एक सनेही साचिलो केवल कोसलपालु। प्रेम-कनोड़ो रामसो नहिं दूसरो दयालु॥ १॥ तन-साथी सब स्वारथी, सुर ब्यवहार-सुजान। आरत-अधम-अनाथ हित को रघुबीर समान॥ २॥ नाद निठुर, समचर सिखी, सलिल सनेह न सूर। ससि सरोग, दिनकरु बड़े, पयद प्रेम-पथ कूर॥ ३॥ जाको मन जासों बँध्यो, ताको सुखदायक सोइ। सरल सील साहिब सदा सीतापति सरिस न कोइ॥ ४॥ सुनि सेवा सही को करै, परिहरै को दूषन देखि। केहि दिवान दिन दीन को आदर-अनुराग बिसेखि॥ ५॥ खग-सबरी पितु-मातु ज्यों माने, कपि को किये मीत। केवट भेंट्यो भरत ज्यों, ऐसो को कहु पतित-पुनीत॥ ६॥ देइ अभागहिं भागु को, को राखे सरन सभीत। बेद-बिदित बिरुदावली, कबि-कोबिद गावत गीत॥ ७॥ कैसेउ पाँवर पातकी, जेहि लई नामकी ओट। गाँठी बाँध्यो दाम तो, परख्यो न फेरि खर-खोट॥ ८॥ मन-मलीन, कलि किलबिषी होत सुनत जासु कृत-काज। सो तुलसी कियो आपुनो रघुबीर गरीब-निवाज॥ ९॥
The one true friend is only the Lord of Kosala. There is no other compassionate one like Rama, who is beholden to love. (1) All companions of the body are selfish, and the gods are skilled in transaction. Who equals the Hero of Raghu in serving the afflicted, lowly, and orphaned? (2) Sound is cruel, fire treats all alike, water is no hero on love’s path; the moon is diseased, the sun is proud, and the cloud is harsh on the road of love. (3) Whomever one’s mind is bound to, that one alone gives joy; yet there is never another simple and gracious master like Sita’s Lord. (4) Who confirms service the moment he hears of it, and who overlooks a fault after seeing it? In whose court is a poor person honored with such exceptional love? (5) Who regarded the bird and Shabari as father and mother, and made the monkeys his friends? Who embraced the boatman as Bharata? Tell me, who else so purifies the fallen? (6) Who gives fortune to the unfortunate, and who shelters the frightened? The Veda knows his litany of fame, and poets and learned men sing his song. (7) However low and sinful one may be, once one takes shelter in his name, Rama ties that coin in his knot and does not then assay whether it is genuine or false. (8) Even Tulsi—so impure-minded and sinful in Kali that one becomes sinful merely hearing his deeds—the Hero of Raghu, patron of the poor, made his own. (9)