संत साहित्य · Guru Charitra · Chapters
Chapter 3 — Durvas Curses King Ambarish
Literal. Ambarish, a virtuous king, observes the Ekadashi fast. Durvas Rishi visits as a guest. To break the fast in time, Ambarish drinks holy water before Durvas returns from the river. Durvas, enraged at being dined-after, curses Ambarish to be born in many species. Vishnu intervenes, redirects the curse onto himself, and is told by Durvas to descend on Earth ten times — which becomes the Vishnu dashavatara.
Symbolic. A foundational dashavatara origin story embedded in the Guru Charitra's logic. The chapter establishes that avatara is response to a deal struck between displeased Brahmins and forbearing gods.
Verse by verse
श्रीगणेशाय नमः ।
śrīgaṇeśāya namaḥ |
Salutations to Śrī Gaṇeśa.
The chapter opens, as always, with an invocation to Gaṇeśa (remover of obstacles) before the teaching resumes.
Begin any important undertaking with a moment of reverence, not haste.
येणेपरी सिद्ध मुनि । सांगता झाला विस्तारोनि । संतोषोनि नामकरणी । विनवितसे मागुती ॥१॥
yeṇeparī siddha muni | sāmgatā jhālā vistāroni | samtoṣoni nāmakaraṇī | vinavitase māgutī ||1||
In this way Siddha Muni went on narrating at length; delighted, Nāmadharaka rejoices and entreats him once more.
The disciple's joy from the previous teaching becomes the fuel for a fresh question — genuine learning always asks for more.
Let satisfaction with what you've learned turn into a request for the next lesson, not complacency.
जय जयाजी सिद्ध मुनी । तारक तू आम्हालागुनी । संदेह होता माझे मनी । आजि तुवा फेडिला ॥२॥
jaya jayājī siddha munī | tāraka tū āmhālāgunī | samdeha hotā mājhe manī | āji tuvā pheḍilā ||2||
Victory, victory to you, O Siddha Muni! You are our deliverer; the doubt in my mind, today you have dispelled it.
Nāmadharaka openly credits his teacher for resolving his uncertainty — saṁdeha (doubt) named and released is the mark of real instruction.
Thank the person who clears your confusion, and name specifically what they resolved.
तुझेनि सर्वस्व लाधलो । आनंदजळी बुडालो । परम तत्त्व जोडलो । आजिचेनि दातारा ॥३॥
tujheni sarvasva lādhalo | ānamdajaḷī buḍālo | parama tattva joḍalo | ājiceni dātārā ||3||
Through you I have gained everything; I am immersed in an ocean of joy; I have attained the supreme truth today, O generous giver.
The disciple describes the fruit of teaching as total gain and immersion in bliss — evidence that the lesson has been absorbed, not merely heard.
Notice and voice the difference real understanding makes in your inner state, not just your knowledge.
ऐसे श्रीगुरुमहिमान । मज निरोपिले त्वां ज्ञान । आनंदमय माझे मन । तुझेनि धर्मे स्वामिया ॥४॥
aise śrīgurumahimāna | maja niropile tvām jñāna | ānamdamaya mājhe mana | tujheni dharme svāmiyā ||4||
Such is the glory of Śrī Guru — you have imparted this wisdom to me; my mind is filled with joy through your righteous teaching, O master.
Nāmadharaka links the greatness of the Guru's teaching directly to the peace it produces in him.
Judge any teaching partly by whether it settles your mind, not only by how clever it sounds.
कवणे ठायी तुमचा वास । नित्य तुम्हा कोठे ग्रास । होईन तुझा आतां दास । म्हणोनि चरणी लागला ॥५॥
kavaṇe ṭhāyī tumacā vāsa | nitya tumhā koṭhe grāsa | hoīna tujhā ātām dāsa | mhaṇoni caraṇī lāgalā ||5||
Where is your dwelling place? Where do you daily take your food? I shall now become your servant — saying this he fell at his feet.
The disciple's curiosity turns practical — he wants to know how to actually serve his teacher, the first step of gurusevā (service to the Guru).
Follow admiration for a teacher with a concrete offer of service, not just praise.
कृपानिधी सिद्ध मुनी । तया शिष्या आलिंगोनि । आशीर्वचन देऊनि । सांगे आपुला वृत्तान्त ॥६॥
kṛpānidhī siddha munī | tayā śiṣyā ālimgoni | āśīrvacana deūni | sāmge āpulā vṛttānta ||6||
Siddha Muni, treasury of grace, embraced that disciple; giving him his blessing, he tells his own account.
The teacher answers with warmth before words — embrace and blessing precede the actual explanation.
When someone asks earnestly to serve you, meet the request with warmth before instruction.
जे जे स्थानी होते गुरु । तेथे असतो चमत्कारू । पुससी जरी आम्हां आहारू । गुरुस्मरणी नित्य जाणा ॥७॥
je je sthānī hote guru | tethe asato camatkārū | pusasī jarī āmhām āhārū | gurusmaraṇī nitya jāṇā ||7||
Wherever the Guru has been, there occurs a wonder; if you ask what is our food, know it to be constant remembrance of the Guru.
Siddha answers a mundane question about food with a spiritual one: his true sustenance is gurusmaraṇa (remembrance of the Guru), not physical fare.
Feed your mind daily on whatever nourishes your deepest commitments, not only on physical needs.
श्रीगुरुचरित्र महिमान । तेचि आम्हा अमृतपान । सदा सेवितो याचे गुण । म्हणोनि पुस्तक दाविले ॥८॥
śrīgurucaritra mahimāna | teci āmhā amṛtapāna | sadā sevito yāce guṇa | mhaṇoni pustaka dāvile ||8||
The glory of the Śrī Gurucaritra is itself our drink of nectar; we constantly partake of its virtues — saying this he showed the book.
The text itself is presented as the living substance of the tradition — the book is treated as a source of nourishment, not mere information.
Return regularly to the writings that sustain your inner life, the way you return to food.
भुक्ति मुक्ति परमार्थ । जे जे वांछिजे मनांत । ते ते साध्य होय त्वरित । गुरुचरित्र ऐकता ॥९॥
bhukti mukti paramārtha | je je vāmchije manāmta | te te sādhya hoya tvarita | gurucaritra aikatā ||9||
Enjoyment, liberation, the highest good — whatever is wished for in the mind, that is swiftly attained by hearing the Gurucaritra.
The chapter now lists the traditional fruits of hearing this text — worldly enjoyment, spiritual freedom, and every genuine wish — meant to draw the listener fully into the story that follows.
Approach a teaching wholeheartedly, expecting it to address both your worldly and inward needs.
धनार्थी यासी अक्षय धन । पुत्रपौत्रादि गोधन । कथा ऐकता होय जाण । ज्ञानसिद्धी तात्काळ ॥१०॥
dhanārthī yāsī akṣaya dhana | putrapautrādi godhana | kathā aikatā hoya jāṇa | jñānasiddhī tātkāḷa ||10||
The one who desires wealth gains inexhaustible wealth, sons and grandsons and cattle; hearing this story, know that fulfillment of aims comes swiftly.
Traditional listing of blessings continues — prosperity and lineage are named as among the story's promised fruits for the sincere listener.
