काहे न रसना, रामहि गावहि? निसिदिन पर-अपवाद बृथा कत रटि-रटि राग बढ़ावहि॥ १॥ नरमुख सुंदर मंदिर पावन बसि जनि ताहि लजावहि। ससि समीप रहि त्यागि सुधा कत रबिकर-जल कहँ धावहि॥ २॥ काम-कथा कलि-कैरव-चंदिनि, सुनत श्रवन दै भावहि। तिनहिं हटकि कहि हरि-कल-कीरति, करन कलंक नसावहि॥ ३॥ जातरूप मति, जुगुति रुचिर मनि रचि-रचि हार बनावहि। सरन-सुखद रबिकुल-सरोज-रबि राम-नृपहि पहिरावहि॥ ४॥ बाद-बिबाद, स्वाद तजि भजि हरि, सरस चरित चित लावहि। तुलसिदास भव तरहि, तिहुँ पुर तू पुनीत जस पावहि॥ ५॥
Why, O tongue, do you not sing Rāma? Why repeat slander of others day and night and needlessly deepen your attachment? (1) Dwelling in the beautiful, sacred temple of a human mouth, do not put it to shame. Staying beside the moon, why abandon nectar and run toward the water made by the sun’s rays? (2) Tales of desire are moonlight to Kali’s night-lotus, and you lend them your ears and listen with delight. Stop them; proclaim Hari’s lovely fame and remove the stain upon the ears. (3) Fashion the gold of understanding and the lovely jewels of reasoning again and again into a necklace; place it upon King Rāma, the refuge-giving sun of the solar dynasty’s lotus. (4) Abandon argument and relish, worship Hari, and fix the mind upon his nectarean deeds. Tulsi will cross worldly existence, and you will gain sacred renown throughout the three worlds. (5)