मैं तुमसाँ सतिभाव कही है। बूझति और भाँति भामिनि कत, कानन कठिन कलेस सही है॥ १ ॥ जौ चलिहौ तौ चलो चलि कै बन, सुनि सिय मन अवलंब लही है। बूड़त बिरह-बारिनिधि मानहु नाह बचनमिस बाँह गही है॥ २ ॥ प्राननाथके साथ चलीं उठि, अवध सोकसरि उमगि बही है। तुलसी सुनी न कबहुँ काहु कहुँ, तनु परिहरि परिछाँहि रही है॥ ३ ॥
I spoke to you with a wholly truthful heart. Lady, why understand it otherwise? The forest's severe hardships are real. (1) If you are indeed going, then come—let us set out for the forest. Hearing this, Sītā's heart found support. It was as though, while she sank in the ocean of separation, her lord used those words as a pretext to grasp her arm. (2) She rose and went with the lord of her life, and Ayodhyā's river of grief surged forth. Tulsī says it has never been heard anywhere that, when the body departs, its shadow remains behind. (3)