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Shree Raam Charit Maanas |
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| Maanas-Biographies | ||
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There was a Raakshas named Jalandhar. His wife Vrindaa was a very Pativrataa (loyal to husband) woman. Jalandhar knew this and on this basis he was doing many bad Karm. Devtaa wanted to kill him but he was not being killed because of his wife's Paativrat Dharm. So to kill him Bhagavaan Vishnu had to break her Vrat by having her in the form of Jalandhar. When she came to know about this she gave Shaap to Vishnu - "You have broken my Paativrat Dharm. Go and become a stone." Vishnu accepted her Shaap and became the black stone as Shaaligraam. Then Vishnu said - "Your anger was appropriate so you gave me Shaap, but my Darshan does not go waste so I also give you a Var - "You will become Tulasee (a holy plant whose leaves are a part of Bhagvaan's Bhog - Prasaad) and I will not accept any food without you. You will grow abundantly in Vrindaavan and I will also be there for some time." Since then Bhagvaan's Bhog always contains a piece of Tulasee leaf. Nobody grows Tulasee from seed, because it is believed that if you grow Tulasee from seed, you should marry her. This marriage is performed like any other marriage performed in Hindu society. Her husband is Shaaligraam Jee. That is why people normally bring a small plant from somewhere and plant it at their place. Tulasee planted in this way need not be married. Nobody refuses to give Tulasee plant to anyone. Besides, nobody plants Tulasee inside the house. It is normally planted in courtyards of houses, but is worshipped normally two times a day - morning and evening. In the Kaartik month it has a special importance. Family women get up early in the morning (an hour before sunrise), take bath and worship Tulasee Jee. They normally do it in groups. They tell some stories also.
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