Bring your real, even material, hopes honestly into your practice rather than pretending you have none.
जे भक्तीने सप्तक एक । पढती ऐकती भक्तलोक । काम्य होय तात्कालिक । निपुत्रिका पुत्र होती ॥११॥
je bhaktīne saptaka eka | paḍhatī aikatī bhaktaloka | kāmya hoya tātkālika | niputrikā putra hotī ||11||
Devotees who with devotion recite or hear even one full week's reading have their wishes fulfilled at once — the childless obtain a son.
The text underscores that sustained, devoted engagement with the story — not a single hearing — is what yields its promised fruit.
Commit to a sustained period of practice rather than expecting a single session to change everything.
ग्रहरोगादिपीडन । न होती व्याधि कधी जाण । जरी मनुष्यास असेल बंधन । त्वरित सुटे ऐकता ॥१२॥
graharogādipīḍana | na hotī vyādhi kadhī jāṇa | jarī manuṣyāsa asela bamdhana | tvarita suṭe aikatā ||12||
Afflictions from adverse planets and from disease never trouble them; and if a person is bound by hardship, it is swiftly released upon hearing this.
The verse promises release from misfortune and illness to the sincere listener — a traditional way of saying devotion loosens the grip of fear and suffering.
Let a settled, devoted mind be your first response to fear of misfortune, rather than anxious grasping.
ज्ञातवंत शतायुषी । ऐकता होय भरवसी । ब्रह्महत्यापापे नाशी । एकचित्ते ऐकता ॥१३॥
jñātavamta śatāyuṣī | aikatā hoya bharavasī | brahmahatyāpāpe nāśī | ekacitte aikatā ||13||
One becomes wise and lives a hundred years — this is assured upon hearing; even the grave sin of killing a brahmin is destroyed by listening with a single-pointed mind.
The listing of fruits ends on its strongest claim — even the gravest wrongdoing dissolves before wholehearted attention; the point is the completeness of sincere listening, not a literal accounting of sin.
Give your full, undivided attention when you sit down to something sacred — half-attention yields half the fruit.
इतुके ऐकोनि त्या अवसरी । नामधारक नमस्कारी । स्वामी माते तारी तारी । कृपानिधि सिद्ध मुनी ॥१४॥
ituke aikoni tyā avasarī | nāmadhāraka namaskārī | svāmī māte tārī tārī | kṛpānidhi siddha munī ||14||
Hearing this much, at that moment Nāmadharaka bows and says: 'Save me, save me, O master, Siddha Muni, treasury of grace!'
The listing of blessings moves the disciple to an urgent, personal cry for help — doctrine has become plea.
Let inspiring teaching move you to ask directly for what you need, not just to admire it.
साक्षात्कारे गुरुमूर्ति । भेटलासी तू जगज्योती । होती वासना माझे चित्ती । गुरुचरित्र ऐकावे ॥१५॥
sākṣātkāre gurumūrti | bheṭalāsī tū jagajyotī | hotī vāsanā mājhe cittī | gurucaritra aikāve ||15||
You have met me as the direct embodiment of the Guru, O light of the world; the longing in my heart was only to hear the Gurucaritra.
Nāmadharaka names his teacher as sākṣāt (direct, embodied) presence of the Guru — the abstract ideal has become a concrete person in front of him.
Recognize the teachers actually in front of you as carriers of the ideals you admire, not just distant figures.
एखादा तृषेने पीडित । जात असता मार्गस्थ । त्या आणूनि देती अमृत । तयापरी तू मज भेटलासी ॥१६॥
ekhādā tṛṣene pīḍita | jāta asatā mārgastha | tyā āṇūni detī amṛta | tayāparī tū maja bheṭalāsī ||16||
Like one afflicted by thirst on a journey to whom nectar is brought and given — in that way you have met me.
The simile of the thirsty traveler captures how timely a true teacher's arrival feels — need met exactly when it is most acute.
When help arrives at the moment you needed it most, mark the moment with gratitude rather than letting it pass unnoticed.
गुरूचा महिमा ऐको कानी । सांगिजे स्वामी विस्तारोनि । अंधकार असतां रजनी । सूर्योदयापरी करी ॥१७॥
gurūcā mahimā aiko kānī | sāmgije svāmī vistāroni | amdhakāra asatām rajanī | sūryodayāparī karī ||17||
Let me hear the Guru's glory with my own ears; tell it at length, O master — as when night is dark, act like the sunrise.
The disciple asks the teaching to function like dawn breaking over darkness — knowledge as light dispelling ignorance.
Seek instruction that actually dispels your confusion, not just adds more words to it.
इतुकिया अवसरी । सिद्ध योगी अभय करी । धरोनिया सव्य करी । घेवोनि गेला स्वस्थाना ॥१८॥
itukiyā avasarī | siddha yogī abhaya karī | dharoniyā savya karī | ghevoni gelā svasthānā ||18||
At that moment the Siddha Yogi granted him fearlessness; taking him by the right hand, he led him to his own abode.
The teacher's gesture — a hand extended, a place offered — makes the abstract promise of protection into something physical and immediate.
Back up reassurance with concrete action, such as making space and time for the person you are guiding.
असे ठाव ज्ञानपंथी । कल्पवृक्ष अश्वत्थी । बैसोनि सांगे ज्ञानज्योती । ऐक शिष्या नामधारका ॥१९॥
ase ṭhāva jñānapamthī | kalpavṛkṣa aśvatthī | baisoni sāmge jñānajyotī | aika śiṣyā nāmadhārakā ||19||
There was a place on the path of knowledge, a wish-fulfilling tree, a peepul; sitting there, the light of knowledge speaks: 'Listen, disciple Nāmadharaka.'
The setting shifts to a kalpavṛkṣa (wish-fulfilling tree) and peepul — traditional symbols of boundless giving and awakening — as the backdrop for deeper teaching.
Choose a quiet, meaningful setting when you sit down for serious study or reflection.
नेणती सोय गुरुदास्यका । याचि कारणे उपबाधका । होती तुज अनेका । चिंता क्लेश घडती तुज ॥२०॥
neṇatī soya gurudāsyakā | yāci kāraṇe upabādhakā | hotī tuja anekā | cimtā kleśa ghaḍatī tuja ||20||
Those who do not know the proper way to serve the Guru face many obstacles for this very reason; anxiety and hardship befall them.
Before praising devotion, Siddha first names its absence — ignorance of gurusevā (service to the Guru) as the root of ordinary people's recurring troubles.
Trace your recurring anxieties back to a missing discipline or relationship, rather than treating them as random.
ओळखावया गुरुमूर्तीसी । आपुला आचार परियेसी । दृढ भक्ति धरोनि मानसी । ओळखिजे मग श्रीगुरु ॥२१॥
oḷakhāvayā gurumūrtīsī | āpulā ācāra pariyesī | dṛḍha bhakti dharoni mānasī | oḷakhije maga śrīguru ||21||
To recognize the Guru's true form, examine your own conduct closely; holding firm devotion in the mind, only then is Śrī Guru recognized.
Recognition of the Guru is turned back onto the disciple's own behavior — bhakti (devotion) is what makes the teacher visible, not merely proximity to him.
