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Description
Tulsi is a very divine herb (divya aushadhi) according to Ayurveda. The Sanskrit name is tulasi and the Latin name is ocimum tenuiflorum (or ocimum sanctum). It comes in two varieties, Krishna tulsi (with smaller, darker leaves) and Rama tulsi (with larger greener leaves, sometimes also called shukla tulsi).
Though Krishna tulsi is favored by worshippers of Vishnu, both plants are declared by Bhava Prakash to have the same medicinal properties in Ayurveda.
shukla krishna ca tulasi gunaistulya prakirtita
Shukla tulsi and krishna tulsi are said to have the same properties (gunas). –Bhava Prakash Nighantu (vs. 63).
Beyond Compare
The literal meaning of the Sanskrit word tulasi is “beyond compare.” This is due to its divine nature. Tulsi is sometimes called surasa (liked by the gods) and devadundubhi (having a divine vibration).
Vaidya Mishra tells the story in more detail in the audio download, but the legend of tulsi is that she was once a young girl who would not accept any man who was less than 100% perfect to be her husband. Her resolve in this manner brought her to God.
The Bhagavad-Gita speaks of two paths to God, the path of integration (yoga) and the path of renunciation (sannyasa). Both lead to the ultimate truth. Tulsi took the path of renunciation (neti neti – not this, not this) in rejecting the hand of any man who was not fully perfect. This requirement of perfection necessarily excluded all humans and and even the gods.
In the end, only the Aditattwa, the pure field of Being, sometimes called Vishnu in Hindu religion, had this degree of perfection. The girl worshipped Vishnu with such purity of devotion that even though he was not available for marriage, he made sure that his divine influence would be always with her. She became the tulsi plant and with many divine healing properties.
You can enjoy hearing the full story as Vaidya Mishra tells it in this audio download.
Tulsi Is Good For The Heart and Mind
It is no surprise that tulsi supports the emotional, physical and vibrational heart. Our connection to the light of the soul lies in the heart. Because tulsi is so connected to the universal soul, or God, it brings us more in tune with this universal vibration of life, which directly strengthens the heart.
This is why Bhava Prakash gives tulsi the classification of hridya (giving long, healthy life to the heart by delivering prana to the heart).
When the heart is full of the light of God, it reflects on the mind, and it becomes easy for the mind to stay connected to the light of the soul. The senses do not easily overtake the mind when it is strongly anchored in the pure field of Being.
This is why tulsi is an important part of Vaidya Mishra’s Samadhi Set (transdermal cream set) which is used before meditation.
Tulsi opens the heart to the field of Being. The light of Being illuminates the mind and gives it strength. The strong, peaceful mind is able to use the senses for good, rather than be enslaved by them.
Divine Herbs Always Work in the Gaps of the Physiology
The physical elements of any herb work on the physical elements of the body. Vibrational elements work on the gaps of the physiology, where all transformations in the body take place. The gaps are called burners (agnis) in Ayurveda because so many transformations take place there. These gaps are where the intelligence of the body is located.
Whenever you take a herb that is rich in divine intelligence, like tulsi, you naturally activate the gaps (or burners) in the physiology. The vibration of the tulsi plant actually cleans these gaps and makes them more intelligent, and able to transform better.
The word is Sanskrit for this property is dipani. Any herb that is dipani increases the flame in one or more of the gaps of the physiology. This can be done by cleaning the gap (removing blocks to the flow of prana in the gap), or by directly supplying more agni. Tulsi does both.
Tulsi has ushna virya (heating thermogenic property) which delivers agni-rich prana to the burners, especially the jataragni (burner of the stomach) to ignite the digestive flame. And tulsi also has a divine vibration which travels directly to all the gaps throughout the physiology.
This divine quality helps it to remove any hidden vibrational blocks and to clean the gaps in the physiology. This makes the agnis (flames) stronger throughout the body, including the agnis in the mind and the liver.
Bactericidal Effect of Tulsi
Bhava Prakash uses two words, apetarakshasi and bhutaghni, to give emphasis to the bactericidal property of tulsi.
The word, bhutaghni, in Sanskrit means “bactericidal.” Bhuta, in Ayurveda, means bugs that you can’t see (such as microbes), and it can also mean spirits (which are hidden pests as well). The word, apetarakshasi, also means “bactericidal.” Rakshasa is another name for bugs in Ayurveda.
The divine character of the tulsi plant connects the mind to the light of the soul and is able to take care of these bugs just as sunlight removes the darkness of night. The bitter taste (tikta rasa) of tulsi is also an important factor in killing bacteria (or at least making it very difficult for them to thrive).
For this reason, tulsi has been used to boost the immune system and fight colds for centuries. The combination of being bactericidal, increasing agni (digestion) and connecting the mind to the light of the soul makes this an ideal herb for strengthening immunity. It is also helpful to use when there is high kapha/ high ama.
