Life Of Sant Tulsidas
By Swami Durgananda
By Swami Durgananda
Bhakti, as an intense love for God, is an existential fact. It is ever present a deeper level within us. Time and again mahatmas come and wake us to the truth of this already existing wealth within us, our possession, our birth-right, which we must strive to reclaim.
Sant Tulsidas was one such mahatma whose heart melted in the white heat of love for God, whose pure, home-spun, and simple longing for God was to show direction not only to a few individuals, but to humankind at large, not only to one particular nation, but also across all borders, not only for a decade or two but for centuries. Such saints do not direct just a small number of persons but wake the divine consciousness of all humanity.
The Beginning
In the 16th century Rajapur – about 200 km east of Allahabad – in the Banda district of Uttar Pradesh, there live a rather gullible brahamana couple: Atmaram Dube and Hulsi Devi. The year 1532. One day, at a somewhat inauspicious moment, was born to them a make child. Even at this happy moment the mother was frightened. Born after 12 months of gestation, the baby was rather huge and had a full complement of teeth! Under which unfortunate star this child was born is not known for certain. But it is belied that it was asterism mula that was on the ascent then – a period of time known as abhuktamula. According to the then popular belief, a child born during this period was destined to bring death to its parents. The only remedy, it was believed, was for the parents to abandon the child at birth – or atleast not to look at it for the first 8 years!
In the 16th century Rajapur – about 200 km east of Allahabad – in the Banda district of Uttar Pradesh, there live a rather gullible brahamana couple: Atmaram Dube and Hulsi Devi. The year 1532. One day, at a somewhat inauspicious moment, was born to them a make child. Even at this happy moment the mother was frightened. Born after 12 months of gestation, the baby was rather huge and had a full complement of teeth! Under which unfortunate star this child was born is not known for certain. But it is belied that it was asterism mula that was on the ascent then – a period of time known as abhuktamula. According to the then popular belief, a child born during this period was destined to bring death to its parents. The only remedy, it was believed, was for the parents to abandon the child at birth – or atleast not to look at it for the first 8 years!
The utterly poor father had nothing in his house for the celebration of the child’s birth or for the naming ceremony. Meanwhile, the mother died. Weighed down circumstances and superstition, the father abandoned the child. Chuniya, the mother-in-law of the midwife who had helped during the birth of the child, wet-nursed him. Such was the child’s fate that Chuniya too died after five years and he was left wandering, looking for morsels of food here and there, taking occasional shelter at a Hanuman temple. This was the boy who would later be recognized as Sant Tulsidas and excite bhakti en masse with soul inspiring couplets.
Biographical Sources
The penchant of saints for self-abnegation and their aversion to renown and recognition make it difficult for biographers to obtain details about their lives. This is also true of Tulsidas. Benimadhavdas, a contemporary of Tulsidas, wrote two different biographies, Gosai Charit and Mula Gosai Charit, the latter included more incidents. However, both these books are full of fanciful details; they also contradict each other and the biographies written by others.
The penchant of saints for self-abnegation and their aversion to renown and recognition make it difficult for biographers to obtain details about their lives. This is also true of Tulsidas. Benimadhavdas, a contemporary of Tulsidas, wrote two different biographies, Gosai Charit and Mula Gosai Charit, the latter included more incidents. However, both these books are full of fanciful details; they also contradict each other and the biographies written by others.
Tulsi Charit, a large volume of undated origin, was written by Raghuvardas. Although this work contains a lot of information, it cannot be accepted in toto as it too contradicts Tulsi’s own works and those of other writers. The Gosai Charit, believed to have been written in 1754 by Bhavanidas, is another biography.
However, from Tulsi’s own works, and through commendable scholarly research, a lot of information has been gathered about his life. But in his own works Tulsidas gave no information about his youth or the grihastha period of his life. He does not even tell us his father’s name, though his mother does find mention in the Ramcharitmanas: ‘Tulsidas hit hiyan hulsi si, the story of Ram is truly beneficent to Tulsidas, like (his own mother) Hulsi’.
Childhood
Such was the turn of events when Narharidas, a descendant of Ramanand, was commanded in a dream to pick up an abandoned boy and instruct him in the timeless story of Sri Ram. He spotted the boy, who at that time went by the name Rambola 3, took him to Ayodhya, and completed his sacred thread ceremony. From a reference to a tulsi leaf used during that ceremony. Narharidas named Tulsiram, which later became Tulsidas. After about 10 months of living in Ayodhya, at the confluence of the rivers Sarayu and Ghagara – where they lived together for five years. It was here that Tulisdas heard the fascinating story of Sri Ram. We can well imagine what fire must have been ignited in the boy Tulsidas when the immortal story of Sri Ram fell upon his pure heart.
