संत साहित्य · Guru Charitra · Chapters
Chapter 18 — A Poor Brahmin Gets Wealth
Literal. Shri Guru moves to Panch Ganga Sangam (the confluence of five rivers — Shiva, Bhadra, Bhogavati, Kumbhi, Saraswati) and stays under an Audumbar tree for twelve years. He visits Amarpur for alms; a poor Brahmin invites him; Shri Guru, while leaving, cuts the root of the sem (bean) creeper at the Brahmin's door. The Brahmin's wife laments; the Brahmin, digging up the root, finds a vessel of coins. Shri Guru tells him: do not tell anyone, or the wealth will be destroyed.
Symbolic. Apparent damage is the form of grace. The cutting of the creeper looks like deprivation; it is in fact the unblocking of buried resources.
Structural. 12 years at Panch Ganga Sangam. Five rivers named.
Verse by verse
श्रीगणेशाय नमः ।
śrīgaṇeśāya namaḥ |
Salutations to Śrī Gaṇeśa.
The chapter opens, as tradition requires, with a bow to Gaṇeśa, remover of obstacles, before any teaching begins.
Start any important undertaking by first clearing your mind and setting a respectful intention.
श्रीसरस्वत्यै नमः । श्रीगुरुभ्यो नमः । जय जया सिद्धमुनि । तू तारक भवार्णी । सुधारस आमुचे श्रवणी । पूर्ण केला दातारा ॥१॥
śrīsarasvatyai namaḥ | śrīgurubhyo namaḥ | jaya jayā siddhamuni | tū tāraka bhavārṇī | sudhārasa āmuce śravaṇī | pūrṇa kelā dātārā ||1||
Salutations to Śrī Sarasvatī, salutations to the Śrī Guru. Victory, victory to the Siddha-sage, you who ferry us across the ocean of worldly existence; you have filled our ears completely with nectar, O giver.
The disciple praises the Siddha as one who carries listeners across bhavārṇava (the ocean of worldly existence) — the story itself is described as the vessel of that crossing.
Thank the teachers whose words have genuinely helped carry you through hard times.
गुरुचरित्र कामधेनु । ऐकता न-धाये माझे मन । कांक्षीत होते अंतःकरण । कथामृत ऐकावया ॥२॥
gurucaritra kāmadhenu | aikatā na-dhāye mājhe mana | kāmkṣīta hote amtaḥkaraṇa | kathāmṛta aikāvayā ||2||
The Gurucaritra is like the wish-granting cow; hearing it, my mind is never satisfied. My inner being longed to hear the nectar of the story.
The listener's hunger for more of the story — likened again to Kāmadhenu — shows how deeply the earlier tale of the transformed brahmin boy has moved him.
Let a good lesson leave you wanting to learn more, rather than feeling you have had enough.
ध्यान लागले श्रीगुरुचरणी । तृप्ति नव्हे अंतःकरणी । कथामृत संजीवनी । आणिक निरोपावे दातारा ॥३॥
dhyāna lāgale śrīgurucaraṇī | tṛpti navhe amtaḥkaraṇī | kathāmṛta samjīvanī | āṇika niropāve dātārā ||3||
My meditation has fixed upon Śrī Guru's feet; my heart finds no satiety. Please relate more of this life-giving nectar-story, O giver.
The disciple's meditation has settled on the Guru's feet — a sign that listening to the story has itself become a form of devotional practice, not mere entertainment.
Let sincere listening to wisdom become a form of practice in itself, not just information-gathering.
येणेपरी सिद्धासी । विनवी शिष्य भक्तीसी । माथा लावूनि चरणांसी । कृपा भाकी तये वेळी ॥४॥
yeṇeparī siddhāsī | vinavī śiṣya bhaktīsī | māthā lāvūni caraṇāmsī | kṛpā bhākī taye veḷī ||4||
In this way the disciple entreated the Siddha with devotion; placing his head at his feet, he begged for grace at that moment.
The disciple's physical gesture of bowing accompanies his verbal request — devotion is expressed with the whole body, not words alone.
Show respect for those who teach you with your actions, not only your words.
शिष्यवचन ऐकोनि । संतोषला सिद्धमुनि । सांगतसे विस्तारोनि । ऐका श्रोते एकचित्ते ॥५॥
śiṣyavacana aikoni | samtoṣalā siddhamuni | sāmgatase vistāroni | aikā śrote ekacitte ||5||
Hearing the disciple's words, the Siddha-sage was pleased; he began to relate the story in full detail — listen, O hearers, with one-pointed attention.
The teacher's pleasure at the student's eagerness shows that sincere hunger for wisdom is itself welcomed and rewarded by a true guide.
When you ask sincerely for guidance, expect that genuine teachers will be glad, not burdened, to give it.
ऐक शिष्या शिकामणी । धन्य धन्य तुझी वाणी । तुझी भक्ति श्रीगुरुचरणी । तल्लीन झाली परियेसा ॥६॥
aika śiṣyā śikāmaṇī | dhanya dhanya tujhī vāṇī | tujhī bhakti śrīgurucaraṇī | tallīna jhālī pariyesā ||6||
Listen, disciple, crest-jewel among students: blessed, blessed is your speech; your devotion has become wholly absorbed in Śrī Guru's feet, hear this well.
The Siddha praises Nāmadhāraka's devotion as complete absorption (tallīna) — a state where the disciple's identity itself has merged with reverence for the Guru.
Aim for a depth of focus in your practice where distraction naturally falls away.
तुजकरिता आम्हांसी । चेतन जाहले परियेसीं । गुरुचरित्र आद्यंतेसी । स्मरण जाहले अवधारी ॥७॥
tujakaritā āmhāmsī | cetana jāhale pariyesīm | gurucaritra ādyamtesī | smaraṇa jāhale avadhārī ||7||
Because of you we too have been enlivened; the whole of the Gurucaritra, from beginning to end, has come back to memory, hear this well.
The teacher acknowledges that the act of teaching itself renews and enlivens him — transmission of wisdom benefits the giver as much as the receiver.
Notice that explaining what you know to someone eager to learn deepens your own understanding too.
