88 lABIATM 



la worskipping the plaut, it is addressed as the goddess 

 Sri or Lakshmi — 



Saklii, Sabhe, Papaharliu, Punyatle, Namasfce, 



Naradanute, Narayanamabahpriye ! 



O beloved, O beautiful, O destroyer of the wicked, O purifier; 

 Hononr to thee, O distinguished of Narada, O dear to the heart of 

 Vishnu ] 



• The goddess is besought to protect the head (r^Vas), the 

 forehead (vhalam), the sight {dnfas), the nose {grahnam) in 

 her quality of siigandha or perfumed, the face {mul'Iiam) in her 

 quality of siimuhhi or fair of face, the tongue, the neck, 

 the shoulders, the body [madJii/am)\n its quality oijnunjada, &c., 

 down to the feet. {De Gubernatis.) 



The Tulasi plant may be often seen occupying a prominent 

 position in front of Hindu houses ; when thus kept it has to be 

 watered and worshipped daily . It is often grown on the top 

 of the Brundavanas* or square brick structures erected in the 

 outer courts of temples, and in Calcutta, even in European 

 compounds, there is hardly a hut occupied by a Darwan or 

 Ooriya bearer ivithout a pot of Tulsi close to the door. 

 Frequently in the evenings a light is kept burning near the 



plant. Sanskrit writers make two varieties of this plant (founded 

 upon some difference in the colour of their leaves) , namely, whxt^ 

 and black ; the plant, irrespective of colour, is called in Sanskrit 

 Tulasi and Parnasa. According to the Raja ^trghanta, it 

 removes cold, destroys intestinal worms and evil spirits, and 

 alleviates vomiting. 



The leaves are said to be expectorant^ and are prescribed m 

 catarrhal affections. The dried leaves powdered are used as » 

 snuff in a disease called peenash (ozoena), Ainslie mentions 

 the use. of the root in decoction in febrile affections. In the 

 Concan a decoction of the leaves with the flowers of Carej/a 

 urborea and black pepper is given in remittent fever. Tulasi is 

 also an ingredient in prescriptions for rheumatism. (See Vit<^^ 

 tnfoUaJ) The seeds are mucilaginous and demulcent. 



• 1=^^ (VTiudavana) is a raised platform of earth or masonry ou which 

 the worshippers of Kiishnu plaat and preserve the Tulasi* 



