Dohas of Tulsidas

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दया धर्म का मूल है, पाप मूल अभिमान। तुलसी दया न छाँड़िए, जब लग घट में प्रान॥ सरनागत कहुँ जे तजहिं, निज अनहित अनुमानि। ते नर पावँर पापमय, तिन्हहि बिलोकत हानि॥ तुलसी मीठे बचन ते, सुख उपजत चहुँ ओर। बसीकरन एक मंत्र है, परिहरु बचन कठोर॥ बिनु सत्संग विवेक न होई, राम कृपा बिनु सुलभ न सोई। सत्संगत मुद मंगल मूला, सोइ फल सिधि सब साधन फूला॥ नामु राम को कलपतरु, कलि कल्यान निवासु। जो सुमिरत भयो भाँग ते, तुलसी तुलसीदासु॥ तुलसी इस संसार में, भाँति भाँति के लोग। सबसे हस मिल बोलिए, नदी नाव संजोग॥ मुखिया मुख सो चाहिए, खान-पान को एक। पालइ पोषइ सकल अंग, तुलसी सहित बिबेक॥ तुलसी साथी विपत्ति के, विद्या विनय विवेक। साहस सुकृति सुसत्यव्रत, राम भरोसे एक॥ तुलसी भरोसे राम के, निर्भय हो के सोय। अनहोनी होनी नहीं, होनी हो सो होय॥ परहित सरिस धर्म नहिं भाई, परपीड़ा सम नहिं अधमाई। नर सेवा ही प्रभु सेवा, सब से ऊपर यही भक्ति मेवा॥

Transliteration

dayā dharm kā mūl hai, pāp mūl abhimān. tulasī dayā na chāṁḍiye, jab lag ghaṭ meṁ prān. sarnāgat kahūṁ je tajahiṁ, nij anahit anumāni. te nar pāṁvar pāpmay, tinhahi bilokt hāni. tulasī mīṭhe bacan te, sukh upajat cahūṁ or. basīkaran ek mantra hai, pariharu bacan kaṭhor. binu satsaṅg vivek na hoī, rām kṛpā binu sulabh na soī. satsaṅgat mud maṅgal mūlā, soi phal sidhi sab sādhan phūlā. nāmu rām ko kalpataru, kali kalyān nivāsu. jo sumirat bhayo bhāṁg te, tulasī tulasīdāsu. tulasī is saṁsār meṁ, bhāṁti bhāṁti ke log. sabse has mil boliye, nadī nāv saṁjog. mukhiyā mukh so cāhiye, khān-pān ko ek. pālai poṣai sakal aṅg, tulasī sahit bibek. tulasī sāthī vipatti ke, vidyā vinay vivek. sāhas sukṛti susatyavrat, rām bharose ek. tulasī bharose rām ke, nirbhay ho ke soy. ananhonī honī nahīṁ, honī ho so hoy. parahit saris dharm nahiṁ bhāī, parpīḍā sam nahiṁ adhamāī. nar sevā hī prabhu sevā, sab se ūpar yahī bhakti mevā.

Translation

Compassion is the root of righteousness, and pride is the root of sin. Tulsidas says: never abandon compassion as long as there is breath in your body. Those who abandon a person who has sought their refuge, fearing harm to their own interests, are sinful and lowly. Even looking at such people is harmful. Tulsidas says: sweet words bring happiness in all directions. Sweet speech is a mantra of enchantment — abandon harsh words. Without satsang (holy company), discernment does not arise; without Rama's grace, satsang is not easily attained. Holy company is the root of joy and auspiciousness — that alone is the fruit and fulfillment; all other means are merely flowers. The name of Rama is a wish-fulfilling tree and the abode of salvation in the Kali Yuga. By remembering that name, Tulsidas transformed from a lowly weed into a revered saint. Tulsidas says: in this world there are all kinds of people. Greet everyone with warmth and a smile — like the natural bond between a river and a boat. A leader should be like the mouth — it alone eats and drinks, but wisely nourishes every part of the body. Tulsidas says: the companions in adversity are knowledge, humility, discernment, courage, good deeds, the vow of truth, and above all, trust in Rama. Tulsidas says: trust in Rama and sleep without fear. What is not destined will not happen, and what is destined will surely come to pass. So leave your worries and have faith in Rama. Brother, there is no righteousness like benevolence, and no sin like causing pain to others. Service to humanity is service to God — this is the greatest fruit of devotion.

दया धर्म का मूल है, पाप मूल अभिमान। तुलसी दया न छाँड़िए, जब लग घट में प्रान॥

Transliteration

dayā dharm kā mūl hai, pāp mūl abhimān. tulasī dayā na chāṁḍiye, jab lag ghaṭ meṁ prān.

Translation

Compassion is the root of righteousness, and pride is the root of sin. Tulsidas says: never abandon compassion as long as there is breath in your body.

Word by Word

दया compassion, mercy

अभिमान pride, arrogance

घट body (lit. vessel)

सरनागत कहुँ जे तजहिं, निज अनहित अनुमानि। ते नर पावँर पापमय, तिन्हहि बिलोकत हानि॥

Transliteration

sarnāgat kahūṁ je tajahiṁ, nij anahit anumāni. te nar pāṁvar pāpmay, tinhahi bilokt hāni.

