01Rambola
The most followed tradition places his birth at Rajapur on the Yamuna. Born under an ill-omened star, the child was given away, and the story goes that his first word was “Rama”, so he was called Rambola. The sadhu Narharidas took him in and taught him the Rama katha. Married to Ratnavali, he followed her once to her father’s house in the night; she told him that if he loved Rama half as much as this body of bone and flesh, he would be free. He left home that day.
02The Manas and Kashi
He names the day he began in the Manas itself; tradition says the work took two years, seven months and twenty-six days, in seven kandas of chaupais and dohas. The pandits of Kashi first scorned a Ramayana in the common tongue; the Manas went on to become the most read book of north India. He also wrote the Vinaya Patrika, Kavitavali, Gitavali and Dohavali, and the Hanuman Chalisa is recited in his name. Kashi tradition credits him with founding the Sankat Mochan temple and the Ramlila of the city. He died at Assi Ghat in Samvat 1680, 1623 CE.
“Knowing the whole world to be full of Sita and Rama, I bow to it with joined palms.”
Ramcharitmanas, Bal Kanda
