संत साहित्य · Guru Charitra · Chapters
Chapter 11 — Birth of Shri Narasimha Saraswati
Literal. Ambika of Karanja in Berar (the Brahmani from Chapter 8, reborn as Shripad foretold) marries Madhava. She has a son who is born uttering only OM and continues to utter only OM for seven years, leading the parents to fear he is dumb. The boy demonstrates capability (turning iron into gold by touch) but does not speak. He gestures that he will speak after his thread ceremony. At the thread-ceremony, after the Gayatri mantra is whispered into his ear, his mother gives him alms in three rounds and asks him to recite each Veda; he recites the opening lines of Rigveda, Yajurveda, and Samaveda perfectly. He then says he will go on pilgrimage. His mother grieves; he reveals himself in Shripad-form, tells her she will have four more sons, and prepares to leave.
Symbolic. OM as the boy's only utterance for seven years establishes the Datta-incarnation as identity-with-the-primal-sound. The four-Vedas-on-three-alms is a compressed display of capability — the equivalent of a credential check. The mother's grief and the boy's gentle redirection establish the necessary detachment of the avatar from family ties.
Structural. Born of a previous-birth Brahmani; 32 teats of milk from her breast on his first hunger; 7 years of OM; age 7 thread ceremony; 4 future sons promised to mother.
Verse by verse
श्रीगणेशाय नमः ॥ श्रीसरस्वत्यै नमः ॥ श्रीगुरुभ्यो नमः ॥
śrīgaṇeśāya namaḥ || śrīsarasvatyai namaḥ || śrīgurubhyo namaḥ ||
Salutations to Śrī Gaṇeśa; salutations to Śrī Sarasvatī; salutations to the Śrī Gurus.
The chapter opens, as every chapter does, with the triple invocation — Gaṇeśa (remover of obstacles), Sarasvatī (goddess of speech and learning), and the guru lineage — asking that the telling itself be free of hindrance and true.
Begin any important undertaking by first clearing your mind and honoring the source of your knowledge and speech.
नामधारक म्हणे सिद्धासी । पुढें अवतार जाहले कैसी । विस्तारोनियां आम्हांसी । सांगा स्वामी कृपामूर्ति ॥१॥
nāmadhāraka mhaṇe siddhāsī | puḍhem avatāra jāhale kaisī | vistāroniyām āmhāmsī | sāmgā svāmī kṛpāmūrti ||1||
Nāmadhāraka says to Siddha: tell us in detail, compassionate master, how the avatāras came about afterward.
The disciple Nāmadhāraka (holder of the divine name) asks his teacher to continue the story of the Datta lineage's incarnations — the listener's hunger to know more is itself part of the teaching relationship.
When you have received one piece of wisdom, ask humbly for the next — genuine curiosity keeps learning alive.
सिद्ध म्हणे ऐक वत्सा अवतार झाला श्रीपाद हर्षा । पूर्वी वृत्तांत ऐकिला ऐसा । कथा सांगितली विप्रस्त्रियेची ॥२॥
siddha mhaṇe aika vatsā avatāra jhālā śrīpāda harṣā | pūrvī vṛttāmta aikilā aisā | kathā sāmgitalī viprastriyecī ||2||
Siddha says: listen, child, the joyous avatāra Śrīpāda has occurred; earlier you heard an account like this — the story that was told of the brāhmaṇa woman.
Siddha reminds Nāmadhāraka of the earlier tale of the devoted brāhmaṇa woman, signaling that the coming narrative continues directly from it — the guru-tradition is told in linked episodes, not isolated facts.
Keep track of the thread of what you've already learned before adding new teaching on top of it.
शनिप्रदोषीं सर्वेश्वरासी । पूजित होती गुरु-उपदेशीं । देहवासना असतां तियेसी । पंचत्व पावली तयेवेळीं ॥३॥
śanipradoṣīm sarveśvarāsī | pūjita hotī guru-upadeśīm | dehavāsanā asatām tiyesī | pamcatva pāvalī tayeveḷīm ||3||
On Śani-pradoṣa she used to worship the Lord of all, following her guru's instruction; while she still held bodily desire, she attained death at that time.
The devout woman's habitual worship on śani-pradoṣa (the dusk vow observed on a Saturday) continues even as her earthly life ends — steady practice does not stop for death; it carries forward into what comes next.
Keep your spiritual discipline steady and unbroken, treating it as a lifelong companion rather than a phase.
झाला जन्म पुढें तिसी । कारंज-नगर उत्तरदेशीं । वाजसनीय शाखेसी । विप्रकुळीं जन्मली ॥४॥
jhālā janma puḍhem tisī | kāramja-nagara uttaradeśīm | vājasanīya śākhesī | viprakuḷīm janmalī ||4||
Her birth then took place afterward in Kāraṃja-nagara in the northern country; she was born in a brāhmaṇa family of the Vājasanīya branch.
The soul who died in devotion is reborn in Kāraṃja into a learned brāhmaṇa family — the text shows that sincere worship shapes the circumstances of a future birth.
Trust that sincere effort today plants the seed for better circumstances later, even if you cannot see the connection now.
जातक वर्तलें तियेसी । नाम 'अंबा-भवानी' ऐसी । आरोपिलें स्नेहेसीं । मातापितरीं परियेसा ॥५॥
jātaka vartalem tiyesī | nāma 'ambā-bhavānī' aisī | āropilem snehesīm | mātāpitarīm pariyesā ||5||
A birth-horoscope was cast for her; her name was set as 'Ambā-Bhavānī'; the parents raised her with affection, listen well.
The child is named for the Goddess (Ambā-Bhavānī) and welcomed with the customary birth-chart and parental love — an ordinary, loving household is the seedbed for what will unfold.
Give a new life or a new beginning a name and a loving welcome; small ceremonies of care matter.
वर्धतां मातापित्यागृहीं । वाढली कन्या अतिस्नेही । विवाह करिती महोत्साहीं । देती विप्रासी तेचि ग्रामीं ॥६॥
vardhatām mātāpityāgṛhīm | vāḍhalī kanyā atisnehī | vivāha karitī mahotsāhīm | detī viprāsī teci grāmīm ||6||
Growing up in her parents' home, the girl grew up much-loved; they arranged her marriage with great celebration, giving her to a brāhmaṇa of that same village.
Ambā-Bhavānī is raised with love and married within her own village in the customary way — the narrative moves at the ordinary pace of a family's life before its extraordinary turn.
Honor the ordinary milestones of family life fully; they are not lesser than dramatic moments.
शिवव्रती असे तो ब्राह्मण । नाम तया 'माधव' जाण । त्यासी दिधली कन्या दान । अतिप्रीतींकरुनि ॥७॥
śivavratī ase to brāhmaṇa | nāma tayā 'mādhava' jāṇa | tyāsī didhalī kanyā dāna | atiprītīmkaruni ||7||
That brāhmaṇa was a devotee of Śiva; his name was 'Mādhava'; the girl was given to him in marriage, with great affection.
Her husband Mādhava is introduced as a devout worshiper of Śiva, matching her own piety — the story pairs two devoted people, setting the stage for a child born of shared faith.
Seek and value companionship with those who share your commitment to a spiritual practice.
तया माधवविप्राघरीं । शुभाचारें होती नारी । वासना तिची पूर्वापरीं । ईश्वरपूजा करीतसे ॥८॥
tayā mādhavaviprāgharīm | śubhācārem hotī nārī | vāsanā ticī pūrvāparīm | īśvarapūjā karītase ||8||
In that brāhmaṇa Mādhava's house, the woman lived by good conduct; her inclination, as before, was toward the worship of God.
Married life does not dilute her devotion — she continues her pūjā (worship) as her constant inner orientation, showing that a householder's life and steady sādhanā can coexist.
Carry your spiritual habits with you into every new stage of life rather than setting them aside.
पूजा करी ईश्वरासी । दंपती उभयवर्ग मनोमानसीं । प्रदोषपूजा अतिहर्षी । करिती भक्तिपुरस्कर ॥९॥
pūjā karī īśvarāsī | dampatī ubhayavarga manomānasīm | pradoṣapūjā atiharṣī | karitī bhaktipuraskara ||9||
She worships God; both husband and wife, of one mind, joyfully perform the pradoṣa worship with devotion foremost.
The couple worships together at dusk (pradoṣa pūjā), placing devotion above all else — shared practice between spouses strengthens both faith and the marriage.
Build shared rituals with your family or partner that keep devotion at the center of home life.
मंदवारीं त्रयोदशीसी । पूजा करिती अतिंविशेषीं । तंव वत्सरें झालीं षोडशीं । अंतर्वत्नी झाली ऐका ॥१०॥
mamdavārīm trayodaśīsī | pūjā karitī atimviśeṣīm | tamva vatsarem jhālīm ṣoḍaśīm | amtarvatnī jhālī aikā ||10||
On a Monday, the thirteenth lunar day, they worshiped with special intensity; then, when sixteen years had passed, she became pregnant, listen.
Their especially fervent worship on an auspicious trayodaśī (thirteenth tithi) precedes her conception — the text links the intensity of devotion to the coming of grace.
Bring extra sincerity to your practice on days that already carry special meaning to you.
मास तृतीय-पंचमेसी । उत्साह करिती अनेक हर्षी । उत्तम डोहाळे होती तियेसी । बह्मज्ञान बोलतसे ॥११॥
māsa tṛtīya-pamcamesī | utsāha karitī aneka harṣī | uttama ḍohāḷe hotī tiyesī | bahmajñāna bolatase ||11||
In the third and fifth months, they celebrated with much joy; she had excellent cravings, and she would speak of Brahma-knowledge.
Even her pregnancy cravings turn toward brahmajñāna (knowledge of the Absolute) — a sign, in the story's logic, that the child forming in her is no ordinary soul.
Notice how your inward state shapes what you long for, and let your longings point you toward wisdom.
करिती उत्साह मास-सातीं । द्विज करी सीमंती । अक्षवाणें वोंवाळिती आरती । सुवासिनी मिळूनियां ॥१२॥
karitī utsāha māsa-sātīm | dvija karī sīmamtī | akṣavāṇem vomvāḷitī āratī | suvāsinī miḷūniyām ||12||
They celebrated in the seventh month; the brāhmaṇa performed the sīmantā rite; married women gathered together and waved lamps in āratī with grains of rice.