Examine your own conduct first when you feel you cannot recognize wisdom in front of you.
ऐकोनि सिद्धांचे वचन । संतोषे नामधारक सगुण । क्षणक्षणा करी नमन । करुणावचने करोनिया ॥२२॥
aikoni siddhāmce vacana | samtoṣe nāmadhāraka saguṇa | kṣaṇakṣaṇā karī namana | karuṇāvacane karoniyā ||22||
Hearing Siddha's words, the virtuous Nāmadharaka rejoices; every moment he bows, speaking words of supplication.
The disciple's repeated bowing shows devotion as a practiced, bodily habit, not a single gesture.
Repeat small acts of humility and gratitude rather than performing them only once for effect.
तापत्रयाग्नीत पोळलो । मी संसारसागरी बुडालो । क्रोधादि जलचरी वेष्टिलो । अज्ञानजाळे वेष्टूनिया ॥२३॥
tāpatrayāgnīta poḷalo | mī samsārasāgarī buḍālo | krodhādi jalacarī veṣṭilo | ajñānajāḷe veṣṭūniyā ||23||
I am scorched in the fire of the three afflictions; I am drowned in the ocean of worldly existence, encircled by the sea-creatures of anger and the rest, entangled in the net of ignorance.
Nāmadharaka names his suffering plainly using the classical image of the saṁsārasāgara (ocean of worldly existence) with anger and passion as its predators — honest naming of one's condition precedes any real request for help.
Name your specific struggles honestly to a trusted guide instead of describing your troubles vaguely.
ज्ञाननौकी बसवूनि । कृपेचा वायू पालाणुनि । देहा तारक करूनि । तारावे माते स्वामिया ॥२४॥
jñānanaukī basavūni | kṛpecā vāyū pālāṇuni | dehā tāraka karūni | tārāve māte svāmiyā ||24||
Seat me in the boat of knowledge, fill its sail with the wind of your grace; make my body the means of crossing, and save me, O master.
He asks for a vessel and a wind together — his own effort (the boat, the body) joined to the teacher's grace (the wind) — showing that liberation needs both.
Pair your own sustained effort with openness to help from others; neither alone gets you across.
ऐशिया करुणावचनी । विनवितसे नामकरणी । मस्तक सिद्धाचिया चरणी । ठेविता झाला पुनः पुनः ॥२५॥
aiśiyā karuṇāvacanī | vinavitase nāmakaraṇī | mastaka siddhāciyā caraṇī | ṭhevitā jhālā punaḥ punaḥ ||25||
With such words of entreaty, Nāmadharaka pleads; again and again he placed his head at Siddha's feet.
The repeated prostration underlines the sincerity behind the words just spoken — devotion shown in the body, not only in speech.
Let your body's posture — a bow, a pause, stillness — match the sincerity of what you are asking for.
तव बोलिला सिद्ध मुनि । न धरी चिंता अंतःकरणी । उठवीतसे आश्वासोनि । सांकडे फेडीन तुझे आता ॥२६॥
tava bolilā siddha muni | na dharī cimtā amtaḥkaraṇī | uṭhavītase āśvāsoni | sāmkaḍe pheḍīna tujhe ātā ||26||
Then Siddha Muni spoke: 'Do not hold worry in your heart'; raising him up and reassuring him, 'I shall resolve your difficulty now.'
The teacher's first act is reassurance and a promise, not an immediate lecture — comfort comes before instruction.
Reassure someone in distress before you begin explaining or correcting anything.
ज्यांसी नाही दृढ भक्ति । सदा दैन्ये कष्टती । श्रीगुरूवरी बोल ठेविती । अविद्यामाया वेष्टूनि ॥२७॥
jyāmsī nāhī dṛḍha bhakti | sadā dainye kaṣṭatī | śrīgurūvarī bola ṭhevitī | avidyāmāyā veṣṭūni ||27||
Those without firm devotion are forever troubled by their own misery; wrapped in the illusion of ignorance, they place the blame upon Śrī Guru.
Siddha diagnoses a common error — blaming the teacher for one's own lack of steady faith, mistaking avidyāmāyā (illusion born of ignorance) for the teacher's failing.
Before blaming a mentor or guide for your setbacks, check whether your own commitment has wavered.
संशय धरोनि मानसी । श्रीगुरु काय देईल म्हणसी । तेणे गुणे हा भोग भोगिसी । नाना कष्टे व्याकुळित ॥२८॥
samśaya dharoni mānasī | śrīguru kāya deīla mhaṇasī | teṇe guṇe hā bhoga bhogisī | nānā kaṣṭe vyākuḷita ||28||
Holding doubt in your mind, you ask, 'What will Śrī Guru give me?' — because of this very trait you experience this suffering, troubled by manifold hardships.
Doubt itself is named as the cause of continued suffering, not an innocent bystander to it — questioning the Guru's generosity closes the very channel meant to help.
Notice when skepticism about receiving help is itself what is keeping help from reaching you.
सांडोनि संशय निर्धार । गुरुमूर्ति देईल अपार । ऐसा देव कृपासागर । तुज नुपेक्षी सर्वथा ॥२९॥
sāmḍoni samśaya nirdhāra | gurumūrti deīla apāra | aisā deva kṛpāsāgara | tuja nupekṣī sarvathā ||29||
Abandon doubt with resolve — the Guru's form will give abundantly; such a god, an ocean of grace, will never at all neglect you.
Siddha answers doubt not with proof but with an invitation to resolve — nirdhāra (firm determination) is presented as the doorway to receiving grace.
Replace circular doubting with one firm decision to trust and proceed.
गुरुमूर्ति कृपासिंधु । प्रख्यात असे वेदा बोधु । तुझे अंतःकरणी वेधु । असे तया चरणांवरी ॥३०॥
gurumūrti kṛpāsimdhu | prakhyāta ase vedā bodhu | tujhe amtaḥkaraṇī vedhu | ase tayā caraṇāmvarī ||30||
The Guru's form is an ocean of grace, renowned as the very teaching of the Vedas; let your heart's longing stay fixed upon those feet.
The Guru is equated with the essence of scriptural wisdom itself — devotion to the teacher is devotion to the teaching's source.
Direct your longing steadily toward the source of your guidance rather than letting it wander.
तो दातार अखिल मही । जैसा मेघाचा गुण पाही । पर्जन्य पडतो सर्वां ठायी । कृपासिंधु ऐसा असे ॥३१॥
to dātāra akhila mahī | jaisā meghācā guṇa pāhī | parjanya paḍato sarvām ṭhāyī | kṛpāsimdhu aisā ase ||31||
He is the giver to the whole earth; consider the nature of a cloud — rain falls equally everywhere — such is this ocean of grace.
The rain-cloud simile establishes that grace, like rainfall, is offered without partiality to all alike.
Offer your own kindness impartially, the way rain falls without picking and choosing where to land.
त्यांतचि पात्रानुसार । सांगेन साक्षी एक थोर । सखोल भूमि उदक स्थिर । उन्नती उदक नाही जाण ॥३२॥
tyāmtaci pātrānusāra | sāmgena sākṣī eka thora | sakhola bhūmi udaka sthira | unnatī udaka nāhī jāṇa ||32||
Yet, according to the vessel that receives it, I shall tell you one great example: on low ground water settles and stays; on high ground, know that water does not remain.
