RANDOM THOUGHTS ON TULSIDAS JAYANTI
One of these days was the Jayanti of Goswami Tulsidas.
The story goes like this-- Tulsidas’ mother died at his birth. He was born at an inauspicious planetary junction. His father too abandoned Tulsidas because he was an astrologer who predicted his own death and considered the child as an inauspicious presence in the family.
Tulsidas was raised by monkeys (Hanuman) and a woman named Parvati Amma (Goddess Parvati) fed him every day until her death. Fortune shined on this “unfortunate” boy one day when a beautiful brahmin girl married him. Due to being constantly abandoned by loved ones in his past, Tulsidas became overly attached to her. This resulted in an embarrassment one day at his in-laws’ house which lead to Tulsidas becoming a renunciate --and eventually a saint. He wrote RamCharitManasa in Awadhi language and made Ramayan available to non-sanskrit-speaking general populace of Awadh region.
Story No. 2: There is a similar story of Bilva Mangala who was similarly attached to a prostitute with whom he was in love. One night after performing his father’s yearly death ceremony (shraadha) he beat the storms and wrath of nature to be able to go and see that prostitute. She told him that if he loved God with such ardor and intensity, he might attain Him. This incident resulted in Bilva Mangala becoming a renunciate --and a saint later on.
Story No. 3: Yogi Vemanna was a 19th century poet who lived in Andhra Pradesh. He was in love with a prostitute who would use him to get more and more gold from his rich family. One day, in the dead of the night, he tried to steal his sister-in-law’s necklace while she was asleep ---and he got caught!!! Because she was very maternal towards him, she asked him to pray to mother Kali for buddhi. He became a renunciate and attained the grace of God. In the course of his wanderings, Vemanna went to Cuddappah and lived in a forest. He planted various fruit bearing trees, melons, cucumbers, etc. The cucumbers were all filled with gold. Vemanna built a golden temple in Sri-Sailam with this gold. Even today this golden temple of Sri-Sailam contains the famous Jyotirlinga of Mallikarjuna at SriSailam in Andhra Pradesh.
Story No. 4: Mary Magdalene, who was one of the 12 main apostles of Jesus Christ was a prostitute before she became an apostle of Jesus Christ.
Story No. 5 & 6: Bhartrihari who wrote Vairagya Shatakam was also neck deep immersed in lust before he became a renunciate. Gautama Buddha’s father similarly tried to immerse him in pleasures and failed.
The birthdays of such saints are to be celebrated as a reminder that even an infinitesimally small grace and opulence of God can miraculously transform us in ways we wouldn’t have imagined in our dizziest of the daydreams. We can never say who might attain what height of exalted state of spirituality due to the Grace of the Lord. All of us are equal. So we must see God in all Human Beings and pray that such miracles happen in everyone’s lives. There is always hope. Where God is concerned, the possibilities are endless!!! A tiniest pinch of faith is enough to save a person from falling into the darkest of the hells...
Story No. 7: Ajatashatru (meaning--unknown enemy) was a cruel and blood lustful king who was a contemporary of Lord Buddha and 24th Jain Tirthankara Mahavira. When Ajatashatru was in his mother’s womb, she felt a desire of drinking her husband King Bimbisara’s blood and eating his heart after deep frying it in oil. Due to such demonic desires arising out of Ajatashatru being in her womb she tried to abort the child several times-- but failed. After the child birth she threw the child into a dumpster. A bird ate one of his fingers. His father King Bimbisara felt mercy for the baby and took it back into the palace. Ajatashatru grew up and imprisoned his father, King Bimbisara, and tortured him until he committed suicide. Ajatashatru waged wars and conquered entire North India during Buddha’s time. He wanted to be the emperor of Indian subcontinent-- something Gautama Buddha was prophesied to become. Ajatashatru worked with Buddha’s slimy scheming cousinand enemy-- Devdutt and tried to reduce Buddha’s influence by breaking the sangha from within. He failed. Eventually, Ajatashatru became depressed and became a disciple of Lord Buddha-- and attained some peace. There is always hope. Where God is concerned, the possibilities are endless.
Story No. 8: Girish Chandra Ghosh was a famous dramatist who lived during the time of Lord Ramakrishna. He had problems with women and alcohol. With the grace of Sri Ramakrishna, he became an enlightened soul.
Story No.9 : Sage Valmiki who wrote Ramayana, in his life prior to becoming a monk ( muni/ sannyasi ) was a highway robber and murderer named Ratnakara. His meeting with Sage Narada changed the course of his life.
Story No.10 : Brahmarishi Vishwamitra to whom Gayatri mantra was revealed, and who was the preceptor ( guru) or Lord Rama and Lakshmana, was a king prior to becoming a monk (sannyasi). He was intensely jealous of the material prosperity of Sage Vasishta’s ashram and when Vasishta refused to give him the wish-fulfilling cow, Vishwamitra slaughtered Vasishta’s 1000 sons. But due to God’s grace, all this was forgiven by Sage Vasishta (and by God). He faltered yet again and got seduced by a celestial nymph with whom he (being a monk) had a child and rejected that child and it’s mother. All this was forgiven due to God’s grace. Eventually Vishwamitra became a Brahmarishi and gave the world, the all-powerful Gayathri Mantra.
These were simply a few stories off the top of my head--because this particular story narrative is way too common across the globe and across the cultures. It is a story narrative that we can all predict the turn it would take. It is far too easy to realize how very fake Maya really is-- thanks to God’s grace. A wise person once said--”Observe her closely and Maya will run away” This is far too easy for a person to understand because God makes it possible for all of us. It is possible only with God’s grace. As Ramakrishna once said-- without exception, everyone will attain moksha. Such is the kindness and compassion of God for His children.
These birthdays of Saints like Tulsidas are worth remembering because they were all people who devoted their lives for God and became exalted characters and souls due to Divine Grace. They remind us that faith can move mountains.