Such was the turn of events when Narharidas, a descendant of Ramanand, was commanded in a dream to pick up an abandoned boy and instruct him in the timeless story of Sri Ram. He spotted the boy, who at that time went by the name Rambola 3, took him to Ayodhya, and completed his sacred thread ceremony. From a reference to a tulsi leaf used during that ceremony. Narharidas named Tulsiram, which later became Tulsidas. After about 10 months of living in Ayodhya, at the confluence of the rivers Sarayu and Ghagara – where they lived together for five years. It was here that Tulisdas heard the fascinating story of Sri Ram. We can well imagine what fire must have been ignited in the boy Tulsidas when the immortal story of Sri Ram fell upon his pure heart.
Another sadhu, Shesha Sanatana by name, now came into Tulsidasa’s life and took him to Varanasi, the city of learning or light. It was here that Tulsi learned Sanskrit, including Panini’s grammar. We read that Tulsidas was extremely bright, could remember texts after hearing them only once, and became adept in Sanskrit. That he had a good command of Sanskrit can be known from his few Sanskrit writings and the Sanskrit words, apposite and accurate, thrown casually but widely into his other works.4
Marriage and Renunciation
Tulsidas married a girl whose name was Ratnavali. We are told the simple couple lived at Rajapur and that their only son, Tarak died in infancy. Tulsidas was extremely devoted to his wife. This attachment may have been in the form of inchoate form of bhakti – wrongly directed towards a human being – for it was this love, when freed from human attachment that blossomed into an unbounded love for God.
Tulsidas married a girl whose name was Ratnavali. We are told the simple couple lived at Rajapur and that their only son, Tarak died in infancy. Tulsidas was extremely devoted to his wife. This attachment may have been in the form of inchoate form of bhakti – wrongly directed towards a human being – for it was this love, when freed from human attachment that blossomed into an unbounded love for God.
Once his wife had started for her paternal home. An infatuated Tulsi rushed behind her at night, across the Yamuna. Upon reaching her, Tulsi was chided by his wife:
Hada mamsa-maya deha mam, taso jaisi pritti,
Vaisi jo sri-ram mein, hot na bhav bhiti.5
Hada mamsa-maya deha mam, taso jaisi pritti,
Vaisi jo sri-ram mein, hot na bhav bhiti.5
Had you for Sri Ram as much love and you have for my body of flesh and bones, you have overcome the fear of existence.
An apparently simple and innocuous expression of annoyance brought about a conversion in Tulsidasa’s mind, which must already have been pure, well disposed, and awaiting the proper hint. Such inner volte-face is not an uncommon phenomenon; innumerable instances have been recorded in the lives of saints of all traditions.
Tulsidas renounced his house and wife and became a peripatetic monk. He travelled the length and breadth of India, visiting, as he went, the four dhamas and other holy places. How many souls must have been blessed and inspired by his peerless words and how many raised to sublime heights of spirituality during his peregrinations we can only imagine.
The Ramcharitamanas
Tulsidas finally reached Varanasi. Here he had a divine command to go to Ayodhya and write the immortal epic of Sri Ram in the local dialect.
Tulsidas finally reached Varanasi. Here he had a divine command to go to Ayodhya and write the immortal epic of Sri Ram in the local dialect.
At a subtle level, traditions and myths can carry more of reality than so-caled real, sensible and provable facts. According to tradition Sri Ram had himself approved Valmiki’s Ramayana by putting his signature on it. After that, Hanuman wrote with his nails on stone another Ramayana and took it to Sri Ram. Sri Ram approved it also, but as he had already signed on Valmiki’s copy, he said he could not sign another, and that Hanuman must first approach Valmiki. He did so, and Valmiki realized that this work would eclipse his own. So, by stratagem, he induced Hanuman to fling it into the sea. Hanuman, in complying, stated that in a future age he would himself, inspire a brahmana named Tulsi, and that Tulsi would recite his – Hanuman’s – poem in a tongue of the common people and so destroy the fame of Valmiki’s epic.6.
At any rate, Tuslidas went to Ayodhya. In a secluded grove, under one of the banyans, a seat had already been prepared for him by a holy man who told Tuslidas that his guru had had the foreknowledge of Tuslidas’s coming. It was 1575, Ramnavami day. As per tradition, the position of the planets was exactly as it was when Sri Ram was born in the bygone era of Treta. On that auspicious day, Tulsidas commenced writing his immortal poem, the Ramcharitmanas.
The composition of the Ramcharitmanas was perhaps Tuslidas’s own sadhana, his act of prayer and offering. It is an expression of creativity that blends the inner and outer worlds with God. It is an inner experience expressed in the form of legend through the vehicle of poetry. He wrote for two years, seven months, and 26 days and completed it in Margashirsha (Novemeber-December), on the anniversary of Sri Ram’s marriage to Sita. He then returned to Varanasi glowing with the bhakti inflamed during the period of writing the devotional epic and began to share his ineffable experience with others. Because of Tulisdasa’s good demeanor, loving personality, and exquisite devotion, people would gather around him in large numbers.
