Shri Goswami Tulsidas (1532 – 1623)

Shri Tulsi Das Ji was a great poet who composed the ‘Shri Ramacharita Manasa’. His boyhood was one of poverty and suffering; but yet he became a great scholar. One word spoken by his wife brought him a realization of his true goal; he became a devotee of Lord Shri Rama. And this poet-saint showed thousands of people the way to a meaningful life. ‘Tulsi Ramayana’ is a very famous and great epic of North India. It relates the story of Shri Rama. It was written by Goswami Shri Tulsi Das Ji. That is why it was popularly known as Tulsi Ramayana.

The Age Of Shri Tulsi Das Ji

Goswami Shri Tulsi Das Ji was born about 1487 and lived upto 1623. He lived for 136 years.

It was a bad period for the Followers of the Vedas. They had lost their freedom and had to struggle hard to maintain their unity. All their scriptures were in Sanskrit; so many people found them difficult to understand. As the followers of the Vedas had no freedom, it was difficult for them even to attempt to expound the ideas of their religion.Women and also some groups among the Hindus did not have equality. This state of affairs made gifted and liberal-minded poets unhappy.

Shri Ramananda was a disciple of Shri Ramanujacharya Ji, the founder of the Shri vaishnava sampradaya. He and his disciples lived in North India. He opened the doors of ‘Bhakti’ (devotion) to all and brought hope into the lives of the masses. It was at this time that Shri Ramananda spread the cult of Rama Bhakti by preaching that Rama is the protector of all people. Saint Kabirdas extolled the greatness of ‘Rama – the formless God’ saying that Ram and Rahim were not different. Thus he tried to bring about unity among the Hindus and the Muslims.

Shri Tulsi Das Ji set before the people the conception of Shri Rama as all virtuous, all powerful, the Lord of the World, and the very embodiment of the Supreme Reality (Parabrahma). He gave them the light of ‘Bhakti’ and thus dispelled the darkness of fear from their minds. Shri Rama shone as an ideal man and the protector.

Forsaken By His Own Father

Atmaram Dubey of Rajapur was a great scholar in Vedic literature and astrology. His wife was Hulasibai. They were happy in every way but had no children. They worshipped Hanuman Ji and prayed to him with devotion to bless them with a son. One auspicious day Hulasibai gave birth to a beautiful baby son.

The newborn babe started saying ‘Ram, Ram’ instead of crying. So he was given the name Rama Bola (one who said Ram). So goes a story.

Tularam was a baby of a few days when he lost his mother. His father also forsook him. People give many reasons for this. Here is one story. Pandit Dubey cast the horoscope of his son. All the planets were favorable. But the child’s star? The star was ‘Moola’. The father thought, ‘This is a bad star. It will bring me bad luck. I must go away. Otherwise I am doomed.’

He left the town once and for all. The unfortunate child was brought up by his old grand-mother. Thus Tularam lost the love and the care of both the father and the mother. He became the favorite of all his neighbors. They tended him, and played with him, gave him something to eat and blessed him.

When Tularam was able to stand on his legs, he began to go round the town begging for food. He lived on whatever he got.

In one of his songs Shri Tulsi Das Ji recalls how exceedingly difficult it was for him, as a boy, to get even four grains of gram.

After a few years his grandmother passed away. Then he became the child of the whole town. The devotees gave him to eat whatever was offered to God and that was his daily food. “The temple is my shelter. God is my father and mother,” Shri Tulsi Das Ji has said. “Hanuman Ji is my father who fed and brought me up” says Shri Tulsi Das Ji recollecting those childhood days; he then actually lived in a temple of Hanuman Ji and every day partook of the food offered to God there

The Guru

Shri Naraharidas Ji was a reputed scholar, philosopher and storyteller (he gave discourses on stories of devotion). Once he came to Rajapur. He stayed in the temple of Hanuman Ji. At the request of the people he began a series of discourses on the Ramayana.

Tularam was filled with pleasurable excitement. Discourses of this type, which blended music and literature, were a feast to him. He used to attend them every day without fail. Devotion to Rama lay like a seed in his heart; as he listened to the discourses, it began to sprout.

