संत साहित्य · Guru Charitra · Chapters
Chapter 15 — Principal Holy Places of Bharat
Literal. Shri Guru sends his disciples on pilgrimage and lists the principal tirthas of Bharat (India): Kashi on the Ganga, Prayag at the triple confluence, the Yamuna's twenty-five towns, the Saraswati's forty, and a long enumeration of rivers and shrines — Pushkar, Gaya, Setubandha, Rameshwar, Shri Ranga Padmanabh, Purushottam, Naimisharanya, Badri Narayan, Kurukshetra, Shri Shailya, Mahabaleshwar, Pampa Sarovar, Pandharpur, Ganagapur. The chapter is essentially a gazetteer. It also notes that when Guru (Jupiter) is in Sinha (Leo), all rivers unite with the Ganga; when in Kanya (Virgo), the Ganga descends into the Krishna.
Symbolic. The chapter is a map — the sacred geography of the subcontinent compressed into a chapter-length list. Pilgrimage as embodied state-shift through travel; each tirtha has its own type of purification.
Structural. 60 yojans by the Ganga's bank (a yojan = 2 miles); 120 Krichhras at Prayag; 25 grams on the Yamuna; 40 on the Saraswati; 108 lap recitations at Gokarna. The numerical density is unusually high.
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 Śrī Guru.
The chapter opens with the traditional threefold invocation — to Gaṇeśa (remover of obstacles), Sarasvatī (goddess of speech and wisdom), and the Guru — before any teaching begins.
Begin an important undertaking by first asking for guidance and clearing obstacles, not by charging ahead on your own strength alone.
ऐक शिष्या नामकरणी । धन्य धन्य तुझी वाणी । तुझी भक्ति गुरुचरणीं । लीन जाहली परियेसा ॥१॥
aika śiṣyā nāmakaraṇī | dhanya dhanya tujhī vāṇī | tujhī bhakti gurucaraṇīm | līna jāhalī pariyesā ||1||
Listen, disciple Nāmakaraṇī — blessed, blessed is your speech; your devotion has become absorbed at the Guru's feet, hear this.
Siddha praises the very quality of Nāmadhāraka's question — a sign that his devotion has ripened into single-pointed attention on the teacher.
Notice that how sincerely you ask for guidance matters as much as what you ask.
तूं मातें पुसतोसी । होत मन संतोषी । गौप्य व्हावया कारण कैसी । सांगेन ऐक एकचित्तें ॥२॥
tūm mātem pusatosī | hota mana samtoṣī | gaupya vhāvayā kāraṇa kaisī | sāmgena aika ekacittem ||2||
You ask me, and my mind grows glad; I shall tell you the reason for [Śrī Guru's] becoming hidden — listen with one-pointed attention.
Siddha promises to explain why Śrī Guru chose concealment (gaupya), turning the disciple's curiosity into the doorway for the next teaching.
When a teacher's or leader's choice puzzles you, ask with genuine attention rather than assuming you already understand it.
महिमा प्रगट जाहली बहुत । तेणें भजती लोक अमित । काम्यार्थ व्हावे म्हणूनि समस्त । येती श्रीगुरुच्या दर्शना ॥३॥
mahimā pragaṭa jāhalī bahuta | teṇem bhajatī loka amita | kāmyārtha vhāve mhaṇūni samasta | yetī śrīgurucyā darśanā ||3||
[Śrī Guru's] glory became greatly manifest, so countless people worshipped him; all came for the sight of Śrī Guru, wanting their desires fulfilled.
Śrī Guru's fame spread so widely that uncountable people flocked to him, many seeking only the fulfillment of worldly desires (kāmyārtha) rather than the teaching itself.
Notice when you approach a source of wisdom mainly to get something, and try to want more from it than just a transaction.
साधु असाधु धूर्त सकळी । समस्त येती श्रीगुरुजवळी । वर्तमानीं खोटा कळी । सकळही शिष्य होऊं म्हणती ॥४॥
sādhu asādhu dhūrta sakaḷī | samasta yetī śrīgurujavaḷī | vartamānīm khoṭā kaḷī | sakaḷahī śiṣya hoūm mhaṇatī ||4||
Saints, non-saints, and cunning people alike — all came near Śrī Guru; in this corrupted age, everyone says, 'let me become a disciple.'
In this age of Kali, saints and frauds crowded around Śrī Guru alike — outward association with holiness does not by itself make one holy.
Judge your own sincerity by your practice, not by the company you keep or the titles you claim.
पाहें पां पूर्वी भार्गवराम अवतरोनि । निःक्षत्र केली मेदिनी । राज्य विप्रांसी देउनी । गेला आपण पश्चिमसमुद्रासी ॥५॥
pāhem pām pūrvī bhārgavarāma avataroni | niḥkṣatra kelī medinī | rājya viprāmsī deunī | gelā āpaṇa paścimasamudrāsī ||5||
See — long ago Bhārgavarāma incarnated and made the earth free of kṣatriyas; giving the kingdom to brāhmaṇas, he himself went to the western sea.
The story recalls how Paraśurāma (Bhārgavarāma), after conquering the earth and giving it away, withdrew to the western sea — an ancient precedent for a sage who gives generously and then steps back.
After giving generously, allow yourself to withdraw and rest rather than feeling obligated to keep giving indefinitely.
पुनरपि जाती तयापासीं । तोही ठाव मागावयासी । याकारणें विप्रांसी । कांक्षा न सुटे परियेसा ॥६॥
punarapi jātī tayāpāsīm | tohī ṭhāva māgāvayāsī | yākāraṇem viprāmsī | kāmkṣā na suṭe pariyesā ||6||
Yet again people went to him, to beg even that place from him; for this reason the brāhmaṇas' craving would not let go, hear this.
Even after receiving everything, people returned to ask Paraśurāma for more — a reminder that unchecked craving (kāṅkṣā) never finds its own stopping point.
Notice when your wanting has no natural end, and consciously choose to be satisfied with enough.
उबगोनि भार्गवराम देखा । गेला सागरा मध्योदका । गौप्यरूपें असे ऐका । आणिक मागतील म्हणोनि ॥७॥
ubagoni bhārgavarāma dekhā | gelā sāgarā madhyodakā | gaupyarūpem ase aikā | āṇika māgatīla mhaṇoni ||7||
Weary of it, Bhārgavarāma went into the middle of the ocean's waters and stayed hidden there, thinking, 'else they will keep asking for more.'
Weary of endless requests, Paraśurāma hid in the depths of the ocean so people would stop asking — concealment here is a boundary, not a rejection.
It is not selfish to withdraw and protect your energy when giving has become one-sided or endless.
तैसे श्रीगुरुमूर्ति ऐक । राहिले गुप्त कारणिक । वर मागतील सकळिक । नाना याती येवोनियां ॥८॥
taise śrīgurumūrti aika | rāhile gupta kāraṇika | vara māgatīla sakaḷika | nānā yātī yevoniyām ||8||
Just so, listen: Śrī Guru too remained concealed for a reason — that all sorts of people of every caste would keep coming to beg boons.
Śrī Guru's own withdrawal into hiddenness follows this same pattern — protecting both himself and his devotees from the corrosive effect of endless boon-seeking.
Recognize that a mentor's unavailability can itself be a form of care, not abandonment.
विश्वव्यापक जगदीश्वर । तो काय देऊं न शके वर । पाहूनि भक्ति पात्रानुसार । प्रसन्न होय परियेसा ॥९॥
viśvavyāpaka jagadīśvara | to kāya deūm na śake vara | pāhūni bhakti pātrānusāra | prasanna hoya pariyesā ||9||
The Lord of the universe, all-pervading — what boon could he not give? But he grows pleased and grants according to the measure of devotion and worthiness, hear this.
Grace is calibrated to the sincerity and readiness (pātra, worthiness) of the one who asks — devotion is what opens the gift, not mere proximity.
Prepare your own heart through sincerity before expecting good things to come to you.
याकारणें तया स्थानीं । श्रीगुरु होते गौप्यगुणीं । शिष्यां सकळांसि बोलावुनी । निरोप देती तीर्थयात्रे ॥१०॥
yākāraṇem tayā sthānīm | śrīguru hote gaupyaguṇīm | śiṣyām sakaḷāmsi bolāvunī | niropa detī tīrthayātre ||10||
For this reason Śrī Guru remained hidden in that place; calling all his disciples together, he gave them leave to go on pilgrimage.
Having explained his reasons, Śrī Guru now formally sends his disciples out on pilgrimage rather than keeping them clustered around him.
A good teacher sometimes shows love by sending you out to grow on your own, not by keeping you close.
सकळ शिष्यां बोलावोनि । निरोप देती नृसिंहमुनि । समस्त तीर्थे आचरोनि । यावें भेटी श्रीशैल्या ॥११॥
sakaḷa śiṣyām bolāvoni | niropa detī nṛsimhamuni | samasta tīrthe ācaroni | yāvem bheṭī śrīśailyā ||11||
Calling all the disciples, the sage Nṛsiṁha [Sarasvatī] gave them leave, saying, 'Visit all the sacred tīrthas, and then come meet me at Śrīśailya.'
The disciples are instructed to complete the full circuit of sacred tīrthas and then reunite with him at Śrīśailya — the pilgrimage has both an outward destination and a promised return.
When undertaking a period of independent growth, set both a clear goal and a clear point of return.
