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Part 1: The Auspicious Union of Śaṅkhacūḍa and Tulasī Oṁ Śrī Gaṇeśāya Namaḥ Bhakratuṇḍa Mahākāya Śrī Koṭi Samaprabha Nirvighnam Kurume Deva Sarvakāryeṣu Sarvadā Oṁ Śrī Sarasvatī Namaḥ Sarasvatī Namastu Bhyam Bharade Kāmarūpiṇī Vidyārambha Kariṣyāmi Siddhir Bhavtume Sadhā Oṁ Śrī Gurve Namaha Guru Urvah Maa, Guru Vishnu, Guru Vishnu, Gurudevai Maheshwara Guru Shakshad, Parham Brahma, Tasmai Shri Gurave Namaha Niraamayaah, Sarve Bhadraani Pashyantu, Maa Kashcid-Duhkha-Bhaag-Bhavet Oṁ Asato mā Sadgamaya, Tamaso mā Jyotirgamaya, Mṛtyor mā Amṛtaṁ Gamaya Om Śāntiḥ Śāntiḥ... Om Saha nāv avatu, saha nau bhunaktu, saha vīryaṃ karavāvahai, tejasvi nāv adhītam astu, mā vidviṣāvahai Om Śāntiḥ Śāntiḥ... Śrī Parampitā, Śrī Gaṇeśa Bhagavān, Sarasvatī Mātā, Gurujan, Sant Mahātmā, and with the blessings of all the Ṛṣis, with the permission of all, I would like to start today’s Śivapurāṇa’s evening sermon. Ācārya Rājan Śarmā wishes you all a hearty Namaḥ and Avinānand. Please accept it. If you are in this hall, outside, or anywhere, then to listen to this Śivapurāṇa’s amṛta-mayī bhāṣaṇī, to listen to it, to understand it, sit in āsana, be in resolve. Such a time, such an opportunity does not come again and again in this life. Death, wherever we are, if we worship such an immortal being, we are free from the sin of millions. Our mind and body get energy. That’s why I request you that you keep listening to this Purāṇa till the end. This Purāṇa will be in two languages. With the grace and blessings of God, Goddess, Guru, Saraswatī Mātā, all the deities, and saints, I would like to welcome all of you from the bottom of my heart. Please accept my warm greetings from Acharya Rajan Sharma. Today we are in a very auspicious chapter, a very good chapter, which is very wonderful. It is saying that if you listen to this one, you can wipe off the karma, the bad karmas you have collected from many, many lives. You can wipe them off, and this is a wonderful, amazing story—some tragedy, some happiness, some sorrow, pain, but it’s a wonderful, experimented chapter. That’s all are true, all are experimented. But there is one also: this chapter talks about why we have to use tulasī, and what’s the behind story on it, and what is the śāligrām? So it’s a stone, the holy stone, and is that proved, or is that experimented? Which lab experimented, and what’s the value? And Shiva and Vishnu, why do they work together? Everything comes in it. So, this is a very long chapter, but I’m trying to give you information in summary, but which is very authentic and which is very important, because we might not have time to read all the books. It takes a longer time, and if you already read also, it will be very helpful, and also that I’m going to present what other Purāṇas also say about these topics. We’ll discuss later on here. First of all, Brahmā asks to the Nārada, asks to the Brahmā, "Oh, Brahmā Pitājī, please tell me why the Viṣṇu went to Tulasī’s house. Tulasī was wife of the demon before." And why did Viṣṇu go to Tulasī’s house? And why is Tulasī very important? And why Śāligrām is wonderful. And what is the importance of the Tulasī, Śāligrām, and all those things that come with the prayers? So this story is Nārada’s journey to Brahmā. And Brahmā says that, well, these are the wonderful things of ancient times. And Brahmā said, "There are many ages, many eras, but I would like to talk about one era, one thing. In ancient times, obviously, there was Brahmā, who created the manas putra." You might know that at the time of creation, Brahmā wanted to continue, and Brahmā wanted many families in this world for protection and continuation. At that time, Marīci was one of his sons, Marīci, and Marīci also... Among many sages, Marīci is one of the sons, and after that, Marīci’s son is Kaśyapa. So Kaśyapa is the father of demons and divines, gods and demons. So he’s the father. That’s why, in case when you’re doing the prayer, worshiping, or anything, if somebody asks, "What’s your gotra? What’s your lineage? What’s your, uh, the ancestor?" That time, you can say it. If you are confused, Kaśyapa. So Kaśyapa is all the demons’ and gods’ father also. So when Kaśyapa ṛṣi was ready to marriage, and he was a brilliant and very religious person, truthful, honest, and meditative. At that time, Dakṣa Prajāpati had 13 girls, 13 daughters, and he was ready to give them in marriage to Kaśyapa. He gave his hand of his daughters, the 13 girls, the Kaśyapa Ṛṣi married. So Kaśyapa Ṛṣi had got, how many? Why 13? And among the 13, there are two who were very important: Diti and Danu. So from Danu, that comes Danava. Danu, Danu’s all sons are Danava. And Diti is Devatā. From Devatā came from the Devatā. That’s why, in many—not only this Purāṇa, some other Purāṇas also—that explains the Devatā and Dānav from the same father, but the mother is different. That’s why it is saying that whatever the breast feed... According to the breast, you will have the brain. So that’s why the milk, whatever they drink. And Diti was one of the nice ladies, but she always wanted some arrogant and violent, strong sons according to her wish, and Dhanava came. So, and Aditi was silent, calm, cool, other respected, and she always wanted the nice sons like God, and she got God. So that’s why, whatever you wish, also that works great. What sort of children? What sort of generation you want to make? That’s in your mind. That’s why, don’t blame only your kids, oh. You are silly, so there is some, your contribution also goes, credit also goes, that’s why it is saying that. So Dhanu have got a lot of demons, and Viprachit, and from Viprachit, Dhamma came. So Dhamma Viprachit went to meditation, and he did not have a son, and Brahmā gave blessings. Similarly, Dambha also went to meditate, and when he meditated, he found out about Śaṅkhacūḍa. Śaṅkhacūḍa is one of the popular demons, and he has a great story, and because of him, the whole world was terrified. His name is Śaṅkhacūr, and Śaṅkhacūr is one of the popular demons. So it’s very hard to remember, isn’t it? Brahmā, Marīci, Kaśyap, Diti, Danu, and after that, Vipracit and Dambā, and after Dambha, Śaṅkhacūḍa, and this story about the Śaṅkhacūḍa, so you might easily remember, isn’t it so? If you want to know more about the Śiva Purāṇa or the Rudra Saṁhitā, you can read about it. There is a lot of knowledge and devotion in the Śiva Purāṇa. You can read about it anywhere. But this Amṛt Bāṇī will not only purify your ears, but also purify your body and karma. In Brahmā’s Manasā Putra, there was a son named Marīci who was born from the heart. So along with Marīci, Ṛṣi Kaśyapa was born, and he was very religious. Kashyap Ṛṣi had 13 wives. He had 13 wives because Dakṣa Prajāpati got him married to his 13 daughters. In 13, Diti and Dhanu were the main wives. Dhanu gave birth to Dhanav, and Diti gave birth to Devatā. That’s why Devatā and Dānav have only one father, Kaśyap, and the mother is different. So because of the same Diti, the whole Devatā was born, and for Dānav, the children of Dhanu came in the form of Dānav. And in that too, Viprachit was a very dangerous Dānav; his son Dharma was born. And Dharma also did not have a child. That is why, in the ārādhana, in the yoga, in the penance, while doing penance, while doing penance, Brahmājī got his blessings, that no god in the world can defeat him. He needs a son like that. He did a very severe penance. After that penance, he got a son named Śaṅkhacūr. So, based on that, son, there is a very long, very old, very important Amṛt Bāṇī story here. This story used to be told thousands of years ago in Satya Yuga. We are fortunate that we are able to listen to it in our own country. It is not just about the story of Śaṅkhacūḍa. In India, scientists have done a lot of research. It has been proven. That is why it is proven. It is a proven topic. That is what is ahead of us. How Saṅkhchur takes our lives forward. So Dharma did not have any son. So Dhamma was the son of Viprachit, and Dhamma was a demon. And he went to the jungle, and he meditated for a longer and longer time. And for hundreds of years, he meditated. After meditation, that Brahma is pleased. And after pleasing Brahma, he came and then blessed him. And he told, "Well, I need a brave son, a very brave son, who cannot be defeated by any god or goddess, or any human being, or anyone." So I need that most strong and brave son who can continue the existence and the identity of Dhanav. He wanted that, and he asked for it. Because of the blessing, Brahma’s blessing, Brahma says, "Okay, whatever you want, you will get it." Brahma is very kind, isn’t it? When you meditate, so ancient times, the holy story says that whenever any great demons, great gods, they come, first they go to meditation. The meditation is acquiring the divine power. Without divine power, we will be normal persons. So when you get the divine power, you will be amazing and blessed. You can perform in a great way. So, in the same way, there is also the tradition, and Śaṅkarācārya also went to meditation, and he got great power. And Brahmā said to Śaṅkarācārya, "Well, Śaṅkarācārya, you will have an amazing relationship." That’s husband and wife, amazing relationship. And because of your wife, your braveness will increase, and also you will be very brave in this world. No matter whatever demon comes, demon arrives, but your name will be taken at first, and Śaṅkara Chud was one of the brave demons, and Śaṅkar Chud was not only a demon, he