Bhaktivedanta VedaBase: Srimad Bhagavatam 3.15.19

mandara-kunda-kurabotpala-campakarna-

punnaga-naga-bakulambuja-parijatah

gandhe 'rcite tulasikabharanena tasya

yasmims tapah sumanaso bahu manayanti

SYNONYMS

mandara -- mandara; kunda -- kunda; kuraba -- kuraba; utpala -- utpala; campaka -- campaka; arna -- arna flower; punnaga -- punnaga; naga -- nagakesara; bakula -- bakula; ambuja -- lily; parijatah -- parijata; gandhe -- fragrance; arcite -- being worshiped; tulasika -- tulasi; abharanena -- with a garland; tasyah -- of her; yasmin -- in which Vaikuntha; tapah -- austerity; su-manasah -- good minded, Vaikuntha minded; bahu -- very much; manayanti -- glorify.

TRANSLATION

Although flowering plants like the mandara, kunda, kurabaka, utpala, campaka, arna, punnaga, nagakesara, bakula, lily and parijata are full of transcendental fragrance, they are still conscious of the austerities performed by tulasi, for tulasi is given special preference by the Lord, who garlands Himself with tulasi leaves.

PURPORT

The importance of tulasi leaves is very clearly mentioned here. Tulasi plants and their leaves are very important in devotional service. Devotees are recommended to water the tulasi tree every day and collect the leaves to worship the Lord. One time an atheistic svami remarked, "What is the use of watering the tulasi plant? It is better to water eggplant. By watering the eggplant one can get some fruits, but what is the use of watering the tulasi?" These foolish creatures, unacquainted with devotional service, sometimes play havoc with the education of people in general.

The most important thing about the spiritual world is that there is no envy among the devotees there. This is true even among the flowers, which are all conscious of the greatness of tulasi. In the Vaikuntha world entered by the four Kumaras, even the birds and flowers are conscious of service to the Lord.

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His Divine Grace A. C. Bhaktivedanta Swami Prabhupada, Founder Acarya of the International Society for Krishna Consciousness