ऐकोनि श्रीगुरुचे वचना । समस्त शिष्य धरिती चरणा । कृपामूर्ति श्रीगुरुराणा । कां उपेक्षिसी आम्हांसी ॥१२॥
aikoni śrīguruce vacanā | samasta śiṣya dharitī caraṇā | kṛpāmūrti śrīgururāṇā | kām upekṣisī āmhāmsī ||12||
Hearing Śrī Guru's words, all the disciples clasped his feet: 'O merciful Śrī Guru, our king, why do you cast us aside?'
The disciples cling to the Guru's feet, feeling this instruction as a kind of abandonment — an understandable but incomplete reaction to being sent forth.
Allow yourself to feel the discomfort of being sent to grow on your own without mistaking it for rejection.
तुमचे दर्शनमात्रेंसी । समस्त तीर्थे आम्हांसी । आम्हीं जावें कवण ठायासी । सोडोनि चरण श्रीगुरुचे ॥१३॥
tumace darśanamātremsī | samasta tīrthe āmhāmsī | āmhīm jāvem kavaṇa ṭhāyāsī | soḍoni caraṇa śrīguruce ||13||
Merely the sight of you is all the sacred tīrthas for us; to what place should we go, leaving Śrī Guru's feet?
The disciples protest that the Guru's presence already contains every tīrtha for them — devotion sees the beloved teacher as the sum of all holy places.
Let your reverence for what has already helped you deepen, even as you're asked to go seek more.
समस्त तीर्थे श्रीगुरुचरणीं । ऐसें बोलती वेदवाणी । शास्त्रींही तेंचि विवरण । असे स्वामी प्रख्यात ॥१४॥
samasta tīrthe śrīgurucaraṇīm | aisem bolatī vedavāṇī | śāstrīmhī temci vivaraṇa | ase svāmī prakhyāta ||14||
'All the tīrthas are at Śrī Guru's feet' — so say the words of the Vedas; the scriptures too explain this same truth, O Master, it is well known.
They cite scripture itself as backing their protest, showing it is grounded in tradition, not mere reluctance.
Ground your objections in real principle, not just personal preference, when you push back on guidance.
जवळी असतां निधान । केवीं हिंडावें रानोरान । कल्पवृक्ष सांडून । केवीं जावें देवराया ॥१५॥
javaḷī asatām nidhāna | kevīm himḍāvem rānorāna | kalpavṛkṣa sāmḍūna | kevīm jāvem devarāyā ||15||
When the treasure is right at hand, why wander from forest to forest? Having a wish-fulfilling tree beside us, why should we go elsewhere, O lord of gods?
The disciples' plea captures a simple logic: why wander the wilderness when the treasure and the wish-fulfilling tree (kalpavṛkṣa) are already close at hand?
Don't overlook the resource already in front of you while chasing something distant.
श्रीगुरु म्हणती शिष्यांसी । तुम्ही आश्रमी संन्यासी । राहूं नये पांच दिवशीं । एके ठायीं वास करीत ॥१६॥
śrīguru mhaṇatī śiṣyāmsī | tumhī āśramī samnyāsī | rāhūm naye pāmca divaśīm | eke ṭhāyīm vāsa karīta ||16||
Śrī Guru said to the disciples: 'You are renunciants of the fourth stage of life; you should not stay dwelling in one place beyond five days.'
Śrī Guru reminds them of their vow as renunciants (sannyāsī): not to settle in one place more than five days — wandering itself is part of their discipline.
Honor the commitments and disciplines you've taken on, even when staying comfortable feels more appealing.
चतुर्थाश्रम घेऊनि । आचरावीं तीर्थे भुवनीं । तेणें मनीं स्थिर होऊनि । मग रहावें एकस्थानीं ॥१७॥
caturthāśrama gheūni | ācarāvīm tīrthe bhuvanīm | teṇem manīm sthira hoūni | maga rahāvem ekasthānīm ||17||
Having taken the fourth stage of life, you must visit the tīrthas of the world; through that your mind will become steady, and only then should you settle in one place.
Wandering to the tīrthas as a renunciant steadies the mind; only after that inner steadiness is earned should one settle down.
Earn inner stability through disciplined practice before assuming you're ready to settle and rest.
विशेष वाक्य आमुचें एक । अंगीकारणें धर्म अधिक । तीर्थे हिंडूनि सकळिक । मग यावें आम्हांपाशीं ॥१८॥
viśeṣa vākya āmucem eka | amgīkāraṇem dharma adhika | tīrthe himḍūni sakaḷika | maga yāvem āmhāmpāśīm ||18||
This one special word of mine you must take to heart above all: after wandering to all the tīrthas, then come back to me.
Śrī Guru singles out one instruction as most important — complete the pilgrimage fully, then return — obedience to this specific point matters more than any general goodwill.
When given one clear, specific instruction, treat it as the priority rather than substituting your own general good intentions.
'बहुधान्य' नाम संवत्सरासी । येऊं आम्ही श्रीशैल्यासी । तेथें आमुचे भेटीसी । यावें तुम्हीं सकळिक हो ॥१९॥
'bahudhānya' nāma samvatsarāsī | yeūm āmhī śrīśailyāsī | tethem āmuce bheṭīsī | yāvem tumhīm sakaḷika ho ||19||
In the year named 'Bahudhānya' I shall come to Śrīśailya; there, all of you, come to meet me.
Śrī Guru sets a specific future meeting — the year called 'Bahudhānya' at Śrīśailya — giving the disciples a concrete promise to hold onto during their travels.
When you send someone off to do hard work alone, give a concrete date or milestone to reunite around.
ऐसेंपरी शिष्यांसी । श्रीगुरु सांगती उपदेश । समस्त लागती चरणांस । ऐक शिष्या नामधारका ॥२०॥
aisemparī śiṣyāmsī | śrīguru sāmgatī upadeśa | samasta lāgatī caraṇāmsa | aika śiṣyā nāmadhārakā ||20||
In this way Śrī Guru gave teaching to the disciples; all of them touched his feet. Listen, disciple Nāmadhāraka.
With the teaching given and feet touched in respect, obedience follows protest — devotion ultimately yields to instruction.
After voicing your concerns honestly, still follow through on the guidance you've been given.
शिष्य म्हणती श्रीगुरुस तुमचें वाक्य आम्हां परीस । जाऊं आम्ही भरंवसें । करुं तीर्थे भूमीवरी ॥२१॥
śiṣya mhaṇatī śrīgurusa tumacem vākya āmhām parīsa | jāūm āmhī bharamvasem | karum tīrthe bhūmīvarī ||21||
The disciples said to Śrī Guru: 'Your word is precious to us; we shall go in full trust and perform the pilgrimage over the earth.'
The disciples accept, prizing the Guru's word above their own preference and agreeing to undertake the pilgrimage in full trust (bharamvasā).
Once you've voiced your concerns and received an answer, commit to the plan wholeheartedly rather than half-heartedly.
गुरुचें वाक्य जो न करी । तोचि पडे रौरव-घोरीं । त्याचें घर यमपुरीं । अखंड नरक भोगी जाणा ॥२२॥
gurucem vākya jo na karī | toci paḍe raurava-ghorīm | tyācem ghara yamapurīm | akhamḍa naraka bhogī jāṇā ||22||
Whoever does not obey the Guru's word falls into the dreadful hell of Raurava; his home becomes Yama's city, know that he suffers endless hell.
A stern warning follows: disregarding genuine guidance is treated as a serious spiritual matter, not a minor courtesy.
Take seriously the guidance of those who have your genuine welfare at heart; don't dismiss it lightly.
जावें आम्हीं कवण तीर्था । निरोप द्यावा गुरुनाथा । तुझें वाक्य दृढ चित्ता । धरुनि जाऊं स्वामिया ॥२३॥
jāvem āmhīm kavaṇa tīrthā | niropa dyāvā gurunāthā | tujhem vākya dṛḍha cittā | dharuni jāūm svāmiyā ||23||
To which tīrthas should we go? Give us your instruction, O lord Guru; holding your word firm in our hearts we shall go, O Master.
The disciples ask for specifics, showing that trust in the Guru doesn't mean passivity — they still want clear direction.
It's fine to ask for concrete specifics even after you've already agreed to follow someone's guidance.
जे जे स्थानीं निरोप देसी । जाऊं तेथें भरंवसीं । तुझे वाक्येंचि आम्हांसी । सिद्धि होय स्वामिया ॥२४॥
je je sthānīm niropa desī | jāūm tethem bharamvasīm | tujhe vākyemci āmhāmsī | siddhi hoya svāmiyā ||24||
To whatever place you direct us, we shall go there with full trust; your word alone brings us fulfillment, O Master.
They affirm that it is the Guru's word itself that brings fulfillment (siddhi), not any particular destination.
Trust the source of good guidance more than the specific path it happens to point you down.
ऐकोनि शिष्यांचें वचन । श्रीगुरुमूर्ति प्रसन्नवदन । निरोप देती साधारण । तीर्थयात्रे शिष्यांसी ॥२५॥
aikoni śiṣyāmcem vacana | śrīgurumūrti prasannavadana | niropa detī sādhāraṇa | tīrthayātre śiṣyāmsī ||25||
Hearing the disciples' words, Śrī Guru, his face full of grace, gave the disciples a general instruction for their pilgrimage.
