5 verses · 24 of 326
Rama's childhood friends hear the news and go to him in small groups. Knowing their love, the Lord honours them and gently asks after their welfare. Walking home they praise him: who in the world is like Raghubira, so faithful in conduct and affection? Through whatever births our karma leads us, Lord, let us be servants and Sita's husband our master, and let this bond hold. The whole city wishes this, while in the heart of Kekaya's daughter there is fierce burning. Who is not ruined by bad company? Cleverness does not survive a mean counsellor. At dusk the king, full of joy, goes to Kaikeyi's palace, as if love in bodily form had walked up to cruelty.
बाल सखा सुन हियँ हरषाहीँ । मिलि दस पाँच राम पहिँ जाहीँ ॥
प्रभु आदरहिं प्रेम पहिचानी । पूँछहिं कुसल-षेम मृदु बानी ॥
bāla sakhā suna hiyam̐ haraṣāhīm̐ | mili dasa pām̐ca rāma pahim̐ jāhīm̐ ||
prabhu ādarahiṃ prema pahicānī | pūm̐chahiṃ kusala-ṣema mṛdu bānī ||
फिरहिँ भवन प्रिय आयसु पाई । करत परसपर राम बड़ाई ॥
को रघुबीर सरिस संसारा । सील सनेह निबाहनिहारा ॥
phirahim̐ bhavana priya āyasu pāī | karata parasapara rāma bar̤āī ||
ko raghubīra sarisa saṃsārā | sīla saneha nibāhanihārā ||
जेहि जेहि जोनि करम-बस भ्रमहीँ । तहँ तहँ ईस देहु यह हमहीँ ॥
सेवक हम स्वामी सिय-नाहू । होउ नात यह ओर निबाहू ॥
jehi jehi joni karama-basa bhramahīm̐ | taham̐ taham̐ īsa dehu yaha hamahīm̐ ||
sevaka hama svāmī siya-nāhū | hou nāta yaha ora nibāhū ||
अस अभिलाष नगर सब काहू । कैकय-सुता हृदय अति दाहू ॥
को न कुसङ्गति पाइ नसाई । रहइ न नीच-मतें चतुराई ॥
asa abhilāṣa nagara saba kāhū | kaikaya-sutā hṛdaya ati dāhū ||
ko na kusaṅgati pāi nasāī | rahai na nīca-mateṃ caturāī ||
साँस समय सानन्द नृप, गयउ कैकेई गेहँ ।
गवन निठुरता निकट किय, जनु धरि देह सनेहँ ॥
sām̐sa samaya sānanda nṛpa, gayau kaikeī geham̐ |
gavana niṭhuratā nikaṭa kiya, janu dhari deha saneham̐ ||
Text source: Wikisource · Public domain (Tulsidas, 16th c.; 1925 edition, Wikisource PD-1996 tag); transcription CC BY-SA 4.0
