The Emperor’s Curiosity
When the news of Tulsīdās’s divine power and miracles reached Delhi, Emperor Akbar, the most powerful ruler of Hindustan, became deeply curious. He had heard that this saint from Kāśī had not only revived the dead but could perform wonders merely by uttering the name of Rāma. Akbar, who respected saints of all traditions, said to his ministers, “Bring this Tulsīdās to my court. I wish to see whether the holiness of his name can indeed shake the world.”
The ministers, following royal command, set out for Kāśī with an escort, carrying gifts and a respectful invitation. When they arrived at Tulsīdās’s āśrama, they bowed to him and said, “O great saint, the emperor of this land, Akbar, has heard of your divine life. He desires to see you—not as a test, but as a seeker of truth.”
The saint, whose heart saw no difference between kings and beggars, replied gently, “I serve only the king of kings, Śrī Rāma. Yet if Rāma wills that I should go, I shall go.” That night, in his meditation, he heard an inner voice: “Go, for through you I will reveal the power of My name.” Thus, the next morning, Tulsīdās set forth for Delhi, chanting “Śrī Rāma Jaya Rāma Jaya Jaya Rāma.”
Meeting the Emperor
When he arrived, Akbar personally came to greet him. With great respect, he washed the saint’s feet and offered him a seat on the royal throne. Tulsīdās, however, remained simple and serene, absorbed in remembrance of Rāma.
The emperor said, “O revered one, I have heard of your great holiness. You speak of Rāma’s name as the most powerful force in the universe. Can that name perform miracles even today?”
Tulsīdās answered calmly, “The name of Rāma is not bound by time or place, O emperor. It is eternal. Whoever chants it with faith can see God’s power manifest even now.”
Akbar, with curiosity but also a trace of pride, said, “Then show me Rāma—let me behold Him, and I shall believe.”
The saint smiled gently. “The Lord reveals Himself not to pride or power, but to love. Yet if it is His will, you shall indeed see His might.”
The Saint’s Prayer and the Coming of the Monkeys
That night, after the emperor retired, Tulsīdās sat in his room chanting the holy names, calling upon Hanumān, the eternal servant of Rāma: “O mighty one, protect the honor of your devotee and show the emperor the greatness of our Lord.”
At dawn, strange cries echoed through the city. The people awoke to a scene of chaos and wonder—thousands upon thousands of monkeys had descended upon Delhi. They ran through the streets, climbed onto roofs, tore down banners, and overturned market stalls. The air was filled with shrieks and the sound of their movement like thunder.
Even the palace was not spared. The monkeys jumped through the gardens, broke pots, scattered the royal ornaments, and chased soldiers from the gates. The emperor’s attendants ran to him shouting, “O Majesty! An army of monkeys has attacked the city!”
Akbar came out, bewildered. He saw the sky darkened with the movement of countless monkeys. The destruction was terrifying, yet amidst it, not a single person was killed.
He realized that this was no ordinary event—it was divine intervention.
The Emperor’s Surrender
Overwhelmed, Akbar went straight to Tulsīdās and fell at his feet. “O saint, forgive me! I have tested your devotion, but I see now that your Rāma is real, living, and all-powerful. I surrender my pride before your faith.”
The saint smiled with compassion. “O emperor, these are not my powers, but the play of the Lord’s servant Hanumān. You desired to see Rāma’s might, and now you have witnessed it. The same Lord who moved the stones across the ocean for His devotee in ancient times still moves the hearts of men today through His name.”
At his word, the monkeys vanished as suddenly as they had come. The streets of Delhi grew quiet once more, as if nothing had happened.
Akbar, deeply humbled, offered great wealth to Tulsīdās. But the saint refused, saying, “I am the poorest of beggars. The wealth I seek is only devotion to Śrī Rāma.”
The Emperor’s Transformation
From that day on, Akbar often spoke reverently of the saint. He said to his court, “Among all the treasures of this land—its gold, its palaces, and its armies—none equals the wealth of a devotee’s faith.”
Akbar’s court poet, Abul Fazl, later recorded that the emperor treated Tulsīdās not as a subject but as a teacher. In his humility, Akbar even kept an image of Rāma in his private chambers, saying, “This is the Lord who rules even kings.”
Reflection – The Power of Humility and Faith
This story reveals how God’s devotee can soften even the heart of the mighty. The Lord protects His servants not by sword or strength, but by His unseen hand.
- Faith Moves the Universe: Tulsīdās did not summon the monkeys by magic but by devotion. The universe obeys the heart that is surrendered to God.
- The Lord Protects His Devotees: When the emperor’s doubt threatened the saint’s honor, Hanumān Himself came to defend the glory of Rāma’s name.
- True Victory Is Humility: Akbar’s greatness lay not in his empire but in his willingness to bow before truth. The proud are defeated by love, not by argument.
- The Lord Still Acts in the World: The miracles of God are not relics of the past; they happen wherever faith burns bright.
When one chants “Śrī Rāma” with a pure heart, the same power that built the bridge to Laṅkā and protected the saints of old begins to act silently in one’s own life.
Source: Bhaktavijaya, Chapter III, verses 257–312 (Mahīpati).