was a sādhu also. He said he has got a god quality as well, because Śaṅkar Chud was before, in Dvāpar Yuga, Śaṅkar Chud was Kṛṣṇa’s friend. He was the Krishna’s friend, he was a Sudāmā, and Sudāmā, one of the gopīs, he used to look after the cows in Vṛndāvan. Go look, so that’s why one day Rādhā, uh, there is a problem with Rādhā, and Rādhā cursed the gopī, and the gopī became the Śaṅkhacūḍa. So there’s a Sankhachur was previously a friend of Krishna, so he has got blessings, and Krishna already designed that. So you have got the curse from Rādhā, but don’t worry. Then, at one stage, Mahādeva will kill you, and when Mahādeva kills that time, you will come to Vaikuṇṭha, you will come to me, you will merge one day, so then you will have liberation. So that was his blessings, and at that time, the Śaṅkarācārya started to meditate. He has great power, and when he meditated thousands and thousands of years, and, brave person, he was already a Kṛṣṇa bhakta, and Brahmā gave the Kṛṣṇa kavaca. What he gave? Kṛṣṇa kavaca. Kṛṣṇa kavaca is like a Sudarśana cakra. No one can defeat him. That was a strong. Kavaca’s weapons, the divine weapons that have been passed down by Krishna himself, so that’s amazing. Krishna Kavaca, because he was the friend of Krishna in a previous life, that’s why when he meditated, Brahmā gave him, and that was wonderful. Also, he got the Krishna mantra as well. It’s a powerful mantra. Whenever he has a problem, he can use it to protect him. That was the wonderful thing. And in the same way, there is one lady, and her name is Tulasī. And Tulasī was by both she—It was wonderful. That’s a religious call, and she is very spiritual. She always used to meditate, and she has got... she was a great yogī, Tulasī. And Tulasī was always meditating, and she always wants something good, and not for her husband. She wants to meditate for God and purity, so she was meditating there. And Śaṅkacūr was also very brave, and Brahmā told, Brahmā blessed to Śaṅkacūr, "Well, you will be going to marry a beautiful lady who is very divine, a very great yoginī." Because of her goodness, her dharma, you will have more bravery, and you will have strength, and no one can defeat you. That was Brahmā’s blessing. And when he got the blessing, he started to look after where the Tulasī is. Where is she? Where is meditating? And he went to Tulasī’s kingdom, and Tulasī was meditating there. Tulasī was meditating deeply, and she doesn’t know, she doesn’t care about anything, marriage or anything. She just wants to complete her tapasyā, her devotion. At that time, the Sankhchur went and just confronted the Tulasī, and Tulasī was meditating there and asked, "Who are you? Why did you come?" And it is said that in the Śivapurāṇa, so it’s very important things she told to the Sankhchur. You know that? You don’t need to come closer. So, woman, because of the woman, because of the Nāḍī, Brahmā also failed. He cannot resist, and Vishnu also failed. So many Gauras, and Gauras also failed. So better not to come closer to me. You might fall, you might fail because of the woman power. So woman is poison, and woman is nectar as well. That’s why, don’t close, she told. And Śaṅkarācārya also told, well, all males are not like that, Tulasī. So I am not coming here just for your attraction. I don’t care. But I just want to fulfill my blessings. Brahma blessed me that you are the one. And if you remember, if you meditate, "I am the one." So I am not attracted physically. So we have got the eternal blessings. So I came to receive, I came to fulfill that blessing. Because of the blessings, I came here, so he told. And Tulasi said, "Well, that says the first, every man says that." But when the woman comes closer, then you fall in love. And then that happens, and you cannot maintain your strength. And the Śaṅkhāsura said, "Yeah." And Śaṅkhāsura said that, "No, no,... no." It can’t be possible. It cannot be. So you can test me, whatever you want. And she tested that. She tested. So maybe you need to learn that, what is the formula? And she tasted, and Saṅkarṣur said, "Well, I am not in infatuation, I am not fluttering, I am not in attraction. Just, I came here, I saw your heart. You are not beautiful only externally, but you are beautiful inside as well. So I am the one." So it is saying that the marriage is predetermined, and it is already predetermined. It is decided in heaven, and we celebrate on earth. It is saying the marriage, so that’s why he also said that, well, so we are in our destiny, so no matter you taste or not, so I’m not attracted. And Tulasī said, "Well, now you pass. That’s all right, then." So, because I was testing you, and you are the person, you are the brave person. You did not come, and you do not lose your emotions, and you don’t bring in the... You never lost, so you always remain in that strength. So I like this sort of person. And if some person comes and is emotionally lost, later on he will go away. So I always want a strong person. So you are strong, okay? You are eligible. Now you pass, you pass the exam, so we can marry. And at the same time, it says, like the Śaṅkhasūda also said, "Well, this is also my taste as well. Many girls, many, they are attracted to the appearance, physical appearance, and their braveness, but I’m..." So happy that you are not like that, so we have got that great vision, great aim, so our life will be successful. So there is something, some reason, that’s why I came here. And, in the same time, they were discussing, and Brahmā appeared, and Brahmā said, "Oh, while you are... why are you debating? There was already fixed, so you’re supposed to marry." And Śaṅkarācārya would accept. Okay, we’ll do the Gandharva Vīvā then. So Gandharva Vīvā, there are a variety of the Vīvā. The marriage is normally, it explains eight types of marriage in different scriptures. The aim is the Brahma Vivā. The Brahma Viva is, you go to the girl’s father’s house and you ask, and the father comes and they do the swaṁpar, kanyādān. So that is the Brahmavivāha, and similarly, Kumbhavivāha, Gandharvavivāha, and Nāgavivāha. So there is a variety of the marriage types, and Śaṅkhacūr wants to do the Gandharvavivāha. Gandharvavivāha is dancing and also doing the attraction, but not in a big volume, so it’s like love marriage nowadays. So he wanted that, and she accepted. They got married, and after marriage, both are yogīs, so when you have the same energy, both you are yogīs, there will be no, no fight. Evening, "Oh, I want to do meditation," and you will not say, "Oh, no, no..." This time for dinner, she will not say, "Oh no, no, this is time for dinner," because both are meditative. They sit together and meditate jointly. That’s why it is saying that whatever you do for spirituality is better to do together. So there will not be conflict. You meditate together, you do yoga, so sometimes you do partner yoga as well, and sometimes you meditate together. You go on retreat, pilgrimage together, and have a nice bond, and you’re living for a purpose. Not for physically, or not for just maintaining your house, wife, or house life, so you’re going together. So, Saṅkhacūḍ and Tulasī also married now, in this point. Brahma Yogī will be there, and Tulasī will be very religious. She will give you a lot of blessings. Being a wife and husband, both of you will have a lot of strength. This was the blessing of Brahmā Jī. What is there in husband and wife? Whatever is written remains the same. That’s why the marriage that happens in heaven is decided, and they come to earth and celebrate. So, he went to Tulasī with the blessings of Brahmā. When Tulasī was meditating, he went to Śaṅkhacūr. And Saṅkhacūr tested Tulasī. Tulasi, I am beautiful, I am handsome. Come, get married. But Tulasī also tested, "I will not stay with a man who is attracted like this." Because men are very soft. They are attracted and then leave the girl. That’s why I never get attracted to anyone. So he said, "Then, Śaṅkarācārya, you don’t need such a girl for me either." First, she gets attracted to me, then she leaves me. So both of them were getting married. At that time, Brahmājī came. Brahmājī said, "You both were already determined to get married." So you get married. So what did both of them do? They got married in Gandharva, and they lived happily ever after. Tulasi and Śaṅkarācārya got married. After the marriage of Rādhā and Rāma, they continued to sit together, and Tulasī Yoginī was a dharma parāyaṇī. Due to this, her dhanav power also increased a lot. One is the dharma of husband and wife. The other is that, along with her, was Krishna’s cover. By doing both, the dhanav became very powerful. So, she gradually started ruling over all three worlds. Devatā, dhanav, all the people started becoming trahimāṃs. So he was not hungry or naked because he was a religious man, but he took the deities from heaven. And the deities were sad, and everyone else was happy. That is why, if the relationship between husband and wife is good, then no one in the world can move. That is why first the husband and wife have a relationship with each other. When the relationship is made, it will be very good. That is why it is said that in today’s times, if you bring the time of marriage, then in the first year of marriage, the husband keeps talking and the wife keeps listening. And in the second year of marriage, the power of the wife increases, and the wife keeps talking and the husband keeps listening. Then, in the third year, the husband and wife fight, and the neighbor keeps