Endharo Mahanubavulu andhiriki vandanamu- Goswami Tulsidas

Goswami Tulsidas​

Goswami Tulsidas is one of the great saints of our Bharatha punya bhoomi. His Ramacharitha Manas is famous all over North India. It is known as Thulsi Ramayan. This Ramayan is read and worshipped with great reverence in every Hindu home in Northern India. It is an inspiring book. It contains sweet couplets in beautiful rhyme. Vinaya Patrika is another important book written by Tulsidas..
Tulsidas was born in Raipur which is situated at Uttar Pradesh. His father’s name was Athmaram and mother’s name was Hulsi. Athmaram was a minister in Badhsha Akbar’s cabinet. He was a great scholar and Akbar had great respect for him. Athmaram used to take his son Tulsi to Akbar’s Darbar. Though Tulsi had a good education, he was proud because of his father’s position. Due to bad company he used to find pleasure from women who were known as devadasis.
His parents thought that they would be able to get rid of this bad habit by performing his marriage with a girl from a good family. They selected a girl from one of their relative’s family who was beautiful and also had good qualities. Her name was Rathnavali. Athmaram built a beautiful house for his son and made him stay there with his newly wedded wife. Tulsi loved his wife very dearly and he did not want to be separated from her even for a single minute. Tulsi who was finding pleasure in devadasi’s company, after marriage had always spent his time chasing his wife. His wife Rathnavali being a pious and virtuous woman got fed up with his lust and she told him to approach Badsha Akbar and seek for a job. But Tulsi refused to go and so Rathnavali told him that she would commit suicide if he would not go. So Tulsi had to leave for Delhi. His mother sent Rathnavali to stay with her parents for some time.
After a few days Tulsi felt restless and told Badsha that he would go back and bring his wife with him. Tulsi returned and was very much disappointed not to find Rathnavali at home. He asked his mother where she has gone. His mother got very angry and irritated to see her son back home so soon.
She shouted, “Get lost! Do not come back. I sent your wife to her parent’s house for some time. You shameless one., No one can ever change your lust for woman!”
It was getting dark and the sky was turning darker due to black clouds. Thunder storm also had started. Tulsi had to cross the river Yamuna to reach his beloved wife. Yet he did not deter from his mission of seeing his beloved with all these tribulations.
Yamuna was flowing ferociously and Tulsi started swimming across the river. There was a dead body floating in the river. In the darkness Tulsi thought that it was a wood floating. He took hold of that and reached the opposite side. He ran towards his in law’s house like a mad man in the pitch darkness due to the heavy down pour. The door was closed and as the wall was too high he was looking around to find out if he could get any hold. He saw a rope hanging from a tree in the yard and holding it he climbed up the wall and jumped into the court yard.
The people who saw someone jumping started shouting,” thief, thief!”
Rathnavali peeped out and seeing her husband entering the house as a thief got ashamed. Yet being a dutiful wife she welcomed him and paid her obeisance to him.
She asked, “How did you manage to jump over the wall?”
He said,” There was a rope hanging from the tree and I took hold of it.”
She was surprised to hear that. “There was a rope on the tree? Let us go and check it up,” she said.
She took a lamp and went to check up. She found a snake twisting around the branch of the tree. She was frightened as well as her eyes were welled with tears.
She said,” Hey Ram! Why are you so crazy over this body containing flesh and bones? Do you have to take so much risk for this in this stormy night? If you would develop for Lord Rama even half the love that you have for this flesh and bones, you would certainly cross the ocean of Samsara and attain immortality and eternal bliss. I really feel very sad and I am ashamed of you.”
Tulsidas was stunned to hear these words from his wife. These words of his beloved wife pierced his heart like an arrow. He just turned back and without saying anything he left the place.

To be continued​

 

Dear Shanthi,
I too had read Bhaktha Vijayam in which many stories of the great saints of our country is published which are unknown to us. At least I want to share some of the stories which I enjoyed. Thank you for your prompt and first FB,
Love,
PS.

 

Dear Manchitra,
Thanks a lot for your appreciation. Rathnavali's admonish changed Tulsi in becoming a great saint and one of the great kavi whose Ramacharitha Manas is revered and read with deep devotion. It was a turning point in his life. It is an example for " There is a woman behind great men."
Love,
PS

 

Dear Lalitha,
Glad to hear that you enjoyed the story. Very much pleasesd with your sweet words of appreciation. Thank you dear,
Love,
PS

 

Dear Sriniketan,
Thank you and all others who posted their FBs and all the viewers who read the story which motivates me to continue. The encouragement whice I receive from ilites boosts my morale. Once again thanks a lot,
Love,
PS