Vageesh Express

August 2006 Edition

Vedic Guru

Goswami Tulsidas

thulasi raa kai kehath niksath paap pahaad |

phir bheethar aavath nahee dheth makaar khivaad ||

Meaning – The chanting of the first syllable “Raa” causes all sins to flee through the open mouth. The chanting of “Mm” prevents them from entering again, as the mouth closes with the second syllable. Thus Tulsidas brings out the greatness in chanting the name of Lord Ram.

Goswami Tulsidas is regarded as an incarnation of Sage Valmiki, the author of Ramayana in Sanskrit.

Life of Goswami Tulsidas

Saint Tulsidas was born in Rajpur, Uttar Pradesh, in 1589. He was born to the Sarayuparina Brahmin couple Atmaram Shukla Dube and Hulsi. It is said that Tulsidas did not cry after he was born. It is also said that the new-born had all thirty-two teeth. He was named Tulsiram or Ram Bola by his parents.

His wife was Ratnavali and they had a son Tarak who died at an early age. It was at the inspiring words of his wife that Tulsidas renounced everything and became an ascetic. He wandered about chanting and calling out to Lord Rama. It is said that he got the darshan of Lord Rama with the help of Lord Hanuman, who, disguised as a leper, used to attend the Ramayan recital at a temple.

Tulsidas authored twelve books. The Ramcharitmanas in Hindi was written under the guidance of Lord Hanuman. The Ramcharitmanas is an inspiring Awadhi version of the Ramayana and is read with devotion and reverence in many parts of India even today. Vinaya Patrika, Hanuman Chaalisa, Krishnavali and Gitavali are among his other prominent works. In addition to these, he has written several Dohas or couplets that are gems of timeless knowledge and ceaseless devotion towards Lord Rama. In Kashi, Tulsidas became the head of a monastery in Lolarka Kunda and was designated 'Gosain'.

Once Tulsidas visited a temple of Lord Krishna in Brindavan. He said, "How can I describe Thy beauty, O Lord! But Tulsi will bow his head only when You take up the bow and arrow in Your hands". It is said that the Lord revealed Himself before Tulsidas in the form of Lord Rama with bow and arrows. Such was his love and faith towards Lord Rama.

Tulsi attained immortality in 1623 A.D. at the age of ninety-one at Asighat, Varanasi.

Teachings of Goswami Tulsidas

One must read the Ramcharitmanas to get a deeper appreciation of both Swami Tulsidas as well as his teachings. The epic inspired a social and bhakti movement. The book is considered as an expression of Saint Tulsidas’s love for his Lord Rama. According to Swami Tulsidas, “Show love to all creatures, and thou shall be happy; for when thou lovest all things, thou lovest the Lord, for He is all in all.”

The essence of all his teachings was to induce bhakti as the great means of salvation and emancipation from the chain of birth and death. He preached that knowledge, humility, wisdom to discriminate, courage, noble deeds and faith towards the Lord were the only means of help to a man in bondage.

Tulsi Tulsi sab kahe,Tulsi ban ki ghaas |
Ho gayi kirpa Ram ki, to ban gaye Tulsidas ||

Meaning - Everyone called me “Tulsi, Tulsi” and Tulsi is just an ordinary grass in the forest. But when

the Lord Ram bestowed His grace on me, I became “Tulsidas”.

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