मनि मानिक मुकुता छबि जैसी । अहि गिरि गज सिर सोह न तैसी ॥
नृप-किरीट तरुनी-तनु पाई । लहहिं सकल सोभा अधिकाई ॥
mani mānika mukutā chabi jaisī | ahi giri gaja sira soha na taisī ||
nṛpa-kirīṭa tarunī-tanu pāī | lahahiṃ sakala sobhā adhikāī ||
Bala Kanda
Chapter 11: Poetry strung on Rama's deeds
6 verses · 11 of 361
What happens in this chapter
Poetry strung on Rama's deeds
Gems and pearls are born in the serpent, the mountain and the elephant, yet they gain beauty on a king's crown or a young woman's body. So too, say the wise, a poet's verse is born in one place and shines in another. Called with devotion, Sharada runs from Brahma's abode, and her weariness lifts only by a bath in the lake of Rama's deeds. So poets sing Hari's glory; when they praise ordinary men, the goddess of speech beats her head in regret. The heart is the ocean, the mind the oyster, Sharada the Swati rain. Good thought falling there becomes pearls, which skill pierces and strings on the thread of Rama's deeds for the good to wear.
तैसेहिं सुकबि कबित बुध कहहीं । उपजहिँ अनत अनत छबि लहहीं ॥
भगति-हेतु बिधि भवन बिहाई । सुमिरत सारद आवति धाई ॥
taisehiṃ sukabi kabita budha kahahīṃ | upajahim̐ anata anata chabi lahahīṃ ||
bhagati-hetu bidhi bhavana bihāī | sumirata sārada āvati dhāī ||
राम चरित सर बिनु अन्हवाये । सो सम जाइ न कोटि उपाये ॥
कबि कोबिद अस हृदयँ बिचारी । गावहिं हरि जस कलि मल हारी ॥
rāma carita sara binu anhavāye | so sama jāi na koṭi upāye ||
kabi kobida asa hṛdayam̐ bicārī | gāvahiṃ hari jasa kali mala hārī ||
कीन्हें प्राकृत-जन गुन गाना । सिर धुनि गिरा लगत पछिताना ॥
हृदय-सिन्धु मति-सीपि समाना । स्वाती-सारदा कहहिँ सुजाना ॥
kīnheṃ prākṛta-jana guna gānā | sira dhuni girā lagata pachitānā ||
hṛdaya-sindhu mati-sīpi samānā | svātī-sāradā kahahim̐ sujānā ||
जौं बरषइ बर-बारि बिचारू । होहिँ कबित-मुकता-मनि चारू ॥
jauṃ baraṣai bara-bāri bicārū | hohim̐ kabita-mukatā-mani cārū ||
जुगुति बेधि पुनि पोहिअहिं, रामचरित बर ताग ।
पहिरहिँ सज्जन बिमल उर, सोभा अति अनुराग ॥
juguti bedhi puni pohiahiṃ, rāmacarita bara tāga |
pahirahim̐ sajjana bimala ura, sobhā ati anurāga ||
Text source: Wikisource · Public domain (Tulsidas, 16th c.; 1925 edition, Wikisource PD-1996 tag); transcription CC BY-SA 4.0