The customary seventh-month sīmantā (baby-shower) rite is performed with āratī and blessings from married women — the community's rituals surround the coming birth with protection and joy.
Let your community mark important transitions with you; accept their blessings rather than facing big moments alone.
ऐसें क्रमितां नवमासीं । प्रसूत झाली शुभ दिवशीं । पुत्र जाहला म्हणून हर्षी । निर्भर होतीं मातापिता ॥१३॥
aisem kramitām navamāsīm | prasūta jhālī śubha divaśīm | putra jāhalā mhaṇūna harṣī | nirbhara hotīm mātāpitā ||13||
Passing the nine months in this way, she gave birth on an auspicious day; a son was born, and the parents were overflowing with joy.
After nine months the son is born on an auspicious day, and the parents are filled with happiness — an ordinary birth story that the text is about to reveal as extraordinary.
Receive the arrival of new life with full-hearted gratitude, whatever else is still unknown about it.
जन्म होतांचि तो बाळक । 'ॐ' कार शब्द म्हणतसे अलोलिक ।
janma hotāmci to bāḷaka | 'oṁ' kāra śabda mhaṇatase alolika |
As soon as the child was born, he uttered the syllable 'Om' — a wondrous thing.
The newborn's first sound is not a cry but the sacred syllable Om — a sign, marking him from birth as no ordinary child but one already attuned to the divine.
Look for the extraordinary hidden inside the ordinary details of everyday events.
पाहूनि झाले तटस्थ लोक । अभिनव म्हणोनि तयेवेळीं ॥१४॥
pāhūni jhāle taṭastha loka | abhinava mhaṇoni tayeveḷīm ||14||
Seeing this, the people were struck with astonishment, saying it was unprecedented at that time.
The onlookers' stunned wonder confirms to the reader that something unprecedented has occurred — the community itself becomes a witness validating the miracle.
Trust the shared amazement of honest witnesses as real evidence, not mere exaggeration.
जातककर्म करी तो ब्राह्मण । विप्रांसी देत दक्षिणा दान । ज्योतिषी सांगती सुलक्षण । लग्न सत्वर पाहोनियां ॥१५॥
jātakakarma karī to brāhmaṇa | viprāmsī deta dakṣiṇā dāna | jyotiṣī sāmgatī sulakṣaṇa | lagna satvara pāhoniyām ||15||
The brāhmaṇa performed the birth rites, giving dakṣiṇā (gifts) to the brāhmaṇas; the astrologers declared good signs, quickly examining the birth-chart.
The father performs the proper birth-rites and gives dakṣiṇā (ritual gift) to brāhmaṇas, and the astrologers read excellent signs in the horoscope — ritual generosity and careful discernment go together.
Mark good news by giving generously to those who helped bring it about.
सांगती ज्योतिषी त्या द्विजासी । मुहूर्त बरवा असे विशेषीं । कुमर होईल कारणिक पुरुषी । गुरु होईल सकळिकां ॥१६॥
sāmgatī jyotiṣī tyā dvijāsī | muhūrta baravā ase viśeṣīm | kumara hoīla kāraṇika puruṣī | guru hoīla sakaḷikām ||16||
The astrologers tell that brāhmaṇa: the auspicious hour is especially favorable; the boy will become a man of great purpose, a guru to all.
The astrologers foretell that this child will become a guru to all — the first explicit prophecy of the greatness that the rest of the chapter will slowly confirm.
When someone in your care shows early promise, take the encouragement seriously and nurture it.
याचा अनुग्रह होईल ज्यासी । तो वंद्य होईल विश्वासी । याचें वाक्य होईल परिस । चिंतामणि याचे चरण ॥१७॥
yācā anugraha hoīla jyāsī | to vamdya hoīla viśvāsī | yācem vākya hoīla parisa | cimtāmaṇi yāce caraṇa ||17||
Whoever receives his grace will become revered among the faithful; his word will be like the touchstone (parisa) that turns things to gold; his feet will be a wish-fulfilling jewel.
The astrologers describe him in the traditional images of a great guru — his grace elevates others, his word transforms like the parisa (philosopher's stone), and his feet are a cintāmaṇi (wish-granting gem) — the highest praise the tradition has.
Seek out and cherish contact with those whose presence genuinely uplifts and transforms you.
अष्टही सिद्धि याचे द्वारीं । वोळगत राहतील निरंतरीं । नव निधि याच्या घरीं । राहती ऐक द्विजोत्तमा ॥१८॥
aṣṭahī siddhi yāce dvārīm | voḷagata rāhatīla niramtarīm | nava nidhi yācyā gharīm | rāhatī aika dvijottamā ||18||
All eight siddhis will wait at his door continually; the nine treasures will remain in his house, listen, best of brāhmaṇas.
The prophecy piles on cosmic imagery — the eight siddhis (supernatural powers) and nine nidhis (treasures) attending him — signaling that he is destined for a station far beyond ordinary human life.
Recognize that true abundance follows spiritual maturity rather than the reverse.
न होती यासी गृहिणी-सुत । पूज्य होईल त्रिभुवनांत । याचे दर्शनमात्रें पतित । पुनीत होतील परियेसीं ॥१९॥
na hotī yāsī gṛhiṇī-suta | pūjya hoīla tribhuvanāmta | yāce darśanamātrem patita | punīta hotīla pariyesīm ||19||
He will have no wife or children of his own; he will be worshiped throughout the three worlds; by his mere darśana, the fallen will be purified, listen.
The astrologers reveal the child will take saṃnyāsa (renunciation) rather than family life, and that his mere darśana (sight of the holy) purifies sinners — the prophecy foreshadows the monastic destiny that troubles his parents later.
Recognize that some are called to serve everyone rather than to build a family of their own, and honor that calling.
होईल हा अवतार-पुरुषी । आम्हां दिसतसे भरवंसीं । संदेह न धरावा मानसीं । म्हणोनि करिती नमस्कार ॥२०॥
hoīla hā avatāra-puruṣī | āmhām disatase bharavamsīm | samdeha na dharāvā mānasīm | mhaṇoni karitī namaskāra ||20||
He will be an incarnate being — we see this with confidence; do not hold doubt in your mind — saying this, they bow in reverence.
The brāhmaṇas declare their certainty that the child is an avatāra and bow to him — their conviction models the posture of faith without doubt that devotees are asked to hold.
When trustworthy signs point clearly toward something good, set doubt aside and act on faith.
म्हणती समस्त द्विजवर । सांगती जनकासी उत्तर । याचेनि महादैन्य हरे । भेणें नलगे कळिकाळा ॥२१॥
mhaṇatī samasta dvijavara | sāmgatī janakāsī uttara | yāceni mahādainya hare | bheṇem nalage kaḷikāḷā ||21||
All the eminent brāhmaṇas say, telling the father in reply: through him great poverty will be removed; there will be no fear of the terror of time.
The assembled brāhmaṇas promise that this child will dispel poverty and remove fear even of kālikāla (the terror of death and time) — the highest hopes a family or community could have.
Let hope for relief from hardship strengthen your resolve to nurture what is good in your care.
तुमचे मनीं जे जे वासना । सर्व साधेल निर्गुणा । यातें करावें हो जतना । निधान आलें तुमचे घरा ॥२२॥
tumace manīm je je vāsanā | sarva sādhela nirguṇā | yātem karāvem ho jatanā | nidhāna ālem tumace gharā ||22||
Whatever desire is in your mind, it will all be fulfilled, without doubt; take good care of him — a treasure has come to your house.
The brāhmaṇas call the child a nidhāna (treasure) that has entered the household and urge careful safekeeping — recognizing a gift and protecting it are two separate duties.
When something precious is entrusted to you, actively guard and nurture it rather than taking it for granted.
ऐसें जातक वर्तवोन । सांगता झाला विद्वज्जन । जनक जननी संतोषोन । देती दान वस्त्राभरणें ॥२३॥
aisem jātaka vartavona | sāmgatā jhālā vidvajjana | janaka jananī samtoṣona | detī dāna vastrābharaṇem ||23||
Having cast the horoscope in this way, the learned men finished speaking; the father and mother, delighted, gave gifts of clothes and ornaments.
The parents respond to the joyful prophecy with customary generosity, giving clothes and ornaments to the brāhmaṇas — gratitude is expressed through giving, closing the ritual scene.
Express gratitude for good news concretely, through generosity to those who shared it with you.
सांगोनि गेले ब्राह्मणस्तोम । मातापिता अति प्रेम । दृष्टि लागेल म्हणून विषम । निंबलोण वोंवाळिती ॥२४॥
sāmgoni gele brāhmaṇastoma | mātāpitā ati prema | dṛṣṭi lāgela mhaṇūna viṣama | nimbaloṇa vomvāḷitī ||24||
Having spoken, the assembly of brāhmaṇas departed; the parents, full of love, fearing the evil eye, waved neem leaves and lemon around the child.
The parents perform the folk protective rite of nimba-loṇa (waving neem and lemon) against the evil eye out of love — even amid grand prophecy, ordinary parental anxiety and tenderness remain.
Let practical, protective care for those you love sit comfortably alongside your highest hopes for them.
व्यवस्था फांकली नगरांत । अभिनव आजि देखिलें म्हणत ।
vyavasthā phāmkalī nagarāmta | abhinava āji dekhilem mhaṇata |
The news spread through the city; people said, 'today we have seen something unprecedented.'
Word of the wondrous birth travels through the town — the miracle cannot stay private, and the community's astonishment begins to build the child's reputation.
Let genuine goodness speak for itself; word of true virtue spreads without your needing to advertise it.
उपजतां बाळ 'ॐ' कार जपत । आश्चर्य म्हणती सकळ जन ॥२५॥
upajatām bāḷa 'oṁ' kāra japata | āścarya mhaṇatī sakaḷa jana ||25||
The infant, as soon as he was born, chanted the sound 'Om'; all the people said it was astonishing.
