The Sanatan philosophy and the Hindu way of living is always accompanied by the Tulasi tree at the courtyard. This article attempts to describe the religious and scientific description of the Tulasi Bibaha Ekadashi. Tulsi is considered as a female and Shaligram as the male, every year millions of Sanatan followers observe and organize this pooja with due respect to the plant, nature and Vedic rituals.
लेखकः सुयोग ढकाल
Since centuries this holy ritual of Tulsi Marriage is always held on Ekadashi, as the lord heads are believed to have awakened on this particular day of the year. This Ekadashi is also named DebUthani Ekadashi which translated to the Ekadashi of awakening.
Ekadashi is the eleventh day of lunar tithi, this day is very auspicious and has its own type of gravitational and spiritual manifestations according to the eastern philosophy. The eleventh day of the Kartik month’s waxing moon period is called Haribodhani Ekadashi also known as Tulsi Bibaha Ekadashi. This is a very peculiar day with its own rituals where the auspicious and holy plant Tulsi is married to Shaligram, Shaligram is the peculiar holy stone which is only found at the Kali Gandaki River Bank of Nepal. This pooja brings the auspicious mountain stone (Shaligram) and the auspicious tree of Tulsi together and manifests the importance of River, Stone, and trees for the existence of mankind.
This day is also observed as the Chaturmas day, the day when all godheads including Bishnu is awakened from their four months of sleep. Since centuries this holy ritual of Tulsi Marriage is always held on Ekadashi, as the lord heads are believed to have awakened on this particular day of the year. This Ekadashi is also named DebUthani Ekadashi which translated to the Ekadashi of awakening.
The Tulsi Mooth (Place or vessel where Tulsi is planted) is cleaned and colored in hay color on this day, also the mooth is decorated from all four directions with the sugarcane sticks to form a mandap around it. The Tulsi plant is literally treated as a bride on that day, the plant is decorated with red sarees and flags. After the decoration of Tulsi, Lord Krishna and Shaligram are worshiped delicately.
The main hymn (Mantra) for addressing Tulsi is chanted during the ritual, the mantra is very simple and easy to remember too “तुलस्यै नमः”
After that, dried coconut is worshiped and placed beside the Shaligram, later the Shaligram is carried around the Tulsi plant for seven times, this is exactly like the seven auspicious rounds a couple makes during their marriage under Sanatan ritual.
The holy mangal song is also chanted during the ritual, after the seven-round of the holy circle the aarati (Auspicious Light) is lighted and all family members are supposed to feel the warmth of the aarati.
The Tulsi Marriage ceremony is very special and fruitful is attended by the prospective marriage candidates or unmarried people, it is believed that such people will sooner encounter their perfect match in life.
May all be happy, may all assimilate peace in themselves, may all win and may all smile.
