Goswami Tulsidas

Introduction

Goswami Tulsidas (1532-1623) is one of the greatest poets in Hindi literature. He brought the devotion of Lord Rama to the masses through his immortal works. His magnum opus, the Ramcharitmanas, is considered the greatest poetic work in Hindi literature. He is often regarded as an incarnation of Valmiki, the original author of the Ramayana.

Life

Tulsidas was born in 1532 in the village of Rajapur in Banda district of Uttar Pradesh. His father was Atmaram Dubey and his mother was Hulsi. Legend holds that he was born after twelve months in the womb, had teeth at birth, and uttered the word “Rama” upon being born, earning him the childhood name “Rambola.”

He lost both parents early in childhood and endured great hardship. His guru Narharidas gave him education and guided him toward Ram bhakti (devotion to Lord Rama). He married Ratnavali, whose sharp rebuke awakened him from worldly attachment and turned him toward complete devotion to Lord Rama. He spent the rest of his life in Kashi (Varanasi) and Ayodhya, devoted to Ram bhakti and literary creation.

Major Works

• Ramcharitmanas — An epic retelling of Lord Rama’s story in the Awadhi language, divided into seven Kandas (books): Balkand, Ayodhyakand, Aranyakand, Kishkindhakand, Sundarkand, Lankakand, and Uttarkand. It remains a cornerstone of Indian culture and spirituality.
• Hanuman Chalisa — Forty verses in praise of Lord Hanuman. It is one of the most widely recited prayers in India.
• Vinay Patrika — A collection of hymns written as petitions of humility to Lord Rama’s court.
• Kavitavali — Poems composed in Brajbhasha in kavitt and savaiya meters.
• Dohavali — A collection of dohas on various subjects.
• Gitavali — The story of Lord Rama told in song form.
• Barvai Ramayana — The Rama story composed in the barvai meter.
• Parvati Mangal — Description of the marriage of Lord Shiva and Parvati.
• Janaki Mangal — Description of the marriage of Lord Rama and Sita.

Teachings

• Devotion to Rama is supreme — Tulsidas taught that devotion to Lord Rama is the simplest path to salvation. He popularized saguna bhakti (devotion to a personal God with attributes) among the common people.
• Righteousness, ethics, and propriety — Ramcharitmanas portrays the ideal son, ideal brother, ideal wife, and ideal king as models for human conduct.
• Humility and surrender — Through Vinay Patrika, he conveyed the message of complete surrender and humility before the divine.
• Social harmony — Through characters like Shabari, Nishad, and Hanuman, Tulsidas demonstrated that there is no caste distinction in devotion.
• Importance of good company — Without satsang (holy company), wisdom does not arise; without Rama’s grace, satsang is not easily attained.