काहे को फिरत मूढ़ मन धायो। तजि हरि-चरन-सरोज सुधारस, रबिकर-जल लय लायो॥ १॥ त्रिजग देव नर असुर अपर जग जोनि सकल भ्रमि आयो। गृह, बनिता, सुत, बंधु भये बहु, मातु-पिता जिन्ह जायो॥ २॥ जाते निरय-निकाय निरंतर, सोइ इन्ह तोहि सिखायो। तुव हित होइ, कटै भव-बंधन, सो मगु तोहि न बतायो॥ ३॥ अजहुँ बिषय कहँ जतन करत, जद्यपि बहुबिधि डहँकायो। पावक-काम भोग-घृत तें सठ, कैसे परत बुझायो॥ ४॥ बिषयहीन दुख, मिले बिपति अति, सुख सपनेहुँ नहिं पायो। उभय प्रकार प्रेत-पावक ज्यों धन दुखप्रद श्रुति गायो॥ ५॥ छिन-छिन छीन होत जीवन, दुरलभ तनु बृथा गँवायो। तुलसिदास हरि भजहि आस तजि, काल-उरग जग खायो॥ ६॥
Why do you run about, foolish mind? Abandoning the nectar of Hari’s lotus feet, you have fixed your love upon the sun’s mirage-water. (1) Through the three worlds you have wandered among gods, humans, demons, and every other worldly birth. You have had many homes, wives, sons, brothers, and parents who gave you birth. (2) They taught you only that which leads continually to hosts of hells; they did not show you the path that would benefit you and cut the bonds of becoming. (3) Even now you labor for sense objects, though deceived in many ways. Fool, how can the fire of desire be quenched by the ghee of enjoyment? (4) Without sense objects there was pain; when they came, extreme calamity—never even in a dream did you gain happiness. The Veda sings that the wealth of sense objects, in both conditions, is grief-giving like a ghostly fire. (5) Moment by moment life diminishes; you have wasted the rare body. Tulsidas, abandon hope and worship Hari: the serpent of Time is devouring the world. (6)