The teaching now qualifies the last verse — grace falls equally, but only receptive ground retains it, introducing the illustration of low versus raised land.
Make yourself receptive — lower your guard and pride — so that the good offered to you actually settles rather than running off.
दृढ भक्ति जाणा सखोल भूमि । दांभिक ओळखा उन्नत तुम्ही । याचिया कारणे मनोकर्मी । निश्चयावे श्रीगुरूसी ॥३३॥
dṛḍha bhakti jāṇā sakhola bhūmi | dāmbhika oḷakhā unnata tumhī | yāciyā kāraṇe manokarmī | niścayāve śrīgurūsī ||33||
Know firm devotion to be the low ground; recognize hypocrisy as the raised ground. For this reason, resolve firmly upon Śrī Guru in mind and deed.
The metaphor is completed: humble, sincere devotion is sakhola bhūmi (low ground) that holds grace, while dāmbhika (hypocrisy) is the raised ground that lets it run off.
Choose humility over performance in your practice — sincerity is what actually retains benefit.
म्हणोनि श्रीगुरुउपमा । ऐसा कणव असे महिमा । प्रपंच होय परब्रह्मा । हस्त मस्तकी ठेवोनिया ॥३४॥
mhaṇoni śrīguruupamā | aisā kaṇava ase mahimā | prapamca hoya parabrahmā | hasta mastakī ṭhevoniyā ||34||
Therefore such is the comparison for Śrī Guru — such is the greatness of his compassion: the worldly life becomes the supreme Brahman when he places his hand upon the head.
A single gesture of blessing — the hand on the head — is described as transforming ordinary worldly life into the highest reality itself.
Trust that a small act of blessing or encouragement from someone wise can change the meaning of your whole situation.
कल्पतरूची द्यावी उपमा । कल्पिले लाभे त्याचा महिमा । न कल्पितां पुरवी कामा । कामधेनु श्रीगुरु ॥३५॥
kalpatarūcī dyāvī upamā | kalpile lābhe tyācā mahimā | na kalpitām puravī kāmā | kāmadhenu śrīguru ||35||
One might compare him to the wish-fulfilling tree — its glory is that what is wished for is obtained; but without even being asked, Śrī Guru fulfills desire, like the wish-granting cow.
Śrī Guru is placed above even the wish-fulfilling tree, since he gives before being asked — the kāmadhenu (wish-granting cow) image adds spontaneity to generosity.
Practice giving to those in your care before they have to ask, when you can see the need.
ऐसा श्रीगुरु ब्रह्ममूर्ति । ख्याति असे श्रुतिस्मृती । संदेह सांडूनि एकचित्ती । ध्याय पदांबुज श्रीगुरूचे ॥३६॥
aisā śrīguru brahmamūrti | khyāti ase śrutismṛtī | samdeha sāmḍūni ekacittī | dhyāya padāmbuja śrīgurūce ||36||
Such is Śrī Guru, the very embodiment of Brahman, renowned in the Śruti and Smṛti scriptures; abandoning doubt, with a single-pointed mind, meditate upon Śrī Guru's lotus feet.
Siddha closes this section of praise with a direct instruction — meditate with a settled, doubt-free mind, the very quality named as necessary throughout.
End a period of learning with a concrete instruction to practice, not just more admiration.
इतके परिसोनि नामधारक । नमन करोनि क्षणैक । करसंपुट जोडोनि ऐक । विनवितसे सिद्धासी ॥३७॥
itake parisoni nāmadhāraka | namana karoni kṣaṇaika | karasampuṭa joḍoni aika | vinavitase siddhāsī ||37||
Hearing this much, Nāmadharaka bows for a moment and, joining his palms, listen — he entreats Siddha.
A brief transitional bow marks the shift from receiving praise-teaching to asking the chapter's central question.
Pause with a moment of gratitude before moving from one stage of a conversation to your next question.
श्रीगुरू सिद्ध योगेश्वरा । कामधेनु कृपासागरा । विनवितसे अवधारा । सेवक तुमचा स्वामिया ॥३८॥
śrīgurū siddha yogeśvarā | kāmadhenu kṛpāsāgarā | vinavitase avadhārā | sevaka tumacā svāmiyā ||38||
O Śrī Guru, Siddha, lord of yogis, wish-granting cow, ocean of grace — please listen, your servant entreats you, O master.
A formal address gathers together all the images just given — cow of plenty, ocean of grace — before the disciple poses his real question.
Frame an important request with genuine respect for the one you are asking.
स्वामींनी निरोपिले सकळ । झाले माझे मन निर्मळ । वेध लागला असे केवळ । चरित्र श्रीगुरूचे ऐकावया ॥३९॥
svāmīmnī niropile sakaḷa | jhāle mājhe mana nirmaḷa | vedha lāgalā ase kevaḷa | caritra śrīgurūce aikāvayā ||39||
You, my lord, have told me everything; my mind has become pure; only one longing remains — to hear the life-story of Śrī Guru.
Nāmadharaka signals that the introductory teaching is complete and names his next specific desire — the narrative itself, not further doctrine.
Once general instruction has settled your mind, ask directly for the concrete story or example you actually need.
गुरु त्रयमूर्ति ऐको कानी । का अवतरले मनुष्ययोनी । सर्व सांगावे विस्तारोनि । म्हणोनि चरणी लागला ॥४०॥
guru trayamūrti aiko kānī | kā avatarale manuṣyayonī | sarva sāmgāve vistāroni | mhaṇoni caraṇī lāgalā ||40||
Let me hear of the Guru as the triple deity — why did he take incarnation in human birth? Tell all of it at length — saying this, he fell at his feet.
The chapter's central question is finally posed: why does the divine, understood as the trayamūrti (triple form of Brahmā-Viṣṇu-Śiva), take human birth at all.
Do not be afraid to ask the biggest, most basic question once you trust your teacher enough to hear the answer.
मग काय बोले योगींद्र । बा रे शिष्या तू पूर्णचंद्र । माझा बोधसमुद्र । कैसा तुवा उत्साहविला ॥४१॥
maga kāya bole yogīmdra | bā re śiṣyā tū pūrṇacamdra | mājhā bodhasamudra | kaisā tuvā utsāhavilā ||41||
Then the lord of yogis speaks: 'O disciple, you are the full moon; how you have stirred up my ocean of teaching!'
Siddha delights in the depth of the question itself, comparing the disciple to the moon that stirs the ocean's tide — a good question is treated as a gift to the teacher too.
Welcome a probing question from someone you are teaching as an invitation, not an interruption.
तूते महासुख लाधले । गुरुदास्यत्व फळले । परब्रह्म अनुभवले । आजिचेनि तुज आता ॥४२॥
tūte mahāsukha lādhale | gurudāsyatva phaḷale | parabrahma anubhavale | ājiceni tuja ātā ||42||
Great bliss has come to you; your servanthood to the Guru has borne fruit; you have experienced the supreme Brahman today, through this.
