Good one KR IRS On Wed, 2 Jun 2021 at 14:18, 'gopala krishnan' via iyer123 < [email protected]> wrote:
> THULASI –FORWARD BY R. GOPALAKRISHNAN ON 2-6-2021 > > *Thulasi - The Holy Plant* Retold By P. R. Ramachander > > Thulasi (ocimum sanctum) is possibly the holiest plant for the Hindus. *There > is a story in Devi Bhagavatam about her.* > > Long long ago Lord Vishnu had three wives viz., Lakshmi, Saraswathi and > Ganga. (I have verified this in several sources.) > > One day Ganga looked at Lord Vishnu with lot of passion when the other two > were present. A big quarrel erupted between them. When Saraswathi attacked > Ganga, Lakshmi tried to separate them. *Saraswathi got infuriated and > cursed Lakshmi that she should be born as a plant in earth.* > > Ganga cursed Saraswathi, that she should become a river and Saraswathi in > turn cursed Ganga that she should become an ever flowing river. > > Lakshmi, who was loved a lot by Lord Vishnu, told her, Please do not > worry. You would be first born as a daughter of a very pious soul called > *Dharma > Dwaja and later marry an Asura called Shanka Chooda, who would be one of my > incarnations.* > > *Later you would come and join me in Vaikunta after becoming the holy > plant Thulasi.* > > There was a great king called Rudra Savarni, in his clan was born a great > king called Vrusha Dwaja. Vrusha Dwaja was a very great devotee of Lord > Shiva. Because of this he banned worship of all other Gods except Lord > Shiva in his kingdom. > > Due to non worship of Goddess Lakshmi during the Kanya (October-November) > month, there was a great famine in his country. > > Apart from that Lord Surya, who was also not worshipped, cursed the king > that he would become a wretch. > > This infuriated Lord Shiva. He sent his Trident against Lord Surya. > > Lord Surya, afraid of Shivas trident ran to his father Kashyapa Prajapathi > for help. Since he was not in a position to help, both of them approached > Lord Brahma. He also expressed his helplessness to protect Lord Surya and > all of them together went to meet Lord Vishnu. > > Lord Shiva also came there. Then Lord Vishnu pointed out that since the > time of Devas was very much different, thousands of years have passed in > the earth and Vrusha Dwaja was no more. > > He requested Lord Shiva to take back his trident. Then Lord Vishnu told > them that in the clan of Vrusha Dwaja, two kings viz., Dharma Dwaja and, > Kusa Dwaja were remaining and both of them were doing extreme penance to > Goddess Lakshmi so that she would bless their kingdom. > > Goddess Lakshmi appeared before them and blessed them saying that she > would be born as daughter to them and with this their country would become > fertile and rich. Kusa dwaja married a lady called Malawathi and a > daughter Veda Vathi was born to them. > > When Veda Vathi was doing Thapas (penance), Ravana tried to rape her. She > cursed Ravana that if he touches any lady without their consent his head > will beak in to thousand pieces. She then jumped in to the sacrificial fire > and died. > > Ravana took the ashes of the fire, put them in a box and threw it in the > sea. This box was swept ashore in the kingdom of Mithila and was found by > Janaka. > > Vedavathi was inside the box in the form of a girl child. She was called > Sita, who later became the wife of Lord Rama. > > * Dharma dwaja married a lady called Madhawi and Goddess Lakshmi was born > to them as a girl child. **Since she was an incomparable beauty, they > called her Thula Si (Incomparable one).* > > Thulasi grew up in to lady as soon as she was born and left her kingdom > and started doing Thapas in Bhadrinath with a wish to marry Lord Vishnu. > She did Thapas in the middle of fire all round her in summer and under > water in winter. She did Thapas for twenty four thousand years eating only > fruits. Another thirty six thousand years eating only leaves, another forty > four thousand years eating only air and the last ten thousand years without > eating anything. *Lord Brahma, appeared before her and asked her what she > wanted.* > > She told him that she wanted to become the wife of Lord Vishnu. Lord > Brahma told her, Hey Thulasi, Lord Sudhama who was a part of Lord Krishna > is now born as an Asura called Shanka Chooda. He is a part incarnation of > Lord Vishnu. You would first become his wife. Later you would become the > wife of Lord Narayana. *While going back, a part of you would remain in > this world as a holy plant called Thulasi.* > > *Any worship which does not include worship with the leaves of Thulasi, > would be incomplete and would not be accepted by Gods.* > > *Shanka Chooda at that time had pleased Lord Brahma by his Thapas and was > given a Vishnu kavacha (armour) and a boon that unless the armour is > removed from his body and till his wife looses her virtue (Pathivruthya), > no body can kill him*. > > Shanka Chooda requested Thulasi to marry him and both were married. They > lead an extremely happy life. This time Shanka Chooda started giving > trouble to the Devas. Devas accompanied by Lord Shiva approached Lord > Vishnu for a solution. > > *Lord Vishnu gave his spear to Lord Shiva so that he can break the Vishnu > Kavacha, which Shanka Chooda was wearing, when Lord Shiva and Shanka Chooda > were engaged in a fierce battle and **Lord Vishnu assumed the form of > Shanka Chooda and went to Shanka Choodas palace.* > > When they entered the bed room Thulasi started suspecting Lord Vishnu. > Then Lord Vishnu took his real form and told her, Lakshmi, you have been > doing great penance to marry me. > > By Now Shanka Chooda would have been killed by Lord Shiva and it is time > for you to leave this body and come as Lakshmi to Vaikunta and be with me. > > Your body which you leave here will become a great river called Gandaki > and your hair would transform itself in to a holy plant Thulasi. > > This plant would become the holiest among plants. Lord Vishnu and > goddess Lakshmi returned to Vaikunta > > -- > You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups > "iyer123" group. > To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an > email to [email protected]. > To view this discussion on the web visit > https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/iyer123/2119333795.2048860.1622623732433%40mail.yahoo.com > <https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/iyer123/2119333795.2048860.1622623732433%40mail.yahoo.com?utm_medium=email&utm_source=footer> > . > -- You received this message because you are subscribed to the Google Groups "Thatha_Patty" group. To unsubscribe from this group and stop receiving emails from it, send an email to [email protected]. To view this discussion on the web visit https://groups.google.com/d/msgid/thatha_patty/CAL5XZoredKn7EodxLRxe_TeOTJbc%2BKfdtSZ6heHWokjLYcOfhA%40mail.gmail.com.