Pleased by their trust, Śrī Guru now begins the long catalogue of tīrthas that structures much of the rest of the chapter.
When someone shows genuine readiness to listen, meet that readiness with real, detailed guidance rather than vague generalities.
या ब्रह्मांडगोलकांत । तीर्थराज काशी विख्यात । तेथें तुम्हीं जावें त्वरित । सेवा गंगाभागीरथी ॥२६॥
yā brahmāmḍagolakāmta | tīrtharāja kāśī vikhyāta | tethem tumhīm jāvem tvarita | sevā gamgābhāgīrathī ||26||
In this cosmic sphere, Kāśī is renowned as the king of tīrthas; go there quickly and serve the Gaṅgā Bhāgīrathī.
Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) is named first as the king of all tīrthas — the pilgrimage catalogue begins at the tradition's most revered center.
When starting a long undertaking, begin at its most essential, foundational point rather than the periphery.
भागीरथीतटाकयात्रा । साठी योजनें पवित्रा । साठी कृच्छ्र-फळ तत्र । प्रयाग गंगाद्वारीं द्विगुण ॥२७॥
bhāgīrathītaṭākayātrā | sāṭhī yojanem pavitrā | sāṭhī kṛcchra-phaḷa tatra | prayāga gamgādvārīm dviguṇa ||27||
The pilgrimage along the sacred bank of the Bhāgīrathī for sixty yojanas is holy, giving the merit of sixty [days of] penance there; at Prayāga and Gaṅgādvāra the merit is doubled.
The merit of walking the Gaṅgā's banks is measured in units of ascetic effort (kṛcchra), doubling at Prayāga and Gaṅgādvāra — sacred geography here reads almost like a ledger of accumulated discipline.
Recognize that sustained effort along a path compounds in value the further and more faithfully you walk it.
यमुनानदीतटाकेसी । यात्रा वीस गांव परियेसीं । कृच्छ्र तितुकेचि जाणा ऐसी । एकोमनें अवधारा ॥२८॥
yamunānadītaṭākesī | yātrā vīsa gāmva pariyesīm | kṛcchra titukeci jāṇā aisī | ekomanem avadhārā ||28||
Along the bank of the river Yamunā, a pilgrimage of twenty villages' span gives just so many days of penance-merit; understand this with a single-pointed mind.
Each verse in this stretch names a river and its span, building a mental map of India's holy waters for the wandering disciple.
Build a clear, concrete map of any long project before setting out, rather than leaving the path vague.
सरस्वती म्हणजे गंगा । भूमीवरी असे चांगा । चतुर्विशति गांवें अंगा । स्नान करावें तटाकीं ॥२९॥
sarasvatī mhaṇaje gamgā | bhūmīvarī ase cāmgā | caturviśati gāmvem amgā | snāna karāvem taṭākīm ||29||
The Sarasvatī is a fine [form of the] Gaṅgā upon the earth; for twenty-four villages' length one should bathe along its bank.
The Sarasvatī, though it flows unseen through much of India in tradition, is honored here as a form of the Gaṅgā — sanctity can be present even when it is not visibly obvious.
Recognize sources of grace and support in your life that are hidden or not outwardly obvious.
तितुकेंचि कृच्छ्रफल त्यासी । यज्ञाचें फल परियेसीं । ब्रह्मलोकीं शाश्वतेसीं । राहे नर पितृसहित ॥३०॥
titukemci kṛcchraphala tyāsī | yajñācem phala pariyesīm | brahmalokīm śāśvatesīm | rāhe nara pitṛsahita ||30||
That gives the same merit as that many days of penance, equal to the fruit of a sacrifice; the man dwells eternally in Brahmaloka together with his ancestors.
Bathing along the Sarasvatī's course is said to carry sacrificial merit and secure a place with one's ancestors — reverence for sacred rivers is bound up with reverence for one's forebears.
Honor your ancestors and the lineage that shaped you as part of your own practice.
वरुणानदी कुशावर्ती । शतद्रू विपाशका ख्याती । वितस्ता नदी शरावती । नदी असती मनोहर ॥३१॥
varuṇānadī kuśāvartī | śatadrū vipāśakā khyātī | vitastā nadī śarāvatī | nadī asatī manohara ||31||
The rivers Varuṇā, Kuśāvartī, the renowned Śatadru and Vipāśā, and the rivers Vitastā and Śarāvatī — all these rivers are lovely.
The verse simply names several rivers of the pilgrimage circuit, part of Śrī Guru's geographic catalogue for the disciples.
Take time to actually learn the map of the tradition or field you're devoted to, name by name, rather than staying vague about it.
मरुद्वृधा नदी थोर । असिक्री मधुमती येर । पयस्वी घृतवतीतीर । तटाकयात्रा तुम्ही करा ॥३२॥
marudvṛdhā nadī thora | asikrī madhumatī yera | payasvī ghṛtavatītīra | taṭākayātrā tumhī karā ||32||
The great river Marudvṛdhā, and likewise Asikrī and Madhumatī, and the banks of Payasvī and Ghṛtavatī — perform the pilgrimage along these banks.
More sacred rivers are listed, continuing the roll call of holy waters for the disciples to visit.
Even a long list of small commitments, taken one at a time, adds up to a meaningful discipline.
देवनदी म्हणिजे एक । असे ख्याति भूमंडळीक । पंधरा गांवें तटाक । यात्रा तुम्हीं करावी ॥३३॥
devanadī mhaṇije eka | ase khyāti bhūmamḍaḷīka | pamdharā gāmvem taṭāka | yātrā tumhīm karāvī ||33||
There is one called Devanadī, famed throughout the world; for fifteen villages' length along its bank you should make the pilgrimage.
The Devanadī is named with its own fifteen-village pilgrimage span, one more entry in the catalogue that keeps the journey concrete.
Give any spiritual or personal discipline a concrete measure or boundary, so it stays doable rather than open-ended.
जितुके गांव तितके कृच्छ्र । स्नानमात्रें पवित्र । ब्रह्महत्यादि पातकें नाश तत्र । मनोभावें आचरावें ॥३४॥
jituke gāmva titake kṛcchra | snānamātrem pavitra | brahmahatyādi pātakem nāśa tatra | manobhāvem ācarāvem ||34||
As many villages, that many days' penance-merit; by mere bathing one becomes pure there, sins even like brahminicide are destroyed there — practice it with a devoted heart.
The principle repeats: the length of the sacred bank sets the measure of merit, and mere bathing there is said to cleanse even grave faults — outward practice, done sincerely, carries real inner weight.
Trust that small, humble, repeated acts of purification, done sincerely, genuinely change you over time.
चंद्रभागा रेवतीसी । शरयू नदी गोमतीसी । वेदिका नदी कौशिकेसी । नित्यजला मंदाकिनी ॥३५॥
camdrabhāgā revatīsī | śarayū nadī gomatīsī | vedikā nadī kauśikesī | nityajalā mamdākinī ||35||
The rivers Candrabhāgā and Revatī, the Sarayū and Gomatī, the Vedikā and Kauśikī, and the ever-flowing Mandākinī.
More rivers are named, continuing the roll call that maps India's sacred waters.
Keep expanding your circle of reverence rather than fixing your devotion on just one familiar place.
सहस्त्रवक्त्रा नदी थोर । पूर्णा पुण्यनदी येर । बाहुदा नदी अरुणा थोर । षोडश गांवें तटाकयात्रा ॥३६॥
sahastravaktrā nadī thora | pūrṇā puṇyanadī yera | bāhudā nadī aruṇā thora | ṣoḍaśa gāmvem taṭākayātrā ||36||
The great river Sahastravaktrā, and the holy Pūrṇā besides, the rivers Bāhudā and the great Aruṇā — for sixteen villages' length make the pilgrimage along their banks.
Sahastravaktrā, Pūrṇā, Bāhudā, and Aruṇā are named with a sixteen-village pilgrimage span, closing out this stretch of the river catalogue.
Persist through a long list of small duties even when each one alone seems minor.
जेथें नदीसंगम असती । तेथें स्नानपुण्य अमिती । त्रिवेणीस्नानफळें असतीं । नदीचे संगमीं स्नान करा ॥३७॥
jethem nadīsamgama asatī | tethem snānapuṇya amitī | triveṇīsnānaphaḷem asatīm | nadīce samgamīm snāna karā ||37||
Wherever rivers meet in confluence, the merit of bathing there is boundless; it carries the fruit of bathing at the Triveṇī — bathe at the confluence of rivers.
River confluences (saṅgama) are singled out as especially potent, carrying the merit of the famous Triveṇī confluence — where different streams meet, spiritual power is said to concentrate.
Notice that meaningful growth often happens at the meeting points of different influences in your life, not only in isolation.
पुष्करतीर्थ वैरोचनि । सन्निहिता नदी म्हणूनि । नदीतीर्थ असे सगुणी । गयातीर्थी स्नान करा ॥३८॥
puṣkaratīrtha vairocani | sannihitā nadī mhaṇūni | nadītīrtha ase saguṇī | gayātīrthī snāna karā ||38||
There is the tīrtha of Puṣkara belonging to Vairocani, and the river called Sannihitā, a virtuous river-tīrtha; bathe also at the tīrtha of Gayā.
The tīrthas of Puṣkara and Gayā are named, both central pilgrimage sites — Gayā especially associated with rites for one's ancestors.
