Tulasidasas humility and the glory of poetry describing Śrī Rāma’s greatness

Dohas

bhāga chōṭa abhilāṣu baḍa karau ēka bisvāsa.

paihahiṃ sukha suni sujana saba khala karahahiṃ upahāsa..8.. [1-8]

Humble is my lot and my ambition high; my only hope is that all good men will be gratified to hear what I say, while the evil-minded will laugh.

Chaupais

khala parihāsa hōi hita mōrā. kāka kahahiṃ kalakaṃṭha kaṭhōrā..

haṃsahi baka dādura cātakahī. haomsahiṃ malina khala bimala batakahī.. [1-8-1]

kabita rasika na rāma pada nēhū. tinha kahaom sukhada hāsa rasa ēhū..

bhāṣā bhaniti bhōri mati mōrī. haomsibē jōga haomsēṃ nahiṃ khōrī.. [1-8-2]

prabhu pada prīti na sāmujhi nīkī. tinhahi kathā suni lāgahi phīkī..

hari hara pada rati mati na kutarakī. tinha kahu madhura kathā raghuvara kī.. [1-8-3]

rāma bhagati bhūṣita jiyaom jānī. sunihahiṃ sujana sarāhi subānī..

kabi na hōu nahiṃ bacana prabīnū. sakala kalā saba bidyā hīnū.. [1-8-4]

ākhara aratha alaṃkṛti nānā. chaṃda prabaṃdha anēka bidhānā..

bhāva bhēda rasa bhēda apārā. kabita dōṣa guna bibidha prakārā.. [1-8-5]

kabita bibēka ēka nahiṃ mōrēṃ. satya kahau likhi kāgada kōrē.. [1-8-6]

The laughter of the evil-minded will benefit me; crows call the cuckoo hoarse. Herons ridicule the swan, frogs make fun of the Cātaka bird and malicious rogues deride refined speech. To those who have no taste for poetry nor devotion to the feet of Śrī Rāma, this undertaking of mine will serve as a subject for delightful mirth. My composition is couched in the popular dialect and my intellect is feeble; hence it is a fit subject for ridicule, and those who laugh shall not incur any blame. To those who cherish no love for the feet of the Lord and have no sound reason either, this story will sound unattractive to the ears. To those, however, who possess devotion to the feet of God Viṣṇu and Śiva and whose mind is not perverse, the tale of the Chief of the Raghus will taste as sweet. Knowing it in their heart as adorned with devotion to Śrī Rāma, the virtuous will listen to it with bland words of praise. I am no poet nor an adept in the art of speech and am a cipher in all arts and sciences. There are elegant devices of letters, subtleties of meaning, various figures of speech, metrical compositions of different kinds, infinite varieties of emotions and sentiments and multifarious flaws and excellences of poetic composition. Of these details of poesy, I possess critical knowledge of none. I vouch for it in writing on a blank sheet.(1-6)

Dohas

bhaniti mōri saba guna rahita bisva bidita guna ēka.

sō bicāri sunihahiṃ sumati jinha kēṃ bimala bivēka..9.. [1-9]

My composition is devoid of all charm; it has only one merit, which is known throughout the world. Recognizing this merit, men of sound reason, who are gifted with unbiased judgment, will surely hear it.(9)

Chaupais

ēhi mahaom raghupati nāma udārā. ati pāvana purāna śruti sārā..

maṃgala bhavana amaṃgala hārī. umā sahita jēhi japata purārī.. [1-9-1]

bhaniti bicitra sukabi kṛta jōū. rāma nāma binu sōha na sōū..

bidhubadanī saba bhāomti saomvārī. sōna na basana binā bara nārī.. [1-9-2]

saba guna rahita kukabi kṛta bānī. rāma nāma jasa aṃkita jānī..

sādara kahahiṃ sunahiṃ budha tāhī. madhukara sarisa saṃta gunagrāhī.. [1-9-3]

jadapi kabita rasa ēkau nāhī. rāma pratāpa prakaṭa ēhi māhīṃ..

sōi bharōsa mōrēṃ mana āvā. kēhiṃ na susaṃga baḍappanu pāvā.. [1-9-4]

dhūmau tajai sahaja karuāī. agaru prasaṃga sugaṃdha basāī..

bhaniti bhadēsa bastu bhali baranī. rāma kathā jaga maṃgala karanī.. [1-9-5]