भिल्लवडी स्थानमहिमा । निरोपिला अनुपमा । पुढील चरित्र उत्तमा । सांगेन ऐका एकचित्तें ॥८॥
bhillavaḍī sthānamahimā | niropilā anupamā | puḍhīla caritra uttamā | sāmgena aikā ekacittem ||8||
I have related to you the glory of the place Bhillavaḍī, incomparable; now I shall tell the excellent story that follows — listen with one-pointed mind.
The narrator bridges from the previous chapter's episode to the next, signaling continuity in the unfolding life of the Guru.
See each new lesson as connected to what came before, not as a fresh start disconnected from your prior learning.
क्वचित्काळ तये स्थानी । श्रीगुरु होते गौप्येनि । प्रकट जहाले म्हणोनि । पुढे निघाले परियेसा ॥९॥
kvacitkāḷa taye sthānī | śrīguru hote gaupyeni | prakaṭa jahāle mhaṇoni | puḍhe nighāle pariyesā ||9||
For some time Śrī Guru remained at that place in hiding; then, having become manifest, he set out further, hear this well.
The Guru's period of concealment at Bhillavaḍī ends, and he resumes his wandering — a pattern of alternating hiddenness and revelation that structures his life.
Accept that periods of quiet withdrawal and periods of active engagement both have their proper season.
वरुणासंगम असे ख्यात । दक्षिणवाराणसी म्हणत । श्रीगुरु आले अवलोकित । भक्तानुग्रह करावया ॥१०॥
varuṇāsamgama ase khyāta | dakṣiṇavārāṇasī mhaṇata | śrīguru āle avalokita | bhaktānugraha karāvayā ||10||
The confluence with the Varuṇā river is renowned, called the southern Vārāṇasī; Śrī Guru came there, looking to bestow grace upon devotees.
The place is honored as a 'southern Vārāṇasī' (Kāśī), showing how sacred geography multiplies across India — holiness is not confined to one location.
Recognize that meaningful, sacred experience is available near you, not only in famous distant places.
पुढें कृष्णातटाकांत । श्रीगुरू तीर्थे पावन करीत । पंचगंगगासंगम ख्यात । तेथें राहिले द्वादशाब्दे ॥११॥
puḍhem kṛṣṇātaṭākāmta | śrīgurū tīrthe pāvana karīta | pamcagamgagāsamgama khyāta | tethem rāhile dvādaśābde ||11||
Further on, along the bank of the Kṛṣṇā, Śrī Guru sanctified the holy places; at the renowned confluence of the Pañcagaṅgā, he stayed for twelve years.
The Guru's twelve-year stay at the Pañcagaṅgā confluence (Amarāpura, Narasobāchī Vāḍī) marks the site as central to his later career on earth.
Give a worthy commitment the time it truly needs, rather than moving on too quickly.
अनुपम्य तीर्थ मनोहर । जैसें अविमुक्त काशीपुर । प्रयागसमान तीर्थ थोर । म्हणोनि राहिले परियेसा ॥१२॥
anupamya tīrtha manohara | jaisem avimukta kāśīpura | prayāgasamāna tīrtha thora | mhaṇoni rāhile pariyesā ||12||
An incomparable, lovely holy place, like Kāśīpura the unforsaken one; a great tīrtha equal to Prayāga — for this he stayed, hear this well.
The place is compared to Kāśī (Vārāṇasī) and Prayāga (Allahabad), the two most sacred sites in the pilgrimage tradition, establishing its supreme status.
Recognize and honor exceptional value when you find it, even in an unfamiliar or lesser-known place.
कुरवपुर ग्राम गहन । कुरूक्षेत्र तोंचि जाण । पंचगंगासंगम कृष्णा । अत्योत्त्म परियेसा ॥१३॥
kuravapura grāma gahana | kurūkṣetra tomci jāṇa | pamcagamgāsamgama kṛṣṇā | atyottma pariyesā ||13||
The deep village of Kuravapura is itself Kurukṣetra, know this; the confluence of Pañcagaṅgā and Kṛṣṇā is most excellent, hear this well.
The narrator identifies the site with Kurukṣetra, the field of the Bhagavad Gītā's teaching — layering yet another dimension of sanctity onto the place.
Let a place become meaningful to you through repeated devotion, the way it accumulates layers of story and significance here.
कुरुक्षेत्रीं जितके पुण्य । तयाहूनि अधिक असे जाण । तीर्थे अस्ती अगण्य़ । म्हणोनि राहिले श्रीगुरू ॥१४॥
kurukṣetrīm jitake puṇya | tayāhūni adhika ase jāṇa | tīrthe astī agaṇya़ | mhaṇoni rāhile śrīgurū ||14||
The merit that exists at Kurukṣetra is exceeded here, understand; countless holy places exist, for which reason Śrī Guru remained.
The claim that this confluence surpasses even Kurukṣetra in merit underlines why the Guru chose to make it his long-term abode.
Choose to root yourself where genuine, deep good can be done, rather than where fame alone points you.
पंचगंगानदीतीर । प्रख्यात असे पुराणांतर । पांच नामे आहेति थोर । सांगेन ऐका एकचित्तें ॥१५॥
pamcagamgānadītīra | prakhyāta ase purāṇāmtara | pāmca nāme āheti thora | sāmgena aikā ekacittem ||15||
The bank of the Pañcagaṅgā river is renowned across the purāṇas; it bears five great names — I shall tell them, listen with one-pointed mind.
The narrator promises a fuller account of the river's five sacred names, continuing the careful, near-encyclopedic praise of this holy confluence.
Take the time to learn the full context and history behind a place or practice that matters to you.
शिवा भद्रा भोगावती । कुंभीनदी सरस्वती । ' पंचगंगा' ऐसी ख्याति । महापातक संहारी ॥१६॥
śivā bhadrā bhogāvatī | kumbhīnadī sarasvatī | ' pamcagamgā' aisī khyāti | mahāpātaka samhārī ||16||
Śivā, Bhadrā, Bhogāvatī, Kumbhīnadī, and Sarasvatī — thus renowned as the 'Pañcagaṅgā', it destroys the greatest sins.
