Literary works of Tulsidāsa Jī

I am trying to give a brief summary of Tulsidāsa Jī's work. He wrote in both Avadhī and Braja languages with equal command.

Avadhī Texts

  1. Rāma-Carita-Mānasa: The largest work of Tulsidāsa Jī, written between 1574 and 1576 AD, consists of a total of 11,902 verses (10,855 in Avadhī and 47 in Sáṃskṛta). Tulsidāsa Jī used 8 different canda in the Avadhī verses and 10 different canda in the Sáṃskṛta verses.

    Rāma-kathā in Mānasa is divided into 7 Kāṇḍa ⇒ Balā-Kāṇḍa(361), Ayodhyā-Kāṇḍa(326), Araṇya-Kāṇḍa(46), Kiṣkindhā-Kāṇḍa(30), Sundara-Kāṇḍa(60), Laṅkā-Kāṇḍa(121), and Uttara-Kāṇḍa(130)

    Tulsidāsa Jī did not provide numbers for Caupāī verses but did provide numbers for Dohā/Soraṭhā verses. These Caupāī are situated between Dohā/Soraṭhā verses, and the total number of Dohā/Soraṭhā verses is mentioned in parentheses.

    It can be read here with its Hindi अनुवाद - https://www.ramcharit.in/ram-charit-manas-%E0%A4%B6%E0%A5%8D%E0%A4%B0%E0%A5%80-%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%9A%E0%A4%B0%E0%A4%BF%E0%A4%A4-%E0%A4%AE%E0%A4%BE%E0%A4%A8%E0%A4%B8/

  2. Rāmalalā Nahachū: It is a laghu-khaṇḍa-kāvya, written in 1554 AD in 20 'Sohara' canda. It describes, engagingly, the prior act that led to the cutting of Bhagavān Ram's toenails in Ayodhya. In ceremonies like Karṇavedha (ear-piercing), Yajñopavīta (sacred thread ceremony), or before the wedding procession, a barber woman applies 'Mahāvara' (a traditional red dye) to the feet of the boy or groom. She then touches a small knife to the toenails in such a way as if she is cutting the nails. This practice is known as 'Nahachū'.

  3. Jānakī Maṅgala:  It is a small prabandha-kāvya, written in 1570 AD, related to the Vivāha of Sītā and Rāma, and consisting of 216 Pada (192 Tuka + 24 Harigītikā-canda).

    It can be read here with its Hindi अनुवाद - https://archive.org/details/jPZX_janaki-mangal-of-tulsidas-gita-press/page/n5/mode/2up

  4. Pārvatī Maṅgala: It is a small prabandha-kāvya, related to the Vivāha of Śiva and Pārvatī, written in 1586 AD, and consisting of 164 Pada (148 Tuka + 16 Harigītikā-canda).

    It can be read here with its Hindi अनुवाद - https://archive.org/details/0113-parvati-mangal/page/n5/mode/2up

  5. Barvai Rāmāyaṇa: Written between 1604-23 AD, it was created at the request of Tulsidāsa Jī's dear friend Abdurrahīm Khān-e-Khānā, after observing his Barvai Nāyikā-bheda.

    Like the Mānasa, it is also divided into 7 Kāṇḍa.
    Balā-Kāṇḍa - 19, Ayodhyā-Kāṇḍa - 8, Araṇya-Kāṇḍa - 6, Kiṣkindhā-Kāṇḍa - 2, Sundara-Kāṇḍa - 6, Laṅkā-Kāṇḍa - 1, Uttara-Kāṇḍa - 27 ⇒ 69 Pada

    It can be read here with its Hindi अनुवाद - https://archive.org/details/HindiBook-varagyaSandeepaniBarvaRamayan.pdf/page/n15/mode/2up

Braja Texts

  1. Vairāgya Sandīpanī: Written in 1557 AD, this small prabandha-kāvya consists of 62 Canda (46 Dohā + 2 Soraṭhā + 14 Caupāī). It is not written in Ideal Braj but also has a tinge of Avadhī. Its purpose is well-reflected in its name, as it ignites the flame of Vairāgya and guides us towards attaining peace.

    मङ्गलाचरण - 7, संत- स्वभाव-वर्णनरूप - 26 , संत-महिमा-वर्णन - 9, शान्ति- वर्णन - 20 ⇒ 62 Canda

    It can be read here with its Hindi अनुवाद - https://archive.org/details/HindiBook-varagyaSandeepaniBarvaRamayan.pdf/page/n1/mode/2up

  2. Dohāvalī: The text, written between 1557-1623 AD, consists of 573 Pada (540 Dohā + 23 Soraṭhā). Of these, 2 Dohās are found in Vairāgya Sandīpanī, 35 in Rāmājñā Praśna, and 85 in Rāma-Carita-Mānasa.