Set aside time to remember and honor those who came before you.
सेतुबंध रामेश्वरीं । श्रीरंग पद्मनाभ-सरीं । पुरुषोत्तम मनोहरी । नैमिषारण्य तीर्थ असे ॥३९॥
setubamdha rāmeśvarīm | śrīramga padmanābha-sarīm | puruṣottama manoharī | naimiṣāraṇya tīrtha ase ||39||
At Setubandha Rāmeśvara, at Śrīraṅga by the Padmanābha lake, at lovely Puruṣottama — the tīrtha of Naimiṣāraṇya also lies there.
Great southern and central shrines are named — Rāmeśvara, Śrīraṅga, Puruṣottama (Jagannāth Purī), and Naimiṣāraṇya — the catalogue now widens beyond rivers to whole holy cities.
Widen your sense of what counts as sacred or worth honoring beyond just your immediate surroundings.
बदरीतीर्थ नारायण । नदी असती अति पुण्य । कुरुक्षेत्रीं करा स्नान । अनंत श्रीशैल्ययात्रेसी ॥४०॥
badarītīrtha nārāyaṇa | nadī asatī ati puṇya | kurukṣetrīm karā snāna | anamta śrīśailyayātresī ||40||
The tīrtha of Badarī-Nārāyaṇa, and rivers of great merit besides; bathe at Kurukṣetra — and the pilgrimage to Śrīśailya has boundless [merit].
Badarīnātha, Kurukṣetra, and the pilgrimage to Śrīśailya — where the disciples are ultimately headed — are named among sites of boundless merit.
Keep your ultimate destination in view even while attending to the many smaller stops along the way.
महालयतीर्थ देखा । पितृप्रीति तर्पणें ऐका । द्विचत्वारि कुळें निका । स्वर्गासी जाती भरंवसीं ॥४१॥
mahālayatīrtha dekhā | pitṛprīti tarpaṇem aikā | dvicatvāri kuḷem nikā | svargāsī jātī bharamvasīm ||41||
See the tīrtha of Mahālaya — by offering libation there in devotion to one's ancestors, forty-two generations of one's lineage surely go to heaven, hear this.
At Mahālaya, offering tarpaṇa (ritual libation) to one's ancestors is said to liberate forty-two generations of one's family — a striking image of how one sincere act can ripple far beyond oneself.
Remember that a single sincere act of care can benefit far more people than just yourself, past and future.
केदारतीर्थ पुष्करतीर्थ । कोटिरुद्र नर्मदातीर्थ । मातृकेश्वर कुब्जतीर्थ । कोकामुखी विशेष असे ॥४२॥
kedāratīrtha puṣkaratīrtha | koṭirudra narmadātīrtha | mātṛkeśvara kubjatīrtha | kokāmukhī viśeṣa ase ||42||
The tīrthas of Kedāra and Puṣkara, Koṭirudra and the Narmadā tīrtha, Mātṛkeśvara and Kubjatīrtha, and Kokāmukhī are especially holy.
More tīrthas are named, each a stop in the growing pilgrimage map.
Trust that even unfamiliar names and places on a spiritual path can hold real value once you actually engage with them.
प्रसादतीर्थ विजयतीर्थ । पुरी चंद्रनदीतीर्थ । गोकर्ण शंखकर्ण ख्यात । स्नान बरवें मनोहर ॥४३॥
prasādatīrtha vijayatīrtha | purī camdranadītīrtha | gokarṇa śamkhakarṇa khyāta | snāna baravem manohara ||43||
The tīrthas of Prasāda and Vijaya, the city and river-tīrtha of Candranadī, and the renowned Gokarṇa and Śaṅkhakarṇa — bathing there is excellent and lovely.
Prasāda, Vijaya, Candranadī, Gokarṇa, and Śaṅkhakarṇa are listed as further excellent bathing places along the pilgrimage route.
Approach each stop on a long journey, however minor it seems, with the same care as the major ones.
अयोध्या मथुरा कांचीसी । द्वारावती गयेसी । शालग्रामतीर्थासी । शबलग्राम मुक्तिक्षेत्र ॥४४॥
ayodhyā mathurā kāmcīsī | dvārāvatī gayesī | śālagrāmatīrthāsī | śabalagrāma muktikṣetra ||44||
Ayodhyā, Mathurā, and Kāñcī, Dvārāvatī, and Gayā, the tīrtha of Śālagrāma, and Śabalagrāma — a place of liberation.
Seven of the tradition's most sacred cities are named together, forming a core list of India's holiest sites.
Recognize that certain foundational places, people, or practices deserve special reverence above the rest.
गोदावरीतटाकेसी । योजनें सहा परियेसीं । तेथील महिमा आहे ऐसी । वांजपेय तितुकें पुण्य ॥४५॥
godāvarītaṭākesī | yojanem sahā pariyesīm | tethīla mahimā āhe aisī | vāmjapeya titukem puṇya ||45||
Along the bank of the Godāvarī for six yojanas, hear — the glory there is such that it holds the same merit as that many Vājapeya sacrifices.
The Godāvarī's banks carry merit equal to repeated Vājapeya sacrifices (a major Vedic rite) — showing how a natural place can be honored as equal to elaborate ritual.
Recognize that simple, humble practices can be just as valuable as elaborate, showy ones.
सव्यअपसव्य वेळ तीनी । तटाकयात्रा मनोनेमीं । स्नान करितां होय ज्ञानी । महापातकी शुद्ध होय ॥४६॥
savyaapasavya veḷa tīnī | taṭākayātrā manonemīm | snāna karitām hoya jñānī | mahāpātakī śuddha hoya ||46||
Walking the bank both with and against the current, three times, with disciplined mind — by bathing there one becomes wise, and even a great sinner becomes pure.
The physical discipline of walking the riverbank with careful attention is said to purify even a great sinner — outer discipline mirrors inner discipline of mind.
Approach even a physical or outer discipline with full attention, letting it train your inner focus as well.
आणिक दोनी तीर्थे असतीं । प्रयागसमान असे ख्याति । भीमेश्वर तीर्थ म्हणती । वंजरासंगम प्रख्यात ॥४७॥
āṇika donī tīrthe asatīm | prayāgasamāna ase khyāti | bhīmeśvara tīrtha mhaṇatī | vamjarāsamgama prakhyāta ||47||
There are two more tīrthas equal in fame to Prayāga: they call one the Bhīmeśvara tīrtha, and the confluence with the Vañjrā river is well known.
Two further tīrthas are named as equal in glory to Prayāga itself, expanding the map of what counts as supremely holy.
Don't assume greatness is confined to only the most famous places; look for it closer to home too.
कुशतर्पण तीर्थ बरवें । तटाकयात्रा द्वादश गांवें । गोदावरी-समुद्रसंगमें । षट्त्रिंशत कृच्छ्रफळ ॥४८॥
kuśatarpaṇa tīrtha baravem | taṭākayātrā dvādaśa gāmvem | godāvarī-samudrasamgamem | ṣaṭtrimśata kṛcchraphaḷa ||48||
The fine tīrtha of Kuśatarpaṇa — the bank-pilgrimage there is twelve villages' span; at the confluence of the Godāvarī with the sea, the merit is thirty-six days' penance.
Kuśatarpaṇa and the meeting of the Godāvarī with the sea are named with their measured merit, continuing the careful accounting of pilgrimage rewards.
Track your own spiritual or personal progress concretely rather than leaving it vague.
पूर्णा नदीतटाकेंसी । चारी गांवें आचरा हर्षी । कृष्णावेणीतीरासी । पंधरा गांवें तटाकयात्रा ॥४९॥
pūrṇā nadītaṭākemsī | cārī gāmvem ācarā harṣī | kṛṣṇāveṇītīrāsī | pamdharā gāmvem taṭākayātrā ||49||
Along the bank of the river Pūrṇā, perform the four-village pilgrimage joyfully; along the bank of the Kṛṣṇāveṇī, the bank-pilgrimage spans fifteen villages.
The Pūrṇā and Kṛṣṇā rivers are named, moving the map southward toward the region around Gāṇagāpur, where the story itself is centered.
Stay oriented toward home and your center even as your journey takes you further afield.
तुंगभद्रातीर बरवें । तटाकयात्रा वीस गांवें । पंपासरोवर स्वभावें । अनंतमहिमा परियेसा ॥५०॥
tumgabhadrātīra baravem | taṭākayātrā vīsa gāmvem | pampāsarovara svabhāvem | anamtamahimā pariyesā ||50||
The bank of the Tuṅgabhadrā is fine — the bank-pilgrimage there spans twenty villages; the lake of Pampā by its very nature holds boundless glory, hear this.
The Tuṅgabhadrā and the lake of Pampā, associated with the Rāmāyaṇa, are named, their glory described as boundless.
Let places and stories connected to great examples of devotion inspire your own practice.
हरिहरक्षेत्र असे ख्याति । समस्त दोष परिहरती । तैसीच असे भीमरथी । दहा गांवें तटाकयात्रा ॥५१॥
hariharakṣetra ase khyāti | samasta doṣa pariharatī | taisīca ase bhīmarathī | dahā gāmvem taṭākayātrā ||51||
The holy place of Hariharakṣetra is famed for removing all faults; likewise the river Bhīmarathī — its bank-pilgrimage spans ten villages.
