Gyan indriya', mind, memory, intelligence and ego stays.

So even with their frailing body frame, their mind frame still works.

The parents were devestated in the beginning. It took lot of councilling to get them through it so that they could at least take care of their boy in his remaining life time. So they did.

They called their child Gopal.

In Hindu homes their is a tradition of bringing the deity of child form of krsna and he is served with lot of love and care. That deity is called Gopal.

So with selfless service they started to serve their Gopal. They knew they couldn't stop the inevitably death but at least they could do their best and leave rest to God. Since the child mental faculty was good, they took advantage of it and day in and day out they taught their Gopal the ultimate wisdom of life and it's ultimate truth, the Bhagvad Gita and Bhagvad katha.

Six years and they train their frail child for death. This summer the all devouring death took their Gopal away. The twenty year old boy who lost the faculty of speech died with the name of Narayan on his lips. He must have gone to Vaikuntha.{As told by his mother!}

In Bhagvad Gita, lord krsna says, that those who remembers me at the time of death reach my eternal abode. The boy with Azorian disease found his way to Vaikuntha. (Kuntha means anxieties, the place without anxieties is called Vaikuntha, the eternal abode of lord hari).

It's like Parakshith Maharaj, who was cursed to die in seven days. Instead of lamenting over the inevitable death which is going to come to all, he choose to hear Bhagvad Katha and cashed his curse to pave his way to eternal abode of the almighty God.

And finally the three horses...

Well these are the famous three horses of Gautam Buddha.

So this first horse that is born in a stable sees his surroundings and learn from it. He knows that he is born to serve humans and if he doesn't not follow the rules he is bound to suffer in the process of training which will include beating and fasting. So instead of resisting he is yielding and is saved from the subjective miseries. This horse is smartest and is a fast learner.

The second horse though born in the same environment thinks that he is special and he won't be subjected to such a treatment but when he sees his best friend going through it, it becomes an eye opener for him. So once reluctant horse becomes yielding to his master. This horse is a late bloomer but still he learns his lessons in due time and is saved to a maximum extent.

Well third horse was born with little puffed up wits and superiority complex that he was so obstinate to demands of his master. He thought what his brothers are going through, he will never go through it. But sooner his trance is also broken when he realized it was his own build illusion. He learns his lessons late but after lot of suffering.

Here is how Buddha used this analogy.

Birth, death, disease and old age are the natural laws of universe and they are inevitable. It's how smartly we deal with them is called the way of living.

Either we can be smart like the first horse and learn our lessons early so that we can surrender our life to service of our master, the almighty God, who will save us and deliver us out of this ocean of nescience or we can blunder like other two horses thinking ourselves to be special and thinking that old age, disease and death will never happen to us. But meanwhile being subjected to endless miseries of the world.

Well at the end of the day, man is what he choose to be.

So make a right call.

Finally, hence proved I am not wrong in making a bucket list for myself. Because every step we take, we are one step nearer to our death.

Regards

Hare krsna