Tukaram, Poem 994

Such is a good name that one can never keep it, O Lord and Master, O saviour of the sinful. If a man takes care of his family, people find fault with him; if he renounces it, they call him lazy and selfish; if he goes through ceremonies, they call him ostentatious; if he discards them, they take him to task. If he lives with the saints, they cry “A disciple!” If he leaves them alone, they say he is an ignoramus. If he is poor, he is born to be a beggar; if he has means, they charge him with pride. If he speaks much, he is over-talkative; if he speaks little, they cry out on his pride. If he stands aloof from men, he is cold-blooded; if he moves amongst them, he is said to ruin his family. If he gets married, they say he is lustful; if he does not, they say he is impotent. If he has no children, they look down on him; if he has a tribe of children, they say it leads to hell. I am sick of mankind, I cannot contain my disgust of them; a worldly man cannot stomach the company of the saints. Tuka says, Listen to my words, leave the world and practise devotion.