Five rivers are named as forming the Pañcagaṅgā (five Gaṅgās) — a confluence credited with the power to dissolve even the gravest wrongdoing.
Believe that sincere repentance, undertaken at the right moment, can genuinely release you from past wrongs.
ऐसी प्रख्यात पंचगंगा । आली कृष्णेचिया संगा । प्रयागाहूनि असे चांगा । संगमस्थान मनोहर ॥१७॥
aisī prakhyāta pamcagamgā | ālī kṛṣṇeciyā samgā | prayāgāhūni ase cāmgā | samgamasthāna manohara ||17||
This renowned Pañcagaṅgā joins with the Kṛṣṇā; it is finer than Prayāga — the confluence place is lovely.
The text repeats and reinforces the comparison to Prayāga, the most famous confluence in India, elevating this local site to national sanctity.
Do not undervalue what is close and familiar just because it lacks a famous name.
अमरापुर म्हणिजे ग्राम । स्थान असे अनुपम्य । जैसा प्रयागसंगम । तैसे स्थान मनोहर ॥१८॥
amarāpura mhaṇije grāma | sthāna ase anupamya | jaisā prayāgasamgama | taise sthāna manohara ||18||
The village is called Amarāpura, an incomparable place; like the confluence at Prayāga, so is this place lovely.
The village name Amarāpura ('city of the immortals') is introduced — this is the location of the following episode about the poor brahmin.
Approach the setting of any story you are told with the same attentiveness as the story itself.
वृक्ष असे औदुंबर । प्रत्यक्ष जाणा कल्पतरु । देव असे अमरेश्वर । तया संगमा षटकूळी ॥१९॥
vṛkṣa ase audumbara | pratyakṣa jāṇā kalpataru | deva ase amareśvara | tayā samgamā ṣaṭakūḷī ||19||
There stands an auduṃbara tree, verily a wish-fulfilling tree; the deity Amareśvara is there at the confluence of six streams.
The recurring auduṃbara tree and the deity Amareśvara mark this new site as another place charged with the same sanctity as Bhillavaḍī.
Return to and revere the sources of steadiness in your life, wherever they recur.
जैसी वाराणसी पुरी । गंगाभागीरथी-तीरी । पंचनदींसंगम थोरी । तत्समान परियेसा ॥२०॥
jaisī vārāṇasī purī | gamgābhāgīrathī-tīrī | pamcanadīmsamgama thorī | tatsamāna pariyesā ||20||
As the city of Vārāṇasī stands on the bank of the Gaṅgā-Bhāgīrathī, and the confluence of five rivers there is great, so this is equal to it, hear this well.
The site is again equated to Vārāṇasī, this time by comparing river-confluences — a repeated rhetorical device asserting supreme sanctity.
Give due honor to a place or tradition once its true significance has been shown to you.
अमरेश्वरसंनिधानी । आहेति चौसष्ट योगिनी । शक्तितीर्थ निर्गुणी । प्रख्यात असे परियेसा ॥२१॥
amareśvarasamnidhānī | āheti causaṣṭa yoginī | śaktitīrtha nirguṇī | prakhyāta ase pariyesā ||21||
Near Amareśvara there are sixty-four Yoginīs; the formless power-tīrtha is renowned, hear this well.
The presence of the sixty-four Yoginīs (goddess-forms of śakti) adds a tantric layer of sanctity to the site, alongside its Vaiṣṇava and Śaiva associations.
Appreciate that different traditions of practice can converge meaningfully in one place or in one life.
अमरेश्वरलिंग बरवे । त्यासी वंदुनि स्वभावे । पुजितां नर अमर होय । विश्वनाथ तोचि जाणा ॥२२॥
amareśvaralimga barave | tyāsī vamduni svabhāve | pujitām nara amara hoya | viśvanātha toci jāṇā ||22||
The beautiful liṅga of Amareśvara — bowing to it with sincerity, one who worships it becomes immortal; know it to be Viśvanātha himself.
Amareśvara is identified with Viśvanātha ('Lord of the Universe', a name of Śiva at Kāśī), consolidating the site's identity with the holiest Śiva shrine.
Worship with sincerity rather than mere routine; the quality of devotion matters more than the outward form.
प्रयागी करितां माघस्नान । जें पुण्य होय साधन । शतगुण होय तयाहून । एक स्नाने परियेसा ॥२३॥
prayāgī karitām māghasnāna | jem puṇya hoya sādhana | śataguṇa hoya tayāhūna | eka snāne pariyesā ||23||
The merit gained by bathing at Prayāga in the month of Māgha — a hundredfold that merit is gained here from a single bath, hear this well.
A hundredfold ratio of merit dramatizes, in the idiom of the text, the exceptional sanctity of this place compared to even the famous Māgha bathing at Prayāga.
Value quality of devotion over the sheer scale or fame of an act of practice.
सहज नदीसंगमांत । प्रयागसमान असे ख्यात । अमरेश्वर परब्रह्म वस्तु । तया स्थानी वास असे ॥२४॥
sahaja nadīsamgamāmta | prayāgasamāna ase khyāta | amareśvara parabrahma vastu | tayā sthānī vāsa ase ||24||
This natural confluence of rivers is renowned as equal to Prayāga; Amareśvara, the supreme reality, dwells at that place.
The text reiterates that Amareśvara himself, understood as parabrahma (the supreme reality), resides at this confluence — the place is not merely symbolic but genuinely inhabited by the divine.
Believe that the sacred can genuinely dwell in ordinary, local places, not only in famous ones.
याकारणें तिये स्थानी । कोटितीर्थे असती निर्गुणी । वाहे गंगो दक्षिणी । वेणीसहित निरंतर ॥२५॥
yākāraṇem tiye sthānī | koṭitīrthe asatī nirguṇī | vāhe gamgo dakṣiṇī | veṇīsahita niramtara ||25||
For this reason, at that place, countless formless holy waters exist; the Gaṅgā flows there southward, together with the Veṇī, unceasingly.
The river's continuous southward flow is presented as a living sign of the site's ongoing sanctity, not a one-time consecration.
Tend to what matters to you continuously, not as a single act completed once and forgotten.
