Tulsidas was born on Saptami, the seventh day of Shukla Paksha, the bright half of the lunar Hindu calendar month Shraavana, which correlates with 1 August 1511 of the Gregorian calendar. His birthplace is identified as Sookar Kshetra Soron, District Kasganj in Uttar Pradesh. Tulsidas was born to Hulsi and Atmaram Dubey, and most sources identify him as a Sanadhya Brahmin of the Bharadwaj Gotra, although some sources claim he was a Kanyakubja or Saryupareen Brahmin. In 2012, Sukarkhet Soron was declared officially by the government of Uttar Pradesh as the birthplace of Tulsidas.

Tulsidas is a Hindu poet-saint who is best known for his epic work, the Ramcharitmanas, which is a retelling of the Hindu epic Ramayana in the Awadhi language. There is some disagreement among biographers regarding the year of Tulsidas's birth, with some sources claiming that he was born in Vikram Samvat 1554 (1497 CE) and others claiming that he was born in Vikram Samvat 1568 (1511 CE). According to legend, Tulsidas was born after staying in the womb for twelve months, with all thirty-two teeth in his mouth and the ability to speak the name of Lord Rama. He was abandoned by his parents due to inauspicious astrological events and was raised by a female servant before being adopted by a Vaishnava ascetic named Narharidas. Tulsidas received his education and spiritual training under Narharidas and later wrote the Ramcharitmanas.

There are different views on whether Tulsidas was married or not. According to the Tulsi Prakash and some other works, Tulsidas got married to Ratnavali, the daughter of a Brahmin named Dinbandhu Pathak, in Vikram 1589 (1532 CE). They had a son named Tarak, who died at a young age. However, some authors consider this account to be a later addition and believe that Tulsidas was a bachelor. Rambhadracharya is among those who believe that Tulsidas never married and was a Sadhu from childhood.

One incident that is often associated with Tulsidas' renunciation of the householder's life involves his wife Ratnavali. According to the story, when Tulsidas learned that Ratnavali had left for her father's home, he crossed the Yamuna river at night to meet her. Ratnavali chastised Tulsidas for his attachment to her physical body and suggested that he should redirect his devotion towards God instead. Following this conversation, Tulsidas renounced his householder's life and became a Sadhu.

After renouncing the worldly life, Tulsidas spent much of his time traveling to various holy places and meeting saints and Sadhus. He visited Varanasi, Prayag, Ayodhya, and Chitrakuta, among other places, and traveled as far as Badrinath, Dwarka, Puri, and Rameshwaram. He also journeyed to the Himalayas and even visited the Manasarovar lake in Tibet, where he is said to have had a Darshan of Kakabhushundi, one of the four narrators in the Ramcharitmanas.

According to the account of Priyadas, Tulsidas had a desire to see Rama with his own eyes. One day, on his way back to Varanasi from the woods, he offered water to a thirsty Preta and was granted a boon. He asked to see Rama, but the Preta told him that it was beyond his power. However, the Preta said that he could guide Tulsidas to Hanuman, who could grant the boon. The Preta told Tulsidas that Hanuman came disguised as a leper to listen to his Katha every day in the woods and he was the first to arrive and last to leave.

That evening, Tulsidas noticed an old leper who was the first listener to arrive at his discourse. After the Katha was over, Tulsidas followed the leper to the woods and firmly fell at his feet, saying "I know who you are" and "You cannot escape me". At first, the leper pretended to be ignorant, but Tulsidas persisted. Then the leper revealed his true form as Hanuman and blessed Tulsidas. When Tulsidas asked for a boon, Hanuman told him to go to Chitrakuta where he would see Rama with his own eyes. Tulsidas followed Hanuman's instructions and had a vision of Rama.

According to the account given by Priyadas, Tulsidas moved to an ashram in Ramghat, Chitrakoot Dham, following Hanuman's instructions. One day, while performing the Parikrama of Kamadgiri mountain, Tulsidas saw two princes, one fair and the other dark, riding on horseback and dressed in green robes. He was captivated by their sight but couldn't recognize them and looked away. Later, Hanuman asked him if he saw Rama and Lakshmana on horses. Tulsidas was disappointed and regretful for not recognizing them. Hanuman assured him that he would have another opportunity to see Rama the next morning.

