Study Notes: Tulsidas, the Hindu Diaspora, . S'ymbolism, and Sikhism

Tulsidas and the Ramcharitmanas

Tulsidas's Life and Renunciation

  • Influence of Kabir: Tulsidas was significantly influenced by Kabir, whose popular writings set the standard for proper language, much like Shakespeare did for English dialects. Kabir's influence emphasized finding the divine within and rejecting idol worship.

  • Early Life & Hardship:

    • Born into an extremely poor family in North Central India.

    • His mother died at his birth, leaving his father with an infant he couldn't feed due to poverty and lack of milk.

    • A woman in the village took Tulsidas in, raising him until he was about 6−86-8 months old, and then for several years until she also died.

    • His father took him back, but Tulsidas was considered