Premanand Maharaj Ji
What does it mean that one who criticises is like a washerman?
The critic is a washerman; the one who praises a bard
One who criticises you is like a washerman who washes your sins, while we take on sins when we criticise. The true sadhu is beyond both praise and criticism.
The washerman cleans cloth. One who criticises us washes our sins, and when we criticise someone we take on his sins.