The chapter restates the Om-chanting infant as the source of the city's wonder — repetition in the text underscores how central this sign is to establishing his divinity.
Take note when the same sign of goodness or truth keeps recurring; repetition itself is meaningful.
नगलोक इष्ट मित्र । पहावया येती विचित्र । दृष्टि लागेल म्हणोनि मात्र । माता न दाखवी कवणासी ॥२६॥
nagaloka iṣṭa mitra | pahāvayā yetī vicitra | dṛṣṭi lāgela mhaṇoni mātra | mātā na dākhavī kavaṇāsī ||26||
Neighbors and dear friends came in wonder to see him; fearing the evil eye, the mother would not show him to anyone.
The mother, protective against the evil eye, hides the wondrous child from curious visitors — devotion to the child mixes with a mother's instinct to shield what is precious from too much attention.
It is wise to protect what is precious to you from excessive exposure, even when others are well-meaning.
मायामोहें जनकजननी । बाळासी दृष्टि लागेल म्हणोनि । आंगारा लाविती मंत्रोनि । रक्षा बांधिती कृष्णसुतें ॥२७॥
māyāmohem janakajananī | bāḷāsī dṛṣṭi lāgela mhaṇoni | āmgārā lāvitī mamtroni | rakṣā bāmdhitī kṛṣṇasutem ||27||
Out of parental love and attachment, the father and mother, fearing the evil eye for the child, applied consecrated black mark and tied a protective thread with black thread.
The parents use the folk protections of āṅgārā (sacred ash mark) and a black rakṣā thread against the evil eye — the text notes this is done out of māyā-moha (worldly parental attachment), a gently ironic touch since the child is divine.
Recognize your protective instincts toward loved ones as natural, even when the deeper reality is beyond your control.
परमात्मयाचा अवतार । दृष्टि त्यासी केवीं संचार । लौकिकधर्म ममत्कार । मातापिता संरक्षिती ॥२८॥
paramātmayācā avatāra | dṛṣṭi tyāsī kevīm samcāra | laukikadharma mamatkāra | mātāpitā samrakṣitī ||28||
He was an incarnation of the Supreme Self — how could the evil eye touch him? — yet out of worldly custom and affection the parents protected him.
The narrator steps in to note the irony directly: the paramātman (Supreme Self) needs no protection, yet the parents' human love makes them act as if he did — love expresses itself through customary gestures even when they are not strictly needed.
Let love express itself in familiar customary gestures, even toward someone who may not strictly need your protection.
वर्ततां बाळ येणेंपरी । दिवस दहा झालियावरी । नामकरण पुरःसरीं । ठेविता झाला जनक द्विजोत्तम ॥२९॥
vartatām bāḷa yeṇemparī | divasa dahā jhāliyāvarī | nāmakaraṇa puraḥsarīm | ṭhevitā jhālā janaka dvijottama ||29||
As the child grew in this way, when ten days had passed, the father, best of brāhmaṇas, performed the naming ceremony first.
On the tenth day the father performs nāmakaraṇa (the naming ceremony) — another ordinary rite of passage marking the child's formal entry into family and community life.
Give proper ceremony and attention even to the small formal steps of welcoming someone new.
'शालग्रामदेव' म्हणत । जन्मनाम झालें ख्यात । नाम 'नरहरी' ऐसें म्हणत । उच्चार केला धर्मकर्मे ॥३०॥
'śālagrāmadeva' mhaṇata | janmanāma jhālem khyāta | nāma 'naraharī' aisem mhaṇata | uccāra kelā dharmakarme ||30||
He was called 'Śālagrāmadeva' as his birth-name, well known; the name 'Narahari' was also proclaimed, uttered according to sacred custom.
The child receives two names — Śālagrāmadeva and Narahari — both invoking the divine (Śālagrāma being a sacred stone form of Viṣṇu, Narahari echoing Nṛsiṃha) even before his identity as Nṛsiṃha Sarasvatī is revealed.
Choose names and words with care; they carry meaning and aspiration into a life.
ममत्व थोर बाळकावरी । प्रतिपाळ करिती प्रीतिकरीं । माता म्हणतसे येरी । न पुरे क्षीर बाळकासी ॥३१॥
mamatva thora bāḷakāvarī | pratipāḷa karitī prītikarīm | mātā mhaṇatase yerī | na pure kṣīra bāḷakāsī ||31||
Great was the parents' love for the child; they raised him with deep affection; the mother would say that her milk was not enough for the child.
The mother's concern that her milk cannot satisfy the infant hints, in the story's logic, at the boundless nature hidden within the small body — ordinary maternal worry masks a cosmic truth.
Do not assume the small, ordinary needs in front of you fully define the person you are caring for.
पतीसी म्हणे तये वेळां । स्तनीं दूध थोडें बाळा । एखादी मिळवा कां अबळा । स्तनपान देववूं ॥३२॥
patīsī mhaṇe taye veḷām | stanīm dūdha thoḍem bāḷā | ekhādī miḷavā kām abaḷā | stanapāna devavūm ||32||
She said to her husband at that time: my breast-milk is too little for the child; find some woman, or arrange for him to be nursed.
The mother asks her husband to find a wet-nurse or another means, since the infant's hunger seems beyond what she can supply — practical household worry continues even in this extraordinary story.
Do not hesitate to ask for practical help when you cannot meet a need alone.
अथवा आणा मेषी एक । आपुले स्तनें न शमे भूक । ऐकोनि हांसे बाळक । स्पर्श करी स्तनासी सव्यकर ॥३३॥
athavā āṇā meṣī eka | āpule stanem na śame bhūka | aikoni hāmse bāḷaka | sparśa karī stanāsī savyakara ||33||
Or bring a she-goat; my own breasts cannot satisfy his hunger. Hearing this, the infant laughed and touched her breast with his right hand.
As the parents discuss alternatives, the infant smiles and simply touches his mother's breast with his hand — a small, tender gesture that is about to resolve the whole worry miraculously.
A small, calm gesture can sometimes settle a worry that much discussion could not.
स्तनीं स्पर्श होतांचि कर । बत्तीस धारा वाहे क्षीर । वस्त्र भिजोनि विचित्र । वाहों लागे भूमीवरी ॥३४॥
stanīm sparśa hotāmci kara | battīsa dhārā vāhe kṣīra | vastra bhijoni vicitra | vāhom lāge bhūmīvarī ||34||
As soon as the hand touched the breast, milk flowed in thirty-two streams; her garment, soaked, overflowed strangely onto the ground.
At the child's touch, milk pours out abundantly in thirty-two streams — a miracle answering the mother's earlier fear that she had too little to give.
Trust that when you give with love, more will flow than you thought you had to offer.
विस्मय करिती जनकजननी । प्रगट न करिती गौप्यगुणीं । नमन करिती बाळकाचरणीं । माता होय खेळविती ॥३५॥
vismaya karitī janakajananī | pragaṭa na karitī gaupyaguṇīm | namana karitī bāḷakācaraṇīm | mātā hoya kheḷavitī ||35||
The father and mother were astonished; they did not reveal this secretly-known quality; they bowed at the child's feet, and the mother went on playing with him.
The astonished parents keep the miracle private, bowing to the child yet continuing ordinary play — they hold together awe and everyday tenderness rather than making a public spectacle.
You can hold reverence for someone privately while still treating them with warm, ordinary affection.
पाळण्या घालूनि बाळकासी । पर्यंदें गाय अति हर्षी । न राहे बाळक पाळणेसीं । सदा खेळे महीवरी ॥३६॥
pāḷaṇyā ghālūni bāḷakāsī | paryamdem gāya ati harṣī | na rāhe bāḷaka pāḷaṇesīm | sadā kheḷe mahīvarī ||36||
Putting the child in the cradle, the cow watched over him with great joy; the child would not stay in the cradle, always playing on the ground instead.
The child prefers crawling on the earth to lying in the cradle, watched over by a gentle cow — small domestic details continue to fill in the picture of a lively, unconfined child.
Let a growing spirit move and explore freely rather than confining it more than necessary.
वर्धे बाळ येणेंपरी । मातापिता-ममत्कारीं । वर्धतां झाला संवत्सरीं । न बोले बाळ कवणासवें ॥३७॥
vardhe bāḷa yeṇemparī | mātāpitā-mamatkārīm | vardhatām jhālā samvatsarīm | na bole bāḷa kavaṇāsavem ||37||
The child grew in this manner, in the parents' love; growing to one year of age, the child spoke to no one.
At one year the child still has not spoken a word to anyone — the narrative turns from wonder toward a new source of parental worry, muteness.
When someone you care for develops differently than expected, notice your worry without rushing to despair.
माता बोलवी कुमरासी । बोले शब्द ॐकारेसीं । चिंता करीतसे मानसीं । मुकें होईल म्हणोनि ॥३८॥
mātā bolavī kumarāsī | bole śabda oṁkāresīm | cimtā karītase mānasīm | mukem hoīla mhaṇoni ||38||
The mother tries to make the boy speak; he utters only the sound 'Om'; she worries in her mind that he will become mute.
The child answers every attempt at conversation only with the sacred syllable Om — his mother reads this as a sign of muteness, not recognizing that his one word is the highest word there is.
Consider that what looks like a limitation in someone may actually be a different, deeper way of communicating.
पुसती जाण ज्योतिष्यासी । म्हणे बोल नये काय यासी । उपाय असेल यास विशेषी । म्हणोनि पुसे वेळोवेळीं ॥३९॥
pusatī jāṇa jyotiṣyāsī | mhaṇe bola naye kāya yāsī | upāya asela yāsa viśeṣī | mhaṇoni puse veḷoveḷīm ||39||
They ask the astrologer, saying: why does he not speak? Is there some remedy for this? — asking again and again.
The anxious parents repeatedly consult the astrologer for a remedy to the child's silence — persistent worry drives them to seek outside counsel rather than accept the mystery.
It is reasonable to seek expert counsel repeatedly when a worry about a loved one persists.
