काहे ते हरि मोहिं बिसारो। जानत निज महिमा मेरे अघ, तदपि न नाथ सँभारो॥ १॥ पतित-पुनीत, दीनहित, असरन-सरन कहत श्रुति चारो। हौं नहिं अधम, सभीत, दीन? किधौं बेदन मृषा पुकारो?॥ २॥ खग-गनिका-गज-ब्याध-पाँति जहँ तहँ हाँहूँ बैठारो। अब केहि लाज कृपानिधान! परसत पनवारो फारो॥ ३॥ जो कलिकाल प्रबल अति होतो, तुव निदेसतें न्यारो। तौ हरि रोष भरोस दोष गुन तेहि भजते तजि गारो॥ ४॥ मसक बिरंचि, बिरंचि मसक सम, करहु प्रभाउ तुम्हारो। यह सामरथ अछत मोहिं त्यागहु, नाथ तहाँ कछु चारो॥ ५॥ नाहिन नरक परत मोकहँ डर, जद्यपि हौं अति हारो। यह बड़ि त्रास दासतुलसी प्रभु, नामहु पाप न जारो॥ ६॥
Hari, why have you forgotten me? You know your own glory and my sins, yet even so, Master, you have not taken care of me. (1) All four Vedas call you purifier of the fallen, benefactor of the lowly, and refuge of the refuge-less. Am I not base, afraid, and destitute—or did the Vedas proclaim falsely? (2) Bird, courtesan, elephant, and hunter—you seated them all in the honored row; seat me there too. What shame restrains you now, Treasury of Grace, that on reaching my leaf you tear it up? (3) If the age of Kali were so overwhelmingly strong as to stand outside your command, then one might forsake anger and trust toward Hari, leave blame and praise, and worship it instead. (4) Make a mosquito Brahma and Brahma like a mosquito—such is your power. If, while possessing this ability, you abandon me, Master, what remedy is there? (5) I have no fear of falling into hell, though I am utterly defeated. Your servant Tulsidas has this greater terror, Lord: that even your Name might not burn his sins. (6)