Hariharakṣetra, sacred to both Śiva and Viṣṇu together, is named — a reminder that different devotional paths converge at certain sacred points.
Look for the common ground between different traditions or approaches rather than only their differences.
पांडुरंग मातुलिंग । क्षेत्र बरवें पुरी गाणग । तीर्थे असती तेथें चांग । अष्टतीर्थे मनोहर ॥५२॥
pāmḍuramga mātulimga | kṣetra baravem purī gāṇaga | tīrthe asatī tethem cāmga | aṣṭatīrthe manohara ||52||
Pāṇḍuraṅga and Mātuliṅga; the town of Gāṇagāpur is a fine holy place, where lovely tīrthas abound — eight tīrthas altogether.
Paṇḍharpur and the eight tīrthas of Gāṇagāpur itself are named — the very town where Śrī Guru will soon dwell, foreshadowing the chapters ahead.
Notice how ordinary, local places can hold deep sanctity, not just far-off famous ones.
अमरजासंगमांत । कोटि तीर्थे असतीं ख्यात । वृक्ष असे अश्वत्थ । कल्पवृक्ष तोचि जाणा ॥५३॥
amarajāsamgamāmta | koṭi tīrthe asatīm khyāta | vṛkṣa ase aśvattha | kalpavṛkṣa toci jāṇā ||53||
At the confluence with the Amarajā, countless tīrthas are famed to be present; there stands a peepal tree — know it to be the very wish-fulfilling tree.
The exact spot at Gāṇagāpur — the peepal tree at the confluence — is identified as the wish-fulfilling tree (kalpavṛkṣa), becoming central to the whole Gurucaritra.
Recognize the ordinary tree, room, or corner in your own life that has quietly become sacred through repeated devotion.
तया अश्वत्थसन्मुखेंसी । नृसिंहतीर्थ परियेसीं । तया उत्तरभागेसी । वाराणसी तीर्थ असे ॥५४॥
tayā aśvatthasanmukhemsī | nṛsimhatīrtha pariyesīm | tayā uttarabhāgesī | vārāṇasī tīrtha ase ||54||
Facing that peepal tree is the Nṛsiṁha tīrtha, hear; and to its north lies the Vārāṇasī tīrtha.
The precise layout of the Gāṇagāpur tīrtha-complex is given, mapping sacred space with careful geography.
Give your own practices a physical place and orientation; sacred structure supports sustained devotion.
तया पूर्वभागेसी । तीर्थ पापविनाशी । तदनंतर कोटितीर्थ विशेष । पुढें रुद्रपादतीर्थ असे ॥५५॥
tayā pūrvabhāgesī | tīrtha pāpavināśī | tadanamtara koṭitīrtha viśeṣa | puḍhem rudrapādatīrtha ase ||55||
To its east is the tīrtha called Pāpavināśī; after that especially the Koṭitīrtha, and further on the Rudrapāda tīrtha.
More of the local tīrtha-map is given, including Pāpavināśī, 'destroyer of sin,' set right at the heart of the complex.
Trust that consistent practice in one dedicated place can, over time, genuinely purify old faults.
चक्रतीर्थ असे एक । केशव देवनायक । ते प्रत्यक्ष द्वारावती देख । मन्मथतीर्थ पुढें असे ॥५६॥
cakratīrtha ase eka | keśava devanāyaka | te pratyakṣa dvārāvatī dekha | manmathatīrtha puḍhem ase ||56||
There is one Cakratīrtha, with Keśava the lord of gods — see, this is Dvārāvatī itself made present; further on lies the Manmatha tīrtha.
The Cakratīrtha is said to be a manifestation of Dvārakā itself — a single local sacred site understood as containing a whole distant holy city.
Believe that the sacred you seek far away may already be present where you stand, if you look with devotion.
कल्लेश्वर देवस्थान । असे तेथें गंधर्वभुवन । ठाव असे अनुपम्य । सिद्धभूमि गाणगापुर ॥५७॥
kalleśvara devasthāna | ase tethem gamdharvabhuvana | ṭhāva ase anupamya | siddhabhūmi gāṇagāpura ||57||
There is the shrine of Kalleśvara, and there too a Gandharva realm; the place is beyond compare — Gāṇagāpur is a land of accomplished siddhas.
Gāṇagāpur is described as a siddhabhūmi — a land where accomplished sages have realized the highest truth — its glory said to be beyond compare.
Root your practice, when you can, in a place with a proven history of sincere effort by others before you.
तेथें जे अनुष्ठान करिती । तया इष्टार्थ होय त्वरितीं । कल्पवृक्ष आश्रयती । कान नोहे मनकामना ॥५८॥
tethem je anuṣṭhāna karitī | tayā iṣṭārtha hoya tvaritīm | kalpavṛkṣa āśrayatī | kāna nohe manakāmanā ||58||
Whoever performs spiritual practice there quickly gains their desired end; taking refuge at the wish-fulfilling tree, no wish of the mind goes unheard.
Spiritual practice (anuṣṭhāna) undertaken at this place is said to bear fruit quickly — a promise of the effectiveness of devoted effort under the right conditions.
Bring full sincerity to your practice, trusting that genuine effort in the right conditions bears fruit.
काकिणीसंगम बरवा । भीमातीर क्षेत्र नांवा । अनंत पुण्य स्वभावा । प्रयागासमान असे देखा ॥५९॥
kākiṇīsamgama baravā | bhīmātīra kṣetra nāmvā | anamta puṇya svabhāvā | prayāgāsamāna ase dekhā ||59||
The confluence at Kākiṇī is fine — the holy site upon the bank of the Bhīmā; its merit by nature is boundless, see, it is equal to Prayāga.
The confluence at Kākiṇī is said to equal Prayāga in merit — another lesser-known local site matching the fame of the greatest.
Give your local, lesser-known practices and places the same seriousness you'd give to famous ones.
तुंगभद्रा वरदा नदी । संगमस्थानीं तपोनिधी । मलापहारीसंगमीं आधीं । पापें जातीं शतजन्मांचीं ॥६०॥
tumgabhadrā varadā nadī | samgamasthānīm taponidhī | malāpahārīsamgamīm ādhīm | pāpem jātīm śatajanmāmcīm ||60||
At the meeting-place of the rivers Tuṅgabhadrā and Varadā, a treasury of austerity; and first at the confluence of Malāpahārī, the sins of a hundred births are removed.
The Malāpahārī confluence is said to remove the accumulated sin of a hundred lifetimes — an image of how sustained purification can undo very old patterns.
Trust that persistent, sincere effort can eventually undo even very old, deeply ingrained habits.
निवृत्तिसंगम असे ख्याति । ब्रह्महत्या नाश होती । जावें तुम्हीं त्वरिती । श्रीगुरु म्हणती शिष्यांसी ॥६१॥
nivṛttisamgama ase khyāti | brahmahatyā nāśa hotī | jāvem tumhīm tvaritī | śrīguru mhaṇatī śiṣyāmsī ||61||
The confluence of Nivṛtti is renowned for destroying even brahminicide; go there quickly, Śrī Guru said to the disciples.
The Nivṛtti confluence is singled out as able to remove even the gravest of traditional sins — Śrī Guru urges the disciples to hasten there.
Don't assume any past mistake puts you beyond the reach of genuine repair through sincere effort.
सिंहराशीं बृह्स्पति । येतां तीर्थे संतोषती । समस्त तीर्थी भागीरथी । येऊनियां ऐक्य होय ॥६२॥
simharāśīm bṛhspati | yetām tīrthe samtoṣatī | samasta tīrthī bhāgīrathī | yeūniyām aikya hoya ||62||
When Jupiter enters the sign of Leo, the tīrthas rejoice; the Bhāgīrathī herself comes and unites with all the tīrthas.
The text marks a special recurring point in the yearly cycle as a time when all the tīrthas are said to rejoice and the Gaṅgā comes to join them — reflecting the traditional calendar behind India's great river-pilgrimage festivals.
Mark certain recurring times of year as special occasions for renewed devotion, the way traditional festivals do.
कन्यागतीं कृष्णेप्रती । त्वरित येते भागीरथी । तुंगभद्रा तुळागतीं । सुरनदीप्रवेश परियेसा ॥६३॥
kanyāgatīm kṛṣṇepratī | tvarita yete bhāgīrathī | tumgabhadrā tuḷāgatīm | suranadīpraveśa pariyesā ||63||
In its own season, the Bhāgīrathī swiftly comes to unite with the Kṛṣṇā; in another season, the celestial river enters the Tuṅgabhadrā, hear this.
As the yearly cycle turns, the sacred Gaṅgā is described as moving in turn to unite with different rivers — a poetic way of marking the seasonal rhythm behind the great river festivals.
Let the changing seasons or calendar remind you to periodically renew and refresh your practice.
कर्काटकासी सूर्य येतां । मलप्रहरा कृष्णासंयुता । सर्व जन स्नान करितां । ब्रह्महत्या पापें जातीं ॥६४॥
karkāṭakāsī sūrya yetām | malapraharā kṛṣṇāsamyutā | sarva jana snāna karitām | brahmahatyā pāpem jātīm ||64||
When the sun enters the season of the monsoon, the Malaprahārā joins the Kṛṣṇā; when all people bathe there, even the sin of brahminicide departs.
The onset of the monsoon, when the rivers swell and join, was traditionally treated as a season of purification, when bathing was said to remove even the gravest faults.