सांगती जाण ज्योतिषी । आराधावें कुलदेवतेसी । अर्कवारीं अश्वत्थपर्णेसीं । अन्न घालावें तीनी वेळां ॥४०॥
sāmgatī jāṇa jyotiṣī | ārādhāvem kuladevatesī | arkavārīm aśvatthaparṇesīm | anna ghālāvem tīnī veḷām ||40||
The astrologers tell them: worship the family deity; on Sunday, with peepal leaves, offer food three times.
The astrologers prescribe a devotional remedy — worship of the kuladevatā (family deity) with peepal-leaf food offerings on Sundays — folk ritual is offered as the answer to a problem that will actually resolve through grace, not ritual alone.
It is fine to combine practical ritual practice with patience while waiting for a difficulty to resolve.
एक म्हणती होईल मुकें । यासि शिकवावें बरव्या विवेकें । बाळ बोल बोलूं शिके । म्हणोनि सांगती विनोदें ॥४१॥
eka mhaṇatī hoīla mukem | yāsi śikavāvem baravyā vivekem | bāḷa bola bolūm śike | mhaṇoni sāmgatī vinodem ||41||
Some say he will become mute; teach him with good discernment; the child will learn to speak words — this they say half in jest.
Others in the community offer lighter, more casual advice, half-joking that patient teaching will loosen the boy's tongue — ordinary neighborly opinions swirl around the extraordinary child.
Weigh well-meaning advice from many sources without letting any single opinion cause undue alarm.
हांसोनि ॐकार उच्चारी बाळ । आणिक नेणे बोल केवळ । विस्मय करिताति लोक सकळ । ॐकार शब्द ऐकोनि ॥४२॥
hāmsoni oṁkāra uccārī bāḷa | āṇika neṇe bola kevaḷa | vismaya karitāti loka sakaḷa | oṁkāra śabda aikoni ||42||
Smiling, the child utters only the sound Om; he knows no other word at all; all the people marvel on hearing the sound of Om.
The child's constant, smiling repetition of Om continues to be received as strange by everyone around him, even as it is in fact the seed-sound of all creation — the gap between outer perception and inner truth widens.
Stay curious rather than dismissive when someone's behavior seems strange but consistent and calm.
एक म्हणती नवल झालें । सर्व ज्ञान असे भलें । श्रवणीं ऐकतो बोल सकळ । जाणूनि न बोले कवण्या गुणें ॥४३॥
eka mhaṇatī navala jhālem | sarva jñāna ase bhalem | śravaṇīm aikato bola sakaḷa | jāṇūni na bole kavaṇyā guṇem ||43||
Some say a wonder has occurred; all knowledge is surely present in him; he hears every word spoken, yet, knowing it, speaks none.
Onlookers begin to sense that the boy understands everything he hears but chooses not to speak — a hint that his silence is a form of restraint, not incapacity.
Recognize that quiet restraint can be a sign of deep understanding rather than a lack of it.
कांहीं केलिया न बोले सुत । चिंता करिताति मातापिता । पुत्रासी जाहलीं वर्षे सात । मुका झाला दैवयोगें ॥४४॥
kāmhīm keliyā na bole suta | cimtā karitāti mātāpitā | putrāsī jāhalīm varṣe sāta | mukā jhālā daivayogem ||44||
No matter what is done, the son does not speak; the parents worry; the son reached seven years of age, having become mute by fate.
By age seven the boy still has not spoken, and his parents' worry has settled into accepting his condition as fated — years of unresolved anxiety accumulate around him.
When a difficulty persists for years, keep caring for the person without letting worry harden into despair.
सातवें वर्ष कुमरासी । योग्य झाला मुंजीसी । पुसताति समस्त ब्राह्मणांसी । केंवी करावें म्हणोनियां ॥४५॥
sātavem varṣa kumarāsī | yogya jhālā mumjīsī | pusatāti samasta brāhmaṇāmsī | kemvī karāvem mhaṇoniyām ||45||
In the boy's seventh year, he became eligible for the thread ceremony (muñja); they ask all the brāhmaṇas how it should be done.
The community must decide how to perform the upanayana (sacred-thread initiation) for a boy who cannot speak the required mantras — ritual tradition collides with the child's apparent limitation.
When tradition and an individual's unusual circumstance seem to conflict, seek wise counsel rather than abandoning either.
विप्र म्हणती तया वेळां । संस्कारावें ब्राह्मणकुळा । उपनयनावें केवळा । अष्ट वरुषें होऊं नये ॥४६॥
vipra mhaṇatī tayā veḷām | samskārāvem brāhmaṇakuḷā | upanayanāvem kevaḷā | aṣṭa varuṣem hoūm naye ||46||
The brāhmaṇas say at that time: the brāhmaṇa lineage must be given the rite; the sacred-thread initiation alone should not be delayed past eight years.
The elders insist the upanayana cannot be postponed beyond age eight regardless of the boy's silence — ritual timing is treated as non-negotiable, heightening the family's dilemma.
Honor deadlines and commitments even when circumstances make them feel inconvenient or uncertain.
मातापिता चिंता करिती । उपदेशावें कवणे रीतीं । मुका असे हा निश्चितीं । कैसें दैव झालें आम्हां ॥४७॥
mātāpitā cimtā karitī | upadeśāvem kavaṇe rītīm | mukā ase hā niścitīm | kaisem daiva jhālem āmhām ||47||
The parents worry: in what manner shall he be instructed? He is certainly mute — what fate has befallen us?
The parents' anguish peaks as they wonder how a mute child can receive the mantra instruction the rite requires — their question 'what fate has befallen us' shows grief mixed with confusion at their earlier joyful prophecy.
Let yourself voice honest grief and confusion when life's circumstances seem to contradict earlier hope.
कैसें दैव जाहलें आपुलें । ईश्वरगौरी आराधिले । त्रयोदशीं शिवासी पूजिलें । वायां झालें म्हणतसे ॥४८॥
kaisem daiva jāhalem āpulem | īśvaragaurī ārādhile | trayodaśīm śivāsī pūjilem | vāyām jhālem mhaṇatase ||48||
What fate has befallen us? We worshiped Īśvara and Gaurī; we worshiped Śiva on the thirteenth day; it has all gone in vain, they say.
In despair, the parents wonder whether their long devotion to Śiva and Pārvatī was wasted — a moment of doubt right before the story is about to vindicate their faith completely.
Hold onto faith especially in the moments right before it seems to have failed you.
ईश्वरें तरी दिधला वरु । सुलक्षण झाला कुमरु । न बोले आतां काय करुं । म्हणोनि चिंता शिवासी ॥४९॥
īśvarem tarī didhalā varu | sulakṣaṇa jhālā kumaru | na bole ātām kāya karum | mhaṇoni cimtā śivāsī ||49||
God indeed granted a boon — the boy became of good marks; now he does not speak — what shall we do? — so they worry before Śiva.
The parents bring their worry directly to Śiva, torn between the good signs at birth and the present silence — they hold their prayer and their confusion together rather than abandoning faith.
Bring your confusion honestly into prayer rather than hiding it from your practice.
एकचि बाळ आमुचे कुशीं । आणिक न देखों स्वप्नेसीं । वेष्टिलों होतों आम्ही आशीं । आमुतें रक्षील म्हणोनि ॥५०॥
ekaci bāḷa āmuce kuśīm | āṇika na dekhom svapnesīm | veṣṭilom hotom āmhī āśīm | āmutem rakṣīla mhaṇoni ||50||
We have only this one child in our womb's line; we see no other even in dreams; we had wrapped ourselves in the hope that he would protect us.
The parents reveal how much hope they had placed in this only child as their future protector — their vulnerability deepens the emotional stakes of the story.
Acknowledge openly how much you rely on those you love; vulnerability is not weakness.
नव्हेच आमुचे मनींचा वास । पुत्र झाला निर्वाणवेष । काय वर दिधला त्या महेशें । शनिप्रदोषीं पूजितां म्यां ॥५१॥
navheca āmuce manīmcā vāsa | putra jhālā nirvāṇaveṣa | kāya vara didhalā tyā maheśem | śanipradoṣīm pūjitām myām ||51||
This is not what was in our mind — the son has become one of a renunciant's appearance; what boon did that Maheśa (Śiva) actually grant, when I worshiped him on Śani-pradoṣa?
The mother notices something in the boy's very bearing that already looks ascetic (nirvāṇa-veṣa), unknowingly naming his true destiny even while lamenting it — the text lets the reader see the truth before the mother can.
Pay attention to signs in someone's character that may point toward their true calling, even before you fully understand them.
ऐसें नानापरी देखा । जननी करी महादुःखा । जवळी येवोनि बाळक । संबोखीत मातेसी ॥५२॥
aisem nānāparī dekhā | jananī karī mahāduḥkhā | javaḷī yevoni bāḷaka | sambokhīta mātesī ||52||
Thus in many ways, behold, the mother fell into great sorrow; the child came near and comforted his mother.
In the depth of her sorrow, the supposedly mute child comes and comforts his mother — the first sign that he is not truly without agency or compassion, despite his silence.
Offer comfort to someone in sorrow even through small acts of presence, without needing many words.
घरांत जाऊनि तये वेळां । घेऊनि आला लोखंड सबळा । हातीं धरितांचि निर्मळा । झालें सुवर्ण बावन्नकशी ॥५३॥
gharāmta jāūni taye veḷām | gheūni ālā lokhamḍa sabaḷā | hātīm dharitāmci nirmaḷā | jhālem suvarṇa bāvannakaśī ||53||
Going into the house at that time, he brought a strong piece of iron; as soon as he took it in his hand, it purely became gold of the finest quality.
The boy transmutes iron into gold with a mere touch — the first overt miracle he performs himself, revealing his hidden divine power directly to his mother.
Recognize that a person's true worth can transform whatever they touch, given the chance to show it.
आणोनि देतसे मातेसी । विस्मय करी बहुवसीं । बोलावूनियां पतीसी । दाविती झाली तयेवेळीं ॥५४॥
āṇoni detase mātesī | vismaya karī bahuvasīm | bolāvūniyām patīsī | dāvitī jhālī tayeveḷīm ||54||
He brought it and gave it to his mother; she was greatly astonished; calling her husband, she showed it to him at that time.
The mother's astonishment leads her to bring in her husband as a witness — the miracle, once seen, must be shared with the one other person who can confirm and hold it with her.
