Chapter Eight: Literature of the Rasika Tradition in Hindi

His shapely eyebrows appear like rows of bees resting there;
his perfectly formed nose makes the lotus blush upon seeing his face.
His fourfold gracious glance draws the minds of Rasikas;
his gentle smile and tender words shower bliss upon all.
His broad, shining forehead firmly bears the seal of wisdom;
a beautiful and generous tilaka lends it immense splendour.
A resplendent jeweled garland and pearl necklace shine;
the auspicious Śrīvatsa marks his breast, and the Kaustubha adorns his neck.
A beautiful sacred thread rests across his middle;
his lovely arms extend to his knees, bright with jeweled armlets and bracelets.
Rings set with rubies exquisitely adorn his fingers,
wondrous in form and bearing the beauty of the crimson dawn.
Many lovely ornaments and a yellow garment shine magnificently,
its border gleaming on every side, its ends worked in gold.
A fine line of hair descends toward the lovely navel;
above it three graceful folds cast their exquisite beauty.
A splendid girdle of bells shines upon his well-formed waist;
his knees are strong and beautifully shaped, his ankles compact and lovely.
Charming anklets fashioned of gems and rubies adorn him;
hearing their sweet, rhythm-filled music, the attendants’ minds are enchanted.
His two crimson lotus feet bear the thunderbolt and other auspicious marks;
they are Lakshmi’s eternal abode and the refuge that destroys the fear of becoming.
A lovely arrow shines in his right hand;
in his broad left hand rests the divine bow.
Rama, forever beautiful, shines as an adolescent of sixteen years;
beholding his form, millions of suns are put to shame.
Thus the steadfast hero of Raghu sits upon the bliss-bestowing throne—
existence, consciousness, and bliss embodied, with Janaka’s Daughter at his left.