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OCTOBER, 1893.]
NOTES ON TUL'SI DAS.
259
In the preceding hymn, the poet has prayed to the Lord to look upon him, he can do nothing of himself. He now continues, "For whither can I go P to whom can I tell (my sorrows)? No other place have I. Have I not passed my life a slave at thy door, and thine only? True, often have I turned away from thee, and grasped the things of this world; but, O thou full of mercy, how can acts like mine be done by thee (that thou shouldst hide thy face from me)? O Glory of Raghu's race, till thou wilt look upon me, my days will be days of evil, my days will be calamity, my days will be woe, my days will be defilement. When I turned my back to thee, and (it was because) I had no eyes of faith to see thee where thou art; but thou art all-seeing (and canst therefore look upon me where'er 1 be). Thou alone, and no other, art like unto thyself; thou who dost relieve the sorrows of the humble. O God, I am not mine own; to some one must I be the humble slave, while thou art absolutely uncontrolled, and master of thy will. I am but a sacrifice (bali) offered unto thee; what petition can the reflection in the mirror make to the living being who is reflected therein. First, look thon upon thyself (and remember thy mercy and thy might). Then cast thine eyes upon me; and claim me as thy true servant ; for the name of the Lord is a sure protection, and he who taketh it is saved. Lord, thy conduct and thy ways10 ever give joy unto my heart; Tul'si is thine alone, and, O God of mercy, do unto him as it seemeth good unto thee." Bin, 195. Bali jáun haun Ráma Gosánin 1
Kijai kripa ápani nanin 11 Paramaratha - surapura - sádhana, saba sváratha sukhada, bhalái
Kali sakópa lópí sucháli, nija kahina kucháli chalái II Jahan jahan chita chitawata hita, tahan nita nawa bikháda adhikái
Ruchi bhávati bhabhari bhágahin, samuhái amita anabhde 11 Adhi magana mana, byádhi bikala tana, bachana malina jhuthat
Btehun para tumha 88 Tulasi ki sakala sané ha sagái 11 95 II O Rama, my Holy one, I offer myself a sacrifice unto thee. Show thou grace unto me as thou art wont. The evil age hath in its wrath cut off every good way, the means of ultimate salvation, and the means of attaining to the lower heaven, yea, every earthly happiness, every goodness,--and hath brought into use its own, hard, evil way.
Wherever the soul looketh towards good, there ever it canseth new sorrows to increase. 11 Every pleasure that delighteth fleeth in terror, while all things that delight not, stand in front of a man, in anmeasured numbers. The soul is plunged in spiritual woe: the body is distracted by disease: man's very words are foul and false. And yet, (O Lord,) with thee doth Tulsi Das hold the close kinship of perfect love.
12. Rama-charita-manasa, the Lake of the Gests of Râma. Written in various metres. Most commonly eight pairs (frequently more) of chaupais followed by one pair (sometimes more) of dóhás, with other metres, in the more high-flown portions, interspersed. In seven såpána, or descents (into the lake), viz.
(1) Bala kanda. (2) Ayodhya kanda. (3) Aranya kaņda. (4) Kishkindhya kanda.
(5) Sundara kanda. (6) Lanka kanda. (7) Uttara kaņda.
This work, which is more usually called the Manas Ramayan, or the Tulsi-krit Ramayan, is, as already shown, largely quoted in the Dôhábali. The following references will show that
The reflection of sman in a mirror is entirely dependent on the man who is reflected. It moves as he moves, and only acts as he wills. So man's soul, which is but a reflection of the universal Soul, is entirely dependent on the will (prirana) of the latter for all his actions good and bad. Hence the poet asks that the Lord may will hits to lead a holy life. He has no right to ask for it as a right, he can only ask for it as a favour.
• Rahani acharana (wvalata guruta dharmanéti adi jis acharan par dpurahain; ta ki rahani kahl, comm.). Riti = vyapa hdra (ha vyavahdra td mantri mitra avak prajadi par vartais.)
11 The commentator gives an illustration, disease springing up at holy festival. The late Hardwar stair is an example in point.