It contains the gracious name of the Lord of Raghus, which is exceedingly holy and the very cream of the Purāṇas and the Vedas. It is the abode of blessings and the remover of evils, and is muttered by Lord Śiva, the enemy of the demon Tripura, along- with his consort, Umā. Even a composition of marvellous beauty and written by a gifted poet does not commend itself without the name of Śrī Rāma. A pretty woman with a charming countenance and fully adorned does not look attractive when undressed. On the other hand, the wise recite and hear with admiration even the composition of a worthless poet, which is devoid of all merit, knowing it as adorned with the name and glory of Śrī Rāma; for, like the bee, saints have a bias for goodness. Although it has no poetic charm whatsoever, the glory of Śrī Rāma is manifest in it. This is the only hope which flashes on my mind; who has not been exalted by noble company? Even smoke rising from burning aloe wood is impregnated with the latter’s fragrance and gives up its natural pungency. Although my composition is clumsy, it treats of a commendable theme, viz., the story of Śrī Rāma, which brings felicity to the world.(1-5)

Chhands

maṃgala karani kali mala harani tulasī kathā raghunātha kī..

gati kūra kabitā sarita kī jyōṃ sarita pāvana pātha kī..

prabhu sujasa saṃgati bhaniti bhali hōihi sujana mana bhāvanī..

bhava aṃga bhūti masāna kī sumirata suhāvani pāvanī..

The tale of the Lord of Raghus, O Tulasīdāsa, brings forth blessings and wipes away the impurities of the Kali age. The course of this stream of my poetry is tortuous like that of the holy Gaṅgā. By its association with the auspicious glory of the Lord my composition will be blessed and will captivate the mind of the virtuous. On the person of Lord Śiva, even the ashes of the cremation-ground appear charming and purify by their very thought.

Dohas

priya lāgihi ati sabahi mama bhaniti rāma jasa saṃga.

dāru bicāru ki karai kōu baṃdia malaya prasaṃga..10ka.. [1-10(A)]

syāma surabhi paya bisada ati gunada karahiṃ saba pāna.

girā grāmya siya rāma jasa gāvahiṃ sunahiṃ sujāna..10kha.. [1-10(B)]

My composition will appear extremely delightful to all by its association with the glory of Śrī Rāma, even as timber of every description is transformed into sandal and becomes worthy of adoration by contact with the Malaya mountain (in South India), and nobody takes into account the quality of wood in that region. The milk of even a dark cow is white and possesses a great medicinal value and is drunk by all. So do the wise chant and hear the glory of Sītā and Rāma even though couched in the vulgar tongue.(10 A-B)

Chaupais

mani mānika mukutā chabi jaisī. ahi giri gaja sira sōha na taisī..

nṛpa kirīṭa tarunī tanu pāī. lahahiṃ sakala sōbhā adhikāī.. [1-10(B)-1]

taisēhiṃ sukabi kabita budha kahahīṃ. upajahiṃ anata anata chabi lahahīṃ..

bhagati hētu bidhi bhavana bihāī. sumirata sārada āvati dhāī.. [1-10(B)-2]

rāma carita sara binu anhavāēom. sō śrama jāi na kōṭi upāēom..

kabi kōbida asa hṛdayaom bicārī. gāvahiṃ hari jasa kali mala hārī.. [1-10(B)-3]

kīnhēṃ prākṛta jana guna gānā. sira dhuni girā lagata pachitānā..

hṛdaya siṃdhu mati sīpa samānā. svāti sāradā kahahiṃ sujānā.. [1-10(B)-4]

jauṃ baraṣai bara bāri bicārū. hōhiṃ kabita mukutāmani cārū.. [1-10(B)-5]

The beauty of a gem, a ruby and a pearl does not catch the eye as it should so long as they are borne on the head of a serpent, the top of a mountain and the crown of an elephant respectively. The charm of them all is enhanced when they adorn the diadem of a king or the person of a young lady. Even so, the wise say, the outpourings of a good poet originate at one place (in the poet’s own mind) and exercise their charm elsewhere (on the mind of the admirer). Attracted by his devotion, Sarasvatī (the goddess of poetry) comes with all speed from the abode of Brahmā (the topmost heaven) at his very invocation. The fatigue occasioned by this long journey cannot be relieved by millions of devices unless she takes a dip in the lake of Śrī Rāma’s exploits. Realizing this in their heart, poets and wise men chant the glory of Śrī Hari alone, which wipes away the impurities of the Kali age. Finding the bard singing the glories of worldly men the goddess of speech begins to beat her brow and repent. The wise liken the heart of a poet to the sea, his intellect to the shell containing pearls and goddess Sarasvatī to the star called Svātī (the modern Arcturus, the fifteenth lunar asterism considered as favourable to the formation of pearls). If there is a shower in the form of beautiful ideas, lovely pearls make their appearance in the form of poetic effusions.(1-5)