Tulsidas sings about this incident in a song of the Gitavali and laments how his eyes were his own enemies as they remained fixed on the ground, causing him to miss the chance to see Rama. The next morning, which was a Wednesday, the new-moon day of Magha, in the year Vikram 1607 (1551 CE) or 1621 (1565 CE) according to some sources, Rama appeared to Tulsidas once again, this time as a child. Tulsidas was making sandalwood paste when a child came and asked for a sandalwood Tilaka, a religious mark on the forehead. Hanuman gave Tulsidas a hint, and he saw Rama in full view. Tulsidas was so charmed that he forgot about the sandalwood paste. Rama took the paste and put Tilak on his forehead and on Tulsidas' forehead before disappearing. This famous incident is described in the verse, "Chitrakoot ke ghat par, Santan ki bheer, Tulsidas chandan ghise, tilak dete Raghubeer."

Tulsidas, a renowned poet and saint from India, had several notable experiences throughout his life that are often told through stories and legends. One such story is about his encounter with the sages Yajnavalkya and Bharadvaja, where Yajnavalkya narrated the Ramcharitmanas to Bharadvaja.

Tulsidas is also credited with miraculous powers, such as bringing a dead Brahmin back to life by uttering the name of Lord Rama. He was believed to be a reincarnation of Valmiki, the original composer of the Ramayana, and is the author of the popular devotional hymn called the Hanuman Chalisa.

However, many of the stories and legends surrounding Tulsidas are difficult to verify and may be apocryphal. Nonetheless, his works and teachings continue to be celebrated and revered in India.

Tulsidas was a Hindu saint and poet who lived in India in the 16th century. He is best known for his epic poem, the Ramcharitmanas, which retells the story of the Hindu god Rama. But Tulsidas' life was full of many other fascinating stories and miracles.

According to one account, Tulsidas once brought a dead man back to life. When the Mughal Emperor Akbar heard about this, he summoned Tulsidas to his court. But Tulsidas, who was busy composing verses, refused to go. The emperor then had him arrested and demanded that he perform a miracle. Tulsidas simply replied, "It's a lie, all I know is Rama." The emperor imprisoned him, but Tulsidas continued to chant verses in praise of the god Hanuman. Suddenly, an army of monkeys descended upon the town and wreaked havoc, scratching people and throwing bricks. The emperor fell at Tulsidas' feet and released him. Tulsidas asked the emperor to leave the town, and he did so, becoming a close friend of Tulsidas and ordering that followers of Rama and Hanuman should not be harassed in his kingdom.

In another story, Tulsidas visited a temple of Krishna in Vrindavan, but the Mahant of the temple decided to test him by saying that anyone who bows down to any deity except their cherished form of divinity is a fool. Tulsidas replied with a couplet that he composed on the spot, and the idol of Krishna transformed into an idol of Rama holding a bow and arrow. Some have questioned whether Tulsidas actually composed this couplet.

Tulsidas is also known for having composed many wise sayings and dohas containing lessons for life. One such saying goes, "A place where people are not happy or welcoming when you come, where their eyes have no affection for you, don't go there, even if a mountain of gold is showered."

Tulsidas began composing poetry in Sanskrit in Varanasi, but all the verses he wrote during the day would get lost at night. Shiva then ordered him in a dream to compose poetry in the vernacular instead of Sanskrit, and Tulsidas woke up to see Shiva and Parvati who blessed him and ordered him to go to Ayodhya and compose poetry in Awadhi. Shiva predicted that Tulsidas' poetry would fructify like the Sama Veda. Tulsidas hints at having the Darshan of Shiva and Parvati in both dream and awakened state in the Ramcharitmanas.

Composition of Ramcharitmanas

Tulsidas began writing the Ramcharitmanas on Ramnavami day, the ninth day of the bright half of the Chaitra month, in the year Vikram 1631 (1575 CE) in Ayodhya. He completed the epic after two years, seven months, and twenty-six days on Vivaha Panchami day, the fifth day of the bright half of the Margashirsha month, in Vikram 1633 (1577 CE). After finishing the work, he went to Varanasi and recited it to Shiva and Parvati at the Kashi Vishwanath Temple.

Legend has it that the Brahmins of Varanasi were not entirely satisfied with Tulsidas's rendering of the Sanskrit Ramayana in Awadhi and decided to test the worth of the work. They kept a manuscript of the Ramcharitmanas at the bottom of a pile of Sanskrit scriptures in the sanctum sanctorum of the Vishvanath temple overnight with the doors locked. The next morning, when the doors were opened, the Ramcharitmanas was found at the top of the pile. The words "Satyam Shivam Sundaram" were inscribed on the manuscript with the signature of Shiva, and those present reportedly heard the words.

