GR

 'Geetawali Ramayan' is the legendary classical story of Lord Ram that is narrated in a classical pattern known as 'Geet', which means a 'song'. Each episode in the Lord's life has been rendered in a set of verses that are set to different 'Ragas' which are melodious tunes of classical Indian music. This unique style makes the narrative endearing to the heart and the mind of both the narrator and the listener; it adds flavour and exceptional charm to the narrative and makes it appealing to all the people irrespective of their individual tastes and preferences because music is a language that has a universal appeal even if the listener is unaware of the details of the story and may not understand each word of the narrative.

            This technique of 'singing a song' while describing Lord Ram's life and time brings the benefits of hearing something which is inherently holy and divine within the reach of everyone; its spiritual and emotional rewards are enjoyed by all, and all find joy, delight and bliss in it. It captivates the mind and the heart of the listener and the narrator alike, more than any other style of narrative, and if one is fortunate to find someone who can sing this story in accordance to the Ragas in which it is narrated, its effect is simply spell-binding and mesmerizing, and it instantly transports the hearer as well as the singer into a world that is marked by transcendental bliss.  

            The book has 7 Kandas or Chapters, viz. Baal Kand, Ayodhya Kand, Aranya Kand, Kiskindha Kand, Sundar Kand, Lanka Kand and Uttar Kand. Each 'Kand' deals with one phase in the life of Lord Ram.

            At the end, there are appendices that describe briefly the main characters of the story, and the story itself in outline.

 ‘Vinai-Patrika’ was his last composition, penned roughly between Samvat 1631 and 1679

kāhē tē hari mōhiṁ bisārō. jānata nija mahimā mērē agha, tadapi na nātha sam̐bhārō. 1. patita-punīta, dīnahita, asarana-sarana kahata śruti cārō. hauṁ nahiṁ adhama, sabhīta, dīna? kidhauṁ bēdana mṛṣā pukārō?. 2. khaga-ganikā-gaja-byādha-pām̐ti jaham̐, taham̐ haunhūm̐ baiṭhārō. aba kēhi lāja kṛpānidhāna! parasata panavārō phārō. 3. jō kalikāla prabala ati hōtō, tuva nidēsa tēṁ n'yārō. tau hari rōṣa bharōsa dōṣa guna tēhi bhajatē taji gārō. 4. masaka biran̄ci, biran̄ci masaka sama, karahu prabhā'u tumhārō. yaha sāmaratha achata mōhiṁ tyāgahu, nātha tahām̐ kachu cārō. 5. nāhina naraka parata mōkaham̐ḍara, jadyapi hauṁ ati hārō. yaha baḍi trāsa dāsatulasī prabhu, nāmahu pāpa na jārō. 6. Verse no. 94—Oh Lord Hari (i.e. Lord Sri Ram, who was an incarnation of Lord Hari, one of the many names of Lord Vishnu)! Why have you forgotten me (kāhē tē hari mōhiṁ bisārō)? Oh Lord! You are aware of your own reputation, fame and glory on the one hand, and of my sins and misdemeanours on the other hand (jānata nija mahimā mērē agha). Inspite of that, why don't you take care of me (tadapi na nātha sam̐bhārō)?1 (1). [ 1 The Lord has a reputation of being merciful and of taking care of even the most sinful and humble of creatures if the latter honestly prays to the Lord, seeking the Lord’s protection while promising to change his evil ways. Not only this, the Lord is so gracious that if someone takes his shelter, the Lord ensures that the person changes his evil nature on his own by subtly influencing his mind and heart. In this stanza, Tulsidas invokes this quality of Lord Ram and stresses that the Lord should be careful about acting in accordance with his famed reputation and his own words that he would afford protection to the most lowly and humble, the most sinful and wretched, if the latter prays to him and surrenders himself before the Lord. Otherwise, his immaculate reputation would be tarnished if he neglects Tulsidas and does not give solace and succour to him. In the following stanzas, the stellar virtues and glories of Lord Ram which have made him so famous in this creation are enumerated in brief.] 317 Oh Lord, you are the one who purifies those who are tainted, those who are sinful, evil, vile and wicked; you make those who have countless faultless into ones who are faultless (patita-punīta). You are a benevolent benefactor and a selfless well-wisher of those who are unfortunate, distressed, lowly and humble; you think and act in their interest (dīnahita). You provide refuge and shelter to them who have no refuge or shelter anywhere else (asarana-sarana). These are facts that are affirmed by all the four Vedas (kahata śruti cārō). Then tell me, if this is the case, am I not eligible for your attention and mercy; am I not distressed, downtrodden, scared and sinful enough that I do not deserve your kindness and grace (for my salvation and deliverance)? (hauṁ nahiṁ adhama, sabhīta, dīna?). Or else, is the assertion of the Vedas wrong; is their proclamation erroneous (kidhauṁ bēdana mṛṣā pukārō)? (2). To start with, you had me sit along with the bird (vulture Jatau), Ganika1 (the prostitute who attained salvation), the elephant (Gaja) and the hunter/bandit (named Valmiki)2 . [To wit, you have acknowledged that I am a sinner like one of them; you have equated me or treated me at par with them: “khaga-ganikā-gaja-byādha-pām̐ti jaham̐, taham̐ haunhūm̐ baiṭhārō”.] Now, oh merciful Lord, what hesitation or shame do you now have in providing me with the same benefit, the same mercy and grace that you bestowed upon them (aba kēhi lāja kṛpānidhāna) 3 ? [ 1 Ganika (The prostitute): There was a prostitute by the name of Pingla. One day she had decorated herself with flowers and ornaments and waited eagerly for her lover. When he did not turn up even till midnight, she was very contrite and it dawned upon her that if she had spent so much of her time in devotion and remembrance of the Lord, she would have found deliverance. Right onwards, she turned away from her profession and became an ardent devotee of the Lord. This led to her emancipation and salvation. 2 The story of Jatau, Gaja and Valmiki are narrated in notes appended to verse no. 57, stanza no. 3 of this book Vinai Patrika. 3 To wit, first you accepted that you had provided the benefit of liberation, deliverance, peace and happiness to the above named entities who everyone knows were sinful, evil and lowly. Then you had also accepted that Tulsidas was no better than them—i.e. you treated Tulsisas at par with these sinful fellows. Now, if you can grant your mercy and grace upon these creatures on the ground that it is your very nature to provide succour and solace to those who are distressed and lowly, as well as to purify the impure and the sinful, then tell me oh Lord why are you not being equally graceful and merciful to Tulsidas? Verily oh Lord, I also expect the same treatment at your hands.] Now therefore, once you have allowed me to sit alongside the above-named persons, why are you taking away the platter (i.e. the plate of leaves for partaking food in a community meal) put in front of me (parasata panavārō phārō) 4 ? [ 4 Here, Tulsidas refers to the tradition of great Kings of inviting the poor and the humble for a commumity meal. In this metaphor, the benevolence, grace and spiritual rewards that the Lord bestowed upon the vulture Jatau, the prostitute Ganika, the elephant Gaja, and the hunter-turned great sage Valmiki is likened to the 318 wonderful and delicious food served to them in this community meal. These creatures had never expected in their lives to ever taste the sweetness of freedom from a life of sins and vices which was like their daily staple food, but on this occasion they tasted the most delicious food of their lives, symbolised by the nectar-like sweetness that is inherent in attainment of spiritual bliss and deliverance from the horrors of this world. Tulsidas says that he is no less sinful and lowly than them. And therefore, why is Lord Ram not granting him the same benefit as he had granted these four persons mentioned in this verse? Tulsidas reminds his Lord Ram that if he neglects the former, then it will have a negative effect on the Lord’s well known reputation of providing freedom from fear, freedom from sins and freedom from miseries to those who have sought refuge with the Lord even though they had been sinful and evil prior to seeking such refuge. To wit, Tulsidas earnestly pleads with his beloved Lord Ram, saying: “Oh Lord, why are you depriving me of the benefit of having peace and happiness, of having liberation and deliverance from all worldly horrors and miseries, like you had provided these to the sinful and pervert fellows named by me? Am I worse than them, or am I not as sinful and evil as they were? If they qualified for receiving your mercy, why am I not equally qualified?] (3). If Kaliyug (the personified form of the present age, the ‘yuga’, named after ‘Kali’, the deity of this age) had been stronger, more potent and powerful, and more gracious than you are (jō kalikāla prabala ati hōtō), and had he not been obeying your orders, had he not been under your command and was independent (tuva nidēsa tēṁ n'yārō)—then oh Hari (tau hari), we would have not troubled you, we would not have relied upon you for succour and solace, we would have stopped praising your fame and glories, and would have stopped getting angry at Kaliyug and finding faults with it (rōṣa bharōsa dōṣa guna). Instead of you, we would have worshipped and adored Kaliyug because it would have served our purpose. We would not have been angry at him or blame him for all the faults that afflict the world and cause interminable misery and pain to all living beings in it, because inspite of all its shortcomings and faults it would have been our Lord and Master for all practical purposes (rōṣa bharōsa dōṣa guna tēhi bhajatē taji gārō) 5 . [ 5 To wit, if Kaliyug is more powerful than Lord Ram, then Kaliyug would be the de-facto Lord of the world instead Sri Ram. In this situation, it would be prudent to keep him in good humour inspite of all his shortcomings—because it is always advisable to keep the King, in whose realm one has to live, in good humour. Otherwise, unnecessary problems are created by criticising the King and inviting his wrath. In this stanza Tulsidas politely and lovingly warns his Lord Ram that if he starts neglecting his devotees like Tulsidas, then they will think that Kali, the presiding deity of the current corrupt age, is more powerful. No one would then like to offend Kali and invite his wrath. They will stop worshipping the Lord and praying to him for their deliverance from miseries, and instead try to propitiate Kali. The Lord must understand that it will be a very shameful development, and would undermine his divinity and supremacy in this creation. Therefore, the Lord should pay heed to Tulsidas and take special care of the sinful and lowly creatures during the era known as Kaliyug if the Lord wishes to retain his glory and fame in this world.] (4). 319 But (what I have said above is not true because oh Lord) we all know about your majestic glories and mystical capabilities (karahu prabhā'u tumhārō) for you are capable of transforming a humble mosquito into the most exalted Brahma, the Creator, and vice-versa (masaka biran̄ci, biran̄ci masaka sama) 6 . [ 6 Albeit I have said that if you become slightly careless, the people of the world would think that you are afraid of taking action against Kaliyug or providing help to those whom Kaliyug wishes to enslave, as this would annoy the latter, and you do not wish to annoy him; but it is just for the sake of warning you, for actually all of us know that you are extremely powerful, being the sole Lord and the supreme Authority of creation. Even Kaliyug obeys your commands. We know for sure that you have that power whereby you can elevate the humblest to the stature of the most exalted, symbolised by your ability to turn a humble mosquito into the Creator of this creation!] Inspite of being so great, able, potent and powerful Lord of the world, (it seems that) are you are abandoning, ignoring and neglecting me (yaha sāmaratha achata mōhiṁ tyāgahu). Then, oh Lord, if even you behave this way, what can I do for I am feeling helpless (as I have no one to turn to and complain against you) (nātha tahām̐ kachu cārō). [But truly Lord, this does not behove of you and your majestic glory!] (5). Though I have been defeated (“jadyapi hauṁ ati hārō”--i.e. have lost all hopes of salvation and deliverance), and have recoinciled to my fate of falling into hell and have therefore overcome this fear too (nāhina naraka parata mōkaham̐ḍara)—but oh Lord (prabhu), this Tulsidas has the greatest regret and is feeling most anguished, hurt and sorrowful (yaha baḍi trāsa dāsatulasī) that even your great and powerful Name could not burn to ashes my sins, faults and blemishes which prevent me from attaining salvation and eternal peace for myself (nāmahu pāpa na jārō), though it certainly and surely can do so! (6). [Note—Tulsidas highlights Sri Ram's mercy, grace, benevolence, benefaction, benediction, munificence and magnanimity towards all and sundry, especially his devotees, in this verse.]

