Sant Tulsidas Maharaj

Pranams at the lotus feet of Tulsidas Maharaj!

Chapter – 2

Tulsidas Maharaj returned to his birthplace but there was no one in the family was alive.  He meticulously performed ancestral rites and continued to stay in the village giving lectures on scriptures.  Once, father of Rathnavali met Swamiji Narharyananda and expressed his desire to listen to the lectures on Lord Ramachandra.  Tulsidas narrated the story of Lord Rama beautifully; Rathnavali’s father highly appreciated the handsome youth for his talent and knowledge.  He expressed his desire to give his daughter Rathnavali in marriage to Tulsidas who is a favorite disciple of Swamiji Narharyanand.   

In the year 1583, he got married to a young beautiful and intelligent girl  Rathnavali.  He was madly in love with his wife, he can’t bear even a moment of separation from her, eventually, it has created less interest in spiritual life for him.   One day she had to return to her village with her brother, Tulsidas could not tolerate the grief of separation from his wife.  He went to meet his beloved wife, crossed the river which was brimming with water; he reached the home of his wife at midnight.  It was starch dark, he entered the chamber of his wife, and she felt so shameful.  She advised him to return home immediately.  Tulsidas expressed his desire to take her back with him.  She answered her thought in a few verses/Doha,/couplets, which removed his ignorance and opened the eyes of Tulsidas.  This incident transformed a simple Bhramin man into a great Saint Tulsidas.  Her couplets were “ You do not have shame to visit during these wee hours to your wife if you have shown half of this love at the lotus feet of Lord Ramachandra, it could liberate you from the worldly existence.”    These verses hit hard on his intellect; he did not stay even a second and left the place immediately.  Afterward, his life was wholly devoted to the path of spirituality,  full of love and thirst to witness  Lord Ramachandra.

Sant Tulsidas Maharaj

Pranams at the lotus feet of Tulsidas Maharaj!

Chapter – 1

Sant Tulsidas Maharaj was born in the year 1554 to a poor orthodox Sarayuparin Bhramin couple Athmaram Dube and Hulsi Devi, lived in the village Soron/Sookara Kshethra/Varaha Kshethra, located on the riverbank of Ganges, Utter Pradesh.   The birth of the child took place after 12 months of growth in the mother’s womb.   The infant was weighed abnormal and has developed a full line of teeth.  The infant did not cry immediately after the birth, instead, it uttered the name of ‘Rama’, thus he has got the name ‘Rambhola’ who was born with the inauspicious birth star Mula, which was considered as unpromising for parents.  He was born on a Shravan Shukla Sapthami,  in a dark stormy night, his mother died soon after the birth of the child.  Eventually, his father abandoned the child which could bring further bad luck to the family, he wrapped up the child in a ragged clothe and handed to the maidservant of Hulsi Devi.  

The abandoned infant was taken care of by an old woman Chuniya; she breastfed the child and took great care of him until the child was five years of old, eventually, Chuniya died of old age.  After the death of Chuniya, the boy has no one to serve the meal or shelter place, wandered in all through the village searching for food.   It was believed that Goddess Parvathi fed the child on a regular basis, he took shelter in a Hanuman shrine.  Once Naraharyanandji who was the favorite disciple of Sri Ananthanandji lived in Ramshaila, found this young child with great effulgence wandering in the streets.  Swamiji Naraharyanand brought the child to his hermitage and initiated him to religious rites.  He performed a sacred thread ceremony to Tulsidas at the age of seven years and introduced to Vedic knowledge and scriptures.   Tulsidas was a studious boy, introduced to various religious rites, and worship of Tulsi, and taking care of the Tulsi plants and garden in the hermitage.  Tulsidas picked up the knowledge in scriptures and Veda in no time.   He lived under the guidance of Swami Naraharyanand and meticulously followed his instructions.   Tulsidas arrived in Kashi lived in Panchaganga Ghat and continued studies of Veda and Vedanga, Jyotisha,  under the guidance of great scholars and intellectual Shesha Sanatana for a period of sixteen years.  Once his education in scriptures and Ved was completed, Swamiji Naraharyanand instructed him to return to his birthplace.



Sant Tulsidas Maharaj was the composer of illustrious Ramacharitha Manas and Sri Hanuman Chalisa/ in Awadhi,  Vinaya Patrika which was written in Brajbasha and many more.  He inspired the people to follow the divine path; he urged the people to stay away from the wicked deeds and in the association, deceitful people which could bring miseries and sorrows, association with these people which could compel to commit various sins.  Therefore, being in the association of crooked is far better than living in hell.  He enthused people to be in the association of saintly people who can lead to the path of bliss.  He warned people to be in the association of pious and righteous,  to protect themselves from the wicked people.

