एकदा चाश्विने मासि पौर्णमासीदिने द्विज । लाजान्वराटिका नागो बिलात्प्राक्षेपयद्बहिः
Once, O Brāhmaṇa, on the day of the full moon in the month of Ashvina, the serpent cast out from its hole a measure of parched rice and a small coin.
पतिता सा हरेरग्रे पापमस्य स्वयं हरिः । तूर्णं तु नाशयामास दयालुर्दुःखनाशकः
That offering fell before Hari; the Lord himself, compassionate and remover of suffering, swiftly destroyed his sin.
कदाचित्प्राप्तकालस्तु पंचत्वं स जगाम ह । यमदूतास्तमानेतुं चागता बहुशो द्विज
When the destined time arrived, he died; then, O Brāhmaṇa, many messengers of Yama came to take him.
बद्ध्वा नेतुं यदा चक्रुर्यमस्य सदनं प्रति । तदागता विष्णुदूताः शंखचक्रगदाधराः
When they bound him and prepared to lead him to Yama's abode, then arrived the messengers of Viṣṇu, bearing conch, discus, and mace.
पाशं छित्त्वा रथे दिव्ये तमाशुगतकिल्बिषम् । तत्र चारोपयामासुः यमदूताः पलायिताः
Cutting the noose, they placed him, freed from sin, on a divine chariot; the messengers of Yama fled from there.
ततो निकेतनं विष्णोर्नागस्तैर्वेष्टितो ययौ । तत्र तस्थौ हरेरग्रे पुनरावर्त्तिवर्जितः
Then, surrounded by them, the serpent went to Viṣṇu's abode; there he remained before Hari, free from further rebirth.
भक्त्या यो हरये दद्याल्लाजांश्च सघृतान्द्विज । वराटिकां तस्य पुण्यं न जाने किं भवेद्ध्रुवम्
Whoever, with devotion, offers parched rice mixed with ghee and a small coin to Hari, O Brāhmaṇa, I do not know what merit he will not surely obtain.
य इमं शृणुयाद्विप्र चाध्यायं पापनाशनम् । तस्य नश्यंति पापानि श्रीहरेः कृपयापि च
Whoever hears, O Brāhmaṇa, this chapter that destroys sin, his sins are destroyed by the grace of Śrī Hari.
शौनकउवाच। माहात्म्यं ब्रूहि सर्वज्ञ शृण्वतां पापनाशनम् । सर्वप्राणिहितार्थाय तुलस्या अनुकंपया
Śaunaka said: 'O all-knowing one, tell the greatness that destroys sin to those who listen, for the welfare of all beings, out of compassion for Tulasī.'
सूत उवाच। तुलस्याः परिसरे यस्य काननं तिष्ठति द्विज । गृहस्य तीर्थरूपत्वान्नायांति यमकिंकराः
Sūta said: 'O Brāhmaṇa, at whose dwelling there is a grove of Tulasī, because the house is like a sacred place, the servants of Yama do not approach there.'
तुलस्याः काननं विप्र सर्वपापहरं शुभम् । रोपयंति नराः श्रेष्ठास्ते न पश्यंति भास्करिम्
O Brahmin, the grove of tulasi is auspicious and removes all sins; those excellent people who plant it do not see the abode of the sun (i.e., do not go to hell).
रोपणं पालनं सेवां दर्शनं स्पर्शनं तु यः । कुर्य्यात्तस्य प्रणष्टं स्यात्सर्वपापं द्विजोत्तम
Whoever, O best of twice-born, performs the planting, nurturing, service, viewing, or touching of tulasi—his every sin is destroyed.
कोमलैस्तुलसीपत्रैरर्चयंति हरिं तु ये । कालस्य सदनं विप्र ते न यांति महाशयाः
Those noble ones who worship Hari with tender tulasi leaves, O Brahmin, do not go to the house of Time (death).
गंगाद्याः सरितः श्रेष्ठा विष्णु ब्रह्म महेश्वराः । देवैस्तीर्थैः पुष्कराद्यैस्तिष्ठंति तुलसीदले
The best rivers such as the Ganga, and deities like Vishnu, Brahma, and Shiva, along with holy places like Pushkara, reside in a tulasi leaf.
यो युक्तस्तुलसीपत्रैः पापी प्राणान्विमुञ्चति । विष्णोर्निकेतनं याति सत्यमेतन्मयोदितम्
Whoever, even if sinful, departs while adorned with tulasi leaves, goes to the abode of Vishnu—this I declare to be true.
