Tuesday, February 14, 2017

Route

Parrot

In the year of 1607, once when Tulsidas was making Chandan (sandalwood), two young princes came to him and asked for Chandan. Lord Hanuman came in the form of a parrot and spoke:
  || Chitrakoot Ke Ghaat Par, Bhai Santan Ke  Bheer
   Tulseedaas Chandan Ghisen, Tilak Det Raghubeer ||
Translation:
“…Amidst the large crowd of holy men in Chitrakut, while Tulsidas grinds the sandalwood to turn it into paste, Raghubeer (Lord Ram) appeared before him asking the paste to be smeared on his forehead…”

Speaking

Ghost

Every morning Tulsidas would go to river Ganga for morning ablutions and on return he would pour the leftover water of his pot on a nearby tree. A ghost was living on the tree. He was very much satisfied with the water offerings from Tulsidas. Once he presented himself before Tulsidas.

 “I am very much pleased with you. I will grant you a boon. Ask whatever you want.”, the Ghost said.
“I have not been able to see Lord Rama. Please arrange my meeting (darshana) with the Lord.”, Tulsidas prayed with folded hands.

“Tulsidasji, I am small-time ghost living in a minor tree. If I had access to Lord Rama, do you think I would be living here as a Ghost and waiting for the ablution-leftover water from you? It is not within my powers to arrange a meeting with Lord Rama. But I can show a way. Look at that big tree north of this place where Ramayana is being read every evening. The diseased old man who comes first, sits alone at a distance, hears Ramayana attentively and leaves the last is none other than Hanuman. You pray to him. He can arrange your meeting with the Lord.”, the Ghost advised.