Siddha affirms that the disciple's earlier service and devotion have already begun to bear fruit even before the story is told.
Recognize the inner growth that patient service produces, even before any dramatic answer arrives.
हिंडत आलो सकळ क्षिति । कवणा नव्हे ऐशी मति । गुरुचरित्र न पुसती । तूते देखिले आजि आम्ही ॥४३॥
himḍata ālo sakaḷa kṣiti | kavaṇā navhe aiśī mati | gurucaritra na pusatī | tūte dekhile āji āmhī ||43||
I have wandered the whole earth; no one else has had such understanding — they do not even ask about the Guru's life-story; today we have seen it in you.
Siddha marks the rarity of a sincere seeker who actually asks the deepest question, implying most people never even get that far.
Value the rare moment when you finally ask the question you have been avoiding.
ज्यासी इहपरत्रींची चाड । त्यासी ही कथा असे गोड । त्रिकरणे करोनिया दृढ । एकचित्ते ऐकिजे ॥४४॥
jyāsī ihaparatrīmcī cāḍa | tyāsī hī kathā ase goḍa | trikaraṇe karoniyā dṛḍha | ekacitte aikije ||44||
To one who cares for this world and the next, this story is sweet; with the three faculties made firm, let it be heard with a single mind.
Hearing well is described as an act of the whole person — mind, speech, and body aligned together, called trikaraṇa (the three instruments).
Bring your whole attention — thought, word, and posture together — when receiving something important.
तू भक्त केवळ श्रीगुरुचा । म्हणोनि भक्ति झाली उंचा । निश्चयो मानी माझिया वाचा । लाधसी चारी पुरुषार्थ ॥४५॥
tū bhakta kevaḷa śrīgurucā | mhaṇoni bhakti jhālī umcā | niścayo mānī mājhiyā vācā | lādhasī cārī puruṣārtha ||45||
You are purely a devotee of Śrī Guru; therefore your devotion has risen high. Trust my word with certainty — you shall attain the four aims of life.
Siddha promises the puruṣārtha (the four classical aims — right conduct, prosperity, desire, and liberation) as the fruit of steady devotion, framing the coming story as answering practical as well as spiritual longing.
Trust that consistent devotion serves your practical life and your inner life together, not one at the expense of the other.
धनधान्यादि संपत्ति । पुत्रपौत्र श्रुतिस्मृति । इह सौख्य आयुष्यगति । अंती गति असे जाणा ॥४६॥
dhanadhānyādi sampatti | putrapautra śrutismṛti | iha saukhya āyuṣyagati | amtī gati ase jāṇā ||46||
Wealth and grain and prosperity, sons and grandsons, learning, happiness and long life in this world, and at the end, liberation too — know this.
The list of promised fruits closes with the ultimate one, liberation, placed after and alongside the ordinary goods of life rather than opposed to them.
Do not treat worldly wellbeing and spiritual growth as enemies — seek both honestly.
गुरुचरित्र कामेधेनु । वेदशास्त्रसंमत जाणु । अवतरला त्रयमूर्ति आपणु । धरोनि नरवेष कलियुगी ॥४७॥
gurucaritra kāmedhenu | vedaśāstrasammata jāṇu | avataralā trayamūrti āpaṇu | dharoni naraveṣa kaliyugī ||47||
The Gurucaritra is a wish-granting cow, known to be sanctioned by the Vedas and scriptures; the triple deity himself incarnated, taking human form in this Kali age.
The narrative proper now begins — the divine takes deliberate human form specifically for this troubled age, the Kaliyuga.
Believe that help is available specifically for the hard times you are living in, not only for some easier era.
कार्याकारण अवतार । होऊनि येती हरिहर । उतरावया भूमिभार । भक्तजनाते तारावया ॥४८॥
kāryākāraṇa avatāra | hoūni yetī harihara | utarāvayā bhūmibhāra | bhaktajanāte tārāvayā ||48||
For a purpose and a cause, Hari and Hara come as incarnations, to relieve the burden of the earth and to save the devoted people.
Incarnation is framed as purposeful, not arbitrary — always tied to relieving suffering and protecting the devoted.
When you act to help others, act with a clear purpose in mind rather than out of habit alone.
ऐकोनि सिद्धाच वचना । प्रश्न करी शिष्यराणा । त्रयमूर्ति अवतार किंकारणा । देह धरोनि मानुषी ॥४९॥
aikoni siddhāca vacanā | praśna karī śiṣyarāṇā | trayamūrti avatāra kimkāraṇā | deha dharoni mānuṣī ||49||
Hearing Siddha's words, the prince of disciples asks: for what reason did the triple deity take on a human body as an incarnation?
The disciple presses the question further, wanting the specific reason rather than the general principle just given.
Keep asking for the specific reason behind a general truth until you actually understand it.
विस्तारोनि ते आम्हांसी । सांगा स्वामी कृपेसी । म्हणोनि लागला चरणासी । करुणावचने करोनिया ॥५०॥
vistāroni te āmhāmsī | sāmgā svāmī kṛpesī | mhaṇoni lāgalā caraṇāsī | karuṇāvacane karoniyā ||50||
Tell it to us at length, O master, out of your grace — saying this, he fell at his feet, speaking words of entreaty.
Another physical gesture of humility accompanies the renewed request, reinforcing that asking well is itself a discipline.
Ask for deeper understanding with humility, not demand, especially of those who are guiding you.
सिद्ध म्हणे नामधारका । त्रयमूर्ति तीन गुण ऐका । आदिवस्तु आपण एका । प्रपंच वस्तु तीन जाणा ॥५१॥
siddha mhaṇe nāmadhārakā | trayamūrti tīna guṇa aikā | ādivastu āpaṇa ekā | prapamca vastu tīna jāṇā ||51||
Siddha says: 'O Nāmadharaka, hear of the three qualities of the triple deity; the primordial reality is one; know the manifest world as expressed in three.'
Siddha begins the philosophical answer — one underlying reality appearing through three guṇas (qualities) that structure the visible world.
Look for the single underlying principle beneath the different roles or moods you see in your own life.
ब्रह्मयाचा रजोगुण । सत्त्वगुन विष्णु जाण। तमोगुण उमारमण । मूर्ति एकचि अवधारा ॥५२॥
brahmayācā rajoguṇa | sattvaguna viṣṇu jāṇa| tamoguṇa umāramaṇa | mūrti ekaci avadhārā ||52||
Brahmā embodies the quality of rajas; know Viṣṇu as the quality of sattva; the quality of tamas is Umā's consort [Śiva]; understand it as a single form.
The three guṇas — rajas (activity), sattva (balance), tamas (dissolution) — are mapped onto Brahmā, Viṣṇu, and Śiva as one underlying divinity wearing three faces.
Recognize creation, sustaining, and letting-go as three necessary phases of any endeavor, not three separate forces to fear or favor.
ब्रह्मा सृष्टिरचनेसी । पोषक विष्णु परियेसी । रुद्रमूर्ति प्रळयासी । त्रयमूर्तीचे तीन गुण ॥५३॥
brahmā sṛṣṭiracanesī | poṣaka viṣṇu pariyesī | rudramūrti praḷayāsī | trayamūrtīce tīna guṇa ||53||
Brahmā is for fashioning creation; listen, Viṣṇu is the sustainer; the form of Rudra is for dissolution — these are the three qualities of the triple deity.
