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My tulsi kanthi broke!

Jainarayan

ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय
Staff member
Premium Member
I'm so disappointed. You see, I've read that once offered to Lord Vishnu and worn, it must never be taken off deliberately. So I sleep wearing it, and took it off only under protest for surgery. Now, I can fix it by removing some more of the tiny beads and tying it. Two questions... What do I do with the beads I remove, and can I really not take it off to go to sleep?
 

Kalidas

Well-Known Member
What did you do for work? At least where I'm at they don't want us wearing religious "jewelry" or at least none that shows.
 

Jainarayan

ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय
Staff member
Premium Member
I work in IT, but I wear my beads inside my shirt.
 

Kalidas

Well-Known Member
Ah I work at a grocery store and the school district. I'm sorry about your tulsi! Not sure what the answer is though.
 
How many beads are there? I would suggest buying another string - one likely to hold up well to your sweat, etc. and restringing them. A broken string & missing beads seems somewhat less appropriate. Restringing malas is just fine though - use the same mantra you do with your japa mala.
 
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Jainarayan

ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय
Staff member
Premium Member
Probably hundreds of beads, about the size of pepper seeds. They're tiny beads on a long string, not a mala. I felt it hanging loose and knew I lost some beads. I have two malas, both blessed. I've thought about wearing one, but the beads are a good 6-8 mm. How would I dispose of the broken kanthi, if I do? Could I put it in a small pouch or container on the altar?
 

Nyingjé Tso

Tänpa Yungdrung zhab pä tän gyur jig
Vanakkam,

How would I dispose of the broken kanthi, if I do? Could I put it in a small pouch or container on the altar?

If you can't wear it anymore because it had lost beads, then I don't see any problem for keeping them at you altar (like chirmi beads for some)

As for disposing of them...I am no expert but, maybe as the same as murti: putting in flowing river, or bury under a tree.

Aum Namah Shivaya
 

Jainarayan

ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय
Staff member
Premium Member
It would be wearable if I re-tie it, but as VajraYosid said, it may not be appropriate. I would keep them at the altar.
 

Fireside_Hindu

Jai Lakshmi Maa
I don't know if there is a "proper" procedure for disposal, but I agree with JB above - you could just put them in a small dish on your alter, or place them at the feet of SriKrishna/Narayan.

Shanti :camp:
 

Jainarayan

ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय
Staff member
Premium Member
I was able to re-tie it, but I had to remove some of the beads to get enough of the thread (actually fishing line) to tie together. The join is almost unnoticeable, though of course I know it's there. It occurred to me that beads this tiny probably get broken all the time and fall off. I made a tiny paper envelope and sealed the beads in it. I'll put it on the altar, then when I get a chance to go to a river, I'll place them in the water. I found some info about handling and/or disposing of malas and kanthis. They're talking about malas, but I suppose the same might hold true for a kanthi. TUlsi maalaa Posts #22, 23, 25, 27. I'm not keen on the fire.

This is it. Notice the size of the beads next to my ring finger.

 

Jainarayan

ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय
Staff member
Premium Member
Even though my current tulsi kanthi's repair is holding up, I ordered a new one anyway from Hare Krishna Store (Krishna Store: Supplies for Krishna Consciousness at Home). I got the 24" Sterling Silver Tulsi Necklace - Medium Beads That is where I got my current tulsi kanthi. I like that site. Nice stuff, limited inventory though. I also ordered a small Chamara (yak tail whisk). Gotta justify the shipping! I always wanted one anyway. I also ordered some things from Rudra Center Rudraksha beads, Gemstones and Rudraksha Ratna Science Therapy a couple more altar cloths with gold fringes, a 7" Garuda brass bell and a couple more small brass bowls. If Rudra Centre and Krishna Culture merged, that would be one blow--out hindu supplies site. :D
 

Jainarayan

ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय
Staff member
Premium Member
I wanted to revisit this because I have a few questions, perhaps ocpd-type questions. No one should expect less. :p

I got a new tulsi kanthi a couple of weeks ago. I got this one in 24"

MediumxBlack-200x234.jpg


It is very delicate and nice, unfortunately it does not have a clasp, I have no idea why. I had all to do to get it over my head, ears and what-not. So, three questions for those in the know...