Translation

Those who abandon a person who has sought their refuge, fearing harm to their own interests, are sinful and lowly. Even looking at such people is harmful.

Word by Word

सरनागत one who has taken refuge

पावँर lowly, wretched

तुलसी मीठे बचन ते, सुख उपजत चहुँ ओर। बसीकरन एक मंत्र है, परिहरु बचन कठोर॥

Transliteration

tulasī mīṭhe bacan te, sukh upajat cahūṁ or. basīkaran ek mantra hai, pariharu bacan kaṭhor.

Translation

Tulsidas says: sweet words bring happiness in all directions. Sweet speech is a mantra of enchantment — abandon harsh words.

Word by Word

बसीकरन enchantment, winning hearts

परिहरु abandon, give up

बिनु सत्संग विवेक न होई, राम कृपा बिनु सुलभ न सोई। सत्संगत मुद मंगल मूला, सोइ फल सिधि सब साधन फूला॥

Transliteration

binu satsaṅg vivek na hoī, rām kṛpā binu sulabh na soī. satsaṅgat mud maṅgal mūlā, soi phal sidhi sab sādhan phūlā.

Translation

Without satsang (holy company), discernment does not arise; without Rama's grace, satsang is not easily attained. Holy company is the root of joy and auspiciousness — that alone is the fruit and fulfillment; all other means are merely flowers.

Word by Word

सत्संग holy company, association with the virtuous

विवेक discernment, wisdom

सिधि attainment, fulfillment

नामु राम को कलपतरु, कलि कल्यान निवासु। जो सुमिरत भयो भाँग ते, तुलसी तुलसीदासु॥

Transliteration

nāmu rām ko kalpataru, kali kalyān nivāsu. jo sumirat bhayo bhāṁg te, tulasī tulasīdāsu.

Translation

The name of Rama is a wish-fulfilling tree and the abode of salvation in the Kali Yuga. By remembering that name, Tulsidas transformed from a lowly weed into a revered saint.

Word by Word

कलपतरु wish-fulfilling tree

कलि Kali Yuga, the current age

तुलसी इस संसार में, भाँति भाँति के लोग। सबसे हस मिल बोलिए, नदी नाव संजोग॥

Transliteration

tulasī is saṁsār meṁ, bhāṁti bhāṁti ke log. sabse has mil boliye, nadī nāv saṁjog.

Translation

Tulsidas says: in this world there are all kinds of people. Greet everyone with warmth and a smile — like the natural bond between a river and a boat.

Word by Word

भाँति भाँति of various kinds, diverse

संजोग union, connection, bond

मुखिया मुख सो चाहिए, खान-पान को एक। पालइ पोषइ सकल अंग, तुलसी सहित बिबेक॥

Transliteration

mukhiyā mukh so cāhiye, khān-pān ko ek. pālai poṣai sakal aṅg, tulasī sahit bibek.

Translation

A leader should be like the mouth — it alone eats and drinks, but wisely nourishes every part of the body.

Word by Word

मुखिया leader, head, chief

पालइ पोषइ to nurture, to nourish

बिबेक wisdom, discernment

तुलसी साथी विपत्ति के, विद्या विनय विवेक। साहस सुकृति सुसत्यव्रत, राम भरोसे एक॥

Transliteration

tulasī sāthī vipatti ke, vidyā vinay vivek. sāhas sukṛti susatyavrat, rām bharose ek.

Translation

Tulsidas says: the companions in adversity are knowledge, humility, discernment, courage, good deeds, the vow of truth, and above all, trust in Rama.

Word by Word

विपत्ति adversity, calamity

सुकृति good deeds, virtue

सुसत्यव्रत firm vow of truth

तुलसी भरोसे राम के, निर्भय हो के सोय। अनहोनी होनी नहीं, होनी हो सो होय॥

Transliteration

tulasī bharose rām ke, nirbhay ho ke soy. ananhonī honī nahīṁ, honī ho so hoy.

Translation

Tulsidas says: trust in Rama and sleep without fear. What is not destined will not happen, and what is destined will surely come to pass. So leave your worries and have faith in Rama.

Word by Word

निर्भय fearless, without fear

अनहोनी that which is not meant to happen

होनी destiny, that which is fated

परहित सरिस धर्म नहिं भाई, परपीड़ा सम नहिं अधमाई। नर सेवा ही प्रभु सेवा, सब से ऊपर यही भक्ति मेवा॥

Transliteration

parahit saris dharm nahiṁ bhāī, parpīḍā sam nahiṁ adhamāī. nar sevā hī prabhu sevā, sab se ūpar yahī bhakti mevā.

Translation

Brother, there is no righteousness like benevolence, and no sin like causing pain to others. Service to humanity is service to God — this is the greatest fruit of devotion.

Word by Word

परहित benevolence, others' welfare

परपीड़ा causing pain to others

अधमाई wickedness, baseness

Introduction

The dohas of Goswami Tulsidas are invaluable gems of devotion, morality, wisdom, and propriety. Drawn from the Ramcharitmanas, Dohavali, and Vinay Patrika, these couplets convey messages of devotion to Lord Rama, the importance of holy company, humility, and righteous conduct. Tulsidas’s verse carries the exquisite beauty of the Awadhi and Braj languages. These couplets have been guiding Indian society for centuries.