Sthree Dharma - Sri Shivamahapuran

Sri Shivamahapuran describes an interesting myth about the Sthreedharma, the Dharma/ righteousness of a married woman which was narrated to Goddess Parvathi.  A chaste woman should not leave her husband when he becomes aged or sick.   She has to sincerely follow the wishes of her husband during good and troubled times in married life.  It is not advisable to share the secrets of her husband to others; a woman should not present herself beautiful in the absence of her husband, in the same manner, a woman should not keep her dull or untidy before her husband.  A married woman should not address her husband in his name, she should not argue with her husband at any circumstance, instead, it is her duty to remain silent.  She should be a sincere attendant to her husband; she should follow the instructions of her husband without questioning them.  She should not be out of the family for long or wee hours, she should not participate in the festivities without her husband.  She should follow all the tasks of household chores without any hesitation.  She should be able to take care of the expenses of the home in a sensible manner, should not spend all that money earned, should keep some to perform Dharmic rites.  The meal should not be consumed without offering to Lord, saints, cows; it is advisable to have a meal after her husband.  She should stand with her husband in good and bad times, she should sleep after her husband goes to sleep, and she should be up before him.   A woman should stay away from her husband for three days of menstruation, she can enter any conversation after the three days of this period.  She should not create any mistrust or unhappiness in her husband.  A woman who wants to have a long life for her husband should not keep her hands empty without bangles or body without ornaments; she should dress up presentable always.  A chaste woman should not be in association with any woman of immoral character or wicked nature.  She should be sweet-talking, a married woman should see the face of her husband immediately after the bath, or she should worship Lord Suryanarayana.  A woman who takes good care of her husband, pleasant and presentable before her husband would make the three worlds happy.  A chaste woman’s piousness would liberate the soul of three generations of ancestors of the couple.

Sant Surdas Maharaj

Pranams at the lotus feet of Sant Surdas Maharaj!

Chapter – 7

Surdas Maharaj inspired a large number of people to the path of devotion with his pure Bhakti to Lord Krishna.  Once Surdas Maharaj visited the temple of Lord Krishna; there was a huge crowd in the shrine.  Surdas Maharaj was walking through the crowds blindly, with the stampede people find it difficult to move forward.  One of the devotees asked “ Maharaj, you are blind, you cannot see what’s happening around you, then why you should take so much pain to visit the shrine.”  Surdas Maharaj said “ I am blind, I cannot see anyone, but my beloved Krishna is not blind.  He can see me, that’s why I am here in this crowd.”  It hit hard on the intellect of the devotee.  In this way, Surdas Maharaj persuaded everyone to walk through the path of devotion and righteousness, so that the people will be sacred to commit sin with the fear that ‘He is watching always”. 

Once Radharani and Krishna were having pleasing time, Lord Krishna said: “ Radhe, do not go near Surdas, he may get hold of your legs.” Radharani said, “ No, I will go near him and see what happens.” She went close to Surdas Maharaj and asked: “will you get hold of my leg?” Surdas Maharaj said, “ No, I am a blind person.” She moved close to Surdas Maharaj and helped him to touch her feet.   Instantly, Lord Krishna whispered to Surdas to get hold of the feet of Radharani.  Surdas Maharaj got hold of the feet of Radharani, as per the advice of Krishna, but she got her feet slipped out of the hands of Surdas Maharaj, during this process her anklets remained in the hands of Maharaj.  Radharani said “ Maharaj, give me back my anklets, I have to be with Krishna for Rasaleela.” Surdasji said “ How do I know it is yours, I am a blind person, If I give this anklet to you thinking that you are the owner of it if someone may come and claim for it what would I say? If I see you in person then only I can give it to you.  Unfortunately, I am a blind person.”  Lord Krishna took great pleasure in the conversation between the two and laughed out, eventually, Surdas Maharaj was blessed with divine eyes to witness Radharani and Lord Krishna.  Later, Surdas Maharaj wrote wonderful verses praising the enthralling beauty of Radharani and Lord Krishna, in that he described the eyes that have seen the most attractive form of Bhramam would never yearn to look for any other things in this Universe.   Surdas Maharaj asked for a boon to Lord Krishna to take back his eyesight.

Sant Surdas Maharaj

Pranams at the lotus feet of Sant Surdas Maharaj!

Chapter – 6

Surdas Maharaj took a vow to write hundred and thousand verses praising the glories of his beloved Krishna.  But Lord has some other plans for Surdas Maharaj.   He immersed in composing verses that relentlessly flew out of his mouth like streams.  Lord Krishna was impatiently waiting for his closest companion to receive to his abode.   But Surdas  Maharaj was firm to complete the verses as he has taken a vow,  therefore he was firm to finish it before leaving the mortal coil.  One day Lord Krishna appeared before Surdas Maharaj and Said “ Maharaj, you have completed writing hundred and thousands of verses praising me, I have added twenty-five verses into your compositions to make it hundred and thousands if you do not believe me, check your note-book,” Surdas Maharaj opened his book and found that his vow to compose hundred and thousands of verses were already completed and it was signed in the name of Surdas Maharaj.   He reverentially prostrated before Lord Krishna.  Lord appealed to Surdas Maharaj to be in his abode forever and disappeared.  Surdas Maharaj immersed in the thoughts of various pastimes of Lord and ultimately attained the abode of Lord Krishna.