However, some Brahmins were still not convinced and sent two thieves to steal the manuscript. The thieves attempted to break into Tulsidas's Ashram but were confronted by two guards with bows and arrows of dark and fair complexion. The thieves had a change of heart and went to Tulsidas in the morning to ask who the guards were. Tulsidas was aggrieved to discover that they were guarding his home at night and believed that they were none other than Rama and Lakshmana. He sent the manuscript of the Ramcharitmanas to his friend Todar Mal, the finance minister of Akbar, and donated all his money. The thieves were reformed and became devotees of Rama.

Last compositions

In Vikram 1664 (1607 CE), Tulsidas suffered from severe pain all over his body, especially in his arms. To express his agony, he composed the Hanuman Bahuk, which helped relieve his pain. However, later he was afflicted by Bartod boils, which may have ultimately led to his death.

Towards the end of his life, Tulsidas wrote the Vinaypatrika, a work of 279 stanzas where he seeks Rama's blessing and devotion while beseeching him to accept his petition. According to legend, Rama himself signed the manuscript of the work. The 45th stanza of the Vinaypatrika is a popular evening Aarti sung by many Hindus.

Tulsidas passed away at the age of 91 on 31st July 1623 (Shravan month of the year Vikram 1680) at Assi Ghat on the banks of the Ganga river. While the year of his birth is known, the exact date of his death remains disputed among traditional accounts and biographers.

"There can be no happiness for a being nor can its mind know any peace even in a dream so long as it does not relinquish desire, which is an abode of sorrow.No virtue is equal to the good of others and no vice greater than hurting others.”

This quote highlights the importance of relinquishing desire and prioritizing the well-being of others. It suggests that desire is an abode of sorrow and that true happiness and peace of mind can only be achieved by letting go of it. Additionally, it emphasizes the significance of acting for the good of others, as no virtue is as valuable as helping others and no vice is worse than causing harm to them. In essence, the quote urges individuals to prioritize compassion, selflessness, and non-harm in their thoughts and actions.

Death

Tulsidas died aged 111 on 31 July 1623 (Shravan month of the year Vikram 1680) in Assi Ghat on the bank of the river Ganga. Like the year of his birth, traditional accounts and biographers do not agree on the exact date of his death.

Tulsidas

Twelve works are widely considered by biographers to be written by Tulsidas, six major works and six minor works. Based on the language of the works, they have been classified into two groups as follows

1. Awadhi works – Ramcharitmanas, Ramlala Nahachhu, Barvai Ramayan, Parvati Mangal, Janaki Mangal and Ramagya Prashna.
2. Braja works – Krishna Gitavali, Gitavali, Sahitya Ratna, Dohavali, Vairagya Sandipani and Vinaya Patrika.

besides these twelve works, four more works are popularly believed to be composed by Tulsidas which include Hanuman Chalisa, Hanuman Ashtak, Hanuman Bahuk and Tulsi Satsai.

Tulsidas Home in Varanasi where Ramacharitra Manas Hanuman Chalisa was written located near Tulsi Ghat Varanasi

Tulsidas House near Tulsi Ghat, Varanasi on the banks of river Ganga where Hanuman Chalisa and Ramacharitra Manas were written. Temple also exists at this location

Ramcharitmanas

Ramacharitamanas (रामचरितमानस, 1574–1576), "The Mānasa lake brimming over with the exploits of Lord Rāma" is an Awadhi rendering of the Ramayana narrative. It is the longest and earliest work of Tulsidas, and draws from various sources including the Ramayana of Valmiki, the Adhyatma Ramayana, the Prasannaraghava and Hanuman Nataka The work consists of around 12,800 lines divided into 1073 stanzas, which are groups of Chaupais separated by Dohas or Sorthas] It is divided into seven books (Kands) like the Ramayana of Valmiki, and is around one-third of the size of Valmiki's Ramayana. The work is composed in 18 metres which include ten Sanskrit metres (Anushtup, Shardulvikridit, Vasantatilaka, Vamshashta, Upajati, Pramanika, Malini, Sragdhara, Rathoddhata and Bhujangaprayata) and eight Prakrit metres (Soratha, Doha, Chaupai, Harigitika, Tribhangi, Chaupaiya, Trotaka and Tomara).It is popularly referred to as Tulsikrit Ramayana, literally The Ramayana composed by Tulsidas. The work has been acclaimed as "the living sum of Indian culture", "the tallest tree in the magic garden of medieval Indian poesy", "the greatest book of all devotional literature", "the Bible of Northern India", and "the best and most trustworthy guide to the popular living faith of its people." But, as he has said "The story of the lord is endless as are his glories" (Hindi: हरि अनंत हरि कथा अनंता।).