तुलसीमृत्तिकालिप्तो युक्तः पापशतैरपि । विमुंचति नरः प्राणान्स याति हरिमन्दिरम्
A man, even stained with hundreds of sins, who is anointed with tulasi clay at death, is released from life and goes to the temple of Hari.
यो नरो धारयेद्विप्र तुलसीकाष्ठचंदनम् । तस्याङ्गं न स्पृशेत्पापं स याति परमं पदम्
O Brahmin, the man who wears tulasi wood and sandalwood, sin does not touch his body; he attains the supreme state.
तुलसीकाष्ठमालां तु कण्ठस्थां वहते तु यः । अप्यशौचोप्यनाचारो भक्त्या याति हरेर्गृहम्
Whoever wears a garland of tulasi wood around his neck, even if impure or of bad conduct, by devotion goes to the house of Hari.
धात्रीफलकृतामाला तुलसीकाष्ठसंभवा । दृश्यते यस्य देहे तु स वै भागवतो नरः
The man on whose body is seen a garland made of dhatri fruit and tulasi wood is truly a devotee of Bhagavan.
तुलसीदलजां मालां कण्ठस्थां वहते तु यः । विष्णूच्छिष्टां विशेषेण स नमस्यो दिवौकसाम्
Whoever wears a garland made of tulasi leaves around his neck, especially one offered to Vishnu, is worthy of reverence among the gods.
यः पुनस्तुलसीमालां कण्ठे कृत्वा जनार्दनम् । पूजयेत्पुण्यमाप्नोति प्रतिपुष्पं गवायुतम्
Whoever, having placed a tulasi garland on his neck, worships Janardana, obtains for each flower the merit of giving ten thousand cows.
धारयन्ति न ये मालां हैतुकाः पापबुद्धयः । नरकान्न निवर्तंते दग्धाः कोपाग्निना हरेः
Those with wicked minds who do not wear the garland, out of reasoning, do not escape the hells, burned by the fire of Hari's wrath.
न जह्यात्तुलसीमालां धात्रीमालां विशेषतः । महापातकसंहर्त्रीं धर्मकामार्थदायिनीम्
One should never abandon the tulasi garland, especially the dhatri garland, which destroys great sins and bestows righteousness, desire, and wealth.
स्पृशेच्च यानि लोमानि धात्रीमाला कलौ नृणाम् । तावद्वर्षसहस्राणि वसते केशवालये
As many hairs as are touched by the dhatri garland on men in the Kali age, for that many thousands of years one dwells in the abode of Keshava.
निवेद्य केशवे मालां तुलसीकाष्ठसंभवाम् । वहते यो नरो भक्त्या तस्य वै नास्ति पातकम्
Whoever, having offered a garland made of tulasi wood to Keshava, wears it with devotion, truly has no sin.
तुलसीकाष्ठमालां तु प्रेतराजस्य दूतकाः । दृष्ट्वा नश्यन्ति दूरेण वातोद्धूतं यथा दलम्
When the messengers of the lord of the dead see a garland of tulasi wood, they flee far away, just as a leaf is blown by the wind.
तुलस्या विपिने धात्र्याश्छायासु यो नरोत्तमः । पिण्डं ददाति पितरो मुक्तिं यान्ति द्विजोत्तम
O best of twice-born, the excellent man who gives offerings to his ancestors in a tulasi grove or in the shade of a dhatri tree, his ancestors attain liberation.
पाणौ मूर्ध्नि गले चैव कर्णयोश्च मुखे द्विज । धात्रीफलं यस्तु धत्ते स विज्ञेयो हरिः स्वयम्
O Brahmin, whoever holds the dhatri fruit in his hand, on his head, neck, ears, or mouth, should be known as Hari himself.
धात्रीपत्रैः फलैर्विप्र श्रीहरिं चार्चयेद्द्विज । कोटिजन्मार्जितं पापं पूजया नश्यति सकृत्
O Brahmin, by worshipping Śrī Hari with the leaves and fruits of the dhātrī tree, even a single act of such worship destroys the sins accumulated over millions of births.
यज्ञादेवाश्च मुनयस्तीर्थानि कार्तिके द्विज । धात्रीवृक्षं समाश्रित्य तिष्ठन्ति कार्तिके सदा
O twice-born, in the month of Kārtika, the gods of sacrifice, sages, and holy places always reside near the dhātrī tree.