jarabasa chaupani

 dēkhata hī ā'ī birudhā'ī. jō taiṁ sapanēhum̐ nāhiṁ bulā'ī. tākē guna kachu kahē na jāhīṁ. sō aba pragaṭa dēkhu tanu māhīṁ. sō pragaṭa tanu jarajara jarābasa, byādhi, sūla satāva'ī. 441 sira-kampa, indriya-sakti pratihata, bacana kāhu na bhāva'ī. gṛhapālahūtēṁ ati nirādara, khāna-pāna na pāva'ī. aisihu dasā na birāga taham̐, tṛṣṇā-taraṅga baṛhāva'ī. 136/8. Verse no. 136/8—[This verse outlines the horrors of old age.] Almost un-announced and un-seen and un-welcomed, the old age has arrived (dēkhata hī ā'ī birudhā'ī), which you had never invited even in your dreams (and which you had never expected would ever bother you during the time you had been young and enjoying the world to the hilt) (jō taiṁ sapanēhum̐ nāhiṁ bulā'ī)! The agonising situation and the miseries of old age are impossible to describe fully as they are so huge and wide in their reach (tākē guna kachu kahē na jāhīṁ). One not need to do so, because you can see yourself the visible effect of old age on your own body itself, and you can witness how it affects you directly (sō aba pragaṭa dēkhu tanu māhīṁ). See its visible effect on your body (sō pragaṭa tanu)—it has become feeble, worn-out, decrepit, decayed and infirm (jarajara). Due to old age (jarābasa), different diseases and countless forms of physical discomfort and pains are tormenting you endlessly (byādhi, sūla satāva'ī), the head is shaking and trembling (like a leaf on a tree) (sira-kampa), and the organs of your body have lost their former abilites and strength, there functions are steadily slowing down (indriya-sakti pratihata). What a pitiable condition it is indeed! No one likes to hear you speak, they all shun you (and everyone turns a deaf ear to your mutterings) (bacana kāhu na bhāva'ī). Even the pet animals (such as your favourite dog) which guards your house has started neglecting and insulting you (gṛhapālahūtēṁ ati nirādara). No one bothers about your meals and drinks so much so that you don’t get enough to eat or drink (khāna-pāna na pāva'ī). [You feel utterly neglected and humiliated; you are subjected to interminable insults and scorn, and you are treated with repugnance and indignity wherever you go by those for whom you had sacrificed all your life and happiness earlier. Even the pet dog is served its meals at the proper feeding time, but no one bothers about you and your hunger. What’s more, you don't even get sufficient to eat or drink.] Inspite of such a pitiful, miserable and horrorful state, you still do not get true renunciation (aisihu dasā na birāga taham̐). Even in this horrible condition, you go on increasing your lust, greed, avarice, passions, desires etc. (tṛṣṇā-taraṅga baṛhāva'ī). [To wit, inspite of being told about your inevitable fate and seeing others suffering in their old age, you are so dumb-witted that still you don’t seem to understand, and you don’t make amends while still there is time for you. Inspite of being aware of the horrors of old age, you contine to fritter away your youthful energy and time in pursuit of this deluding world and its false charms, instead of making efforts to ensure a secure spiritual destiny for yourself.

kahi kō sakē mahābhava tērē. janama ēkakē kachuka ganērē. cāri khāni santata avagāhīṁ. ajahum̐ na karu bicāra mana māhīṁ. ajahūm̐ bicāru, bikāra taji, bhaju rāma jana-sukhadāyakaṁ. bhavasindhu dustara jalarathaṁ, bhaju cakradhara suranāyakaṁ. binu hētu karunākara, udāra, apāra-māyā-tāranaṁ. kaivalya-pati, jagapati, ramāpati, prānapati, gatikāranaṁ. 136/9. Verse no. 136/9—Only a few of your troubles and tribulations of this birth that have been causing you so much miseries have been counted and listed above (in verse nos. 136/1-136/8) (janama ēkakē kachuka ganērē). If this is the situation in a single birth, then say who can tell the great stories of your immense sufferings that you had to endure in your numerous previous births (kahi kō sakē mahābhava tērē). You have had to wander in either of the four forms of births that all living beings have to pass through (cāri khāni santata avagāhīṁ) 1 . [ 1 The 4 forms of births are as follows:- (a) ‘Pindaj’—those born from an embryo formed in a mother's womb such as a human being and other animals; (b) ‘Andaj’—those born from an egg outside the womb such as birds; (c) ‘Swadej’— those born by self division of the cell without fertilisation, e.g. the one-celled organisms such as Amoeba; it also means ‘born of perspiration or sweat’ such as lice etc.; and (d) ‘Udbhij’—those born out of a seed, e.g. plants.] Yet you do not think deeply on this aspect in your mind even after undergoing so much sufferings (ajahum̐ na karu bicāra mana māhīṁ). Oh come on, wake up to the realities; even now think over it (ajahūm̐ bicāru) and leave your ignorance and arrogance and all other types of spiritual faults that you have had till now (because its still time for you to make amends for your mistakes) (bikāra taji). [So then, what should you do? Here it is:--] Worship and venerate Lord Sri Ram who gives joy and all types of happiness to his devotees (bhaju rāma jana-sukhadāyakaṁ). The Lord is like a huge and robust ship (jalarathaṁ) as far as crossing of this formidably fierce and difficult ocean of mundane life in this gross perishable world is concerned (bhavasindhu dustara). Therefore, be wise and prudent for your own good, and worship the Lord who bears a discus (bhaju cakradhara) and who is the God of all the Gods (suranāyakaṁ). [To wit, just as it is easy for a person to cross an ocean aboard a ship, it would be very easy and comfortable for you to get over all your worries and miseries associated with this life if you take shelter of Lord Ram and offer your prayers to him, for then the merciful Lord is sure to extend his hand to you to help 443 you out of your problems. The Lord who holds a discus is a reference to Lord Vishnu who had incarnated as Lord Ram.] The Lord shows benevolence, kindness and mercy without any selfish interests, for the Lord is absolutely selfless in his attitude (binu hētu karunākara); he is enormously generous and magnanimous (udāra); he can help overcome the great delusions and ignorance which have overpowered you and clouded your wisdom (apāra-māyā-tāranaṁ). [To wit, if you submit yourself before Lord Ram, then you need not worry about the knowledge of scriptures and the myriad means of attaining liberation and deliverance, for the Lord would take care of your welfare, both the temporal as well as the spiritual.] He is the merciful Lord who grants the supreme and the most exalted state of existence for the soul known as ‘Kaivalya’, literally meaning ‘one of its only kind’, which in practical terms means attainment of spiritual salvation and emancipation to the creature (kaivalya-pati). He is the only Lord God of this entire creation (jagapati). He is the Lord of Laxmi (i.e. of all sorts of prosperity and well-being in this world) (ramāpati). He is the Lord who is the Supreme Soul or the Atma of this creation, and by extension of all the living beings because all have this ‘soul’ in their bodies, and this ‘soul’ is actually the true identity of all living beings (prānapati) 2 . The Lord is a bestower of spiritual bliss, and of liberation and deliverance from all miseries and torments that afflict the creature (gatikāranaṁ). [ 2 The word “prānapati” also means the Lord who is very dear to the life and soul of a creature. In this sense, Lord Ram is the dearest.

raghupati-bhagati sulabha, sukhakārī. sō trayatāpa-sōka-bhaya-hārī. binu satasaṅga bhagati nahiṁ hō'ī. tē taba milaiṁ dravai jaba sō'ī. jaba dravai dīnadayālu rāghava, sādhu-saṅgati pā'iyē. jēhi darasa-parasa-samāgamādika pāparāsi nasā'iyē. 444 jinakē milē dukha-sukha samāna, amānatādika guna bhayē. mada-mōha lōbha-biṣāda-krōdha subōdhatēṁ sahajahiṁ gayē. 136/10. Verse no. 136/10—Devotion and affection (bhagati) for Lord Raghupati (Sri Ram) is easy and simple to have, and it gives immense bliss, joy and happiness to the creature (raghupati-bhagati sulabha, sukhakārī). They eliminate the fear of the three types of sorrows that torment a creature1 ; they are an eliminator of all sorts of worries, miseries and fears that make the creature suffer (sō trayatāpa-sōka-bhaya-hārī). [1 The three types of sorrows that cause problems for a creature are called the “Traitaps”. They are described in verse no. 17, stanza no. 2, and verse no. 81, stanza no. 1 of this Book ‘Vinai Patrika’.] But that devotion and affection for the Lord that is known as ‘Bhakti’ cannot be had without a communion with and the company of saints and pious souls (binu satasaṅga bhagati nahiṁ hō'ī), and these saints and pious souls are met only by the grace and blessings of Lord Sri Ram, only when the Lord wishes it to be so by being gracious upon the selected devotee (tē taba milaiṁ dravai jaba sō'ī). Indeed it is true that company of saintly people is possible only when Lord Ram feels merciful for the creature and blesses him with this boon (jaba dravai dīnadayālu rāghava, sādhu-saṅgati pā'iyē) 2 . [ 2 To wit, when Lord Sri Ram shows grace and mercy upon the creature then only is communion and contacts with saints possible for him. The glory, importance and virtue of saints and pious people has been elucidated and enumerated in other books of Tulsidas also, viz. (i) Ram Charit Manas, Uttar Kand, from Chaupai line no. 5 that precedes Doha no. 37—to Chaupai line no. 8 that precedes Doha no. 41; (ii) Dohawali, verse nos. 375—378, 381; and (iii) Vairagya Sandipani, verse nos. 8—42.] By the touch, the sight, the company and the commuion of those saintly souls, all the accumulated sins, evils, vices and faults of the creature (jēhi darasa-parasasamāgamādika) are completely uprooted and destroyed (pāparāsi nasā'iyē). By this contact with saints, one learns the values and importance of the virtues of dispassion and detachment, and to treat alike both the sorrows and the joys of life (jinakē milē dukha-sukha samāna). One also learns the virtues of practicing equanimity and renunciation in one’s life, and is motivated to develop these qualities in himself by seeing the example of these saints and holy souls (amānatādika guna bhayē). Forsooth, the company of saints helps one to become wise and enlighted so much so that he inculcates many good and saintly virtues and noble qualities in himself (subōdhatēṁ). The positive effect of this is that many negativities that are inherently present in a person, such as ego, arrogance and haughtiness (“Mada”), delusions, attractions and attachments (“Moha”), greed and yearings (“Lobha”), feeling perplexed, grieved and sorrowful (“Vishad”), and anger (“Krodha”), all gradually go away on their own without making much effort to eliminate them (mada-mōha lōbha-biṣāda-krōdha sahajahiṁ gayē). 