listening. That is why in today’s society there are many differences between husband and wife. But our scriptures say that if husband and wife are separate, and wife and husband are together, then there is not much power in anything. The power of wife and husband, the power of husband and wife, the power of religion is very strong. This is how Śaṅkhacūḍa got it. That’s why in this society, in this world, this Purāṇa teaches us that wherever you are, however you are, you should easily accept each other’s qualities and friends and live your life to the fullest. So there was a person, and he went to meditate. He asked God, "Oh God, please give me a perfect wife." So perfect, beautiful, perfect, and rich, intellectual, educated, and spiritual. Perfect God. And God said, "Well, I’m happy with your meditation, but I cannot give this boon to you." And he said, "Why not? What’s wrong with this?" And he said, "Because this sort of God doesn’t exist in the world." Come to the yoga and daily life, yeah? Otherwise, so Brahmā said, so that means whatever you have, the successful marriage is not that perfect husband and perfect wife, but that is you accept whatever you have got, negativity or positivity, you accepting. So it is saying that in successful marriage, you need to fall in love every day, but with the same person, not with different persons, and also always continuously forgive. So it’s a good union, unification between two persons: forgiveness, the unification between two persons, the forgivers, two. Forgiver’s company is the marriage, successful marriage, and Tulasī and Saṅkaśur was also there, so they were a very happy couple, and he was Kṛṣṇa’s bhakti as well, that’s why he did not do that much harm, but he’s very powerful, and he always tortures God, and he attacked Indra in Surga, in heaven, and they always ran away. When the demon’s powers came, the gods were always in problems. And Sankhachur, Tulasi, very happy, their power was very popular in Triloka, Satyaloka, that’s Martya Loka, two here in. The earth in every way, so that’s why they were a very happy couple and wonderful couple. They always, they were the example couple also. So it is saying that this program wants to say that the strength of love is powerful, so the strength of love is very powerful. If husband and wife have got a strong bond, then they can do anything. But if there is a problem, then other people come and they take advantage, obviously. So that’s why it is saying. For the beautiful couple life, you never leak your secrecy to other people, so other people will put vested interest and take benefit. So if you see Śiva and Pārvatī, they have got a good bond, so always they help each other. So in husband wife, also, when we see that our life is not for that pleasure, not only for intimacy, not only for the children or family, both of you came for marriage for the helping of each other, for spiritual growth, for happiness. If you understand in that way. Definitely, she’s helping him, and he’s helping her, and this will be a very happy marriage life, couple life. In the same way, here also, Śaṅkhacūḍa and that Tulasī are very happy, but they are always torturing God. The Śaṅkhacūḍa is very brave. No one can destroy, no one can do, because he has a number one Sudarśana Cakra that Kṛṣṇa covers. Second is the Kṛṣṇa mantra, and third is the patnīs, the wife’s power. So, we both have got a great love with wife and husband; they have got strength and power, obviously. In nowadays, you can see there is a little bit fraction in society, and people are very weak. When they are weak inside, no matter, no matter you have fame, name, property, asset, everything, but if there is a tension in your home then the people become always weak. So if you are successful in business, maybe in office, a very high degree, but if, when you dominate in your home, what will happen? That’s always fight. Then it will be the problem, so that’s why is it saying in science also, always maintain the love? One day, there was a husband and wife, and the wife told the husband—always he used to be scared with wife—and he asked one day. They went to see the zoo, animal zoo, and husband he saw the tiger, two tigers were playing nicely and loving each other, and he asked, "I would like to ask one thing, my dear." That husband asked his wife, "What would you like to ask? Why is the tiger not getting along with his wife?" And what’s the difference, and he said, she said, "Well, the human being, they marry, but they don’t love. But the tiger, an animal, they don’t marry, but love." So the difference is that if you have love, then it will go together. The minute we marry, we think that each other’s asset, so that’s why it’s a power, the problem of power, ego that comes. An animal, they don’t marry but still love, so the mean, it means like always we have got blessings, and if you have love, that is the powerful pati. Brata dharma, pati brata dharma, is very powerful. That is why you have read in many places that Rāma won over Sītā’s husband’s religion. In this way, you can see that Mahādev won over Pārvatī’s husband’s religion. And Viṣṇu Bhagavān Ājaya is the husband of Lakṣmī. He is always powerful. That is why in today’s society, in today’s world, we should learn that the power that is in the husband’s heart is the most powerful. How does that power come, that if one does not insult the other, then that becomes the power of the house? And now the husband’s attention is on one side, and the husband’s attention is on the other side. And when the husband gets a call, he goes to the toilet and calls outside alone, and the husband has doubts. What happens gradually is that there is a fight. That is why, if you see anything in a positive light, if your wife cooks something at home and the salt is not enough, you can say that your hand is very good, but the salt was not there, but still it is very tasty. So if you say it will be very good, then you will scold, "Hey, why did you not get salt?" If you say like this to your mother-in-law, then she will get angry. So by doing this, what is the art of life? What does this Purāṇa and all our scriptures teach? It teaches the art of living life. Part 2: The Power of Union and the Story of Tulasī Tulasī is also very happy. Not only Tulasī, but if you see all the scriptures, Mahādeva is brave because his wife has devotion and the husband has devotion—both ways. So they have strength. And if you see Lakṣmī and Viṣṇu also, they are each other’s strength and very brave because of it. Lakṣmī’s power, her devotion towards her husband Viṣṇu, is such that she is always brave. And Śiva is the same way. If you see from another perspective, Rādhā-Kṛṣṇa and everywhere, there is the power of the wife and husband. When those two unions unite, that is a wonderful power. That is also taught in our scriptures, even in this modern society. It is wonderful. If you unite with each other, that will be a happy married life—the union of two forgivers. One day, while meditating, Tulasī asked Śaṅkara, “Well, Śaṅkara, we are so happy because of my meditation, my devotion towards you, and you are also powerful. Yet, I am fearful sometimes; I have doubt sometimes. What will happen?” And Śaṅkara said, “No, you do not need to doubt because as long as you are powerful, as long as you are putting your mind, your devotion, and connection with me, and you are not going with anyone, and you are not sharing your energy with anyone, our power is multiplied. That is why I am always happy. I am lucky enough to find a wife like you.” And Saṅkāsura also said that, and Tulasī also said, “Well, I am also lucky enough to find a husband like you.” I know you also say those words every day, do you not? In your home, good, wonderful—keep saying. In the same way, they are happily married. Saṅkāsura is always convinced. One day, when the gods were in problems, all those gods tried to defeat him; they tried to fight with Saṅkāsura, but Saṅkāsura defeated them. All the gods and goddesses, and many gods died, and they could not win against Śaṅkarācārya’s power. Śaṅkarācārya was very powerful. What happened after that? All the gods went to Brahmā’s place and said, “Brahmā, oh Brahmā, please save the universe. The universe, he is good, they are good, but there is no place for God. So we need a power, we need to do something, and you bless them. How can we reclaim our heavens?” They were crying and appealing, and after that, they went to Śiva. They always go to Śiva. Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Maheśa work together. If there is a problem of power, how come they work together when there is a problem? That is why it is said that there is a tree. Deva is the power. So that is the three forms of one power, one unity, but in different names. That is it. There is no discrimination, no fight. No fight between Śaiva, no fight between the Viṣṇu, Viṣṇu, no Śākta—that is all the same. And they went to Viṣṇu. Brahmā took them to Viṣṇu’s place, and Viṣṇu also went together to Śiva’s place, and they talked to each other. “Well, Saṅkāsura is not a normal demon. He has got great power from his wife, and Kṛṣṇa covers and also the mantra he always meditates on. So meditation, he has got great power. That is why you are saying that.” And I heard that one yogī, he never eats anything also. He is coming to this Kumbha Melā. He always takes only the breathings—air, only air, sun, that is it. So the meditative yogī does not need anything. He creates the hormones himself to enjoy, to remain happy, to maintain. And sometimes it challenges science as well. Science says, like, you cannot exist after 22 days of fasting, but there are many cases, an experiment in Nepal as well. One guy did meditation for 60 days without any food, so maybe there is, there is amazing, there is miracle powers with the yogī when you have got into spirituality. That is amazing. Things we cannot guess, we cannot say anything. So, in the same way, there is a power with that dānava, and power, meditative yogī, meditative dānava, and Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśa were saying that. “Well, let us then unite something, create something.” And Mahādeva says, like, “Well, Kṛṣṇa already blessed that before. He is not a normal demon; he is the friend of Kṛṣṇa, and Kṛṣṇa already told that Mahādeva’s triśūla will kill the demon, and then after that the demon will merge in Kṛṣṇa.” Kṛṣṇa then said, “That was the destiny. I can surely help you, but let us find how we can do it.” And they went to fight: Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśa, all the Deva Gaṇas, Nandī, Bhṛṅgī, Gaṇeśa. This time he remembered Gaṇeśa as well, so they worshipped Gaṇeśa, and Gaṇeśa also went together. Everyone fought, but Śaṅkarācārya was brave. He was always happy, and he was never defeated. And Mahādeva also tired. It says, like, thousands of years of fight, not only one year’s fight. So that means the fight between positive and negative has been going on for many years. It was there, now is also, later also. That is why there is always good and bad, and that entity always fights each other. But finally, the victory of truth happens for always, for sure. And they were fighting, and Mahādeva is very tired. “Oh my God, what are we going to do?” And Mahādeva said, “Well, we might not win against him, so we need to do something.” And Mahādeva came back. Mahādeva came back, and Viṣṇu also decided, “So how can we win against Saṅkāsura?” And Saṅkāsura is very brave, brave demons. And that time, Mahādeva told, “Well, he has got, until he has got the power of his wife, he will not die.” So that is why, for this one, we need a trick. And Viṣṇu wanted to make one trick. And what was the trick? The trick is to make something powerless. The powerless means that he can snatch the Kṛṣṇa cupboards. Also, there needs to be some separation between husband and wife. There needs to be a balance. That is why you need to be very careful. Sometimes, from the outside, energy comes to separate a husband and wife’s love. So, always, if you are cautious, you will not lose that power. And Viṣṇu makes a trick. First, he wanted to snatch the cupboards, the Kṛṣṇa cupboards. And he disguised himself in a different form, that of a poor brāhmaṇa. He became a very poor brāhmaṇa, and he went to Saṅkācūḍa’s house. “Oh Saṅkācūḍa, look at this. I am so weak. I am so hungry. I would like to ask something. Can you please give me something? I am begging you.” And Saṅkācūḍa is dhanam and also spiritual. He is a brāhmaṇa. The poor brāhmaṇa asks, “Then can you give me something without asking?” Also, that our tradition is brāhmaṇa. Brāhmaṇa means one who knows the Brahma, who knows the Veda, who is the intellectual person. We love to donate because that dhan, that asset, will spread the knowledge towards the world. That is why they donate. A brāhmaṇa priest, and then an intellectual person, and he comes, he arrives at his gate. So he is a very adorable and kind and generous demon, and said, “Well, I can give you that. That is not a problem. That is okay. So, what would you like to ask?” And the poor brāhmaṇa trickfully asks, “Well, I do not need anything except your Kṛṣṇa covers.” He said, “Oh, Kṛṣṇa covers? What do you need? Who are you? I thought you are asking for some rice or some money or some land you are asking? Kṛṣṇa covers that. It is my favorite thing,” he said. “Well, you already promised that you want to give. If you do not want to give, that is all right. I am going. You know that once you promise and you do not give, what will be the result?” And he always wanted to curse or something, obviously. And Śaṅkarācārya, scared, “Well, well, all right, all right, I am going to, you are going to give you Kṛṣṇakarabas,” and he handed over the Kṛṣṇakarabas to the Brahmā. So his first power was Kṛṣṇakarabas, that was meditative power from the Brahmā, then Viṣṇu snatched it. So that is why when you do not take that ghee from the straight finger, what do you do? Squeeze. In the same way, Viṣṇu also did the trick and snatched the Kṛṣṇa Kabha. Śaṅkarācārya was very powerful, and his wife’s dharma was powerful. But along with that, there was Kṛṣṇa Kābhā. And what did Viṣṇu do to snatch Kṛṣṇa Kabha? He went to a poor brāhmaṇa and asked for alms from him. When he asked for alms, he said, “I will give.” So, the brāhmaṇa said, “At least make a decision first.” So, when someone makes a decision, he has to give it. Otherwise, he feels guilty, and he feels more guilty than guilty. So, he made a decision to give it to the brāhmaṇa. After making a decision, he asked, “What do you want, old brāhmaṇa?” So, he said, “I do not want anything else, Lord. I want the Kṛṣṇa Kabaj that you have.” So, what is that? He was surprised. Now we will have one bhajan, and we will go ahead. So it is very interesting. We keep doing it. It is a long story, but to summarize, we already finished five chapters when we arrived here. Guru Bhakta Jagat Me Narahe, Jara Jara Gorose Jara. Krishna, Krishna, Vishnu, Gurujī kī Saptare, Sattā Gurujī kī Sevā, Sapti, Sapti,... Sapti. O bhakti, bīna jīva duḥkh pāvah, jaya jaya... Jai Bhole Brahma Viṣṇu Maheśvar kī. Jai. So there was the preparation. So Viṣṇu already snatched the Kṛṣṇa Kabas. He demanded, and the Dānava Saṅkacūḍa gave the Kṛṣṇa Kabas. And after giving the Kṛṣṇa Kabas, the dāna of demon Śaṅkacūḍa became very weak, and still there is another power, the beautiful power, is the pativratā dharma, the dharma from the Tulasī. And how can we snatch? Then Viṣṇu, what he did, you can guess, he disguised himself as a demon. He holds the Kṛṣṇa covers with him, and he went to Tulasī’s house, Tulasī’s room. And he just gets up from his vehicle as a demon. And Tulasī, always when the svāmī comes, when a husband comes, what happens? They welcome with the holy waters, they bathe his feet, and also give nice food and everything. And she asks, “How is it going? How is your health?” Everything. And Viṣṇu just acted like, “Oh, I am good, all right. There was a fight, uh, that is a very heavy fight, but because of you, still I am alive. Thank you, darling. So you are great, and without you, I cannot live here.” He is still as usual, and there was a Kṛṣṇa cover with him, so she did not doubt anymore, and that is why later on that slowly, slowly, slowly... Viṣṇu involved with her, and there was a lot of intimacy and so many things, and he involved, Viṣṇu involved with the Tulasī. And when night finished overnight, then in the morning, because he, Viṣṇu, already snatched the Śakti, the Patnī Śakti, Pati Vrata. She is now no more that Eka Patnī Vrata or Eka Patī Vrata. That is the finish, that is over. And in the morning, Viṣṇu did not show any interest, so because he already—whatever he came, whatever he needed to do—he did and finished, and he... She was not interested anymore in the morning, and so, slowly, she started to doubt. “Well, if my husband, he was continuously interested. So his love, he is adorable. How come this man slowly, slowly disconnected and is not interested anymore in the morning? In the nighttime, he was so interested. He is so kind. He is so polite.” So surprised. And she has got doubt. “Oh my God, what is going to happen now?” And she started, and she showed the furious anger. “And tell me who you are. So, why did you do this great sin to me? That is really unfair, so I am going to curse you. Who are you? Tell me honestly.” And she started to yell and shout, “This is my tapasyā. I am the yoginī, and my tapasyā is to be involved with only one husband from birth to death, but you destroyed that, and you better receive my curse,” she started. And Viṣṇu also said, “Oh, look at this. In front of honesty and truth, it needs to be feared.” Or Viṣṇu also started saying, “Well, well, stop, stop... I will tell you the truth and who you are, because you know that I am Viṣṇu. Sorry for that, so because I need to come here to make your husband weak.” And in the meantime, Viṣṇu messages Śiva, so Śiva now... “I finished my duty.” So at that time, the Dānava became so weak and weak and weak that he was about to die, that Dānava. At that time, Śaṅkaracūḍa, and Tulasī was so angry, and she found out that he is tricky and he is cheating. And instantly she goes, “Well, so you are the great betrayer. You know that? That you separated, and you did something wrong that you were not supposed to do. That was my asset. That was my power, that was my power and commitment and honesty and dignity and integrity with my husband from my wedding date. So you are the great liar, and you are the good liar as well. It is the best liar.” So he did everything. They come with the Kṛṣṇa covers, and she cursed that from today you should remain as like a stone. The passion means the stone, and she was yelling, cursing, “You are the betrayer,” and sometimes people will doubt you. “So you have got a beautiful wife there, Lakṣmī, and you came here with me in disguise.” So she was crying and ailing, and that was the really tragic thing, is it not, for one woman? But the beast who