Share moments of wonder or difficulty with your closest partner rather than carrying them alone.
गौप्य करिती तये वेळां । मंदिरांत नेलें तया बाळा । पाहती त्याची बाळलीला । आणिक लोह हातीं देती ॥५५॥
gaupya karitī taye veḷām | mamdirāmta nelem tayā bāḷā | pāhatī tyācī bāḷalīlā | āṇika loha hātīm detī ||55||
They kept it secret at that time; they took the boy into an inner room; watching his childlike play, they gave him more iron in his hand.
The parents test the miracle privately, giving the boy more iron to see if it repeats — careful verification, not blind credulity, is how they come to trust the wonder.
Test extraordinary claims carefully and privately before accepting them, even ones that seem to favor you.
अमृतदृष्टीं पाहतां स्वामी । समृद्धि झाली सर्व हेमीं । विश्वास धरिती मनोधर्मी । होईल पुरुष कारणिक ॥५६॥
amṛtadṛṣṭīm pāhatām svāmī | samṛddhi jhālī sarva hemīm | viśvāsa dharitī manodharmī | hoīla puruṣa kāraṇika ||56||
When the master looked with his nectar-gaze, abundance came in all the gold; they held faith in their hearts that he would become a man of great purpose.
Repeated confirmation of the miracle turns the parents' fear into settled faith that their son is destined for greatness — direct experience succeeds where prophecy alone had left room for doubt.
Let direct, repeated experience — not just rumor or promise — be what finally settles your convictions.
मग पुत्रातें आलिंगोनि । विनविताति जनकजननी । तूं तारका शिरोमणि । कारणिक पुरुष कुळदीपका ॥५७॥
maga putrātem ālimgoni | vinavitāti janakajananī | tūm tārakā śiromaṇi | kāraṇika puruṣa kuḷadīpakā ||57||
Then, embracing their son, the father and mother entreat him: you are the crown-jewel of those who liberate, a man of great purpose, the lamp of our family.
Overwhelmed, the parents address their son with titles reserved for saints — tārakā-śiromaṇi (crown jewel of liberators) — showing they now fully recognize, though not yet understand, his greatness.
When you finally recognize greatness or goodness in someone close to you, tell them so plainly.
तुझेनिं सर्वस्व लाधलें । बोलतां आम्हीं नाहीं ऐकिलें । अज्ञान-मायेनें विष्टिलें । भुकें ऐसें म्हणों तुज ॥५८॥
tujhenim sarvasva lādhalem | bolatām āmhīm nāhīm aikilem | ajñāna-māyenem viṣṭilem | bhukem aisem mhaṇom tuja ||58||
Through you we have gained everything; yet we have never heard you speak; wrapped in the illusion of ignorance, we call you 'mute.'
The parents openly regret having called their son 'mute,' recognizing that their own ajñāna (ignorance) — not any real lack in him — was the true limitation.
Be willing to admit when your own limited understanding, not the other person, was the real obstacle.
आमुचे मनींची वासना । तुंवा पुरवावी नंदना । तुझे बोबडे बोल आपणा । ऐकवावे पुत्रराया ॥५९॥
āmuce manīmcī vāsanā | tumvā puravāvī namdanā | tujhe bobaḍe bola āpaṇā | aikavāve putrarāyā ||59||
This is the desire in our mind: fulfill it, dear son; let us hear your lisping baby-words, O prince our son.
The parents' deepest wish is simply to hear him speak like any ordinary child — a humble, tender request that contrasts with the cosmic grandeur already revealed.
Do not be ashamed to ask for something simple and tender, even from someone you deeply revere.
हास्यवदन करी बाळ । यज्ञोपवीत दावी गळां । कटीं दांवी मौंजीस्थळा । म्हणोनि दाखवी मातेसी ॥६०॥
hāsyavadana karī bāḷa | yajñopavīta dāvī gaḷām | kaṭīm dāmvī maumjīsthaḷā | mhaṇoni dākhavī mātesī ||60||
The child, smiling, shows the sacred thread on his neck; he shows the place of the thread-ceremony at his waist, showing it thus to his mother.
In answer, the child gestures to his sacred thread and the site of the coming muñja (thread-ceremony) rather than speaking — he communicates that his silence will end once that specific rite is performed.
When words are not yet possible, trust that meaningful gestures can still convey a clear message.
संज्ञा करोनि मातेसी । दावी बाळक संतोषीं । मुंजी बांधितांचि आपणासी । येईल म्हणे बोल सकळ ॥६१॥
samjñā karoni mātesī | dāvī bāḷaka samtoṣīm | mumjī bāmdhitāmci āpaṇāsī | yeīla mhaṇe bola sakaḷa ||61||
Making a sign to his mother, the child shows her joyfully: once the thread-ceremony is tied on me, all speech will come, he says.
The child confirms by gesture that his voice is bound up with the coming sacred-thread ritual — his silence is revealed as a deliberate withholding tied to proper timing and rite, not a defect.
Sometimes the right moment for something to unfold is tied to preparation and readiness, not to willpower alone.
मातापिता संतोषती । विद्वांस ज्योतिषी पाचारिती । व्रतबंधमुहूर्त-लग्न पाहती । सर्व आयती करिते झाले ॥६२॥
mātāpitā samtoṣatī | vidvāmsa jyotiṣī pācāritī | vratabamdhamuhūrta-lagna pāhatī | sarva āyatī karite jhāle ||62||
The parents rejoice; they summon learned astrologers; they determine the auspicious hour and date for the thread-ceremony; they make all things ready.
Joy replaces worry as the parents move swiftly to prepare the vratabandha (thread ceremony) at an auspicious hour — practical preparation follows directly from renewed hope.
Once hope is renewed, act promptly and practically to make the good outcome ready to happen.
केली आयती बहुतांपरी । रत्नखचित अळंकारीं । मायामोहें प्रीतीकरीं । समारंभ करिताति ॥६३॥
kelī āyatī bahutāmparī | ratnakhacita aḷamkārīm | māyāmohem prītīkarīm | samārambha karitāti ||63||
They made preparations in many ways, with jewel-studded ornaments; out of parental affection and illusion, with love, they arrange the celebration.
The lavish preparations — jeweled ornaments, elaborate arrangements — are again gently marked as māyā-moha (loving worldly attachment), the narrator's reminder that ritual splendor is a human expression of love toward one who is beyond needing it.
Give generously and joyfully to mark a milestone, even knowing the recipient may need little of it materially.
चतुर्वेदी ब्राह्मण येती । शाखापरत्वें वेद पढती । इष्ट सोयरे दाईज गोत्री । समस्त आले तया भवना ॥६४॥
caturvedī brāhmaṇa yetī | śākhāparatvem veda paḍhatī | iṣṭa soyare dāīja gotrī | samasta āle tayā bhavanā ||64||
Brāhmaṇas learned in the four Vedas come; they recite the Veda according to their branch; relatives, kin, and clan-members, all came to that house.
Learned brāhmaṇas and the whole extended family and community gather for the ceremony — the boy's initiation becomes a communal event, gathering everyone around this pivotal rite.
Invite your wider community to witness and support important milestones in your family's life.
नानापरीचे श्रृंगार । उभारिले मंडपाकार । आनंद करीतसे द्विजवर । अपार द्रव्य वेंचीतसे ॥६५॥
nānāparīce śrṛmgāra | ubhārile mamḍapākāra | ānamda karītase dvijavara | apāra dravya vemcītase ||65||
Decorations of many kinds were raised into a pavilion form; the eminent brāhmaṇa rejoiced, spending immense wealth.
The father spends lavishly on decorations and a festive pavilion — his outward generosity mirrors his inward joy and gratitude for the son he nearly despaired of.
Let outward celebration match the depth of your inward gratitude when marking a hard-won joy.
नगरलोक विस्मय करिती । मूक पुत्रासी एवढी आयती । द्विजा लागली असे भ्रांति । वृथा करितो द्रव्य आपुलें ॥६६॥
nagaraloka vismaya karitī | mūka putrāsī evaḍhī āyatī | dvijā lāgalī ase bhrāmti | vṛthā karito dravya āpulem ||66||
The city people marveled: for a mute son, such elaborate preparation? The brāhmaṇa is under a delusion, wasting his own wealth, they said.
Some townspeople gossip skeptically that the father is foolishly wasting money on a mute son — public doubt persists even as the family's private certainty has grown, showing how outward appearance still misleads onlookers.
Do not let others' skepticism deter you from acting on convictions you have verified for yourself.
इतुकें वेंचूनि पुत्रासी । व्रतबंध करील परियेसीं । गायत्री केवीं उपदेशी । करील आचार कवणेवरी ॥६७॥
itukem vemcūni putrāsī | vratabamdha karīla pariyesīm | gāyatrī kevīm upadeśī | karīla ācāra kavaṇevarī ||67||
Having spent so much on his son, he will perform the thread-ceremony, listen; how will he teach the Gāyatrī mantra? By what practice will he perform the rites?
The skeptics press the practical objection — how can a mute boy learn the Gāyatrī mantra or perform the rites correctly? — voicing the very question the story is building toward answering dramatically.
It is fair to voice practical doubts, but be ready to be proven wrong by what actually unfolds.
एक म्हणती हो कां भलतें । मिष्टान्न आम्हांसि मिळतें । देकार देतील हिरण्य वस्त्रें । चाड नाहीं त्याचे मंत्रा ॥६८॥
eka mhaṇatī ho kām bhalatem | miṣṭānna āmhāmsi miḷatem | dekāra detīla hiraṇya vastrem | cāḍa nāhīm tyāce mamtrā ||68||
Some say, let it be whatever it may; we get fine food from it; they will give us gifts of gold and cloth; there's no need to worry about his mantras.
Other guests admit they care less about the boy's mantra and more about the feast and gifts they will receive — a touch of gentle satire on those who attend rituals for material benefit rather than devotion.
Examine your own motives when you participate in a communal or religious event.
