दीनदयालु, दुरित दारिद दुख दुनी दुसह तिहुँ ताप तई है। देव दुवार पुकारत आरत, सबको सब सुख हानि भई है॥ १॥ प्रभुके बचन, बेद-बुध-सम्मत, ‘मम मूरति महिदेवमई है’। तिनकी मति रिस-राग-मोह-मद, लोभ लालची लीलि लई है॥ २॥ राज-समाज कुसाज कोटि कटु कलपित कलुष कुचाल नई है। नीति, प्रतीति, प्रीति परमित पति हेतुबाद हठि हेरि हई है॥ ३॥ आश्रम-बरन-धरम-बिरहित जग, लोक-बेद-मरजाद गई है। प्रजा पतित, पाखंड-पापरत, अपने अपने रंग रई है॥ ४॥ सांति, सत्य, सुभ, रीति गई घटि, बढ़ी कुरीति, कपट-कलई है। सीदत साधु, साधुता सोचति, खल बिलसत, हुलसति खलई है॥ ५॥ परमारथ स्वारथ, साधन भये अफल, सफल नहिं सिद्धि सई है। कामधेनु-धरनी कलि-गोमर-बिबस बिकल जामति न बई है॥ ६॥ कलि-करनी बरनिये कहाँ लौं, करत फिरत बिनु टहल टई है। तापर दाँत पीसि कर मींजत, को जानै चित कहा ठई है॥ ७॥ त्यों त्यों नीच चढ़त सिर ऊपर, ज्यों ज्यों सीलबस ढील दई है। सरुष बरजि तरजिये तरजनी, कुम्हिलैहै कुम्हड़ेकी जई है॥ ८॥ दीजै दादि देखि ना तौ बलि, मही मोद-मंगल रितई है। भरे भाग अनुराग लोग कहैं, राम कृपा-चितवनि चितई है॥ ९॥ बिनती सुनि सानंद हेरि हँसि, करुना-बारि भूमि भिजई है। राम-राज भयो काज, सगुन सुभ, राजा राम जगत-बिजई है॥ १०॥ समरथ बड़ो, सुजान सुसाहब, सुकृत-सैन हारत जितई है। सुजन सुभाव सराहत सादर, अनायास साँसति बितई है॥ ११॥ उथपे थपन, उजारि बसावन, गई बहोरि बिरद सदई है। तुलसी प्रभु आरत-आरतिहर, अभयबाँह केहि केहि न दई है॥ १२॥
O compassionate to the poor, the world is scorched by sin, poverty, sorrow, unbearable suffering, and the three afflictions. The distressed cry at your door, O Lord; everyone has lost every happiness. (1) The Lord’s declaration, approved by Veda and the wise, is: “My form is embodied in the gods upon earth.” Yet anger, attachment, delusion, pride, greed, and avarice have swallowed their understanding. (2) Royal society is filled with millions of harsh disorders, invented defilements, and new corrupt practices. Obstinate reasoning has sought out and destroyed governance, trust, love, proper measure, and fidelity to the Lord. (3) The world is bereft of the duties of life-stage and social order; the bounds of common custom and Veda are gone. The fallen people, devoted to hypocrisy and sin, remain absorbed each in their own color. (4) Peace, truth, goodness, and right conduct have diminished; bad custom and the dark stain of deceit have increased. Saints languish, saintliness grieves, villains revel, and villainy exults. (5) The highest good has become self-interest; disciplines have become fruitless, and genuine attainment no longer succeeds. Earth, the wish-cow, is helpless under Kali’s cow-dung: distressed, what is sown in her does not grow. (6) How far can Kali’s conduct be described? He roams about doing harm without assignment; moreover he grinds his teeth and rubs his hands—who knows what his mind has resolved? (7) The more one yields from courtesy, the more the vile climb upon one’s head. Forbid him in anger and threaten him with a raised finger; he will wither like the vine of a gourd. (8) See and grant justice; otherwise, I offer myself, the earth will be emptied of joy and auspiciousness. People filled with fortunate love say that Rama’s gracious glance has fallen upon them. (9) Hearing the petition, he looked joyfully, smiled, and drenched the ground with the water of compassion. The task was accomplished through Rama’s rule; auspicious signs appeared, and King Rama became victorious throughout the world. (10) The able, great, wise, good Master makes the defeated army of merit victorious. Honoring and praising his noble nature, he effortlessly removes suffering. (11) To establish the uprooted, settle the desolate, and restore what is lost has always been his renown. Tulsidas says: the Lord is distressed by the distressed and removes their distress—to whom has he not extended his fearless arm? (12)