We are the inheritors of a rich and mosaic culture that has been handed down to us is more than a few thousand years old and the cardinal importance which it gives to trees, plants and herbs is particularly relevant in a situation today. When the degradation of our environment is taking place with a kind of mindlessness that is threatening our very survival. It is time to rediscover the values and properties of some of trees, plants and herbs which our Vedic literature, Puranas and religious scriptures. And the plant basil which is widely known as Tulsi is one such plant whose therapeutic and magical curative properties were recognized by great Charak, Dhanvantari, Sushrut and great physicians and pharmacologists from anicient times.
Tulsi is plant which is quite liberally distributed all over the country and there are various mythological stories revolving around it. She is portrayed as the wife of Jalandhara in the Padma Purana. In the Brahmavivartha Purana her origin is narrated in the Brahmakhanda. She is the exquisitely beautiful daughter of King Dharmadhwaja an incarnation of a Gopi who was under a curse from Radha as she dared to seek favours from Lord Krishna in Golok. Tulsi is given the sixth place among the eight objects of worship in the ritual of the consecration of the Kalasha, the container of holy water. Tulsi was also worshipped in the rituals of the Greek Church and every year on the Birth Anniversary of Saint Basil, women were found to be sanctifying their houses by scattering Tulsi leaves which were offered in churches and thus inviting the Saint's blessings to bestow good fortune on the family.
The wondrous therapeutic properties of this plant can be found from the extracts of its leaves. Its beneficial fluids can perform wonders in curing many common ailments. Moderate intake of its juice enhances the physical beauty of a person. Tulsi is the most effective eliminator kapha (phlegm) and pitta (bile). It improves the functioning of the heart, removes toxin from the body, strengthens our memory.
Similarly many a disease like diarrhoea, piles, stones in kidney, anorexia, skin diseases, worm, acne, eczema, body odours, constipation , colic, dysuria, urethritis, asthma etc. can be successfully treated with Tulsi. Unfortunately we have been forgetting the invaluable qualities that our tree, plants and herbs possess and turning to modern drugs as panacea to all our ills.