ऐसे नानापरीचे लोक । विचार करिती अनेक । मातापित्या अत्यंत सुख । देवदेवक करिताति ॥६९॥
aise nānāparīce loka | vicāra karitī aneka | mātāpityā atyamta sukha | devadevaka karitāti ||69||
Thus various kinds of people hold various opinions; the parents feel great happiness; they perform the deva-devaka rites (deity invocation).
Amid the crowd's mixed opinions, the parents proceed with the devadevaka (pre-ceremony deity invocation), undisturbed by outside chatter and focused only on their joy.
Stay focused on your own sincere purpose even when surrounded by mixed or gossiping opinions.
चौलकर्म येरे दिवसीं । भोजन चौलमणीसी । पुनरभ्यंग करुनि हर्षी । यज्ञोपवीत धारण केलें ॥७०॥
caulakarma yere divasīm | bhojana caulamaṇīsī | punarabhyamga karuni harṣī | yajñopavīta dhāraṇa kelem ||70||
On the following day, the tonsure rite (caula-karma) was done; a feast was held for the tonsure ceremony; after the ritual re-anointing, joyfully, he wore the sacred thread.
The rites proceed in their proper sequence — tonsure, feast, anointing, and finally the sacred thread — the boy moves step by step through the traditional path toward brahmacārī status.
Follow through the proper steps of a process patiently, without skipping ahead to the final result.
मंत्रपूर्वक यज्ञोपवीत । धारण करविती द्विज समस्त । सहभोजन करावया माता । घेऊनि गेली मंदिरांत ॥७१॥
mamtrapūrvaka yajñopavīta | dhāraṇa karavitī dvija samasta | sahabhojana karāvayā mātā | gheūni gelī mamdirāmta ||71||
With mantras, all the brāhmaṇas have him wear the sacred thread; to share a meal together, the mother took him into the inner chamber.
After the formal investiture of the sacred thread by the assembled brāhmaṇas, the mother takes him for a private shared meal — public rite gives way to an intimate mother-son moment.
After a public milestone, make space for a quiet, personal moment with those closest to you.
भोजन करोनि मातेसवें । निरोप घे तो एकोभावें । मुंजीबंधन असे करावें । म्हणोनि आला पित्याजवळी ॥७२॥
bhojana karoni mātesavem | niropa ghe to ekobhāvem | mumjībamdhana ase karāvem | mhaṇoni ālā pityājavaḷī ||72||
Having eaten with his mother, he takes leave with singular resolve; saying the thread-binding rite must now be completed, he came to his father.
The boy, having eaten, moves with quiet determination (ekobhāve) toward completing the ceremony — his resolve foreshadows the far greater resolve he will soon reveal to leave home entirely.
Approach even a small remaining task with full resolve, not half-heartedly.
गृह्योक्तमार्गे मौंजी देखा । बंधन केलें त्या बाळका । सुमुहूर्त आला तत्काळिका । मंत्रोपदेश करिता झाला ॥७३॥
gṛhyoktamārge maumjī dekhā | bamdhana kelem tyā bāḷakā | sumuhūrta ālā tatkāḷikā | mamtropadeśa karitā jhālā ||73||
According to the household ritual texts, the thread-binding was done for that child; the auspicious moment arrived promptly, and the mantra-instruction was given.
The muñja (thread-binding) and mantropadeśa (mantra initiation) proceed exactly as prescribed at the correct auspicious hour — the tradition's precision matches the cosmic precision of the child's own unfolding destiny.
Respect precise timing and proper procedure when undertaking something sacred or important.
गायत्रीमंत्र अनुक्रमेसीं । उपदेश देती परियेसीं । बाळ उच्चारी मनोमानसीं । व्यक्त न बोले कवणापुढें ॥७४॥
gāyatrīmamtra anukramesīm | upadeśa detī pariyesīm | bāḷa uccārī manomānasīm | vyakta na bole kavaṇāpuḍhem ||74||
They give him the Gāyatrī mantra in its proper sequence, listen; the child recites it inwardly in his mind, but does not speak it openly before anyone.
The boy silently absorbs the Gāyatrī mantra — the very initiation that, by his own earlier gesture, was to unlock his speech — yet he still withholds outward words, building suspense before the dramatic reveal.
Let preparation be complete and internal before you reveal its results outwardly.
गायत्रीमंत्र कुमरासी होतां । भिक्षा घेऊन आली माता । वस्त्रभूषणें रत्नखचिता । देती झाली तया वेळीं ॥७५॥
gāyatrīmamtra kumarāsī hotām | bhikṣā gheūna ālī mātā | vastrabhūṣaṇem ratnakhacitā | detī jhālī tayā veḷīm ||75||
When the Gāyatrī mantra had been given to the boy, the mother came bringing the ritual alms (bhikṣā); she gave him jewel-studded clothes and ornaments at that time.
The mother performs the ceremonial first bhikṣā (ritual almsgiving) that traditionally follows initiation, adorning him richly — the final ritual step before the long-awaited moment of his first spoken words.
Carry a ritual all the way through its final steps rather than stopping just short of completion.
पहिली भिक्षा घेऊनि करीं । आशीर्वचन दे ती नारी । बाळ ऋग्वेद म्हणोन उच्चारी आचारधर्मे वर्ततसे ॥७६॥
pahilī bhikṣā gheūni karīm | āśīrvacana de tī nārī | bāḷa ṛgveda mhaṇona uccārī ācāradharme vartatase ||76||
Taking the first alms in her hand, that woman gives a blessing; the child recites the Ṛgveda aloud, thus conducting himself according to proper custom.
At the very moment his mother's blessing accompanies the first ritual alms, the boy suddenly recites the entire Ṛgveda aloud — the long-awaited first words are not baby-talk but the whole first Veda, astonishing everyone.
Do not underestimate what someone quiet has been holding inside, ready to emerge fully formed when the moment is right.
पहिली भिक्षा येणेंपरी । देती झाली प्रीतिकरीं । 'अग्निमीळे पुरोहितं' उच्चारी । ब्रह्मचारी तया वेळीं ॥७७॥
pahilī bhikṣā yeṇemparī | detī jhālī prītikarīm | 'agnimīḷe purohitam' uccārī | brahmacārī tayā veḷīm ||77||
Giving the first alms in this manner, with love, he recited 'agnimīḷe purohitam' (the opening verse of the Ṛgveda) — thus the brahmacārī spoke at that time.
The text names the exact verse — agnimīḷe purohitam, the very first line of the Ṛgveda — the boy's first utterance is literally the beginning of all Vedic revelation, a breathtaking sign of who he truly is.
When a long-held gift finally emerges, let it be seen in its full, precise beauty rather than downplayed.
दुसरी भिक्षा देतां माता । उच्चार केला यजुर्वेद 'इषेत्वा०। लोक समस्त तटस्था । माथा तुकिती तये वेळीं ॥७८॥
dusarī bhikṣā detām mātā | uccāra kelā yajurveda 'iṣetvā0| loka samasta taṭasthā | māthā tukitī taye veḷīm ||78||
When the mother gave the second alms, he recited the Yajurveda, 'iṣetvā...'; all the people stood stunned, bowing their heads at that time.
With the second alms he recites the Yajurveda, leaving the entire assembly stunned into reverent silence and bowed heads — public astonishment now matches the private wonder his parents felt earlier.
Let genuine wonder move you to humility and reverence rather than mere excitement.
तिसरी भिक्षा देतां माता । म्हणे सामवेद पढे आतां । 'अग्नआयाहि०' गायन करीत । तीन्ही वेद म्हणतसे ॥७९॥
tisarī bhikṣā detām mātā | mhaṇe sāmaveda paḍhe ātām | 'agnaāyāhi0' gāyana karīta | tīnhī veda mhaṇatase ||79||
When the mother gave the third alms, he says he now recites the Sāmaveda; singing 'agna āyāhi...', he recited all three Vedas.
With the third alms, he sings the Sāmaveda — completing all three Vedas within moments of his first words — the miracle escalates with each gift, confirming his identity beyond any remaining doubt.
Give sustained support through each stage of someone's unfolding; each step forward deserves your continued encouragement.
सभा समस्त विस्मय करी । पहाती हर्षनिर्भरीं । मुकें बोले वेद चारी । म्हणती होईल कारणिक ॥८०॥
sabhā samasta vismaya karī | pahātī harṣanirbharīm | mukem bole veda cārī | mhaṇatī hoīla kāraṇika ||80||
The whole assembly was astonished; they watched, overflowing with joy; the mute one now speaks all four Vedas; they said he will become a man of great purpose.
The assembly, having just watched three Vedas recited, now recognizes he has effectively spoken all four — their earlier doubt about the 'mute' boy dissolves completely into open joy.
Be ready to fully revise your judgment of someone the moment clear evidence proves you wrong.
यातें म्हणों नये नर । होईल देवाचा अवतार । म्हणोनि करिती नमस्कार । जगद्गुरु म्हणोनिया ॥८१॥
yātem mhaṇom naye nara | hoīla devācā avatāra | mhaṇoni karitī namaskāra | jagadguru mhaṇoniyā ||81||
This one should not be called a mere man — he will be God's own avatāra; saying this, they bow to him, calling him Jagadguru (teacher of the world).
The assembly now openly declares him Jagadguru (world-teacher) and an avatāra of God — the community completes the recognition that the astrologers, and the reader, already anticipated.
When someone's true greatness becomes undeniable, honor it openly rather than staying reserved.
इतुक्यावरी तो बाळक । मातेसी म्हणतसे ऐक । तुंवा उपदेश केला एक । भिक्षा माग म्हणोनि ॥८२॥
itukyāvarī to bāḷaka | mātesī mhaṇatase aika | tumvā upadeśa kelā eka | bhikṣā māga mhaṇoni ||82||
After this, the boy says to his mother: listen — you gave me one instruction, that I should beg for alms.
Having spoken for the first time in full, the boy immediately reminds his mother of her own earlier instruction to beg for alms as a brahmacārī — he takes his new religious duty with immediate, literal seriousness.
Take instructions from those who guide you seriously and literally, even ones given almost in passing.
