राग आसावरी इहै परम फलु, परम बड़ाई। नखसिख रुचिर बिंदुमाधव छबि निरखहिं नयन अघाई॥ १॥ बिसद किसोर पीन सुंदर बपु, श्याम सुरुचि अधिकाई। नीलकंज, बारिद, तमाल, मनि, इन्ह तनुते दुति पाई॥ २॥ मृदुल चरन शुभ चिन्ह, पदज, नख अति अभूत उपमाई। अरुन नील पाथोज प्रसव जनु, मनिजुत दल-समुदाई॥ ३॥ जातरूप मनि-जटित-मनोहर, नूपुर जन-सुखदाई। जनु हर-उर हरि बिबिध रूप धरि, रहे बर भवन बनाई॥ ४॥ कटितट रटति चारु किंकिनि-रव, अनुपम, बरनि न जाई। हेम जलज कल कलित मध्य जनु, मधुकर मुखर सुहाई॥ ५॥ उर बिसाल भृगुचरन चारु अति, सूचत कोमलताई। कंकन चारु बिबिध भूषन बिधि, रचि निज कर मन लाई॥ ६॥ गज-मनिमाल बीच भ्राजत कहि जाति न पदक निकाई। जनु उडुगन-मंडल बारिदपर, नवग्रह रची अथाई॥ ७॥ भुजगभोग-भुजदंड कंज दर चक्र गदा बनि आई। सोभासीव ग्रीव, चिबुकाधर, बदन अमित छवि छाई॥ ८॥ कुलिस, कुंद-कुडमल, दामिनि-दुति, दसनन देखि लजाई। नासा-नयन-कपोल, ललित श्रुति कुंडल भ्रू मोहि भाई॥ ९॥ कुंचित कच सिर मुकुट, भाल पर, तिलक कहाँ समुझाई। अलप तड़ित जुग रेख इंदु महँ, रहि तजि चंचलताई॥ १०॥ निरमल पीत दुकूल अनूपम, उपमा हिय न समाई। बहु मनिजुत गिरि नील सिखरपर कनक-बसन रुचिराई॥ ११॥ दच्छ भाग अनुराग-सहित इंदिरा अधिक ललिताई। हेमलता जनु तरु तमाल ढिग, नील निचोल ओढ़ाई॥ १२॥ सत सारदा सेष श्रुति मिलिकै, सोभा कहि न सिराई। तुलसिदास मतिमंद द्वंदरत कहै कौन बिधि गाई॥ १३॥
Raga Asavari—This alone is life’s supreme fruit and highest glory: may the eyes look from feet to crown upon beautiful Vindumadhava’s radiance and drink their fill. (1) His pure, youthful, full and lovely body abounds in dark beauty; blue lotus, raincloud, tamala and sapphire have gained their brilliance from that body. (2) His tender feet bear auspicious marks, while toes and nails possess a likeness never seen before: as though red and blue lotuses had brought forth clusters of jewel-set petals. (3) Golden, gem-set anklets enchant the mind and give joy to his people—as though Hari, assuming many forms in Shiva’s heart, had built excellent dwellings there. (4) At his waist the lovely girdle rings with an incomparable sound beyond description—as though sweetly humming bees filled the opening buds of a golden lotus. (5) On his broad breast the lovely mark of Bhrigu’s foot proclaims its tenderness. His charming bracelets and many ornaments seem fashioned by Brahma himself, working intently with his own hands. (6) The beauty of the pendant shining amid a necklace of elephant-pearls cannot be told: it is as though the nine planets had made their station among constellations upon a cloud. (7) His arms, like the coils of a serpent, are splendidly fitted with lotus, conch, discus and mace. His neck is beauty’s limit, and immeasurable radiance covers chin, lips and face. (8) Thunderbolt, jasmine bud and lightning’s flash blush at the sight of his teeth. Nose, eyes, cheeks, graceful ears and earrings, and brows are dear to me. (9) Curled hair and crown are on his head; how can one explain the forehead-mark? It is like two slight streaks of lightning abandoning their restlessness to abide within the moon. (10) His spotless yellow silk is incomparable—no likeness for it enters the heart; it shines like golden cloth upon the blue summit of a mountain rich in many jewels. (11) At his right, Indira sits full of love and surpassing grace, like a golden creeper near a tamala tree, wrapped in a blue mantle. (12) A hundred Sarasvatis, Shesha and the Vedas together could not finish telling this beauty. How then can dull-witted Tulsidas, caught in dualities, sing it? (13)