Tulsidas Quotes

Paradheen sapanehun such naheen.

This fair city opens to all Rama’s heaven, The whole world knows well here is holiness given. Beyond number souls from the four wombs are born. But the souls who in Avadh die never return. Well knowing this city the home of delight, The giver of wealth, source of all that is bright, Its history pure I’ll begin to relate; Once heard it destroys passion, envy and hate.

Listen, Vibhishan, Angad, Sugriv! Pure and clean "Is my city; my land is the fairest e'er seen! "Tho' for beauty men always of Paradise dream, "And tho' scripture, as all know, declares it supreme, "Tho' but few know the secret, yet this I declare- "That dear to me is Avadh beyond all compare! "Here's my birthplace, this city delightful, secure; "On the north River Sarju flows, sacred and pure, "In which bathing, without any labours or pains, "His abiding-place with me forever man gains; "Very dear to my heart are all those who here dwell; "They attain thus my realm, there and here all is well."

He walks without legs, hears without ears, does all the deeds without hands.
He enjoys all the juices without a mouth, spells all the truth without a voice, touches everything without hands.
He see very object without eyes and inhales all the scents without a breath.

Am a servant of Rama,
Accredited to His Court, What for should I
Be a Courier of man?

Unless one cultivates slave-master relationship with the Lord,
No one can go across the ocean of this material world.
Who is as virtuous a master as Rama?
And who is as vicious as I am?

No virtue is equal to the good of others and
no vice greater than hurting others.

There is no difference between knowledge and devotion, Both of them save the soul from the miseries of worldly life.

In the year sixteen hundred and thirtyone bright, With my head lowly placed at my lord’s feet I write; On Tuesday, the ninth day of Chaitra, month pleasing, In the city of Avadh my story releasing. ‘Tis the birthday of Rāma, as scriptures declare, And the day when the pilgrims are gathering there. All demons, birds, serpents, men, saints and gods too There are meeting to bring their lord homage true; On this festival day of lord Rama’s birth They all sing with acclaim his high praises and worth.

I honour Ayodhyā, all holy within; And the fair Sarju River, destroyer of sin. All honour again to that town’s sons and daughters, Whom Lord Rāma loved with love deep as deep waters. For their sake he Sita’s defamer forgave, That a realm free from, sorrow they always might have. I honour Kausalya, like eastern sky bright, Whose fair fame has spread, to the world giving light. From whence Rāma fair as the moon has arisen, By whom the world’s blest, evil’s blooms are all frozen.(After Dohā 15)

God refuses to be mine,
thine or his. For him the truth is but one but the proud and the vain have forged many out of their desires and fancies.

On Tuesday, the ninth day of Chaitra, month pleasing, In th’ city of Avadh my story releasing. 'Tis the birthday of Rāma, as scriptures declare, And the day when the pilgrims are gathering there. All demons, birds, serpents, men, saints and gods too There are meeting to bring to their lord homage true; On this festival day of the lord Rama’s birth They all sing with acclaim his high praises and worth.(After Dohā 33)

Mother and father abandoned me at birth and the author of my life also did not write any worth or merit on the page of destiny.

The story of Ramachandra, as narrated in the Valmiki Ramayan and the Adhyatma Ramayan, after reinforcing and revitalizing it with the essence of whatever the Puranas, the Vedas, and other scriptures could give, I, Tulsidas, am writing for the delight of my own soul.

The world knows that to quell the belly-fire, I ate crumbs and morsels given by men of caste, high-caste, low-caste or no cast.