Abhanga 4286
Tukaram calls out fake holy men who have become skilled at looking spiritual: they smear ash on their bodies, close their eyes as if in deep meditation, and put on a whole performance of renunciation, but underneath they are secretly indulging every pleasure and still doing wrong. He is furious that people would use the appearance of sainthood as a cover for sin instead of actually living it. His advice is blunt: don't waste words trying to reason with such people, just stay far away from their company, because associating with them will only drag you down.
The verse
ऐसे कैसे जाले भोंदू । कर्म करोनि म्हणति साधु ॥१॥
अंगा लावूनियां राख । डोळे झांकुनी करिती पाप ॥ध्रु.॥
दावुनि वैराग्याची कळा । भोगी विषयाचा सोहळा ॥२॥
तुका म्हणे सांगों किती । जळो तयांची संगती ॥३॥
Literal translation
Bhōndū-do-karma — call-self-sādhu. Anga-rākha — eyes-closed-do-pāpa. Vairāgya-display — enjoy-viṣaya-sōhaḷā. Tukā: how-much-to-say — burn-sangati.
What it means
A 3-verse anti-fake-sādhu text. Such deceivers have come about — they do karma and call themselves sādhus. Applying ash to the body, closing the eyes, they do sin. Showing the art of renunciation, they enjoy the festival of pleasure. Tukā says: how much to say — let their company burn. The diagnostic: 3 disguises hiding 3 vices — (1) name-themselves-sādhu but-do-karma; (2) ash-and-closed-eyes but-doing-pāpa; (3) renunciation-display but-pleasure-enjoyment. Pair with 4253 (anti-fake-mahanti), 4254 (anti-occult-priest), 3918-3925 (7-types anti-fake-renunciate cluster).
For someone today
Tukaram calls out fake holy men who have become skilled at looking spiritual: they smear ash on their bodies, close their eyes as if in deep meditation, and put on a whole performance of renunciation, but underneath they are secretly indulging every pleasure and still doing wrong. He is furious that people would use the appearance of sainthood as a cover for sin instead of actually living it. His advice is blunt: don't waste words trying to reason with such people, just stay far away from their company, because associating with them will only drag you down.
मराठी: तुकाराम अशा ढोंगी साधूंवर कठोर टीका करतात जे अध्यात्मिक दिसण्यात पटाईत झाले आहेत: अंगाला राख फासतात, ध्यानात असल्यासारखे डोळे मिटतात आणि त्यागाचे मोठे नाटक करतात, पण आतून मात्र गुपचूप सुखोपभोग घेत असतात आणि पापही करत असतात. संन्याशाचे रूप पापाची झाकण म्हणून वापरणे, प्रत्यक्षात ते जगण्याऐवजी, यावर ते संतापतात. त्यांचा सल्ला थेट आहे: अशा लोकांशी वाद घालण्यात शब्द वाया घालवू नका, फक्त त्यांच्या संगतीपासून दूर राहा, कारण त्यांची संगत फक्त खालीच खेचेल.
Where this applies
- When someone uses a religious or spiritual image to gain your trust while secretly acting selfishly
- When you're drawn to a person's outward performance of humility or discipline without checking what they actually do in private
- When you feel pressured to stay loyal to a spiritual leader or group even after seeing clear signs of hypocrisy
- When you need permission to simply walk away from a toxic or deceptive relationship instead of trying to fix it