Several manuscripts of the Ramcharitmanas are claimed to have been written down by Tulsidas himself. Grierson wrote in the late nineteenth century, two copies of the epic were said to have existed in the poet's own handwriting. One manuscript was kept at Rajapur, of which only the Ayodhyakand is left now, which bears marks of water. According to legend, the manuscript was stolen and thrown into Yamuna river when the thief was being pursued, and only the second book of the epic could be rescued.] Grierson wrote that the other copy was at Malihabad in Lucknow district, of which only one leaf was missing Another manuscript of the Ayodhyakanda claimed to be in the poet's own hand exists at Soron in Kasganj district, one of the places claimed to be Tulsidas' birthplace. One manuscript of Balakanda, dated Samvat 1661, nineteen years before the poet's death, claimed to be corrected by Tulsidas, is at Ayodhya. Some other ancient manuscripts are found in Varanasi, including one in possession of the Maharaja of Benares that was written in Vikram 1704 (1647), twenty-four years after the death of Tulsidas.

Other major works

The five major works of Tulsidas apart from Ramcharitmanas include:

1. Dohavali (दोहावली, 1581), literally Collection of Dohas, is a work consisting of 573 miscellaneous Doha and Sortha verses mainly in Braja with some verses in Awadhi. The verses are aphorisms on topics related to tact, political wisdom, righteousness and the purpose of life. 85 Dohas from this work are also found in the Ramcharitmanas, 35 in Ramagya Prashna, two in Vairagya Sandipani and some in Rama Satsai, another work of 700 Dohas attributed to Tulsidas.
2. Sahitya ratna or ratna Ramayan (1608–1614), literally Collection of Kavittas, is a Braja rendering of the Ramayana, composed entirely in metres of the Kavitta family – Kavitta, Savaiya, Ghanakshari, and Chhappaya. It consists of 325 verses including 183 verses in the Uttarkand. Like the Ramcharitmanas, it is divided into seven Kands or books and many episodes in this work are different from the Ramcharitmanas.
3. Gitavali (गीतावली), literally Collection of Songs, is a Braja rendering of the Ramayana in songs. All the verses are set to Ragas of Hindustani classical music and are suitable for singing. It consists of 328 songs divided into seven Kands or books. Many episodes of the Ramayana are elaborated while many others are abridged.
4. Krishna Gitavali or Krishnavali (कृष्णगीतावली, 1607), literally Collection of Songs to Krishna, is a collection of 61 songs in honour of Krishna in Braja. There are 32 songs devoted to the childhood sports (Balalila) and Rasa Lila of Krishna, 27 songs form the dialogue between Krishna and Uddhava, and two songs describe the episode of disrobing of Draupadi.
5. Vinaya Patrika (विनयपत्रिका), literally Petition of Humility, is a Braja work consisting of 279 stanzas or hymns. The stanzas form a petition in the court of Rama asking for Bhakti. It is considered to be the second best work of Tulsidas after the Ramcharitmanas, and is regarded as important from the viewpoints of philosophy, erudition, and eulogistic and poetic style of Tulsidas. The first 43 hymns are addressed to various deities and Rama's courtiers and attendants, and remaining are addressed to Rama.

Minor works

Minor works of Tulsidas include:

