46 - Conversation between Ganesha and Tulasi 

Narada said - Parashurama adored Parvati delightfully and thereafter he also adored Ganesha y reciting this stotra provided to him by the lord.

He also offered various types of eatables with devotion including essence, lamp, fragrance and flowers. 

With the permission of Shiva, Parashurama adored Parvati and Ganesha besides Shiva, his teacher and went back to his abode. 

Narada said - Parashurama offered puja to Ganesha with all the eatables, flowers, etc., but how could his adoration be accepted without the TulasI leaves because of all the flowers, Tulasi is considered to be the best; then why Tulasi leaves are not acceptable by Ganesha? 

Narayana said - О Narada, I am going to tell you an ancient story which is contained as an ancient secret. You listen to it. 

Once Tulasi in her youthful age, performing tapas and reciting the name of Narayana was visiting holy places. Thereafter the youthful Ganesha spotted her on the bank of the Ganga. He was quite beautiful, having a spotless mind, wearing a serene smile on his face and was clad in a yellow lower garment. 

All his limbs were plastered with sandal-paste and he was wearing gem-studded ornaments on his body and devoted his mind to the lotus-like feet of lord Krishna, who happens to be the remover of birth, death and old age. 

He happens to be the best of those who had controlled the organs of senses, a great yogi, teacher of the teachers but the passionate Tulasi looked at him and said. 

Tulasi said - О elephant-faced god, whom are you adoring with a peaceful mind? How could you achieve the big belly and the face of an elephant? 

О virtuous one, why are you having only one tusk on your face, you tell me the reason for it? It is getting evening time and you stop performing dhyanam. 

Thus speaking the goddess Tulasi was laughing again and again but she was burning in passion from inside. 

Then she dropped some water on Ganesha and pushed him with the tip of her forefinger. Ganesha was engrossed in the devotion of lord Krishna

О Narada, this disturbed his meditation and he felt painful because being disturbed in one's meditation is quite painful. 

Having been disturbed in meditation on Hari, he opened his eyes and found a beautiful damsel standing before him who was quite youthful and was smiling besides being infatuated with passion. 

Lord Ganesha who had controlled his senses smilingly and with a peaceful mind spoke looking at her, who was filled with passion. 

Ganesvara said - О damsel, who are you? Who is your father? О mother, О auspicious one, you tell me. It is sinful to disturb a person performing the tapas which results in evil. О virtuous one, let lord Krishna bestow welfare on you and also remove all obstructions. Let you be free of the sin of disturbing my meditation. 

Oh hearing the words of Ganesha, the passionate Tulasi laughed and casting side glances she spoke in a sweet voice. 

Tulasi said - "O lord, I am the daughter of Dharmaputra. I am youthful and am an ascetic, I am performing tapas for achieving a husband; Therefore, you be my husband." 

On hearing the words of Tulasi, the intelligent Ganesha while reciting the name of the lord spoke to the intelligent damsel. 

Ganesha said - О mother, it is terrible for me to accept a spouse. I am, Therefore, not interested in the same. After marriage no one gets pleasure but one is sure to get pain. 

By doing so one’s devotion towards the lord is interrupted and the tapas is disturbed. The door to salvation is closed and a person gets entangled in the worldly fetters. 

One has to face pregnancy and ultimate loss of the knowledge of tattvas resulting in an increase of doubts. Therefore, even the Sudras should not indulge themselves in the same. This is a store 

house of pride and a box of illusion. It is a bundle of courage and a heap of sins. 

Therefore, О virtuous one, you return and search for another passionate husband. Because only a passionate one can be the husband of a passionate lady and their union is always beneficial." 

On hearing these words, she pronounced a curse on him saying, "O Ganesvara, you will get a wicked woman, there is no doubt about it." On hearing this Ganesha also pronounced a curse on her saying, "goddess, you will be over-powered by a demon. There is no doubt about it. 

Thereafter with the curse of elders you will have to be turned into the form of a tree." Thus speaking the immensely intelligent Ganesha kept quiet. On hearing the curse TulasI weeping again and again, started offering prayer to lord Ganesha. Lord Ganesha was pleased with her and said. 

Ganesvara said - О pleasant one, you will be the best of flowers known as Tulasi. О virtuous one, because of the rays of lord Vishnu, you will become the beloved of Narayana. 

You will be loved by all and particularly you would be beloved of lord Krishna; you will always remain auspicious and shall bestow salvation on the people but I shall never accept your leaves. 

Lord Ganesha thus speaking and because of his devotion towards the lord, went to Badrikasrama. Tulasi on the other hand feeling painful at heart went to the Pushkara-kshetra. She performed tapas Therefore, a lakh of years without consuming anything. 

О Narada, О sage, because of the curse of Ganesha, the best of the sages, Tulasi remained the wife of Samkhachuda for a long time. Thereafter, Samkhachuda was killed with the trident of Shiva. TulasI became devoted to Narayana and after due course of time she was turned into a tree. 

I have heard this from the mouth of Dharma, the story which I have narrated to you and is well known in the Puranas, which provides salvation. 

Thereafter, Parashurama adoring Ganesha, Shiva and Durga offered his adoration to them and performed tapas. 

Ganesha also having been adored by the gods and the sages started living with Parvati and Shiva comfortably. 

Thus, he who listens to the Ganapati Khanda attentively, surely achieves the merit of performing the Rajasuya-yajna. With the grace of Ganesha, the one having on son, gets a son, who is always valorous, patient, rich, virtuous, having a long life and glorious, intelligent, a poet and the best of those who control their sense organs. He gets immense riches, gives immense riches in charity, is quite noble, praise-worthy, is a Vaishnava, merciful and possesses the knowledge of tattvas. 

Adoring Ganesha offering with devotion, the garment and ornaments one should listen to the Ganapati Khanda and whosoever does so, even the totally barren one gets a son. О Brahmana, the lady who gives birth to dead children or is totally barren gets a son. The lady who blames other ladies with unblemished character is relieved of his sin and gets a son. 

The merit one earns by listening to the entire Brahmavaivarta Рuranа, the same merit is achieved by a person by listening to the Ganapati-khanda. 

The one who listens to the same keeping some desires in his mind, is bestowed with the fulfilment of the desires by lord Ganesha. On listening to the Ganapati Khanda one should give away in charity the yajnopavita of gold, a white umbrella, a rosary, sea-same, sweet balls and the fruits of the season. The one who recites the same for the removal of obstruction (his obstructions will be removed).