On Gaurāñga's relationship with Tulasī Devī.

[Jagannāth Miśra Dās]

Just nine verses, most of us may be already familiar with, taken from Vrindāvana Dās Ṭhakura’s Caitanya Bhāgavad, antya līlā, chapter eight, depicting Mahāprabhu’s devotion to Tulasi Devī.







Śrī Śrī Caitanya Bhāgavat.



By Vrindāvana Dās Ṭhakura.



tulasīra bhakti ebe śuna mana diyā

jerupe kailena līlā tulasī laiyā (1)



Bestow your mind and listen to my words as I now speak of tulasī bhakti, and of the manner in which the Lord enacts his līlā with Tulasī. (1)



eka khudra bhānde divya mrittikā pūriyā

tulasī dekhena sei ghaṭe āropiyā (2)

prabhu bale “ami tulasīre nā dekhile

bhāla nāhi bāsoṅ jena matsya bine jale” (3)



Once, whilst beholding Tulasī growing in a small pot filled with sacred soil, Prabhu declared; “As a fish can not exist without water, my life is likewise displeasing if I can not see Tulasī.” (2 3)



jabe cale sankhyā nāma kariyā grahaṇa

tulasī laiyā agre cale ekajana (4)

pascāte calena prabhu tulasī dekhiyā

paḍaye ānandadhārā śrīanga bahiyā (5)



Wherever the Lord happens to stray, whilst calculating his sankhyā nāma, someone walks ahead of him carrying Tulasī; and Prabhu follows behind, shedding tears of ecstasy, which fall upon his beauteous limbs, as his gaze rests upon Tulasī. (4 5)





samkhyā nāma laite je sthāne prabhu baise

tathāya rākhena tulasīre prabhu pāse (6)

tulasīre dekhena, japena samkhyā nāma

e bhaktiyogera tattva ke bujhibe āna (7)



If Prabhu chances to sit down somewhere, while counting his sankhyā nāma, Tulasī is placed by his side, and he holds her in his vision whilst performing his sankhyā nāma japa. In such a way he exhibits this particular bhakti yoga tattva, yet who may truly comprehend it? (6-7)



punaḥ sei sankhyā nāma sampūrṇa kariyā

calena īśvara sange tulasī laiyā (8)

śiksyāguru nārāyaṇa se karāyena sīksyā

tāhā je mānaye, se i jana pāya raksyā (9)



His sankhyā nāma concluded, the Lord takes his leave, bringing Tulasī with him. In this fashion the śiksyāguru nārāyaṇa teaches; and only those who observe this example gain his protection. (8 9)



(note: In his Gauḍīya Bhāsya commentary, Srila Saraswatī Ṭhakura remarks; “numeration of a settled amount of japa is to be calculated on a Tulasī mālā whilst seated beside Tulasī. Śiksyā Guru Śrī Goursundara orchestrates this līlā with Keśava Priyā Tulasī particularly for those who reckon her to be merely an ordinary plant, rather than appreciating her as Krsna Priyā, and one who is undoubtedly pleasing and complimentary to the nourishment of loving devotion. Tulasī is of the same nature as the Lord; and even an earnest endeavour to serve Krsna without securing her grace will prove worthless.”)



THE END.

[avadhutadas]

“ Tulasī is of the same nature as the Lord; and even an earnest endeavour to serve Krsna without securing her grace will prove worthless”

I’m not sure what do with these statements. There’s a few of them around. “If you don’t do “x” then Krishna won’t give you mercy or love you”. In this instance, what if tulsi doesn’t grow in ones climate? What if someone tried to grow tulsi but the plants died? Does that mean Krishna rejects that person?

[avadhutadas]

I thought about this while chanting and realized that serving Tulsi devi mentally is sufficient