1. Barvai Ramayana (बरवै रामायण, 1612), literally The Ramayana in Barvai metre, is an abridged rendering of the Ramayana in Awadhi. The works consists of 69 verses composed in the Barvai metre, and is divided into seven Kands or books. The work is based on a psychological framework.
2. Parvati Mangal (पार्वती मंगल), literally The marriage of Parvati, is an Awadhi work of 164 verses describing the penance of Parvati and the marriage of Parvati and Shiva. It consists of 148 verses in the Sohar metre and 16 verses in the Harigitika metre.
3. Janaki Mangal (जानकी मंगल), literally The marriage of Sita, is an Awadhi work of 216 verses describing the episode of marriage of Sita and Rama from the Ramayana. The work includes 192 verses in the Hamsagati metre and 24 verses in the Harigitika metres. The narrative differs from the Ramcharitmanas at several places.
4. Ramalala Nahachhu (रामलला नहछू), literally The Nahachhu ceremony of the child Rama, is an Awadhi work of 20 verses composed in the Sohar metre. The Nahachhu ceremony involves cutting the nails of the feet before the Hindu Samskaras (rituals) of Chudakarana, Upanayana, Vedarambha, Samavartana or Vivaha. In the work, events take place in the city of Ayodhya, so it is considered to describe the Nahachhu before Upanayana, Vedarambha and Samavartana.
5. Ramajna Prashna (रामाज्ञा प्रश्न), literally Querying the Will of Rama, is an Awadhi work related to both Ramayana and Jyotisha (astrology). It consists of seven Kands or books, each of which is divided into seven Saptakas or Septets of seven Dohas each. Thus it contains 343 Dohas in all. The work narrates the Ramayana non-sequentially, and gives a method to look up the Shakuna (omen or portent) for astrological predictions.
6. Vairagya Sandipini (वैराग्य संदीपनी, 1612), literally Kindling of Detachment, is a philosophical work of 60 verses in Braja which describe the state of Jnana (realisation) and Vairagya (dispassion), the nature and greatness of saints, and moral conduct. It consists of 46 Dohas, 2 Sorathas and 12 Chaupai metres.

Popularly attributed works

The following four works are popularly attributed to Tulsidas

1. Hanuman Chalisa (हनुमान चालीसा), literally, Forty Verses to Hanuman, is an Awadhi work of 40 Chaupais and two Dohas in obeisance to Hanuman. Popular belief holds the work to be authored by Tulsidas, and it contains his signature, though some authors do not think the work was written by him. It is one of the most read short religious texts in India, and is recited by millions of Hindus on Tuesdays and Saturdays.It is believed to have been uttered by Tulsidas in a state of Samadhi at the Kumbh Mela in Haridwar.
2. Sankatmochan Hanumanashtak (संकटमोचन हनुमानाष्टक), literally Eight verses for Hanuman, the Remover of Afflictions, is an Awadhi work of eight verses in the Mattagajendra metre, devoted to Hanuman. It is believed to have been composed by Tulsidas on the occasion of the founding of the Sankatmochan Temple in Varanasi. The work is usually published along with Hanuman Chalisa.
3. Hanuman Bahuka (हनुमान बाहुक), literally The Arm of Hanuman, is a Braja work of 44 verses believed to have been composed by Tulsidas when he suffered acute pain in his arms at an advanced age. Tulsidas describes the pain in his arms and also prays to Hanuman for freedom from the suffering. The work has two, one, five and 36 verses respectively in the Chhappaya, Jhulna, Savaiya and Ghanakshari metre.
4. Tulsi Satsai (तुलसी सतसई), literally Seven Hundred Verses by Tulsidas, is a work in both Awadhi and Braja and contains 747 Dohas divided in seven Sargas or cantos. The verses are same as those in Dohavali and Ramagya Prashna but the order is different.

Tulsidas mentioned about destruction of Ram Janmabhumi temple by Mir Baqi in his work Tulsi Doha Shatak (lit. Hundred couplets of Tulsi) and the same was quoted by Rambhadracharya during the proceedings of the Ayodhya dispute in the Allahabad High court that influenced its judgment in 2010.

Doctrine

The philosophy and principles of Tulsidas are found across his works, and are especially outlined in the dialogue between Kakbhushundi and Garuda in the Uttar Kand of the Ramcharitmanas. Tulsidas' doctrine has been described as an assimilation and reconciliation of the diverse tenets and cultures of Hinduism. At the beginning of the Ramcharitmanas, Tulsidas says that his work is in accordance with various scriptures – the Puranas, Vedas, Upavedas, Tantra and Smriti. Ram Chandra Shukla in his critical work Hindi Sahitya Ka Itihaas elaborates on Tulsidas' Lokmangal as the doctrine for social upliftment which made this great poet immortal and comparable to any other world littérateur.

Nirguna and Saguna Brahman

Verses from Ramcharitmanas equating the Saguna Brahman and Nirguna Brahman, at the entrance of a temple in Bhopal.

As per Tulsidas, the Nirguna Brahman (quality-less impersonal absolute) and Saguna Brahman (personal God with qualities) are one and the same. Both, Saguna (qualified Brahman) and Aguna (or Nirguna - unqualified Brahman) are Akath (unspeakable), Agaadh (unfathomable), Anaadi (without beginning, in existence since eternity) and Anupa (without parallel) (अगुन सगुन दुइ ब्रह्म सरूपा। अकथ अगाध अनादि अनूपा॥).

