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OCTOBER, 1893.]
NOTES ON TUL'SI DAS.
278
Ghara ghara mángé úka puni b húpati puj& páil
Té Tulasi taba Ráma binu te aba Ráma sahái 11 *(Once did I beg) and collected not even a cracked cowry in alms. Who wanted me then for any need? But Râma, the cherisher of the poor, made me of great price. I used to beg from door to door for alms, now kings worship my feet. Saith Tulsi : then it was without Rama. Now Râma is my helper.'
One day a Brahman.woman, whose husband had just died, and who was on her way to become suttee, passed Tul'si Das and made obeisance to him. The holy man, in absence of mind, blessed her, saying 'saubhagyarati hô,' blessed be your wedded life. Her relations who accompanied her said : Reverend sir, this woman only to-day became a widow, and is on her way to become a suttee with her husband. You have just now given her a blessing, which must turn out unfulfilled, -but, still, all men know your might.' Tal'sî replied, Achchhá, do not burn her husband till I come. He then went to the Ganges and bathed, put a new garment on to the corpse, and began to repeat the name of Rama. He remained praying and praising the Lord in this way for nearly three hours, when the corpse rose, as one awakened from sleep, and sitting up in the presence of thousands of men, said Why have you brought me here? His relations explained to him that he had died, and that Tal'si had brought him to life, at hearing which he fell at the poet's feet. Thereupon all the people praised the name of Rama, and took him who was dead, and was now alive, to bis home.
News of this reached the emperor at Dehli,46 who sent for Tul'st Das. When the poet arrived in court, the emperor received him with much honour, gave him a high seat, and then asked him to perform a miracle. Tul'sî smiled and answered, Your Majesty, I have no power to perform miracles. I know not magic. One thing, and only one, I know, - the name of the Lord, Rama Chandra.' The emperor, on this, flew into a rage, and ordered the poet to be imprisoned till he should perform some miracle. He sat in prison, repeating the name of Râma and praising Hanunân.
Seeing the trouble in which this faithful devotee of Râma was involved, Hanuman sent myriads of monkeys, who entered the city and began to destroy the palace and all its contents. They even went so far as to make faces at and threaten the emperor and his wives. When nothing could stop their devastation, the emperor's eyes became opened, and going with his chief queen he fell at Tul'si Das's feet and implored his forgiveness. The poet then prayed again to Hanuman and the army of monkeys withdrew, after the emperor had promised to leave Dehli (a city of holy memories to Hindus), and found a new city. This new city is that now known as Shahjahânâbâd. From Debli, Tal'si Das went to Vrindavana, where he met Nâbhâ Das, the worshipper of Krishna and the author of the Bhakt Mald. One day, the two poets went, with other Vaishnavas, to worship at the temple of Gopala (Krishna). Some of the Vaishnavas said to him sarcastically, 'He has deserted his own God (Rama), and come to worship in the temple of another (Krishna). To this Tulsi replied :
Ka baranaun chhabi aja ki bhalé birájau nátha
Tulasi 'mastaka taba nawai dhanukha bána lie hatha 11 How am I to describe the representation (of Kộishna) which I see to-day. Noble indeed doth he seem, but not till he appear with bow and arrow in his hands (i. e., in the character of Rama), will Tal'si bow his head to him.'
While he was yet speaking, behold the image of Kțishna changed its appearance. His flute became an arrow, and his reed a bow. Seeing this miracle, all were astonished, and praised Tol'si.
+5 Some legends say this was Shah Jahan, who reigned from 1628 to 1658 A. D. But the poet died in 1624 A.D. # Vornacular Lit. $ 51.
