जौ पै जिय धरिहौ अवगुन जनके। तौ क्यों कटत सुकृत-नखते मो पै, बिपुल बृंद अघ-बनके॥ १॥ कहिहै कौन कलुष मेरे कृत, करम बचन अरु मनके। हारहिं अमित सेष सारद श्रुति, गिनत एक-एक छनके॥ २॥ जो चित चढ़े नाम-महिमा निज, गुनगन पावन पनके। तो तुलसिहिं तारिहौ बिप्र ज्यों दसन तोरि जमगनके॥ ३॥
If you keep your servant’s faults in your heart, how can the vast forests of my sins be cut down by the fingernails of my merits? (1) Who could recount the defilements I have committed through deed, speech, and mind? Endless Sheshas, Sharadas, and Vedas would be defeated counting them one by one at every instant. (2) But if the glory of your Name and the host of qualities in your purifying pledge should rise in your mind, you will deliver Tulsi as you did the brahmin, breaking the teeth of Yama’s hosts. (3)