Treat the start of a new season or year as a natural opportunity to reset and purify old habits.
भीमाकृष्णासंगमेसीं । स्नान करितां परियेसीं । साठ जन्म विप्रवंशीं । उपजे नर परियेसा ॥६५॥
bhīmākṛṣṇāsamgamesīm | snāna karitām pariyesīm | sāṭha janma vipravamśīm | upaje nara pariyesā ||65||
By bathing at the confluence of the Bhīmā and Kṛṣṇā, hear, a man is born for sixty lifetimes into a devout lineage, hear this.
Bathing at this confluence is said to secure sixty future lifetimes of birth into a devout lineage — an image of how a single sincere act can shape one's whole future direction.
Recognize that a single decisive, sincere act now can shape the whole direction of your future.
तुंगभद्रासंगमीं देखा । त्याहूनि त्रिगुण अधिका । निवृत्तिसंगमीं ऐका । चतुर्गुण त्याहूनि ॥६६॥
tumgabhadrāsamgamīm dekhā | tyāhūni triguṇa adhikā | nivṛttisamgamīm aikā | caturguṇa tyāhūni ||66||
See, at the Tuṅgabhadrā confluence the merit is threefold greater than that; and at the Nivṛtti confluence, hear, it is fourfold greater still.
The text ranks the confluences by increasing merit, showing that not all sacred efforts carry equal weight — some places or moments matter more than others.
Learn to recognize which of your efforts or commitments matter most, and give them proportionally more attention.
पाताळगंगेचिये स्नानीं । मल्लिकार्जुनदर्शनीं । षड्गुण फल तयाहूनि । पुनरावृत्ति त्यासी नाहीं ॥६७॥
pātāḷagamgeciye snānīm | mallikārjunadarśanīm | ṣaḍguṇa phala tayāhūni | punarāvṛtti tyāsī nāhīm ||67||
Bathing in the Pātāḷagaṅgā, with the sight of Mallikārjuna, brings a sixfold fruit greater than that — and for such a one there is no return.
This site's merit is described as freedom from rebirth altogether — the ultimate promise in this hierarchy of pilgrimage merits.
Keep your ultimate goal — genuine freedom and peace — in view even as you work through smaller, intermediate steps.
लिंगालयीं पुण्य द्विगुण । समुद्रकृष्णासंगमीं अगण्य । कावेरीसंगमीं पंधरा गुण । स्नान करा मनोभावें ॥६८॥
limgālayīm puṇya dviguṇa | samudrakṛṣṇāsamgamīm agaṇya | kāverīsamgamīm pamdharā guṇa | snāna karā manobhāvem ||68||
At Liṅgālaya the merit is twofold; at the confluence of the Kṛṣṇā with the sea it is uncountable; at the confluence with the Kāverī it is fifteenfold — bathe there with a devoted heart.
Further confluences and shrines are ranked by their traditional merit, continuing the careful accounting of the pilgrimage.
Approach devotional practice with the same careful, deliberate attention you'd give to something you value highly.
ताम्रपर्णी याचिपरी । पुण्य असंख्य स्नानमात्रीं । कृतमालानदीतीरीं । सर्व पाप परिहरे ॥६९॥
tāmraparṇī yāciparī | puṇya asamkhya snānamātrīm | kṛtamālānadītīrīm | sarva pāpa parihare ||69||
The Tāmraparṇī likewise holds countless merit from mere bathing; on the bank of the river Kṛtamālā all sin is removed.
The Tāmraparṇī and Kṛtamālā rivers of the far south extend the pilgrimage map to the southern tip of India.
Don't assume help and renewal are only available close to home — look further afield when needed.
पयस्विनी नदी आणिक । भवनाशिनी अतिविशेष । सर्व पापें हरती ऐक । समुद्रस्कंधदर्शनें ॥७०॥
payasvinī nadī āṇika | bhavanāśinī ativiśeṣa | sarva pāpem haratī aika | samudraskamdhadarśanem ||70||
And the river Payasvinī, and the especially [holy] Bhavanāśinī — hear, all sins are removed by the sight of where they join the sea.
The Payasvinī and Bhavanāśinī, whose sea-mouths are said to remove all sin upon sight, close out this stretch before the catalogue moves to the great southern temple-cities.
Value the moments of arrival and completion in your own efforts, not only the striving along the way.
शेषाद्रिक्षेत्र श्रीरंगनाथ । पद्मनाभ श्रीमदनंत । पूजा करोनि जावें त्वरित । त्रिनामल्लक्षेत्रासी ॥७१॥
śeṣādrikṣetra śrīramganātha | padmanābha śrīmadanamta | pūjā karoni jāvem tvarita | trināmallakṣetrāsī ||71||
The holy place of Śeṣādri with Śrī Raṅganātha, Padmanābha, and glorious Ananta — worship there and go swiftly on to the holy place of Trinamalla.
The great Vaiṣṇava shrines of Śrīraṅgam and Tirumalai are named, urging worship and a swift onward journey — devotion here moves at a steady, purposeful pace rather than lingering.
Give full attention to where you are, then move on with purpose rather than lingering out of attachment.
समस्त तीर्थांसमान । असे आणिक कुंभकोण । कन्याकुमारी-दर्शन । मत्स्यतीर्थीं स्नान करा ॥७२॥
samasta tīrthāmsamāna | ase āṇika kumbhakoṇa | kanyākumārī-darśana | matsyatīrthīm snāna karā ||72||
Equal to all the tīrthas together is also Kumbhakoṇa; take the sight of Kanyākumārī, and bathe at the Matsyatīrtha.
Kumbhakoṇam is said to equal all the tīrthas combined, showing how a single well-chosen place can stand in for a whole practice.
Find the one place or practice in your life that concentrates everything important to you, and return to it often.
पक्षितीर्थ असे बरवें । रामेश्वर धनुष्कोटी नावें । कावेरी तीर्थ बरवें । रंगनाथा संनिध ॥७३॥
pakṣitīrtha ase baravem | rāmeśvara dhanuṣkoṭī nāvem | kāverī tīrtha baravem | ramganāthā samnidha ||73||
There is the fine Pakṣitīrtha, and Rāmeśvara named Dhanuṣkoṭī; the fine Kāverī tīrtha lies near Raṅganātha.
Pakṣitīrtha, Rāmeśvara at Dhanuṣkoṭī, and the Kāverī near Śrīraṅgam round out the tour of the far south.
Complete what you set out to do fully, down to its smaller details, rather than stopping short.
पुरुषोत्तम चंद्रकुंडेसीं । महालक्ष्मी कोल्हापुरासी । कोटितीर्थ परियेसीं । दक्षिण काशी करवीरस्थान ॥७४॥
puruṣottama camdrakumḍesīm | mahālakṣmī kolhāpurāsī | koṭitīrtha pariyesīm | dakṣiṇa kāśī karavīrasthāna ||74||
Puruṣottama by the Candrakuṇḍa, Mahālakṣmī at Kolhāpur, and the Koṭitīrtha, hear — Karavīra is renowned as the Kāśī of the South.
Kolhāpur is named as the 'Kāśī of the South,' showing how regional centers can carry the full dignity of the most famous holy city.
Give the sacred places and practices closest to you the same dignity you'd give to the most famous, distant ones.
महाबळेश्वर तीर्थ बरवें । कृष्णाउगम तेथें पहावें । जेथें असे नगर 'बहें' । पुण्यक्षेत्र रामेश्वर ॥७५॥
mahābaḷeśvara tīrtha baravem | kṛṣṇāugama tethem pahāvem | jethem ase nagara 'bahem' | puṇyakṣetra rāmeśvara ||75||
The fine tīrtha of Mahābaḷeśvar — see there the source of the Kṛṣṇā; where the town called 'Bahe' stands is the holy place of Rāmeśvar.
Mahābaḷeśvar, the source of the Kṛṣṇā river, and the town of Bahe trace the pilgrimage back toward the river's very origin.
It's worthwhile to trace any tradition or gift you've received back to its source and honor that origin.
तयासंनिध असे ठाव । कोल्हग्रामीं नृसिंहदेव । परमात्मा सदाशिव । तोचि असे प्रत्यक्ष ॥७६॥
tayāsamnidha ase ṭhāva | kolhagrāmīm nṛsimhadeva | paramātmā sadāśiva | toci ase pratyakṣa ||76||
Near there is a place — at the village Kolha, Lord Nṛsiṁhadeva; that same Supreme Self, eternal Śiva, stands there directly.
A village shrine of Nṛsiṁhadeva is identified with eternal Śiva made visibly present — different divine forms are understood as ultimately one and the same reality.
Look past surface differences in form to recognize the same underlying truth or goodness in different traditions.
भिल्लवडी कृष्णातीरीं । शक्ति असे भुवनेश्वरी । तेथें तप करिती जरी । तेचि ईश्वरीं ऐक्यता ॥७७॥
bhillavaḍī kṛṣṇātīrīm | śakti ase bhuvaneśvarī | tethem tapa karitī jarī | teci īśvarīm aikyatā ||77||
At Bhillavaḍī on the bank of the Kṛṣṇā, the goddess Bhuvaneśvarī resides as Śakti; if one performs austerity there, one attains union with the Divine itself.
At Bhillavaḍī, austerity performed before the goddess Bhuvaneśvarī is said to bring union with the Divine itself.
