Lord Jagannath’s Grace Upon Tulsi Das

Once, Tulsi Das Maharaj was told by someone that Lord Jagannath himself bestows darshan (sight). Hearing this, Tulsi Das Maharaj was greatly pleased and set out for Shree Jagannath Puri to have darshan of his Ishta Dev (chosen deity).

After many months of arduous and tiring journey, when he arrived at Jagannath Puri, he entered the temple with a pleased heart, seeing the large crowd of devotees.

Upon having darshan of Lord Jagannath, he felt a great shock and became disheartened. He pondered and thought that this limb-less deity, who was so beautiful in the world, could not be his Ishta, Lord Rama.

Thus, with a sorrowful heart, he left and sat down under a tree some distance away. He thought that the journey had been in vain. Could this circular-eyed, limb-less wooden deity be his Rama? Absolutely not.

Night fell. Exhausted, hungry, and thirsty, Tulsi’s body was aching.

Suddenly, a sound was heard. He listened carefully. “Oh Baba! Who is Tulsi Das?” A boy was calling out, holding a plate in his hands.

He thought that perhaps someone among those who accompanied him had informed the priests that Tulsi Das had also come for darshan, so they had sent some prasad (offering). As he stood up, he said, “Yes, brother! It is I, Tulsi Das!”

The boy said, “Oh! You are here. I have been searching for you for a long time.”

The boy said, “Here, please take prasad sent by Lord Jagannath for you.”

Tulsi Das said, “Brother, please take it back.” The boy said in astonishment, “Amazing! ‘Jagannath’s rice spread across the world’ – and this has been sent by Mahaprabhu himself, and you are refusing it? Why?”

Tulsi Das said, “Oh brother! I do not accept anything after offering it to my Ishta. And this leftover prasad of Jagannath, which I cannot dedicate to my Ishta, what good is it to me?” The boy smiled and said, “Your Ishta himself has sent it.”

Tulsi Das said, “This limb-less wooden idol cannot be my Ishta.”

The boy said, “Then, in your Ramcharitmanas, in what form have you described him –”

“Without feet, he walks; without ears, he hears.
Without hands, he works; performing countless deeds.
Without face, he enjoys all pleasures.
Without words, he speaks like a great yogi.”

Now, the expression of Tulsi Das was worth seeing. Tears welled up in his eyes, no words came out of his mouth. Holding the plate, the boy vanished, saying, “I am your Rama.” Hanuman keeps watch at the gates of my temple. Vibhishana comes for my darshan daily. Come and have darshan tomorrow morning.”

The state of Tulsi Das was such that his veins were tingling, tears flowed relentlessly from his eyes, and he paid no heed to his body. He received the prasad with great love.

In the morning, when Tulsi Das Maharaj went to have darshan at the temple, he had the grand darshan of Shree Rama, Lakshmana, and Janaki in place of Jagannath, Balabhadra, and Subhadra. The Lord fulfilled the devotee’s wish.

The place where Tulsi Das had spent the night became famous as ‘Tulsi Choura’. There, the पीठ (seat/pilgrimage site) of Tulsi Das is established as ‘Badchata Math’.

Jai Jagannath

When the great Sant Tulsidas first saw Lord Jagannath, his heart fell. How could this limb-less wooden deity be his beloved Lord Rama? Yet, the Lord himself appeared, reminding the saint that He walks without feet and sees without eyes, fulfilling his devotee’s deepest wish by granting a vision of Sri Rama right on the Ratna Singhasana.