That in Varanasi, the stronghold of orthodoxy, erudition, and Sanskrit learning, resistance should develop towards the growing popularity of the unsophisticated Tulsidas is not surprising. Two professional thugs are employed to seize his Ramcharitmanas – with printing not available in those days only a few copies existed. When the thieves entered Tulsidas’s hut at night, they saw two young boys, one of blue complexion and the other fair, guarding with bows and arrows. The terrified thieves gave up their plan and the next day informed Tuslidas of their experience. Tulsidas shed tears of joy, for he realized that Sri Ram and Lakshman had themselves been the guards.
The Vinay-patrika
A criminal used to beg everyday with the cal: ‘For the love of Ram, give me – a murderer – alms’. Hearing the name of Ram, the delighted Tulsidas would cheerfully take him inside his house and give him food. This behavior of Tulsi infuriated the orthodox brahmanas, who demanded an explanation. Tulsidas told them that the name ‘Ram’ had absolved the person concerned of all offenses. This attitude of Tulsi incensed the people even further. In a fit of anger, they demanded that if the stone image of Nandi – the sacred bull in the temple of Shiva – would eat out of the hands of that murderer, then they would accept that he has been purified. A day was fixed and to the consternation of the people the Nandi image actually ate from the murderer’s hands. The brahmanas had to eat humble pie.
A criminal used to beg everyday with the cal: ‘For the love of Ram, give me – a murderer – alms’. Hearing the name of Ram, the delighted Tulsidas would cheerfully take him inside his house and give him food. This behavior of Tulsi infuriated the orthodox brahmanas, who demanded an explanation. Tulsidas told them that the name ‘Ram’ had absolved the person concerned of all offenses. This attitude of Tulsi incensed the people even further. In a fit of anger, they demanded that if the stone image of Nandi – the sacred bull in the temple of Shiva – would eat out of the hands of that murderer, then they would accept that he has been purified. A day was fixed and to the consternation of the people the Nandi image actually ate from the murderer’s hands. The brahmanas had to eat humble pie.
However, this did not settle matters. This event increased Tulsidas’s popularity even more and enraged the already defeated people afresh, triggering off more attacks and assaults. The troubled Tulsidas then turned to Hanuman for help. Hanuman appeared to him in a dream and asked him to appeal to Shri Ram. Thus was the Vinay-patrika born. It is a petition in the court of King Ram. Ganesh, Surya, Ganga, Yamuna and others are propitiated first, just as the courtiers would be approached first. Then follows wonderful poetry soaked in bhakti:
He Hari! Kas na harahu bhram bhari,
Jadyapi mrisha satya bhasai jabalagi nahin kripa tumhari.
He Hari! Kas na harahu bhram bhari,
Jadyapi mrisha satya bhasai jabalagi nahin kripa tumhari.
O Hari, why do you not remove this heavy illusion of mine (that I see the world as real)? Even though the samsara is unreal, as long as your grace does not descend, it appears to be real.7
Darshan of Sri Ram
Another tradition tells us what Tulsi would pour some water at the base of a banyan tree when he passed that way after his morning ablutions. A spirit that was suffering the effects of past evil deeds loved on that same tree. Tulsi’s offering relieved the spirit of its agony. Wanting to express gratitude to Tulsi, the spirit asked him what he wished. What else would Tulsi want but the holy darshan of Sri Ram? The spirit replied: ‘An old man attends yours discourses; he arrives first and is the last to leave. He will help you’. The next day Tulsidas identified the man who answered to the description and fell at his feet. The old man asked Tulsidas to go to Chitrakoot, where he would have the darshan of Sri Ram. Who could the old man be but Hanuman himself? It is well known that Hanuman is always present wherever the name ‘Ram’ is being uttered.
Another tradition tells us what Tulsi would pour some water at the base of a banyan tree when he passed that way after his morning ablutions. A spirit that was suffering the effects of past evil deeds loved on that same tree. Tulsi’s offering relieved the spirit of its agony. Wanting to express gratitude to Tulsi, the spirit asked him what he wished. What else would Tulsi want but the holy darshan of Sri Ram? The spirit replied: ‘An old man attends yours discourses; he arrives first and is the last to leave. He will help you’. The next day Tulsidas identified the man who answered to the description and fell at his feet. The old man asked Tulsidas to go to Chitrakoot, where he would have the darshan of Sri Ram. Who could the old man be but Hanuman himself? It is well known that Hanuman is always present wherever the name ‘Ram’ is being uttered.
Tulsi remained in Chitrakoot, making sandal paste and giving it to devotees who came there. One day, while he was making sandal paste, Sri Ram appeared in front of him and said: ‘Baba, give me some sandal paste’. Tulsi was overwhelmed and went into Samadhi. Sri Ram applied sandal paste to Tulsi’s forehead with his own hand. Tulsi remained in Samadhi for three days. This was the first time he experienced Samadhi – and that through the darshan of Sri Ram himself!
