ये दोऊ दसरथके बारे। नाम राम घनस्याम, लखन लघु, नखसिख अँग उजियारे॥ १ ॥ निज हित लागि माँगि आने मैं धरमसेतु-रखवारे। धीर, बीर बिरुदैत, बाँकुरे, महाबाहु, बल भारे॥ २ ॥ एक तीर तकि हती ताड़का, किये सुर-साधु सुखारे। जग्य राखि, जग साखि, तोषि ऋषि, निदरि निसाचर मारे॥ ३ ॥ मुनितिय तारि स्वयंबर पेखन आये सुनि बचन तिहारे। एउ देखिहैं पिनाकु नेकु, जेहि नृपति लाज-ज्वर जारे॥ ४ ॥ सुनि, सानंद सराहि सपरिजन, बारहि बार निहारे। पूजि सप्रेम, प्रसंसि कौसिकहि भूपति सदन सिधारे॥ ५ ॥ सोचत सत्य-सनेह-बिबस निसि, नृपहि गनत गये तारे। पठये बोलि भोर, गुरके संग रंगभूमि पगु धारे॥ ६ ॥ नगर-लोग सुधि पाइ मुदित, सबही सब काज बिसारे। मनहु मघा-जल उमगि उदधि-रुख चले नदी-नद-नारे॥ ७ ॥ ए किसोर, धनु घोर बहुत, बिलखात बिलोकनिहारे। टरयो न चाप तिन्हते, जिन्ह सुभटनि कौतुक कुधर उखारे॥ ८ ॥ ए जाने बिनु जनक जानियत करि पन भूप हँकारे। नतरु सुधासागर परिहरि कत कूप खनावत खारे॥ ९ ॥ सुखमा सील-सनेह सानि मनो रूप बिरंचि सँवारे। रोम-रोमपर सोम-काम सत कोटि बारि फेरि डारे॥ १० ॥ कोउ कहै, तेज-प्रताप-पुंज चितये नहि जात, भिया रे! छुअत सरासन-सलभ जरैगो ए दिनकर-बंस-दिया रे॥ ११ ॥ एक कहै, कछु होउ, सुफल भये जीवन-जनम हमारे। अवलोके भरि नयन आजु तुलसीके प्रानपियारे॥ १२ ॥
These two are the sons of Daśaratha. One is Rāma, dark as a raincloud; the younger is Lakṣmaṇa, whose limbs shine from head to foot. (1) For my own purpose I asked for and brought these guardians of the bridge of righteousness. They are steadfast, heroic and renowned, dashing, mighty-armed, and immense in strength. (2) With a single arrow they struck down Tāḍakā and brought happiness to gods and saints. They guarded the sacrifice—the world is witness—delighted the sage, and scornfully slew the night-roamers. (3) After delivering the sage's wife, they have come to see the svayaṃvara upon hearing your words. They too will have a look at Pināka, which has burned kings in the fever of shame. (4) Hearing this, Janaka joyfully praised them with his family and gazed again and again. He worshiped them with love, commended Kauśika, and then departed for his palace. (5) Overcome at night by true love, he worried and counted the stars. At dawn he sent a summons, and with their guru they set foot in the arena. (6) The townspeople received the news in delight and everyone forgot every task. It was as though Maghā's rains had swollen rivers, streams, and channels, all flowing toward the sea. (7) ‘These two are youths and the bow is terribly strong,’ the onlookers grieved. It had not budged for warriors who, in sport, uprooted mountains. (8) ‘Janaka must have made the vow and summoned kings without knowing them; otherwise, who would forsake an ocean of nectar to dig brackish wells?’ (9) It seems that Brahmā shaped their forms after whetting beauty, virtue, and affection together. Upon every pore he circled and cast away a hundred crores of moons and Loves. (10) Someone says, ‘Brother, they are masses of brilliance and majesty, too dazzling to behold! At their touch the bow-moth will burn before these lamps of the solar line.’ (11) Another says, ‘Whatever may happen, our lives and births have borne fruit: today our eyes have gazed their fill upon the beloved of Tulsī's life.’ (12)