ऋषिराज राजा आजु जनक समान को? आपु यहि भाँति प्रीति सहित सराहित, रागी औ बिरागी बड़भागी ऐसो आन को?॥ १ ॥ भूमि-भोग करत अनुभवत जोग-सुख मुनि-मन-अगम अलख गति जान को? गुर-हर-पद-नेहु, गेह बसि भौ बिदेह, अगुन-सगुन-प्रभु-भजन-सयान को?॥ २ ॥ कहनि रहनि एक, बिरति बिबेक नीति, बेद-बुध-संमत पथीन निरबानको? गाँठि बिनु गुनकी कठिन जड़-चेतनकी, छोरी अनायास, साधु सोधक अपान को॥ ३ ॥ सुनि रघुबीरकी बचन-रचनाकी रीति, भयो मिथिलेस मानो दीपक बिहानको। मिट्यो महामोह जीको, छूट्यो पोच सोच सीको, जान्यो अवतार भयो पुरुष पुरानको॥ ४ ॥ सभा, नृप, गुर, नर-नारि पुर, नभ सुर, सब चितवत मुख करुनानिधानको। एकै एक कहत प्रगट एक प्रेम-बस, तुलसीस तोरिये सरासन ईसानको॥ ५ ॥
Sage-king, what king today is Janaka's equal? You yourself praise him in this loving way— what other greatly blessed man is at once attached and detached? (1) While enjoying the earth he experiences the bliss of yoga. Who can know his unseen course, beyond even sages' minds? He loves the feet of guru and Hara; dwelling at home, he became bodiless. Who is as skilled in worshiping the Lord as both attributeless and endowed with attributes? (2) His speech and conduct are one; in detachment, discernment, and polity he travels the Veda-wise-approved path to liberation. The hard knot of inert matter and consciousness, tied without any cord, he opened effortlessly—what other holy man so searches his own self? (3) Hearing the manner of Raghubīra's carefully shaped words, the lord of Mithilā became like a lamp at dawn. His heart's great delusion vanished; his mean anxiety over Sītā fell away; he knew that the Primeval Person had taken birth. (4) The assembly, the king, the guru, the city's men and women, and the gods in heaven all gazed upon the face of compassion's treasury. Each openly said to the other, driven by a single love: ‘Tulsī's Lord, break Īśāna's bow!’ (5)