Janaka's Loving Wonder at Rama and Lakshmana
When King Janaka beholds Rama and Lakshmana, he is overwhelmed with love and reverence. Their beauty and radiance deeply move his heart.
Bal Kand · Episode 43 / 59
Episode Text
कीन्ह प्रनामु चरन धरि माथा। दीन्हि असीस मुदित मुनिनाथा॥ बिप्रबृंद सब सादर बंदे। जानि भाग्य बड़ राउ अनंदे॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
kīnha pranāmu carana dhari māthā। dīnhi asīsa mudita munināthā॥ biprabr̥nda saba sādara bandē। jāni bhāgya baṛa rāu anandē॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
The king bowed down and offered salutations, placing his head at the sage’s feet. The lord of sages, Vishvamitra, gave him his blessing with delight. Then the king respectfully saluted all the Brahmins, and, knowing his great good fortune, he rejoiced.
कुसल प्रस्न कहि बारहिं बारा। बिस्वामित्र नृपहि बैठारा॥ तेहि अवसर आए दोउ भाई। गए रहे देखन फुलवाई॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
kusal prasna kahi bārahim̐ bārā। bisvāmitra nṛpahi baiṭhārā॥ tehi avasara āe dou bhāī। gae rahe dekhana phulavāī॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
After repeatedly exchanging greetings and inquiries, Vishvamitra seated the king. At that very moment the two brothers arrived; they had gone to see the flower garden.
स्याम गौर मृदु बयस किसोरा। लोचन सुखद बिस्व चित चोरा॥ उठे सकल जब रघुपति आए। बिस्वामित्र निकट बैठाए॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
syāma gaura mṛdu bayasa kisorā। locana sukhada bisva cita corā॥ uṭhe sakala jaba raghupati āe। bisvāmitra nikaṭa baiṭhāe॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
The two princes were tender youths, one dark-complexioned and the other fair, delighting the eyes and stealing the hearts of all the world. When Rama arrived, everyone rose to their feet, moved by His beauty and radiance. Vishvamitra seated Him close beside himself.
भए सब सुखी देखि दोउ भ्राता। बारि बिलोचन पुलकित गाता॥ मूरति मधुर मनोहर देखी। भयउ बिदेहु बिदेहु बिसेषी॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
bhae saba sukhī dekhi dou bhrātā। bāri bilocana pulakita gātā॥ mūrati madhura manohara dekhī। bhayau bidehu bidehu viseṣī॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
Seeing the two brothers, everyone became blissful. Tears of joy and love welled in their eyes, and their bodies thrilled with devotion. On beholding Rama’s sweet and captivating form, Videha Janaka became especially ‘Videha’—as though freed from awareness of the body.
प्रेम मगन मनु जानि नृपु करि बिबेकु धरि धीर। बोलेउ मुनि पद नाइ सिरु गदगद गिरा गभीर॥ २१५ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
prema magana manu jāni nṛpu kari bibeku dhari dhīra। boleu muni pada nāi siru gadgada girā gabhīra॥ 215 ॥
Meaning:
Knowing his mind to be immersed in love, King Janaka took refuge in wisdom and steadied himself. Bowing his head at the sage’s feet, he spoke in a deep voice choked with emotion:
कहहु नाथ सुंदर दोउ बालक। मुनिकुल तिलक कि नृपकुलपालक॥ ब्रह्म जो निगम नेति कहि गावा। उभय बेष धरि की सोइ आवा॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
kahahu nātha sundara dou bālaka। munikula tilaka ki nṛpakulapālaka॥ brahma jo nigama neti kahi gāvā। ubhaya beṣa dhari kī soi āvā॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
O Lord, tell me: are these two beautiful boys the ornament of the sage-line, or the protectors of the royal line? Is it that Brahma, whom the Vedas praise with “neti, neti,” has come here assuming both forms?