The three cosmic functions — creating, sustaining, dissolving — are named plainly as complementary aspects of a single process.
Give equal respect to beginnings, maintenance, and endings in your own projects instead of only valuing the start.
एका वेगळे एक न होती । कार्याकारण अवतार होती । भूमीचा भार फेडिती । प्रख्यात असे पुराणी ॥५४॥
ekā vegaḷe eka na hotī | kāryākāraṇa avatāra hotī | bhūmīcā bhāra pheḍitī | prakhyāta ase purāṇī ||54||
None of the three is ever separate from the others; they take incarnation for a cause and purpose, relieving the earth's burden — this is well known in the Purāṇas.
The unity behind apparent multiplicity is stressed once more before the illustrative story begins.
Remember the underlying unity of purpose behind people who seem to play very different roles around you.
सांगेन साक्ष आता तुज । अंबरीष म्हणिजे द्विज । एकादशीव्रताचिया काज । विष्णूसी अवतार करविले ॥५५॥
sāmgena sākṣa ātā tuja | ambarīṣa mhaṇije dvija | ekādaśīvratāciyā kāja | viṣṇūsī avatāra karavile ||55||
I shall now give you a proof: there was a brahmin called Ambarīṣa; for the sake of his vow of Ekādaśī, he caused Viṣṇu himself to take an incarnation.
The story of King Ambarīṣa's Ekādaśī vrata (fasting vow) is introduced as the concrete case proving the principle just taught.
Ground abstract lessons for yourself in one concrete story you can actually remember and apply.
अवतार व्हावया कारण । सांगेन तुज विस्तारून । मन करोनि सावधान । एकचित्ते परियेसा ॥५६॥
avatāra vhāvayā kāraṇa | sāmgena tuja vistārūna | mana karoni sāvadhāna | ekacitte pariyesā ||56||
I shall tell you at length the reason for the incarnation; make your mind attentive and listen with a single focus.
Siddha signals a shift into sustained narrative, asking for the same undivided attention urged earlier in the chapter.
Set aside distractions deliberately before settling in to hear a story that matters.
द्विज करी एकादशीव्रत । पूजा करी अभ्यागत । निश्चयो करी दृढचित्त । हरिचिंतन सर्वकाळ ॥५७॥
dvija karī ekādaśīvrata | pūjā karī abhyāgata | niścayo karī dṛḍhacitta | haricimtana sarvakāḷa ||57||
The brahmin observed the vow of Ekādaśī; he honored guests with worship; he held firm resolve, contemplating Hari at all times.
Ambarīṣa's character is established first — disciplined fasting, hospitality to guests, and constant remembrance of God — the foundation the story will test.
Build a steady daily discipline of devotion and hospitality before a crisis ever tests it.
असो त्याचिया व्रतासी । भंग करावया आला ऋषि । अतिथि होऊनि हठेसी । पावला मुनि दुर्वास ॥५८॥
aso tyāciyā vratāsī | bhamga karāvayā ālā ṛṣi | atithi hoūni haṭhesī | pāvalā muni durvāsa ||58||
Now, to break his vow a sage came; becoming a guest by insistence, the sage Durvāsa arrived.
The turning point of the story arrives with the notoriously irascible sage Durvāsa, whose visit will test the king's vow.
Expect your commitments to be tested by unexpected demands, sometimes from people hard to refuse.
ते दिवशी साधनद्वादशी घडी एक । आला अतिथि कारणिक । अंबरीषास पडला धाक । केवी घडे म्हणोनिया ॥५९॥
te divaśī sādhanadvādaśī ghaḍī eka | ālā atithi kāraṇika | ambarīṣāsa paḍalā dhāka | kevī ghaḍe mhaṇoniyā ||59||
That day was the closing hour of the ritual deadline of Dvādaśī; the fateful guest arrived; Ambarīṣa was struck with fear, wondering how this could be managed.
A genuine dilemma is set up — two duties, hospitality and ritual timing, seem to conflict, and the king feels real fear at the collision.
Notice honestly when two of your obligations seem to conflict, instead of denying the tension.
ऋषि आले देखोनि । अंबरीषाने अभिवंदोनि । अर्घ्य पाद्य देवोनि । पूजा केली उपचारे ॥६०॥
ṛṣi āle dekhoni | ambarīṣāne abhivamdoni | arghya pādya devoni | pūjā kelī upacāre ||60||
Seeing the sage arrive, Ambarīṣa bowed in reverence; offering water for hands and feet, he performed worship with due ceremony.
Despite his fear, the king's first response is proper hospitality and respect — right conduct precedes any resolution of the dilemma.
Meet an unexpected demand with respect and proper courtesy even while you are still worried about how to fulfill it.
विनवितसे ऋषीश्वरासी । शीघ्र जावे स्नानासी । साधन आहे घटिका द्वादशी । यावे अनुष्ठान सारोनिया ॥१॥
vinavitase ṛṣīśvarāsī | śīghra jāve snānāsī | sādhana āhe ghaṭikā dvādaśī | yāve anuṣṭhāna sāroniyā ||1||
He entreats the sage: 'Please go quickly to bathe; the ritual hour of Dvādaśī is near — come back once your rites are finished.'
Ambarīṣa tries honestly to accommodate both duties, asking the sage to hurry so the deadline can still be met.
Try to honor competing obligations together with honesty before assuming you must fail one of them.
ऋषि जाऊनि जाऊनि नदीसी । अनुष्ठान करती विधींसी । विलंब लागता तयासी । आली साधन घटिका ॥६२॥
ṛṣi jāūni jāūni nadīsī | anuṣṭhāna karatī vidhīmsī | vilamba lāgatā tayāsī | ālī sādhana ghaṭikā ||62||
The sage went to the river to perform his rites according to procedure; as he delayed, the ritual deadline hour arrived.
The sage's own slowness, not any fault of the king's, brings the crisis to a head — the conflict is not of Ambarīṣa's making.
Recognize when a difficulty you face is caused by another's delay, not your own failing, and act accordingly.
व्रत भंग होईल म्हणोनि । पारणे केले तीर्थ घेऊनि । नाना प्रकार पक्वानी । पाक केला ऋषीते ॥६३॥
vrata bhamga hoīla mhaṇoni | pāraṇe kele tīrtha gheūni | nānā prakāra pakvānī | pāka kelā ṛṣīte ||63||
Fearing the vow would be broken, he completed the fast-breaking by taking only sacred water; he had prepared many kinds of delicacies for the sage.
Ambarīṣa resolves the dilemma with minimal compromise — he takes only water to keep the vow's deadline, while the actual meal still waits for his guest.
Look for a minimal, honest way to meet a deadline without abandoning your duty to others waiting on you.
तव आले दुर्वास देखा । पाहूनि अंबरीषाच्या मुखा । म्हणे भोजन केलेसि का । अतिथीविण दुरात्मया ॥४॥
tava āle durvāsa dekhā | pāhūni ambarīṣācyā mukhā | mhaṇe bhojana kelesi kā | atithīviṇa durātmayā ||4||
Then Durvāsa returned; seeing Ambarīṣa's face, he said: 'Have you eaten without your guest, you wicked soul?'