Every day the boy sat right in front of Shri Naraharidas Ji and listened to the’ discourse with rapt attention. and also the boy joined the general Bhajan, singing melodiously. Shri Naraharidas Ji grew interested in the lad. He saw the boy’s handsome looks, hisdelicate figure, large eyes and prominent forehead, and the bright radiant face. He recognized the mysterious power in the boy. He pitied him when be learnt that he was an orphan. One day he asked the boy. “Will you be my disciple?” Tularam touched his feet with reverence and burst into tears.

Shri Naraharidas Ji lifted him up and patted him on the back. From that day Tularam became a disciple of Pandit Shri Naraharidas Ji. In one of his songs Shri Tulsi Das Ji has said of this incident, ‘I got for my Master God Parameswara Himself in human form.’ After his discourses in Rajapur Shri Naraharidas Ji set out for another place. Tularam bowed to Lord Hanuman Ji and followed his master.

Wherever Shri Naraharidas Ji went Tularam went with him. His duty was to sing Ram Bhajan before and discourse began. He sang melodiously. The whole day was spent in studies. The master taught him various subjects like the Vedas, the Upanishads, philosophy, mythology and languages – Sanskrit and Prakrit. Bhajans were held at night. Thus they traveled far and wide for fourteen years and came to Soro in Uttar Pradesh. By that time Tularam had mastered all subjects. He was acquainted with the life of the people. He could sing much better than his master. He could not only give discourses on the Ramayana, but also compose poems. Shri Naraharidas Ji felt extremely happy at his disciples, accomplishments

Marriage And Renunciation

Tularam had attained scholarship in all branches of learning; the teacher Shri Naraharidas Ji himself arranged for his marriage. Tularam married Ratnavali, a very beautiful and accomplished daughter of a Brahmin by name Deenabandhu Pathak. Parting from his master who loved him more than a father was very painful to Tularam. Yet bound by the master’s wish and his own duty he became a householder.

Tularam had everything-good looks, youth, education, honour and a good income too. Rich people used to invite him now and then to their houses, honour him and offer him money. His wife Ratnavali was a beautiful and a virtuous girl. Tulararn loved her very much. They led a happy life. No wonder that, in his state of joy and contentment, he thought less and less about God. He loved his wife so much that for years he did not send her to her parents’ house at all.

One day Pandit Tularam went to neighboring village to give a discourse. The same day Ratnavali’s brother came to see her. Ratnavali had not as much as glanced at her parents’ house ever since her marriage; when she saw her brother she remembered her parents and began to weep. The brother in fact had come only to take her home. He comforted his sister. He said, “Come, let us go home sister, you can stay with us for a few days and come back. Mother is longing to see you”. Ratnavali loved her parents’ home so much that for a moment she decided to go. But she hesitated. She said, “My husband is not at home. How can I come without his consent? Besides he cannot bear to be without me even for a short time. Let him come home; you can talk to him about this. I too will request him. Then we can go.” But the brother argued with her and persuaded her. She locked up the house and left the key with the neighbor and said: “Please give this key to my husband when he comes home, and tell him that I am returning the day after tomorrow.” She then went with her brother.

It was dark when Pandit Tularam came home. When the neighbor gave him the key and his wife’s message, he became very angry. Without his wife the house looked bleak as a cave. Every hour his boredom grew. He lay down but could not sleep. It was past midnight. He’ decided to go to his father-in-law’s house. And he started at once.

It was the month of Shravana. The sky was heavily overcast with clouds. It was dark all around. He had just stepped out of his house when there was a heavy downpour of rain accompanied by thunder and lightning. But Tularam did not change his mind. He walked on getting wet in the rain, and came to the banks of the river Ganga. The river was in full floods. He asked the ferryman to take him across the river.

“What? You wish to cross the flood, in this rain and wind? Impossible,” said! the ferryman.

At the sight of the racing walkers of the Ganga in floods, Tularam’s heart sank. But the infatuation for his wife drove him on. He gathered courage, tucked up his dhoti firmly and jumped into the river. He swam against the current and reached the other bank. He did not stop even to wring –his clothes. He raced to his wife’s house and shouted, ‘Ratnavali, Ratnavali’.

