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A gaurav '''''kanthi''''', or simply '''''kanthi''''' ({{lang-sa|कण्ठी}}, ''kaṇṭhī'', <small>{{abbr|lit|literally}}.</small> "necklace"), is a [[necklace]] worn by some adherents of [[Hinduism]].
[[File:Hansadutta.jpg|thumb|140px|[[Hansadutta Swami]] of [[International Society for Krishna Consciousness|ISKCON]] wearing a [[Ocimum tenuiflorum|tulasi]] ''kanthi mala''.]]{{Short description|String or necklace worn by some Hindus}}
A '''''kanthi mala''''', or simply '''''kanthi''''' ({{langx|sa|कण्ठी}}, ''kaṇṭhī'', <small>{{abbr|lit|literally}}.</small> "necklace"), is a necklace made of beads from the [[tulasi]] (basil) plant,<ref>{{Cite book |last=Chaturvedi |first=Vinayak |url=https://www.google.com/books/edition/Peasant_Pasts/MzPlZSOjCpsC?hl=en&gbpv=1 |title=Peasant Pasts: History and Memory in Western India |date=2007 |publisher=University of California Press |isbn=978-0-520-25076-5 |pages=89 |language=en}}</ref> threaded on a string worn, and worn by some adherents of [[Hinduism]].{{Citation needed|date=February 2025}}


==In Vaishnavism==
==Vaishnavism==
[[File:Hansadutta.jpg|thumb|140px|[[Hansadutta Swami]] of [[International Society for Krishna Consciousness|ISKCON]] wearing [[Ocimum tenuiflorum|tulsi]] ''kanthi mala''.]]
Followers of [[Gaudiya Vaishnavism]] wear ''kanthi malas'' made of ''[[Ocimum tenuiflorum]]'' (known in Hinduism as [[Tulasi in Hinduism|tulasi]]).<ref name="z">{{cite book|title=Plants of life, plants of death|first=Frederick J. |last=Simoons|year=1998|page=14|publisher=Univ of Wisconsin Press |isbn=9780299159047 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KEUAbrBoeBAC&dq=kanthi+mala+krishna&pg=PA14}}</ref> Most Vaishnavas of this sect are given their ''kanthi'' by their [[guru]] at the time of [[diksha]], or spiritual initiation.{{Citation needed|date=February 2025}}
Followers of [[Gaudiya Vaishnavism]] wear ''kanthi malas'' made of ''[[Ocimum tenuiflorum]]'' (known in Hinduism as tulsi or ''tulasī'').<ref name=z>{{cite book|title=Plants of life, plants of death|first=Frederick J. |last=Simoons|year=1998|page=14|isbn=9780299159047 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=KEUAbrBoeBAC&pg=PA14&dq=kanthi+mala+krishna#q=kanthi%20mala%20krishna}}</ref> Most Vaishnavas will be given their ''kanthi'' by their [[guru]] at the time of [[diksha]], or spiritual initiation.


It is said [[Krishna]] – who is revered as ''svayam bhagavān'', or the [[monotheistic]] God, in Gaudiya Vaishnavism – was very fond of tulsi, and as such the plant is worshipped as ''"Tulasī [[devi]]"'' by followers of Krishna.<ref name=z/> Tulsi devi is considered to be "one of Krishna's most intimate servants"<ref name=K>{{cite web|last=devi dasi|first=Govinda|title=Tulasi Devi, Beloved of Krishna|url=http://www.krishna.com/tulasi-devi-beloved-krishna}}</ref> and provide protection to his devotees, and as such, Gaudiya Vaishnavas will try to avoid removing their tulsi ''kanthis'' under any circumstances.
It is said [[Krishna]] – who is revered as [[Svayam Bhagavan|S''vayam Bhagavan'']], or the "Self-Existent Lord," in Gaudiya Vaishnavism – was very fond of tulasi, and as such the plant is worshipped as ''"Tulasi [[devi]]"'' by followers of Krishna.<ref name="z" /> Tulasi devi is considered to be "one of Krishna's most intimate servants"<ref name="K">{{cite web|last=devi dasi|first=Govinda|title=Tulasi Devi, Beloved of Krishna|url=http://www.krishna.com/tulasi-devi-beloved-krishna|access-date=2014-02-24|archive-date=2023-11-10|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20231110151752/https://www.krishna.com/tulasi-devi-beloved-krishna|url-status=dead}}</ref> and provide protection to his devotees, and as such, Gaudiya Vaishnavas try to avoid removing their tulasi ''kanthis'' under any circumstances.


