Tulsidas Jayanti: Know the Lord Rama 'bhakt' better!

Lord Ram. Pic courtesy: Thinkstock Photos.

Goswami Tulsidas - a saint, poet, reformer, philosopher and one of the greatest devotees of - Lord Ram –was born in the month of Shravana on Shukla Paksha Saptami according to the Hindu Lunar calendar.

And this day is observed as the birth anniversary of Tulsidas.

Though the exact place of his birth is yet to be ascertained, many scholars believe that the great poet was born in Chitrakoot, a village on the banks of river Yamuna.

Best known for retelling the Sanskrit epic Ramayana as ‘Ramcharitmanas’ in Awadhi, Tulsidas composed poems, bhajans and couplets. Tulsidas is also believed to be the author of the popular Hanuman Chalisa, dedicated to Lord Hanuman.

‘Bhajman Ram Charan Sukhdayi’, ‘Tu dayalu deen hau’, ‘Rann jiti Ram rau aayen’, ‘Janani main na jiyun bin Ram’, ‘Bhaye Prakat Kripala’, ‘Shree Ram chandra kripalu bhajaman’ are some of the works of Tulsidas.

‘Thumak Chalat Ramchandra’, one of the most popular Bhajans written by Tulsidas was initially popularised by one of India’s greatest classical Hindustani vocalists Pandit DV Paluskar and subsequently by melody queen Lata Mangeshkar.

Tulsidas’ works have inspired many authors. His devotion for Lord Ram knows no boundaries. He lived all his life to praise Lord Ram.  His devotion for Lord Ram is so inspiring that people often look up to the great saint to attain Bhakti.

Here’s the lyrics of the powerful Hanuman Chalisa. You may chant this Chalisa to pay tribute to the glorious life of Saint Tulsidas and by doing so, seek blessings from the mighty and compassionate Lord Ram.

Doha

Shri guru charan Sarooja-raj Nija manu Mukura Sudhaari

Baranau rahubhara bimala yasha jo dayaka phala chari

Budhee-heen thanu jannikay sumirow pavana kumara

Bala-budhee vidya dehoo mohee harahu kalesha vikaara

Chopai

Jai hanuman gyan gun sagar

Jai kapis tihun lok ujagar

Ram doot atulit bal dhama

Anjaani-putra pavan sut nama

Mahabir bikram bajrangi

Kumati nivar sumati ke sangi

Kanchan varan viraj subesa

Kanan kundal kunchit kesha

Hath vajra aur dhuvaje viraje

Kaandhe moonj janehu sajai

Sankar suvan kesri nandan

Tej prataap maha jag vandan

Vidyavaan guni ati chatur

Ram kaj karibe ko aatur

Prabu charitra sunibe-ko rasiya

Ram lakhan sita man basiya

Sukshma roop dhari siyahi dikhava

Vikat roop dhari lank jarava

Bhima roop dhari asur sanghare

Ramachandra ke kaj sanvare

Laye sanjivan lakhan jiyaye

Shri raghuvir harashi ur laye

Raghupati kinhi bahut badai

Tum mam priye bharat-hi-sam bhai

Sahas badan tumharo yash gaave

Asa-kahi shripati kanth lagaave

Sankadhik brahmaadi muneesa

Narad-sarad sahit aheesa

Yam kuber digpaal jahan te

Kavi kovid kahi sake kahan te

Tum upkar sugreevahin keenha

Ram milaye rajpad deenha

Tumharo mantra vibheeshan maana

Lankeshwar bhaye sub jag jana

Yug sahastra jojan par bhanu

Leelyo tahi madhur phal janu

Prabhu mudrika meli mukh mahee

Jaladhi langhi gaye achraj nahee

Durgaam kaj jagath ke jete

Sugam anugraha tumhre tete

Ram dwaare tum rakhvare

Hoat na agya binu paisare

Sub sukh lahae tumhari sar na

Tum rakshak kahu ko dar naa

Aapan tej samharo aapai

Teenhon lok hank te kanpai

Bhoot pisaach nikat nahin aavai

Mahavir jab naam sunavae

Nase rog harae sab peera

Japat nirantar hanumant beera

Sankat se hanuman chudavae

Man karam vachan dyan jo lavai

Sab par ram tapasvee raja

Tin ke kaj sakal tum saja

Aur manorath jo koi lavai

Sohi amit jeevan phal pavai

Charon yug partap tumhara

Hai persidh jagat ujiyara

Sadhu sant ke tum rakhware

Asur nikandan ram dulhare

Ashta-sidhi nav nidhi ke dhata

As-var deen janki mata

Ram rasayan tumhare pasa

Sada raho raghupati ke dasa

Tumhare bhajan ram ko pavai

Janam-janam ke dukh bisraavai

Anth-kaal raghuvir pur jayee

Jahan janam hari-bakht kahayee

Aur devta chit na dharehi

Hanumanth se hi sarve sukh karehi

Sankat kate-mite sab peera

Jo sumirai hanumat balbeera

Jai jai jai hanuman gosahin

Kripa karahu gurudev ki nyahin

Jo sat bar path kare kohi

Chutehi bandhi maha sukh hohi

Jo yah padhe hanuman chalisa

Hoye siddhi sakhi gaureesa

Tulsidas sada hari chera

Keejai nath hridaye mein dera

Doha

Pavan tanay sankat harana

Mangala murati roop

Ram lakhana sita sahita

Hriday basahu soor bhoop