Ratnavali wondered who could have come in such heavy rain. She opened the door and there stood Tularam! His clothes were all wet and water was dripping. He was shivering with cold. Ratnavali was amazed. She was also happy to think of his intense love for her. At the same time she pitied his condition. Could he not stay alone for one day? How foolhardy it was to swim across the river in high floods! The thought made her angry.

She said, “What can I say, my lord? Aren’t you ashamed of yourself? You have come running after me! If you had the same intense love for Shri Rama, He Himself would have appeared to you. Then you would have been saved from the cycle of births.”

These words of his wife struck Tularam like a thunderbolt. Drenched in the rain he was shivering, but now he began to perspire. His mind reeled and his heart was in turmoil. The veil of attachment that had covered his devotion was torn asunder. He went away without looking back even once.

What happened to Ratnavali after, Shri Tulsi Das Ji left her? We do not know. Shri Tulsi Das Ji has not mentioned her name anywhere in his books.

Is there another fool like me? Entangled in the love of my wife, I forgot Lord Rama and I have just wasted all my time! Never again shall I forget Shri Rama and never shall I think of woman. Shri Rama is everything to me. So resolving, Tularam became Shri Tulsi Das Ji” from that day.

What his master had been saying in his discourses came back to his mind: ‘Shri Rama is all merciful and all-powerful. He is so magnanimous that he will never forsake his devotees.’ -Well, then swill Shri Rama forsakes me? Shri Tulsi Das Ji’s, mind was made up. He now traveled to Chitrakoota. On his way he visited many holy places. He was in the company of devotees and saints.

What worry could an ascetic have? Where he halts is his town, where he rests is his home. The devotees of Rama are his relations. The earth is his bed and the sky is the roof.

Shri Tulsi Das Ji formed a brotherhood of the devotees of Rama. He sang and composed songs. He wrote books and preached to people.

Though he was learned in Sanskrit, he composed poetry in the languages the people spoke. They were only different dialects of Hindi used in North India. He wrote for the common man and not for the learned, it was in the languages actually used by the people that he gave talks and discourses glorifying Bhakti.

The Path Of Bhakti (Devotion)

‘Shri Rama is the Parabrahma. He is all-powerful. He is Purushothama (The Man Supreme). His deeds, word manners and conduct alone are the models of an ideal life. Singing hymns in His honour as his servants is the on way to attain His grace and a salvation. Knowing Him to be their master, The duty of human beings is to offer their services to Him.’ This is the sum and substance of the Bhakti cult of Shri Tulsi Das Ji.

After some time Shri Tulsi Das Ji began to think of leaving Chitrakoota. This was because he had a feeling that he would not be able to see Shri Rama there. So he went to Ayodhya, the birth place of Rama. For a long time he did ‘tapas’ (leading a very strict life, giving up all pleasures and devoting all the time to the contemplation of God) there. But even there he did not get the vision of Shri Rama. His mind was not at ease. Day by day his desire to see Shri Rama grew more and more intense.

One day it suddenly flashed to his mind that Lord Hanuman Ji’s grace ‘was essential for him to see Shri Rama. Yes. Hanuman Ji was the greatest devotee of Shri Rama. Only he could help Shri Tulsi Das Ji see Shri Rama. So the first thing was, to see Hanuman Ji

The Meeting With Lord Hanuman Ji

People say that Shri Tulsi Das Ji got the opportunity of seeing Hanuman Ji because of the help of a Brahmarakshasa (a spirit under curse).

Kashi (Banaras) is a holy place on the banks of the sacred river Ganga. The famous temple of Lord Vishweshwara is in Kashi. And it is also the home of Hindu culture. In one part of Kashi there was a temple of Hanuman Ji. Shri Tulsi Das Ji made it his home. He used to bathe in the Ganga every day and then go to the Vishweshwara temple to offer prayers; thereafter for hours he would be immerse in meditation. In the evening he gave discourses. In this way a few years passed.