 It is the devotion (Bhakti) of the devotee that forces the Nirguna Brahman which is quality-less, formless, invisible and unborn, to become Saguna Brahman with qualities. Tulsidas gives the example of water, snow and hail to explain this – the substance is the same in all three, but the same formless water solidifies to become hail or a mountain of snow – both of which have a form.

Tulsidas also gives the simile of a lake – the Nirguna Brahman is like the lake with just water, while the Saguna Brahman is a lake resplendent with blooming lotuses. In the Uttar Kand of Ramcharitmanas, Tulsidas describes in detail a debate between Kakbhushundi and Lomasa about whether God is Nirguna (as argued by Lomasa adhering to monism) or Saguna (as argued by Kakbhushundi adhering to dualism). Kakbhushundi repeatedly refutes all the arguments of Lomasa, to the point when Lomasa becomes angry and curses Kakbhushundi to be a crow. Lomasa repents later when Kakbhushundi happily accepts the curse but refuses to give up the Bhakti of Rama, the Saguna Brahman.

Though Tulsidas holds both aspects of God to be equal, he favours the qualified Saguna aspect and the devotees of the highest category in the Ramcharitmanas repeatedly ask for the qualified Saguna aspect of Rama to dwell in their mind. Some authors contend from a few couplets in Ramcharitmanas and Vinay Patrika that Tulsidas has vigorously contradicted the denial of Avatar by Kabir.In several of his works, Kabir had said that the actual Rama is not the son of Dasharatha.

In the Balkand of Ramcharitmanas, Shiva tells Parvati – those who say that the Rama whom the Vedas sing of and whom the sages contemplate on is different from the Rama of Raghu's race are possessed by the devil of delusion and do not know the difference between truth and falsehood. However, such allusions are based on interpretations of the text and do not hold much water when considered in the context of Ramcharitmanas. Tulsidas, in none of his works, has ever mentioned Kabir.

The name of Rama

Verses from Ramcharitmanas at the beginning of Nam-vandana (Extolling the name of Rama), at the Manas Mandir, Chitrakoot, India.

At the beginning of the Ramcharitmanas, there is a section devoted to the veneration of the name of Rama. As per Tulsidas, repeating the name of Rama is the only means to attain God in the Kali age where the means suited for other ages like meditation, Karma, and Puja are ineffective.

He says in Kavitavali that his own redemption is because of the power, glory and majesty of the name of Rama.n a couplet in the Gitavali, Tulsidas says that wishing for liberation without refuge in the name of Rama is like wishing to climb to the sky by holding on to the falling rain. In his view, the name of Rama is greater than both Nirguna and Saguna aspects of God – it controls both of them and is illuminates both like a bilingual interpreter.

In a verse in the Dohavali, Tulsidas says that the Nirguna Brahman resides in his heart, the Saguna Brahman resides in his eyes and the name of Rama resides on his tongue, as if a radiant gemstone is kept between the lower and upper halves of a golden casket. He holds that Rama is superior to all other names of God,and argues that ra and ma being are the only two consonants that are written above all other consonants in the conjunct form in Sanskrit because they are the two sounds in the word Rama.

Rama as Brahman

At several places in Tulsidas' works, Rama is seen to be the higher than Vishnu and not as an avatar of Vishnu, which is the general portrayal of Rama.

In the episode of the delusion of Sati in Ramcharitmanas, Sati sees many a Shiva, Brahma and Vishnu serving Rama and bowing at his feet. When Manu and Shatarupa perform penance, they crave to see that Supreme Lord "from a part of whose being emanate a number of Shivas, Brahmas and Vishnus." Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva come to them many times tempting them with a boon, but Manu and Shatarupa do not stop their penance. They are finally satisfied only by the appearance of Rama, on whose left side is Sita, from a part of whom are born "countless Lakshmis, Umas (Parvatis) and Brahmanis (Sarasvatis)."

In the episode of marriage of Sita and Rama in Balkand, the trio of Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva is present – Brahma is astounded as he finds nowhere anything that is his own handiwork, while Vishnu is enchanted with Lakhmi on seeing Rama. In the Sundarkand, Hanuman tells Ravana that Brahma, Vishnu and Shiva can create, preserve and destroy by the might of Rama. In the Lankakand, Tulsidas presents the universe as the cosmic form of Rama, in which Shiva is the consciousness, Brahma is the reason and Vishnu is his intelligence.

