Tulsi Holy Basil

The wonderful world of Ocimum Sanctum or Holy Basil

What if someone told you that there was a new wonder drug that could detoxify snakebites, clean the blood, cure cancer, and give vigor back to the aged? Well, it’s not some new formula discovered in a laboratory but rather a simple plant that does all of these things and more. It’s Latin name is Ocimum Sanctum but throughout the world, it’s commonly known as Tulsi or Holy Basil.

Native to both the Eastern and Western world, Tulsi is a shrubby herb, which grows from 2 to 6 feet tall and a foot or two wide. Although it grows in the wild, Tulsi can also be cultivated. It is a member of the basil family and has leaves that are ovular and pointed at the tip with flowering stalks, or inflorescences, that are long and branching upward, with many individual, small flowers, protruding from the center branch. The leaves range from deep purple to bright green depending on the type of Tulsi, and smell sweet and light. Seeds are small, round, and black in color. Due to the high eugonol content, Tulsi has a sweet, clove-like odor. The following article is presented in a question and answer format, for ease of reading. All information is sourced from legitimate, scientific texts and is quoted at the end. The author hopes that the readers enjoy learning more about the miraculous power of Tulsi as much as he has both researching and in application. Jay Tulsi Devi!

tulsi tea

Taken internally, in a tea form, with either fresh or dried leaves, Tulsi is the epitome of full spectrum in its encouragement of well-being and eradication of dis-ease. All over the world, Tulsi is recognized and documented as a healer. Tulsi both aids in digestion, increasing digestive fire and the secretion of digestive enzymes. It heals disorders of the digestive tract such as ulcers and internal lesions. Tulsi also stimulates appetite. Taken consistently, Tulsi has been shown to reduce high blood cholesterol levels to normal, regulate the number of blood leucocytes, lower high blood pressure, and strengthen the heart. It also increases the amount of hemoglobin in the blood, Tulsi helps, to prevent other dis-eases. It generally purifies the blood, making for a greater increase in the amount of oxygen in circulation. This gives way for improved memory and widely helps to restore a youthful vibrancy. Increasing the efficiency of the kidneys, Tulsi also helps to break up kidney stones. Homeopaths have found Tulsi quite useful in healing the urinary tract and eliminating problems such as urine acidity, passing blood or pus in the urine. For men, Tulsi strengthens prostate health and increases sperm count. A cup of tea before bed is said to arrest nocturnal emissions as well. For women, Tulsi helps to regulate moon cycles and holistically increases the vibrancy of bodily functions associated with these cycles, and also with lactation. A strong cup of Tulsi tea generally cures headaches; taken with a bit of milk and honey, it provides a lasting amount of energy. Studies have shown that compared to Siberian and Panax Ginseng, Tulsi is a more potent stress reliever, coupled with being the safest of the three. Throughout Ayurvedic works Tulsi is said to have the power to destroy worms and other intestinal parasites. A major antioxidant, Tulsi also alkalinizes the body, which some claim to be the key to long lasting health. Living Tulsi leaves contain a natural ether, which drives away mosquitoes and the like; this potency earned Tulsi the name “Mosquito Plant” among English settling in India during the time of the English occupancy of India. Akin, Tulsi is also known in the medical community for its reverse and prevention of malaria. Many texts and physicians have stated the effect Tulsi has in ridding a malaria patient of all symptoms, ultimately providing an effective cure. (Note, this process takes a degree of commitment and once started, should not be abandoned until the malaria is effectively extinguished.) Besides multiple cases of tobacco and caffeine addictions being completely arrested from the repeated ingestion of Tulsi, there are even a handful of reports exclaiming Tulsi’s effectiveness at ridding alcoholics of their physical addiction to alcohol (coupled with the upliftment that Tulsi provides to their emotional situation as well!). Tulsi has been shown to be an antidepressant, antiseptic, stimulating the adrenal cortex, reducing fever, relieving excess flatulence, expectorant, and when the leaves are rubbed into an insect bite, itching and inflammation are reduced. Containing it’s own, natural mercury, Tulsi has also shown to protect against mercury toxicity. Used topically, in conjunction with internal use, there are reported cases of Tulsi curing victims of poisonous snakebites, including cases where Tulsi leafs were administered to the unconscious victims hours after the bite was inflicted. Even great personalities like Mahatma Gandhi recommended Tulsi and sanctified water as the medicine for “incurable diseases”.

Tulsi has 5 main families, Krishna and Rama being the two most common species but also including Drudriha, Babi, and Tukashmiya. Most varieties are native to India, including the foothills of the Himalayas; they are also found throughout the Middle East. Rama has also been found natively in Brazil and Drudriha, able to withstand the temperate cold of Nepal. Generally Tulsi lives in a tropical to sub-tropical climate. Tulsi has also been found to be indigenous to Malaysia, Africa, and Burma.

