Goswami Tulsidas

July 26, 2001

Today is the saint-day of Goswami Tulsidas. Below is a brief bio on

him, written by Gurudeve Sri Swami Sivanandaji - Jai!

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Tulsidas was born in Rajpur, in the district of Banda in Uttar

Pradesh, in Samvat 1589 or 1532 A.D. He was a Sarayuparina Brahmin by

birth and is regarded as an incarnation of Valmiki, the author of

Ramayana written in Sanskrit. His father's name was Atmaram Shukla

Dube and his mother's name Hulsi. Tulsidas did not cry at the time of

his birth. He was born with all the thirty-two teeth intact. In

childhood his name was Tulsiram or Ram Bola.

Tulsidas's wife's name was Buddhimati (Ratnavali). Tulsidas's son's

name was Tarak. Tulsidas was passionately attached to his wife. He

could not bear even a day's separation from her. One day his wife

went to her father's house without informing her husband. Tulsidas

stealthily went to see her at night at his father-in-law's house.

This produced a sense of shame in Buddhimati. She said to

Tulsidas, "My body is but a network of flesh and bones. If you would

develop for Lord Rama even half the love that you have for my filthy

body, you would certainly cross the ocean of Samsara and attain

immortality and eternal bliss". These words pierced the heart of

Tulsidas like an arrow. He did not stay there even for a moment. He

abandoned home and became an ascetic. He spent fourteen years in

visiting the various sacred places of pilgrimage.

While returning from answering the calls of nature, Tulsidas used to

throw the water that was left in his water-pot at the roots of a tree

which a spirit was occupying. The spirit was very much pleased with

Tulsidas. The spirit said, "O man! Get a boon from me". Tulsidas

replied, "Let me have Darshan of Lord Rama". The spirit said, "Go to

the Hanuman temple. There Hanuman comes in the guise of a leper to

hear the Ramayan as the first hearer and leaves the place last of

all. Get hold of him. He will help you". Accordingly, Tulsidas met

Hanuman, and through His grace, had Darshan or vision of Lord Rama.

Tulsidas wrote twelve books. The most famous book is his Ramayan—Ram-

charit-manas—in Hindi. He wrote this book under the directions of

Hanuman. This Ramayan is read and worshipped with great reverence in

every Hindu home in Northern India. It is an inspiring book. It

contains sweet couplets in beautiful rhyme. Vinaya Patrika is another

important book written by Tulsidas.

Some thieves came to Tulsidas's Ashram to take away his goods. They

saw a blue-complexioned guard, with bow and arrow in his hands,

keeping watch at the gate. Wherever they moved, the guard followed

them. They were frightened. In the morning they asked Tulsidas, "O

venerable saint! We saw a young guard with bow and arrow in his hands

at the gate of your residence. Who is this man?" Tulsidas remained

silent and wept. He came to know that Lord Rama Himself had been

taking the trouble to protect his goods. He at once distributed all

his wealth among the poor.

Tulsidas lived in Ayodhya for some time. Then he shifted to Varanasi.

One day a murderer came and cried, "For the love of Rama give me

alms. I am a murderer". Tulsi called him to his house, gave him

sacred food which had been offered to the Lord and declared that the

murderer was purified. The Brahmins of Varanasi reproached Tulsidas

and said, "How can the sin of a murderer be absolved? How could you

eat with him? If the sacred bull of Siva—Nandi—would eat from the

hands of the murderer, then only we would accept that he had been

purified". Then the murderer was taken to the temple and the bull ate

from his hands. The Brahmins were put to shame.

Tulsidas once went to Brindavan. He visited a temple. He saw the

image of Lord Krishna. He said, "How shall I describe Thy beauty, O

Lord! But Tulsi will bow his head only when You take up bow and arrow

in Your hands". The Lord revealed Himself before Tulsidas in the form

of Lord Rama with bow and arrows.

Tulsidas's blessings brought the dead husband of a poor woman back to

life. The Moghul emperor at Delhi came to know of the great miracle

done by Tulsidas. He sent for Tulsidas. Tulsidas came to the

emperor's court. The emperor asked the saint to perform some miracle.

Tulsidas replied, "I have no superhuman power. I know only the name

of Rama". The emperor put Tulsi in prison and said, "I will release

you only if you show me a miracle". Tulsi then prayed to Hanuman.

Countless bands of powerful monkeys entered the royal court. The

emperor got frightened and said, "O saint, forgive me. I know your

greatness now". He at once released Tulsi from prison.

Tulsi left his mortal coil and entered the Abode of Immortality and

Eternal Bliss in 1623 A.D. at the age of ninety-one at Asighat in

Varanasi.

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Om Santi ...

Yogini Sakti

July 26, 2001

Thank you for sharing this story of Goswami Tulsidas Yogini Shakti. He is

one of the great poet-saints like Kabir and Guru Nanak and their poetry

remains fresh and alive and flows like the pure river stream on its way to

the ocean of consciousness. Love that stuff even after hundreds of years!

Love to all

Harsha

hamsayogini [hamsayogini]

Thursday, July 26, 2001 8:11 AM