Tulsidas was born in 1532 in Rajapur Jagaan, Banda district, Uttar Pradesh. Some scholars also consider Soro (District-Etah) as his birthplace. Tulsidas’s childhood was very full of struggles. In the early years of his life, he was separated from his parents. It is said that through the grace of his guru, he found the path of devotion to Ram. He was a poet who worshipped human values. Tulsidas is incomparable in the tradition of devotion to Ram. Ramcharitmanas is a delightful example of the poet’s exclusive devotion to Ram and his creative skill. His Ram is a symbol of human proprieties and ideals through which Tulsidas established sublime ideals like morality, affection, modesty, humility, and sacrifice. Ramcharitmanas is very popular among the people of North India. Apart from Manas, Kavitavali, Geetavali, Dohavali, Krishnagitaavali, Vinaypatrika etc. are his major works. He had equal command over both Awadhi and Braj languages. He passed away in Kashi in 1623.

Tulsidas composed Ramcharitmanas in Awadhi and Vinaypatrika and Kavitavali in Brajbhasha. All the poetic forms prevalent at that time can be seen in Tulsidas’s works. The main meter of Ramcharitmanas is Chaupai, and in between, Doha, Soratha, Harigitika and other meters are interwoven. Vinaypatrika is composed in lyrical verses. In Kavitavali, the beauty of Savaiya and Kavitt meters can be seen. His works contain excellent forms of both narrative and lyric poetry.

This excerpt is taken from the Baal Kand of Ramcharitmanas. After Ram broke Shiva’s bow at Sita’s swayamvar, when sage Parshuram received this news, he came there in anger. Seeing Shiva’s bow broken, he lost his temper. After Ram’s humility and Vishwamitra’s persuasion, and after testing Ram’s power, his anger finally subsides. The dialogue that took place between Ram, Lakshman and Parshuram during this episode is presented here. Lakshman answers Parshuram’s angry words with sarcastic remarks. The special feature of this episode is Lakshman’s sarcastic remarks imbued with the heroic sentiment and the delightful expression of the suggestive style.

Ram-Lakshman-Parshuram Dialogue

नाथ संभुधनु भंजनिहारा। होइहि केउ एक दास तुम्हारा।।
आयेसु काह कहिअ किन मोही। सुनि रिसाइ बोले मुनि कोही।।
सेवकु सो जो करै सेवकाई। अरिकरनी करि करिअ लराई।।
सुुनु राम जेहि सिवधनु तोरा। सहसबाहु सम सो रिपु मोरा।।
सो बिलगाउ बिहाइ समाजा। न त मारे जैहहिं सब राजा।।
सुनि मुनिबचन लखन मुसुकाने। बोले परसुधरहि अवमाने।।
बहु धनुही तोरी लरिकाईं। कबहुँ न असि रिस कीन्हि गोसाईं।।
येहि धनु पर ममता केहि हेतू। सुनि रिसाइ कह भृगुकुलकेतू।।

रे नृपबालक कालबस बोलत तोहि न सँभार।
धनुही सम त्रिपुरारिधनु बिदित सकल संसार।।

लखन कहा हसि हमरे जाना। सुनहु देव सब धनुष समाना।।
का छति लाभु जून धनु तोरें। देखा राम नयन के भोरें।।
छुअत टूट रघुपतिहु न दोसू। मुनि बिनु काज करिअ कत रोसू।।
बोले चितै परसु की ओरा। रे सठ सुनेहि सुभाउ न मोरा।।
बालकु बोलि बधौं नहि तोही। केवल मुनि जड़ जानहि मोही।।
बाल ब्रह्मचारी अति कोही। बिस्वबिदित क्षत्रियकुल द्रोही।।
भुजबल भूमि भूप बिनु कीन्ही। बिपुल बार महिदेवन्ह दीन्ही।।
सहसबाहुभुज छेदनिहारा। परसु बिलोकु महीपकुमारा।।

मातु पितहि जनि सोचबस करसि महीसकिसोर।
गर्भन्ह के अर्भक दलन परसु मोर अति घोर।।

बिहसि लखनु बोले मृदु बानी। अहो मुनीसु महाभट मानी।।
पुनि पुनि मोहि देखाव कुठारु। चहत उड़ावन फूँकि पहारू।।
इहाँ कुम्हड़बतिया कोउ नाहीं। जे तरजनी देखि मरि जाहीं।।
देखि कुठारु सरासन बाना। मैं कछु कहा सहित अभिमाना।।
भृगुसुत समुझि जनेउ बिलोकी। जो कछु कहहु सहौं रिस रोकी।।
सुर महिसुर हरिजन अरु गाई। हमरे कुल इन्ह पर न सुराई।।
बधें पापु अपकीरति हारें। मारतहू पा परिअ तुम्हारें।
कोटि कुलिस सम बचनु तुम्हारा। ब्यर्थ धरहु धनु बान कुठारा।।

जो बिलोकि अनुचित कहेउँ छमहु महामुनि धीर।
सुनि सरोष भृगुबंसमनि बोले गिरा गंभीर।।

Questions-Exercises

1. When Parshuram got angry, what arguments did Lakshman give for the bow being broken?

2. Based on the reactions of Ram and Lakshman when Parshuram got angry, write the characteristics of their natures in your own words.

