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272
THE INDIAN ANTIQUARY.
[OCTOBER, 1895.
To which the Nawab replied, Garbha liye Hulasi phire
Talasi sẽ sata hôi N.” Women of the gods, women of the mortals, women of the Nagas, all suffer pain (in child-birth).'
Yet Hulas139 (the poet's mother) let herself become with child, that she might have a son like Tol'sî'
Pandit Sudhakar Dvivodi gives a variant of the legend, with a slightly different reading of the verse. A poor Brahman is said to have worried the poet for money to meet the expenses of his daughter's marriage. Finally Tulsi gave him the following half line :"Sura-tiya nara-tiya naga-tiya
sabu chahata asa hói l' * These three kinds of women all desire a son like thee,' and told him to present it to the Emperor's Governor. The latter on receiving it rewarded the Brâhman, and wrote the answer "Goda lié hulasi phirain
Tulagi 8ề suta hối to But all women desire that they may joyfully (hulasi) carry in their arms, a son like Tulasi.' This verse, the Pandit explains, is probably the foundation of the tradition that the name of the poet's mother was Hulasi.
The famous Tôdar Mall40 was another of Tulsi Dâs's friends and was an ardent devotee of Rama. When he died (1589 A.D.) the poet wrote the following verses in memoriam :Mahato charó gánwa ko
mana kó badai mahipa Tulasi ya kali-kála mén athayé podara dipa il Tulasi Ráma sanéha ko
sira dhara whári bhúra Todara dharé na kandha hújaga kura rahou utára 11 Tulasi ura thála bimala
Podara guna-gana bága! Samujhi sulóchana sinchihen umagi umagi anuraga ! Ráma-dhama Todara gaye
Tulani bhayen wis chil Jiyabô máta punita binu yahi badé sankich !! A master of but four villages, but a mighty monarch of himself. Tulsi, in this age of evil the light of Todar hath set. Tul'si placed on his head the heavy burrien of love for the Lord, but Todar could not bear the burden of the world upon his shoulders, and luid it down. Tul'si's heart was a pure watering-basin in the garden of Todar's virtues When I think of this mine eyes o'erflow and water them with affection. Todar hath gone to the dwelliy place of the Lord, and therefore Tul'si refraineth his grief, but hard it is for him to live w. hout bis pure friend.'
The famous Mahârâj Man Singh (d. 1618) of Amber (Jaipur), and his brother Jagat Singh and other great princes were in the habit of coming to pay reverence to the poet. A man once asked why such great people came to see him now-a-days. In former days no one came to see him. Tul'si Das replied: Lahai na phúti kaudi-hu
kỏ chahai kahi kája Sú Tulasi mahangô kiyo Ráma gariba-niwája il It is an idea expressed frequently in Tul's DÅs's poetry, that the mother of a son devoted to Rama is blessed above all others.
4. Modern Vernacular Literature of Hindustan, $ 105. The deed of arbitration Already alluded to was devoted to settling & quarrel between his descendants. We have already seen that Tul'al Das is said to have compiled the Dihaball, after the year 1508 A. D. at his request. Tul'al Dls objected on principle to praising any great man, 800 Ram. Bd., Ch., 11, 7 (kinhé průkrita jana, &c.)
41 This may be either taken literally, or if charón ganna be need in itu idiomatio meaning of 'landed property, the sentence may mean respected in his own property.'
42 The meaning of this dona is doubtful to me. 45 Vernarslar Lit. $ 109. Dohaball, 108, 109.