To see icon of Tulsidas in Chitrakoot Click Here
Once during his visit to a temple of Sri Krishna in Vrindavan, Tulsidas addressed to the deity: 'How can I describe your heavenly beauty, O Krishna! However, this Tulsi will not bow to you unless you take bow and arrow in your hands!’ In a moment, Tulsi had a vision of Sri Ram instead of Sri Krishna on the altar!
It is believed that Emperor Jahangir knew about Tulsidas and that they met atleast once. Jahangir pressed Tulsidas to perform a miracle. Tulsi refused saying: ‘I know no miracles; I know only the name of Ram’. Annoyed at the answer, Jahangir imprisoned him. The legend narrates that a band of monkeys wrecked havoc in the prison and the emperor, realizing his mistake, had to release Tulsi.
The famous pandit Madhusudana Saraswati of Varanasi was a contemporary of Tulsidas. The two devotees discussed bhakti when they met. In an answer to someone’s enquiry, Madhusudana praised Tulsidas thus:
Ananda-kanane hyasmin-jangamas-tulasitaruh;
Kavitamanjari bhati rama-bhramara-bhushita.8
In the blissful forest (Varanasi), Tulsidas is a mobile tulsi tree; resplendent are its poetic blossoms, ornamented by the bee ie Rama.
Ananda-kanane hyasmin-jangamas-tulasitaruh;
Kavitamanjari bhati rama-bhramara-bhushita.8
In the blissful forest (Varanasi), Tulsidas is a mobile tulsi tree; resplendent are its poetic blossoms, ornamented by the bee ie Rama.
The End
Towards the end of his life suffered from very painful boils that affected his arms. At this time he wrote Hanuman Bahuk, which begins with a verse in praise of Hanuman’s strength, glory, and virtue, and is followed by a prayer to relieve him of his unbreakable arm pain. The disease was cured. This was the last of the many pains that Tulsidas suffered on earth. He passed away in 16239 at Asighat, Varanasi.
Towards the end of his life suffered from very painful boils that affected his arms. At this time he wrote Hanuman Bahuk, which begins with a verse in praise of Hanuman’s strength, glory, and virtue, and is followed by a prayer to relieve him of his unbreakable arm pain. The disease was cured. This was the last of the many pains that Tulsidas suffered on earth. He passed away in 16239 at Asighat, Varanasi.
One interesting incident in Tulsidas’s life is quite representative of his teachings. Once a woman, who happened to stay behind after Tulsidas had delivered a discourse, remarked during the course of conversation that her nose-ring had been given to her by her husband. Tulsidas immediately directed her mind deeper saying: ‘I understand that your husband has given you this lovely nose-ring, but who has given you this beautiful face?’
The Ramayana
Before we appraise the works of Tulsidas, a review of the Valmiki Ramayana, the Sanskrit classic that inspired him, will be instructive. The Ramayan is an epic that that has kept not only India but the entire Hindu world spellbound and it has been chiefly responsible for giving Indian culture a general direction. It is broad in scope and provides guidance for all stages of one’s life- incidentally, ayana means journey (of life).
Before we appraise the works of Tulsidas, a review of the Valmiki Ramayana, the Sanskrit classic that inspired him, will be instructive. The Ramayan is an epic that that has kept not only India but the entire Hindu world spellbound and it has been chiefly responsible for giving Indian culture a general direction. It is broad in scope and provides guidance for all stages of one’s life- incidentally, ayana means journey (of life).
Human life, in all its facets and fancies, twists and turns, ups and downs, is on display in the Ramayana. People of different spiritual states derive different light and meaning from the text in accordance of their need and understanding. Ordinary human life can be sublimated and bhakti cultivated through a study of the Ramayana.
The Ramayana of Valmiki includes characters as they are and as they ought to be. Rama, Sita, Kausalya, Bharata, Hanumana, Janaka and others are ideal characters. Dasharatha, Kaikeyi, Lakshmana, Shatrugana, Sugriva, and others have presented as those with mixed qualities. Rama plays the role of an ideal son, disciple, brother, master, husband, friend and king. Subject to human emotions and weaknesses, Rama is a supernal god in human form – but conversely, he is also a human who has ascended to be an adorable god.
Rama’s bow and arrow symbolizes a force that guarantees and justice. Rama’s is the ideal of ‘aggressive goodness’ as opposed to ‘weak and passive goodness’. Rama does not, however, kill or destroy; he rather offers salvation to those he battles. This is technically called uddhara.
