माधव! मोह-फाँस क्यों टूटै। बाहिर कोटि उपाय करिय, अभ्यंतर ग्रन्थि न छूटै॥ १॥ घृतपूरन कराह अंतरगत ससि-प्रतिबिंब दिखावै। ईधन अनल लगाय कलपसत, औटत नास न पावै॥ २॥ तरु-कोटर महँ बस बिहंग तरु काटे मरै न जैसे। साधन करिय बिचार-हीन मन सुद्ध होइ नहिं तैसे॥ ३॥ अंतर मलिन बिषय मन अति, तन पावन करिय पखारे। मरइ न उरग अनेक जतन बलमीकि बिबिध बिधि मारे॥ ४॥ तुलसिदास हरि-गुरु-करुना बिनु बिमल बिबेक न होई। बिनु बिबेक संसार-घोर-निधि पार न पावै कोई॥ ५॥
Madhava, how can delusion’s noose break? One may perform millions of outward measures, yet the inner knot does not open. (1) Within a cauldron full of ghee the moon’s reflection appears; though fuel and fire be applied and it be boiled for a hundred aeons, the image is not destroyed. (2) A bird dwelling in a tree hollow does not die when the tree is cut; in the same way, though disciplines are performed, a mind without discernment does not become pure. (3) The mind within is deeply stained by sense-objects, though one wash the body clean; a serpent does not die however many efforts are made to strike its anthill in different ways. (4) Tulsidas says: without Hari’s and the guru’s compassion, stainless discernment does not arise; without discernment, no one crosses the terrible ocean of worldly existence. (5)