Dohas

juguti bēdhi puni pōhiahiṃ rāmacarita bara tāga.

pahirahiṃ sajjana bimala ura sōbhā ati anurāga..11.. [1-11]

If those pearls are pierced with skill and strung together on the beautiful thread of Śrī Rāma’s exploits, and if noble souls wear them in their innocent heart, grace in the form of excessive fondness is the result.(11)

Chaupais

jē janamē kalikāla karālā. karataba bāyasa bēṣa marālā..

calata kupaṃtha bēda maga chāomḍaē. kapaṭa kalēvara kali mala bhāomḍaēṃ.. [1-11-1]

baṃcaka bhagata kahāi rāma kē. kiṃkara kaṃcana kōha kāma kē..

tinha mahaom prathama rēkha jaga mōrī. dhīṃga dharamadhvaja dhaṃdhaka dhōrī.. [1-11-2]

jauṃ apanē avaguna saba kahaūom. bāḍhai kathā pāra nahiṃ lahaūom..

tātē maiṃ ati alapa bakhānē. thōrē mahu jānihahiṃ sayānē.. [1-11-3]

samujhi bibidhi bidhi binatī mōrī. kōu na kathā suni dēihi khōrī..

ētēhu para karihahiṃ jē asaṃkā. mōhi tē adhika tē jaḍa mati raṃkā.. [1-11-4]

kabi na hōu nahiṃ catura kahāvau. mati anurūpa rāma guna gāvau..

kahaom raghupati kē carita apārā. kahaom mati mōri nirata saṃsārā.. [1-11-5]

jēhiṃ māruta giri mēru uḍaāhīṃ. kahahu tūla kēhi lēkhē māhīṃ..

samujhata amita rāma prabhutāī. karata kathā mana ati kadarāī.. [1-11-6]

Those who are born in this terrible age of Kali, who though akin to the crow in their doings have put on the garb of a swan, who tread the evil path, abandoning the track of the Vedas, who are embodiments of falsehood and repositories of sins of the Kali age, who are impostors claiming to be devotees of Śrī Rāma, though slaves of mammon, anger and passion, and who are unscrupulous, hypocritical and foremost among intriguers-I occupy the first place among them. Were I to recount all my vices, their tale will assume large dimensions, and yet I shall not be able to exhaust them. Hence I have mentioned very few. A word should suffice for the wise. Entering into the spirit of my manifold prayers, none should blame me on hearing this story. Those who will raise objections even then are more stupid and deficient in intellect than myself. I am no poet and have no pretensions to ingenuity; I sing the glories of Śrī Rāma according to my own lights, My intellect, which wallows in the world, is a poor match for the unlimited exploits of the Lord of Raghus. Tell me, of what account is cotton in the face of the strong wind before which even mountains like Meru are blown away? Realizing the infinite glory of Śrī Rāma, my mind feels very diffident in proceeding with this story.(1-6)

Dohas

sārada sēsa mahēsa bidhi āgama nigama purāna.

nēti nēti kahi jāsu guna karahiṃ niraṃtara gāna..12.. [1-12]

Goddess Sarasvatī Śeṣa (the thousand-headed serpent-god), the great Lord Śiva, Brahmā (the Creator), the Āgamas (Tantras), the Vedas and the Purāṇas unceasingly sing His virtues, saying ‘not that’, ‘not that’.*

• * This shows that the gods and scriptures mentioned above, though ever engaged in singing the virtues of Śrī Rāma, are able only to touch the fringe of His glory and find themselves unable to describe it in full. That is why they make only a negative assertion ‘Na iti’ (not that), meaning thereby that whatever is predicated of God falls much too short of His real glory and is at best only a faint indication of it.

