TULSI DAS

INnRODUCTION
Slave of Tulsi,Hindi poet,a native of outh, was seventh in decent from the philosopher
Ramanada in the succession of master and pupil.In some accounts he is reffered as a
kanaju Brahmin,but it is more likely the he belonged to a low caste.Tradition says that he
was abandoned by his superstitious parents at birth because he was born with teeth,and
was found brought up by a wandering aspect.
HIS LIFE AND CONVERSION
He was happily married but his only son died before reaching maturity.One day his wife
Ratnavali was away visiting her father,Tulsi Das swam the jamna while the river was in
spate,in order to meet her.His wife rebuked him for this saying that if he had as much
devotion for Rama that earth would become gold.These chance words were like a
revelation to him and he forth with left home to become a sanyasin or mendicant.
He was said to have had a vision of the monkey gold Hanuman who bestowed on him the
power of working miracles.According to one apocryphal legend when he was in prisoned
by the emperor Shah Jahan a myriad monkeys appeared and started pulling the prison
apart.He was freed by the emporer and in return advised him to quit Delhi since it was
abode of Rama and this is the emporer said to have done.Actually Shah Jahan did not
come to the throne till five years after the poets death.
HIS LITARY CONTRYBUTIONS
Rama-Lala-Nahachhu.It is a short poem describing the nail-sparing,ceremony at the
investiture of Rama chandra with the sacred caste-thread.This ceremony is a village rite
still kept in practice just before the wedding in places like oudh and Bihar and the whole
poem is in rural style.
Viragya-samdipini; describe the true nather of holiness.It advacates viragya[absence of
passion],and it is beautifully describes the absolute self surrender to the deity result
perfect peace in an indivdual.
The Barawari Ramayana; It is a summery of the history of Rama chadrain the Barawari
metre. It is cvery short and , as we have it, probably incomplete. It is rejcted by some
authorities that this is not written by him.
Janaki-mangala and Parvati mangala: “these are two short works celebrating the
marriages of Sita to Rama Chandra adnd of Parvati to Siva respectively.
Ramajna This is a collection of v erses to be used as omens to undertaking before a
journey or other important task. The contents are embodied in s3ev en chapters, each of
sev en septads of v erses, or 343 in all” appears as a historic descfripts Rama Chandra.
The Krsnagithavali;”As its subject demanded, Tulsi-Dasa wrote it, not in his customary
Awadhi, but in the Braj Bhakha dialect contains many beatuful passages”
The Vinaya-Pattrika(petition): “It is one of the most important works with poetic fervour
of the poet, in which his ost intimate feelins towards they Deity and that Deity’s relations
to the human soul are displayed.
Gitavali; In the gitavali tulsidas appears in a new caractor, the of a magada or
penegyrist.It is a book of songs of intended to increase ones reader their tender love for
their God,and their songs are in Braj Bakta dialect as the traditional vehicle of
expression,and the dominant tone is not ,as in the vinaya-patrika,passion,but sweetness
and charm.It is a true gospel of infant Rama.
Kavitavali; It is an embodiment proclaiming the glory of Rama,so as to encourage the
faithful with a picture of the deitys power in aheroic style.it is in the battle scenes
description of the burning of Lanka,we gather that date of the compilation was
somewhere between A.D.1612 AND 1614.
DOHAVALI; As per the title if is written in Doha Metre.Many scholars consider that this
was written, not by the poet,but by another auther of the same name in it, the fifth chapter
gives in great detail what purpose to be the poets doctrine regarding work as opposed to
faith.
The Rama charitra Manasa: Tulsi-Krita Ramayana. It has been as the Bible of ninety
million people. The life of Ramachandra considered as an incarnation of the supreme in
this book.
Conclusion: