---
title: "Bal Kand Doha 8"
canonical: "https://ramayana.com/ramcharitmanas/bal-kand/doha-8"
lang: "en"
---

# Bal Kand · Doha 8

Tulasīdāsa’s humility and the glory of poetry describing Śrī Rāma’s greatness

**चौ०** 
> आकर चारि लाख चौरासी । जाति जीव जल थल नभ बासी ॥  
> सीय राममय सब जग जानी । करउँ प्रनाम जोरि जुग पानी ॥ १ ॥

**चौ०** 
> जानि कृपाकर किंकर मोहू । सब मिलि करहु छाड़ि छल छोहू ॥  
> निज बुधि बल भरोस मोहि नाहीं । तातें बिनय करउँ सब पाहीं ॥ २ ॥

**चौ०** 
> करन चहउँ रघुपति गुन गाहा । लघु मति मोरि चरित अवगाहा ॥  
> सूझ न एकउ अंग उपाऊ । मन मति रंक मनोरथ राऊ ॥ ३ ॥

**चौ०** 
> मति अति नीच ऊँचि रुचि आछी । चहिअ अमिअ जग जुरइ न छाछी ॥  
> छमिहहिं सज्जन मोरि ढिठाई । सुनिहहिं बालबचन मन लाई ॥ ४ ॥

**चौ०** 
> जौं बालक कह तोतरि बाता । सुनहिं मुदित मन पितु अरु माता ॥  
> हँसिहहिं कूर कुटिल कुबिचारी। जे पर दूषन भूषनधारी॥ ५ ॥

**चौ०** 
> निज कबित्त केहि लाग न नीका । सरस होउ अथवा अति फीका ॥  
> जे पर भनिति सुनत हरषाहीं । ते बर पुरुष बहुत जग नाहीं ॥ ६ ॥

**चौ०** 
> जग बहु नर सर सरि सम भाई । जे निज बाढ़ि बढ़हिं जल पाई ॥  
> सज्जन सकृत सिंधु सम कोई । देखि पूर बिधु बाढ़इ जोई ॥ ७ ॥

Meaning: Eight million and four hundred thousand species of living beings, classified under four broad divisions, inhabit land, water and the air. Recognizing that Sītā and Śrī Rāma pervade the entire creation, I make obeisance to them all with folded hands. (1)

The number of species of living beings has been categorically fixed in Hindu scriptures as eighty-four lakhs. The four broad divisions are: (1) Jarāyuja (viviparous, such as men and beasts). (2) Aṇḍaja (oviparous). (3) Svedaja (born of sweat, such as lice, bugs etc.) and (4) Udbhijja (sprouting from the soil, viz., plants).

Knowing me as your servant, be genuinely gracious to me all of you, O mines of compassion. I have no confidence in my intellectual capability, hence I supplicate you all. (2)

I would recount the virtues of the Lord of Raghus*, Śrī Raghunātha; but my wits are poor, whereas the exploits of Śrī Rāma are unfathomable. For this I find not the least resource; while I am bankrupt of mind and intellect, my ambition is right royal. (3)

* King Raghu was a forbear of Śrī Rāma. His descendants bore the name of Raghus. Having been the head of the clan after His father, Daśaratha, Śrī Rāma is aptly called the Lord of the Raghus.

Even though my intellect is exceedingly low, my aspiration is pitched too high; while I crave for nectar, I have no means in this world to procure even butter-milk. The virtuous will forgive my presumption and listen to my childish babble with interest. (4)

When a child prattles in lisping accents, the parents hear it with a mind full of delight. Those, however, who are hard-hearted, mischievous and perverse and cherish others’ faults as an ornament, will laught at. (5)

Who does not like one’s own poetry, be it delightful or exceedingly insipid? Such good people as take delight to hear others’ composition are rare in this world. (6)

The world abounds in men who resemble lakes and rivers that get swelled with their own rise when water is added to them. There is some rare good soul like the ocean, which swells at the sight of the full moon. (7)

**दो०** 
> भाग छोट अभिलाषु बड़ करउँ एक बिस्वास ।  
> पैहहिं सुख सुनि सुजन सब खल करिहहिं उपहास ॥ ८ ॥

Meaning: Humble is my lot and my ambition high; my only hope is that all good men will be gratified to hear this epic, while the evil-minded will scoff. (8)

Previous: https://ramayana.com/ramcharitmanas/bal-kand/doha-7d  
Kand: https://ramayana.com/ramcharitmanas/bal-kand  
Next: https://ramayana.com/ramcharitmanas/bal-kand/doha-9

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Source: Gita Press, Gorakhpur editions. Buy the book: https://gitapress.org/product/sri-ramcharitmanas-special-edition

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