सहज बिरागरूप मनु मोरा। थकित होत जिमि चंद चकोरा॥ ताते प्रभु पूछउँ सतिभाऊ। कहहु नाथ जनि करहु दुराऊ॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
sahaja birāgarūpa manu morā। thakita hota jimi canda cakorā॥ tāte prabhu pūchauṃ satibhāū। kahahu nātha jani karahu durāū॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
My mind, which is naturally inclined toward renunciation, is becoming absorbed like a chakora before the moon. Therefore, O Lord, I ask you in true sincerity. Tell me, O Lord, do not conceal it.
इन्हहि बिलोकत अति अनुरागा। बरबस ब्रह्मसुखहि मन त्यागा॥ कह मुनि बिहसि कहेहु नृप नीका। बचन तुम्हार न होइ अलीका॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
inhahi bilokata ati anurāgā। barabasa brahmasukhahi mana tyāgā॥ kaha muni bihasi kahehu nṛpa nīkā। bacana tumhāra na hoi alīkā॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
Just by seeing them, my mind has been forcibly overcome by such love that it has abandoned even the bliss of Brahman. The sage smiled and said, “O King, you have spoken well. Your words cannot be false.”
ये प्रिय सबहि जहाँ लगि प्रानी। मन मुसुकाहिं रामु सुनि बानी॥ रघुकुल मनि दसरथ के जाए। मम हित लागि नरेस पठाए॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
ye priya sabahi jahāṃ lagi prānī। mana musukāhiṃ rāmu suni bānī॥ raghukula mani dasaratha ke jāe। mama hita lāgi naresa paṭhāe॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
All beings in the world love them. Hearing the sage’s mysterious words, Shri Rama smiles भीतर ही भीतर. [Then the sage said:] These are the jewels of the Raghu line, the sons of King Dasharatha. The king sent them with me for my benefit.
रामु लखनु दोउ बंधुबर रूप सील बल धाम। मख राखेउ सबु साखि जगु जिते असुर संग्राम॥ २१६ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
rāmu lakhanu dou bandhuvara rūpa sīla bala dhāma। makha rākheu sabu sākhi jagu jite asura sangrāma॥ 216 ॥
Meaning:
Rama and Lakshmana, both noble brothers, are abodes of beauty, virtue, and strength. The whole world is witness that they protected the sacrificial rite and defeated the demons in battle.
मुनि तव चरन देखि कह राऊ। कहि न सकउँ निज पुन्य प्रभाऊ॥ सुंदर स्याम गौर दोउ भ्राता। आनँदहू के आनँद दाता॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
muni tava carana dekhi kaha rāū। kahi na sakauṃ nija punya prabhāū॥ sundara syāma gaura dou bhrātā। ānaṃdahū ke ānaṃda dātā॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
The king said, “O sage, seeing your feet, I cannot describe the power of my own merit. These two beautiful brothers, dark and fair in complexion, are the bestowers of joy even upon joy itself.”
इन्ह कै प्रीति परसपर पावनि। कहि न जाइ मन भाव सुहावनि॥ सुनहु नाथ कह मुदित बिदेहू। ब्रह्म जीव इव सहज सनेहू॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
inha kai prīti paraspara pāvani। kahi na jāi mana bhāva suhāvani॥ sunahu nātha kaha mudita bidehū। brahma jīva iva sahaja sanehū॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
Their mutual love is pure and delightful; it greatly charms the mind, yet it cannot be expressed in words. Vidೇಹa (King Janaka), delighted, says: “Listen, O Lord—between them there is a natural affection like that of Brahman and the individual soul.”
पुनि पुनि प्रभुहि चितव नरनाहू। पुलक गात उर अधिक उछाहू॥ मुनिहि प्रसंसि नाइ पद सीसू। चलेउ लवाइ नगर अवनीसू॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
puni puni prabhuhi citava naranāhū। pulaka gāta ura adhika uchāhū॥ munihi prasaṃsi nāi pada sīsū। caleu lavāi nagara avanīsū॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
The king gazes again and again at the Lord. His body is thrilled with emotion, and his heart is filled with great joy. Then, praising the sage and bowing his head at his feet, the king escorted him into the city.