अमित तीर्थे तया स्थानी । सांगता विस्तार पुराणीं । अष्टतीर्थ ख्याति जीण । तया कृष्णातटाकांत ॥२६॥
amita tīrthe tayā sthānī | sāmgatā vistāra purāṇīm | aṣṭatīrtha khyāti jīṇa | tayā kṛṣṇātaṭākāmta ||26||
Countless holy places exist there; to describe them in full is told at length in the purāṇas — eight renowned tīrthas are at that bank of the Kṛṣṇā.
The narrator now begins listing the eight specific tīrthas at this confluence, grounding the general praise in concrete detail.
Back up general praise with specific, concrete knowledge when you can.
उत्तर दिशी असे देखा वहे कृष्णा पश्चिममुखा । 'शुक्लतीर्थ' नाम ऐका । ब्रहम्हत्यापाप दूर ॥२७॥
uttara diśī ase dekhā vahe kṛṣṇā paścimamukhā | 'śuklatīrtha' nāma aikā | brahamhatyāpāpa dūra ||27||
To the north, behold, the Kṛṣṇā flows facing west; hear its name — the 'Śuklatīrtha' — it removes the sin of killing a brahmin.
Each named tīrtha is credited with removing a specific grave sin — here brahmahatyā (killing a brahmin), the gravest sin in the tradition.
Believe that even the gravest wrongs can be addressed through sincere, sustained effort at atonement.
औदुंबर सन्मुखेसी । तीनी तीर्थे परियेसी । एकानंतर एक धनुषी । तीर्थे असती मनोहर ॥२८॥
audumbara sanmukhesī | tīnī tīrthe pariyesī | ekānamtara eka dhanuṣī | tīrthe asatī manohara ||28||
Facing the auduṃbara tree, there are three holy places; one after another, a bow-shot apart, these tīrthas are lovely.
The geography is described with precision — three tīrthas spaced a 'bow-shot' apart — showing the text's careful, almost surveyor-like attention to the sacred landscape.
Pay careful, precise attention to the details of what you value, not just its general reputation.
'पापविनाशी' 'काम्यतीर्थ' । तिसरें सिध्द ' वरदतीर्थ । अमरेश्वरसंनिधार्थ । अनुपम्य असे भूमंडळी ॥२९॥
'pāpavināśī' 'kāmyatīrtha' | tisarem sidhda ' varadatīrtha | amareśvarasamnidhārtha | anupamya ase bhūmamḍaḷī ||29||
'Pāpavināśī' and 'Kāmyatīrtha'; the third, accomplished, is 'Varadatīrtha' — near Amareśvara, incomparable upon this earth.
The names themselves teach: 'destroyer of sin', 'fulfiller of desire', 'giver of boons' — each tīrtha named for the specific grace it is believed to bestow.
Notice that different practices or places serve different needs; seek out the one suited to what you actually require.
पुढें संगम-षट्कुळांत । प्रयागतीर्थ असे ख्यात । ' शाक्तितीर्थ' अमरतीर्थ' । कोटितीर्थ' परियेसा ॥३०॥
puḍhem samgama-ṣaṭkuḷāmta | prayāgatīrtha ase khyāta | ' śāktitīrtha' amaratīrtha' | koṭitīrtha' pariyesā ||30||
Further, at the confluence of six streams, the renowned Prayāgatīrtha; the Śāktitīrtha, Amaratīrtha, and Koṭitīrtha, hear this well.
More tīrthas are enumerated, continuing the thorough cataloguing of this sacred confluence's many holy sites.
Recognize that a single place of value often contains many smaller sources of good within it, worth exploring individually.
तीर्थे असती अपरांपर । सांगता असे विस्तार । याकारणें श्रीपादगुरु । राहिले तेथें द्वादशाब्दें ॥३१॥
tīrthe asatī aparāmpara | sāmgatā ase vistāra | yākāraṇem śrīpādaguru | rāhile tethem dvādaśābdem ||31||
There are countless holy places, more than can be described in full detail; for this reason Śrīpāda Guru remained there for twelve years.
The narrator closes the geographic catalogue and restates why the Guru chose this site for his long twelve-year residence.
When you find a place or practice of genuine depth, be willing to commit to it over a long span of time.
कृष्णा वेणी नदी दोनी । पंचगंगा मिळोनी । सप्तनदीसंगम सगुणी । काय सांगू महिमा त्याची ॥३२॥
kṛṣṇā veṇī nadī donī | pamcagamgā miḷonī | saptanadīsamgama saguṇī | kāya sāmgū mahimā tyācī ||32||
The Kṛṣṇā and Veṇī, two rivers, joined by the Pañcagaṅgā, form a virtuous confluence of seven rivers — what can I say of its glory?
The confluence's full complexity — seven rivers in total — is finally summarized, and the narrator confesses its glory exceeds description.
Accept that some things you value are simply larger than words can fully capture — appreciate them anyway.
ब्रह्महत्यादि महापातकें । जळोनि जातीं स्नानें एकें । ऐसें सिध्द्स्थान निकें । सकळाभीष्ट होय तेथें ॥३३॥
brahmahatyādi mahāpātakem | jaḷoni jātīm snānem ekem | aisem sidhdsthāna nikem | sakaḷābhīṣṭa hoya tethem ||33||
Great sins such as killing a brahmin are burned away by a single bath here; such is this accomplished place, where every wish is fulfilled.
The section on sacred geography closes with the same double promise repeated throughout — purification from sin and fulfillment of desire — before the narrative resumes.
Believe that genuine renewal is possible, however serious your past mistakes.
काय सांगूं त्यांची महिमा । आणिक द्यावया नाहीं उपमा । दर्शनमातें होती काम्या । स्नानफळ काय वर्णू ॥३४॥
kāya sāmgūm tyāmcī mahimā | āṇika dyāvayā nāhīm upamā | darśanamātem hotī kāmyā | snānaphaḷa kāya varṇū ||34||
What can I say of its glory? There is no comparison to give; the very sight of it grants what is wished for — how can I describe the fruit of bathing there?