    It can be read here with its Hindi अनुवाद - https://archive.org/details/HindiBookDohawaliByGeetaPress/page/n3/mode/2up

  3. Rāmājñā Praśna: The text, written in 1564 AD, consists of 7 Sarga, each containing 7 sets of 7 Dohā, totalling 343 Dohā. It was created solely to interpret Śakuna (omens) at the request of Tulsidāsa Jī's astrologer friend, Paṇḍita Gaṅgā Rāma, who lived at Prahlād Ghāṭa in Kāśī. This Rāmājñā (Command of Rāmā) is said to have been composed in response to his request.

    It can be read here with its Hindi अनुवाद - https://archive.org/details/Djxb_ramagya-prashna-of-goswami-tulsi-das-gita-press-gorakhpur/page/n7/mode/2up

  4. Gītāvalī / Rāma Gītāvalī / Padāvalī Rāmāyaṇa: It's a muktaka-kathāśrita gīta-kāvya written in 1596 AD, where Tulsidāsa Jī included his name in the last caraṇa of each pada. The padas are composed of 21 rāgas and rāgiṇīs, with Rāga Kedāra being the most frequent, featuring 92 pada, followed by Rāga Soraṭh with 51 pada.

    Like the Mānasa, it contains the Rāma-kathā, which is also divided into 7 Kāṇḍas.
    Balā-Kāṇḍa - 108, Ayodhyā-Kāṇḍa - 89, Araṇya-Kāṇḍa - 17, Kiṣkindhā-Kāṇḍa - 2, Sundara-Kāṇḍa - 51, Laṅkā-Kāṇḍa - 23, Uttara-Kāṇḍa - 38 ⇒ 328 Pada

    It can be read here with its Hindi अनुवाद - https://archive.org/details/GitavaliOfTulsidasGitaPresGorakhpur/page/n11/mode/2up

  5. Kṛṣṇa Gītāvalī: This is a muktaka-gīta-kāvya, a collection of gītās related to the divine acts of Bhagavān Kṛṣṇa. It was written in 1601 AD in Citrakūṭa when Sūradāsa Jī visited him there.

    The padas are composed of 10 different rāgas and rāgiṇīs.
    Rāga Malāra - 13, Rāga Gaurī - 11, Rāga Kēdāra - 10, Rāga Bilāvala - 7, Rāga Āsāvarī - 6, Rāga Dhanāśrī - 6, Rāga Kānharā - 3, Rāga Sōraṭh - 3, Rāga Lalita - 1, Rāga Naṭa - 1 ⇒ 61 Pada


  6. Kavitāvalī / Kavitta Rāmāyaṇa: It is a muktaka-kāvya written between 1604-1623 AD, with Hanumāna Bāhuka also embedded in it.

    Like the Mānasa, it contains the Rāma-kathā, which is also divided into 7 Kāṇḍas.
    Balā-Kāṇḍa - 22, Ayodhyā-Kāṇḍa - 28, Araṇya-Kāṇḍa - 1, Kiṣkindhā-Kāṇḍa - 1, Sundara-Kāṇḍa - 32, Laṅkā-Kāṇḍa - 58, Uttara-Kāṇḍa - 183 ⇒ 325 Pada + 44 Pada from Hanumāna Bāhuka

    It can be read here with its Hindi अनुवाद - https://archive.org/details/HindiBookKavitavaliByShriTulsidasJi/page/n3/mode/2up


  7. Vinaya Patrikā: It is a muktaka-gīti-kāvya consisting of 279 Pada. One day, Kali-kāla directly threatened him, prompting him to write this Patrikā to be presented in Rāma’s court. The text employed 23 different rāgas and rāgiṇīs and was written between 1604-1623 AD.

    Stutis of Śrī Gaṇeśa, Sūrya, Śiva, Devī, Gaṅgā, Yamunā, Kāśī, Citrakūṭa, Hanumat, Lakṣmaṇa, Bharata, Śatrughna, Śrī Sītā, Śrī Rāma(2 Times), Śrīraṃga, Śrī Nara-Nārāyaṇa, and Bindumādhava (60 Pada)
    +
    Śrī Rāma-Nāma-Vandanā, Śrī Rāma-Āratī,  Hariśaṅkarī-Pada, Śrī Rāma-Vandanā, Śrī Rāma-Nāma-Japa (10 Pada)
    +
    Vinayāvalī (209 Pada)

    It can be read here with its Hindi अनुवाद - https://archive.org/details/VinayPatrikaGitaPressGorakhpur/page/n3/mode/2up

॥ ॐ श्री-सीता-लक्ष्मण-भरत-शत्रुघ्न-हनुमत्समेत -श्रीरामचन्द्रपरब्रह्मार्पणमस्तु ॥

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