Trust that sustained, disciplined effort in devotion can bring you into real closeness with what you seek.
वरुणासंगमीं बरवें । तेथें तुम्ही मनोभावें । स्नान करा मार्कंडेय-नांवें । संगमेश्वरू पूजावा ॥७८॥
varuṇāsamgamīm baravem | tethem tumhī manobhāvem | snāna karā mārkamḍeya-nāmvem | samgameśvarū pūjāvā ||78||
At the fine confluence with the Varuṇā, bathe there with devoted heart, at the place named for Mārkaṇḍeya, and worship Saṅgameśvara.
The confluence associated with the sage Mārkaṇḍeya is named with its own specific instructions for worship.
Follow through on the specific, concrete steps of a practice, not just its general spirit.
ऋषींचे आश्रम । कृष्णातीरीं असती उत्तम । स्नान करितां होय ज्ञान । तयासंनिध कृष्णेपुढें ॥७९॥
ṛṣīmce āśrama | kṛṣṇātīrīm asatī uttama | snāna karitām hoya jñāna | tayāsamnidha kṛṣṇepuḍhem ||79||
The hermitages of the sages stand excellent along the bank of the Kṛṣṇā; by bathing there wisdom arises, near there, further along the Kṛṣṇā.
Places long associated with disciplined seekers are said to grant wisdom to those who bathe there, as if they hold a concentrated blessing.
Seek out places and communities with a long history of sincere seekers, and let their example rub off on you.
पुढें कृष्णाप्रवाहांत । अमरापुर असे ख्यात । पंचगंगासंगमांत । प्रयागाहूनि पुण्य अधिक ॥८०॥
puḍhem kṛṣṇāpravāhāmta | amarāpura ase khyāta | pamcagamgāsamgamāmta | prayāgāhūni puṇya adhika ||80||
Further along the flow of the Kṛṣṇā, the renowned Amarāpura lies; at the confluence with the Pañcagaṅgā, the merit is greater than that of Prayāga.
At Amarāpura, where the Kṛṣṇā meets the Pañcagaṅgā, the local geography around Gāṇagāpur is built up as supremely holy, exceeding even Prayāga.
Recognize when the place right around you deserves as much devotion as any distant, famous destination.
अखिल तीर्थे तया स्थानीं । तप करिती सकळ मुनि । सिद्ध होय त्वरित ज्ञानी । अनुपम क्षेत्र परियेसा ॥८१॥
akhila tīrthe tayā sthānīm | tapa karitī sakaḷa muni | siddha hoya tvarita jñānī | anupama kṣetra pariyesā ||81||
All the tīrthas are present at that place, where every sage performs austerity; the wise quickly attain accomplishment — it is an incomparable holy place, hear this.
All the tīrthas are said to be concentrated in this one place, where sages perform austerity and quickly attain realization.
Trust that when many good influences converge in one place or relationship, progress there can be unusually fast.
ऐसें प्रख्यात तया स्थानीं । अनुष्ठितां दिवस तीनी । अखिलाभीष्ट पावोनि । पावती त्वरित परमार्थी ॥८२॥
aisem prakhyāta tayā sthānīm | anuṣṭhitām divasa tīnī | akhilābhīṣṭa pāvoni | pāvatī tvarita paramārthī ||82||
That place is so renowned that by practicing there for three days one attains all one's wishes and swiftly reaches the highest truth.
Just three days of dedicated practice at this renowned place is said to bear the fruit of a much longer path — concentrated sincerity can shorten a long journey.
A short period of truly focused, sincere effort can accomplish more than a long stretch of half-hearted practice.
जुगालय तीर्थ बरवें । दृष्टीं पडतां मुक्त व्हावें । शूर्पालय तीर्थ बरवें । असे पुढें परियेसा ॥८३॥
jugālaya tīrtha baravem | dṛṣṭīm paḍatām mukta vhāvem | śūrpālaya tīrtha baravem | ase puḍhem pariyesā ||83||
The fine Jugālaya tīrtha — merely seeing it grants liberation; further on lies the fine Śūrpālaya tīrtha, hear this.
Jugālaya tīrtha is said to liberate merely by the sight of it — grace here is described as available even through a brief glimpse.
Don't underestimate how much even a brief, sincere encounter with something good can change you.
विश्वामित्रऋषि ख्याति । तप 'छाया' भगवती । तेथें समस्त दोष जाती । मलप्रहरासंगमीं ॥८४॥
viśvāmitraṛṣi khyāti | tapa 'chāyā' bhagavatī | tethem samasta doṣa jātī | malapraharāsamgamīm ||84||
The sage Viśvāmitra is renowned there; the goddess Chāyā-Bhagavatī [is worshipped] — all faults depart there, at the confluence with the Malaprahārā.
The sage Viśvāmitra's austerities are recalled at the confluence with the Malaprahārā, where all faults are said to depart.
Draw encouragement from the example of others who persisted through hard discipline before you.
कपिलऋषि विष्णुमूर्ति । प्रसन्न त्यासि गायत्री । श्वेतशृंगीं प्रख्याति । उत्तरवाहिनी कृष्णा असे ॥८५॥
kapilaṛṣi viṣṇumūrti | prasanna tyāsi gāyatrī | śvetaśṛmgīm prakhyāti | uttaravāhinī kṛṣṇā ase ||85||
The sage Kapila, an embodiment of Viṣṇu, was blessed there by Gāyatrī; renowned as Śvetaśṛṅgī — there the Kṛṣṇā flows northward.
A river's unusual northward course at this site is treated as itself a mark of special holiness.
Notice and honor the unusual or unexpected turns in your own path — they can carry special meaning.
तया स्थानीं स्नान करितां । काशीहूनि शतगुणिता । एक मंत्र तेथें जपतां । कोटीगुणें फळ असे ॥८६॥
tayā sthānīm snāna karitām | kāśīhūni śataguṇitā | eka mamtra tethem japatām | koṭīguṇem phaḷa ase ||86||
Bathing at that place carries a hundred times the merit of Kāśī; reciting even a single mantra there yields a fruit multiplied a million-fold.
An extravagant image emphasizes how much sincerity can be concentrated in the right place and moment.
When conditions are especially right for focused effort, give that moment your fullest sincerity.
आणिक असे तीर्थ बरवें । केदारेश्वरातें पहावें । पीठापुरीं दत्तात्रेयदेव - । वास असे सनातन ॥८७॥
āṇika ase tīrtha baravem | kedāreśvarātem pahāvem | pīṭhāpurīm dattātreyadeva - | vāsa ase sanātana ||87||
There is also another fine tīrtha — see Kedāreśvara there; at Pīṭhāpur, the eternal dwelling of Lord Dattātreya abides.
Pīṭhāpur, the eternal dwelling place of Lord Dattātreya, connects this pilgrimage catalogue back to the very deity at the heart of the whole Gurucaritra.
Keep returning your attention to the central source of your devotion, even amid many worthwhile side-paths.
आणिक असे तीर्थ थोरी । प्रख्यात नामें मणिगिरि । सप्तऋषीं प्रीतिकरीं । तप केलें बहु दिवस ॥८८॥
āṇika ase tīrtha thorī | prakhyāta nāmem maṇigiri | saptaṛṣīm prītikarīm | tapa kelem bahu divasa ||88||
There is also another great tīrtha, renowned by the name Maṇigiri, dear to the Seven Sages, where they performed austerity for many days.
Maṇigiri is named as a place where the Seven Sages (Saptaṛṣi) performed long austerity, linking geography to the discipline of great exemplars.
Let the long, patient discipline of those you admire set the standard for your own effort.
वृषभाद्रि कल्याण नगरी । तीर्थे असतीं अपरंपारी । नव्हे संसारयेरझारी । तया क्षेत्रा आचरावें ॥८९॥
vṛṣabhādri kalyāṇa nagarī | tīrthe asatīm aparampārī | navhe samsārayerajhārī | tayā kṣetrā ācarāvem ||89||
At Vṛṣabhādri and the city of Kalyāṇa, boundless tīrthas exist; one who visits that holy place no longer wanders in the cycle of worldly existence.
Practice at this place is said to free one from the endless cycle (saṃsāra) of coming and going.
Seek out places or practices that genuinely free you from repeating the same unproductive cycles.
अहोबळाचें दर्शन । साठी यज्ञ पुण्य जाण । श्रीगिरीचें दर्शन । नव्हे जन्म मागुती ॥९०॥
ahobaḷācem darśana | sāṭhī yajña puṇya jāṇa | śrīgirīcem darśana | navhe janma māgutī ||90||
The sight of Ahobaḷa carries the merit of sixty sacrifices, know this; and by the sight of Śrīgiri, one is never born again.
The catalogue circles back toward Śrīgiri (Śrīśailya), the very destination Śrī Guru named earlier as the disciples' promised meeting place.
Keep your eyes on the destination you were promised, even through a long list of worthy detours.
समस्त तीर्थे भूमीवरी । आचरावीं परिकरी । रजस्वला होतां सरी । स्नान करितां दोष होय ॥९१॥
samasta tīrthe bhūmīvarī | ācarāvīm parikarī | rajasvalā hotām sarī | snāna karitām doṣa hoya ||91||
All the tīrthas upon the earth should be visited with care; but when a river is in its impure period, bathing then incurs a fault.
Having listed the tīrthas, Śrī Guru adds a practical caution about proper timing — devotion is paired with disciplined attentiveness, not just enthusiasm.
