Shloka 38
The Greatness of the Hymn to Tulasī
तुलसी स्तवसंतुष्टा सुखं वृद्धिं ददाति च । उद्गतं हेलया विद्धि पापं यमपथे स्थितम्
tulasī stavasaṃtuṣṭā sukhaṃ vṛddhiṃ dadāti ca | udgataṃ helayā viddhi pāpaṃ yamapathe sthitam
Wenn Tulasī durch Lobpreis erfreut ist, schenkt sie Glück und Gedeihen. Wisse: Sünde, selbst aus Unachtsamkeit begangen, erhebt sich und steht auf dem Pfad, der zu Yama führt.
Unspecified (narrative voice within Sṛṣṭikhaṇḍa; exact speaker not identifiable from the single verse alone)
Concept: Tulasi, pleased by sincere stava (praise), bestows sukha and vriddhi; heedless sin still matures into suffering on Yama’s path—therefore cultivate conscious devotion and restraint.
Application: Keep a daily Tulasi-stava practice; treat ‘small’ careless harms (speech, neglect, disrespect) as spiritually consequential; pair praise with ethical vigilance.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: bhayanaka
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"Inside a serene Vaishnava home shrine, a lush Tulasi plant in a raised vrindavana altar is garlanded and gently sways as a devotee recites her stava. In the background, a faint shadowy road symbolizing ‘Yama-patha’ dissolves into light, showing how heedless sin looms yet is checked by awakened devotion.","primary_figures":["Tulasi-devi (as sacred plant with subtle divine aura)","a Vaishnava householder devotee","Yama (symbolic, distant silhouette)"],"setting":"Domestic courtyard shrine with a Tulasi vrindavana, small Vishnu altar, copper water pot, and prayer manuscript leaf.","lighting_mood":"temple lamp-lit","color_palette":["emerald green","lamp-flame amber","sandalwood beige","vermilion red","midnight indigo"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: a South Indian courtyard Tulasi vrindavana altar with gold-leaf halo around the Tulasi plant, the devotee holding a palm-leaf manuscript of Tulasi-stava, Vishnu’s small icon on a pedestal, ornate arch motifs, rich reds and greens, gem-studded ornaments; in the far background a subdued, symbolic Yama-patha rendered in dark indigo fading into gold radiance.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate household Tulasi shrine with delicate brushwork, soft green foliage, a devotee seated cross-legged reading a stava, lyrical naturalism with a faint misty path in the distance hinting at Yama’s road, refined faces, cool shadows and gentle dawn-like glow.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: bold black outlines and natural pigments, Tulasi vrindavana centered with stylized leaves, devotee in traditional attire offering water, a small symbolic Yama figure at the edge in dark tones, strong red/yellow/green palette, temple-wall aesthetic and large expressive eyes.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: Tulasi vrindavana framed by intricate floral borders and lotus motifs, deep blue background with gold highlights, small Vishnu emblem above, peacocks near the shrine, the ‘Yama-patha’ suggested as a decorative dark band dissolving into floral light patterns."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Bhairavi","pace":"moderate-narrative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["temple bells","soft conch shell","night insects","oil-lamp crackle","brief silence after the warning of Yama-path"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: stavasaṃtuṣṭā = stava-saṃtuṣṭā; yamapathe = yama-pathe.
FAQs
It presents Tulasī as responsive to sincere praise (stava), granting sukha (well-being) and vṛddhi (prosperity), framing devotion as both spiritually and practically beneficial.
Helayā indicates negligence or casual disregard—wrongdoing that may not be planned yet still generates pāpa and leads one toward consequences symbolized as the ‘path of Yama’ (yamapatha).
The verse pairs a positive practice (praise and reverence) with a caution: even careless actions have moral weight, so one should cultivate mindful conduct and devotional respect.