said, like, “Well, there was no choice. It is not my choice that it happens. That is the līlā, māyā, and māyā from the Mahādeva, so I cannot do. I am not the kartā, so I am not the doer. Somebody designed it, so I need to go through. It is so, that is why this is for a good reason. I cannot say no, so because of Mahādeva, because of Brahmā, all God is to protect them, the divinity of the universe, to save the identity, to sweep the dignity and descendant of this universe. I came here, so sorry for that, my apology. But if you curse, that is fine. When you curse, I become light. So that is why it is saying that if you did a mistake and somebody did not act anything towards you, that is the heaviest thing for you, that if they, somebody came, and then that some bite or give you punishment that makes you lighter because you are punished, so you can finish your karma.” And Viṣṇu also said, “All right, then, okay, so I accept. From today, I am happy to remain as a stone, so I am happy to remain as a stone.” So that is why it is saying that Viṣṇu is very happy to remain as a stone. And at the same time, what she was cursing, keep cursing to Viṣṇu, that time Mahādeva comes and Mahādeva told, “Well, Tulasī, I know that you are the beautiful and honest lady. Because of you, that the brave Saṅkāsura is brave, but this time we had to do this one because there was no existence of God. But I would like to remind you that Viṣṇu is also one of the trilokapati, so the body is nothing, you lose your... that the husband’s secrecy, but do not worry. Your heart is pure, your soul is pure. Do not worry. After mystic, also the human being or anyone can be great. That happened, that is incident. You had no faults, so that is why. Please give up your physical body and converse through the purity, and merge with Viṣṇu. So anyway, this time the dānava is gone, so better you have the best choice remaining by guṇṭā. And always, when you are with us, then we protect you. So the body can be, that is that wrong. The body can be, there is some sin, but the soul is not that sinable. You are always adorable. Oh, the Tulasī, please accept it. This is the good time, I know that. Then we will appreciate your contribution, because you are also helping this universe, you are also helping this creation, you are also helping this purity, and we always honor. And then, the whole world accepts you, the whole world honors you, if you accept these things. Oh, the Tulasī, I am not supposed to. I request you, your husband died there because of me, because of Viṣṇu, but still, do not worry. If you do this sacrifice, this is the high time. It is in your hand. Please support Viṣṇu. That is okay. The whole world will continuously love you forever, if you accept these things.” And Tulasī, finally, she was in dilemma, but she convinced well, “Mahādeva, if you say that if it is my destiny, if there is no choice, that is all right, but I need to be close, I need to be worshipped by era to era, every era, every age, every culprit.” And that is why Tulasī accepted, and from that time, Viṣṇubhāgavān remains in stone. That is, the stone is Śāligrām. Have you heard of Śāligrām? Yes, Śāligrām is a kind of black stone. And inside the stone, there is a fossil. That is an insect fossil. And that is proven. And when she gave up the physical body, the Gaṇḍakī river appeared. Her physical body is the Gaṇḍakī. That is why, if you go to Nepal, the Gaṇḍakī river is there. And you can find in the Gaṇḍakī River a lot of śāligrāms, the black holy stone, and if you break the stone, you can see inside there is a cakra, there is a mark of the insect. So, that is amazing. This Purāṇa has been written thousands and thousands of years before, and Nepal, it just discovered Nepal. How many years? The history is maybe a couple of thousand years, and Gaṇḍakī in the naming also a couple of thousand years. But you can see there is such a practical thing. I did myself. I went to Kālīgaṇḍakī after reading this book, and I found out many śāligrāms. When we break that śāligrām inside, there are cakras, and still you can yourself in your life, you can go and prove yourself. And it is saying that if you take bath in Gaṇḍakī, whatever the śāli, the water is coming from the Śāligrāma, you will have many, many lives of Puṇya. So for you, there will be a lot of Puṇya if you go to Kālī Gaṇḍakī and take a bath. So this is a wonderful story and a proved story, a proven story, and not only that saying, not a story, not that it is only conservative. Or somebody says, in a book, you can go and experiment on your own, and you can find out here as well. So that is why, in Nepal, the Kālī Gaṇḍakī, there are thousands of pilgrims who go, and at the... that is origination of the Kālīgaṇḍakī is Muktināth, and in the Muktināth you can see, they still have the fire, continuous fire. It is not man-made fire, it is a holy fire. You can see there, the fire is flaming all the time. It is like a volcano, but it is not a volcano because of some chemical, the fire is coming there continuously, and it is saying the fire of Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśa, and so in the river you can see the śālī, whatever the śāligrām, and wherever in around the world it is supplying now, that is from the Kālīgaṇḍakī, and Kālīgaṇḍakī is Tulasī’s physical body that is, after she loses her integrity, she loses her pati brata dharma. So that Kālīgaṇḍakī River is the body of the Tulasī, and when she gets the blessings, Tulasī, from that day, Tulasī and Viṣṇu are together. And Tulasī went to Vaikuṇṭha. And she is worshipping everywhere around the world. You also love Tulasī, is it not? Basil. The basil grows in Europe, in America, in Australia, in many countries nowadays. The basil has got different species. But if you find the original one, that is wonderful. And newly invented here, there is in India, there is one resource center called the National Center of Biological Science. That did the experiment; that short form is NCBS. So, and that technology, that laboratory tested, and Tulasī have got such a power; it has got anti-fungal, antibiotic, or anti-cancer elements in it. That is why it is already popular, herbs. And later on, that Tulasī is acceptable, and when you die also, the Tulasī is very important. And in everyone’s house, there is Tulasī in a Hindu’s house, in a Sanātanī’s house. And the Tulasī continuously provides you oxygen. Jai Boliye Nārendra Bhagavān Kī. Jai Boliye Tulasī Māta Kī. Jai Namastu Tulasī Kalyāṇī. Namo Viṣṇu Priyeśube. Namo Mokṣa Prade Devī. Nava Sampadā Pradāyike. Namastu Tulasī Devī. Namo Viṣṇu Priyeśube. So it is the beloved one of Viṣṇu. Now, so that is why we salute the Tulasī. From that time, continuously, she is serving this universe. She is avoiding, she is healing, she is removing many difficulties: cancers, all the sickness. She has got the power. That is why, if you are also flying back to Europe, it is better if you are quarantined, if your custom allows you. So take some Tulasī seed with you, if you have not already done this. And Tulasī is wonderful; it needs to go everywhere, and this is for human welfare. Everyone deserves to take advantage of this divine Tulasī. That is why Tulasī is worshipped in every Kṛṣṇa temple, every Viṣṇu temple, and Tulasī is offered to Śāligrām. And Śāligrām is an amazing holy stone, a black stone that is not available anywhere around the world except in the Himalayas, in the Kālī Gaṇḍakī river in Nepal. So anytime, if you go, you can find śāligrāma. Maybe you can see and have a look somewhere else here also. That is what is the śāligrāma? So, that is the holy Viṣṇu’s stone. That, because of the curse of the Tulasī, it is saying that as a... Viṣṇu, that is why many people, they bring, they keep at least five śāligrāms. The five śāligrāms, one represents Śiva, one for Sūrya, the sun, one for Devī, one for goddess, and one for Viṣṇu. This pañca devatā, so everyone, that is what they worship. Pañcāyat in their home, in Pañcāyat, there is a five śāligrāms. So everyone can keep in śāligrām and tulasī. It has got medicinal benefits, herbs, and also whenever you seek, whenever you are in a problem, that you go to hospital. In hospital, what they do first, then they supply. First is oxygen mask, so naturally give you oxygen marks in your home. When you plant Tulasī in front of your door, if in your flower plant, that is continuously for free, without ambulance, without doctors, without anything, she is going to give you free. That Tulasī is oxygen, and those herbs are useful for anything: for fever, for tonsillitis, for back pain, for any difficulties, even cancer. It shows like antibiotic, anti-fungi, or antibacterial. Tulasī, if you put in tea, there is Tulasī tea as well. If you wear a Tulasī mālā, that also helps your blood pressure. If you always put two pieces of Tulasī, that removes the bacteria and helps you. This Tulasī is an amazing herb. When you know this one, so no matter in this world, Tulasī does not choose any caste, culture, group, nationality, or gender. It is for everyone, everywhere. It is helpful, so you can utilize this. And Tulasī’s mahimā, and Jaya Bhūli Sevārā Rāma Candra kī. Jai Viṣṇu Bhagavān kī! Jai Jav Śaṅkh Cūr ko! Jav, jav, say, Śaṅkh Cūr kā bal bahut bal gayā, baḍā thā, kyōṅki patnī-brata dharma se. Tab kyā ho gayā ki Viṣṇu Bhagavān went to cheat. When Viṣṇubhagavān took away Kṛṣṇa’s cover, became an old brāhmaṇa, and then went home as a husband. And with the gift, they went to Tulsi’s house wearing a sari, and Tulsi came