Nepedia
Back to Discover
Advanced Reader
📖

Tulsidas

philosophy religion Maturity 5-7 religion death dying Next article →

This article covers sensitive topics: religion, death_dying. Parents can manage visibility in Parental Controls.

Tulsidas was a renowned Vaishnava Hindu saint, devotee, and poet.

Gosvami Tulsidas
Gosvami Tulsidas

He is celebrated for his profound devotion to the deity Rama. His literary contributions include works in Sanskrit, Awadhi, and Braj Bhasha. He is most famous for composing the Hanuman Chalisa and the epic Ramcharitmanas. The Ramcharitmanas is a retelling of the Sanskrit Ramayana based on the life of Rama. It was written in the vernacular Awadhi language. His work has had a lasting impact on Indian art, culture, and society. Many scholars consider him one of the greatest poets in Hindi and world literature.

Tulusidas 17th century
Tulusidas 17th century

The name Tulsidas is a compound of two Sanskrit words. The first part, Tulasi, refers to an Indian variety of the basil plant. This plant is considered auspicious by Vaishnavas, who are devotees of Vishnu and his avatars. The second part, Dasa, means slave or servant. In this context, it signifies a devoted servant of the deity. The name can be transliterated in different ways. Using original Sanskrit, it is written as Tulasīdāsa. Using the Hunterian system, it is written as Tulsidas or Tulsīdās. This reflects the vernacular pronunciation where certain vowels are dropped.

Traditional accounts offer several details regarding his early life and birth. Most scholars identify his birthplace as Soron in Uttar Pradesh. However, the government of Uttar Pradesh officially declared Rajapur as his birthplace in 2012. He was born to parents named Hulsi and Atmaram. According to the Gregorian calendar, his birth date is approximately August 11, 1511. Some biographies suggest the year 1497, though this would make him 126 years old. Some scholars argue that such a long life is possible for a Mahatma, or great soul.

Tulsighat
Tulsighat

Legends surrounding his infancy are quite remarkable. It is said he remained in the womb for twelve months. Some accounts claim he had all thirty-two teeth at birth. Legend also states he did not cry but instead uttered the name "Ram." Because of this, he was given the name Rambola, meaning "he who uttered Rama." Due to inauspicious astrological configurations, his family reportedly sent him away on his fourth night. A female house-help named Chuniya took him to Haripur. She cared for him for five and a half years before she passed away.

Tulsidas Home in Varanasi
Tulsidas Home in Varanasi

Tulsidas's spiritual journey involved significant study and mentorship. After his early hardships, he received the Virakta Diksha, or Vairagi initiation. He was given the name Tulsidas. At age seven, he underwent the Upanayana, or sacred thread ceremony, in Ayodhya. He later moved to the sacred city of Varanasi for advanced studies. For 15 to 16 years, he studied under the guru Shesha Sanatana at Pancaganga Ghat. His curriculum included Sanskrit grammar, the four Vedas, and six Vedangas. He also studied Jyotisha and the six schools of Hindu philosophy.

A Prince Visits the Poet Tulsidas
A Prince Visits the Poet Tulsidas

Many followers believe Tulsidas was a reincarnation of the poet Valmiki. The Ramanandi sect holds that Valmiki himself incarnated as Tulsidas during the Kali Yuga. This belief is supported by the Hindu scripture Bhavishyottar Purana. In this text, the god Shiva tells Parvati that Valmiki would eventually compose the Ramayana in a vernacular language. Various ancient biographies support these traditions. These include the Bhaktamal by Nabhadas and the Mula Gosain Charit by Veni Mad Madhav Das. These texts provide the foundation for modern understanding of his life.

Tulsidas
Tulsidas

The influence of Tulsidas remains visible in modern media and culture. He is credited with starting the Ramlila plays, which are folk-theatre adaptations of the Ramayana. His words have entered folk speech as common proverbs. In 1984, recordings of the Ramcharitmanas were highly popular in Banaras. In 1987, a television adaptation of the Ramayana premiered on Doordarshan. This serialized program was based largely on his Manas. It became the most popular program in Indian television history. It drew an estimated one hundred million viewers and changed how religious epics were consumed by the public.

642 words

Where will your curiosity go next?

Keep exploring at your chosen reading level.

🖼️ Images & Media (10)
File:Tulsighat.jpg
Tulsighat.jpg
File:Raja Sansar Chand and saint Tulsidas paying homage to Rama and Sita.jpg
Raja Sansar Chand and saint Tulsidas...
File:A Prince Visits the Poet Tulsidas.jpg
A Prince Visits the Poet Tulsidas.jpg
File:Gosvami Tulsidas.jpg
Gosvami Tulsidas.jpg
File:Tulusidas 17th century.jpg
Tulusidas 17th century.jpg
File:Tulsidas Home in Varanasi.jpg
Tulsidas Home in Varanasi.jpg
File:Tulsi Das Home from the Ganga River near Hanuman Ghat, Varanasi.jpg
Tulsi Das Home from the Ganga River near...
File:Ramcharitmanas Verses - II.jpg
Ramcharitmanas Verses - II.jpg
File:Ramcharitmanas Verses - III.jpg
Ramcharitmanas Verses - III.jpg
File:Tulsidas.jpg
Tulsidas.jpg
More to explore

✨ What else?

Related topics you might enjoy

🔬 Go deeper

More advanced topics to explore

🪜 Step back

Simpler topics to build understanding

What is Nepedia?

A free, ad-free encyclopedia for children. Every article is written at five reading levels, so the same page works for a five-year-old and a fifteen-year-old — use the level switcher above to see this one change. No account needed to read.