6 - Mahaakavi Tulasee Daas

He was born close to 15th century and lived up to the beginning of 17th century - in Raajaapur, UP, in 1488 AD (Vikram Samvat 1544) or maybe in 1532 AD. He died in 1623 AD (1680 Vikram Samvat). Thus he lived for 136 years.

His father's name was Aatmaa Raam Dubey and  mother's name was Hulasee Baaee. He was a great scholar of Vadik literature. He had no children so he worshipped Anjaneya. By his blessings he got a beautiful boy. Instead of crying he was born saying "Raam, Raam", so he was called Raam Bolaa (who spoke Raam). His father named him Tulaaraam. When Tulaaraam was only a few days old his mother died, his father also abandoned him. The story goes like this that Aatmaa Raam cast the horoscope of his and found that everything was good but the child's birth star - he was born in Mool Nakshatra. So he left the town, and the poor child was brought up by his grandmother. After this he grew up on the mercy of neighbors. He subsisted on whatever he got. In one of his songs he has mentioned that how difficult was for him to get even four grains of gram. After a few years, his grandmother also died, so he was completely dependent on neighbors. He stayed in a temple of Anjaneya and subsisted on Prasaad offered to him.

At that time Narhari Daas was a great scholar discoursing on religious issues. One he came to Raajaapur and stayed in the same temple where Tulaaraam lived. Tulaaraam listened to his discourse daily and was greatly impressed by him. Narhari Daas also was very impressed by him. When he came to know that he was an orphan, he asked him, "Will you be with me?" Tulaaraam touched his feet, his eyes filled with tears. When Narhari Daas left the city, Tulaaraam also went with him. His duty was to sing Raam's Bhajan before the discourse began. Narhari Daas taught him many religious issues, languages (Sanskrit, Praakrit). Thus they traveled for 14 years and came to Soron in UP. By now Tulaaraam sang more melodiously than his Guru, discoursed better on Raamaayan and also composed poems.

How Tulasee became a Kavi?

Tulasee Daas has been a great Kavi (poet) of all times in India. An interesting story is in vogue. Narhari Daas himself married him to a beautiful girl named Ratnaavalee, daughter of a Braahman, Deenbandhu Paathak. Tulaaraam loved her very much. Once her brother came to see her. On his insistence she went to her parent's house in the absence of Tulasee giving the key of her house to a neighbor asking to tell her husband that she was going to her parents' house and would come back in a couple of days. Tularaam could not stay at home without her even for a moment. It was Shraavan month, rain was pouring in heavily but he did not stay back and went to Gangaa's bank and asked a ferryman to take him across the river. Gangaa was flooding, the ferryman plainly refused to cross the river in such a weather.

Then he himself swam the river against the stream and soon reached his wife's home. He hesitated to go there in the daytime, so he decided to go there in the night secretly. He reached there in the night and chose to enter the house from the back through climbing the wall. By chance a dead snake was hung from the roof. Tulasee thought it was a rope, so he climbed up the roof holding that rope and met his wife.

Then he set off to Chitrakoot. The Earth was his bed and sky was his roof. Now he longed to see Raam. After some time he left Chitrakoot as he thought that he would not be able to see Raam there. He went to Ayodhyaa, but still he did not have any vision of Raam. Sudenly he remembered that Anjaneya should be helpful for him to meet Raam.
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Darshan of Hanumaan and Raam to Tulasee

So Tulasee went to Kaashee. There is a temple of Anajaneya there, he made it his home. In the morning he took bath in Gangaa, offer water to Vishwanaath and discourse in the evening. When he used to come back from his bath in the morning, he used to pour the remaining water from his daily worship in the root of a tree. By chance there lived a Brahm raakshas on that tree. Daily water poured by Tulasee satisfied his needs, so pleased by his services, one day he appeared before him and asked him to ask for anything as blessings. By now Tulasee became a devout Bhakt of Shree Raam so he just wanted to meet Raam. That is what he asked for from that Raakshas. Although the Raakshas himself could not help him much in this regard, but told him that only Hanumaan could help him in this regard.

He told him that there came a leper, who was in fact Hanumaan, to hear his discourse whom he might have not noticed. He was first to come there and was last to leave that place. So he suggested to approach him. Tulasee went there and held his feet and did not leave them until he told him the way to meet Raam. Then Hanumaan had to tell him the way. He told him that Raam and Lakshman would pass soon from that way, so he should just wait for them. He waited and waited but did not see them. Two people did pass from there on horseback but since he wanted to see them as he imagined about them, he could not notice them.

After a while Anjaneya appeared and asked him whether he saw Raam and Lakshman, but he said, "No, Please have mercy on me. Show me Raam." Anjaneya asked him - "Didn't you see two princes on horseback?" Tulasee got very sad that his own eyes deceived him. He again prayed Anjaneya. Anjaneya told him that on a certain day Raam and Lakshman would pass through Chitrakoot Ghaat. On asking how he would recognize them, Hanumaan assured him that he would give him the hint when it would happen.

So one day when Raam and Lakshman came there, they went to to Tulasee to have Tilak of sandal paste, at the same time Hanumaan read this couplet to Tulasee -

Chitrakoot Ke Ghaat Par, Bhaee Santan Kee Bheer;
Tulasee Daas Chandan Ghisen, Tilak Det Raghubeer.

Hearing this Tulasee immediately fell on Raam's feet and got blessed by Him.
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One more interesting incident is famous regarding his devout belief in Raam. Once he heard that there are very beautiful temples in Mathuraa and Vrindaa Van, so he came to see them. After reaching there he found that all temples were of Krishn and they had Krishn's idols in them. He got very disappointed and standing in front of one statue, he read a couplet whose meaning was "I don't know you. My head will bow only when you will appear before me carrying bow and arrow." It is said that Krishn's idol changed into Raam's idol carrying a bow and arrow, and then only Tulasee bowed his head.
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He has written several booksScholars say thae he has written 37 books, but only 12 are available now --

(1) Shree Raam Charit Maanas
(2) Geetaavalee - it was written after he had visited Mathuraa.
(3) Kavitaavalee
(4) Ratnaavalee
(5) Vinaya Patrikaa
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There is an incident about his work Maanas. Some people tried to discredit his work Maanas. Once a religious conference was held in Vishwanaath temple. Many religious works were read out there, Maanas was also read out there. In the end all the works were piled together. These wicked people kept the copy of the Maanas at the bottom in that pile. But, next day, when the door of the temple was opened, Maanas copy was found kept on the top. Then everybody realized the importance of Tulasee's Maanas.
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Tulasee was not only famous and popular among Hindoos, but also among Muslims. Many Muslims were his followers. His popularity reached the ears of Jahaangeer also, so he wanted to see him. Tulasee went to Aagaraa to see him and he greatly respected him and said - "I have heard that you perform miracles. Let me also see one." Tulasee replied - "I do not do miracles, all powers belong to Shree Raam." Now that Emperor wouldn't let him go until he had shown a miracle. Tulasee didn't do miracles, so he sat quietly. The Emperor imprisoned him in the fort on Saleem Garh (Gwaalior). Tulasee thought, "Everything is Anjaneya's will." and sat down with folded hands.

Suddenly a band of monkeys burst into the palace and entered queens' apartments. They created a havoc there. It was only after Tulasee was released, the Emperor could be free from their menace.