The narrator's rhetorical humility — admitting words fail him — is itself a mark of reverence for the place he describes.
Let genuine awe sometimes go unexplained rather than forcing words onto every experience.
साक्षात् कल्पतरु । असे वृक्ष औदुबरु । गौप्य होऊन अगोचरु । राहिले श्रीगुरु तया स्थानी ॥३५॥
sākṣāt kalpataru | ase vṛkṣa audubaru | gaupya hoūna agocaru | rāhile śrīguru tayā sthānī ||35||
Verily a wish-fulfilling tree, this auduṃbara tree stands; remaining hidden and unseen, Śrī Guru dwelt at that place.
The scene shifts back from geography to the Guru himself, again dwelling hidden — echoing the pattern from the previous chapter.
Do not assume someone's quiet, hidden effort means nothing significant is happening.
भक्तजनतारणार्थ । होणार असे ख्यात । राहिले तेथें श्रीगुरुनाथ । म्हणोनि प्रकट जाहले जाणा ॥३६॥
bhaktajanatāraṇārtha | hoṇāra ase khyāta | rāhile tethem śrīgurunātha | mhaṇoni prakaṭa jāhale jāṇā ||36||
For the salvation of devotees, this was destined to become known; Śrī Gurunātha stayed there and so, in due course, became manifest.
The Guru's eventual revelation is framed as inevitable and purposeful — hiddenness always serves the larger goal of helping devotees.
Trust that quiet preparation, when the time is right, will serve a larger, visible purpose.
असता पुढें वर्तमानीं । भिक्षा करावया प्रतिदिनीं । अमरापुर ग्रामी । जाती श्रीगुरु परियेसा ॥३७॥
asatā puḍhem vartamānīm | bhikṣā karāvayā pratidinīm | amarāpura grāmī | jātī śrīguru pariyesā ||37||
As time went on, to beg alms each day, Śrī Guru would go to the village of Amarāpura, hear this well.
The Guru's daily practice of begging alms, even while dwelling as a great ascetic, models continued humility rather than aloofness.
Keep humble daily habits even after you have achieved significant standing or ability.
तया ग्रामी द्विज एक । असे वेदभ्यासक । त्याची भार्या पतिसेवक । पतिव्रतशिरोमणी ॥३८॥
tayā grāmī dvija eka | ase vedabhyāsaka | tyācī bhāryā patisevaka | pativrataśiromaṇī ||38||
In that village there was a brahmin devoted to Vedic study; his wife was devoted to serving her husband, the very crown of chaste wives.
The new episode's protagonists are introduced: a poor but learned brahmin and his exemplary, devoted wife, whose virtue will matter to the story's outcome.
Value quiet domestic virtue and mutual devotion as much as outward achievement.
सुक्षीण असे तो ब्राह्मण । शुक्लभिक्षा करी आपण । कर्ममार्गी आचरण । असे सात्विक वृत्तीनें ॥३९॥
sukṣīṇa ase to brāhmaṇa | śuklabhikṣā karī āpaṇa | karmamārgī ācaraṇa | ase sātvika vṛttīnem ||39||
That brahmin was extremely poor; he lived on begged offerings of uncooked grain, following the path of ritual duty with a pure disposition.
His poverty is stated plainly — he survives on śuklabhikṣā (alms of uncooked grain) — while still faithfully performing his religious duties.
Continue your good practices and duties even during genuine financial hardship.
तया विप्रमंदिरांत । असे वेल उन्नत । शेंगा निघती नित्य बहुत । त्याणे उदरपूर्ति करी ॥४०॥
tayā vipramamdirāmta | ase vela unnata | śemgā nighatī nitya bahuta | tyāṇe udarapūrti karī ||40||
In that brahmin's home there grew a tall creeper vine; beans grew on it daily, in abundance, and with these he filled his stomach.
The bean vine becomes his household's chief source of food, a small provision that sustains the family through their poverty.
Be grateful for the modest, steady provisions that sustain you day to day.
एखादे दिवशी त्या ब्राह्मणासी । वरो न मिळे परियेसीं । तया शेंगांते रांधोनि हर्षी । दिवस क्रमी येणेंपरी ॥४१॥
ekhāde divaśī tyā brāhmaṇāsī | varo na miḷe pariyesīm | tayā śemgāmte rāmdhoni harṣī | divasa kramī yeṇemparī ||41||
On some days when this brahmin found nothing else to eat, he would happily cook these beans and pass his days in this way.
His contentment with a simple, repetitive diet, taken gladly rather than resentfully, is quietly noted as part of his character.
Practice contentment with what is available to you, rather than resenting its plainness.
ऐसा तो ब्राह्मण दरिद्री । याचकारणें उदर भरी । पंचमहायज्ञ कुसरी । अतिथि पूजी भक्तीनें ॥४२॥
aisā to brāhmaṇa daridrī | yācakāraṇem udara bharī | pamcamahāyajña kusarī | atithi pūjī bhaktīnem ||42||
So poor was this brahmin; for this reason he filled his stomach thus, yet he performed the five great sacrifices skillfully and honored guests with devotion.
Despite poverty, he maintains the pañcamahāyajña (five great daily sacrifices) and honors guests — his religious duty toward others does not waver with his circumstances.
Continue to be generous and hospitable to others even when your own resources are limited.
वर्तता श्रीगुरु एके दिवसीं । तया विप्रमंदिरासी । गेले आपण भिक्षेसी । नेलें विप्रे भक्तिनें ॥४३॥
vartatā śrīguru eke divasīm | tayā vipramamdirāsī | gele āpaṇa bhikṣesī | nelem vipre bhaktinem ||43||
One day, as it happened, Śrī Guru went to that brahmin's house himself for alms; the brahmin welcomed him with devotion.
The Guru, in his daily rounds for alms, arrives specifically at this poor household — the meeting that will change the family's fortune begins ordinarily.
Treat every visitor with the same warmth, since you cannot know in advance who will matter most.