 As per Tulsidas, Rama is not only an avatar, but also the source of avatars – Krishna is also an Avatar of Rama. Thus, Tulsidas clearly considers Rama as supreme brahman and not an avatar of Vishnu.

In the opinion of Urvashi Soorati, the Rama of Tulsidas is an amalgamation of Vishnu who takes avatars, Vishnu in the abode of Ksheera Sagara, Brahman and the Para manifestation of the Pancharatra.Macfie concludes that Tulsidas makes a "double claim", i.e. Rama is an incarnation of both Vishnu and Brahman. In the words of Lutgendorf, Tulsidas' Rama is at once "Valmiki's exemplary prince, the cosmic Vishnu of Puranas, and the transcendent brahman of the Advaitins."

Vedanta, World and Maya

In the Sundarkand of Ramcharitmanas, Tulsidas says that Rama is knowable by Vedanta.

As per Tulsidas, Rama is the efficient and material cause (Nimitta and Upadana) of the world, which is real since Rama is real.

 In several verses of the Ramcharitmanas, Tulsidas says that the animate and inanimate world is a manifestation of Rama, and the universe is the cosmic form of Rama. Authors interpret these verses to mean that the world is real according to Tulsidas, in keeping with the Vishishtadvaita philosophy of Ramanuja. However, at some places in the Ramcharitmanas and Kavitavali, Tulsidas compares the world to a night or a dream and says it is Mithya (false or unreal). Some commentators interpret these verses to mean that in Tulsidas' opinion the world is unreal as per the Vivartavada doctrine of Adi Shankara, while some others interpret them to mean that the world is transient yet real as per the Satkhyativada doctrine of Ramananda.

Uday Bhanu Singh concludes that in Tulsidas' view, the world is essentially the form of Rama and appears to be different from Rama due to Maya. Its visible form is transient, which is what Tulsidas means by Mithya.

In the Vinayapatrika, Tulsidas says that the world in itself is neither true (Satya), nor false (Asatya), nor both true and false together (Satyasatya) – one who casts aside all these three illusions, knows oneself. This has been interpreted to mean that as per Tulsidas, the entire world is a Lila of Rama. At the beginning of the Ramcharitmanas, Tulsidas performs Samasti Vandana (obeisance to all beings) in which he bows down to the world also, saying it is "pervaded by" or "born out of" Sita and Rama

As per some verses in Ramcharitmanas and Vinaypatrika, when a Jiva (living being) knows the self, Maya, and Rama, it sees the world as being pervaded by Rama.

In the Balkand episode of the marriage of the princes of Ayodhya with the princesses of Mithila, Tulsidas presents a metaphor in which the four brides are compared with the four states of consciousness – the waking state (Jagrat), sleep with dreams (Swapna), dreamless sleep (Sushupti) and the fourth self-conscious state (Turiya). The four grooms are compared with the presiding divinity (Vibhu) of the four states – Vishva, Taijasa, Prajna and Brahman. Tulsidas says as the four states of consciousness with their presiding divinities reside in the mind of a Jiva, so the four brides with their grooms are resplendent in the same pavilion.

Tulsidas identifies Maya with Sita, the inseparable energy of Rama which takes avatar along with Rama.[146] In his view, Maya is of two types – Vidya and Avidya. Vidya Maya is the cause of creation and the liberation of Jiva. Avidya Maya is the cause of illusion and bondage of the Jiva. The entire world is under the control of Maya.Maya is essentially the same but the two divisions are made for cognitive purposes, this view of Tulsidas is in accordance with Vaishnava teachers of Vedanta.

Views on other Hindu deities

As per Tulsidas, there is no incompatibility between devotion to Rama and attachment to Shiva.Tulsidas equates the Guru as an incarnation of Shiva,and a considerable part of the Balkand of Ramcharitmanas is devoted to the narrative of Shiva including the abandonment of Sati, the penance of Parvati, the burning of Kamadeva and the marriage of Parvati and Shiva.

 In addition, Tulsidas venerates the whole Hindu pantheon. The Ramcharitmanas begins with reverence of Ganesh, Sarasvati, Parvati, Shiva, the Guru, Valmiki and Hanuman. At the beginning of the Vinayapatrika, he bows to Ganesh, Surya, Shiva, Devi, Ganga, Yamuna, Varanasi and Chitrakoot, asking them for devotion towards Rama.