3. Write the part of the dialogue between Lakshman and Parshuram that you liked the most in your own words in dialogue style.

4. What did Parshuram say about himself in the assembly, write based on the following verse-

बाल ब्रह्मचारी अति कोही। बिस्वबिदित क्षत्रियकुल द्रोही।।
भुजबल भूमि भूप बिनु कीन्ही। बिपुल बार महिदेवन्ह दीन्ही।।
सहसबाहुभुज छेदनिहारा। परसु बिलोकु महीपकुमारा।।

मातु पितहि जनि सोचबस करसि महीसकिसोर।
गर्भन्ह के अर्भक दलन परसु मोर अति घोर।।

5. What qualities of a brave warrior did Lakshman mention?

6. If courage and strength are accompanied by humility, it is better. Write your thoughts on this statement.

7. Explain the meaning-

(क) बिहसि लखनु बोले मृदु बानी। अहो मुनीसु महाभट मानी।।
पुनि पुनि मोहि देखाव कुठारू। चहत उड़ावन फूँकि पहारू।।

(ख) इहाँ कुम्हड़बतिया कोउ नाहीं। जे तरजनी देखि मरि जाहीं।।
देखि कुठारु सरासन बाना। मैं कछु कहा सहित अभिमाना।।

8. Write ten lines on the linguistic beauty of Tulsidas based on the lesson.

9. This entire episode has a unique beauty of satire. Explain with examples.

10. Identify and write the figures of speech used in the following lines-

(क) बालकु बोलि बधौं नहि तोही।

(ख) कोटि कुलिस सम बचनु तुम्हारा।

Composition and Expression

11. “In social life, the need for anger arises constantly. If there were no anger, man would not even find a way to permanently remove many troubles caused by others.”

This statement by Acharya Ramchandra Shuklaji confirms that anger does not always carry negative emotions but is sometimes positive too. Express your opinion in favor or against this.

12. Write the characteristics of the nature of an acquaintance or friend of yours.

13. Write a story keeping in mind the title ‘One should not underestimate the capabilities of others’.

14. Recall and write about those incidents when you resisted injustice.

15. In which regions is the Awadhi language spoken today?

Beyond the Text Activities

• Read other works of Tulsidas from the library.

• There is a traditional style of reciting Doha and Chaupai. Practice reciting them with rhythm.

• You might have had the opportunity to watch a traditional Ramlila or a theatrical presentation of the Ramkatha, write about that experience in your own words.

• Perform a theatrical presentation of this episode.

• Gather the various information given in the dictionary about the words ‘kohi’, ‘kulis’ etc.

Vocabulary

Also Know

Doha - Doha is a popular metrical verse in which the first and third lines have 13-13 matras (syllabic instants) and the second and fourth lines have 11-11 matras.

Chaupai - The metrical verse Chaupai has four lines and each line has 16 matras.

Before Tulsidas, Sufi poets also used the Doha-Chaupai meter in the Awadhi language, among which Malik Muhammad Jayasi’s Padmavat is notable.

The Tale of Parshuram and Sahasrabahu

In the lesson, ‘सहसबाहु सम सो रिपु मोरा’ has been mentioned several times. Many tales about the enmity between Parshuram and Sahasrabahu are prevalent. According to the Mahabharata, the story is as follows-

Parshuram was the son of sage Jamadagni. Once, King Kartavirya Sahasrabahu came to Jamadagni’s ashram while hunting. Jamadagni had the Kamadhenu cow, which was a special cow, it is said that it fulfilled all desires. Kartavirya Sahasrabahu demanded the Kamadhenu cow from sage Jamadagni. When the sage refused, Sahasrabahu forcibly abducted the Kamadhenu cow. Enraged by this, Parshuram killed Sahasrabahu. Sage Jamadagni strongly condemned this act and asked Parshuram to perform penance. Meanwhile, Sahasrabahu’s sons, in anger, killed sage Jamadagni. Angered again by this, Parshuram vowed to rid the earth of Kshatriyas.