Page:A History of Hindi Literature.djvu/67

TULSI DAS AND THE RAMA CULT 53 of Tulsi Das was also characteristic of a Sanskrit work by an unknown poet called the AdhydUna Ramayan, the date of which is not earlier than the fourteenth century a.d. It is not unlikely that it was this work w^hich was the real precursor of Tulsi Das's Ramayan. Besides their theological attitude they have other points in common, but even a casual acquaintance with the two poems will make it clear that the work of Tulsi Das is far superior in poetic merit. Tulsi Das was in line with that tendency of the bhakti movement, which we have already noted in a previous chapter, in using the vernacular for his great poem. But he knew he would meet with his critics, especially amongst the Sanskrit pandits, who would affect to despise his work as a concession to the uneducated multitude. There is quite a long passage in the intro- duction to the Rdmdyan in which he vindicates his style against the critics. " My lot,' he writes, "is low, my purpose high ; but I am confident of one thing, that the good will be gratified to hear me though fools may laugh. The laughter of fools will be grateful to me — as they have no taste for poetry nor love for Rama I am glad that they should laugh. If my homely speech and poor wit are fit subjects for laughter, let them laugh ; it is no fault of mine. If they have no understanding of true devotion to the Lord, the tale will seem insipid enough ; but to the true and orthodox worshippers of Hari and Hara the story of Raghubar will be sweet as honey." The wonderful acceptance, however, which the poem of Tulsi Das has received has been its greatest vindication. Amongst all classes of the Hindu community in North India, with the excep- tion perhaps of a few Sanskrit pandits, it is to-day everywhere appreciated and venerated whether by rich or poor, old or young, learned or unlearned, and it has sometimes been called the Bible of the Hindu people of North India. One most commendable feature of the Rdmdyan is its pure and lofty moral tone, in w^hich it compares very favourably with the literature put forth by some