One day as usual Shri Tulsi Das Ji poured water out of his vessel at the foot of a tree. As Shri Tulsi Das Ji was returning with his head bowed, suddenly a brahmarakshasa appeared before him, and saluted him.

The water was sanctified by the touch of Shri Tulsi Das Ji; it fell on the rakshasa and he was freed from a curse. Full of gratitude the liberated spirit said to Shri Tulsi Das Ji, “Please tell me, sir, what I can do for you.” There was but one wish that haunted Shri Tulsi Das Ji day and night and that was to see Shri Rama by winning the grace of Hanuman Ji.

So he said to the brahmarakshasa “Please help me to meet Lord Hanuman Ji.”

The spirit said: “An ugly old man comes to listen to your discourses in the temple every day. Probably you have not noticed him. He is the first to come and the last to go. His looks are disgusting. But he is none other than Hanuman Ji. Look for him.” So Hanuman Ji himself had been attending his discourses! Shri Tulsi Das Ji jumped with joy. In the evening Shri Tulsi Das Ji went to the discourse hall full of devotion. The ugly old man was already there in a corner. Shri Tulsi Das Ji felt like running to him, and falling at his feet and crying out, “Show me Lord Shri Rama.” But he checked himself. The discourse began.

The entire discourse that evening seemed to be meant only for that old man. All the time Shri Tulsi Das Ji’s eyes were fixed on him. The discourse concluded with Ram Bhajan; the audience dispersed. The old man also slowly got up and began to walk away. Shri Tulsi Das Ji followed him.

The old man left the main road and took a path leading to a forest. Shri Tulsi Das Ji noise lessly walked behind him, praying within himself to Hanuman Ji.

They were now in the heart of the forest. Shri Tulsi Das Ji suddenly ran up to the old man and fell at his feet, praying: “My master, please show me Shri Rama. Lord Hanuman Ji, have mercy on me.” The old man pretended to know nothing. Shaking him off he said, “What is all this? I am not Hanuman Ji. Let go of my feet.” But Shri Tulsi Das Ji persisted.

I know it all now. You are Hanuman, the trusted servant of Shri Rama. I won’t leave your feet unless you reveal your true self to me and fulfil my wish, come what will. Even death” said Shri Tulsi Das Ji. He implored and entreated him in several ways.

Then Hanuman Ji appeared in his true form and said, “Look, hide yourself behind this bush. Shri Rama and Lakshmana will come this way shortly. Then you can see them.”

There are several stories about how Shri Tulsi Das Ji saw Shri Rama and Lakshmana

Shri Tulsi Das Ji gave it the title, ‘Shri Ramacharita Manasa’.

Valmiki, the first poet, told the story of Shri Rama in his ‘Ramayana’; after him hundreds of poets have retold it in their own way. ‘Tulsi Ramayana’ is one of the most popular and venerated Ramayanas.

Many poets in Bharta Varsa were saints. They were great scholars as well as great devotees. They lived as rishis. Goswami Shri Tulsi Das Ji too was a great scholar well versed in Vedic lore.. People say that Shri Tulsi Das Ji, by virtue of his perfect devotion, was so fortunate as to meet Hanuman Ji, the renowned servant of Shri Rama. It is said Hanuman Ji helped him to see with his own eyes Shri Rama and Lakshmana. Shri Tulsi Das Ji declared: ‘Bhakti is the only way leading to God’s grace. Shri Rama is the Supreme God (Parabrahma). He is the ideal man. And he is the Lord of this world. His words and deeds themselves form the code of human conduct in this world.’

In his ‘Ramayana’ Shri Tulsi Das Ji has narrated the story of Shri Rama; he has also taught the principles of right living through different characters. The lessons taught in that work are valid to this day.

The epic gives beautiful pictures of the right relation between father and children, and of the affection among brothers. It also shows how the husband and the wife, mothers-in-law and daughters-in-law, should conduct themselves. Shri Tulsi Das Ji describes the affection of a teacher for his disciples and the respect of the disciples for their teacher. But his poem is not just a moral Piece. Shri Tulsi Das Ji has narrated the story of Shri Rama in a moving and delightful way. As we read it we feel as if we see Rama, Sita and Lakshmana before our very eyes.