There are many other versions of the Ramayana. Adhyatma Ramayana, Vasishtha Ramayana, Ananda Ramayana, Agastya Ramayana, Kamba Ramayana (Tamil), Krittivasa Ramanaya (Bengali) and Ezuttachan’s Adhyatma Ramayana (Malayalam) amongst others. Although these differ in disposition, flavor, emphasis amount of details and length of each kanda, can to, they all describe the life of Rama, and are inspired by the Valmiki Ramayana.
References1. See Mataprasad Gupta, Tulsidas 52-141 and Ramcharitmanas, 1.31.6.
2. The Cultural Heritage of India, 6 vols, 4.379.
3. Goswami Tulsidas, Vinay-patrika, 76.1
4. For example, Ramcharitmanas, 3.4.1-12, 3.II.2-8, 7.108.1-9 and passim; Vinay patrika, 10-12,50,56-60.
5. Ramji Tiwari, Goswami Tulsidas, II.
6. Encyclopedia of Religion and Ethics, 12.472.
7. Vinay-patrika, 120.I.
8. Rajapati Dikshit, Tulsidas aur Unka Yug, 16.
9. The Cultural Heritage of India, 4.395
Tulsidas
Tulsidas (Devanagari, Hindi pronunciation: [t̪uls̪iːd̪ɑːs̪], also known as Goswami Tulsidas),[3] (1497/1532[1]–1623) was a Hindu poet-saint, reformer and philosopher renowned for his devotion for the god Rama. A composer of several popular works, he is best known for being the author of the epic Ramcharitmanas, a retelling of the Sanskrit Ramayana in the vernacular Awadhi, which is a popular Hindu scripture often referred to as the Bible of North India.[4] Tulsidas was acclaimed in his lifetime to be a reincarnation of Valmiki, the composer of the original Ramayana in Sanskrit.[5] He is also considered to be the composer of the Hanuman Chalisa, a popular devotional hymn dedicated to Hanuman, the divine monkey helper and devotee of Rama.[6] Tulsidas lived permanently and died in the city of Varanasi.[7] The Tulsi Ghat in Varnasi is named after him.[3] He founded the Sankatmochan Temple dedicated to Hanuman in Varanasi, believed to stand at the place where he had the sight of Hanuman.[8] Tulsidas started the Ramlila plays, a folk-theatre adaption of the Ramayana.[9] He has been acclaimed as one of the greatest poets in Hindi, Indian, and world literature.[10][11][12][13] The impact of Tulsidas and his works on the art, culture and society in India is widespread and is seen to date in vernacular language, Ramlila plays, Hindustani classical music, popular music, and television series.[9][14][15][16][17][18]
Transliteration and Etymology
The Sanskrit name of Tulsidas can be transliterated in two ways. Using the IAST transliteration scheme, the name is written as Tulasīdāsa, as pronounced in Sanskrit. Using the Hunterian transliteration scheme, it is written as Tulsidas or Tulsīdās, as pronounced in Hindi. The name is a compound of two Sanskrit words: Tulasī, which is an Indian variety of the basil plant considered auspicious by Vaishnavas (devotees of god Vishnu and his avatars like Rama),[19][20] and Dāsa, which means a slave or servant and by extension, a devotee.[21] Tulsidas, thus means a servant of the plant Tulsi.[edit] Life
Tulsidas himself has given only a few facts and hints about events of his life in various works. Till late nineteenth century, the two widely known ancient sources on Tulsidas' life were the Bhaktamal composed by Nabhadas between 1583 and 1639, and a commentary on Bhaktamal titled Bhaktirasbodhini composed by Priyadas in 1712.[22] Nabhadas was a contemporary of Tulsidas and wrote a six-line stanza on Tulsidas describing him as an incarnation of Valmiki. Priyadas' work was composed around a hundred years after the death of Tulsidas and had eleven additional stanzas, describing seven miracles or spiritual experiences from the life of Tulsidas.[22] During the 1920s, two more ancient biographies of Tulsidas were published based on old manuscripts – the Mula Gosain Charit composed by Veni Madhav Das in 1630 and the Gosain Charit composed by Dasanidas (also known as Bhavanidas) around 1770.[22] Veni Madhav Das was a disciple and contemporary of Tulsidas and his work gave a new date for Tulsidas' birth. The work by Bhavanidas presented more narratives in greater detail as compared to the work by Priyadas. In the 1950s a fifth ancient account was published based on an old manuscript, the Gautam Chandrika composed by Krishnadatta Misra of Varanasi in 1624.[22] Krishnadatta Misra's father was a close companion of Tulsidas. The accounts published later are not considered authentic by some modern scholars, whereas some other scholars have been unwilling to dismiss them. Together, these five works form a set of traditional biographies on which modern biographies of Tulsidas are based.[22]
[edit] Incarnation of Valmiki
