गोस्वामी तुलसीदास] २१० [ 'हरिऔध' वास्तव में सौभाग्य की बात है, क्योंकि उसने देश को शैव धर्म के अनाचरणीय क्रिया-कलाप से सुरक्षित रक्खा है। बंगाल जिस दुर्भाग्य के चक्कर में पड़ गया उससे उत्तरी भारत के मूल त्राण करनेवाले तो रामानन्द थे, किन्तु महात्मा तुलसीदास ही का यह काम था कि उन्होंने पूर्व और पश्चिम में उनके मत का प्रचार किया और उनमें स्थायिता का संचार कर दिया ।" *] . "The importance of Tulsidas in the history of India can not be overrated. Pulling the literary merits of his work out of the question, the fact of its universai acceptance by all classes, Bhagalpur to the Punjab and from the Himalaya to the Narmada is surely worthy of note. It has been interwo- ven into the life, character, and speech of the Hindu population for more than three hundred years, and is not only loved and admired hy them for its poetic beauty, but is reverened by them as their scriptures. It is the bible of a hundred millions of people, and is looked upon by them as much inspired as the bible is considered by the English clergymen. Pandits may talk of the Vedas and of the Upnishadas and a few may even study them, others may say they pin their faith on the Puranas but to the vast majority of the people of Hindustan, learned and unlearned alike, their soul room of conduct is the so called Tulsikrit Ramayan. It is indeed fortunate that this is so, for it has saved the country from the tantric obscenities of Shaivism. Rama Nanda was the original saviour of Upper India from the fate which has befallen Bengal, but, Tulsdias was the great apostle who carried his doctrine east and west and made it an abiding faith."- Modern Vernaular Literature of Hindustan, 42 43. P.