भक्तिपूर्वक श्रीगुरूसी । पूजा करी तो षोडशी । घेवडे-शेंगा बहुवसी । केली होती पत्र-शाका ॥४४॥
bhaktipūrvaka śrīgurūsī | pūjā karī to ṣoḍaśī | ghevaḍe-śemgā bahuvasī | kelī hotī patra-śākā ||44||
With devotion he worshipped Śrī Guru in the sixteen-fold rite; he had prepared an abundance of beans as a leafy-vegetable dish.
The poor brahmin offers full formal worship (ṣoḍaśopacāra, the sixteen ritual honors) using only what he has — beans — showing that devotion does not require wealth.
Offer your best hospitality with whatever you have available, not waiting until you have more.
भिक्षा करून ब्राह्मणासी । आश्वासिती गुरु संतोषी । गेलें तुझे दरिद्र दोषी । म्हणोनी निघती तये वेळी ॥४५॥
bhikṣā karūna brāhmaṇāsī | āśvāsitī guru samtoṣī | gelem tujhe daridra doṣī | mhaṇonī nighatī taye veḷī ||45||
Having received alms, the Guru reassured the brahmin with joy: your poverty and its faults are gone — so saying, he departed at that moment.
The Guru's parting words promise the end of the family's poverty — a blessing given plainly, without ceremony, right after the humble meal.
Trust that a sincere act of generosity, however small, can be met with unexpected blessing.
तया विप्राचे गृहांत । जो का होता वेल उन्नत । घेवडा नाम विख्यात । आंगण सर्व वेष्टिलें असे ॥४६॥
tayā viprāce gṛhāmta | jo kā hotā vela unnata | ghevaḍā nāma vikhyāta | āmgaṇa sarva veṣṭilem ase ||46||
In that brahmin's household, the tall creeper vine, called the bean plant renowned by name, had covered the entire courtyard.
The vine, so central to the family's daily survival, is described once more in its full flourishing extent, just before the Guru's surprising action toward it.
Notice how something humble and everyday can turn out to hold unexpected significance.
तया वेलाचें झाडमूळ श्रीगुरुमूर्ति छेदिती तात्काळ । टाकोनि देती परिबळें । गेले आपण संगमासी ॥४७॥
tayā velācem jhāḍamūḷa śrīgurumūrti cheditī tātkāḷa | ṭākoni detī paribaḷem | gele āpaṇa samgamāsī ||47||
The root and stock of that vine, Śrī Guru's form cut down at once; casting it aside forcefully, he himself went off to the confluence.
The Guru's shocking act — destroying the family's chief food source — sets up a test of faith, echoing many stories where grace first appears as apparent loss.
When a trusted source of help seems to take something from you, consider that a larger good may be at work before you despair.
विप्रवनिता तये वेळी । दु:ख करिती पुत्र सकळी । म्हणती पहा हो दैव बळी । कैसें अदृष्ट आपुलें ॥४८॥
vipravanitā taye veḷī | du:kha karitī putra sakaḷī | mhaṇatī pahā ho daiva baḷī | kaisem adṛṣṭa āpulem ||48||
At that moment the brahmin's wife and all her children grieved; they said, behold, how powerful is fate — how unfortunate is our lot.
The family's grief at the loss of their only reliable food is depicted with full sympathy — the text does not minimize their fear before revealing the resolution.
Allow yourself and others to grieve honestly over a real loss, even while holding onto hope.
आम्हीं तया यतीश्वरासी । काय उपद्रव केला त्यासी । आमुचा ग्रास छेदुनी कैसी । टाकोनि दिल्हा भूमीवरी ॥४९॥
āmhīm tayā yatīśvarāsī | kāya upadrava kelā tyāsī | āmucā grāsa chedunī kaisī | ṭākoni dilhā bhūmīvarī ||49||
What harm did we ever do to that great ascetic, that he should cut down our sustenance and cast it upon the ground like this?
The wife's bewildered question — what had they done to deserve this — voices the natural human reaction to apparent betrayal by someone trusted.
It is natural to question a hardship that follows an act of trust; voice the question rather than suppressing it.
ऐसेपरी ते नारी । दु:ख करी नानापरी । पुरुष तिचा कोप करी । म्हणे प्रारब्ध प्रमाण ॥५०॥
aiseparī te nārī | du:kha karī nānāparī | puruṣa ticā kopa karī | mhaṇe prārabdha pramāṇa ||50||
In this way the woman grieved in many ways; her husband grew angry with her and said, destiny alone is decisive.
The husband's calmer response — appealing to prārabdha (the fruit of past karma already in motion) — offers philosophical steadiness against his wife's distress.
In hardship, try to offer calm perspective to a distressed loved one rather than matching their panic.
म्हणे स्त्रियेसी तये वेळी । जें जें होणार जया काळी । निर्माण करी चंद्रमोळी । तया आधीन । विश्व जाण ॥५१॥
mhaṇe striyesī taye veḷī | jem jem hoṇāra jayā kāḷī | nirmāṇa karī camdramoḷī | tayā ādhīna | viśva jāṇa ||51||
He said to his wife at that time: whatever is to happen, at whatever time, the moon-crested one ordains it; know that the whole world is subject to him.
The husband invokes Candramauḷī (Śiva, crowned with the crescent moon) as the ultimate governor of events — reframing the loss as part of a larger, benevolent order.
When facing an inexplicable setback, try situating it within a larger sense of meaning rather than isolated misfortune.
विश्वव्यापक नारायण । उत्पत्तिस्थितिलया कारण । पिपीलिकादि स्थूळ-जीवन । समस्तां आहार पुरवीतसे ॥५२॥
viśvavyāpaka nārāyaṇa | utpattisthitilayā kāraṇa | pipīlikādi sthūḷa-jīvana | samastām āhāra puravītase ||52||
Nārāyaṇa, all-pervading, is the cause of creation, preservation, and dissolution; from the smallest ant to the largest creature, he provides sustenance to all.
The husband widens his consolation into a theological statement: the same divine providence that sustains an ant sustains his family too, whatever the immediate loss looks like.
Trust that the same care that sustains the smallest creatures extends to your own needs, especially in hard times.