Tulsi farmers growing Organic tulsi for Amma.org

While some Tulsi like Krishna Tulsi is a pleasing mix of purples and green leaves with purple stems and smells sweet and flowery, Rama Tulsi has almost florescent green leaves with whitish stems and has the fresh scent of pine and citrus. The other varieties, a bit less common, can be a nice earthen green and have a sharp, yet soothing aroma. The healing benefits of the Tulsi varieties are mostly similar, although some well-versed doctors believe Krishna to contain slightly more healing potential. Specific varieties of Tulsi are also more beneficial for particular ailments. Tulsi tea of all varieties has a sweet, earthy flavor that is mild and quite enjoyable.

Tulsi is used both in medicine and worship. Greatly revered in the East as tested cure for a wide range of dis-ease, the leaves, wood and wood bark, roots, flowers and seeds all have highly medicinal properties, which will be elaborated upon further in this outline. Tulsi has also found its way, some say because of the amazing healing potential, into the homes of many devout Hindus, for religious use. For some, in this way, the plant itself is worshiped and for others, the plant is used as a medium for worshiping.

The leaves of Holy Basil being the main portion of the plant used for medicine, all varieties are known throughout ayurveda to be initially heating and drying, which makes Tulsi ideal for eradicating ailments associated with the common cold. They also have a bitter quality to them and are easy to digest. Tulsi is classified as “rasayana”, a herb nourishing a person’s growth and promoting long life; this is one reason why the sages prescribed Tulsi as one of the eight indispensable things in Vedic worship. The other portions of the plant are not thoroughly discussed in this paper, as they are used in rare and specific circumstances. In Samskrit, Tulsi is known as “Tulam” which means incomparable, probably so-named for it’s vast range of uses and benefits.

To western medical practitioners, Tulsi is regarded as an expectorant and a cure for malaria and other dis-eases, especially cold-induced ones like coughs, bronchitis, pneumonia, etc. The seeds can be used as a diuretic.

Tulsi is much more than simply OK for our elderly. It has repeatedly been documented to increase vitality and daily enthusiasm in the aged. There is no doubt that it greatly helps to improve memory as well as the overall quality of life.

Generally speaking, Tulsi is possibly the most beneficial substance, besides love, for the human race. This is further illustrated in the fact alone that the Tulsi plant does not emit regular oxygen (two molecules of O2) like most plants but rather produces ozone (three O2 molecules), helping to rebuild the earth’s precious supply. The only type of people that should exercise caution, are those with a fiery constitution, as Tulsi’s properties are drying and heating. This is the case only for daily use by these people; a cup of tea every now and then, on a paced schedule actually will help to balance excess heat.

Having a cup in the morning, before taking breakfast is most beneficial ways. Concluding the day with another cup, once the daily works are finished is also recommended. Although taken first thing in the morning, Tulsi can also be taken before, during or after food and throughout the day but most benefits are felt from having at least 2 cups a day. Tulsi can also be taken in a tincture form, or the dry leaves powdered and stuffed into capsules and swallowed.

Tulsi is used and cherished in some different major religions of the world. Jewish Israelis use Tulsi for marriage, funeral, and other social celebrations. Muslims sometimes practice putting Tulsi leaves in the graves of their deceased loved ones. Hindus generally revere the plant itself as a tangible manifestation of god and worship it accordingly. From ancient times, these Hindus have included the worship of Tulsi as a primary part of their daily practice, offering water, prayers, and other items such as incense, etc, just after taking their morning bath. Many of these practitioners go so far as to not even step on the shadow of Tulsi, thinking it to be a sign of disrespect.

All of this being said, it becomes apparent why love for this plant arises in the hearts of so many people. So enjoy a warm cup of this delightful tea with your friends, or in the comforts of a quite space or try it iced on a hot summer day and see how good you feel. Remember that with each sip, you are actually helping to bring about a holistic well being in the world, as well as your own body.

The following are a few common prayers and their translations in the Hindu tradition as well as a few names that can be contemplated in reverence before enjoying the tea, by the plant itself, or just for the fun of it…☺

om vrindayai tulasi devyai

priyayai keshavasya cha

krishna bhakti prade devi

satyavatai namo namaha

I offer repeated respect to Vrinda, Sri Tulasi Devi,

who is beloved of Sri Krishna

O Goddess, You bestow devotion and possess the highest truth

Vrindavai: She who’s from the Vrindavan forests

Vrinda: Who appears in many plants and trees

Vishva-pujita: Who is worshiped in countless universes

Pushpasara: the best of flowers

Nandini: She who brings faith and joy

Krishna-jivani: Who is the very life of Sri Krishna

Vishva-pavani: Who purifies the entire universe

Tulsi: She who is incomparable

“The Mosquito Plant”, Times; Sir George Birdward

“Gujarat Samachar” [periodical]; SV University, Tirupati, India, 3/25/88

Quoted: Sri Kartikeya Mahadevia

“Chitra Prakash”, N.N. Mazumdar

“Tulsi”, Yash Rai. Navneet Publications Ltd., Ahmadabad, India

“The complete Medicinal Herbal”, Penelopy Odey. Pg. 82

“The Life of Tulasi Devi: Her Care and Worship”, Amala bhakta das

Indian Journal of Pharmacology, 1991 issue

Various Vedas and Upanishads