[Advaita-l] In the Puranas it is said that Vipra's have to wear tulsi bids on their neck. In suta Samhita I heard that Smarta Vipra should avoid such garlands. Can anyone give reference regarding exclusion of Garland from neck?

[Venkata sriram P]

Namaste,

AFAIK, there is no mention of prohibition of tulasi maala in suta saMhita.  

Importance of bhasma-dhAraNa, shiva puja, panchAkSari mantra mAhAtmya and 
rudrAkSa dhAraNa is mentioned there.    

Vaishnavas & Bhagavatas (belonging to smArta sampradAya) wear the tulasi mAla & urdhwa-puNDra.  

The smArtas who follow the nAma-siddhAnta (especially belonging to Kaveri belt), wear tulasi mAla and
urdhwa-puNDra with gopichandana.  

Infact, shrI bhagavannAma bodhendra saraswathi swamigal (59th acharya of Kamakoti Pitha)
used to wear tulasi-mAla and urdhwa-puNDra with gopichandana even though He belonged
to advaita-siddhAnta.  Swamigal emphasised nAma-siddhAnta and rAma-nAma sankirtana.

rgs,
sriram