Abhanga 4086
Outward piety cannot make someone truly good if their heart is still ruled by desire and anger underneath.
The verse
गुळें माखोनियां दगड ठेविला । वर दिसे भला लोकाचारी ॥१॥
अंतरीं विषयाचें लागलें पैं पिसें । बाहिरल्या वेषें भुलवी लोकां ॥ध्रु.॥
ऐसिया डांभिकां कैची हरिसेवा । नेणे चि सद्भावा कोणे काळीं ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे येणें कैसा होय संत । विटाळलें चित्त कामक्रोधें ॥३॥
Literal translation
Stone-smeared-with-gur — looks-good-lokāchāra. Inside-viṣaya-piśē — outside-vēṣa-deceives. Dāmbhika-no-hari-sevā — no-sad-bhāva. Tukā: how-sant — chitta-viṭāḷalē-kāma-krōdha.
What it means
A 3-verse anti-fake-sant text. A stone smeared with jaggery is placed there — looks fine on the surface (by worldly-custom). But the madness of sense-objects has attached inside; only the outer costume deceives people. For such hypocrites, what hari-service? They never know true-feeling. How can such a one be a sant? — the chitta is defiled by kāma-krōdha. The stone-smeared-with-gur image — sweetness on the outside but stone inside — captures the deceit perfectly.
For someone today
Tukaram describes a stone coated in jaggery, sweet and appealing on the outside but hard and lifeless within, and uses it to expose people who look pious in public while inwardly still consumed by craving. A costume of holiness fools onlookers, but it doesn't fool what's true, because real service to God cannot come from a heart that's never known genuine sincerity. He warns that no amount of outward performance makes someone a true sant if their mind is still ruled by desire and anger underneath. The teaching is to check what's really inside you, not just what impression you give.
मराठी: तुकाराम गुळाने माखलेल्या दगडाचे उदाहरण देतात, जो बाहेरून गोड आणि आकर्षक दिसतो पण आतून कठीण आणि निर्जीव असतो, आणि याद्वारे ते बाहेरून पवित्र दिसणाऱ्या पण आतून अजूनही वासनेने ग्रासलेल्या लोकांचा बुरखा फाडतात. पावित्र्याचा पोशाख पाहणाऱ्यांना फसवू शकतो, पण सत्याला फसवू शकत नाही, कारण खरी हरिसेवा अशा मनातून येऊ शकत नाही ज्याने कधीच खरा सद्भाव अनुभवला नाही. ते सावध करतात की मन अजूनही काम-क्रोधाने भरलेले असेल तर कितीही बाह्य प्रदर्शन केले तरी माणूस खरा संत बनत नाही. यातून शिकायचे हे की तुम्ही बाहेर काय दाखवता यापेक्षा तुमच्या आत खरोखर काय आहे ते तपासावे.
Where this applies
- When you notice someone acting pious in public while privately still driven by greed or anger
- When you catch yourself performing goodness for others' approval rather than out of real sincerity
- When you are evaluating whether a leader or teacher's inner life matches their outer reputation
- When you want to honestly check whether your own devotion is genuine or just a convincing costume