'आयुरन्नं प्रयच्छति' । ऐसें बोले वेदश्रुति । पंचानन आहार हस्ती । केवी करी प्रत्यही ॥५३॥
'āyurannam prayacchati' | aisem bole vedaśruti | pamcānana āhāra hastī | kevī karī pratyahī ||53||
"He grants life and food", so speaks the Vedic scripture; how does the five-faced lion procure food for the elephant each day?
Quoting scripture and pointing to how even a lion is fed daily without visible planning, the husband argues that providence, not human calculation, ultimately provides.
Let go of the illusion that you alone must calculate and control every source of your provision.
चौर्यायशी लक्ष जीवराशी । स्थूल सूक्ष्म समस्तांसी । निर्माण केलें आहारासी । मग उत्पत्ति तदनंतरें ॥५४॥
cauryāyaśī lakṣa jīvarāśī | sthūla sūkṣma samastāmsī | nirmāṇa kelem āhārāsī | maga utpatti tadanamtarem ||54||
For all the eighty-four lakh species of living beings, both gross and subtle, he first ordained their food, and only afterward their birth.
The teaching that food is ordained even before birth reassures the couple that their own sustenance, though momentarily disrupted, was never truly in doubt.
Approach an uncertain future with the confidence that your basic needs have a way of being met.
रंकरायासी एक दृष्टी । करुनि निक्षेपण । सकृत अथवा दुष्कृत्य जाण । आपुलें आपणचि भोगणें । पुढील्यावरी काय बोल ॥५६॥
ramkarāyāsī eka dṛṣṭī | karuni nikṣepaṇa | sakṛta athavā duṣkṛtya jāṇa | āpulem āpaṇaci bhogaṇem | puḍhīlyāvarī kāya bola ||56||
Looking upon king and pauper with a single eye, [providence] apportions to each; whether good deed or bad, understand, one experiences the fruit of one's own deeds — what blame can be placed on another?
The husband teaches that fortune is impartial between rich and poor, and that one's own past deeds, not another's fault, determine one's lot.
Take responsibility for your own circumstances rather than blaming others for what has befallen you.
आपुलें दैव असतां उणें । पुढिल्या बोलती मूर्खपणे ।जे पेरिलें तोंचि भक्षणें । कवणावरी बोल सांगे ॥५७॥
āpulem daiva asatām uṇem | puḍhilyā bolatī mūrkhapaṇe |je perilem tomci bhakṣaṇem | kavaṇāvarī bola sāmge ||57||
When one's own fortune is lacking, people foolishly blame others; whatever was sown, that alone is reaped — on whom can one place the blame?
The old proverb — as you sow, so shall you reap — is invoked to steady the wife's anger, reframing their poverty as a consequence to be met rather than a wrong to resent.
Before blaming others for a setback, examine honestly what part your own past choices played.
बोल ठेविसी यतीश्वरासी । आपलें आर्जव न विचारिसी । ग्रास हरितला म्हणसी । अविद्यासागरी बुडोनि ॥५८॥
bola ṭhevisī yatīśvarāsī | āpalem ārjava na vicārisī | grāsa haritalā mhaṇasī | avidyāsāgarī buḍoni ||58||
You place blame on the great ascetic, without considering your own honest circumstance; you say he has taken away our food, drowning in an ocean of ignorance.
The husband gently rebukes his wife's suspicion of the Guru, calling such blame a symptom of avidyā (ignorance) rather than clear understanding.
Question your first impulse to blame a trusted, good person before you have the full picture.
तो तारक आम्हांसी ।म्हणोनि आला भिक्षेसी । नेलें आमुचे दरिद्रदोषी । तोचि तारील आमुतें ॥५९॥
to tāraka āmhāmsī |mhaṇoni ālā bhikṣesī | nelem āmuce daridradoṣī | toci tārīla āmutem ||59||
He is the one who saves us; that is why he came for alms. He who took away our poverty's fault will also be the one to deliver us.
The husband reframes the Guru's puzzling act entirely — as the very means of their deliverance rather than a cause of harm — a leap of trust before any evidence has appeared.
Extend trust to someone with a proven record of goodness even when their current action confuses you.
येणेंपरी स्त्रियेसी । संभाषी विप्र परियेसी । काढोनि वेलशाखेसी । टाकीता झाला गंगेत ॥६०॥
yeṇemparī striyesī | sambhāṣī vipra pariyesī | kāḍhoni velaśākhesī | ṭākītā jhālā gamgeta ||60||
Speaking thus to his wife, the brahmin, hear this well, took up the cut branches of the vine and cast them into the river.
The brahmin's own further act — throwing away the branches rather than salvaging them — shows his complete acceptance of the Guru's action, without resentment or hesitation.
Once you have decided to trust, follow through fully rather than clinging to doubt.
तया वेलाचें मूळ थोरी । जे कां होतें आपुले द्वारी । काढूं म्हणुनि द्विजवरी । खणिता झाला तया वेळीं ॥६१॥
tayā velācem mūḷa thorī | je kām hotem āpule dvārī | kāḍhūm mhaṇuni dvijavarī | khaṇitā jhālā tayā veḷīm ||61||
The great root of that vine, which had been at his own doorway — meaning to dig it out, the excellent brahmin began digging at that moment.
In going to remove even the root, the brahmin unknowingly sets in motion the discovery that follows — ordinary labor becoming the occasion for grace.
Be willing to do the practical follow-up work yourself, rather than waiting passively for good fortune.
काढितां वेलमूळासी । लाधला कुंभे निधानेसी । आनंद जाहला बहुवसी । घेऊनि गेला घरांत ॥६२॥
kāḍhitām velamūḷāsī | lādhalā kumbhe nidhānesī | ānamda jāhalā bahuvasī | gheūni gelā gharāmta ||62||
As he dug out the root of the vine, he found a pot filled with treasure; overjoyed, he carried it into his house.
The buried treasure beneath the vine's root reveals the true purpose of the Guru's earlier act — what looked like destruction was in fact revelation of hidden wealth.
Trust that an apparent loss can be uncovering a deeper good that was there all along, unseen.