 Realisation of True ‘Self’ 

 sēvata sādhu dvaita-bhaya bhāgai. śrīraghubīra-carana laya lāgai. dēha-janita bikāra saba tyāgai. taba phiri nija svarūpa anurāgai. anurāga sō nija rūpa jō jagatēṁ bilacchana dēkhiyē. santōṣa, sama, sītala sadā dama, dēhavanta na lēkhiyē. niramala, nirāmaya, ēkarasa, tēhi haraṣa-sōka na byāpa'ī. trailōka-pāvana sō sadā jākī dasā aisī bha'ī. 136/11. Verse no. 136/11—By serving such wise saints, one gets freedom from the fears (and the doubts) arising from the philosophy of ‘Dwaitya’ (the dual nature of existence; whether what one experiences in this world is true or false; the sense of mine and yours; this life and the life hereafter; the mortality of life vis-à-vis the eternity of the soul; etc) (sēvata sādhu dvaita-bhaya bhāgai) 1 . [1 When the creature becomes wise, enlightened and self-realised as a reward of his contact with learned saints, he begins to understand that the essence of life is not what is seen and observed by the sense organs of perception of the body in the form of the gross mundane external world of material sense objects, but it is something very subtle and sublime in the form of the ‘Atma’ which is pure consciousness. This Atma is the ‘true self’ of the creature, and it is an universal entity. This Atma lives in all living beings as their individual self at the microcosmic level of existence, and as the Supreme Atma or the Parmatma at the macrocosmic level of existence. Further, this Atma of the individual is a manifestation of the cosmic Atma reprersented by Lord Ram. This being the case, the wise aspirant sees his Lord all around him. With the omnipresence of his Lord who is ready to give him protection, where is the cause of fear from any quarter? The Atma is not a gross visible thing like the body for it is subtle and invisible by its nature; it is eternal and imperishable unlike the body which is subject to decay and death. This realisation eliminates the sense of duality in creation and brings about uniformity. The thus-realised creature begins to see the same Lord in the form of the ‘consciousness’ or the ‘Atma’ everywhere, in all the creatures, in the animate as well 446 as the inanimate, in the cosmic form of Nature and its vast canvas of beauty, in the outside as well as the inside of all that is visible or invisible. This universal view of existence and the sense of uniformity in its true essence removes fears of death and life, fears of the future vis-à-vis the present. One has no enemies or friends, for all the creatures are one and the same for him. Obviously, this view removes all cause of malice and ill-will, and this paves the way for spread of the virtues of love and brotherhood all around. In this scenario, there is no fear from any quarter. Again, when a wise creature realises that the ‘Atma’ is his true identity and it is pure consciousness that is universal, immortal and transcendental, then all fears of death are erased. These ideas are elaborated below in the following stanzas.] The benefit of this development is that one begins to focus his attention on the holy feet of Lord Ram, the Lord God (śrīraghubīra-carana laya lāgai). All the faults and problems associated with the gross body and the equally gross world are easily done away with (dēha-janita bikāra saba tyāgai), and the aspirant begins to learn to experience the bliss associated with one’s Atma that is one’s true self and pure consciousness (taba phiri nija svarūpa anurāgai). Indeed, when the wise and enlightened person realises the greatness, the majesty and the divinity of his true form (bilacchana dēkhiyē) as being the ‘pure consciousness’ that is distinct and separate from his gross body, he begins to love and adore it and develop affection for it (anurāga sō nija rūpa jō jagatēṁ). [As soon as this reality dawns upon him, he begins to remain indifferent to the gross body but pays special attention to his Atma.] The condition of a person who attains this wonderful state of existence wherein he has acquainted himself with the pure conscious Atma residing within his own self, i.e. when he has become ‘self realised’, is unique, fantastically wonderful, most eclectic and worthy of laurels to say the least (bilacchana dēkhiyē). Having contentedness, equanimity, evenness, fortitude, forebearance, calmness, serenity, self-control of the sense organs, peace of mind, heart and demeanours—all become a part of his character, his nature and his life (santōṣa, sama, sītala sadā dama). He lives in a transcendental state of existence so much so that he begins to see that his physical body that is perishable and gross as well as subject to so many pains and miseries is not his ‘true self’, and that ‘his true identity’ is an entity known as the Atma that is pure consciousness which is eternal, blissful, subtle and sublime (dēhavanta na lēkhiyē). The result of this realisation is that the person automatically becomes pure and holy, and is freed from all worldly taints which are like a moral disease for him (niramala, nirāmaya). He becomes steady in his belief of oneness of his soul with the cosmic Soul, as well as the fact that the truth and reality in this world is always the same inspite of the external diversity that is visible, and this attitude makes him calm, uniform and unruffled; he develops the virtues of equanimity and fortitude (ēkarasa). Inculcation of these grand virtues ensures that joys and sorrows do not move him or affect him at all; he remains unruffled, still and calm under both (tēhi haraṣa-sōka na byāpa'ī). 447 [To wit, he is neither excited nor depressed; he treats all circumstances with exceptional poise and dispassion. Nothing is too good for him to excite him, nor too bad to depress him. He is now free from all the imaginary pains and miseries that had been tormenting him till now as these were all related to his gross physical body, and not to the Atma. Thereafter, such a self-realised person never suffers from any misery and sorrow that are so common in this world, but rather lives in a perpetual state of blissfulness, happiness and joy.] A person who attains this eclectic and transcendental state of existence marked by eternal blissfulness, tranquillity and equanimity and other such majestic virtues as enumerated herein above (jākī dasā aisī bha'ī), is the one who can purify the whole world by showing it the correct path that leads to contentedness and happiness (trailōka-pāvana sō sadā) (because he knows the path and how to walk on it to reach one’s goal in life; he is the proper guide for others) 

jō tēhi pantha calai mana lā'ī. tau hari kāhē na hōhiṁ sahā'ī. jō māraga śruti-sādhu dikhāvai. tēhi patha calata sabai sukha pāvai. pāvai sadā sukha hari-kṛpā, sansāra-āsā taji rahai. sapanēhum̐ nahīṁ sukha dvaita-darasana, bāta kōṭika kō kahai. dvija, dēva, guru, hari, santa binu sansāra-pāra na pā'iyē. yaha jāni tulasīdāsa trāsaharana ramāpati gā'iyē. 136/12. Verse no. 136/12—Say, why will the Lord God not help those who walk on this noble path (jō tēhi pantha calai mana lā'ī; tau hari kāhē na hōhiṁ sahā'ī), the path which has been shown by the Vedas (scriptures) and endorsed by holy saints (jō māraga śruti-sādhu dikhāvai), for it leads one and all to obtain all types of happiness, peace, joy and contentedness (tēhi patha calata sabai sukha pāvai). The ‘Sadhak’ (aspirant; seeker) who walks on this path always feels happy and cheerful because he is blessed by the Lord God himself (pāvai sadā sukha harikṛpā), and therefore he does not have to depend upon the world for anything he wants. So he stops expecting anything from the mundane world, for all his needs are now taken care of by the Lord (sansāra-āsā taji rahai) 1 . [ 1 By the grace of God, such a seeker attains eternal and abiding bliss, and he realises that the bliss and happiness that he obtains by this method are sustainable and 448 true in nature as compared to their false, transient and impermanent nature as obtained from the world. Thus, he stops pursuing the sense objects of the world in his quest for peace, happiness, joy and pleasures, but turns inwards to his ‘pure conscious self’ to seek them. A wise man becomes ‘self-realised’ and experiences the ultimate bliss and joy that comes with the understanding that his ‘true self’ is not the gross body but the pure consciousness that is within his own inner-self in the form of his blissful Atma, that the world is perishable while his self is eternal, and that all the pleasures and comforts that this perishable world seems to offer to him are not only limited to the gross body which is also perishable like the world but are impermanent and transient as well as the root of grief and pain in the long run.] There are countless things to say and equally countless arguments for and against a proposition, but why bother about them (bāta kōṭika kō kahai). One thing is for sure—if one sees ‘Dwaitya’ (a sense of duality) in this world, then no matter what anyone says or preaches, true happiness and peace will always elude the creature; one can never expect to have abiding peace, bliss, happiness and contentedness even in one's dreams if one is misled by this idea (sapanēhum̐ nahīṁ sukha dvaitadarasana) 2 . [ 2 If a person sees his true self, which is pure consciousness, as being distinct from the Supreme Self which is known as cosmic Consciousness that is all-pervading and universal in nature, if he sees distinction between mine and yours, me and he etc., then he can never ever find peace in this world. To wit, real happiness, true peace and bliss that is eternal and abiding lies in becoming self-realised in the oneness of the ‘individual’s self’ and the ‘supreme Self’ known as the Lord God or Brahm. And what is this ‘self’? It is ‘pure consciousness’ both at the individual level and the universal level of existence. This realisation immediately creates a bond of kinship between the creature and the Lord God for the truth of both is the same ‘consciousness’. All living beings have their own independent bodies, but their true self, the essence of their being, the factor that defines them as a ‘living entity’ as opposed to a non-living thing is not their bodies but the pure consciousness that resides in these bodies. Though the physical bodies may be different but the basic factor that defines all living beings, i.e. the pure consciousness, is the one and the same in all. Hence, there is no cause and locus-standi for the concept of ‘duality’ to ever disturb the peace of mind of an enlightened person in this world. In the context of the devotee and the Lord God, therefore, a self-realised and enlightened devotee understands that the Lord God whom he worships and adores does not live away from him, but that the Lord resides in his own inner-self as his ‘Atma’ or ‘pure consciousness’. The essence and the truth of the devotee and the Lord God is the same non-dual entity known as ‘Consciousness’. This immediately removes the distance and the distinction between the devotee and his Lord God—and the former begins to feel one with the Lord himself. He has nowhere to go to seek his Lord, for the Lord resides in his own self! This realisation is the pinnacle of enlightenment and spiritual wisdom; it is the source of abiding bliss and eternal joy because this consciousness is eternal and imperishable as opposed to the gross physical body. 449 To wit and in all sooth, this understanding, this wisdom and realisation is equivalent to crossing this seemingly endless ocean symbolised by this mundane, gross and perishable world that is actually like an ocean of endless miseries, pain, grief and torments for the creature. The world no longer instills any kind of fear in the heart of the creature; the world no longer tempts the creature with its false charms and allurements of comfort, happiness and joy; the world does not bother the creature. The creature becomes neutral to it—both to its charms as well as to its sorrows. He now realises that the happiness and joy that he gets from the gross world are of no consequence as they are temporary and shallow, and they are dimmed by the intensity and depth of the happiness and joy that is got by realising the presence of the pure consciousness inside one’s own self because it stands for the presence of the Supreme Lord God, who is a fount of eternal peace and bliss, within one’s own self. Similarly, the wisened creature also realises that all the sorrows and pains of the gross world, as well as its joys and comforts, are all not only transient but also limited to the gross organs of the equally gross body. Since the ‘true self’ is not this gross body, rather it is the pure conscious Atma that resides within this body, therefore nothing of the external gross world really matters to a wise creature anymore. He has literally side-stepped and skipped the puddle of the world, preventing himself from getting dirty and any slush and filth getting stuck to him!] It is important to understand that one cannot cross this ocean represented by this world without the help of one’s elders, the gods, teacher, the deity one reveres and adores, saints and holy men etc. (because they are one’s true and selfless trusted friend, and they know the path one ought to follow to reach this goal) (dvija, dēva, guru, hari, santa binu sansāra-pāra na pā'iyē). Tulsidas says that after understanding all these things, one should sing the divine glories of Lord Ramapati (i.e. Sri Ram) (yaha jāni tulasīdāsa -- ramāpati gā'iyē), the Lord who removes all sufferings, miseries and torments of his devotees (trāsaharana) 3 . [ 3 The devotee worships and adores Lord Ram, the cosmic Lord who is also the Lord of Rama, the goddess of prosperity and well-being, with the hope that he too would find eternal peace and rest for himself like those saints and wise people, that he too would be able to overcome the miseries associated with this world like them, and that he too would be able to attain liberation, deliverance, emancipation and salvation for his soul in due course of time like done by pious souls. The word ‘Ramāpati’ refers to Lord Vishnu, the Lord God and the divine husband of goddess Laxmi who is also known as Rama. Lord Vishnu had manifested himself as Lord Sri Ram whom Tulsidas adores as his Lord God

