One should be clean before touching or plucking Tulasi.asnatva tulasim citva yah pujam kurute narahso'paradhi bhaven nityam tat sarvam nisphalam bhavetOne who picks Tulasi without having bathed and then performs worship is an offender, and all his activities becomes useless. Vayu PuranaTulasi should not be plucked on dvadasi.nacchindat tulasim vipra dvadasyam vaisnavah kvacitThe Vaisnava should never pick Tulasi on dvadasi tithi. Visnu DharmottaraOne should pluck the leaves with the right hand, holding the branch in the left hand, being careful not to break the branches.patranam cayane vipra bhagna sakha yada bhavettada hrdi vyatha visnor diyate tulasi patehkaratala trayam dattva cinuyat tulasi dalamyatha na kampate sakha tulasya divyasattamaIf when picking Tulasi leaves one breaks the branches, Visnu feels pain in His heart. One should clap the hands three times before picking Tulasi and pick in such a way that the branches do not shake. Visnu SmrtiOne should say:tulasy amrta janmasi sada tva kesava priyakesavarthe vicinvami barada bhava sobhanetvad anga sambhavaih patraih pujayami yatha harimtatha kuru pavitrangi kalau mala vinasiniOh Tulasi, born from the ocean of nectar, you are eternally the dearmost of Kesava. For His worship I now pluck you. Please bestow blessings on me.Oh Tulasi, being pure in body and the destroyer of the sins of Kali-yuga, I will worship the Lord using leaves coming from your body. You should make that worship successful.If Tulasi is unavailable, one may touch Tulasi wood to the Lord's body as an offering of Tulasi. If wood is unavailable one should chant the name of Tulasi and perform the puja meditating on her presence. (i.e. etat tulasi patram sri krsnaya namah)If one offers Tulasi to anyone other than Hari, that sin is equal to killing a brahman or a cow, or having sex with ones guru's wife.Tulasi prasadam may be offered to the hand of sakti and jiva-tattva, and unoffered Tulasi may be offered to their hand for offering to Krsna. If bhoga (not mahaprasadam) is offered to sakti or jiva-tattvas as naivedyam, Tulasi may be placed on the naivedyam, since, being devotees of the Lord they always offer the naivedyam to Krsna before taking it themselves.Tulasi leaf is very, very dear to Visnu. All Visnu-tattva deities require profuse Tulasi leaves. Lord Visnu likes garlands of Tulasi leaves. Tulasi leaves mixed with sandalwood pulp and placed on the lotus feet of the Lord is the topmost worship. But we must be very careful that Tulasi leaves cannot be placed on the feet of anyone else except Lord Visnu and His different forms. Tulasi leaves cannot be placed even on the lotus feet of Radharani or on the lotus feet of the spiritual master. It is entirely reserved for being placed on the lotus feet of Krsna. We can place, however, Tulasi leaves in the hands of Radharani for being placed on the lotus feet of Krsna. On each bowl or plate there should be at least one leaf.Letter from Srila Prabhupada - April 7, 1970, Los Angeles
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