Lotus Imprints – Preserving Prabhupada's Legacy » Blog Archive

Q&As from the CIS
18 September 2009

Here’s the second question:

Q2. Please, accept my humble obeisances! All glory to Srila Prabhupada! Tell me, not devotee person is able to wear cantimala?

Ans: I presume this means, “Can a non-devotee wear kanti-mala?”

I don’t see why not. Certainly a person is going to benefit from wearing tulasi beads around their neck even if they are not a devotee. It is similar to a non-devotee taking prasadam or hearing the Holy Name. If a person imitates the devotees by wearing tulasi beads around their necks they will benefit. This is called ajnata-sukriti, unknowingly acquiring spiritual merit.

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Tulasi devi is all-auspicious and if someone dies wearing Tulasi beads on their body, they are purified of all sinful reactions:

“A similar statement is in the Skanda Purana, which says, “Persons who are decorated with tilaka or gopi-candana [a kind of clay resembling fuller’s earth which is produced in certain quarters of Vrndavana], and who mark their bodies all over with the holy names of the Lord, and on whose necks and breasts there are tulasi beads, are never approached by the Yamadutas.” [NOD-9 Tilak and Tulasi Beads]

Here is question 2:

2. Please, accept my humble obeisances! All glory to Srila Prabhupada! Tell me, not devotee person is able to wear cantimala?

I presume this means, “Can a non-devotee wear kanti-mala?”

I don’t see why not. Certainly a person is going to benefit from wearing tulasi beads around their neck even if they are not a devotee. It is similar to a non-devotee taking prasadam or hearing the Holy Name. If a person imitates the devotees by wearing tulasi beads around their necks they will benefit. This is called ajnata-sukriti, unknowingly acquiring spiritual merit.

Tulasi devi is all-auspicious and if someone dies wearing Tulasi beads on their body, they are purified of all sinful reactions:

“A similar statement is in the Skanda Purana, which says, “Persons who are decorated with tilaka or gopi-candana [a kind of clay resembling fuller’s earth which is produced in certain quarters of Vrndavana], and who mark their bodies all over with the holy names of the Lord, and on whose necks and breasts there are tulasi beads, are never approached by the Yamadutas.” [NOD-9 Tilak and Tulasi Beads]

Your humble servant,

Hari-sauri dasa

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