avalamba

 kariya sam̐bhāra, kōsalarāya! aura ṭhaura na aura gati, avalamba nāma bihāya. 1. būjhi apanī āpanō hitu āpa bāpa na māya. rāma! rā'ura nāma gura, sura, svāmi, sakhā, sahāya. 2. rāmarāja na calē mānasa-malinakē chala chāya. kōpa tēhi kalikāla kāyara mu'ēhi ghālata ghāya. 3. lēta kēharikō bayara jyōṁ bhēka hani gōmāya. tyōnhi rāma-gulāma jāni nikāma dēta kudāya. 4. akani yākē kapaṭa-karataba, amita anaya-apāya. sukhī haripura basata hōta parīchitahi pachitāya. 5. kṛpāsindhu! bilōkiyē, jana-manakī sām̐sati sāya. sarana āyō, dēva! dīnadayālu! dēkhana pāya. 6. nikaṭa bōli na barajiyē, bali jā'um̐, haniya na hāya. dēkhihaiṁ hanumāna gōmukha nāharanikē n'yāya. 7. aruna mukha, bhrū bikaṭa, piṅgala nayana rōṣa-kaṣāya. bīra sumiri samīrakō ghaṭihai capala cita cāya. 8. binaya suni biham̐sē anujasōṁ bacanakē kahi bhāya. ‘bhalī kahī’ kahyō laṣana hūm̐ ham̐si, banē sakala banāya. 9. da'ī dīnahiṁ dādi, sō suni sujana-sadana badhāya. miṭē saṅkaṭa-sōca, pōca-prapan̄ca, pāpa-nikāya. 10. pēkhi prīti-pratīti janapara aguna anagha abhāya. dāsatulasī kahata munigana, ‘jayati jaya urugāya’. 11. Verse no. 220—[In the previous verse no. 219, Tulsidas has hinted to Lord Ram about the malfeasance and evil nature of Kaliyug. Now in this verse he requests the Lord to put a leash on the corrupt practices and pervert nature of Kaliyug.] 733 ‘Oh King of Kaushal (Sri Ram—“kōsalarāya”), protect me, save me, take care of me (kariya sam̐bhāra). Besides your holy name (nāma bihāya), I don't have any other resource and no other recourse for obtaining succour, support and solace for myself (avalamba), nor do I have any ony other destination where I can go or from where I can expect any sort of welfare for myself (aura ṭhaura na aura gati). [To wit, Tulsidas says that the Lord’s holy name is his only support and protector.]1 [1 Refer for example verse no. 216, stanza no. 1 of this Book ‘Vinai Patrika’ in this context. There are umpteen numbers of verses on this theme.] (1). When you see your devotees you willingly use your discretionary authority and powers to take such care of their good, welfare and well-being that even their parents aren't able to do (būjhi apanī āpanō hitu āpa bāpa na māya). [To wit, though a parent loves his or her child very much and would leave no stone unturned to secure the child’s welfare and good, but no matter how hard they try no parent can give eternal peace and happiness to a creature, nor can they assure him of salvation and liberation from the bondage of this mundane, gross and temporal world. It is only Lord Ram who can do it for sure.] Oh Lord Ram! Your majesty’s holy name “RAM” (rāma! rā'ura nāma) is my only revered Guru (a teacher, preceptor, guide and advisor), my only God, my only Lord, Master, Friend and Helper or Assistant in times of need (gura, sura, svāmi, sakhā, sahāya) 2 . [ 2 This same idea is expressed in the epic “Ram Charit Manas”, (i) Ayodhya Kand, Doha no. 130 where sage Valmiki reiterates it; and (ii) Uttar Kand, Chaupai line no. 2 that precedes Doha no. 47 where the citizens of Ayodhya declare this fact unanimously. Refer also to verse no. 28, stanza no. 6; verse no. 77, stanza no. 2; verse no. 79, stanza no. 3; of this Book ‘Vinai Patrika’.] (2). In your kingdom known as ‘Rāmarāja’, it is said that anyone or any entity which has a malicious Mana (mind and heart) that is dark and tainted, a Mana that is characterised by negativities, deceit, corruption and evil tendencies that are morally and spiritually degrading, sinful, pervert and unscrupulous, cannot have any influence upon any creature and disturb anyone who lives in your kingdom (na calē mānasamalinakē chala chāya). But this coward Kaliyug (kalikāla kāyara) is so frustrated, so resentful, so indignant and so angered at his failure to spread his dark shadow of influence over your kingdom that he has decided to vent his ire and wreck vengeance upon me (kōpa tēhi) because he finds me too timid, weak and humble to resist him and oppose his merciless attacks upon me. So he is thrashing me and inflicting immense pain upon me (i.e. tormenting me by trying to impose his negativities and evil characters upon me, and forcing me to fall in line with his desires) inspite of the fact that I am already in a miserable state (mu'ēhi ghālata ghāya) 3 . [ 3 Now since Kaliyug has the spiritually tormenting characteristics as outlined above and he feels oppressed and neglected in your kingdom—because he can’t confront you and disobey your laws and regulations, and therefore he can’t have his way and prey upon innocent creatures who live in your kingdom so as to expand his family of the corrupt and the sinful—he has become very frustrated, angry and agitated. 734 Unable to oppose you and expand his field of influence on the people who have surrendered before you and have got your protection, i.e. those who are your devotees and servants, and thereby unable to propagate his family of the corrupt and the sinful, he has decided to vent his ire upon me whom he finds be too timid, weak and humble to resist him and stand against his high-handedness. Therefore, this wicked fellow Kaliyug is striking me hard; he is eying me angrily and scornfully, hurting and tormenting me endlessly inspite of the fact that I am already in a miserable and pitiable state. This situation has aggravated my pain and agony immensely. This rascal of a fellow Kaliyug is highly immoral and unscrupulous; he has no pity upon even the most helpless persons like me; he is of a most vile and sinful nature; he is of an extremely pervert mind that is full of corruption, treachery, malevolence and capriciousness. He has become so arrogant, bold and reckless that he is not even afraid of the fact that I live in your kingdom, that I have submitted myself before Lord Ram and have already made a plea before his majesty to protect me against Kaliyug, and that the Lord is so merciful that when he comes to learn how Kaliyug is tormenting me he is bound to punish him severely. Kaliyug is a “coward” because he is not able to confront you and resist your orders directly; in fact he flees when he sees you, and he refrains from disturbing those who have your protection. But inspite of this cowardice and appearance of obeying you, look oh Lord, what is he doing to me? Now therefore, it has become imperative for you to intervene and stop this wicked fellow from making me suffer more.] (3). Oh Lord, like a jackal that kills a harmless and humble frog, who is unable to resist him (bhēka hani gōmāya), to avenge its anger at the lion (lēta kēharikō bayara jyōṁ), this fellow Kaliyug has drubbed and tormented me gravely, he has hurt me deeply (nikāma dēta kudāya), because he knows me to be your servant (devotee, follower, subordinate or dependant) (tyōnhi rāma-gulāma jāni) 4 . [ 4 Here, Kaliyug is compared to a ‘Jackal’, Lord Ram to the ‘Lion’, and Tulsidas to the poor ‘Frog’. Kaliyug has a problem with you, Lord Ram. He is very spiteful, vehemently opposed and full of malice towards you, but he cannot do any harm to you, so he is tormenting this wretched and weak fellow Tulsidas in your stead because he finds me too weak to oppose him.] (4). Even the great king Parikshit, who now resides happily in the exalted abode of the Lord God (in heaven) (sukhī haripura basata hōta parīchitahi), is lamenting and is full of regret (pachitāya) on hearing his (Kaliyug's) deceitful, evil, treacherous, pervert, capricious, recklessly and unscrupulous deeds, numerous misdemeanours, unlawful and unrighteous behaviour, and the various hurdles that he puts in the path followed by the saints and those who are noble and righteous (akani yākē kapaṭakarataba, amita anaya-apāya) 5 . [ 5 The story of Parikshit is narrated in brief at the end of this verse—and marked *. He regrets that he had shown mercy on Kaliyug when he had caught him at the end of Dwapar-Yug and the beginning of Kalilyug, and had let him off instead of slaying him right then. Had the king then killed Kaliyug, the havoc and the misery he is creating in the present time would have been avoided.] (5). 735 Oh Lord who is an ocean of mercy and munificence (kṛpāsindhu)! Have a kind, compassionate, benign and merciful glance at me (bilōkiyē) so that the troubles and agonies tormenting the mind and heart of this servant of yours are calmed down (jana-manakī sām̐sati sāya). Oh the one who is benevolent and munificent towards the wretched, the deprived, the downtrodden and the lowly (dīnadayālu)! Oh Lord (dēva)! I have come to take refuge at your holy feet (sarana āyō) so that I may have your Darshan (holy viewing; holy sight) (dēkhana pāya) (6). If you have taken pity on him (i.e. Kaliyug) so much so that you do not wish to summon him to put a leash on his evil ways (his mischief, his misdemenours and his reckless behaviour—“nikaṭa bōli na barajiyē”), or to punish him severely by slaying him (i.e. vanquishing him altogether) because he would, in all probability, cry pitifully before you in a distressed voice, begging for mercy (haniya na hāya)—then oh Lord, in this situation my humble plea and earnest submission before you (bali jā'um̐) is that you should at least quietly signal Hanuman to warn Kaliyug to mend his ways. At your hint, Hanuman would glare sternly at his (Kaliyug’s) face with a contemptuous scorn and a fierce scowl (dēkhihaiṁ hanumāna) even as a lion looks at the face of a cow (gōmukha nāharanikē n'yāya) 6 . [ 6 Tulsidas guesses that since Lord Ram is exceptionally gracious and merciful, he is probably reluctant to take any stern action against Kaliyug because the latter is also one of the Lord’s subjects. People of varying nature, different characters and diverse qualities reside in a great king’s kingdom, and all of them are his equal subjects whom the king is expected to deal with friendliness, equanimity, mercy and justice. So is the case with Kaliyug. Perhaps Lord Ram takes pity on him because the Lord has a soft corner in his heart for those subjects of his kingdom who are lowly, fallen and devoid of any goodness. Even Tulsidas has acknowledged this great quality of the Lord that he is especially kind to the lowly, the wretched and the sinful—for instance, refer verse no. 215, stanza no. 1, and verse no. 216, stanza no. 5 of this book Vinai Patrika. Its alright then, says Tulsidas, for the Lord not to severely punish Kaliyug for his evil nature and misdemeanours because the Lord takes pity on him when he cries “Oh Lord, alas, I am too sinful to be cast away by you; where will I go if even you throw me away from your kingdom?”, just like the way Tulsidas himself pleads before the Lord—refer verse no. 217, stanza no. 6 herein above in this book Vinai Patrika. But at the same time, Lord Ram must also keep in view the way Kaliyug is horrifying Tulsidas. Say, how would a just king react if he finds that someone in his kingdom is causing immense hardship and suffering to others even though the king may have pardoned this tormentor for his evil nature in some time in the past. A prudent king may not directly punish the offending subject, but he can at least direct one of his senior ministers to take the matter up and teach this wayward subject some good lesson so that he would mend his ways, and threaten him with severe punishment if he won’t. Likewise, Lord Ram can signal Hanuman, his most trusted and able aide, to warn Kaliyug to stop his mischief and desist from tormenting those who are humble, helpless and hapless like Tulsidas.] (7). [Having got a signal from you, and having taken cognizance of the pervert, deceitul, cunning, evil, vile and unscrupulous nature of Kaliyug and the horrifying deeds done 736 by him—) When Hanuman will make his face red (aruna mukha), his eyebrows curved menacingly (bhrū bikaṭa), and the yellow of his eyes turned into red with anger, contempt and hate for him (Kaliyug) (piṅgala nayana rōṣa-kaṣāya), then by mere remembrance of (or vision of) such a ferocious and stern feature of the brave ‘Son of the Wind God’ (i.e. Hanuman) (bīra sumiri samīrakō), all the enthusiasm and zeal that this fickle minded, unstable and irreverent fellow Kaliyug has for creating mischief, nuisance and trouble would simply vanish (ghaṭihai capala cita cāya) 7 .’ [ 7 To wit, as soon as Kaliyug sees the angry face of Hanuman, he would lose his wits and forget all his tricks, his crookedness, his perversities, turpitudes and wickedness—for he knows very well how unforgiving Hanuman is against those who torment the devotees of Lord Ram and the followers of the path of righteousness and noble conduct.] (8). Tulsidas says that when Lord Ram heard his prayers and arguments, the Lord smiled (binaya suni biham̐sē) and explained to his yonger brother Laxman the implications of all that I have said (and how clever I was) (anujasōṁ bacanakē kahi bhāya). At this, Laxman laughed and said, ‘Yes, what Tulsidas says is correct.’ (‘bhalī kahī’ kahyō laṣana hūm̐ ham̐si) That was enough; my purpose was served (banē sakala banāya). [To wit, I had achieved success in my endeavour to put a leash on this miscreant Kaliyug and teach him a lesson. At least now I can be assured that my torments and miseries caused in the hands of Kaliyug will stop fortwith, and so will the torments and tribulations of all other devotees of Lord Sri Ram whom Kaliyug subjects to immense suffering.] (9). The news that justice has been done to this wretched and humble Tulsidas who was terrified and tormented by Kaliyug spread far and wide (da'ī dīnahiṁ dādi). It made all the households of saintly people erupt in joy even as they sang their thanks for the Lord (sō suni sujana-sadana badhāya). [All saintly people now felt happy that their sorrows, miseries and worries caused by Kaliyug would now end.] The swarming hordes of sorrows, miseries, tribulations, worries, deceit, conceit, perversions, treachery, sins, vices, evils, faults, crimes etc. (saṅkaṭa-sōca, pōca-prapan̄ca, pāpa-nikāya)—all of them were eliminated (miṭē). [To wit, all these negative influences of Kaliyug hid from the devotees of Lord Sri Ram, the saints and pious people; they stopped tormenting them any further.] (10). Tulsidas says (dāsatulasī kahata) that when the exalted sages, hermits and saintly people (munigana) observed Lord Ram showing such grace and selfless affection on his servant and devotee (i.e. on Tulsidas) (pēkhi prīti-pratīti janapara aguna anagha abhāya), all of them felt extremely happy and exhilarated; they exulted in joy and proclaimed “Glory to the Lord who possesses such excellent virtues and noble characters that has made him immensely famous and aquire matchless honour and respect in the world. Hail him and his famed glories!” (‘jayati jaya urugāya’) (11). [Note—*5 Kaliyug and king Parikshit: King Parikshit (the grandson of Arjun) was hunting in a deep forest at the fag end of Dwapar Yug when he saw a dark savage looking man chasing a cow and a lame bull. On enquiry, it transpired that the man was Kaliyug, the cow was mother earth and the bull was Dharma. The king drew his 737 sword to slay the persecutor Kaliyug when the latter fell at the king's feet pleading mercy and forgiveness. Being righteous and merciful, the king stopped short in his tracks because killing of a refugee was highly unrighteous, and excused him. The savage and cunning Kaliyug extracted a promise from him that he could stay at 14 specific places, and one among them was gold. The king had a crown of gold, so the treacherous, wicked rascal (Kaliyug) immediately leapt and hid there, thereby corrupting the intellect, wisdom and discriminatory power of the king. On the way back, he passed by the hermitage of a sage in deep meditation. When the latter did not answer the king's calls, the by-now pervert and corrupted king put a dead serpent around the sage's neck in derision and to mock him. The sage's son cursed the king that he would die of a snake's bite on the 7th day. The king was full of remorse and lamented; so, in order to obtain redemption, he heard the recitation of the Srimad Bhagwat for 7 consecutive days and attained heaven. This is how Kaliyug managed to survive and unleash a reign of most unrighteous, unscrupulous demeanours and reckless sins, turpitudes and vices which have shackled, pilloried, tormented as well as polluted and defiled mankind even till this date.