Bhakti

The practical end of all his writings is to inculcate bhakti addressed to Rama as the greatest means of salvation and emancipation from the chain of births and deaths, a salvation which is as free and open to men of the lowest caste.

Critical reception

One anna stamp issued by India Post on Tulsidas

From his time, Tulsidas has been acclaimed by Indian and Western scholars alike for his poetry and his impact on the Hindu society. Tulsidas mentions in his work Kavitavali that he was considered a great sage in the world.[Madhusūdana Sarasvatī, one of the most acclaimed philosophers of the Advaita Vedanta tradition based in Varanasi and the composer of Advaitasiddhi, was a contemporary of Tulsidas. On reading the Ramcharitmanas, he was astonished and composed the following Sanskrit verse in praise of the epic and the composer.

In this place of Varanasi (Ānandakānana), there is a moving Tulsi plant (i.e., Tulsidas), whose branch of flowers in the form of [this] poem (i.e., Ramcharitmanas) is ever adorned by the bumblebee in the form of Rama.

Sur, a devotee of Krishna and a contemporary of Tulsidas, called Tulsidas as Sant Shiromani (the highest jewel among holy men) in an eight-line verse extolling Ramcharitmanas and Tulsidas.Abdur Rahim Khankhana, famous Muslim poet who was one of the Navaratnas (nine-gems) in the court of the Mughal emperor Akbar, was a personal friend of Tulsidas. Rahim composed the following couplet describing the Ramcharitmanas of Tulsidas 

The immaculate Ramcharitmanas is the breath of the life of saints. It is similar to the Vedas for the Hindus, and it is the Quran manifest for the Muslims.

The historian Vincent Smith, the author of a biography of Tulsidas' contemporary Akbar, called Tulsidas "the greatest man of his age in India and greater than even Akbar himself".

The Indologist and linguist Sir George Grierson called Tulsidas "the greatest leader of the people after the Buddha" and "the greatest of Indian authors of modern times"; and the epic Ramcharitmanas "worthy of the greatest poet of any age."

The work Ramcharitmanas has been called "the Bible of North India" by both nineteenth century Indologists including Ralph Griffith, who translated the four Vedas and Valmiki's Ramayana into English, and modern writers.Mahatma Gandhi held Tulsidas in high esteem and regarded the Ramcharitmanas as the "greatest book in all devotional literature".

 The Hindi poet Suryakant Tripathi 'Nirala' called Tulsidas "the most fragrant branch of flowers in the garden of the world's poetry, blossoming in the creeper of Hindi". Nirala considered Tulsidas to be a greater poet than Rabindranath Tagore, and in the same league as Kalidasa, Vyasa, Valmiki, Homer, Johann Wolfgang von Goethe and William Shakespeare.

Hindi litterateur Hazari Prasad Dwivedi wrote that Tulsidas established a "sovereign rule on the kingdom of Dharma in northern India", which was comparable to the impact of Buddha. Edmour J. Babineau, author of the book Love and God and Social Duty in Ramacaritmanasa, says that if Tulsidas was born in Europe or the Americas, he would be considered a greater personality than William Shakespeare. In the words of the archaeologist F. R. Allchin, who translated Vinaypatrika and Kavitavali into English, "for people of a large part of North India Tulsidas claims reverence comparable to that accorded to Luther as translator of the Bible into the native German". Allchin also mentions that the work Ramcharitmanas has been compared to not only the Ramayana of Valmiki, but the Vedas themselves, the Bhagavad Gita, the Quran and the Bible.Ernest Wood in his work An Englishman Defends Mother India considered the Ramcharitmanas to be "superior to the best books of the Latin and Greek languages.

"Tulsidas is also referred to as Bhaktaśiromaṇi, meaning the highest jewel among devotees.

Specifically about his poetry, Tulsidas has been called the "emperor of the metaphor" and one who excels in similes by several critics. The Hindi poet Ayodhyasingh Upadhyay 'Hariaudh' said of Tulsidas

Tulsidas did not shine by composing poetry, rather it was Poetry herself that shone by getting the art of Tulsidas.

The Hindi poet Mahadevi Varma said commenting on Tulsidas that in the turbulent Middle Ages, India received enlightenment from Tulsidas. She further went on to say that the Indian society as it exists today is an edifice built by Tulsidas, and the Rama as we know today is the Rama of Tulsidas.