रंगभूमि आए, दसरथके किसोर हैं। पेखनो सो पेखन चले हैं पुर-नर-नारि, बारे-बूढ़े, अंध-पंगु करत निहोर हैं॥ १ ॥ नील पीत नीरज कनक मरकत घन दामिनी-बरन तनु रूपके निचोर हैं। सहज सलोने, राम-लषन ललित नाम, जैसे सुने तैसेई कुँवर सिरमौर हैं॥ २ ॥ चरन-सरोज, चारु जंघा जानु ऊरु कटि, कंधर बिसाल, बाहु बड़े बरजोर हैं। नीकेकै निषंग कसे, करकमलनि लसै बान-बिसिषासन मनोहर कठोर हैं॥ ३ ॥ काननि कनकफूल, उपबीत अनुकूल, पियरे दुकूल बिलसत आछे छोर हैं। राजिव नयन, बिधुबदन टिपारे सिर, नख-सिख अंगनि ठगौरी ठौर ठौर हैं॥ ४ ॥ सभा-सरवर लोक-कोक-नद-कोकगन प्रमुदित मन देखि दिनमनि भोर हैं। अबुध असैले मन-मैले महिपाल भये, कछुक उलूक कछु कुमुद चकोर हैं॥ ५ ॥ भाईसों कहत बात, कौसिकहि सकुचात, बोल घन घोर-से बोलत थोर-थोर हैं। सनमुख सबहि, बिलोकत सबहि नीके, कृपासों हेरत हँसि तुलसीकी ओर हैं॥ ६ ॥
Daśaratha's young sons have come into the arena. The city's men and women set out to see the sight; children and elders, the blind and the lame, all plead to be taken along. (1) Their bodies bear the colors of blue and yellow lotuses, gold and emerald, cloud and lightning; they are the distilled essence of beauty. Lovely by nature, with the charming names Rāma and Lakṣmaṇa, they are just as one had heard: the crowns of all princes. (2) Their feet are lotuses; their shanks, knees, thighs, and waists are beautiful; their shoulders are broad and their powerful arms very strong. Fine quivers are fastened upon them, and in their lotus hands shine arrows and bows, lovely and formidable. (3) Golden flowers are at their ears, fitting sacred threads upon them, and yellow silks with handsome hems shine on their bodies. Their eyes are lotuses, their faces moons, caps are upon their heads; from nail to crown, enchantment lies upon every limb at every place. (4) The assembly is a lake, and its people are lotuses, cakravākas, rivers, and waterbirds, delighted at seeing the sun rise at dawn. The ignorant, resentful kings have grown foul in mind— some are owls, some night-lotuses, and some cakora birds. (5) He speaks with his brother, yet is modest before Kauśika; his few words sound deep as a dark cloud. He faces everyone and looks graciously upon all; smiling, he casts a merciful glance toward Tulsī too. (6)