to welcome her. She did not see Lord Viṣṇu; she thought that her husband had come. So Tulsī understood that her husband had come. She saluted him, washed his feet, took him home, and gave him food. At night, she did Rati Kriyā. After doing Rati Kriya, her husband’s Vrata Dharma was destroyed. That is why if a married woman leaves her husband and lives with someone, then her husband’s vrata dharma is destroyed. In this way, if the husband also has a relationship with someone, even if he is with his wife, then his wife’s vrata dharma is also destroyed. So in this world, the husband’s vrata dharma and the wife’s dharma are the most powerful, which are Viṣṇu Bhagavān and Lakṣmī, and Pārvatī and Śiva, and you can see this in Śaṅkhacūḍa and Tulasī also. When her husband’s religion got destroyed, then her wealth also became weak. Jai Boliye Bhagwān Nārāyaṇ Kī Jai. So what does this mean? When you have a family of husband and wife, then no one can spoil you. Neither the neighbor can spoil you, nor the brother, nor anyone. When the husband and wife have a relationship, then the power is snatched away, and then the house gets broken. And as much as you become a husband and wife for the sake of appearance, the husband’s enemy becomes his wife. That is why it is said that a man asked, “What got into the wife and the enemy?” So that man said that the enemy lives far away, and the wife sleeps with him, but both are enemies. So it means that the one who does not have love within him is not good; then he is an enemy. That is why when there is a union, it becomes a power. So Viṣṇu also took that power from Tulasī. Tulasī was very angry when he found out that Viṣṇu had come to steal his religion by deceiving him. So, he has come to commit a sin, so I will curse him. So, before cursing him, Viṣṇu said, “Tulasī, there was no way out of this. Because your husband, Dānava, what did he do in the whole world? He did not have a place to pray to God. He did not have a place to pray to God.... So, what did he do? He said, ‘I have to do this. Forgive me.’” So, Tulasī cursed him. He cursed him. After cursing him, what did he curse him? He had to be cursed. That means you need to be a stone, so you have to be a stone. So you have to be a stone. So with his śrāp, Viṣṇu Bhagavān used to be a Śāligrām. So Śāligrām is considered as a symbol of Viṣṇu Bhagavān. So at that time, when the śrāp was given, Śivjī came and innocent Śivjī explained to Tulasī. “Tulsi, this was not your fault, but Vishnu also did this for the protection of Dharma. So now, what you do is, if you go to a man, the body becomes impure, but the mind cannot. You do not have mind, you have not done it with mind. That is why you are ill, that is why. Sometimes, what happens, people come and rape.” Part 3: The Eternal Union of Tulasī and Śāligrāma His mind does not remain; the body becomes impure, but the mind does not remain. So, the mind is considered—we accept it. Then Lord Bhola also did the same: sacrifice your body. He sacrificed his body. That same sacrificed body is flowing as the Gaṇḍakī River. From Satya Yuga until now, Gaṇḍakī was the body of Tulasī. In the Gaṇḍakī, we find Śāligrāma. Gaṇḍakī is in Nepal. Near Pokhara in Nepal, there is Mukti Kṣetra Dhām. From that Dhām, Gaṇḍakī flows. Śāligrāma is found in Gaṇḍakī. Inside the Śāligrāma, if you break it, you can see the circle of Viṣṇu. That is why this is not made up. You can go and see for yourself. In Kalikāl, you can see the deity of Kalikāl. You can see the circle of Śāligrāma in Śāligrāma. If anyone goes to the Śāligrāma river Gaṇḍakī and takes a bath in Nepal’s Gaṇḍakī, then it is written in the Purāṇas that you will be blessed to remain a dharma-ātmā for 100 yonis and you will be free from all sins. So from that time, Tulasī and Lord Viṣṇu started living together. And Lord Śiva said, "Tulasī, now you do not doubt, accept Lord Viṣṇu. You also go to Vaikuṇṭha." And Tulasī said that I should be worshipped all the time. Okay, I received that blessing. So, until today we worship Tulasī. We keep her with Lord Viṣṇu. And if Tulasī is kept in food and drink, then what happens? You receive medicine. Tulasī is the medicine of Ayurveda. It is medicine. It takes you from cancer to all diseases. Tulasī is kept at home. Tulasī gives oxygen. Tulasī is healthy. Tulasī gives health. That is why, Tulasī, whether you are Muslim, Christian, Jain, or Sikh, we are going to chant Nārāyaṇa. What is Kṛṣṇa Bhagavān? What is Kṛṣṇa Bhagavān’s blessing? With Kṛṣṇa Kāvaj, he did not lose the battle of Śaṅkhacūḍa Dānava. Now, what is it? Śaṅkhacūḍa Dānava has lost. And Kṛṣṇa Kāvaj has remained with Viṣṇu. Kṛṣṇa was so powerful earlier also. He is still there. And Kāvaj is powerful. So, praise Kṛṣṇa Bhagavān. Praise Kṛṣṇa Bhagavān. Praise. Śrī Kṛṣṇa Govinda Hare Murāri He Nātha Nārāyaṇa Vāsudeva Śrī Kṛṣṇa Govinda Hare Murāri Śrī Kṛṣṇa Govinda Hare Murāri He Nātha Nārāyaṇa Vāsudeva Śrī Kṛṣṇa Govinda Hare Murāre Nāṭanārāyaṇa Vāsudeva Nātha Nārāyaṇa Vāsudeva Śrī Kṛṣṇa Govinda Hare Murāre Nātha Nārāyaṇa Vāsudeva Nātha Nārāyaṇa Vāsudeva Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare... Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa... Hare Hare... Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma... Hare Hare... Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa... Hare Hare... Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma... Hare Hare... Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma... Hare Hare... Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa... Hare Hare... Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa... Hare Hare... Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma... Hare Hare... Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa... Hare Hare... Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa... Hare Hare... Rāma Hare Hare Rāma Rāma... Hare Hare... Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma Rāma Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Hare Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Hare Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa... Hare Hare Rāma Hare Rāma Rāma... Hare Hare Jai Bholi Sai Kṛṣṇa Paramātmā Bhagavān Kī Jai Bholi Rāma Nārāyaṇa Kī Jai. So still, it means if you go to Nepal, directly you can observe the Kaligaṇḍakī and its śāligrāma. And that śāligrāma is now in the Museum of London and a museum in Australia. And many countries are exploring, innovating, and experimenting. And it is said that when the ocean was moving, at that time the plate of this earth was moving. At that time, thousands and thousands of years ago, the insect and all the creatures, they were trapped, and it became the cakra. So that is in the Purāṇa. So, there is also history showing this. Research is also showing this. So it is said, there is quite a... Similarly, this story, this book is written by Mahādeva himself, and later on, Vedavyāsa wrote this, compiled this Śiva Purāṇa, and he wrote this a thousand years before, and Kālikāṇṭakī also a thousand years before, so it is quite similar. And easy to understand and believable, the Tulasī’s and this wonderful story. There is a little bit of tragedy of Tulasī, but it is said that it is for a good cause, and also Tulasī is worshipped now. So what about some other Purāṇa? So, because we are daily... using tulasī. And all the Śaiva, all the people, they know the tulasī, the basil herbs. Nowadays, Ayurveda accepts this, and they are making not only the mālā, but also lots of Tulasī tea, Tulasī powder, some Tulasī herbs, and Tulasī tablets. So that is why Tulasī is quite a big concern nowadays. So that is why we would like to explain some other Purāṇa stories as well. So, in the Svastānī Purāṇa, in the Svastānī Vrata Kathā, so have you heard the Svastānī? In the Svastānī Purāṇa, it says, like, so Tulasī’s origination, it talks about Tulasī. There the story is different, but the nature is the same. There was a dānava demon, and his name was Jālandhara. So, Jālandhara was a brave, brave demon, and Jālandhara’s wife was Bṛndā. And Bṛndā was also a beautiful woman. She was also maintaining pati dharma, pati vrata, so pati vrata. Or pati dharma, so for man, this is an ek nārī brahmacārī. So he was married. He is also a brahmacārī, but with only one woman. So the woman also, she is also a brahmacāriṇī, just for one husband. So that is so, which is very powerful, as we mentioned before, so Bṛndā also maintained that brahmacāriṇī. And also, there was a very brave... but he was the demon. He always showed the demon nature. He used to go to God’s places, houses, and destroy the temples. He was torturing the Mahātma Ṛṣi Munis and doing so many unjust things, violence. So, the time was a little bit difficult, and everyone went to Śivajī, and Śivajī told that, "Well, I cannot do anything now. Just you need to go and..." He asked Viṣṇu, because I gave the blessing to him, and he is the devotee of Śiva. So there is a problem. That is why what happened is he needed to go and worship. So Viṣṇu, they went, everyone went to Viṣṇu. And Viṣṇu says, "Well, I cannot help you. Only Mahādeva can kill Jālandhara. Without Mahādeva, no one can kill him. But I can help you with one thing. That is, he has the Patnī Vrata Dharma. So, without destroying the patnivratā dharma, without destroying the strength of the truth, and the confidence and the spirituality of the wife, I cannot do anything." And when Viṣṇu told that, then everyone, the goddess, went to the Mahādeva, "Oh, Mahādeva, please..." Help us, Viṣṇu is going to