Once there was a minister in the court of Akbar by name Atmaram. He had a son by name Tulasi, who was very intelligent, handsome and very learned. Tulasi made his parents very happy and they felt blessed to have such a son. When Tulasi came of age he was married to a pretty, educated girl by name Matha Devi. Matha Devi and Tulasi had a very good mutual understanding. She was very devoted to her husband. Tulasi inspite of being very intellingent was spending most of his time in the pleasures of life. Matha Devi who was observing this, thought that it was not appropriate for him to spend his time in such pleasures, so she advised him to keep himself under control . But her advise just lasted only for a few days and later it used to fade off and again he used to be his usual self.
One day Akbar wanted to go for hunting and asked Tulasi to accompany him. Tulasi who though didn't like to go, couldn't refuse the emperor so he went for hunting. After tulasi had departed, Matha Devi got a message that her mother was seriously ill. Tulasi's mother consoled Matha Devi and asked her to leave immediately, and that she would take of Tulasi in her absence. Hence Matha Devi left to see her mother. When Tulasi returned back, he didn't find his wife and started searching her all over and was quiet shocked when his mother told him about her departure to her mother's place. He was very dejected and sad and was unable to have his meal in the absence of his wife. He was not bothered about his mother-in-law.
He was unable to go to sleep so after sometime he got up and went off to his mother-in-law place. He went through a dense forest which was full of wild animals. In his desire to see his wife he walked very fast and fearlessly and reached the place in the early morning. The whole village was very quiet and the doors of the house were closed, so he didn't want to disturb anyone. He went around the house. He observed a rope hanging from the top of the building and assumed his wife must have kept it . With the help of the rope he climbed and went up and went to his wife room. Matha Devi was shocked and surprised to find her husband suddenly in her room. She enquired about how she came inside the house when all the doors and windows were closed. Tulasi replied that he had come here with the help of a rope. She was surprised and both went to see the rope, instead they found a deadly Cobra. Matha Devi was shocked .
Later they spent some time chatting with each other. Then she persuaded her husband to give up all the pleasures, telling that material and physical pleasures are only temporary. Human birth is very rare and it should be used for concentrating on God and realising him. She also said that all the love, attention, etc which he was showering on her, instead if he had put even a little effort on realising God , then, by now, he would have succeeded in realising God. These wordings of his wife, had a deep impact on Tulasidas, that he went off in search of God. Twelve years he wandered and lived on fruits and water. One day a brahma raksasha appeared before him and thanked him for helping him by giving water when he was in utmost need and offered him a boon. Tulasi who was not interested in anything asked him to bring Lord Shri Rama, on which the raksasha expressed his inability to do so, but pointed to an old person at a distance and said that he was Lord Hanuman, who alone is capable of giving the darshan of Lord Rama.
Tulasi went to that old person and requested him to help him in getting the darshn of the Lord.
Lord Hanuman asked him to go home and said that he will definitely get the darshan. Tulasi went to his house and was engrossed in singing the bhajans, when he saw a muslim king going by with his huge troop. Later Lord Maruthi asked him if he had seen the Lord and Tulasi shook his head. LordMaruthi explained that the muslim king was none other than Lord Rama and the troop were his the monkeys "vanaras". Tulasi felt sad that he was unable to recognise the Lord. But Lord Hanuman blessed him with the darshan of Lord Rama along with Lakshmana and Sita and then he disappeared.
Tulasi became very famous for his bhajans and talks on the Lord, that one day Akbar ordered him to give him the darshan of Lord Rama, but Tulasi replied that it was not possible for him. Akbar got angry and imprisoned him. Soon thousands of monkeys attacked his kingdom and no one were able to control them. Akbar was advised by some people that the release of Tulasi will bring down the attack of the monkeys. Akbar realised his fault and immediately released Tulasi. Tulasi later went to mathura,brindavan etc and settled down 0n the banks of the river yamuna. Tulasi love for the lord made many a people also become ardent devotees of the lord and finally he left the world.
----------------------------------------------
Constant touch with the service of the Lord is a must for everyone in this world, if one has to come out from the clutches of the material world or if one is not to skid down from the journey of self realisation.
No comments:
Post a Comment