The Ramcharitamanas
Tulsidas finally reached Varanasi. Here he had a divine command to go to Ayodhya and write the immortal epic of Sri Ram in the local dialect.

At a subtle level, traditions and myths can carry more of reality than so-caled real, sensible and provable facts. According to tradition Sri Ram had himself approved Valmiki’s Ramayana by putting his signature on it. After that, Hanuman wrote with his nails on stone another Ramayana and took it to Sri Ram. Sri Ram approved it also, but as he had already signed on Valmiki’s copy, he said he could not sign another, and that Hanuman must first approach Valmiki. He did so, and Valmiki realized that this work would eclipse his own. So, by stratagem, he induced Hanuman to fling it into the sea. Hanuman, in complying, stated that in a future age he would himself, inspire a brahmana named Tulsi, and that Tulsi would recite his – Hanuman’s – poem in a tongue of the common people and so destroy the fame of Valmiki’s epic.6.

At any rate, Tuslidas went to Ayodhya. In a secluded grove, under one of the banyans, a seat had already been prepared for him by a holy man who told Tuslidas that his guru had had the foreknowledge of Tuslidas’s coming. It was 1575, Ramnavami day. As per tradition, the position of the planets was exactly as it was when Sri Ram was born in the bygone era of Treta. On that auspicious day, Tulsidas commenced writing his immortal poem, the Ramcharitmanas.

The composition of the Ramcharitmanas was perhaps Tuslidas’s own sadhana, his act of prayer and offering. It is an expression of creativity that blends the inner and outer worlds with God. It is an inner experience expressed in the form of legend through the vehicle of poetry. He wrote for two years, seven months, and 26 days and completed it in Margashirsha (Novemeber-December), on the anniversary of Sri Ram’s marriage to Sita. He then returned to Varanasi glowing with the bhakti inflamed during the period of writing the devotional epic and began to share his ineffable experience with others. Because of Tulisdasa’s good demeanor, loving personality, and exquisite devotion, people would gather around him in large numbers.

That in Varanasi, the stronghold of orthodoxy, erudition, and Sanskrit learning, resistance should develop towards the growing popularity of the unsophisticated Tulsidas is not surprising. Two professional thugs are employed to seize his Ramcharitmanas – with printing not available in those days only a few copies existed. When the thieves entered Tulsidas’s hut at night, they saw two young boys, one of blue complexion and the other fair, guarding with bows and arrows. The terrified thieves gave up their plan and the next day informed Tuslidas of their experience. Tulsidas shed tears of joy, for he realized that Sri Ram and Lakshman had themselves been the guards.

The Vinay-patrika
A criminal used to beg everyday with the cal: ‘For the love of Ram, give me – a murderer – alms’. Hearing the name of Ram, the delighted Tulsidas would cheerfully take him inside his house and give him food. This behavior of Tulsi infuriated the orthodox brahmanas, who demanded an explanation. Tulsidas told them that the name ‘Ram’ had absolved the person concerned of all offenses. This attitude of Tulsi incensed the people even further. In a fit of anger, they demanded that if the stone image of Nandi – the sacred bull in the temple of Shiva – would eat out of the hands of that murderer, then they would accept that he has been purified. A day was fixed and to the consternation of the people the Nandi image actually ate from the murderer’s hands. The brahmanas had to eat humble pie.

However, this did not settle matters. This event increased Tulsidas’s popularity even more and enraged the already defeated people afresh, triggering off more attacks and assaults. The troubled Tulsidas then turned to Hanuman for help. Hanuman appeared to him in a dream and asked him to appeal to Shri Ram. Thus was the Vinay-patrika born. It is a petition in the court of King Ram. Ganesh, Surya, Ganga, Yamuna and others are propitiated first, just as the courtiers would be approached first. Then follows wonderful poetry soaked in bhakti:
He Hari! Kas na harahu bhram bhari,
Jadyapi mrisha satya bhasai jabalagi nahin kripa tumhari.

O Hari, why do you not remove this heavy illusion of mine (that I see the world as real)? Even though the samsara is unreal, as long as your grace does not descend, it appears to be real.7

Darshan of Sri Ram
Another tradition tells us what Tulsi would pour some water at the base of a banyan tree when he passed that way after his morning ablutions. A spirit that was suffering the effects of past evil deeds loved on that same tree. Tulsi’s offering relieved the spirit of its agony. Wanting to express gratitude to Tulsi, the spirit asked him what he wished. What else would Tulsi want but the holy darshan of Sri Ram? The spirit replied: ‘An old man attends yours discourses; he arrives first and is the last to leave. He will help you’. The next day Tulsidas identified the man who answered to the description and fell at his feet. The old man asked Tulsidas to go to Chitrakoot, where he would have the darshan of Sri Ram. Who could the old man be but Hanuman himself? It is well known that Hanuman is always present wherever the name ‘Ram’ is being uttered.

Tulsi remained in Chitrakoot, making sandal paste and giving it to devotees who came there. One day, while he was making sandal paste, Sri Ram appeared in front of him and said: ‘Baba, give me some sandal paste’. Tulsi was overwhelmed and went into Samadhi. Sri Ram applied sandal paste to Tulsi’s forehead with his own hand. Tulsi remained in Samadhi for three days. This was the first time he experienced Samadhi – and that through the darshan of Sri Ram himself!

To see icon of Tulsidas in Chitrakoot Click Here

Once during his visit to a temple of Sri Krishna in Vrindavan, Tulsidas addressed to the deity: 'How can I describe your heavenly beauty, O Krishna! However, this Tulsi will not bow to you unless you take bow and arrow in your hands!’ In a moment, Tulsi had a vision of Sri Ram instead of Sri Krishna on the altar!

It is believed that Emperor Jahangir knew about Tulsidas and that they met atleast once. Jahangir pressed Tulsidas to perform a miracle. Tulsi refused saying: ‘I know no miracles; I know only the name of Ram’. Annoyed at the answer, Jahangir imprisoned him. The legend narrates that a band of monkeys wrecked havoc in the prison and the emperor, realizing his mistake, had to release Tulsi.

The famous pandit Madhusudana Saraswati of Varanasi was a contemporary of Tulsidas. The two devotees discussed bhakti when they met. In an answer to someone’s enquiry, Madhusudana praised Tulsidas thus:
Ananda-kanane hyasmin-jangamas-tulasitaruh;
Kavitamanjari bhati rama-bhramara-bhushita.8
In the blissful forest (Varanasi), Tulsidas is a mobile tulsi tree; resplendent are its poetic blossoms, ornamented by the bee ie Rama.