Cautions for Using Tulsi
According to Bhava Prakash, tulsi is ushna (heating), katuka (pungent) and dipani (flame enhancing). For anyone who has a high pitta constitution this can cause burning or other pitta problems. In fact, Bhava Prakash warns that tulsi is dahapittakrit (increasing pitta and aggravating burning in the body).
Tulsi should be used in moderation, according to the specific state of balance of the person in order to avoid this problem.
Also, because it is bitter, tulsi should not be used during pregnancy to avoid a miscarriage, unless it is used very carefully. Bitter herbs stimulate the liver to detoxify itself and can transfer too much amavisha (reactive toxins) into the blood, causing a miscarriage.
What You Will Learn in This Section of the Course
In this 23 minute audio lecture, you will learn directly from the Sanskrit text, Bhava Prakash, about tulsi. The text, which Vaidya Mishra translates and explains word for word, describes in detail the many facets of this important Ayurvedic herb.
You will hear the detailed version of the story of how tulsi became a plant. You will learn the various descriptive Sanskrit names of this important plant, as well as its physical properties, and traditional Ayurvedic uses.
How to Use the Course Materials
When you download the zip file for this section of the course (and unzip it using a free unzip program like 7-Zip), you will find a PDF file (which can be opened with the free Adobe Reader) and an MP3 file (which can be played on any MP3 player such as iPod or iTunes). You can listen to the audio alone, but for the first time through (at least), we recommend that you follow along with the PDF document to make sure that all of the concepts are clear. The PDF’s sometimes contain visual diagrams in addition to the Sanskrit verses. If you learn visually, reading along with the PDF will be helpful.
We also recommend reviewing the PDF, and re-listening to the MP3 file many times, so that you begin to recognize the knowledge and own it. These MP3 files are especially good to put on your MP3 player so you can listen in the car. Just as it is easy to remember songs you hear over and over on the radio, you will find that the knowledge in these lectures will stick to you with no effort when you hear them over and over. You will also find that your understanding of the material deepens each time you hear them.
Tulsi In Our Herbal Products
- Contains only the subtlest essence of tulsi (the herbal memory).
- Bypasses the liver, which may be in poor shape due to modern lifestyle, and delivers the prabhavas (special qualities) of tulsi directly to the tissues. If the liver is full of toxins, the divine quality of tulsi will be destroyed when it passes through the liver. This is not the case with this herbal memory nectar, which does not go through the liver.
- Does not heat the body like tulsi normally does.
- Travels quickly, without delay of digestion and begins acting right away.
- Should be added to 1 to 2 liters of cool, neutral pH spring water and sipped throughout the day.
- Contains the full power of tulsi.
- Can aggravate pitta and cause excess heat in the body.
- The liver must be relatively free of toxins if the divine nature of the herb is to ever reach the cells of the body.
- The seeds of tulsi are used in certain cases instead of the leaves, according to the specific instructions of your Shaka Vansya Ayurveda practitioner.
- Can aggravate pitta and cause burning in the body, especially if you already have high pitta.
- The liver must not have a lot of toxins which can damage the divine quality of tulsi before it reaches the rest of the body.
- Contains the full power of tulsi in tablet form.
- Requires that the liver be fairly clean. If toxins are present, the divine nature of tulsi will be damaged and the effectiveness of the herb will be compromised.
- Can heat the body and aggravate pitta.
- Tastes delicious.
- Contains tulsi with the balancing effect of five other herbs.
- Requires that the liver be clean. If toxins are present, the divine nature of tulsi will be lost.
- Is a great way to use tulsi even if the liver is full of toxins.
- Bypasses the liver and delivers tulsi directly to the cellular systems through the skin.
- Is great to use before meditation.
- Does not heat the body the way tulsi usually does.
The Following Products Contain Tulsi as an Ingredient
- Tea Lover’s Gift Basket
- Brahmi Chetana Gift Basket
- Divine Channel Opening Gift Basket
- Samadhi Set
- Super Samadhi Set Gift Basket
- Gluco-Support Tablets
- Immuno-Correct Tablets
- Liver Pro Tablets
- Deep Meditation Herbalized Soap
- Fatigue Formula Tablets
- Kidney Prana Herbal Memory Nectar
- Vidanga Herbal Memory Nectar
- Sadhaka Balance Tablets
- Vidanga Sinus Oil
- Herb Rich Hail Oil
- Cough ‘n Cold Transdermal Cream
- Immunity Support Kit
- Herb Rich Shampoo
- Herb Rich Conditioner
Disclaimer
This product and statements have not been evaluated by the FDA (Food and Drug Administration) and are not intended to be used to diagnose, treat or cure any disease. All of the information above is intended for educational purposes only and may not be used to replace or complement medical advice.