help to destroy the patnivratā dharma, pativratā dharma, both of them. So Viṣṇu accepts, and Śiva also accepts. They are ready, and Śiva invited him to the battlefield, to Jālandhara, and Jālandhara went to fight. And they are starting fighting and started fighting, fighting... Fighting, and hundreds and thousands of years passed away. But Jālandhara was so brave, still he was not defeated. So this is the old story that comes in Tulasī Māta, how she became beautiful in Śāligrāma. So, that is that. She was the wife of Śaṅkhacūḍa, and Viṣṇu cheated her and made her his own. His wife’s religion was destroyed. And after giving the curse to Viṣṇu, he became a Pāṣāṇa, Pāṣāṇa Viṣṇu. He started living in Śāligrām. And Tulasī Mātā also started living with him. She went to Vaikuṇṭha. That is why we use Tulasī until today. This is the story of Śiva Purāṇa. Śiva Purāṇa’s Amṛta Kathā says that the body which Tulasī had killed was Gaṇḍakī. And Gaṇḍakī is in the Muktināth region of Nepal. Śāligrāma is found there. It is the only place in the world where Śāligrāma is found. So we can go and test it in our own life. There is no such thing as making it or not making it. There is no such thing as saying it. Whatever is written in the Śrī Purāṇa, we can still use the truth. That is why it is written in the Śrī Purāṇa. So what is written in the other Purāṇas about it? In the modern world, people test everything to understand and believe. In the Svastānī Purāṇa, there is a story about Jālandhara. He used to hurt the world and the gods. He used to taunt the sages. That is why everyone became very sad, and Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Maheśa got separated. After separation, what did they do? They went to Jālandhara and said, "My wife is a dharma, my husband is a dharma." As long as Vṛndā’s husband and dharma are not destroyed, he will remain very brave. He will have a very prosperous year. That is why go with Viṣṇu. Śivajī told this, and all the devotees went to Viṣṇu. Viṣṇu said yes. So, and then Viṣṇu started to disguise again. In the Svastānī Purāṇa, it says that Viṣṇu changed his appearance, and he looked exactly like Jālandhara. He went, and when the time came, Bṛndā saw Viṣṇu. Viṣṇu became... what happened, you know? He fainted, he lost. There, she was so beautiful, and that sort of beauty, Viṣṇu could not tolerate, and he fainted there. And Bṛndā was surprised, "Who is this? If this is my husband, he cannot be faint. He should not be unconscious. My husband is used to..." and then... Before coming to Bṛndā, before saying to Bṛndā, Viṣṇu disappeared and ran away from there. So he was waiting for the second chance, and after a long practice, he practiced and he gathered courage. And he went to Bṛndā’s house, and with bravery. Oh Bṛndā, I just arrived. I am very tired from the fight with Mahādeva. Can you please give me some food, snacks, coffee, tea, whatever you want? So he ordered. He asked Bṛndā, and Bṛndā said, "Well, my Svāmī, come here. I will offer you my Lord. I am waiting for you. You must be tired. I will give a good massage. Come here." And she gave good fruits and everything. And she did the āratī for her husband, and everything was done. And that Viṣṇu did his notorious things he performs. And the Vṛndā overnight, Vṛndā finishes, or pativratā dharma finishes. And Jālandhara was fighting over there with Mahādeva, and Viṣṇu is in Rāslīlā with Vṛndā in Jālandhara’s house. Discuss appearance, and in the morning time again, Viṣṇu sends a message or information to Śiva, "Oh Śiva, now the project is done, then you can fight." Then Mahādeva started to fight. The dānava became very weak, and he fell on the earth and died there, and the sound came. The big sound, the massive sound came, and that went to Pārvatī, that went to Bṛndā’s house, and that was her pati, and his sister, his husband is dying there, and Viṣṇu is acting there as her husband, so at that time she is very unhappy and she started to curse, but the Svastānī Purāṇa said that she cursed four curses, that is not only one. The Purāṇa says that only she, the Viṣṇu, need to remain as like the Pāṣāṇa, the stone. But there it says, like, in the Svastānī Purāṇa says. She cursed four things. Oh, Viṣṇu, you are the strong-hearted. You do not have any kindness. That is why, better you remain like a stone and go and stay in Kaligaṇḍakī in Nepal. So Viṣṇu accepted that as a Kaligaṇḍakī Śāligrām. And also, Bṛndā cursed, "You are like the tree. Like you, you did not move." So that is why you need to remain. You are supposed to remain as a tree on the earth. So that you cannot move anywhere else, because you disguised as a tree and a tree cannot move, that is why I curse you: you better remain as a tree. Then after that, when Bṛndā got cursed, what happened? In the Svastānī Purāṇa, Bṛndā gave four curses. In the Svastānī Purāṇa, the thing... Is that the same? But in the Skanda Purāṇa, when Bṛndā’s pativratā dharma was destroyed by Viṣṇu, after that, Bṛndā gave four curses. The first curse was, "Viṣṇu, you are a cheater, then go and live as a stone. So, you have to live as a stone." So, from that time, the stone remained as a śāligrām. Then the second curse was, you have to live as a tree. So, you have to live as a tree. That means you have become a pīpal, Viṣṇujī. And the third curse was, you have to live as a grass. So, that is why Kuśa grass is also Viṣṇu’s form. Kuśa grass has become, and has become. And in this way, he cursed you, that you have to live as a grass. So, you have to live as a tulasī. So, Bṛndā cursed Viṣṇu, four cursings there. First thing is, better you remain stone. And then, second, tree. And third one is grass. So, that is why grass, you know, the grass is kuśa grass. The grass, kuśa grass, is also taken as Viṣṇu’s incarnation. And that is why in prayer everywhere we use the kuśa grass, as we mentioned earlier. Kuśa grass is also medicinally, therapeutically, very useful and a very wonderful herb, and similarly. He secures the grass bush, the bush is Tulasī. Tulasī, we have to be happy, we have to be happy,... we So, from that day, Viṣṇu started toward Mokṣa. And then, he started to remain with Tulasī, pīpal, Śāligrām, and Kuśa grass. So, nowadays, if you have to pray to Viṣṇu, normally you go and worship. And it is said, "Viṣṇu Tulasī," pīpal, is an indicator of Viṣṇu. That is why that is the only tree in this universe that gives continuously oxygen. The other trees give carbon dioxide as well, but Tulasī gives continuously. That is why meditation can be successful. The Buddha meditated under the tree, the banyan tree, the pīpal tree. So that is why under that tree, it is easy. Without food, also you can take oxygen, and without water, without food, also you can meditate. The meditation becomes easier under the tree of the banyan tree, and also according to astrology, if you have the maṅgalī, if you have that, some difficulties in your conjugal life, if you are supposed to suffer some difficulties in your... conjugal life, and there is a provision: you go and marry with the pīpal. So, pīpal is Viṣṇu, and Viṣṇu will take the responsibility. And that is because of the curse of Vṛndā. That is why any difficulties you have got, husband and wife, the negativity. Well, the burden will be carried by the pīpal, the tree. And you will be free. If you Google that, why do people do the banyan tree wedding? That is the mystery. All the trees in the world provide different types of oxygen and carbon dioxide at night and during the day. But pīpal trees continuously provide oxygen and air. Air is essential for human life. Pīpal has got a great value, so that is why in the oven also, when you do oven, there needs to be pīpal’s wood. Pīpal’s wood, tulasī wood, kuśa grass, tulasī wood. Wood, so when you die, also in symmetry, if your body is symmetry, cremate with the wood of the pīpal, kuśa, tulasī. It says, like, it will purify your body, and spiritually you will go to heaven. So that is why, at the time of death, many people in India and other places, they collect... some wood, a little bit of tulasī, a little bit of, um, that pañcapallava. In the time of death, keep a small piece of pīpal wood and tulasī wood with you. If you do not believe, then the air that comes from the air, from the tulasī and kuśa, it cleanses the bio-maṇḍala. It removes the dirt. That is why it damages the bio-maṇḍala. So this is the wonderful story that you can experiment with. You go, and if you have the measurement of the oxygen, that has been done many times in Australia also. So if you take that level of oxygen near, close to the pīpal tree or basil tree, the tulasī, you will get the high temperature, high level. So that is why always Tulasī is beautiful, and then Pīpal is beautiful. So it says, no matter whatever story is connected, that is a wonderful gift from this universe for the universe. So, meditating under the banyan tree and bringing the kuśa grass in your flower pot and planting the tulasī and kuśa grass is wonderful. That is why our saints and ṛṣi munis, they said that every prayer, you need to have a leaf of the tulasī, a leaf of the pīpal, and kuśa grass. That is compulsory. So if we do not find it, that is okay. But if we have that one, that is a wonderful, perfect prayer. So in colors also, that we put, that if you see that in the colors there is a seven leaf, if we do not find the seven, we will put the five. So in the five leaf, that is also pañca pallava: mango and pīpal and arka and chāpa, so tulasī, everything. Goes there, so that is why