SAMARPIT

                            Goswami Tulsidasji

                                               Learnings from Ramcharitmanas

                                                                                          Lord Rama 

Long after Sage Valmiki wrote Ramayana, Goswami Tulsidas (born 16th century) wrote    Ramcharitmanas, popularly known as Tulsi-krita Ramayana in his native language. With the passage of time, Tulsi's version became better known among Hindus in upper India than the Bible among the rustic population in England. As with the Bible and Shakespeare, Tulsi Ramayan's phrases have passed into the common speech. Not only are his sayings proverbial: his doctrine actually forms the most powerful religious influence in present-day Hinduism; and, though he founded no school and was never known as a guru or master, he is everywhere accepted as an authoritative guide in religion and conduct of life.

Tulsi Ramayana is a novel presentation of the great theme of Valmiki, but is in no sense a translation of the Sanskrit epic. It consists of seven books or chapters namely Bal Kand, Ayodhya Kand, Aranya Kand, Kiskindha Kand, Sundar Kand, Lanka Kand and Uttar Kand containing tales of King Dasaratha's court, the birth and boyhood of Rama and his brethren, his marriage with Sita - daughter of Janaka, his voluntary exile, the result of Kaikeyi's guile and Dasaratha's rash vow, the dwelling together of Rama and Sita in the great central Indian forest, her abduction by Ravana, the expedition to Lanka and the overthrow of the ravisher, and the life at Ayodhya after the return of the reunited pair. All its characters are as lifelike and distinct as any in occidental literature. Ramcharitmanas is written in pure Avadhi or Eastern Hindi, in stanzas called chaupais, broken by 'dohas' or couplets, with an occasional sortha and chhand.