Tulsi Mata Story
There’s a tale associated with this festival that revolves around the previous birth of Mata Tulsi. In Hinduism, there’s an informal ritual of marriage between Shaligram and Tulsi. In this incredible story, there was a time when the Tulsi plant was born as Vrinda. She was a devoted follower of Lord Vishnu and was married to the demon king Jalandhar from the demon clan.
Once there was a battle between the gods and demons, in which Jalandhar set out to fight. Vrinda pledged to observe a fast for her husband’s victory and she fulfilled it. Her devotion bestowed an unexpected power upon Jalandhar, making the gods unable to defeat him.
The gods sought help from Lord Vishnu, but he refused to assist them. Eventually, Vishnu appeared before Vrinda in the form of Jalandhar. Witnessing his availability, Vrinda unknowingly broke her fast by touching his feet. Consequently, the strength of her fast was broken. Following this, Jalandhar’s existence ceased, and Vrinda cursed Lord Vishnu to become a stone.
Lord Vishnu accepted her plea, turning himself into a stone. After the gods’ prayers, Vrinda withdrew her curse. She turned herself into a Sati by taking her husband’s ashes. A plant sprouted from her ashes, and Lord Vishnu named it Tulsi, which started being worshipped in the form of Shaligram.
Since then, Tulsi is worshipped, and the Ekadashi of the bright fortnight of Kartik month is celebrated as Tulsi Vivah, symbolizing the sacred marriage of Tulsi and Shaligram.
