Bāla Kāṇḍa·Chaupāī·7.3
लखि सुबेष जग बंचक जेऊ। बेष प्रताप पूजियहिं तेऊ॥
उघरहिं अंत न होइ निबाहू। कालनेमि जिमि रावन राहू॥
lakhi subeṣa jaga baṁcaka jeū, beṣa pratāpa pūjiyahiṁ teū |
ugharahiṁ aṁta na hoi nibāhū, kālanemi jimi rāvana rāhū ||
English Rendering
Even the world’s deceivers, when seen in fine attire, are worshipped by the world for the sake of the attire. But in the end they are exposed — the pretence cannot be sustained — as it was with Kālanemi, with Rāvaṇa, with Rāhu.
हिन्दी अनुवाद
जो जग के ठग हैं — उन्हें भी अच्छे वेष में देखकर लोग वेष के प्रताप से पूजते हैं। पर अन्त में उनका भेद खुल ही जाता है, वह भाव निभ नहीं पाता — जैसे कालनेमि, रावण और राहु के साथ हुआ।
Context — Editorial
Three case-studies in a single half-line. Kālanemi disguised as a sādhu to trick Hanumān; Rāvaṇa as a mendicant to abduct Sītā; Rāhu as a deva to drink the amṛta. In each, the disguise held for a moment; in each, exposure was inevitable. Costume, Tulsīdās says, does not change nature — only postpones its recognition.