Padma Purana — Srishti Khanda, Shloka 131
The Glory of Dhātrī (Āmalakī) and Tulasī: Ekādaśī Observance and Protection from Preta States
तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन तुलसीसेवनं कुरु । तुलसी सेविता येन तेन सर्वं तु सेवितम्
tasmātsarvaprayatnena tulasīsevanaṃ kuru | tulasī sevitā yena tena sarvaṃ tu sevitam
پس ہر طرح کی کوشش کے ساتھ تلسی کی خدمت کرو۔ جس نے تلسی کی خدمت کی، اس نے یقیناً سب کی خدمت کر لی۔
Unspecified narrator/speaker (context not provided for precise dialogue attribution)
Concept: Serving Tulasi is tantamount to serving all divinity; devotion condensed into a single, accessible practice.
Application: Keep a Tulasi plant at home; offer water, light a lamp, do pradakṣiṇā, and use Tulasi leaves in Hari-pūjā daily—especially when time/resources are limited.
Primary Rasa: shanta
Secondary Rasa: adbhuta
Type: forest
Visual Art Cues: {"scene_description":"A devotee kneels beside a thriving Tulasi plant in a courtyard shrine, offering water with cupped hands while a small lamp flickers. Behind the devotee, faint translucent forms of many devas and devīs appear as if already worshiped through Tulasi-sevā, while a subtle Vishnu aura crowns the scene.","primary_figures":["Tulasi-devī (as the sacred plant, subtly personified)","a householder devotee","Vishnu’s radiant presence (aura or faint form)"],"setting":"Domestic courtyard shrine with Tulasi-vṛndāvana pedestal, small lamp, water pot, and prayer beads","lighting_mood":"golden dawn","color_palette":["leaf green","lotus pink","warm gold","indigo blue","white jasmine"],"tanjore_prompt":"Tanjore painting style: central Tulasi-vṛndāvana with ornate gold leaf borders; devotee offering water and flowers; Vishnu’s sapphire-blue aura behind, with faint devas/devīs in halos; rich reds and greens, gem-studded ornaments, heavy gold embellishment on pedestal and lamp.","pahari_prompt":"Pahari miniature style: intimate courtyard at sunrise; delicate Tulasi leaves rendered with fine brushwork; devotee in simple attire with mala; distant temple silhouette; cool yet luminous palette, refined facial features, lyrical naturalism.","kerala_mural_prompt":"Kerala mural style: stylized Tulasi shrine with bold outlines; devotee offering jala; Vishnu’s presence as a large-eyed, serene figure in the background; strong red/yellow/green pigments and temple-wall composition.","pichwai_prompt":"Pichwai cloth painting style: Tulasi plant centered like a deity; ornate floral borders, lotus motifs, hanging lamps; peacocks and cows at edges as symbols of Vaishnava auspiciousness; deep blues and gold with intricate patterns."}
Audio Atmosphere: {"recitation_mood":"devotional","suggested_raga":"Yaman","pace":"slow-meditative","voice_tone":"reverent-soft","sound_elements":["soft temple bells","morning birds","water poured in a thin stream","gentle tanpura drone","conch shell faintly"]}
Sandhi Resolution Notes: तस्मात्सर्वप्रयत्नेन = तस्मात् + सर्वप्रयत्नेन
FAQs
It presents Tulasi-sevā as a comprehensive devotional act: honoring Tulasi is portrayed as equivalent to honoring all that is worthy of worship and service, highlighting her exceptional sanctity in Vaiṣṇava devotion.
By recommending a simple, accessible devotional practice—serving Tulasi—with “all effort,” the verse stresses wholehearted devotion expressed through daily, tangible acts rather than merely abstract belief.
It encourages consistent, sincere discipline in spiritual life: prioritizing a focused devotional practice (Tulasi service) as a way to cultivate reverx (reverence), purity, and steadiness, rather than scattering one’s efforts across many rituals without depth.