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## Verse 323.3
**Verse:**
> A person who is not a true ascetic, but boasts of asceticism, is a thief of the highest order, deceiving all beings, and thus accumulates great delusion.
**Word-by-word meaning:**
> Whoever (je) is not an ascetic (atavassi) but boasts of asceticism (tavena pavikaththai) - that is, claims to be an ascetic - is a thief (tene) of the highest order (savvaloya pare) and thus accumulates (pakuvvai) great delusion (mahamoha).
**Explanation:**
> This verse describes the consequences of false fame. A person who does not practice asceticism but claims to be an ascetic for the sake of public recognition is lying about a virtuous act, and thus binds themselves to the karma of great delusion. This verse teaches us to never use falsehood for self-promotion. The person who seeks false fame is called a thief, and a thief of the highest order (sarvasmat lokat - sarvajanehbyah parah - utkrishtas tenaschoura ity arthah) because they hide the truth from the eyes of the people.
**Next Verse:**
> A person who is capable of helping a sick person but does not do so, is like a person who does not help themselves.