The sage misreads the king's careful compromise as a grave insult, setting up the unjust accusation that drives the rest of the chapter.
Pause before condemning someone's action until you understand the full circumstances behind it.
शाप देता ऋषीश्वर । राजे स्मरला शार्ङ्गधर । करावया भक्ताचा कैवार । टाकून आला वैकुंठा ॥६५॥
śāpa detā ṛṣīśvara | rāje smaralā śārṅgadhara | karāvayā bhaktācā kaivāra | ṭākūna ālā vaikumṭhā ||65||
As the great sage was about to curse him, the king remembered Śārṅgadhara [Viṣṇu]; to take up his devotee's cause, he left Vaikuṇṭha and came.
Facing an unjust curse, Ambarīṣa's instinctive response is remembrance of God — and that remembrance is answered immediately.
Turn to prayer or your deepest values first when you are wrongly accused, rather than to self-defense or anger.
भक्तवत्सल नारायण । शरणागताचे रक्षण । बिरूद बोलती पुराणे जाण । धावे धेनु वत्सासि जैसी ॥६६॥
bhaktavatsala nārāyaṇa | śaraṇāgatāce rakṣaṇa | birūda bolatī purāṇe jāṇa | dhāve dhenu vatsāsi jaisī ||66||
Nārāyaṇa, affectionate to his devotees, protects those who take refuge in him — this the Purāṇas proclaim as his very title — he runs to them as a cow runs to her calf.
The narrator pauses to name the principle the story is demonstrating: bhaktavatsala (tenderness toward devotees) illustrated by the vivid image of a cow running to her calf.
Show swift, instinctive care for those who depend on you, the way a mother rushes to her child.
शापिले ऋषीने द्विजासी । जन्मावे गा अखिल योनीसी । तव पावला ह्रषीकेशी । येऊनि जवळी उभा ठेला ॥६७॥
śāpile ṛṣīne dvijāsī | janmāve gā akhila yonīsī | tava pāvalā hraṣīkeśī | yeūni javaḷī ubhā ṭhelā ||67||
The sage cursed the brahmin: 'Be born into every kind of species'; then Hṛṣīkeśa [Viṣṇu] arrived and stood close by.
The curse lands even as divine help is already arriving — the story does not undo the sage's word but immediately begins to answer it.
Trust that support can arrive even in the very moment a hardship strikes, not only after it.
मिथ्या नव्हे ऋषीचे वचन । द्विजे धरिले श्रीविष्णुचे चरण । भक्तवत्सल ब्रीद जाण । तया महाविष्णूचे ॥६८॥
mithyā navhe ṛṣīce vacana | dvije dharile śrīviṣṇuce caraṇa | bhaktavatsala brīda jāṇa | tayā mahāviṣṇūce ||68||
A sage's word cannot be false; the brahmin clasped the feet of Śrī Viṣṇu; know that tenderness toward devotees is that great Viṣṇu's very hallmark.
The story respects the binding power of a sage's curse rather than dismissing it — the resolution must honor truth, not erase it.
Address the real consequences of a wrong done to you rather than pretending words spoken in anger don't matter.
विष्णु म्हणे दुर्वासासी । तुवा शापिले अंबरीषासी । राखीन आपुल्या दासासी । शाप आम्हासी तुम्ही द्यावा ॥६९॥
viṣṇu mhaṇe durvāsāsī | tuvā śāpile ambarīṣāsī | rākhīna āpulyā dāsāsī | śāpa āmhāsī tumhī dyāvā ||69||
Viṣṇu says to Durvāsa: 'You have cursed Ambarīṣa; I shall protect my servant — you must give this curse to me instead.'
Viṣṇu's solution is to substitute himself for his devotee, absorbing the consequence rather than simply nullifying it.
Be willing to shoulder a consequence yourself to protect someone in your care, rather than only shielding them in words.
दुर्वास ज्ञानी ऋषीश्वर । केवळ ईश्वर अवतार । फेडावयास भूमिभार । कारण असे पुढे म्हणतसे ॥७०॥
durvāsa jñānī ṛṣīśvara | kevaḷa īśvara avatāra | pheḍāvayāsa bhūmibhāra | kāraṇa ase puḍhe mhaṇatase ||70||
Durvāsa, the wise great sage, is himself entirely an incarnation of the Lord; there is a reason ahead for relieving the earth's burden, he goes on to say.
A twist is revealed — even the sage who cursed is himself part of the same divine plan, so that no character in the story stands outside providence.
Consider that even people who seem to work against you may be playing an unexpected part in a larger good.
जाणोनि ज्ञानीशिरोमणी । म्हणे तप करितां युगे क्षोणी । भेटी नव्हे हरिचरणी । भूमीवरी दुर्लभ ॥७१॥
jāṇoni jñānīśiromaṇī | mhaṇe tapa karitām yuge kṣoṇī | bheṭī navhe haricaraṇī | bhūmīvarī durlabha ||71||
Knowing this, the crown-jewel among the wise says: 'Even performing austerity for ages upon the earth, meeting Hari's feet does not happen — it is rare on this earth.'
Durvāsa names the rarity of direct encounter with the divine, even after lifetimes of effort, framing what is about to happen as exceptional grace.
Treat a moment of genuine clarity or connection as rare and precious, not something owed to you.
शापसंबंधे अवतरोनि । येईल लक्ष्मी घेऊनि । तारावयालागोनी । भक्तजना समस्ता ॥७२॥
śāpasambamdhe avataroni | yeīla lakṣmī gheūni | tārāvayālāgonī | bhaktajanā samastā ||72||
Through the connection of this curse, he will incarnate, bringing Lakṣmī with him, in order to save all the devoted people.
The curse is reframed as the very cause that will bring the incarnation — an apparent wrong becomes the doorway to a wider blessing.
Look for the way a painful event might become the doorway to helping many others, not just yourself.
परोपकारसंबंधेसी । शाप द्यावा विष्णुसी । भूमिभार फेडावयासी । कारण असे म्हणोनिया ॥७३॥
paropakārasambamdhesī | śāpa dyāvā viṣṇusī | bhūmibhāra pheḍāvayāsī | kāraṇa ase mhaṇoniyā ||73||
For the sake of benefiting others, the curse should be given to Viṣṇu instead — there is a reason for relieving the earth's burden, he said.
Durvāsa agrees to the exchange for the sake of the greater good, not merely to spare himself embarrassment.
Let concern for the wider good, not just personal pride, guide how you resolve a conflict you started.
ऐसे विचारोनि मानसी । दुर्वास म्हणे विष्णूसी । अवतरोनी भूमीसी । नाना स्थानी जन्मावे ॥७४॥
aise vicāroni mānasī | durvāsa mhaṇe viṣṇūsī | avataronī bhūmīsī | nānā sthānī janmāve ||74||
Thinking thus in his mind, Durvāsa says to Viṣṇu: 'Incarnate upon the earth; be born in various places.'
The sage himself now becomes the one instructing Viṣṇu to take birth — the curse has become a commission.