1. Can I take it off to have a jeweler put a clasp on it? I could do it myself by getting jewelry findings (I worked for jewelers). When I had my MRIs and surgery they made me take my other one off.

2. Can I take it off at night to sleep? That's the reason for wanting to put a clasp on it. I am afraid of breaking this one too, but tulsi is said to never be removed.

3. Can I put a small pendant on it? Such as an enameled one of Krishna; perhaps Lakshmi because Tulsi is an incarnation of Lakshmi.
 

ratikala

Istha gosthi
Vanakkam,



If you can't wear it anymore because it had lost beads, then I don't see any problem for keeping them at you altar (like chirmi beads for some)

personaly I wouldnt put them on an altar , as only new fresh things are offerable and should be put on shrines , I have a box for things I concider prasad , anything blessed . I kep it with my books .
As for disposing of them...I am no expert but, maybe as the same as murti: putting in flowing river, or bury under a tree.

Aum Namah Shivaya
putting in the river is good , and much like a garland leaving it out in a natural place is of no harm , I simply take the darshan of anything blessed then in to the flower bed to bless the animal life out there :)
 

Vinayaka

devotee
Premium Member
I wanted to revisit this because I have a few questions, perhaps ocpd-type questions. No one should expect less. :p

I got a new tulsi kanthi a couple of weeks ago. I got this one in 24"

Personally, I think you can alter it anyway you want to. A pendant or a clasp is fine too. I only wear a single rudraksha, and I made it just the right size to fit over my head. I do take it off at night. The japa beads are another story.

But clearly there would be differences varying on teachers, etc. I wouldn't worry too much.
 

Jainarayan

ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय
Staff member
Premium Member
but you can join or re thread them thats fine :)

I didn't know about giving the tulsi back to Krishna. I put it in a tiny cloth pouch which I'll now keep in another special place. I thought it could go on the altar as a murthi. I tried to re-tie it but it just didn't come out right. :(
 

Jainarayan

ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय
Staff member
Premium Member
Personally, I think you can alter it anyway you want to. A pendant or a clasp is fine too. I only wear a single rudraksha, and I made it just the right size to fit over my head. I do take it off at night. The japa beads are another story.

But clearly there would be differences varying on teachers, etc. I wouldn't worry too much.

:yes: I'll probably get a clasp put on it soon so I can take it off at night. The last one broke because I never took it off. I think the idea is to be as respectful as possible. I have a single rudraksha that was a gift for an order from Rudra Centre. I don't wear it because it's fairly large and makes a lump under my shirt (1.5 cm), but I would like to wear it. I have a rudraksha mala of very tiny beads I wear. It's never been used for japa, the beads are too tiny. Again, I don't know if it's OK to wear like that, but I haven't suffered any ill effects. Rather, I feel "comforted". The tassle on the meru bead is long gone from fraying, it's that delicate. It was said to blessed before being shipped. I read somewhere that Lord Shiva told Maa Parvati that everyone can and should wear rudraksha. So who am I to argue with Lord Shiva?
 
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Jainarayan

ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय
Staff member
Premium Member
Just a follow-up brainfart...

The new tulsi kanthi I ordered is breaking also. I felt something poking me, and discovered it is one of the silver wires that connect the silver end caps of the beads. At least one bead is missing, and others are cracking. I don't abuse them, I simply wear it around my neck, nothing hanging from it, or catching on it. I don't think I will order another one, at least not from Krishna Culture. I guess I'm not meant to wear one.
 

Jainarayan

ॐ नमो भगवते वासुदेवाय
Staff member
Premium Member
You're probably right. I think the problem is that they are made cheap, and I never take it off, even when sleeping. I found a site Tulsi : SacredWoods.net, Malas, Beads, Jewelry, Books that has some seemingly nice items. Because they are so inexpensive (and seem to break so easily :rolleyes:), I would get a couple each of the 3rd and 5th that are displayed, the 22" and 18". I think, despite some things written about offending Lord Hari by removing it (mumbo-jumbo which I don't believe), I would take it off at night.
 
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