सुंदर सदनु सुखद सब काला। तहाँ बासु लै दीन्ह भुआला॥ करि पूजा सब बिधि सेवकाई। गयउ राउ गृह बिदा कराई॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
sundara sadanu sukhada saba kālā। tahāṃ bāsu lai dīhna bhuālā॥ kari pūjā saba bidhi sevakāī। gayau rāu gṛha bidā karāī॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
A beautiful palace, delightful in every season, was provided there for their stay. Then, after honoring and serving them in every way, the king asked leave and returned home.
रिषय संग रघुबंस मनि करि भोजनु बिश्रामु। बैठे प्रभु भ्राता सहित दिवसु रहा भरि जामु॥ २१७ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
riṣaya saṃga raghubansa mani kari bhojanu biśrāmu। baṭhe prabhu bhrātā sahita divasu rahā bhari jāmu॥ 217 ॥
Meaning:
The jewel of the Raghu line, Lord Shri Ramachandra, took भोजन and rest with the sages, and then sat with his brother Lakshmana. At that time, about one watch of the day still remained.
लखन हृदयँ लालसा बिसेषी। जाइ जनकपुर आइअ देखी॥ प्रभु भय बहुरि मुनिहि सकुचाहीं। प्रगट न कहहिं मनहिं मुसुकाहीं॥ १ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
lakhana hṛdayaṃ lālasā biseṣī। jāi janakapura āia dekhī॥ prabhu bhaya bahuri munihi sakucāhīṃ। pragaṭa na kahahiṃ manahiṃ musukāhīṃ॥ 1 ॥
Meaning:
Lakshmana’s heart is strongly eager to go and see Janakpur. But there is fear of Lord Rama, and he also feels shy before the sage. So he says nothing openly, only smiling inwardly.
राम अनुज मन की गति जानी। भगत बछलता हियँ हुलसानी॥ परम बिनीत सकुचि मुसुकाई। बोले गुर अनुसासन पाई॥ २ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
rāma anuja mana kī gati jānī। bhagata bacchatā hiyaṃ hulasānī॥ parama binitā sakuci musukāī। bole gura anusāsana pāī॥ 2 ॥
Meaning:
Rama understood the state of his younger brother’s mind, and his heart swelled with loving kindness toward his devotee. Receiving the guru’s permission, he smiled shyly with great humility and spoke.
नाथ लखनु पुरु देखन चहहीं। प्रभु सकोच डर प्रगट न कहहीं॥ जौं राउर आयसु मैं पावौं। नगर देखाइ तुरत लै आवौं॥ ३ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
nātha lakhanu puru dekhana cahahīṃ। prabhu sakocha ḍara pragaṭa na kahahīṃ॥ jaũṃ rāura āyasu maiṃ pāvāũṃ। nagara dekhāi turata lai āvāũṃ॥ 3 ॥
Meaning:
O Lord, Lakshmana wishes to see the city, but because of fear and modesty before you, he has not said so openly. If I receive your command, I shall show him the city and bring him back at once.
सुनि मुनीसु कह बचन सप्रीती। कस न राम तुम्ह राखहु नीती॥ धरम सेतु पालक तुम्ह ताता। प्रेम बिबस सेवक सुखदाता॥ ४ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
suni munīsu kaha bacana saprīti। kasa na rāma tumha rākhahu nīti॥ dharama setu pālaka tumha tātā। prema bibasa sevaka sukhadātā॥ 4 ॥
Meaning:
Hearing this, the sage said affectionately: “O Rama, how could you not uphold righteousness? O dear one, you are the guardian of the bridge of dharma, and under the power of love you bring joy to your servants.”
जाइ देखि आवहु नगरु सुख निधान दोउ भाइ। करहु सुफल सब के नयन सुंदर बदन देखाइ॥ २१८ ॥
Transliteration (IAST)
jāi dekhi āvahu nagaru sukha nidhāna dou bhāi। karahu suphala saba ke nayana sundara badana dekhāi॥ 218 ॥
Meaning:
Go and see the city, you two treasure-houses of bliss. By showing your beautiful faces, make the eyes of all fruitful.