the leaf is connected with Ayurveda and therapeutically, which is wonderful. And so that is why when this value goes to the Western world, and that is expensive, you might come from Japan or Australia. And some other country, Canada, nowadays the gardeners are growing the pīpal tree, the banyan tree, which is a very expensive tree. It takes one thousand to two thousand for one plant, so what a valuable tree now, is it not? So better you can go. And thus, and here you are, India. While you are in India, you can see and feel that tree, the pīpal tree. Jai Bholi Nārendra Bhagavān Kī Jai. That is why people should meditate in the form of pīpal. People should meditate sitting in the form of pīpal. It is the same thing in health management, and in pīpal, Brahmā, Viṣṇu, Maheśa also have a base. That is why, under the tree of pīpal, Buddha, who was born in Nepal, he also meditated, meditated, and went to that Buddha. Under the tree of pīpal, he attained the prajñā. When did he attain? On the day of Vaiśākha Śukla Pūrṇimā. On the day of Vaiśākha Śukla Pūrṇimā, he was born. On the day of Vaiśākha Śukla Pūrṇimā, he was made great. Rishi Muni was the same as Gautama Buddha of Nepal, who came to Bodh Gaya and meditated. So, Rāma Tīrthasvāmī was also born on the day of Pūrṇimā. He died on the day of Pūrṇimā. That is why in Vaiśākha and Pūrṇimā, if you do any work under the pīpal tree, then it happens. That is why the second thing is that whenever you have a problem with the Saturn crisis, then Jyotiṣa Vidyā also tells you to go on Saturday and pour water on the pīpal tree. So, it is said that in astrology also, if you are suffering some planetary ill effect, then you can go under the banyan tree on Saturday and offer water. It is said that the remedy, one of the remedies of the Saturn’s planets to remove Grahapīḍā, so why is it fruitful? Because when you go on Saturday, that is Saturday morning, it is said there is the, uh, the god is residing in the trees, on the branches. If you do not believe, if you do not want to believe. That is fine, but still you will get the same benefit: that the oxygen will come there early in the morning, the great oxygen of the pīpal, and also if you pour the water, that is good. You are giving the water, watering the plant, and that is... also, dharma obviously and definitely, you will be protected. So that is why everything is, and everything that has got science, and it is practicing nowadays heavily and widely. Now we will have one bhajan, and we will go continuously. We have got, we finished many. Okay, so we will go for bhajans today, and so, which is important also, we will not have time some other time to read in detail. There is a long, long verses, and also it needs to be, I am trying to translate instantly all the Sanskrit ślokas and these verses. Hari Om. Namaḥ Sudhāryo Aj Dho Vati Jagame Jagame Mari Samara Kirmalavara Natata Prabhu. Nātato Prabhu Hare Hare Hare Das Sehan Seha Guru Swāmijī Maro Janam Jagame Mari Hari Jagame Mari Samarilai Nārāyaṇa Puruṣottama Śrīdeva Bhagavān Nārāyaṇa Puruṣottama Śrīdeva Bhagavān. Hare Hare Devīśa Bhagavān Nipaka Hedanyā De Svāmījī Māro Janam Jagame Mari Jagame Mari Samara Laj Śrīśrī Dīpnārā Bhagavāne Kī Je Śrīśrī Devapurīśa Mahādeva Kī Je Śrīśrī Mādhava Kṛṣṇa Bhagavāne Kī Je Viśva Guru Mahāmaṇḍaleśvara Paramahaṁsī Swāmī Maheśvarānandījī Gurudevakī Jai, Bholā Bhoḷe Bābākī So. In Śiva Purāṇa, whatever it talks, the Svastānī Purāṇa also says the same thing, as I mentioned before. It teaches us how we can remain all the time in a deep spiritual value. Life is very short, and we came into this universe for a short life. So it is said that in the sky, whatever light is given by the star, that much wide place it can see. That is why in our life also, whatever divine divinity or purity we can maintain, that much purity we can carry with us. So every story, every philosophy, every piece of information teaches us these things here. So that is why, whatever you mean to change your vision, your visuality, then Śiva Bhāgavata Purāṇa for us, and all the Vedas—what do the Vedas do? How to make our life simple and how to live like Śivajī. Śivajī has said that I am in the form of Kalpa, Kalpa, in the form of Abhiṣeka, sometimes as Brahmā, sometimes as Viṣṇu, and sometimes as Śiva. I am the one who runs the world. So sometimes my land is of Brahmā, sometimes of Viṣṇu, sometimes of Śiva. So there is no difference between Brahmā, Viṣṇu and Maheśa. And Śiva is bigger than Viṣṇu. He cannot be bigger than Viṣṇu. Brahmā is one. So Brahmā is one. So who is the biggest Śaiva? That is Nārāyaṇa. Who is the biggest Vaiṣṇava? That is Śivajī. We have said that again and again. All the śāstras, śāstras... śāstras. So whatever you follow, trust. When you trust, then definitely it will be helpful for you. It is said that we always celebrate Hanumān Jayantī, is it not? So Hanumān is a bhakta of Rāma. We always celebrate Hanumān Jayantī. But similarly, Arjuna was also the very close friend and devotee of Kṛṣṇa. So, why can we not celebrate Arjuna Jayantī? Because Hanumān is a devoted person, he never doubts. He never doubted, so he always restricted honor. There was no doubt for him: God exists or not? There is always his belief and trust. That is why we celebrate the devotion of Hanumān. That is why we call it Hanumān Jayantī. But do we celebrate Arjuna Jayantī? No, because Arjuna is also a devotee. But he always doubts, doubt of a doubt, doubt of a doubt. He is asking, "Oh, what will happen? Oh, Lord Kṛṣṇa, I cannot fight. Oh, Lord Kṛṣṇa, you said meditate, but how can we meditate? And you said one time that go and marry and remain in..." A Dharma Cārī, this is confusing, so I mean confused, so and that is a continuously, so Bhagavad Gītā, Chapter 18, Verse 66. So, Bhagavad Gītā’s 18th dayā’s 66th śloka, which is written, is also that "Sarva Dharmān" means whatever thing you have. Which is material, whatever is material, leave everything and become one with human Dharma, become one with Brahma Dharma. Then what is in that? That you will get a lot of salvation if you surrender. That chapter 18, verse 66, Bhagavad Gītā says, if you surrender without any doubt. Definitely, you will go. You will cross the river. If you doubt, then it will not be. That is why it is said that it increased faith also. And for the faith, many stories come, many things come. So that is why there is a theory, one. If you remain happily without doing material gain, or balancing material gain, it is like a Cārvāka siddhānta, the Cārvāka theory. The Cārvāka theory says, "Yāvat jīvet, sukhaṁ jīvet, ṛṇaṁ kṛtvā ghṛtaṁ pibet, bhasmībhūtasya dehasya punarāgamanṁ kutaḥ?" That means, "As long as you live, live happily. Borrow money and drink ghee. Once the body is reduced to ashes, where is its return?" As long as you live, live happily, enjoy, drink, and dance, and no matter if you have debt or not, then offer ghee. Ghee means like nectar; enjoy your life. But that Cārvāka theory is that said, but in spirituality, it says like there is a great nectar. If you have the addiction of divine, you do not need to enjoy wine, so you can enjoy with divine, the divinity. Spirituality is, it is a really... good, so that is why it says, like, "Trust and follow the Śiva Purāṇas." It says, like, from the Rudra Saṁhitā to this, we can summarize. When we summarize that, Tulasī’s devotions and how can it help this society to unite husband and wife. Society and family to family, this is one of the wonderful stories. And secondly, we can learn this one: great devotion, deep devotion without any doubt. Where there is doubt, cut it out, and continuously you follow. And later on, finally, it is said that. The Brahmā is business, and māyā is the trigon of proton, neutron, and electron. They merge together whenever it is necessary. And no matter whatever powerful demon, whatever power you have got, one day, that will be seized, seized. So that is why, that is the story from the Satya Yuga, Tretā Yuga, Dvāpara Yuga, to now it is a discontinue. This is the wonderful story we studied in the Rudra Saṁhitā. And almost we finished 43 chapters of this Rudra Saṁhitā, Pañcama Yuddha Khaṇḍa, which is wonderful, and I think today we need to conclude this one. So today we heard that in Rudra Saṁhitā, what happened till now? That we heard Pārvatījī’s devotion, so Jālandhara, how Viṣṇu Bhagavān defeated Jālandhara to defeat Vṛndā, and after defeating Vṛndā, his patidharma was destroyed. Because of his patidharma, Jālandhara died due to the destruction of Jālandhara Dhanāb. That is why the dharma of husband and wife is very powerful. No matter where you live, no matter how you live, the one who was strong for Śaṅkarācārya Dhanab was Tulasī’s brother. So, again, Pārvatī was for Śivajī. And for Viṣṇu Bhagavān, Lakṣmī. For Jālandhara, Bṛndā. As long as he had the dharma of husband and wife, he was immortal. So, what is the importance of Tulasī in today’s society? According to Ayurveda, what is the importance of pīpal today? Now, it is time to present Śiva Purāṇa to us. Tomorrow, a very good event will come for us. You must definitely come from 8 a.m. to 11 p.m. And Śiva Purāṇa is held from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. in Mahātma. The importance of sitting in the Mahātma Triṣṭhān and listening to it is different. Wherever you are, for this you should do yācanā. The body and mind become pure. The sins of many lifetimes are also removed. So, we should keep using the holy words of Lord Śiva. Jai Baliyasatya Sanātana Dharma Kī Jai.