==In Shaivism==
==Shaivism==
[[Shaivism|Shaivite]]s wear ''kanthi'' made of [[rudraksha]].<ref name=z/> The name "rudraksha" is derived from the Sanskrit ''rudrākṣa'', meaning "[[Shiva]]'s eyes".
[[Shaivism|Shaivite]]s wear a ''kanthi'' made of [[rudraksha]].<ref name="z" /> The name "rudraksha" is derived from the Sanskrit ''rudrākṣa'', meaning "Eye of [[Rudra]]".<ref>{{Cite book |last=Subramuniyaswami |first=Sivaya |url=https://archive.org/details/dancingwithsivah00subr_0 |title=Dancing with Siva |year=1997 |isbn=9780945497974 |location=USA |page=799 |url-access=registration}}</ref>


==In other traditions==
==Other traditions==
''Kanthi malas'' are also worn by followers of the [[Swaminarayan Sampraday]] and the [[Kabir panth]]. [[Swaminarayan]] instructed his followers to wear a double-stranded ''kanthi'' made of [[tulsi]], symbolising [[Radha Krishna|Radha–Krishna]], while [[Kabir]] instructed his disciples to wear triple-stranded ''kanthis'' – symbolising the Hindu trinity of [[Brahma]], [[Vishnu]] and [[Shiva]] – with one large bead made from either tulsi or rudraksha for ''Satya Purush'', the "supreme lord who dwells within, who is above all else."<ref name="isbn8120606515">{{cite book |author1=Behramji Merwanji Malabari |author2=Krishnalal M. Jhaveri |author3=Malabari M. B | title=Gujarat and the Gujaratis | publisher=Asian Educational Services | year=1997 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Lyd8jPbN218C&dq=muktanand+swami |isbn=81-206-0651-5 |access-date=May 7, 2009}} Page 264</ref>
''Kanthi malas'' are also worn by followers of the [[Swaminarayan Sampraday|Swaminarayan Sampradaya]] and the [[Kabir panth]]. [[Swaminarayan]] instructed his followers to wear a double-stranded ''kanthi'' made of [[tulsi|tulasi]], symbolising [[Radha Krishna|Radha–Krishna]], while [[Kabir]] instructed his disciples to wear triple-stranded ''kanthis'' – symbolising the Hindu trinity of [[Brahma]], [[Vishnu]], and [[Shiva]] – with one large bead made from either tulasi or rudraksha for ''Satya Purusha'', the "supreme lord who dwells within, who is above all else."<ref name="isbn8120606515">{{cite book |author1=Behramji Merwanji Malabari |author2=Krishnalal M. Jhaveri |author3=Malabari M. B | title=Gujarat and the Gujaratis | publisher=Asian Educational Services | year=1997 | url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Lyd8jPbN218C&q=muktanand+swami |isbn=81-206-0651-5 |access-date=May 7, 2009}} Page 264</ref>


==References==
==References==

Latest revision as of 15:22, 9 February 2025

Hansadutta Swami of ISKCON wearing a tulasi kanthi mala.

A kanthi mala, or simply kanthi (Script error: The function "langx" does not exist., kaṇṭhī, lit. "necklace"), is a necklace made of beads from the tulasi (basil) plant,[1] threaded on a string worn, and worn by some adherents of Hinduism.[citation needed]

Vaishnavism[edit | edit source]

Followers of Gaudiya Vaishnavism wear kanthi malas made of Ocimum tenuiflorum (known in Hinduism as tulasi).[2] Most Vaishnavas of this sect are given their kanthi by their guru at the time of diksha, or spiritual initiation.[citation needed]

It is said Krishna – who is revered as Svayam Bhagavan, or the "Self-Existent Lord," in Gaudiya Vaishnavism – was very fond of tulasi, and as such the plant is worshipped as "Tulasi devi" by followers of Krishna.[2] Tulasi devi is considered to be "one of Krishna's most intimate servants"[3] and provide protection to his devotees, and as such, Gaudiya Vaishnavas try to avoid removing their tulasi kanthis under any circumstances.

Shaivism[edit | edit source]

Shaivites wear a kanthi made of rudraksha.[2] The name "rudraksha" is derived from the Sanskrit rudrākṣa, meaning "Eye of Rudra".[4]

Other traditions[edit | edit source]

Kanthi malas are also worn by followers of the Swaminarayan Sampradaya and the Kabir panth. Swaminarayan instructed his followers to wear a double-stranded kanthi made of tulasi, symbolising Radha–Krishna, while Kabir instructed his disciples to wear triple-stranded kanthis – symbolising the Hindu trinity of Brahma, Vishnu, and Shiva – with one large bead made from either tulasi or rudraksha for Satya Purusha, the "supreme lord who dwells within, who is above all else."[5]

References[edit | edit source]

  1. Chaturvedi, Vinayak (2007). Peasant Pasts: History and Memory in Western India. University of California Press. p. 89. ISBN 978-0-520-25076-5.
  2. 2.0 2.1 2.2 Simoons, Frederick J. (1998). Plants of life, plants of death. Univ of Wisconsin Press. p. 14. ISBN 9780299159047.
  3. devi dasi, Govinda. "Tulasi Devi, Beloved of Krishna". Archived from the original on 2023-11-10. Retrieved 2014-02-24.
  4. Subramuniyaswami, Sivaya (1997). Dancing with Siva. USA. p. 799. ISBN 9780945497974.{{cite book}}: CS1 maint: location missing publisher (link)
  5. Behramji Merwanji Malabari; Krishnalal M. Jhaveri; Malabari M. B (1997). Gujarat and the Gujaratis. Asian Educational Services. ISBN 81-206-0651-5. Retrieved May 7, 2009. Page 264