Chaupais

saba jānata prabhu prabhutā sōī. tadapi kahēṃ binu rahā na kōī..

tahāom bēda asa kārana rākhā. bhajana prabhāu bhāomti bahu bhāṣā.. [1-12-1]

ēka anīha arūpa anāmā. aja saccidānaṃda para dhāmā..

byāpaka bisvarūpa bhagavānā. tēhiṃ dhari dēha carita kṛta nānā.. [1-12-2]

sō kēvala bhagatana hita lāgī. parama kṛpāla pranata anurāgī..

jēhi jana para mamatā ati chōhū. jēhiṃ karunā kari kīnha na kōhū.. [1-12-3]

gaī bahōra garība nēvājū. sarala sabala sāhiba raghurājū..

budha baranahiṃ hari jasa asa jānī. karahi punīta suphala nija bānī.. [1-12-4]

tēhiṃ bala maiṃ raghupati guna gāthā. kahihau nāi rāma pada māthā..

muninha prathama hari kīrati gāī. tēhiṃ maga calata sugama mōhi bhāī.. [1-12-5]

Though all know the Lord’s greatness as such, yet none has refrained from describing it. The Vedas have justified it thus; they have variously sung the glory of remembering the Lord, God, who is one, desireless, formless, nameless and unborn, who is Truth, Consciousness and Bliss, who is supreme effulgence, all-pervading and all-formed-it is He who has performed many deeds assuming a suitable form. That He has done only for the good of His devotees; for He is supremely gracious and loving to the suppliant. He is excessively fond of His devotees and treats them as His own; He has never frowned at him to whom He has once shown His favour. The restorer of what has been lost, the befriender of the poor, the Lord of Raghus is a straightforward and powerful master. Knowing thus, the wise sing the glory of Śrī Hari and thereby hallow and bring supreme reward to their speech. It is on this strength (the supreme efficacy of remembering the Lord and the potency of His grace) that I shall sing the virtues of the Lord of Raghus, bowing my head to the feet of Śrī Rāma. Sages have sung the glory of Śrī Hari in the past; it will be easy for me to follow that very path.(1-5)

Dohas

ati apāra jē sarita bara jauṃ nṛpa sētu karāhiṃ.

caḍhi pipīlikau parama laghu binu śrama pārahi jāhiṃ..13.. [1-13]

If kings get bridges constructed over big rivers, which are too broad, even the tiniest ants cross them without exertion.(13)

Chaupais

ēhi prakāra bala manahi dēkhāī. karihau raghupati kathā suhāī..

byāsa ādi kabi puṃgava nānā. jinha sādara hari sujasa bakhānā.. [1-13-1]

carana kamala baṃdau tinha kērē. puravahu sakala manōratha mērē..

kali kē kabinha karau paranāmā. jinha baranē raghupati guna grāmā.. [1-13-2]

jē prākṛta kabi parama sayānē. bhāṣāom jinha hari carita bakhānē..

bhaē jē ahahiṃ jē hōihahiṃ āgēṃ. pranavau sabahiṃ kapaṭa saba tyāgēṃ.. [1-13-3]

hōhu prasanna dēhu baradānū. sādhu samāja bhaniti sanamānū..

jō prabaṃdha budha nahiṃ ādarahīṃ. sō śrama bādi bāla kabi karahīṃ.. [1-13-4]

kīrati bhaniti bhūti bhali sōī. surasari sama saba kahaom hita hōī..

rāma sukīrati bhaniti bhadēsā. asamaṃjasa asa mōhi aomdēsā.. [1-13-5]

tumharī kṛpā sulabha sōu mōrē. siani suhāvani ṭāṭa paṭōrē.. [1-13-6]

Reassuring the mind in this way, I shall narrate the charming story of the Lord of Raghus. Vyāsa and various other top-ranking poets, who have reverently recounted the blessed glory of Śrī Hari, I bow to the lotus feet of them all; let them fulfil all my desires. I make obeisance to the bards of the Kali age, who have sung the multitudinous virtues of the Lord of Raghus. Even those poets of supreme wisdom who belong to the Prakrta or popular class (as opposed to the Saṁskṛta or the cultured class), who have narrated the exploits of Śrī Hari in the spoken language, including those who have flourished in the past, those who are still living and those who are yet to come, I reverence them, one and all, renouncing all false appearance. Be propitious and grant this boon that my song may be honoured in the assemblage of pious souls. A composition which the wise refuse to honour is fruitless labour which only silly poets undertake. Of glory, poetry and affluence that alone is blessed which, like the celestial river (Gaṅgā), is conducive to the good of all. The glory of Śrī Rāma is charming indeed, while my speech is rough. This is something incongruous, I am afraid. By your grace, even this incongruity will turn out well for me; embroidery of silk looks charming even on coarse cloth.(1-6)