Tulsi plant in a Hindu house premises is obvious to be found as it is the most sacred plant for the Hindus. As per Hindu customs, this plant needs to be planted in the month of Kartik. As per the Skandpuran, the reduction of sins per life depend on the number of Tulsi planted. A garden of Tulsi plant is no less than a pilgrimage as written in the Padampuran.
Tulsi has been proved as a medicinal plant scientifically a long ago. Even the fragrance Tulsi is beneficial for health. Brahma, Vishnu and Mahesh and other Gods exist near the Tulsi plant. Virtue of Pushkar and Ganga can also be felt near a Tulsi plant. Praying Tulsi alone is similar to pray all the Gods at a time.
Planting Tulsi in the month of Kartik, assures the cleansing of gathered sins of many births. Salvation is achieved by praying Krishna by offering Tulsi leaves. Every Hindu religious ceremony remains incomplete. Charity done along with Tulsi adds to your virtues. Tulsi plays a vital role to satisfy forefathers by offering shraddh near it.
Consuming Tulsi leaves thrice a day, provides purity of heart and soul during the chandrayan fast (related to the waning and waxing of the moon). Bathing in Tulsi dipped water withstands bathing in all pilgrimages. Adding Tulsi leaves in the charanamrit offered in prayers and consuming makes free from sins to obtain salvation. Dying people should be offered Ganga water with Tulsi leaves added in it.
Hindu custom instructs to worship Tulsi ever morning and evening by lighting an oil lamp near it. It pleases Vrinda and Lord Vishnu. Circumambulating the Tulsi plant 108 times on Somapati Amavasya (Monday that coincides with the dark night of the month) helps to avoid many insufficiencies.
In the Brahmvaivartpuran, Prakritikhand, 21/40, it is said:
Lord Hari is not so pleased after bathing with thousands of pots filled with celestial nectar, as he is when even a single leaf of Tulsi is offered to him.
Benefits of hundred thousand Ashwamedh yagyas can be achieved by offering a single Tulsi leaf to Vishnu. Vishnu Lok is granted for the one who tastes a single drop of Tulsi water in his last moments. There is no difference between bathing in the Ganga and bathing in the Tulsi water.
Vrinda was the last incarnation of Tulsi. She was married to a demon named Jalandhar. Lord Vishnu persuaded Vrinda to give up her devotion towards her husband, so that Lord Vishnu could win over him. Pleased with her, Vishnu blessed her to become Tulsi and worshipped people all over the world.
Think it over…
If we do not return quickly to a state of harmony with the earth and reverence for all life, then we will in all likelihood perish.
-Bob Hunter, Co-founder of Greenpeace