Tulsidas is believed to be a reincarnation of Valmiki.[12] In the Hindu scripture Bhavishyottar Purana, the god Shiva tells his wife Parvati how Valmiki, who got a boon from Hanuman to sing the glory of Rama in vernacular language, will incarnate in future in the Kali Yuga (the present and last Yuga or epoch within a cycle of four Yugas).[23]| “ | O Goddess [Parvati]! Valmiki will become Tulsidas in the Kali age, and will compose this narrative of Rama in the vernacular language. Bhavishyottar Purana, Pratisarga Parva, 4.20. | ” |
According to a traditional account, Hanuman went to Valmiki several times to hear him sing the Ramayana, but Valmiki turned down the request saying that Hanuman being a monkey was unworthy of hearing the epic.[23] After the victory of Rama over Ravana, Hanuman went to the Himalayas to continue his worship of Rama. There he scripted a play version of the Ramayana called Mahanataka or Hanuman Nataka engraved on the Himalayan rocks using his nails.[28] When Valmiki saw the play written by Hanuman, he anticipated that the beauty of the Maha Nataka would eclipse his own Ramayana. On Valmiki's request, Hanuman cast all the rocks into the ocean, some parts of which are available today as Hanuman Nataka.[23][28] After this, Valmiki was instructed by Hanuman to take birth as Tulsidas and compose the Ramayana in the vernacular.[23]
[edit] Early life
[edit] Birth
Tulsidas was born on the seventh day of the bright half of the lunar Hindu month Shraavana (July–August).[4][29] Although as many as seven places are mentioned as his birth-place, most scholars identify the place with Rajapur (Chitrakuta), a village on the banks of the Yamuna river in modern-day Uttar Pradesh.[1][23][30] His parents were Hulsi and Atmaram Dubey. Most sources identify him as a Saryupareen Brahmin of the Parashar Gotra (lineage), although some sources claim he was a Kanyakubja or Sanadhya Brahmin.[1][23][30]There is difference of opinion among biographers regarding the year of birth of Tulsidas. Many sources rely on Veni Madhav Das' account in the Mula Gosain Charita, which gives the year of Tulsidas' birth as Vikrami Samvat 1554 (1497 CE).[31] These sources include Shivlal Pathak, popular editions of Ramcharitmanas (Gita Press, Naval Kishore Press and Venkateshvar Press), Edwin Greaves, Hanuman Prasad Poddar, Ramanand Sarasvati, Ayodhyanath Sharma, Ramchandra Shukla, Narayandas, and Rambhadracharya.[1][23] A second group of biographers led by Sant Tulsi Sahib of Hathras and Sir George Grierson give the year as Vikram 1589 (1532 CE).[1][31] These biographers include Ramkrishna Gopal Bhandarkar, Ramghulam Dwivedi, James Lochtefeld, Swami Sivananda and others.[1][4][30] A third small group of authors which includes H. H. Wilson, Garse De Tasse and Krishnadatta Mishra gives the year as Vikram 1600 (1543 CE).[1]
The year 1497 appears in most current-day biographies and in popular culture. Biographers who disagree with this year argue that it makes the life span of Tulsidas equal 126 years, which in their opinion is unlikely if not impossible. In contrast, Ramchandra Shukla says that an age of 126 is not impossible for Mahatmas (great souls) like Tulsidas. The Government of India and provincial governments celebrated the 500th birth anniversary of Tulsidas in the year 1997 CE, according to the year of Tulsidas' birth in popular culture.[1]
[edit] Childhood
Legend goes that Tulsidas was born after staying in the womb for 12 months, he had all 32 teeth in his mouth at birth, his health and looks were like that of a five-year old boy, and he did not cry at the time of his birth but uttered Rama instead.[30][32][33][34][35] He was therefore named Rambola (literally, he who uttered Rama), as Tulsidas himself states in Vinayapatrika.[36] As per the Mula Gosain Charita, he was born under the Abhuktamūla constellation, which according to Jyotisha (Hindu astrology) causes immediate danger to the life of the father.[34][35][37][38] Due to the inauspicious events at the time of his birth, he was abandoned by his parents on the fourth night, sent away with Chuniya (some sources call her Muniya), a female servant of Hulsi.[31][32][33] In his works Kavitavali and Vinayapatrika, Tulsidas attests to his parents abandoning him after birth due to an inauspicious astrological configuration.[27][39][40][41]Chuniya took the child to her village of Haripur and looked after him for five and a half years after which she died.[32][35][37] Rambola was left to fend for himself as an impoverished orphan, and wandered from door to door begging for alms.[31][35] It is believed that the goddess Parvati assumed the form of a Brahmin woman and fed Rambola every day.[33][34]
[edit] Initiation from guru and learning