नव्हती बोल तुझे मिथ्या । निर्धार राहिला माझिया चित्ता । निरोप द्यावा आम्हां त्वरिता । जाऊं तीर्थे आचरावया ॥८३॥
navhatī bola tujhe mithyā | nirdhāra rāhilā mājhiyā cittā | niropa dyāvā āmhām tvaritā | jāūm tīrthe ācarāvayā ||83||
Your words were not false; the resolve has settled firmly in my heart; give us leave quickly — we shall go to practice at the sacred tīrthas.
The boy announces his firm resolve (nirdhāra) to depart on pilgrimage to sacred tīrthas — the moment his parents dreaded is suddenly upon them, arriving right after their greatest joy.
Recognize that a firm, quietly held resolve, once voiced, deserves to be taken seriously rather than dismissed.
आम्हां आचार ब्रह्मचारी । भिक्षा करावी घरोघरीं । वेदाभ्यास मनोहरी । करणें असे परियेसा ॥८४॥
āmhām ācāra brahmacārī | bhikṣā karāvī gharogharīm | vedābhyāsa manoharī | karaṇem ase pariyesā ||84||
For us brahmacārīs, the custom is to beg alms from house to house; the delightful study of the Vedas must be pursued, listen.
He explains that going forth to beg and study is simply the proper ācāra (customary practice) of a brahmacārī — he frames his imminent departure not as abandonment but as fidelity to sacred duty.
When duty calls you away, explain it clearly as faithfulness to a larger purpose, not as rejection of those you love.
ऐकोनि पुत्राचें वचन । दुःखें दाटली अतिगहन । बाष्प निघताति लोचनीं । आली मूर्च्छना तये वेळीं ॥८५॥
aikoni putrācem vacana | duḥkhem dāṭalī atigahana | bāṣpa nighatāti locanīm | ālī mūrcchanā taye veḷīm ||85||
Hearing her son's words, the mother was overcome with very deep sorrow; tears fell from her eyes, and she fainted at that moment.
The mother's joy collapses instantly into grief and fainting at the prospect of her newly-speaking son leaving — the story does not soften the human cost of a spiritual calling on those left behind.
Allow yourself and others real grief when a loved one's higher calling requires their departure.
निर्जीव होऊनि क्षणेक । करिती झाली महाशोक । पुत्र माझा तूं रक्षक । म्हणोनि केली आशा बहु ॥८६॥
nirjīva hoūni kṣaṇeka | karitī jhālī mahāśoka | putra mājhā tūm rakṣaka | mhaṇoni kelī āśā bahu ||86||
Becoming lifeless for a moment, she fell into great sorrow; saying 'my son, you are my protector,' she had placed great hope in him.
In her collapse, the mother's grief is bound up with dashed hope that her miraculous son would be her protector in old age — the human, worldly hope she had for him is now openly at odds with his higher calling.
Recognize when your hopes for someone are more about your own needs than about their true path, without shaming yourself for it.
आमुतें रक्षिसी म्हणोनि । होती आशा बहु मनीं । न बोलसी आम्हांसवें याचि गुणीं । मुकें म्हणविसी आपणासी ॥८७॥
āmutem rakṣisī mhaṇoni | hotī āśā bahu manīm | na bolasī āmhāmsavem yāci guṇīm | mukem mhaṇavisī āpaṇāsī ||87||
Because you would protect us, I held such hope in my mind; you would not speak to us for this very reason — you called yourself mute.
The mother, still reeling, reinterprets his earlier silence as now making cruel sense — a hidden preparation for leaving her — grief distorts her understanding even as the reader knows the deeper truth.
Be gentle with yourself when grief makes you misread the intentions of someone you love.
न ऐकों कधीं तुझे बोल । आतां ऐकतां संतोष होईल । ईश्वरपूजा आलें फळ । म्हणोनि विश्वास केला आम्हीं ॥८८॥
na aikom kadhīm tujhe bola | ātām aikatām samtoṣa hoīla | īśvarapūjā ālem phaḷa | mhaṇoni viśvāsa kelā āmhīm ||88||
Never did we hear your words before; now that we hear them, it should have brought joy; we believed it was the fruit of our worship of God.
The mother laments the bitter irony that the fulfillment of her prayers — his speech — has arrived paired with the news of his departure, so joy and loss come in the same breath.
Accept that a prayer's answer can arrive mixed with a cost you did not anticipate, without losing your faith over it.
ऐसें नानापरी देखा । पुत्रासि म्हणे ते बाळिका । आलिंगोनि कुमारका । कृपा भाकी तयेवेळीं ॥८९॥
aisem nānāparī dekhā | putrāsi mhaṇe te bāḷikā | ālimgoni kumārakā | kṛpā bhākī tayeveḷīm ||89||
Speaking thus in many ways, behold, that woman says to her son; embracing the boy, she pleads for his mercy at that time.
The mother's grief turns to direct pleading, embracing her son and begging for compassion — the intimate physical gesture underscores how personal, not abstract, her sorrow is.
It is right to plead openly and physically with someone you love when facing a painful parting.
ऐकोनि मातेचें वचन । बाळक सांगे ब्रह्मज्ञान । नको खेदवूं अंतःकरण । आम्हां करणें तेंचि असे ॥९०॥
aikoni mātecem vacana | bāḷaka sāmge brahmajñāna | nako khedavūm amtaḥkaraṇa | āmhām karaṇem temci ase ||90||
Hearing his mother's words, the child speaks knowledge of Brahman: do not grieve your heart — this is simply what we must do.
The boy answers his mother's grief not with sentiment but with brahmajñāna (knowledge of the Absolute), gently insisting that his path is simply necessary — compassion here takes the form of clear truth rather than false comfort.
When comforting someone in grief over your necessary path, offer honest clarity rather than empty reassurance.
तुतें आणखी पुत्र चारी । होतील माते निर्धारीं । तुझी सेवा परोपरी । करितील मनोभावेसीं ॥९१॥
tutem āṇakhī putra cārī | hotīla māte nirdhārīm | tujhī sevā paroparī | karitīla manobhāvesīm ||91||
You will have four more sons, mother, without doubt; they will serve you in every way, with a devoted heart.
He consoles her with a concrete promise — four more sons who will serve her devotedly — practical assurance is offered alongside spiritual teaching to ease her worldly fear of being left alone.
When you must leave someone grieving, offer practical reassurance about their future, not only spiritual comfort.
तुवां आराधिला शंकर । जन्मांतरीं पूर्वापार । म्हणोनि मस्तकीं ठेविती कर । मग तिसी जहालें जातिस्मरण ॥९२॥
tuvām ārādhilā śamkara | janmāmtarīm pūrvāpāra | mhaṇoni mastakīm ṭhevitī kara | maga tisī jahālem jātismaraṇa ||92||
You worshiped Śaṅkara (Śiva) across former lifetimes, one after another; saying this, he places his hand on her head, and then she gained memory of her past lives.
By his touch, the mother is granted jātismaraṇa (memory of past lives), revealing that her devotion to Śiva across many lifetimes has led to this very birth — a grace that expands her grief into far larger understanding.
Trust that long-practiced devotion across time bears fruit in ways only later become clear.
पूर्वजन्मींचा वृत्तांत । स्मरतां जाहली विस्मित । श्रीपादश्रीवल्लभ स्वरुपता । दिसतसे तो बाळक ॥९३॥
pūrvajanmīmcā vṛttāmta | smaratām jāhalī vismita | śrīpādaśrīvallabha svarupatā | disatase to bāḷaka ||93||
Remembering the account of her former birth, she was astonished; the child now appears to her in the form of Śrīpāda Śrīvallabha.
With her past-life memory restored, the mother recognizes her son as none other than Śrīpāda Śrīvallabha himself, reborn — the story's earlier thread (from the previous chapter) about the brāhmaṇa woman closes into full recognition.
Trust that patient devotion can eventually reveal the true, larger identity of what has long been familiar to you.
देखोनि माता तये वेळां । नमन केलें चरणकमळां । श्रीपाद उठवूनि अवलीळा । सांगती गौप्य अवधारीं ॥९४॥
dekhoni mātā taye veḷām | namana kelem caraṇakamaḷām | śrīpāda uṭhavūni avalīḷā | sāmgatī gaupya avadhārīm ||94||
Seeing this, the mother at that time bowed at his lotus feet; Śrīpāda, gently raising her up, tells her a secret, listen closely.
The mother's bow of recognition is met by the son gently lifting her and sharing a confidence — divine dignity is expressed through tender care, not distance.
Even in a position of higher authority or wisdom, treat those who honor you with gentle personal care.
ऐक माते ज्ञानवंती । हा बोल करीं वो गुप्ती । आम्ही संन्यासी असों यति । अलिप्त असों संसारीं ॥९५॥
aika māte jñānavamtī | hā bola karīm vo guptī | āmhī samnyāsī asom yati | alipta asom samsārīm ||95||
Listen, wise mother: keep this word secret; we are saṃnyāsīs, ascetics; we remain unattached within worldly life.
He reveals his true nature as a saṃnyāsī (renunciate) who remains alipta (unattached) even while appearing within family life — the paradox of full presence and full detachment held together.
Practice being fully present with those around you while inwardly remaining unattached to outcomes.
याचिकारणें आम्ही आतां । हिंडूं समस्त तीर्थां । कारण असे पुढें बहुता । म्हणोनि निरोप मागती ॥९६॥
yācikāraṇem āmhī ātām | himḍūm samasta tīrthām | kāraṇa ase puḍhem bahutā | mhaṇoni niropa māgatī ||96||
For this reason, we must now wander to all the sacred tīrthas; there is great purpose ahead; saying this, he asks for leave.
He explains that his pilgrimage serves a larger, still-unfolding purpose (kāraṇa) — his departure is purposeful mission, not restlessness or rejection.
When you must move on from someone or something, frame it honestly as serving a larger purpose.
येणेंपरी जननियेसी । गुरुमूर्ति सांगे विनयेसीं । पुनरपि विनवी पुत्रासी । ऐका श्रोते एकचित्तें ॥९७॥
yeṇemparī jananiyesī | gurumūrti sāmge vinayesīm | punarapi vinavī putrāsī | aikā śrote ekacittem ||97||
In this way the guru-form speaks respectfully to his mother; again he entreats his son [i.e., the father] — listen, listeners, with one-pointed attention.
