सतजुगि सतु तेता जगी दुआपरि पूजाचार ॥तीनौ जुग तीनौ दिड़े कलि केवल नाम अधार ॥ १ ॥*satajugi satu tētā jagī duāpari pūjācāra ॥**tīnau juga tīnau diṛē kali kēvala nāma adhāra ॥ 1 ॥*पारु कैसे पाइबो रे ॥मो सउ कोऊ न कहै समझाइ ॥जा ते आवा गवनु बिलाइ ॥ १ ॥रहाउ ॥*pāru kaisē pāibō rē ॥**mō sau kōū na kahai samajhāi ॥**jā tē āvā gavanu bilāi ॥ 1 ॥rahāu ॥*बहु बिधि धरम निरूपीऐ करता दीसै सभ लोइ ॥कवन करम ते छूटीऐ जिह साधे सभ सिधि होइ ॥ २ ॥*bahu bidhi dharama nirūpīai karatā dīsai sabha lōi ॥**kavana karama tē chūṭīai jiha sādhē sabha sidhi hōi ॥ 2 ॥*करम अकरम बीचारीऐ संका सुनि बेद पुरान ॥संसा सद हिरदै बसै कउनु हिरै अभिमानु ॥ ३ ॥*karama akarama bīcārīai saṁkā suni bēda purāna ॥**saṁsā sada hiradai basai kaunu hirai abhimānu ॥ 3 ॥*बाहरु उदकि पखारीऐ घट भीतरि बिबिधि बिकार ॥सुध कवन पर होइबो सुच कुंचर बिधि बिउहार ॥ ४ ॥*bāharu udaki pakhārīai ghaṭa bhītari bibidhi bikāra ॥**sudha kavana para hōibō suca kuṁcara bidhi biuhāra ॥ 4 ॥*रवि प्रगास रजनी जथा गति जानत सभ संसार ॥पारस मानो ताबो छुए कनक होत नही बार ॥ ५ ॥*ravi pragāsa rajanī jathā gati jānata sabha saṁsāra ॥**pārasa mānō tābō chuē kanaka hōta nahī bāra ॥ 5 ॥*परम परस गुरु भेटीऐ पूरब लिखत लिलाट ॥उनमन मन मन ही मिले छुटकत बजर कपाट ॥ ६ ॥*parama parasa guru bhēṭīai pūraba likhata lilāṭa ॥**unamana mana mana hī milē chuṭakata bajara kapāṭa ॥ 6 ॥*भगति जुगति मति सति करी भ्रम बंधन काटि बिकार ॥सोई बसि रसि मन मिले गुन निरगुन एक बिचार ॥ ७ ॥*bhagati jugati mati sati karī bhrama baṁdhana kāṭi bikāra ॥**sōī basi rasi mana milē guna niraguna ēka bicāra ॥ 7 ॥*अनिक जतन निग्रह कीए टारी न टरै भ्रम फास ॥प्रेम भगति नही ऊपजै ता ते रविदास उदास ॥ ८ ॥ १ ॥*anika jatana nigraha kīē ṭārī na ṭarai bhrama phāsa ॥**prēma bhagati nahī ūpajai tā tē ravidāsa udāsa ॥ 8 ॥ 1 ॥*
In plain words
In the Sat age it was truth, in the Tretā the sacrifice, in the Dwāpar the rites of worship. Each of the three ages held fast to its own; in the Kali age the Name alone is the support. How am I ever to reach the far shore? Nobody speaks to me and makes me understand the thing by which coming and going would be done with. *(refrain)* Dharam is set out in many ways, and the whole world is seen performing it. By which karam is a man released, the one that when mastered brings every attainment? Karam and *akaram* are argued over, and hearing the Vedas and the Purāṇas leaves doubt. Doubt sits in the heart for good. Who is there to take this pride away? The outside is washed with water, while inside the vessel are corruptions of every kind. Who becomes clean that way? Such washing is the elephant's way of going about it. The sun comes up and the night is gone: all the world knows how that works. Know it: let the pāras touch copper, and there is no delay before it is gold. The Guru, the highest pāras, is met by what was written long ago on the forehead. Mind beyond mind meets mind itself, and the doors hard as diamond spring open. The practice of bhagati made the understanding true and cut the bonds of delusion and corruption. Settled there and tasting it, the mind met him: guṇ and nirguṇ are one thought. Many an effort, many a restraint: the noose of delusion, push it as you like, will not shift. Loving bhagati does not rise up, and so Ravidās is left downcast. *kuñcar bidhi*, the elephant's way of it: to wash in the river and then throw the dust back over its own shoulders.