Introduction

• Goswami Tulsidas (1497-1623 CE) was a great devotional poet, primarily known for rendering the saga of Lord Ramin Ramcharitmanas.
• The Ramcharitmanas is the most popular version of Ram’s saga, originally narrated in Sanskrit by Valmiki, and continues to be influential in Hindi literature.
• Tulsidas’ works are an important source for understanding Indian civilization, including its political philosophy, public morals, and societal values.
• His writings offer universal lessons applicable to both individual and public conduct, even in contemporary times.
• Camille Bulcke observed Tulsidas as a poet transcending time, country, and religion, serving as a guide for humanity for over three centuries.
• Tulsidas’ works, particularly the Ramcharitmanas, provide valuable insights into India’s political culture and can help scholars understand the Indian context, distinct from Western political thought.
• Tulsidas was born in Rajapur, Chitrakoot (Uttar Pradesh) around 1497, and lived during the reign of Mughal emperors Akbar and Jahangir.
• He spent much of his life in Banaras, with Vincent Smith regarding his works as superior to Akbar’s achievements.
• Vincent Smith viewed Tulsidas as greater than Akbar, emphasizing the lasting impact of Tulsidas’ work on the hearts and minds of people, compared to the temporary victories of war.
• Tulsidas is attributed with 12 authentic works, including the Ramcharitmanas, which he started writing in 1574 AD.
• The Ramcharitmanas holds supreme importance in North India, comparable to the Bible for British Christians, and has a profound influence on Indian society.
• Tulsidas passed away in 1623, on the banks of the Ganga in July.
• Tulsidas lived in an era of civilizational decadence after the decline of Indic civilization and the collapse of political suzerainty.
• The social norms were in disarray, especially after invasions in the 12th century, leading to the downfall of Indian civilization.
• Art and literature from the time reflect a society in a state of complacency, enjoying wealth, beauty, and festivity without preparing for external threats.
• The lack of military preparedness led to the rapid conquests by Qutbuddin Aibak and Bakhtiyar Khilji.
• Invasions were not only military but also religious, social, and cultural—destroying places of worship, converting people, and engaging in forced marriages and abductions.
• The lack of innovation in mechanical and military arts made India vulnerable to foreign attacks.
• The campaign for total proselytization was not feasible due to the vastness of the country and the difficulty in maintaining a stable empire.
• The Mughal regime viewed India as an occupied territory, maintaining its foreignness consciously.
• Historian Abraham Eraly noted that by the 18th century, the Mughal empire still remained like a foreign entity, with no deep roots in Indian soil.
• The empire was sharply polarized: the ruling class was predominantly from the Persian elite, while the subjects were native Indians, particularly Hindus, who faced political, social, and economic disabilities.
• Mughals, regardless of race or sect, were part of the ruling class, and Hindus were regarded as degenerate subjects.
• The Mughal amirs lived in great extravagance, with luxurious mansions, multiple wives, and servants, and indulged in fine foods and drinks.
• Income distribution in Mughal India was highly unequal, with significant revenue assigned to a small number of princes and amirs. Under Shah Jahan, 61.5% of the empire’s revenue was controlled by just 655 individuals.
• The general populace lived in extreme poverty, surviving on bare minimum and dwelling in dingy hovels.
• The Indic civilization was in decline during Tulsidas’ time, enduring foreign yoke for centuries and suffering from internal disorder.
• Akbar’s reign (1542-1605) was exceptional, marked by military genius and extraordinary statesmanship, including policies of toleration and cultural fusion.
• Despite relative peace during Akbar’s reign, there was exploitation of the ryots (peasants) and a highly unequalsystem.
• The Mughal aristocracy indulged in debauchery, including excessive drinking, maintaining harems, and punishing subjects brutally for minor offenses.
• Some have argued that Tulsidas’ Ramrajya reflected the royal court of Akbar, but this view is a misunderstanding of his works.
• Tulsidas’ writings are not a tribute to a ruler but an exhortation for liberation from the decadence of the age, with a focus on mental, moral, and spiritual freedom.
• The bhakti-marga, represented by Tulsidas, was a response to the unresponsive rule of the time and served as a form of resistance rather than synthesis or compromise.
• Bhakti is a form of spirituality, emphasizing self-surrender to the deity, and provides a response to existential crises, anxieties, and moral degradation.
• The bhakti movement was a response to the turbulent and unstable times of medieval India, marked by warfare, invasions, and cultural destabilization.
• Bhakti disapproved of the existing state of society and provided a commitment to civilizational redemption, with the deity as a deliverer and enforcer of justice.
• The devotee’s commitment to the deity resisted the influence of coercive forces and power structures that otherwise dominated society.