At the age of five years, Rambola was adopted by Narharidas, a Vaishnava ascetic of Ramananda's monastic order who is believed to be the fourth disciple of Ramananda,[33] or alternately, the disciple of Anantacharya.[35][37] Rambola was given the Virakta Diksha (Vairagi initiation) with the new name of Tulsidas.[32] Tulsidas narrates the dialogue that took place during the first meeting with his guru in a passage in the Vinayapatrika.[31][36] When he was seven years old, his Upanayana ("sacred thread ceremony") was performed by Narharidas on the fifth day of the bright half of the month of Magha (January–February) at Ayodhya, a pilgrimage-site related to Rama. Tulsidas started his learning at Ayodhya. After some time, Narharidas took him to a particular Varaha Kshetra (a holy place with temple dedicated to Varaha - the boar avatar of Vishnu), where he first narrated the Ramayana to Tulsidas.[34] Tulsidas mentions this in the Ramcharitmanas.| “ | And then, I heard the same narrative from my Guru in a Sukarkhet (Varaha Kshetra). I did not understand it then, since I was totally without cognition in childhood. Ramcharitmanas 1.30 (ka). | ” |
Tulsidas later came to the sacred city of Varanasi and studied Sanskrit grammar, four Vedas, six Vedangas, Jyotisha and the six schools of Hindu philosophy over a period of 15–16 years from guru Shesha Sanatana who was based at the Pancaganga Ghat in Varanasi.[32] Shesha Sanatana was a friend of Narharidas and a renowned scholar on literature and philosophy.[32][35][37][43] After completing his studies, Tulsidas came back to his birthplace Rajapur with the permission of Shesha Sanatana. Here he found that his family was no more, with his parents dead.[32] Tulsidas performed the Shraddha ceremony (which deals with giving offerings to the ancestors) of his parents. He started living in his ancestral home and narrating the Katha ("story") of Ramayana in Chitrakuta.[34][37]
[edit] Marriage and renunciation
According to the Mula Gosain Charita and some other works, Tulsidas was married to Ratnavali on the thirteenth day of the bright half of the Jyeshta month (May–June) in Vikram 1583 (1526 CE).[34] Ratnavali was the daughter of Dinbandhu Pathak, a Brahmin of the Bharadwaja Gotra, who belonged to Mahewa village of Kaushambi district.[32][44][45] They had a son named Tarak who died as a toddler.[45] Once when Tulsidas had gone to a Hanuman temple, Ratnavali went to her father's home with her brother. When Tulsidas came to know this, he swam across the Yamuna river in the night to meet his wife.[44] Ratnavali chided Tulsidas for this, and remarked that if Tulsidas was even half as devoted to God as he was to her body of flesh and blood, he would have been redeemed.[32][34][46] Tulsidas left her instantly and left for the holy city of Prayag. Here, he renounced the Grihastha (householder's life) stage and became a Sadhu (Hindu ascetic).[31][44]Some authors consider the marriage episode of Tulsidas to be a later interpolation and maintain that he was a bachelor.[35] They include Rambhadracharya, who interprets two verses in the Vinayapatrika and Hanuman Bahuka to mean that Tulsidas never married and was a Sadhu from childhood.[33]
[edit] Later life
Travels
After renunciation, Tulsidas spent most of his time at Varanasi, Prayag, Ayodhya, and Chitrakuta but visited many other nearby and far-off places. He traveled across India to many places, studying different people, meeting saints and Sadhus and meditating.[47] The Mula Gosain Charita gives an account of his travels to the four pilgrimages of Hindus (Badrinath, Dwarka, Puri and Rameshwaram) and the Himalayas.[47][48] He visited the Manasarovar lake in current-day Tibet, where tradition holds he had Darshan (sight) of Kakabhushundi,[49] the crow who is one of the four narrators in the Ramcharitmanas.[50][edit] Darshan of Hanuman
Tulsidas hints at several places in his works, that he had met face to face with Hanuman and Rama.[47][51] The detailed account of his meetings with Hanuman and Rama are given in the Bhaktirasbodhini of Priyadas.[52] According to Priyadas' account, Tulsidas used to visit the woods outside Varanasi for his morning ablutions with a water pot. On his return to the city, he used to offer the remaining water to a certain tree. This quenched the thirst of a Preta (a type of ghost believed to be ever thirsty for water), who appeared to Tulsidas and offered him a boon.[52][53] Tulsidas said he wished to see Rama with his eyes, to which the Preta responded that it was beyond him. However, the Preta said that he could guide Tulsidas to Hanuman, who could grant the boon Tulsidas asked for. The Preta told Tulsidas that Hanuman comes everyday disguised in the mean attire of a leper to listen to his Katha, he is the first to arrive and last to leave.[47][52]That evening Tulsidas noted that the first listener to arrive at his discourse was an old leper, who sat at the end of the gathering. After the Katha was over, Tulsidas quietly followed the leper to the woods. In the woods, at the spot where the Sankat Mochan Temple stands today,[47][54] Tulsidas firmly fell at the leper's feet, shouting "I know who you are" and "You cannot escape me".[47][52][53] At first the leper feigned ignorance but Tulsidas did not relent. Then the leper revealed his original form of Hanuman and blessed Tulsidas. When granted a boon, Tulsidas told Hanuman he wanted to see Rama face to face. Hanuman told him to go to Chitrakuta where he would see Rama with his own eyes.[47][49][52][53]