In the year 1586, Sant Surdas Maharaj at the age of 85 years attained union with the supreme Bramham.  Some of the writings of  Surdas Maharaj can be found in the holy Guru Granth Sahib, he has written Sur Saravali, and Sahithya Lahiri.  His compositions were the representation of the fundamental nature of Bhakti that reveals his pure love to beloved Krishna who was the dearest companion to him.  His poetic works are enthralling, which describes the marvelous childhood pastimes of Lord Krishna with  Ma Yashomathi, his passionate love for the cows, cowherds and young maidens of Gokulam, his magnificent Rasaleela with Radharani, Lord Vishnu’s fourth incarnations as half-man and half-lion to save his staunch devotee Prahlada and death of Hiranyakashipu, Lord Vishnu’s fifth incarnation as dwarf/Vamana to crush the pride of emperor Bali, etc..

Sant Surdas Maharaj

Pranams at the lotus feet of Sant Surdas Maharaj!

Chapter – 5

There was an interesting incident took place in the life of Surdas Maharaj.  The sons of Vittaldas Goswami decided to test the devotion of Surdas Maharaj who arrived in Gokuldham.  Surdas Maharaj decided to take Parikrama of Govardhan with Goswami.  The sons of Vittaldas Goswami used to listen to the lectures of  Surdas Maharaj,  he describes the marvelous decoration of the idol of Lord Krishna in the shrine on a daily basis as if he was seen with his eyes.  The sons of Goswami decided to test on Surdas Maharaj, they decorated the idol of Lord Krishna in a unique way to experiment with the devotion of Surdas Maharaj.  Giridharji who was well aware of the devotion of Surdas Maharaj discouraged the children and said: “It is not advisable to test the devotion of saintly people.”  But the children were adamant.  It was the month of Ashada, Giridharji decorated the idol of Lord Krishna brilliantly, it was scorching heat, during these days usually the idol of Lord used to keep free from decoratives and colorful clothes.  Instead, the stone idol was decorated with the rich sandalwood paste and highly fragrant and colorful substances.  Surdas Maharaj who was sitting in the patio of the shrine was smiling to himself, thinking the lovely form of Lord Krishna.  It was during the Harathi Dharshan, Giridhardasji requested Surdas Maharaj to sing praising the decoration of Lord Krishna.  Surdas Maharaj sung every detail about the decoration of Lord Krishna that was taken place on that day and his attractive limbs as if he was seen them with his eyes, everyone was wonder-struck listening to the mesmerizing verses of Surdas Maharaj.

Sant Surdas Maharaj

Pranams at the lotus feet of Sant Surdas Maharaj!

Chapter – 4

Surdas arrived in Brindavan and started living in an old shrine.  Once he met Sri Vallabhacharya on the river banks of Yamuna, that was the turning point in his life.   He embraced Sanyasa under the guidance of Sri Vallabhacharya who taught him lessons on Hindu philosophy and meditation.  He lived in Parsoli near Chandrasarovar, though he was blind by birth, he could witness all those pastimes of his beloved Lord Krishna and his attractive features with his divine eyes.   He composed those fascinating sights in beautiful verses.   Once in a day, the temple priest offers a meal to Surdas.  Usually, the offering to Lord was given as food with a pot of water to Maharaj.   One day the son of the priest forgot to keep water and kept the meal before Surdas Maharaj and left home.  While eating the hard foodstuffs, it stuck in the throat of Surdas Maharaj and started chocking, he was trying to call out for help but went in vain, and his situation became grim.  Soon a boy arrived with a vessel of water kept in the sanctum and handed before Surdas Maharaj “ Baba, drink this water, you will be alright soon”.  The little boy arrived from nowhere took the vessel near the mouth to Maharaj and fed him with water.  He left the vessel there and disappeared.  Surdas Maharaj thought it was the son of the priest who handed him water.  Suddenly, there arrived the son of the priest and said: “ Babaji, I have forgotten to give water, that is why I came rushing to you.”  He was surprised to see the vessel full of water before Maharaj.   Surdas Maharaj said “Just now I had very bad chocking, the food got stuck in my throat, struggling for breath, you came running with water and fed me.  I was about to die without breath, anyway thanks to you.”  The son of the priest was surprised to hear, he said: “ Babaji, I was not here, I did not give you water.”  It was Lord Krishna who served Surdas Maharaj in trouble.