The Creator of Shri Ramcharit Manas: Goswami Shri Tulsidas

The Creator of Shri Ramcharit Manas: Goswami Shri Tulsidas

God (Brahma, the ultimate supreme) and spirit exist in a unique relationship. They are never separated nor will they ever be. The spirit is embodied in various physical forms, objects that are movable and immovable, such as birds and animals, plants and trees, inland and mountains, rivers and valleys, all of which are governed by God. God is the vital force behind all beings, and is present everywhere, not only within or outside them but in every particle of the universe.

The real motive of a living being is only to love God. By analyzing materialistic things, the Vedas have shown the imperfections, grief and falsity, thus forbidding us to love them. The Vedas have directed us to sing the glory of the Divine. In spite of the direction, the living beings are trapped in worldly attractions and illusions and are not moving in the direction guided to them, that is, towards God. Even though a few people progress on the path towards God, it becomes very difficult to overcome the worldly attractions and reach the ultimate goal with the limited resources and mediums available to humans at large.

God himself was concerned that if only a few people could achieve his love, the number of people who achieved his love would be very few, they could be counted on one’s fingers. Therefore, God decided to take the physical form among the living beings, by performing miracles as a human being. So, even after his incarnation, by listening to his life experiences and learning from his attributes, humans could receive his true love. He wanted human beings to embrace his way of living in order to attain the ultimate goal.

The Lord appeared in the form of Shri Ram, that is, incarnated. He bought with him his virtues, his pageant (Leela) in the form of Kirtans, his divine ability to listen to people, and his attribute to inspire people. Even before Shri Ram’s teachings and activities were completed in this world, Maharishi Valmiki through Ram-Sita’s sons; Luv-Kush acknowledged Shri Ram by writing a poem of his ideal life which was full of divinity with precision. He made God realise and accept his reality. In the world, this first poem by the first poet, Maharishi Valmiki became the divine book, which is named ‘Ramayana’.

But; this book was in Sanskrit, so Maharishi was worried that later the true meaning, essence and satisfaction of understanding the leanings in this book could not be derived by ordinary people who would have become ignorant towards learning Sanskrit! This matter terrified Maharishi Valmiki. Shri Hanumanji sensed Valmiki ‘s concern and his unique sense of exclusive devotion to Shri Ram. Hanumanji promised to protect Valmiki at the time of his rebirth in Kalyug and commanded him to proclaim Shri Ram’s virtues and Leelas to the general public that time. He inspired Valmiki to preach the divinity and ways of living of Shri’s Ram to the people of that time and inspire them to attain enlightenment and the true love of the Lord. Shri Valmiki accepted his orders and promised to sing Shri Ram-Sita’s sweet melodious praises in Kali Yug when Valmiki reincarnates as Goswami Tulsidas.

vaalmiikistulasiidaasa.h kalau devi bhavi.syati |
raamacandrakathaametaa.m bhaa.saabaddhaa.m kari.syati ||
( bhavi.sya puraa.na .pra.pa. 4/20 )

tretaa kaabya niba.mdha kiyo sata ko.ti ramaayana |
ika acchara uddhare brahmahatyaadi paraayana ||
aba bhaktana sukha dena bahuri liilaa bistaarii |
raamacarana rasamatta rahata ahanisi bratadhaarii |
sa.msaara apaara ke paara ko sugama ruupa naukaa laye |
kali ku.tila jiiva nistaarahita baalmiiki tulasii bhaye ||
“sriibhaktamaala ( pada 129 )

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Vaidik Sutra