Pair your enthusiasm for good practices with attentiveness to proper timing and circumstance, not just eagerness.
संक्रांति कर्काटक धरुनि । त्यजावे तुम्हीं मास दोनी । नदीतीरीं वास करिती कोणी । त्यांसी कांहीं दोष नाहीं ॥९२॥
samkrāmti karkāṭaka dharuni | tyajāve tumhīm māsa donī | nadītīrīm vāsa karitī koṇī | tyāmsī kāmhīm doṣa nāhīm ||92||
From the solstice at the start of the monsoon season, you should avoid [bathing in a new river] for two months; but those who dwell continually on a riverbank incur no such fault.
The tradition distinguishes between a newly approached river and one long inhabited beside, showing that rules of caution can differ with familiarity.
Move with extra care and patience when you are new to a place or practice, rather than assuming instant familiarity.
तयांमध्यें विशेष । त्यजावें तुम्हीं तीन दिवस । रजस्वला नदी सुरस । महानदी येणेंपरी ॥९३॥
tayāmmadhyem viśeṣa | tyajāvem tumhīm tīna divasa | rajasvalā nadī surasa | mahānadī yeṇemparī ||93||
Among these, in particular, you should avoid three days when the great rivers are in this period — this applies to the major rivers.
A further practical refinement narrows the general rule down to a specific number of days for the major rivers.
Learn the specific fine print of any discipline you take up, not just its broad outline.
भागीरथी गौतमीसी । चंद्रभागा सिंधूनदीसी । नर्मदा शरयू परियेसीं । त्यजावें तुम्हीं दिवस तीनी ॥९४॥
bhāgīrathī gautamīsī | camdrabhāgā simdhūnadīsī | narmadā śarayū pariyesīm | tyajāvem tumhīm divasa tīnī ||94||
For the Bhāgīrathī and Gautamī, the Candrabhāgā and the Sindhu, the Narmadā and the Sarayū, hear — avoid bathing there for three days.
The specific major rivers requiring this three-day observance are named — precise, practical instruction embedded within the devotional narrative.
Apply general principles concretely to the specific situations in front of you.
ग्रीष्मकाळीं सर्व नदींस । रजस्वला दहा दिवस । वापी-कूट-तटाकांस । एक रात्र वर्जावें ॥९५॥
grīṣmakāḷīm sarva nadīmsa | rajasvalā dahā divasa | vāpī-kūṭa-taṭākāmsa | eka rātra varjāvem ||95||
In the hot season, all rivers are considered impure for ten days; for wells, ponds, and tanks, avoid bathing for just one night.
The rule scales sensibly with the size and nature of the water source, from great rivers down to small wells and tanks.
Scale your caution and discipline to the actual size of the risk or situation, not a one-size-fits-all rule.
नवें उदक जया दिवसीं । येतां ओळखा रजस्वलेसी । स्नान करितां महादोषी । येणेंपरी वर्जावें ॥९६॥
navem udaka jayā divasīm | yetām oḷakhā rajasvalesī | snāna karitām mahādoṣī | yeṇemparī varjāvem ||96||
On the day new water arrives, recognize it as the impure period; bathing then is a great fault — avoid it in this way.
The arrival of the first new floodwater each year marks a seasonal boundary, like any traditional festival calendar, telling devotees when to hold back.
Learn to read the natural signs that tell you when to pause rather than pushing ahead regardless.
साधारण पक्ष तुम्हांसी । सांगितलीं तीर्थे परियेसीं । जें जें पहाल दृष्टीसीं । विधिपूर्वक आचरावें ॥९७॥
sādhāraṇa pakṣa tumhāmsī | sāmgitalīm tīrthe pariyesīm | jem jem pahāla dṛṣṭīsīm | vidhipūrvaka ācarāvem ||97||
I have told you, in general, of the tīrthas, hear; whatever you come upon with your own eyes, practice its rites there according to proper procedure.
Śrī Guru closes the catalogue by noting he has given only a general outline; direct experience must complete what instruction begins.
Use guidance you've received as a starting framework, then apply your own attentive care to the specifics you actually encounter.
ऐकोनि श्रीगुरुंचें वचन । शिष्य सकळ करिती नमन । गुरुनिरोप कारण । म्हणोनि निघती सकळिक ॥९८॥
aikoni śrīgurumcem vacana | śiṣya sakaḷa karitī namana | guruniropa kāraṇa | mhaṇoni nighatī sakaḷika ||98||
Hearing Śrī Guru's words, all the disciples bowed in reverence; and because of the Guru's leave-taking, all of them set out.
With the teaching complete, obedience follows understanding, and the long pilgrimage catalogue becomes lived action.
Once you've received clear guidance, act on it rather than continuing to deliberate.
सिद्ध म्हणे नामधारकासी । निरोप घेऊनि श्रीगुरुसी । शिष्य गेले यात्रेसी । राहिले श्रीगुरू गौप्यरुपें ॥९९॥
siddha mhaṇe nāmadhārakāsī | niropa gheūni śrīgurusī | śiṣya gele yātresī | rāhile śrīgurū gaupyarupem ||99||
Siddha said to Nāmadhāraka: 'Taking leave of Śrī Guru, the disciples went off on pilgrimage; Śrī Guru remained behind in a hidden form.'
After the disciples departed, Śrī Guru himself remained behind at Gāṇagāpur in concealed form — setting up the rest of the Gurucaritra's story around this hidden dwelling.
Trust that even when a guide seems to step back from view, their steady presence can remain nearby.
म्हणे सरस्वतीगंगाधर । पुढील कथेचा विस्तार । ऐकतां होय मनोहर । सकळाभीष्टें साधती ॥१००॥
mhaṇe sarasvatīgamgādhara | puḍhīla kathecā vistāra | aikatām hoya manohara | sakaḷābhīṣṭem sādhatī ||100||
Says Sarasvatī Gaṅgādhar: the unfolding of the story that follows is delightful to hear, and by it all one's wishes are fulfilled.
The author promises that the story to come is delightful and capable of fulfilling every listener's genuine wish — a narrator's bridge to the next chapter.
Stay engaged and attentive; the next part of any worthwhile story or teaching often holds more than you expect.
गुरुचरित्र कामधेनु । श्रोते होवोनि सावधानु । जे ऐकती भक्तजनु । लाधती चारी पुरुषार्थ ॥१॥
gurucaritra kāmadhenu | śrote hovoni sāvadhānu | je aikatī bhaktajanu | lādhatī cārī puruṣārtha ||1||
The Gurucaritra is a wish-fulfilling cow; attentive listeners who hear it attain the four aims of human life.
The Gurucaritra itself is likened to the wish-fulfilling cow (Kāmadhenu): attentive listeners are said to gain righteousness, prosperity, desire, and liberation.
Give your full, attentive presence when receiving wisdom, since half-hearted listening yields half-hearted benefit.
ब्रह्मरसाची गोडी । सेवितों आम्हीं घडोघडी । ज्यांसी होय आवडी । साधे त्वरित परमार्थ ॥१०२॥
brahmarasācī goḍī | sevitom āmhīm ghaḍoghaḍī | jyāmsī hoya āvaḍī | sādhe tvarita paramārtha ||102||
We partake again and again of the sweetness of this divine essence; those who come to love it swiftly attain the highest truth.
The sweetness of this teaching (brahmarasa) is described as something savored again and again — devotion deepens with repetition rather than fading.
Return often to the practices and teachings that nourish you, rather than treating them as one-time events.
इति श्रीगुरुचरित्रामृते परमकथाकल्पतरौ श्रीनृसिंहसरस्वत्युपाख्याने सिद्ध-नामधारकसंवादे तीर्थयात्रा निरुपणं नाम पंचदशोऽध्यायः ॥१५॥
iti śrīgurucaritrāmṛte paramakathākalpatarau śrīnṛsimhasarasvatyupākhyāne siddha-nāmadhārakasamvāde tīrthayātrā nirupaṇam nāma pamcadaśo'dhyāyaḥ ||15||
Thus, in the nectar of the Śrī Gurucaritra, the supreme wish-fulfilling tree of stories, in the dialogue between Siddha and Nāmadhāraka narrating the tale of Śrī Nṛsiṁha Sarasvatī, ends the fifteenth chapter, named 'The Exposition of the Pilgrimage-Tīrthas.'
This closing formula, repeated at the end of every chapter, names the text, its narrators, and this chapter's title, marking the transition to what comes next.
Mark the completion of a stage of your own work clearly before moving on to the next one.
श्रीगुरुदत्तात्रेयार्पणमस्तु ॥ श्रीगुरुदेव दत्त ॥
śrīgurudattātreyārpaṇamastu || śrīgurudeva datta ||
May this be offered to Śrī Guru Dattātreya. Śrī Guru Deva Datta.
The traditional dedication offers the merit of the chapter back to the Guru himself — a reminder that the fruits of devoted effort are best offered onward rather than claimed for oneself.
Offer the credit and fruits of your good work back to whatever or whoever inspired it, rather than keeping it only for yourself.
( ओंवीसंख्या १०२ )
( omvīsamkhyā 102 )
(Ovī count: 102)
A scribal note recording the traditional count of verses in this chapter, part of the manuscript's own bookkeeping.
Keep careful, honest records of your own efforts and progress, however small the detail.