ऐसी मूढ़ता या मनकी। परिहरि राम-भगति-सुरसरिता, आस करत ओसकनकी॥ १॥ धूम-समूह निरखि चातक ज्यों, तृषित जानि मति घनकी। नहिं तहँ सीतलता न बारि, पुनि हानि होति लोचनकी॥ २॥ ज्यों गच-काँच बिलोकि सेन जड़ छाँह आपने तनकी। टूटत अति आतुर अहार बस, छति बिसारि आननकी॥ ३॥ कहें लौं कहौं कुचाल कृपानिधि! जानत हौ गति जनकी। तुलसिदास प्रभु हरहु दुसह दुख, करहु लाज निज पनकी॥ ४॥
Such is this mind’s folly: abandoning the celestial river of devotion to Rama, it puts its hope in drops of dew. (1) It is like a thirsty chataka seeing a mass of smoke and mistaking it for a raincloud: there is neither coolness nor water there, and its eyes suffer further harm. (2) It is like a foolish hawk that sees the shadow of its own body in polished glass and, frantic for food, dives upon it, forgetting the injury to its face. (3) How long can I recount its crooked ways, Treasury of Grace? You know your servant’s condition. Tulsidas says: Lord, remove this unbearable pain and uphold the honor of your own pledge. (4)