bharōsō jāhi dūsarō sō karō. mōkō tō rāmakō nāma kalapataru kali kalyāna pharō. 1. karama upāsana, gyāna, bēdamata, sō saba bhām̐ti kharō. mōhi tō ‘sāvanakē andhahi’ jyōṁ sūjhata raṅga harō. 2. cāṭata rahyō svāna pātari jyōṁ kabahum̐ na pēṭa bharō. sō hauṁ sumirata nāma-sudhārasa pēkhata parusi dharō. 3. svāratha au paramāratha hū kō nahi kun̄jarō-narō. 749 suniyata sētu payōdhi paṣānani kari kapi-kaṭaka tarō. 4. prīti-pratīti jahām̐ jākī, taham̐ tākō kāja sarō. mērē tō māya-bāpa dō'u ākhara, hauṁ sisu-arani arō. 5. saṅkara sākhi jō rākhi kahauṁ kachu tau jari jīha garō. apanō bhalō rāma-nāmahi tē tulasihi samujhi parō. 6. Verse no. 226—[This verse further elaborates on the idea expressed in the preceding verse no. 225—that Tulsidas relies exclusively on Lord Ram for all his worldly needs and spiritual goals. He does not seek anything from anyone else.] If anyone wants, then let him go anywhere else to seek and find support, succour, solace and reliance from anyone he chooses (bharōsō jāhi dūsarō sō karō). As for me (Tulsidas), Lord Sri Ram's holy name is like a Kalpa Tree in Kaliyug as it bears fruits of auspiciousness, welfare and all round well-beings (mōkō tō rāmakō nāma kalapataru kali kalyāna pharō) 1 . [ 1 To wit, it is only by the good effects of the holy name of Lord Ram that I have become respected, honoured and praised in this world. I can now claim emancipation and salvation for myself, something that evaded me throughout my different births. Though I am totally worthless otherwise and possess aught naught anything that can be regarded as being meritorious, but it is the positive effects of the Lord’s holy name that I can now say with confidence that I have a standing in this world, that I have a direct contact with the Lord who is the redeemer of the soul of all, and that I have finally found abiding peace and tranquility for myself and my soul.] (1). Though it is true that the different paths for one’s spiritual well-being and liberation that have been enumerated and sanctioned in the Vedas (bēdamata), such as ‘Karma’, ‘Upasana’ and ‘Gyan’2 (karama upāsana, gyāna) are all true and effective in every respect (sō saba bhām̐ti kharō), but for me they are all useless and meaningless like a man who becomes blind after having seen the greenery of the rainy season (mōhi tō ‘sāvanakē andhahi’ jyōṁ sūjhata raṅga harō) 3 . [ 2 The word ‘Karma’ means doing meritorious deeds for one’s spiritual welfare. The word ‘Upasana’ means religious excercises such as offering of prayers, worship, devotion etc. that one undertakes for attaining his spiritual goals. And the word ‘Gyan’ refers to acquisition of wisdom and true knowledge for achieving the same goal. Tulsidas asserts that it is true that all these spiritual paths as outlined in the Vedas and other scriptures are definitely correct and effective, there is no doubt about it, but for him they mean nothing, for he has decided to rely upon Lord Ram and his holy name for all his worldly as well as spiritual needs and goals in life. 3 A man who suddenly becomes blind after the rainy season will always remember the sight of the picturesque green fields, the trees laden with green leaves, colourful flowers and fruits, and the vibrant colours of Nature that he had last seen before he lost his sights. So even during the winter season or during droughts, if someone asks him to describe his surroundings, he would always cite the last scene of greenery he had seen before losing his sight. Tulsidas alludes to this metaphor to mean that he has become virtually ‘blind’ to, or un-interested in, all other means and sources that can help a person to attain spiritual welfare. He has chosen to rely exclusively on the mystical powers of the holy name of Lord Ram for all his spiritual as well as temporal needs. 750 Tulsidas avers that just like a blind man, who has lost his eyesight during the rainy season, sees or imagines that there is no other colour except green—the last colour he saw before becoming blind, so likewise he too sees no other help or succour for himself from any quarter other than Sri Ram.] (2). Earlier I had roamed about like a dog who licks at discarded platters of food (cāṭata rahyō svāna pātari jyōṁ), but my hunger was never satisfied (kabahum̐ na pēṭa bharō). But today I see nectar in front of me by virtue of remembering and chanting Lord Sri Ram's name so much so that I can partake of this nectar as much as I want (sō hauṁ sumirata nāma-sudhārasa pēkhata parusi dharō) 4 . [ 4 Tulsidas says that though he had enjoyed reasonable comforts in life earlier but he had never found permanent contentment and an abiding sense of fulfilment anywhere at any time. Though he had had happiness and joy on many occasions, but they were all transient and gross in nature. True and complete happiness, joy, bliss and tranquility of a sublime nature had always eluded me. Now he feels so fortunate that just by remembering the Lord's holy name, he has discovered an eternal fount of bliss and beatitude as if a bowl of sweet nectar had been offered to him on a platter. In other words, liberation, deliverance, emancipation and salvation is there for him for the asking. He can access them whenever he so wishes. But he says that at present he wishes to enjoy sucking and sipping at the sweet nectar of bliss and contentedness that comes with remembering the Lord and his holy name.] (3). For me, Lord Sri Ram's holy name is a means to serve both my ends—i.e. it serves my interests in this temporal world by making me happy and blissful, and at the same time it ensures my spiritual welfare by providing me with the reward of the final liberation and deliverance from the bondage of this world and the endless cycle of transmigration of my soul (svāratha au paramāratha hū kō). In all sooth and without gainsay, I am very definite and positive about what I say; it is not like the confusion that was created (during the epic war of the Mahabharat) when it was declared that ‘an elephant’ had been killed in the battle-field (nahi kun̄jarō-narō)#5 . [#5 This alludes to the incident in Mahabharat war when cunning, treachery and half-truths were used to cheat the opposing side. An elephant whose name resembled that of a warrior named Aswathama was killed, and it was made to appear that the warrior himself had died.This story is outlined in brief at the end of this verse.] I have heard about the marvellous mystical powers and the tremendous potentials of the holy name of the Lord (Ram) that says that the monkey-army had constructed a wonderous floating bridge of stones (boulders) on the mighty ocean and had crossed it effortlessly (to reach the demon capital of Lanka). (suniyata sētu payōdhi paṣānani kari kapi-kaṭaka tarō) 6 . [ 6 The holy name of Lord Ram was etched by Hanuman, the monkey warrior, on each stone before it was was thrown on the water of the ocean. Instead of sinking, these stones floated to form a bridge from the shore of the mainland to the island capital of Lanka where the demons had ensnared Sita, the wife of Lord Ram. The most remarkable and astonishing thing is the fact that the ferocious and turbulent ocean, with its powerful buffeting, heaving and splashing waves that could even capsize huge ships or turn them turtle, could not dismantle this bridge. The ocean was forced to be tamed itself. Such is the glory of the Lord's holy name that heavy 751 boulders could float on the rough and choppy waters of the ocean as if they were light planks of wood or small balls of paper.] (4). It is said that a person is able to achieve what he desires if he has a firm faith and conviction in the path he adopts or follows for the fulfilment of his desired goal. This will be possible only when he loves and enjoys the path he follows (and does not treat it as a burden thrust upon him)—because then he won’t be distracted, and his faith and commitment would help him to achieve success (prīti-pratīti jahām̐ jākī, taham̐ tākō kāja sarō). Following this principle I can say honestly and with conviction that for me the two syllables ‘Ra’ and ‘Ma’ of Lord Sri Ram's holy name “RAM” are like my parents (the former representing my ‘father’ and the latter representing my ‘mother’) (mērē tō māya-bāpa dō'u ākhara) 7 . [ 7 To wit, I am so firm in my beliefs and convinced beyond doubt that the holy name of Lord Ram will surely and certainly take good care of me and all my needs, whether related to my welfare in this temporal world or to the welfare of my spiritual future. This being the case, I need not follow any other paths as devised by the Vedas and outlined in stanza no. 2 herein above.] This is the reason why I have determined to stubbornly remain at the holy feet of Lord Ram just like a child stubbornly seeks something from his parent and refuses to move away till his wishes are granted (hauṁ sisu-arani arō) 8 . [ 8 To wit, I will stick to my demand of seeking liberation and deliverance by the virtue of the grace of Lord Ram and his holy name, and would not divert my mind and attention from my goal no matter what temptations are proffered to me. I wot naught aught else; I know of no other Lord or spiritual paths other than this.] (5). If I tell a lie or have any kind of pretensions, deceit and falsehood when I say what I say, or if I conceal anything, then honestly, with Lord Shiva as a witness (saṅkara sākhi jō rākhi kahauṁ kachu), let my tongue get either be burnt or fall out in guilt (tau jari jīha garō) 9 . [ 9 To wit, what I have been saying in all these verses are not merely fanciful flights of my imagination as a poet who would be inclined to employ hyperbole to say what he wishes to say, but it is an expression of the actual state of affairs.] I (Tulsidas) have come to understand and am convinced that my welfare, my wellbeing and my good lies only with the holy name of Lord Sri Ram (apanō bhalō rāma-nāmahi tē tulasihi samujhi parō) (6). [Note—#5 The story of Aswathama: During the Mahabharat war, Dronacharya was fighting ferociously on behalf of the Kaurav's and started creating havoc in the Pandava army. It was felt necessary to kill him, but Arjun refused because the former had been his teacher. So, Krishna used a trick. He asked Bheem to kill an elephant called Aswathama, which also happened to be the name of Dronacharya's son whom he loved dearly. When the news reached him, in order to confirm its veracity, Dronacharya asked Yudhisthir, who was renownd for his truthfulness. The latter replied, 'Aswathama had died, man or elephant....' But before the words ‘or elephant’ could be pronounced , Krishna blew his conch so loudly that the words were inaudible to Dronacharya. Shocked at the possiblility of the death of his beloved son, he fainted. Then Dhrista Ghumna (/k`"V ?kqEu) cut off his head. Ever since this event, the phrase ‘Ashwathama, man or elephant’ has been used to denote ‘half truths’, or deceitful, cunning, tricky utterances and dubious behaviour.] 