The scene shifts as the boy, now revealed as guru, addresses his father as well — the narrator calls the audience to full attention, signaling an important exchange is coming.
Give your full, undivided attention when someone important is about to share something significant.
पुत्रासी विनवी तये वेळ । मातें सांडूनि तुम्ही जरी जाल । आणिक कधीं न देखों बाळ । केवीं वांचूं पुत्रराया ॥९८॥
putrāsī vinavī taye veḷa | mātem sāmḍūni tumhī jarī jāla | āṇika kadhīm na dekhom bāḷa | kevīm vāmcūm putrarāyā ||98||
She entreats her son at that moment: if you leave your mother and go, we shall never see our child again — how shall we live, dear son?
The mother's grief resurfaces with a raw question — how can she go on living without ever seeing him again — the story does not let the earlier consolation erase the depth of a parent's loss.
Allow the full weight of loss to be spoken honestly, even after some comfort has already been given.
धाकुटपणीं तुम्हां तापस- । धर्मी कवण आहे हर्ष । धर्मशास्त्रीं ख्याति सुरस । आश्रम चारी आचरावे ॥९९॥
dhākuṭapaṇīm tumhām tāpasa- | dharmī kavaṇa āhe harṣa | dharmaśāstrīm khyāti surasa | āśrama cārī ācarāve ||99||
In your young age, what joy is there in the ascetic's religious path for you? In the scriptures of dharma there is a well-known teaching: the four stages of life should be practiced in order.
The mother appeals to the dharmaśāstra (scriptural law) itself, arguing that renunciation is meant for later life, after the proper stages (āśramas) have been lived through in sequence.
It is reasonable to ask someone to honor the natural order and timing of life's stages before taking a drastic step.
ब्रह्मचर्य वर्षे बारा । त्यावरी गृहस्थधर्म बरा । मुख्य असे वानप्रस्थ तदनंतरा । घडती पुण्यें अपरांपर ॥१००॥
brahmacarya varṣe bārā | tyāvarī gṛhasthadharma barā | mukhya ase vānaprastha tadanamtarā | ghaḍatī puṇyem aparāmpara ||100||
Twelve years of celibate studenthood (brahmacarya), then good householder life (gṛhasthadharma); mainly the forest-dwelling stage (vānaprastha) follows after that; countless merits are accomplished this way.
She lays out the traditional four-stage order of life — student, householder, forest-dweller, and only then renunciant — teaching that spiritual merit accrues through the proper sequence, not by skipping ahead.
Build accomplishment and merit through patient, sequential stages rather than rushing to the final goal.
मुख्य आश्रम असे गृहस्थ । आचरतां होय अतिसमर्थ । मग संन्यास घ्यावा मुख्यार्थ । धर्मशास्त्र येणेंपरी ॥१॥
mukhya āśrama ase gṛhastha | ācaratām hoya atisamartha | maga samnyāsa ghyāvā mukhyārtha | dharmaśāstra yeṇemparī ||1||
The householder stage is the principal āśrama; practicing it, one becomes truly capable; only then should saṃnyāsa be taken as the chief final aim — thus says the dharmaśāstra.
She insists the householder stage builds the very capability needed for renunciation to be meaningful — her argument is sincere scriptural reasoning, not mere emotional resistance.
Build real capability through committed everyday responsibility before seeking the highest goals.
ब्रह्मचर्यमार्ग ऐका । पठण करावें वेदादिकां । विवाह होतां गृहस्थें निका । पुत्रादिक लाधावे ॥२॥
brahmacaryamārga aikā | paṭhaṇa karāvem vedādikām | vivāha hotām gṛhasthem nikā | putrādika lādhāve ||2||
Listen to the path of brahmacarya: one should study the Vedas and other texts; when marriage takes place, as a proper householder, one should be blessed with children and so on.
The mother continues detailing the studenthood-to-marriage path expected of a young brāhmaṇa — she is pleading for a normal life course for her son, point by careful point.
State your case for someone's wellbeing in clear, specific terms rather than vague appeals alone.
यज्ञादिक कर्म साधोनियां । तदनंतर संन्यास करणें न्याया । येणेंविधि संन्यास असे मुख्या । अग्राह्य संन्यास बाळपणीं ॥३॥
yajñādika karma sādhoniyām | tadanamtara samnyāsa karaṇem nyāyā | yeṇemvidhi samnyāsa ase mukhyā | agrāhya samnyāsa bāḷapaṇīm ||3||
Having accomplished sacrificial rites and so forth, saṃnyāsa should then be taken, properly; this order is the principal way for renunciation; saṃnyāsa in childhood is not acceptable.
She reaches her strongest scriptural objection: saṃnyāsa taken in childhood, before the other stages, is explicitly held to be improper — a direct challenge to her son's plan, argued on the tradition's own terms.
Ground your strongest objections in shared principles the other person also respects, not just personal feeling.
समस्त इंद्रियें संतुष्टवावीं । मनींची वासना पुरवावी । तदनंतर तपासी जावें । संन्यास घेतां मुख्य असे ॥४॥
samasta imdriyem samtuṣṭavāvīm | manīmcī vāsanā puravāvī | tadanamtara tapāsī jāvem | samnyāsa ghetām mukhya ase ||4||
All the senses should be fully satisfied, the mind's desires fulfilled; only afterward should one go to austerity; taking saṃnyāsa then is the principal way.
She completes her scriptural argument: worldly desires should be exhausted naturally before renunciation, not suppressed prematurely — her final, most complete case for delay.
Recognize that suppressing rather than naturally outgrowing a desire rarely leads to lasting peace.
ऐकोनि मातेचें वचन । श्रीगुरू सांगती तत्त्वज्ञान । ऐक नामधारका सुमन । म्हणोनि सांगे सिद्धमुनि ॥५॥
aikoni mātecem vacana | śrīgurū sāmgatī tattvajñāna | aika nāmadhārakā sumana | mhaṇoni sāmge siddhamuni ||5||
Hearing his mother's words, Śrīgurū teaches her spiritual truth (tattvajñāna); listen, good Nāmadhāraka — thus Siddhamuni tells the tale.
Rather than simply refusing his mother's scriptural argument, the boy — now named Śrīgurū — answers her with deeper tattvajñāna (philosophical truth), and Siddha signals to Nāmadhāraka that this teaching will follow in the next chapter.
Meet a well-reasoned objection with deeper understanding rather than mere assertion of your own will.
गंगाधराचा नंदन । विनवीतसे नमून । तें परिसा श्रोते जन । श्रीगुरुचरित्रविस्तार ॥६॥
gamgādharācā namdana | vinavītase namūna | tem parisā śrote jana | śrīgurucaritravistāra ||6||
The son of Gaṅgādhara [the author, Sarasvatī Gaṅgādhar] entreats, bowing; listen to that, O listening people — the unfolding of the Śrī Gurucaritra.
The author steps forward, bowing to the tradition he is transmitting, and invites the audience to keep listening — a signature authorial pause marking the chapter's structural close.
Approach the retelling or sharing of sacred wisdom with a spirit of humility, as service rather than ownership.
पुढें वर्तलें अपूर्व ऐका । सिद्ध सांगे नामधारका । महाराष्ट्रभाषेंकरुनि टीका । सांगतसे सरस्वती-गंगाधर ॥१०७॥
puḍhem vartalem apūrva aikā | siddha sāmge nāmadhārakā | mahārāṣṭrabhāṣemkaruni ṭīkā | sāmgatase sarasvatī-gamgādhara ||107||
What unfolds next is wondrous, listen; Siddha tells it to Nāmadhāraka; Sarasvatī-Gaṅgādhara narrates the commentary in the Marāṭhī language.
The author again names himself and his role as translator/commentator into Marathi, and promises more wonder to come — the frame-narrative (Siddha telling Nāmadhāraka) is reaffirmed just before the chapter's formal close.
When passing on wisdom to others, make it accessible in the language and terms your audience can truly receive.
इति श्रीगुरुचरित्रामृते परमकथाकल्पतरौ श्रीनृसिंहसरस्वत्युपाख्याने सिद्ध-नामधारकसंवादे श्रीगुरुनरहरिबाळचरित्रलीलावर्णनं नाम एकादशोऽध्यायः ॥११॥
iti śrīgurucaritrāmṛte paramakathākalpatarau śrīnṛsimhasarasvatyupākhyāne siddha-nāmadhārakasamvāde śrīgurunaraharibāḷacaritralīlāvarṇanam nāma ekādaśo'dhyāyaḥ ||11||
Thus, in the nectar-like Śrī Gurucaritra, the supreme wish-fulfilling tree of tales, in the dialogue of Siddha and Nāmadhāraka concerning the story of Śrī Nṛsiṃha Sarasvatī, ends the eleventh chapter, named 'the wondrous account of Śrī Guru Narahari's childhood.'
The traditional Sanskrit colophon formally closes the chapter, naming it as the account of Guru Narahari's (the future Nṛsiṃha Sarasvatī's) childhood within the great 'wish-fulfilling tree' of the Gurucaritra's tales.
Bring a meaningful undertaking to a clear, formal close, marking what has been accomplished before moving on.
श्रीगुरुदत्तात्रेयार्पणमस्तु ॥
śrīgurudattātreyārpaṇamastu ||
May this be offered to Śrī Guru Dattātreya.
The closing dedication offers the entire chapter's merit back to Dattātreya, the source guru-deity — a reminder that even skillful storytelling is offered in service, not for personal credit.
Dedicate the fruits of your effort to the greater good rather than claiming them solely for yourself.
श्रीगुरुदेवदत्त ॥
śrīgurudevadatta ||
Śrī Guru Deva Datta.
The short devotional refrain invoking Guru Deva Datta closes the chapter, as is traditional — a simple final act of remembrance and reverence.
End your work each day with a brief moment of remembrance for what — or who — you serve.
( ओंवीसंख्या १०७ )
( omvīsamkhyā 107 )
(Ovī count: 107)
A scribal note records the traditional ovī-count of this chapter as 107 verses — a small bibliographic detail preserved faithfully across centuries of manuscript transmission.
Value careful record-keeping as its own quiet act of respect for a tradition.