Skandapurana 2.4.8

Nārada said:

Speak further, O lotus-seated one, for I have no satiety;

by drinking the nectar of your speech, my thirst increases all the more. (1)

Brahmā said:

Having bathed at dawn and become purified, devoted to Viṣṇu in the month of Kārtika,

worshiping the god Dāmodara with tender tulasī leaves,

he attains liberation; no doubt should be entertained in this matter. (2)

However, whoever, devoid of devotion, worships with gold and other riches—

He does not accept his worship; no doubt should be entertained in this matter. (3)

For all classes alike, this devotion is considered supreme;

an act devoid of devotion does not bring pleasure to Viṣṇu. (4)

Continually worshiped with devotion with even half a leaf of tulasī,

the blessed Lord Hari personally becomes visible. (5)

In ancient times Viṣṇudāsa, through devotion and the worship of tulasī,

went swiftly to the world of Viṣṇu, while the Cola king obtained secondary rank. (6)

Hear the māhātmya of tulasī, which destroys sin and increases merit,

which was spoken by Viṣṇu of old to Ramā; that I now declare. (7)

When the month of Kārtika arrives, worship of Hari with tulasī—

the men who perform it with devotion go to the supreme abode. (8)

Therefore, by every effort, with tender leaves of tulasī,

the destroyer of all afflictions is to be worshiped with great devotion. (9)

As far as a planted tulasī extends its roots,

for that many thousands of yugas one is glorified in the world of Brahmā. (10)

If one takes a bath in water combined with tulasī leaves,

he is freed from all sins and rejoices in the abode of Viṣṇu. (11)

And if one prepares a grove for planting [tulasī], O great sage,

by that alone his sins are cleared away and he is fit for absorption into brahman. (12)

In whose house, O brahmin, a tulasī grove stands,

that house becomes a sacred ford; the attendants of Yama do not go there. (13)

The tulasī grove removes all sins, yields merit, and grants desires;

the excellent men who plant it never see the son of the Sun. (14)

The person who wears sandal-paste mixed with tulasī wood,

sin being committed does not touch his body in that way. (15)

Where the shadow of a tulasī grove falls, O twice-born,

a śrāddha should be performed there for the satisfaction of the ancestors. (16)

On whom a tulasī leaf is seen upon the ear or on the head,

Yama is not able to look at him, how much less his terrifying messengers? (17)

Whoever, full of reverence, listens daily to the greatness of tulasī,

his soul freed from all sin, goes to the world of Brahmā. (18)

In this very context they cite this ancient legend

concerning tulasī, O brahmin, which destroys sin through hearing. (19)

Formerly, in the land of Kaśmīra, there were two brahmins,

named Harimedhas and Sumedhas, wholly devoted to devotion to Viṣṇu, (20)

endowed with compassion for all living beings, and knowers of the meaning of all truth.

Once, those two best of twice-born men, intent on pilgrimage to sacred fords, (21)

were traveling together, overpowered with fatigue in a wilderness;

there those two subduers of foes saw a grove of tulasī. (22)

Seeing that great grove of tulasī, Sumedhas among them,

having then circumambulated it, bowed down full of devotion. (23)

Seeing this, Harimedhas, with the highest joy,

in order to learn the māhātmya of tulasī and its fruit again and again, said: (24)

Harimedhas said:

For what reason, O brahmin, when gods, sacred fords, and vows,

and foremost brahmins are present, have you offered obeisance [here]? (25)

Sumedhas said:

Listen, fortunate brahmin; you have spoken well.

The heat indeed oppresses both of us. Having gone to the presence of this banyan tree,

and resorting to its shade, I will tell you according to the truth.

Having spoken thus, Sumedhas, accompanied by Harimedhas,

who knew righteousness, went to the banyan tree endowed with a large hollow.

Resting there, that brahmin spoke indeed to Harimedhas:

“Let the excellent story of Tulasī be heard, O tiger among brahmins,

who arose in the ocean of milk through the grace of the Supreme Lord.

Formerly, when Puraṃdara’s sovereignty was lost through the curse of Durvāsas,

Brahmā and others, along with the gods and asuras, churned the ocean of milk.

