Tulsi-Basil is a Sacred plant which is respected and worshipped by hindus. In every house Tulsi plant is placed in front of the house entrance and worshiped her.
Tulsi is the wife of Lord Vishnu, It is also believed that ones house having tulasi plant will have a peace of mind, brings happiness, free from disease, evil effects, removes negative energy from home and get rid of death like pain.
Being Tulasi-Basil a holy plant and also having various healing properties, things should be considered before we pluck Sacred Tulsi leaves-Holy Basil Leaves.
Below Are The Tips To Take Care When You Are Planning To Pluck Tulsi leaves-Holy Basil Leaves or Chew Tulsi leaves Or Any Other Things You Are Planning To Do With Tulsi
1) Before plucking Tulsi leaves one should take bath and wear clean clothes.
2) One Should not use scissors or a knife to cut Basil leaves from the plant.
3) Always pluck leaves with your right hand while holding the branch in your left, take care not to break the branch.
4) Never Chew Tulsi leaves-Basil Leaves as chewing it is considered as a disrespectful act as per religious part and scientifically chewing Tulsi leaves-Basil Leaves can harm our teeth and gums as they contain Mercury. Instead of chewing Tulsi leaves it should be gulped down (mingatam) with a glass of water.
5) One Should not worship shiva or shivling (shivalingam) with tulsi leaves, as puranas says Tulsi cursed Lord Shiva and denied him the rights to use Tulsi leaves.
6) There are restrictions for plucking Tulsi leaves-Basil Leaves on certain days.
7) Do not pluck Tulsi leaves on Ekadashi
8) Do not pluck Tulsi leaves on Sundays
9) Do not pluck Tulsi leaves on Solar Eclipse (Surya Grahanam)
10) Do not pluck Tulsi leaves on Lunar Eclipse (Chandra Grahanam)
11) Do not pluck Tulsi leaves in the evenings/night
12) Tulsi should be worshiped everyday. Its good to worship tulsi plant in morning and evening by keeping earthen lamp (Deepam)
13) Never keep a dry tulsi plant in house. Keeping dry tulsi plant at home is considered inauspicious. The dry plant should be immersed in water (river, lake, pond).
14) One Should not worship Lord Ganesha with Tulsi leaves
15) Tulsi leaves should not be used in Lord Ganesha’s Prasad (prasadam)
16) Tulsi plant should not be kept inside the house.
17) One Should not sweep (broom) dried Tulsi leaves, instead collect those leaves and bury them.
18) Finally You should take permission from tulsi before plucking.
