How to make a Tulasi japa mala

Learn how to make your own Tulasī japa mala from the Tulasī plants at home! If you need seeds, please contact us.

Help us make more videos: www.http://www.patreon.com/thevedicway
Website: www.thevedicway.org

Hare Kṛṣṇa!

Please accept my humble obeisances. All glories to Śrīla Prabhupāda!

Today I want to show you how to make a Tulasī japa mala. “The japa mala is highly auspicious because it awards all perfection and freedom from the bondage of material existence.” [Śrī Hari-bhakti-vilāsa 17.71]

The japamala that has one hundred and eight beads is considered perfect and complete. You can use different materials to make the japa mala: conch shells, silver, gold, lotus seeds, coral, jewels, pearls, and others. But the most pleasing to Kṛṣṇa is Tulasī.

For example, in the Agni Purana it says:

“One who chants on beads made of gold receives 100 times the merit than ordinary beads. Indraksa beads, award 1000 times the merit. Lotus seeds, award 10,000 times the merit.” [Śrī Hari-bhakti-vilāsa 17.81]

“Chanting on a japamala of Tulasī beads fullfills all desires and awards all the results of all kinds of pious activities” [Śrī Hari-bhakti-vilāsa 17.112]

In other words, the merit obtained is unlimited, because its Kṛṣṇa’s favorite.

Here I am holding a Tulasī plant that recently dried up. The Tulasī plant must be treated very respectfully, we can’t cut branches or kill the plant in order to make beads. It must be a natural process. It is recommended to have your own plants at home, and make your own beads. I wouldn’t trust commercial manufacturers who are driven by economic pressure.

With a saw, you have to cut pieces of wood of equal length and width. Keep them in the same order so that they are already arranged at the time of stringing.

The Tulasī plant naturally has a soft core. With the help of a hand drill or a pin vise, make a hole in the bead.

The ideal is to make the beads perfectly round. [Śrī Hari-bhakti-vilāsa 17.26] I’ve had good success by using a grinding stone.

You will need one hundred and eight beads, plus the central bead, also known as Sumeru.

Afterwards, prepare nine strands of string and carefully braid them in groups of three. [text 88] The length of this string should be three times the length of the beads, so that you have enough string for the mala.

Once you have all your beads and string ready, arranged in descending order, you can start to string them. The beads should be strung in order arranged from biggest to smallest. [Śrī Hari-bhakti-vilāsa 17.92-96] As you string them, the beads should be joined mouth to mouth and not mouth to root. [Śrī Hari-bhakti-vilāsa 17.87]

Here’s an example of how you can pass the string through the bead using a smaller guiding line. A knot should be made between each bead, so that the beads will not touch one another. [Śrī Hari-bhakti-vilāsa 17.88]

After making knots in the string between each two beads, string the extra bead at the top, which is called Sumeru. [90] For the center Sumeru bead, there is a decoration which is made by wrapping string on your fingers, cut it on one end like you see here. Make a knot at the bottom part, and attach a string so that you can tie it to the mala.

Finish your japa mala, by adding the Sumeru bead decoration.

If possible, wash the mala with the 5 products from the cow, sandalwood powder, sandalwood pulp while reciting the proper mantras. [Śrī Hari-bhakti-vilāsa 17.101]

Here’s the final result.

When your beads are ready, its time to offer them to Kṛṣṇa. Then, afterwards accept the prasadam to joyfully engage in the chanting of the greatest mantra:

Hare Kṛṣṇa Hare Kṛṣṇa
Kṛṣṇa Kṛṣṇa Hare Hare
Hare Rāma Hare Rāma
Rāma Rāma Hare Hare

Please like, subscribe and share. If you can, please help us make more.

Thank you very much.
Hare Kṛṣṇa!

Видео How to make a Tulasi japa mala канала The Vedic Way