Oh Tongue.

 kāhē na rasanā, rāmahi gāvahi? nisidina para-apavāda vṛthā kata raṭi-raṭi rāga baṛhāvahi. 1. naramukha sundara mandira pāvana basi jani tāhi lajāvahi. sasi samīpa rahi tyāgi sudhā kata ravikara-jala kaham̐ dhāvahi. 2. kāma-kathā kali-kairava-candini, sunata śravana dai bhāvahi. tinahiṁ haṭaki kahihari-kala-kīrati, karana kalaṅka nasāvahi. 3. jātarūpa mati, juguti rucira mani raci-raci hāra banāvahi. sarana-sukhada rabikula-sarōja-rabi rāma-nṛpahi-pahirāvahi. 4. bāda-bibāda, svāda taji bhaji hari, sarasa carita cita lāvahi. tulasidāsa bhava tarahi, tihūm̐ pura tū punīta jasa pāvahi. 5. Verse no. 237—[In the context of this verse, refer also to verse no. 129 and 247 of this Book ‘Vinai Patrika’ where Tulsidas has advised the Tongue wisely in a similar manner.] Oh my Tongue (rasanā)! Why don't you sing (i.e. talk and discuss) about the countless glories, the excellent fame, the virtuous qualities, and the divine stories of Lord Sri Ram (kāhē na rasanā, rāmahi gāvahi)? Why do you wear yourself down and increase your delusions and get confounded, why do you enhance your attachment and entanglement with this world by worthlessly criticising and speaking ill of others, gossiping, tatling, chattering ceaselessly, and indulging in heresy and hearsay, day and night (i.e. always)? (nisidina para-apavāda vṛthā kata raṭi-raṭi rāga baṛhāvahi) (1). Why do you stay to defile and put to shame the beautiful and sanctified symbolic shrine represented by the mouth of a human body (naramukha sundara mandira pāvana basi jani tāhi lajāvahi)? [To wit, oh Tongue, why do you not take Sri Ram's holy name to keep and maintain the holiness and sanctity of the temple-like mouth of the human body, instead of polluting it with worthless chatter?] Why do you run behind the illusionary water of the mirage (symbolised by the allurements, attachments and enticements of the object of this deluding world) to quench your thirst even though you have a direct access to an eternal source of Amrit, the elixir of life (by the way of being able to utter the holy and divine name of Lord Ram and sing his glories)? (sasi samīpa rahi tyāgi sudhā kata ravikara-jala kaham̐ dhāvahi). [To wit, why doesn’t the tongue chant the holy name of Lord Ram instead of constantly chattering about useless things related to this delusory world?] (2). 775 The talk about the pleasures, comforts and charms of the different sense objects of this materialistic mundane world (kāma-kathā) are like the rays of the moon that help the water-lilies, symbolised by all the countless temptations associated with the present corrupt era of Kaliyug, to bloom (kali-kairava-candini) 1 . [1 The water lily blooms in the light of the moon during the night. Tulsidas cites this example to stress that talking about worldly matters and charms of the countless objects of the senses would naturally ignite attraction and infatuation for them. All these relate to the world which is compared to Kaliyug because both are dark and fearsome for the creature. The moon rises only during the night, and ‘night’ is a metaphor for all things that are dark, fearsome, deluding and ridden with spiritual ignorance. No one can see properly in the darkness of the night; even the moonlight does not help much, and often it casts such ominous and eerie long shadows that a person begins to imagine that he is seeing a shadow of ghosts and phantoms. Hence, the moonlight more often than not inspires fear and horror.] Oh Tongue! You are so naïve that you spend your precious time and energy in attentively hearing about them, and getting enthralled and captivated by them (sunata śravana dai bhāvahi). Oh Tongue! Stop talking about the pleasures and objects of this world, and instead sing the magnificent glories and fames of Lord Sri Hari (Sri Ram) so that the ignominy and blemishes cast upon the ears by hearing nonsense things are removed and eliminated for your own good (tinahiṁ haṭaki kahihari-kala-kīrati, karana kalaṅka nasāvahi) 2 . [ 2 The ears have become tainted and polluted by constantly hearing about this world and its nuisance, and it can be rectified and purified only by hearing the pure and glorious fame of Sri Ram, and it is the tongue which can do it. This is because one hears about anything only when someone speaks or talks about it, and ‘speaking and talking’ are the function of the ‘tongue’. So the main culprit in spreading heresy and hearsay, in entangling the creature in the web of delusions and ignorance, in creating lust and passion and attachment in him, is the ‘tongue’.] (3). Make a symbolic garland of gold representing wisdom, intellect and discrimination, use beautiful beads made up of various methods (to worship, adore, revere and have devotion for the Lord) to complete this garland (jātarūpa mati, juguti rucira mani raci-raci hāra banāvahi), and then offer it to Lord Sri Ram who is a provider of comfort, solace and succour to those who have sought refuge in his holy feet, and who is like a ‘sun’ that enables the lotus of the Sun-race to bloom (sarana-sukhada rabikula-sarōja-rabi rāma-nṛpahi-pahirāvahi) 3 . [ 3 The tongue is advised to chant and sing the holy and divine name of Lord Ram, about his excellent virtues, glories and fame. For this purpose, the tongue should take the help of the mind with its resources of purified wisdom and refined intellect. Talking about the holiness and divinity of the Lord in an honest and affectionate way, with faith and devotion, is the symbolic form of worship that the ‘tongue’ can do. Since ‘gold’ is the most precious of things that one gifts to someone whom he loves dearly, such talk of the Lord is a symbolic offering of a golden garland to him. The ‘beads’ of this garland would be the different episodes related to Lord Ram from the scriptures, as well as the many excellent virtues and divine qualities of the Lord that one narrates.] (4). 776 Oh Tongue! Abandon talking about all things that cause discord, debate, confusion, bewilderment and dilemma, and without paying attention to their ‘taste’ (i.e., whether any of these things are pleasant or not, attractive or not) (bāda-bibāda, svāda taji), you should focus your attention to having devotion for Lord Ram, adoring and venerating the Lord, having faith in him, developing true affection for him, worshipping him, and involving yourself in singing the Lord’s glories, virtues and fame (bhaji hari, sarasa carita cita lāvahi). If you do it, then (with your help) Tulsidas shall cross this ocean-like world for sure (i.e., he shall certainly be free from the cycle of birth and death; he shall overcome the horrors incumbent with transmigration) (tulasidāsa bhava tarahi). And at the same time, you shall also become eligible for great honour and renown in all the three Lokas (worlds) (tihūm̐ pura tū punīta jasa pāvahi)

What one should ask for from Lord Rāma if given an opportunity.

