Goswami Tulsidas Maharaj Ji

Near the  Banda  district of  Prayag  (in UP, India), there is a village named  Rajapur,  where a renowned  Brahmin -  Atmaram Dubey used to live.  Hulsi  was the name of his wife. In 1554, on the seventh day of monsoon and in the  Mula nakshatra  (Scorpion star), mother  Hulsi  gave birth to Goswami Tulsidas Ji, who remained in her pregnancy for twelve months! During his birth, the child didn't cry but the word 'Ram' came out from his mouth. His mouth was having a complete set of 32 teeth! His appearance, behavior, and everything else was like of a five-year-old!  After being astonished and terrified at his son's character, Atmaram had gone into a deep river of sorrow. Mother Hulsi also became worried about this. After being tensed by looking at the inauspicious future of her son, Hulsi handed over the newborn child to her maid, telling the maid to take the child to her mother-in-law's house. This incident happe...

After having the blessings of Lord Shiva, Shri Narharyanand Ji, the beloved disciple of Shri Anantanand (who lived in Ramshail), found this child and named him 'Rambola' (who chants the name of Shri Ram). Shri Narharyanand Ji took the child to Ayodhya (birthplace of Shri Ram). There, he did the  Yagyopavit-Sanskar  (a ritual done to Hindu children) of the child on the fifth Saturday of  Maagh  (the eleventh month in the Hindu calendar).                                                                    Without even being taught anything, Rambola pronounced the  Gayatri Mantra  (a sacred mantra of the Vedas), at which everyone was surprised. After that, Shri Narharyanand Ji completed the five sanskaras of  Vaishnavas  and gave Rambola the  Deeksha  (initiation) of  R...

On the 13th day (Thursday) of Jyeshtha Shukla in 1583, Tulsidas got married to the beautiful daughter of Bhardwaj Gotra and began living a happy life with her. One day, his wife made her way back to her parents' home with her brother. Tulsidas also followed her. At this, his wife got annoyed and yelled, "If only you had half the devotion in God than in my body, you would have been blessed." Tulsidas got hurt by these words. Without wasting a minute, he quickly marched away from there. From there, he came to Prayag, where he sacrificed his household and adopted the life of renunciation. Then he reached Kashi while indulging in pilgrimage. He met Kaakbhushundi Ji, a saint in crow's body. Tulsidas started preaching Ram Katha in Kashi. One day, he found an apparition (pret) there, who told him the address of Lord Hanuman. When he met Hanuman Ji, Tulsidas begged him to see Shri Ram. Hearing this, Hanuman Ji told him, "You will be able to see Shri Ram in Chitrakoot ....

After reaching Chitrakoot, Tulsidas set his pedestal at Ramghat. One day, he was on a circumnavigation, when he saw two handsome princes riding delightfully on horses. They were going past him with bows and arrows hung by the shoulders. Although he was mesmerized by the two young men, Tulsidas could not identify that who they actually were. After they were gone, Hanuman Ji approached him and revealed the truth that those princes were none other than Shri Ram and his brother Lakshaman. Tulsidas was filled with remorse. Meanwhile, Hanuman Ji provided him consolation that he would again get to see Shri Ram the following morning. On the Mauni Amavasya, Wednesday, in 1607, Shri Ram again appeared...but this time in the form of a child. He approached Tulsi and said, "Baba, could you please share me Chandan (sandalwood)?". Hanuman Ji thought that what if Tulsi again gets mistaken? So, he turned himself into a parrot and recited this Doha  (hymn) ---  Chitrakoot ke ghat per bhai sant...

Ramcharitmanas is a commentary on the famous Hindu epic - 'Ramayan' done by India's prominent Hindu saint and devotee of Lord Ram - 'Shri Goswami Tulsidas Ji Maharaj' He has composed Shri Ram's story in his own feelings and thoughts in Awadhi language so that most of the people could engage in and readily understand Ramayan. Laxman Ji (Left), Shri Ram (Middle), Sita Mata (Right), Hanuman Ji (Bottom) Ramcharitmanas is divided into 7 kandas (or chapters) namely- Baal kand  (About Shri Ram's childhood) Ayodhya Kand  (About how Shri Ram is given exile) Aranya Kand  (About Shri Ram's journey in 'Dandak Aranya' Forest and Mother Sita's Abduction) Kishkindha Kand  (About Shri Ram's friendship with Monkey King Sugreev) Sunderkand  (About Shri Ram's envoy Hanuman's departure to Lanka, that is the place where Mother Sita had been kidnapped) Lanka Kand  (About Shri Ram's war with Ravan, who had abducted Mother Sita, Shri Ram's wife) ...