Airāvata, the wish-fulfilling tree, the Moon, and Kamalā;

Uccaiḥśravas, the Kaustubha gem, and likewise Dhanvantari and Hari;

and the myrobalan and other divine medicinal plants—

these were born, O best among the twice-born, bestowing welfare upon the world.

Then, holding in both hands the pot of nectar

that grants agelessness and immortality—the supreme, beautiful vessel—

Viṣṇu, seeing it with his mind, immediately attained supreme bliss.

Tears of joy fell into that pot of nectar,

and instantly Tulasī was born, circular in form,

endowed with all auspicious marks, adorned with all ornaments.

The gods, Brahmā and the rest, then gave Lakṣmī, who had arisen there, and Tulasī to Hari;

and the blessed Lord Hari accepted [them].

Thenceforth, Tulasī became exceedingly dear to the Lord of the worlds.

She, the beloved, is worshipped like Viṣṇu by all the hosts of gods.

Nārāyaṇa is the protector of the universe, and Tulasī is his beloved.

Therefore obeisance was made to her by me, O brahmin.”

As the high-souled Sumedhas was speaking thus,

a great aerial chariot, radiant like the sun, was seen nearby.

At that moment, O sage, the banyan tree fell before [them].

And likewise from that tree two men emerged,

illuminating all quarters with their splendour, resembling the sun.

The two of them bowed down to Harimedhas and Sumedhas.

Harimedhas and Sumedhas, seeing them, were overcome with fear.

Filled with wonder, the two said to those two who resembled gods:

Harimedhas and Sumedhas said:

“Who are you two, who resemble gods and are all-auspicious,

wearing garlands of fresh mandāra flowers, like immortals,

worthy of our salutation and worship, having the form of celestials?”

Thus addressed by the two brahmins, the two who had emerged from the tree said:

“You two alone are our father, mother, and likewise teacher;

and you two alone are our kinsmen and others, without doubt.”

The elder one said:

“I belong to the heavenly world, named Āstīka by name.

Surrounded by a group of apsarases, once to the Nandana forest

and to a mountain I went for pleasure, my mind attached to sensual objects.

The celestial women dallied with me as they pleased.

Garlands of jasmine and pearls fell from those women

upon Romaśa while he was practising austerity. Seeing that, the sage was angered.

‘This is not the fault of the women, who are indeed dependent upon others;

this wicked-mannered one alone deserves a curse,’ he said.

‘Having become a brahmarākṣasa, dwell in a banyan tree,’ [he said] to me.

Propitiated then by me, he also granted an end to the curse:

‘When you hear from a twice-born the māhātmya of the tulasī leaf

and the name of Viṣṇu, you will immediately attain supreme liberation.’

Thus cursed by the sage, extremely sorrowful for a long time,

I was dwelling here in the banyan tree. By fate, surely through the sight of you,

liberation from the brahmin’s curse has occurred. Listen to the story of the second one.

Formerly, this best of sages was devoted to serving his guru.

Having disregarded the command of his guru, he attained the state of a brahmarākṣasa.”

"Now, by your favor, he is freed from the curse of the brahmin;

and the fruit of a pilgrimage to sacred fords has indeed been accomplished here by you two.

May increasingly higher merits increase day by day."

Having said this and bowed repeatedly to those two excellent sages,

having taken leave of them, those two went to their abode with supreme joy.

Then those two foremost of sages, for the sake of a pilgrimage to sacred fords,

praising the holy tulasī, departed, O foremost of sages.

Thus, O Nārada, who indeed can describe the māhātmya of tulasī?

Therefore, O Nārada, in this month of Kārtika which delights Hari,

the worship of tulasī must be performed; no hesitation should be made here.

Thus, my dear, the vows have been proclaimed, O best of sages;

I shall explain the auxiliary rites as proclaimed by the Vālakhilyas.

Thus ends the eighth chapter, titled 'Description of the Māhātmya of Tulasī', in the Kārtikamāsamāhātmya in the second section, the Vaiṣṇavakhaṇḍa, of the glorious Skanda Mahāpurāṇa in eighty-one thousand verses.