 kahyō na parata, binu kahē na rahyō parata, baṛō sukha kahata baṛē sōṁ, bali, dīnatā. prabhukī baṛā'ī baṛī, āpanī chōṭā'ī chōṭī, prabhukī punītatā, āpanī pāpa-pīnatā. 1. duhū ōra samujhi sakuci sahamata mana, sanamukha hōta suni svāmī-samīcīnatā. nātha-gunagātha gāyē, hātha jōri mātha nāyē, nīca'ū nivājē prīti-rītikī prabīnatā. 2. ēhī darabāra hai garaba tēṁ saraba-hāni, lābha jōga-chēmakō garībī-misakīnatā mōṭō dasakandha sō na dūbarō bibhīṣana sō, 857 būjhi parī rāvarēkī prēma-parādhīnatā. 3. yahām̐kō sayānapa ayānapa sahasa sama, sūdhau satabhāya kahē miṭati malīnatā. gīdha-silā-sabarīkī sudhi saba dina kiyē hō'igī na sā'īṁ sōṁ sanēha-hita-hīnatā. 4. sakala kāmanā dēta nāma tērō kāmataru, sumirata hōta kalimala-chala-chīnatā. karunānide hāna! baradāna tulasī cahata, sītāpati-bhakti-surasari-nīra-mīnatā. 5. Vers [Oh Lord, I am in a dilemma.] It is not possible (or it is difficult) to say anything, but equally difficult to keep quiet (kahyō na parata, binu kahē na rahyō parata) 1 . I invoke your gracious and merciful nature to gather enough courage to humbly submit before you (bali, dīnatā) that though it is true that a person feels very glad and relieved when he narrates his tale of woes, miseries, sufferings and problems in front of his able superiors (baṛō sukha kahata baṛē sōṁ), but still I feel hesitant to do so when on the one hand I consider the Lord's greatness and the on the other hand the inconsequential nature of my complaints (prabhukī baṛā'ī baṛī, āpanī chōṭā'ī chōṭī), as well as my impertinance and meanness in approaching the Lord who is so holy and pure while I am so sinful, lowly and pervert (prabhukī punītatā, āpanī pāpa-pīnatā). [ 1 A similar dilemma is faced by Tulsidas earlier in verse nos. 111 and 256 of this Book ‘Vinai Patrika’. To wit, though usually it is so comforting for a distressed person who is suffering from some kind of trouble to tell his Lord about his problems because it relieves his mental stress at once and assures him that his Lord would certainly solve his problems, but in my case I feel very reluctant to do so. The reason is that my problems are so tiny that there are not worth telling the Lord, as he would smile at me and say “you are like a child who gets upset by small things; why are you so perturbed by these inconsequential things which should not bother you at all if you regard yourself as my servant and devotee in the first place”. A seeker must keep in mind the stature of the giver when asking for anything from the latter. For instance, if a person is given a rare chance to present himself before the king of the realm and ask for something, would he be so stupid to ask for worthless things and waste away this rare opportunity, or would he be wise to ask for some rare gift that suits the stature of the king, that does not undermine the king’s majesty and greatness when this gift is shown to the world? Surely, only a mad person would ask a king for giving him something to eat for a day; it would be laughable! The king would judge the nature, the character, the personality and the status of that person by what he asks from the king. It won’t behove good for a man of noble upbringing to ask for tiny and worthless gifts from a king if the latter is so pleased with him that he is willing to give whatever is asked for. It’s better not to ask for anything at all than seeking rubbish. Tulsidas says that Lord Ram is not an ordinary King. He is the Supreme Being and the Lord God himself. So if one is given a chance to ask something from the Lord, wouldn’t it be wise to ask for something rare and special—such as seeking spiritual welfare, eternal beatitude, the purest kind of bliss and happiness, for liberation and deliverance from the cycle of transmigration and its attendant miseries, 858 and for emancipation and salvation of the soul? Isn’t is so absurd and ridiculous to ask the Lord to relieve worldly sufferings which would howbeit certainly end one day when this gross body is discarded at the time of death? Wouldn’t it be better and wiser for him, therefore, to leave everything at the discretion of the Lord by asking for nothing but for the Lord’s grace and mercy, because then the Lord would himself be in a dilemma as what to give to Tulsidas that would suit the Lord’s majesty and stature. Obviously, the Lord would go on giving and giving but still think that it is not enough and in accordance with his stature; the Lord would feel self-conscious and think that whatever he has given to Tulsidas, or for that matter to any other seeker, is not much and enough. By adopting this approach, Tulisdas would get to keep the cake and eat it as well: that is, he would be not only be relieved of all his worldly miseries and sufferings but in addition be blessed by eternal peace and happiness as well as by the reward of liberation, deliverance, emancipation and salvation even without his asking for them. So Tulsidas says that he is in a fix, not being able to decide what to do and say before the Lord.] (1). Considering both these aspects (as outlined in stanza 1 herein above), my Mana (mind and heart) becomes reluctant due to hesitation (i.e., I can't gather courage to speak anything before your majesty) (duhū ōra samujhi sakuci sahamata mana). But when I hear about the Lord’s magnificent virtues, his graceful and magnanimous temperament, and his nature to welcome and accept with courtesy and politeness even the most lowly, the fallen, the downtrodden, the distressed and the wretched ones, I feel confident and gather courage once again (to approach him and narrate my woes to him) (sanamukha hōta suni svāmī-samīcīnatā). Oh Lord (nātha)! It is well known that when someone sings your glories and pays tribute to you by bowing his head before you (gunagātha gāyē, hātha jōri mātha nāyē), then howsoever he may be lowly, sinful and wretched you have invariably made such a person fully contented and fulfilled (nīca'ū nivājē prīti-rītikī prabīnatā) 2 . [ 2 To wit, you are so kind-hearted and magnanimous that if a person stands before you and praises your glorious nature, then you grant him boons so liberally that he is left with nothing more to expect or want. Oh Lord, you are inclined to receive and welcome your devotees very respectfully, notwithstanding how wretched, resourceless, distressed, downtrodden, maligned, sinful and tainted they are. When they sing your divine glories and pay their obeisance to you by bowing their heads before you, you feel glad to shower your grace and benevolence upon them so much so that they feel delighted and fulfilled in every possible respect.] (2). In this royal court (of Lord Sri Ram) everything is ruined by haughtiness, vanity, pride and ego (ēhī darabāra hai garaba tēṁ saraba-hāni), while being humble, meek, poor and courteous results in not only obtaining the rewards of welfare and good fortunes but also of one’s sustenance and well-being that become assured (lābha jōga-chēmakō garībī-misakīnatā). [Some of the instances are now cited here.] There was no one as ‘fat’ as (i.e. as famous in valour, strength and powers as the demon king of Lanka known by the name of) Ravana, whereas no one was as ‘thin’ as (i.e. weak and humble as his 859 brother) Vibhishan (mōṭō dasakandha sō na dūbarō bibhīṣana sō)—but in their case, your preference for the virtues of affection and total surrender (by the devotee Vibhishan) comes to the fore clearly (būjhi parī rāvarēkī prēma-parādhīnatā) 3 . [ 3 This story of Lord Ram accepting Vibhishan and declaring the reason for this acceptance, as well as of the Lord declaring him as the future king of Lanka which meant sure death of Ravana indirectly, has been narrated in the epic “Ram Charit Manas”, in its Sundar Kand, from Chaupai line no. 6 that precedes Doha no. 41—to Chaupai line no. 2 that precedes Doha no. 50. When Vibhishan was insulted publicly and kicked out of the kingdom of Lanka by his elder brother Ravana, the former came to surrender before Lord Ram. The Lord had then most cheerfully welcomed Vibhishan and gave him shelter when the Lord saw that he was utterly distressed and needs the Lord’s protection. Further, when Lord Ram observed that Vibhihan is very loyal to him and has great devotion for him, the Lord decided to eliminate Vibhishan’s tormentor, i.e. his elder brother Ravana, and restore his honour by crowning him on the throne of Lanka. This preference shown towards Vibhishan over his arch rival Ravana, though both were brothers belonging to the same demon family, establishes the fact that Lord Ram shows an inclination to favour anyone who has affection and devotion for the Lord, no matter how resourceless, powerless and humble he may be. At that time Lord Ram did not think twice that accepting Vibhishan would anatagonise his powerful enemy Ravana who still held the Lord’s wife Sita in his captivity, and that this might prove dangerous for her safety.] (3). Here (in Lord Ram’s court), having and showing off one’s cleverness, cunning, tricks and crookedness are equivalent to thousands of stupidities and foolish behaviours combined into one (yahām̐kō sayānapa ayānapa sahasa sama). [To wit, one should not try to be smart and deceitful before the Lord. It would be highly stupid to do so.] Verily and forsooth, in the court of Lord Ram, all blemishes, sorrows, darkness and malignancies of a person are erased by his honestly accepting his sins, miseeds, faults and misdemeanours with a mind and heart that are frank, truthful, pure, simple, straightforward and deceitless (sūdhau satabhāya kahē miṭati malīnatā). If you (Tulsidas says to himself) remember the fate of the Vulture (Jatau), the Stone (Ahilya) and Sabari4 (gīdha-silā-sabarīkī sudhi saba dina kiyē), your love, affection and devotion for the Lord will never diminish (hō'igī na sā'īṁ sōṁ sanēha-hita-hīnatā) 5 . [ 4 The story of ‘Jatau’, the vulture, has been narrated in verse no. 57, stanza no. 3 of this Book ‘Vinai Patrika’; that of ‘Ahilya’, the cursed wife of sage Guatam who had become a stone, in verse no. 43, stanza no. 3; and that of ‘Sabari’, the outcaste tribal woman, in verse no. 152, stanza no. 8. 4 They were all lowly, wretched, humble, outcastes—but seeing their faith, love and devotion, the Lord accepted and liberated them cheerfully. The Lord gave them eternal peace and happiness; he granted them liberation and deliverance from the horrible life they were leading, and the Lord gave their souls the boon of emancipation and salvation. Tulsidas says that if one remembers their fate then one feels very comfortable and reassured of peace and freedom from torments associated with life in this world because he too would be protected by Lord Ram. But one must remember that it is only possible if one has complete faith, devotion and affection for 860 Lord Ram and his divine name. Simply reading their stories is of no good if no lesson is drawn from it.] (4). Your name (i.e. Lord Ram's holy name) can fulfil all desires like the Kalpa Tree (which is the all wish-fulfilling heavenly Tree of the Gods) (sakala kāmanā dēta nāma tērō kāmataru). Immediately on remembering your holy name, all the sins, evils, vices, deceits, trickeries, crookedness and falsehoods of Kaliyug get disintegrated and become harmless (sumirata hōta kalimala-chala-chīnatā). Oh Lord who is an abode of mercy and compassion (karunānidhāna)! Tulsidas wants only this one boom (baradāna tulasī cahata)—that he should always remain floating like a fish is in the holy water of river Ganges that is symbolised by the nectar of having devotion and affection Lord Ram who is the husband of Sita (sītāpatibhakti-surasari-nīra-mīnatā) 5 . [ 5 To wit, Tulsidas essentially says that just like a fish that cannot survive a moment without water, he too should not live a moment without having devotion and affection for Lord Ram.] (5). [Note—In this verse, the emphasise is on having unwavering devotion, faith and affection for Lord Ram and his divine and holy Name.]

petition.

 rāma rāya! binu rāvarē mērē kō hitu sām̐cō? svāmī-sahita sabasōṁ kahauṁ, suni-guni bisēṣi kō'u rēkha dūsarī khām̐cō. 1. dēha-jīva-jōgakē sakhā mṛṣā ṭām̐cana ṭām̐cō. kiyē bicāra sāra kadali jyōṁ, mani kanaka saṅga laghu lasata bīca bica kām̐cō. 2. ‘vinaya-patrikā’ dīnakī, bāpu! āpu hī bām̐cō. hiyē hēri tulasī likhī, sō subhāya sahī kari bahuri pūm̐chiyē pām̐cōṁ. 3. Verse no. 277—Oh my King and Lord, Sri Ram (rāma rāya)! Who is my true friend and benefactor except your majesty’s Lordship (binu rāvarē mērē kō hitu sām̐cō)? I openly address and challenge everyone to draw a line and prove me wrong if what I say is untrue (svāmī-sahita sabasōṁ kahauṁ, suni-guni bisēṣi kō'u rēkha dūsarī khām̐cō) (1). All the different relationships, such as friends, companions and kith and kin, that a Jiva (living being) forms in this world are related and limited to his gross body (and they have nothing to do with his soul), and therefore they are all tentative and false like the body itself (dēha-jīva-jōgakē sakhā mṛṣā) 1 . [ 1 The gross body is not the real identity of any living being; it is perishable and actually an impediment in the spiritual welfare of the living being. Therefore, all relations formed by this body have the same value—they are not real, they are perishable and they are impediment for the long-term welfare of the Jiva.] These worldly relationships are stitched togther with an imaginary thread (mṛṣā ṭām̐cana ṭām̐cō), and when one ponders deeply one comes to the conclusion that they are like the stem of the plantain tree that peels out in layers after layers, leaving nothing solid behind (kiyē bicāra sāra kadali jyōṁ) 2 . [ 2 To wit, all worldly relationships are imaginary and absolutely tentative like pieces of cloth supposed to be held together by virtue of being stitched with each 897 other by an imaginary and non-existent thread. Likewise, they have no pith or essence in them just the pith-less stem of the plantain tree.] These relationships give the impression of being real and attractive just like the case of worthless glass beads that look valuable if they are put randomly in between priceless pieces of gems and pearls in a garland (mani kanaka saṅga laghu lasata bīca bica kām̐cō) (2). Oh my Father (bāpu)! Please be kind to read yourself (āpu hī bām̐cō) this humble petition of this poor fellow (Tulsidas) which he is presenting to you in the form of this composition called ‘Vinai Patrika’ (‘vinaya-patrikā’ dīnakī). Verily indeed and in all sooth, Tulsidas has searched his heart and poured out whatever was inside it, and therefore whatever is written in it is true and honest, and without deceit and pretensions (hiyē hēri tulasī likhī). So oh Lord, remember your merciful nature and take pity on Tulsidas to first put your signature on it as a token of your approval and acceptance (sō subhāya sahī kari), and only then you may consult your company of advisors later (if you want to do so) (bahuri pūm̐chiyē pām̐cōṁ) 3 . [ 3 Tulsidas means that if the Lord starts taking views of others on his petition, then it is sure to be rejected as he is a sinful person and not worthy for receiving the Lord’s grace. But at the same time it is not deniable that Tulisdas has no other Lord except Lord Ram and he is fully devoted to him, so the Lord can’t turn him away. So it would be wiser for the Lord to take a firm decision in Tulsidas’ favour and accept him without questions asked.] (3).

