Abhanga 3922
A convincing holy appearance used to deceive people, especially women, will not go unanswered, Tukaram warns.
The verse
दाढी डोई मुंडी मुंडुनियां सर्व । पांघुरति बरवें वस्त्र काळें ॥१॥
उफराटी काठी घेऊनियां हातीं । उपदेश देती सर्वत्रासी॥२॥
चाळवुनी रांडा देउनियां भेष । तुका म्हणे त्यास यम दंडी ॥३॥
Literal translation
Fully-shaved — black-cloth. Upside-down-stick — upadeśa-to-all. Deceives-women-with-bhēṣa — Tukā: Yama-strikes.
What it means
Verse 5 of the 7-abhang anti-fake-renunciate cluster. They shave the beard, head, mustache completely; wear fine black cloth. Taking an upside-down stick in hand, they give upadeśa to everyone. They deceive women with the costume — Yama strikes them. The shaved-and-black-clad sannyāsi with upside-down-stick — likely a reference to a specific 17th-c. order. The accusation of deceiving women by costume is the harshest charge.
For someone today
Tukaram describes a man who shaves his head and beard completely, wears fine black robes, and carries an upside-down staff while handing out spiritual advice to anyone who will listen. The costume commands respect, but Tukaram says this man uses it to deceive women, and warns that such a person will answer for it. Looking the part of a holy teacher is not the same as being trustworthy. Real authority to guide others has to be earned by honest character, not borrowed from a striking appearance.
मराठी: तुकाराम अशा एका माणसाचे वर्णन करतात जो डोके आणि दाढी पूर्णपणे भादरतो, सुंदर काळे वस्त्र नेसतो आणि उलटी काठी हातात घेऊन भेटेल त्याला उपदेश देत फिरतो. हा वेष आदर मिळवतो, पण तुकाराम म्हणतात की तो या वेषाचा वापर स्त्रियांना फसवण्यासाठी करतो, आणि अशा माणसाला त्याची शिक्षा भोगावी लागेल असा इशारा देतात. गुरूसारखा दिसणे म्हणजे विश्वासार्ह असणे नव्हे. इतरांना मार्गदर्शन करण्याचा अधिकार प्रामाणिक चारित्र्यातून मिळवावा लागतो, केवळ प्रभावी वेषातून नाही.
Where this applies
- Tukārām's shaved-sannyāsi-type in 7-abhang cluster