At the beginning of the Ramcharitmanas, Tulsidas bows down to a particular Preta and asks for his grace (Ramcharitmanas, Doha 1.7). According to Rambhadracharya, this is the same Preta which led Tulsidas to Hanuman.[54]
[edit] Darshan of Rama
As per Priyadas' account, Tulsidas followed the instruction of Hanuman and started living in an Ashram at Ramghat in Chitrakuta. One day Tulsidas went to perform the Parikrama (circumambulation) of the Kamadgiri mountain. He saw two princes, one dark and the other fair, dressed in green robes pass by mounted on horsebacks. Tulsidas was enraptured at the sight, however he could not recognize them and took his eyes off them. Later Hanuman asked Tulsidas if he saw Rama and his brother Lakshmana on horses. Tulsidas was disappointed and repentful. Hanuman assured Tulsidas that he would have the sight of Rama once again the next morning.[47][49][54] Tulsidas recalls this incident in a song of the Gitavali and laments how "his eyes turned his own enemies" by staying fixed to the ground and how everything happened in a trice.[47]On the next morning, Wednesday, the new-moon day of Magha, Vikram 1607 (1551 CE) or 1620 (1564 CE) as per some sources, Rama again appeared to Tulsidas, this time as a child. Tulsidas was making sandalwood paste when a child came and asked for a sandalwood Tilaka (a religious mark on the forehead). This time Hanuman gave a hint to Tulsidas and he had a full view of Rama. Tulsidas was so charmed that he forgot about the sandalwood. Rama took the sandalwood paste and put a Tilaka himself on his forehead and Tulsidas' forehead before disappearing.[47][48][49][54]
In a verse in the Vinayapatrika, Tulsidas alludes to a certain "miracle at Chitrakuta", and thanks Rama for what he did for him at Chitrakuta.[55] Some biographers conclude that the deed of Rama at Chitrakuta referred to by Tulsidas is the Darshan of Rama.[47][54]
[edit] Darshan of Yajnavalkya and Bharadvaja
In Vikram 1628 (1572 CE), Tulsidas left Chitrakuta for Ayodhya where he stayed during the Magha Mela (the annual fair in January). Six days after the Mela ended, he had the Darshan of the sages Yajnavalkya and Bharadvaja under a banyan tree.[49] In one of the four dialogues in the Ramcharitmanas, Yajnavalkya is the speaker and Bharadvaja the listener.[50] Tulsidas describes the meeting between Yajnavalkya and Bharadvaja after a Magha Mela festival in the Ramcharitmanas, it is this meeting where Yajnavalkya narrates the Ramcharitmanas to Bharadvaja.[56][edit] Attributed Miracles
In Priyadas' biography, Tulsidas is attributed with the power of working miracles.[24][57] In one such miracle, he is believed to have brought back a dead Brahmin to life.[57][58][59][60] While the Brahmin was being taken for cremation, his widow bowed down to Tulsidas on the way who addressed her as Saubhagyavati (a woman whose husband is alive).[58] The widow told Tulsidas her husband had just died, so his words could not be true.[59] Tulsidas said that the word has passed his lips and so he would restore the dead man to life. He asked everybody present to close their eyes and utter the name of Rama, on doing which the dead Brahmin was raised back to life.[58][59]In another miracle described by Priyadas, the emperor of Delhi summoned Tulsidas on hearing of his bringing back a dead man to life.[57][58][61][62] Tulsidas was asked to perform a miracle, which Tulsidas declined by saying "It's a lie, all I know is Rama." The emperor imprisoned Tulsidas saying, "We will see this Rama."[62] Tulsidas prayed to Hanuman and an army of monkeys wreaked havoc in all corners of Delhi, entering each home and the emperor's harem, scratching people and throwing bricks from ramparts.[62] An old Hafiz told the emperor that this was the miracle of the imprisoned Fakir.[61] The emperor fell at Tulsidas' feet, released him and apologized.[60] Tulsidas stopped the menace of monkeys and asked the emperor to abandon the place. The emperor agreed and moved his fort to a new location.[57][58][61][62]
Priyadas narrates a miracle of Tulsidas at Vrindavan, when he visited a temple of Krishna.[60][63] When he began bowing down to the idol of Krishna, the Mahant of the temple named Parshuram decided to test Tulsidas. He told Tulsidas that he who bows down to any deity except their Ishta Devata (cherished form of divinity) is a fool, as Tulsidas' Ishta Devata was Rama.[63][64] In response, Tulsidas recited the following extemporaneously composed couplet[60][63][64]
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