 Request for Lord Rāma's endorsement on Tulasīdās' final petition-2  pavana-suvana! ripu-davana! bharatalāla! lakhana! dīnakī. nija nija avasara sudhi kiyē, bali jā'um̐, dāsa-āsa pūji hai khāsakhīnakī. 1. rāja-dvāra bhalī saba kahaiṁ sādhu-samīcīnakī. sukṛta-sujasa, sāhiba-kṛpā, svāratha-paramāratha, gati bhayē gati-bihīnakī. 2. 898 samaya sam̐bhāri sudhāribī tulasī malīnakī. prīti-rīti samujhā'ibī natapāla kṛpāluhi paramiti parādhīnakī. 3. Verse no. 278—[In verse no. 277 we have read that Tulsidas has petitioned Lord Ram. Then he had a second thought. Others in the royal court of the Lord, especially those who were very close to him and were always consulted and taken into confidence by the Lord in all matters, were watching everything closely, and Tulsidas intuitively realised that it would not be proper and wise to for him to by-pass them as it might prove counter-productive for him. He wanted to join the great legion of the Lord’s devotees and followers, and so it would seem odd and haughty on his part to stand alone separately in the court where other devotees of the Lord were also present, instead of striking a cordial and friendly relationship with them in the very beginning itself. After all, he would soon join them, and though the Lord knew him very well for long but as of now he was a newcomer for the rest of the members of the Lord’s court. It would not seem courteous and polite on his part to neglect them and not even say a ‘hello’ to them while expecting them to accept him warmly when he joins their ranks soon. So, the wise and erudite saint immediately rectified himself and turned to Hanuman (the most trusted devotee of Lord Ram and who always goes out of his way to help others to become devotee of the Lord), and the Lord’s three brothers, Shatrughan, Bharat and Laxman, asking their help in supporting him to be accepted by the Lord. The response was positive and enthusiastic as expected. There is another important and remarkable point to note here. Tulsidas has cleverly first directly approached Lord Ram and handed him his petition for mercy by hand to him. Then he turns to others, seeking their cooperation and help. He wanted to prempt any chances of their opining negatively against him, thereby compelling the Lord to defer any decision in his favour, because these courtiers would have surely observed the facial expressions of Lord Ram when Tulsidas had handed his petition to the Lord directly as done in verse no. 277, and it must have been obvious to them by now that the Lord is highly favourable towards Tulsidas and is most willing to accept him as his devotee, both in a standalone capacity as well being a member of the great legion of the Lord’s followers and devotees. Thus, even if they had certain reservations against Tulsidas, they would keep it to themselves, and instead publicly support his candidature. Refer verse no. 279, stanza no. 2 below. From the language of the following verse it appears that the Lord took Tulsidas’ petition and kept it aside for consideration, perhaps seeking time to consult members of his court listed herein below. Tulsidas picked up the hint, and so he immediately turned towards them and prayed to them to support his petition when the Lord puts it before them for advice. This idea is evident in the very first stanza below.] ‘Oh the Son of Wind-God (“pavana-suvana”—i.e. Hanuman)! Oh the Vanquisher of Enemies (“ripu-davana”—i.e. Shatrughan)! Oh Bharat (bharatalāla)! Oh Laxman (lakhana)! Whenever the oppurtune time arrives and as soon as it is possible (nija nija avasara sudhi kiyē), remember this poor, humble, meek, lowly and wretched Tulsidas (dīnakī). 899 I invoke your kind and helpful nature to plead before you in the most humble, sincere and urgent way I can (bali jā'um̐). [To wit, I most earnestly beg of you to intercede on my behalf when your turn comes to give your opinion on my petition to Lord Ram.] If you show kindness and are gracious enough to do so, then the hopes of this most weak and resourceless servant called Tulsidas will be fulfilled and he would feel accomplished (when Lord Sri Ram would endorse this ‘Vinay-Patrika’ by putting his signature on it, and for this kind gesture of all of you I shall forever remain indebted and obliged to you) (dāsa-āsa pūji hai khāsakhīnakī) (1). In the royal court, acclaimed saints and those with pious and pure heart are always praised, revered and honoured, and welcomed—what is new in it, for it is the norm (rāja-dvāra bhalī saba kahaiṁ sādhu-samīcīnakī)? But if you all recommend the case of this shelter-less, desolate, destitute, poor and resourceless fellow (Tulsidas) (gati-bihīnakī), then he shall get refuge in the holy feet of the Lord and find an eternal destination for rest and peace in his life (gati bhayē). In return you would get excellent fame and great renown for your kind heartedness and charitable act (sujasa), you will derive immense personal satisfaction and happiness by doing good to a helpless soul who needed your help in his times of distress (sukṛta), and your Lord (Ram) would also be exceedingly pleased with you for this kind act by showing his pleasure and blessing you for your noble act (because the Lord gets naturally and habitually pleased on those who show mercy and compassion on others who are lowly, meek, weak, distressed, humble, downtrodden and miserable) (sāhiba-kṛpā). In this way, many purposes would be served for your own good and welfare by this one single kind act of yours: for instance, your worldly interest as well as your spiritual well-being would be ensured (svāratha-paramāratha) 1 . [ 1 To wit, by helping me get my petition approved by Lord Ram and thereby providing a buoy to my sinking spirits, you would get excellent fame and honour in this world for helping a destitute and suffering person find shelter, solace and succour, and the attendent contentedness and joy that this charitable act would bestow upon you would help you further in your spiritual pursuit as all good and meritorious deeds always do to their doer.] (2). So, as soon as you get the right opportunity (samaya sam̐bhāri), remember and take care of the work of this sinful, humble, meek and wretched Tulsidas (who has pleaded before you so earnestly and tearfully) (sudhāribī tulasī malīnakī). Explain carefully the sincerity, the enormity, the depth and the gravity of the love, affection, conviction, faith and devotion (prīti-rīti samujhā'ibī -- paramiti) that this dependant (servant or devotee) of the Lord, who has surrenderd himself before the Lord, has for him (natapāla -- parādhīnakī), and remind the Lord of his nature and reputation of being merciful, compassionate, gracious and kind (kṛpāluhi paramiti) to such persons who have come to seek refuge and shelter in his holy feet, 900 no matter how fallen and sinful the seeker may be (prīti-rīti samujhā'ibī natapāla kṛpāluhi paramiti parādhīnakī).’ (3). Lord Rāma’s Acceptance of Tulasīdās’ Prayers & Endorsement of his Devotion: Tulasīdās’ Final Redemption ¼279½ ek#fr&eu] #fp Hkjrdh yf[k y"ku dgh gSA dfydkygq ukFk! uke lksa ijrhfr&izhfr ,d fdadj dh fucgh g SAA1AA ldy lHkk lqfu yS mBh] tkuh jhfr jgh gSA d`ik xjhcfuoktdh] ns[kr xjhcdks lkgc ck¡g xgh gSAA2AA fcg¡fl jke dáks ^lR; g S] lqf/k e Sag w¡ ygh gS*A eqfnr ekFk ukor] cuh rqylh vukFkdh] ijh j?kqukFk@j?kqukFk gkFk lgh gSAA3AA (279) māruti-mana, ruci bharatakī lakhi laṣana kahī hai. kalikālahu nātha! nāma sōṁ paratīti-prīti ēka kiṅkara kī nibahī hai. 1. sakala sabhā suni lai uṭhī, jānī rīti rahī hai. kṛpā garībanivājakī, dēkhata garībakō sāhaba bām̐ha gahī hai. 2. biham̐si rāma kahyō ‘satya hai, sudhi mainhūm̐ lahī hai’. mudita mātha nāvata, banī tulasī anāthakī, parī raghunātha/raghunātha hātha sahī hai. 3. Verse no. 279—[The royal court of Lord Ram is in session. Tulsidas’ petition comes up for hearing. Laxman spoke on behalf of the others as follows—] Laxman observed that Hanuman was internally aggreable to Tulsidas’ prayers of acceptance by the Lord, and Bharat was also favourably inclined. So Laxman took the initiative and spoke for all of them (māruti-mana, ruci bharatakī lakhi laṣana kahī hai): ‘Even in this depraved, pervert, sinful and corrupt age of Kaliyug, oh Lord (kalikālahu nātha), there is this one humble servant of yours (i.e. Tulsidas) who has been successful in having abiding love, affection, faith and devotion for you inspite of all the odds stacked against him (nāma sōṁ paratīti-prīti ēka kiṅkara kī nibahī hai) 1 .’ [ 1 To wit, inspite of being surrounded by sins and worldly perversions all around him, Tulsidas has managed to be pious and saintly; he has managed to be devoted to Lord Ram when all the world was morally and spiritually degraded.] When Laxman made this submission, the whole court got up to unanimously approve of it (sakala sabhā suni lai uṭhī), saying: ‘Yes indeed. This is the truth, and we all endorse it because we are aware of his undiluted devotion, faith and affection for the Lord (jānī rīti rahī hai). Indeed and without gainsay, the merciful Lord (Sri Ram), who takes care of the poor and the wretched (kṛpā garībanivājakī), too thinks highly of him and is very favourably inclined towards him. Even as everyone was 901 watching, the Lord had held him by the arm, welcomed him and accepted him (dēkhata garībakō sāhaba bām̐ha gahī hai).’ (2). When Lord Sri Ram saw that the entire assembly was in favour of Tulsidas, he smiled happily and said, ‘Yes, it is true. I am aware of this fact.’ (biham̐si rāma kahyō ‘satya hai, sudhi mainhūm̐ lahī hai’). What more was left to be done and expected. Lord Ram instantly signed the petition of Tulsidas in his own hand and put his seal as a token of approval (parī raghunātha/raghunātha hātha sahī hai)! Tulsidas was overwhelmed with joy at the Lord's grace and mercy for accepting him; he was exhilarated and bowed his head before the Lord for now Tulsidas’ destiny and fate were mended forever for good (mudita mātha nāvata, banī tulasī anāthakī)!! (3).