Turn an obligation forced upon you into a deliberate, purposeful commitment.
प्रसिद्ध होसी वेळ दहा । उपर अवतार पूर्ण दहा । सहज तू विश्वात्मा महा । स्थूळसूक्ष्मी वससी तू ॥७५॥
prasiddha hosī veḷa dahā | upara avatāra pūrṇa dahā | sahaja tū viśvātmā mahā | sthūḷasūkṣmī vasasī tū ||75||
You will become renowned ten times over; beyond that, take ten more complete incarnations; you are naturally the great soul of the universe, dwelling in both the gross and the subtle.
The scope of incarnation is widened beyond this single story to the full traditional cycle of the god's forms, gross and subtle alike.
Remember that any single act of grace you receive is part of a much larger, ongoing pattern of care.
ऐसा कार्यकारण शाप । अंगिकारी जगाचा बाप । दुष्टांवरी असे कोप । सृष्टिप्रतिपाळ करावया ॥७६॥
aisā kāryakāraṇa śāpa | amgikārī jagācā bāpa | duṣṭāmvarī ase kopa | sṛṣṭipratipāḷa karāvayā ||76||
Such was the causal curse; the father of the world accepted it; his wrath falls upon the wicked, in order to sustain and protect creation.
The chapter clarifies that divine anger, where it appears, always serves protection and order, not arbitrary punishment.
When correction or firmness is necessary, let it serve protection of others, not personal anger.
ऐसे दहा अवतार झाले । असे तुवा कर्णी ऐकिले । महाभागवती विस्तारिले । अनंतरूपी नारायण ॥७७॥
aise dahā avatāra jhāle | ase tuvā karṇī aikile | mahābhāgavatī vistārile | anamtarūpī nārāyaṇa ||77||
Thus the ten incarnations came about; you have heard this with your own ears; it is elaborated in the great Bhāgavata — Nārāyaṇa of infinite forms.
Siddha grounds his teaching in the wider scriptural tradition, the Bhāgavata, showing this story as one thread within a much larger fabric.
Connect what you are learning to a wider, trusted tradition rather than treating it as an isolated claim.
कार्यकारण अवतार होती । क्वचित्प्रकट क्वचित् गुप्ती । ते ब्रह्मज्ञानी जाणती । मूढमति काय जाणे ॥७८॥
kāryakāraṇa avatāra hotī | kvacitprakaṭa kvacit guptī | te brahmajñānī jāṇatī | mūḍhamati kāya jāṇe ||78||
These incarnations occur for a cause and purpose, sometimes manifest, sometimes hidden; those who know Brahman understand this — what can a dull-witted person know?
Siddha distinguishes discernment from ignorance — the workings of grace are not always obvious, and require cultivated understanding to perceive.
Cultivate discernment patiently rather than assuming that whatever isn't obvious to you must not be real.
आणीक सांगेन तुज । विनोद झालासे सहज । अनुसया अत्रिऋषीची भाज । पतिव्रताशिरोमणी ॥७९॥
āṇīka sāmgena tuja | vinoda jhālāse sahaja | anusayā atriṛṣīcī bhāja | pativratāśiromaṇī ||79||
I shall tell you something more; a playful incident occurred naturally: Anasūyā, wife of the sage Atri, is the crown-jewel among chaste women.
The narrative shifts toward the next episode, introducing Anasūyā, whose virtue will become central to the coming story of Dattātreya's birth.
Let one story naturally lead you to ask about the people and virtues that make the next one possible.
तिचे गृही जन्म जाहले । त्रयमूर्ति अवतरले । कपटवेष धरोनि आले । पुत्र जाहले तियेचे ॥८०॥
tice gṛhī janma jāhale | trayamūrti avatarale | kapaṭaveṣa dharoni āle | putra jāhale tiyece ||80||
In her household a birth took place: the triple deity incarnated; coming in a disguised form, they became her sons.
The chapter closes by foreshadowing the birth central to the whole text — the trimurti becoming Anasūyā's sons, the origin of Dattātreya.
Recognize that great blessings often arrive first in ordinary, disguised, domestic form.
नामधारक पुसे सिद्धासी । विनोदकथा निरोपिलीसी । देव अतिप्रकट वेषी । पुत्र जाहले कवणे परी ॥८१॥
nāmadhāraka puse siddhāsī | vinodakathā niropilīsī | deva atiprakaṭa veṣī | putra jāhale kavaṇe parī ||81||
Nāmadharaka asks Siddha: you have told me this playful story — in what manner did the gods, in such an extraordinary form, become her sons?
The disciple immediately wants the fuller account, setting up the story to be told in the following chapter.
Let curiosity about a story's details carry you forward into deeper study rather than settling for the outline.
अत्रि ऋषि पूर्वी कवण । कवणापासूनि उत्पन्न । मूळ पुरुष होता कवण । विस्तारोनि मज सांगावे ॥८२॥
atri ṛṣi pūrvī kavaṇa | kavaṇāpāsūni utpanna | mūḷa puruṣa hotā kavaṇa | vistāroni maja sāmgāve ||82||
Who was the sage Atri before? From whom was he born? Who was the original ancestor? Please tell me this at length.
Nāmadharaka wants the lineage and origin, not just the immediate event — context is treated as part of real understanding.
Ask about the background and origins of a story or person before assuming you understand its meaning.
म्हणे सरस्वती गंगाधर । पुढील कथेचा विस्तार । ऐकता होय मनोहर । सकलांभीष्टे साधती ॥८३॥
mhaṇe sarasvatī gamgādhara | puḍhīla kathecā vistāra | aikatā hoya manohara | sakalāmbhīṣṭe sādhatī ||83||
Sarasvatī Gaṅgādhar [the author] says: the unfolding of the following story, when heard, is delightful; all wishes are fulfilled.
The author steps in with his own voice to promise that the coming narrative rewards the listener who continues.
Trust the value of continuing a worthwhile practice even before you have seen its full outcome.
इति श्रीगुरुचरित्रपरमकथाकल्पतरो श्रीनृसिंहसरस्वत्युपाख्याने सिद्धनामधारकसंवादे अंबरीषव्रतनिरूपणं नाम तृतीयोऽध्यायः ॥३॥
iti śrīgurucaritraparamakathākalpataro śrīnṛsimhasarasvatyupākhyāne siddhanāmadhārakasamvāde ambarīṣavratanirūpaṇam nāma tṛtīyo'dhyāyaḥ ||3||
Thus ends the third chapter, named 'The Account of Ambarīṣa's Vow,' within the conversation between Siddha and Nāmadharaka, in the supreme wish-fulfilling story of Śrī Gurucaritra, the narrative of Śrī Nṛsiṁha Sarasvatī.
The closing colophon marks the formal end of the chapter and names its subject, in keeping with the text's traditional structure.
Close a stage of learning deliberately, naming what it was about, before moving to the next.
श्रीगुरुदत्तात्रेयार्पणमस्तु
śrīgurudattātreyārpaṇamastu
May this be offered to Śrī Guru Dattātreya.
The dedication returns the fruit of the whole chapter's telling and hearing back to the Guru — nothing is claimed as one's own.
Offer the results of your effort back to the source that inspired it, rather than claiming full credit.