काहूसों काहू समाचार ऐसे पाए। चित्रकूटतें राम-लखन-सिय सुनियत अनत सिधाए॥ १ ॥ सैल, सरित, निरझर, बर, मुनि-थल देखि-देखि सब आए। कहत सुनत सुमिरत सुखदायक, मानस-सुगम सुहाए॥ २ ॥ बढ़ि अवलंब बाम-बिधि-विघटित बिषम बिषाद बढ़ाए। सिरिस-सुमन-सुकुमार मनोहर बालक बिंध्य चढ़ाए॥ ३ ॥ अवध सकल नर-नारि बिकल अति, अँकनि बचन अनुभाए। तुलसी राम-बियोग-सोग-बस, समुझत नहिं समुझाए॥ ४ ॥
From one person or another came this news: Rāma, Lakṣmaṇa, and Sītā were said to have left Citrakūṭa for another place. (1) They had seen mountains, rivers, waterfalls, forests, and sages’ dwellings—all delightful to tell, hear, and remember, lovely and easily held in the mind. (2) Cruel fate shattered that growing support and increased their terrible sorrow: it had made the charming children, tender as sirīṣa blossoms, climb the Vindhya range. (3) All the men and women of Ayodhyā were so distraught that words could not contain their state. Tulsī says that, overcome by grief at separation from Rāma, they could not understand even when others tried to console them. (4)