from the Book Natural Remedies by Shri P R Sarkar
Introduction and species
There are more than a hundred species of tulasii or basil on earth. It is most abundant in Iberia (Spain and Portugal). The soil, water and climate of Báungȧlistán (The total area where people’s natural language is Bengali is termed by the author as “Báungalistán”, Trans) are very suitable for basil (tulasii). Not only in Baungálistán, but throughout India, every household ought to have a basil plant because of its medicinal qualities. All plants of the Basil genus have their characteristic colours and smells. Though the seeds of all species are similar and all species have the common scent peculiar to the genus, every species is marked by its own distinctive scent.
Rádhá tulasii and babui tulasii are two species of basil native to Bengal, that is, they belong to the Banjalitis species of plants. Kršňa tulasii [black basil] originated from North India. Rádhá tulasii is the species with large, green leaves; it is not a tall plant. Rádhá tulasii has two main varieties with some difference in fragrance. There are also slight differences in the shapes and sizes of their leaves. One variety has light green leaves; its scent is mild but relatively stronger than the other variety. The latter has leaves of an even lighter hue that can be called whitish-green; its scent is very light. The kršna tulasii plant is much taller than the rádhá tulasii plant. At the home of a religious family in Bihar, I once saw a kršňa tulasii plant that was twice as tall as a man. This is the tallest variety of basil on earth. It grows in a clump much thicker than that of rádhá tulasii. The leaves are blackish-green in colour, of medium length or a little shorter; they have black spots. The scent of candana tulasii [sandal-scenting basil] is slightly similar to red sandalwood. It is very intense, like the scents of nágadoná [Artemisia vulgarus], and basil combined. The leaves of ráma tulasii have a tinge of black or red. The reddish ones have a rougher texture so their touch is not at all congenial. Their smell, though not unpleasant, is not attractive, and their taste is also not so desirable. Rávańa tulasii also has its own peculiarities. Some people refer to rávaña tulasii as valavána tulasii [literally “powerful basil”, basil of a bigger size). There is another type of tulasii called karpúra, tulasii. Karpúra, that is, camphor, can be extracted from its juice, just like from the original camphor tree.
Qualities of tulasii
Bábui tulasii and kršňa tulasii are not as popular as rádhá tulasii in the villages of Bengal. All species of basil have many medicinal properties, but rádhá tulasii has the most, followed by bábui tulasii, candana tulasii and kršna tulasii. The younger a person is, the stronger the effect of rådhá tulasii on that person. As one advances in age, the effect of rådhá tulasii decreases. Kršňa tulasii has the contrary effect: the younger the person, the weaker its medicinal effect. [[If, in the course of herbal treatment of a disease, the required species of basil is unavailable, other species can be substituted with good results, though not to the same extent.]]
Rádhá tulasii in the treatment of children’s diseases
This species of tulasii is a cure for about twenty-five types of children’s diseases. Generally, the juice of rádhá tulasii with honey is a very effective treatment for fever with a cold and nasal catarrh in children. It is just as efficacious in treating infants who become ill ath a cough and cold when still in the labour room.
Rádhá tulasii in the treatment of youth ailments
Tulasii, especially rádhá tulasii, is a wonderful remedy for certain maladies of early youth. following preparation gives excellent results in treating boys between sixteen and twenty-four years of age who suffer from excessive loss of semen. The root of rádhá tulasii or a branch root either the main root should be used, and if rádhá tulasii is not available, kršňa tulasii will suffice. A piece of that root the length of the little finger is to be chewed and ingested on an empty stomach along with chảnci pán [a kind of betel leaf] with its stem removed. During the period of aggravation of the malady, this should be done on a daily basis. Even after it has been cured, the preparation has to be taken early in the morning for four consecutive Sundays.
Bábui tulasii for asthma patients
The juice of bábui tulasii [Ocimum basilicum] leaves is a remedy for respiratory ailments. A small type of insect builds its nests on bábui tulasii plants. Suffering from asthma is alleviated if the nest with the insect inside is tied with a piece of red-coloured thread to the right hand of a male patient, or to the left hand of a female patient. If there is a history of asthma in the maternal family. that person will have a predisposition to asthma. The ancients believed that asthma was inherited from the mother’s side of the family. Whatever may be the case, if a child with a maternal family history of asthma displays symptoms respiratory problems between the ages of five and fifteen, that child should be given a spoonful of the juice of bábui tulasii leaves early every Saturday morning on an empty stomach. This will reduce the likelihood of asthma recurring in the child due the inherited disposition.
Tulasii in the treatment of fever and phthisis
Candana tulasii produces excellent results when administered during the early stage of phthisis. Globules of candana tulasii leaves together with honey are also very effective in the treatment of low-grade fever. Chronic and persistent fever is cured if two globules of candana tulasii leaves ground together with a little marine salt are taken. Candana tulasii is also a remedy for nerve ailments. The juice of its leaves is very pungent and works like magic when used for treating paediatric nerve conditions.
Krśńa tulasii as an antidote to poison
This quality exists mainly in the leaves of kršňa tulasii and less so in the leaves of other tulasii species.
Rama tulasii
Rama gratissimum] medicinal uses. tulasii also has [Ocimum many
Other uses and benefits of tulasii
A necklace made of pieces of wood from the variety of rádhá tulasii with whitish leaves are worn by members of a particular religious community. In ancient times, various types of small commercial articles were made from bábui tulasii wood in Bengal. As tulasii is a sweet-scenting plant, various essences can be extracted from it. The breeze blowing through tulasii plants is very good for health. It is customary in Bengal and India to light a lamp before tulasii plants in the morning and the evening. Even if no religious merit is earned from this custom, approaching it twice a day and coming in contact with the breeze blowing through it yields health benefits. The influence of the sun and the moon can be observed on basil plants. The influence of the moon is felt more on full moon nights.