म्हणती नवल काय वर्तले । यतीश्वर आम्हां प्रसन्न्न झाले । म्हणोनि ह्या वेला छेदिलें । निधान लाधलें आम्हांसी ॥६३॥
mhaṇatī navala kāya vartale | yatīśvara āmhām prasannna jhāle | mhaṇoni hyā velā chedilem | nidhāna lādhalem āmhāmsī ||63||
They said, what a wonder has occurred — the great ascetic has become pleased with us; that is why he cut down this vine, and we have found treasure.
The family's grief turns to astonished gratitude as they piece together that the Guru's puzzling act was, all along, an act of deliberate blessing.
Be ready to revise your first reaction to a hardship once its fuller purpose becomes clear.
नर नव्हे तो योगीश्वर होईल ईश्वरीअवतार । आम्हां भेटला दैन्यहर । म्हणती चला दर्शनासी ॥६४॥
nara navhe to yogīśvara hoīla īśvarīavatāra | āmhām bheṭalā dainyahara | mhaṇatī calā darśanāsī ||64||
He is no ordinary man but a great yogī, an incarnation of the divine; he who removed our misery has met us — they said, let us go to see him.
Recognition of the Guru's true nature dawns fully on the couple, and their response is to seek him out at once with gratitude, not merely to keep the treasure quietly.
Respond to unexpected blessing by seeking out and thanking its true source, rather than simply enjoying it in silence.
जाऊनि संगमा श्रीगुरुसी । पूजा करिती बहुवसी । वृत्तांत सांगती तयासी । तये वेळी परियेसा ॥६५॥
jāūni samgamā śrīgurusī | pūjā karitī bahuvasī | vṛttāmta sāmgatī tayāsī | taye veḷī pariyesā ||65||
Going to the confluence, to Śrī Guru, they worshipped him abundantly; they related the whole account to him at that time, hear this well.
The couple's pilgrimage back to the Guru to offer thanks and tell their story completes the circle of the episode — gratitude expressed in person, not from a distance.
Return in person to thank someone whose help changed your circumstances, rather than only feeling grateful privately.
श्रीगुरु म्हणती तयासी । तुम्ही न सांगणें कवणासी । प्रकट करितां आम्हांसी । नसेल लक्ष्मी तुमचे घरी ॥६६॥
śrīguru mhaṇatī tayāsī | tumhī na sāmgaṇem kavaṇāsī | prakaṭa karitām āmhāmsī | nasela lakṣmī tumace gharī ||66||
Śrī Guru said to them: you must not tell this to anyone; if you make me known publicly, Lakṣmī will no longer remain in your house.
The Guru asks for secrecy as the condition of the blessing continuing — a recurring theme where hidden grace is protected from public exposure and its dangers.
Exercise discretion about private blessings rather than broadcasting them for others' approval or envy.
ऐसेपरी तया द्विजासी । सांगे श्रीगुरु परियेसी । अखंड लक्ष्मी तुमचे वंशी । पुत्रपौत्री नांदाल ॥६७॥
aiseparī tayā dvijāsī | sāmge śrīguru pariyesī | akhamḍa lakṣmī tumace vamśī | putrapautrī nāmdāla ||67||
In this way Śrī Guru spoke to that brahmin, hear this well: unbroken prosperity will remain in your lineage; you will flourish with children and grandchildren.
The Guru's blessing extends beyond the immediate treasure into a lasting promise of prosperity for the family's future generations.
Think of the good you receive as something to steward for the benefit of those who come after you, not just yourself.
ऐसा वर लधोन । गेली वनिता तो ब्राह्मण । श्रीगुरुकृपा ऐसी जाण । दर्शनमात्रे दैन्य हरे ॥६८॥
aisā vara ladhona | gelī vanitā to brāhmaṇa | śrīgurukṛpā aisī jāṇa | darśanamātre dainya hare ||68||
Having received this boon, the wife and the brahmin departed; know that such is Śrī Guru's grace — by his mere sight, poverty is removed.
The narrator closes the episode by restating its lesson plainly: even a mere darśana (sight) of the Guru is enough to dispel poverty and hardship.
Seek out, even briefly, the presence of people or practices whose influence lifts your circumstances.
ज्यासी होय श्रीगुरुकृपा । त्यासी कैचें दैन्य पाप । कल्पवृक्ष-आश्रय करितां बापा । दैन्य कैंचे तया घरी ॥६९॥
jyāsī hoya śrīgurukṛpā | tyāsī kaicem dainya pāpa | kalpavṛkṣa-āśraya karitām bāpā | dainya kaimce tayā gharī ||69||
For one who has Śrī Guru's grace, what poverty or sin can remain? Taking refuge in the wish-fulfilling tree, O friend, what poverty can exist in that house?
The teaching generalizes the couple's experience: refuge (āśraya) in the Guru is likened once more to the wish-fulfilling tree, promising the same result to any sincere seeker.
Take genuine refuge in trustworthy guidance rather than trying to solve every hardship entirely alone.
दैव उणा असेल जो नरु । त्याणें आश्रयावा श्रीगुरु । तोचि उतरेल पैलपारु । पूज्य होय सकळिकांई ॥७०॥
daiva uṇā asela jo naru | tyāṇem āśrayāvā śrīguru | toci utarela pailapāru | pūjya hoya sakaḷikāmī ||70||
Whatever man's fortune is lacking, let him take refuge in Śrī Guru; he alone will cross him to the far shore, and he will become honored by all.
The verse offers a universal invitation — whoever lacks fortune should seek this same refuge — extending the specific story into a general spiritual instruction.
When your own resources feel insufficient, seek out wise, trustworthy guidance rather than struggling alone.
जो कोण भजेल श्रीगुरु । त्यासी लाधेल इह-परु । अखंड लक्ष्मी त्याचे घरी । अष्टैश्वर्ये नांदती ॥७१॥
jo koṇa bhajela śrīguru | tyāsī lādhela iha-paru | akhamḍa lakṣmī tyāce gharī | aṣṭaiśvarye nāmdatī ||71||
Whoever worships Śrī Guru will obtain both this world and the next; unbroken prosperity will dwell in his house, and the eight forms of wealth will flourish there.
The promised reward spans both worldly prosperity and spiritual attainment — devotion to the Guru is presented as complete, not partial, provision.
Pursue a way of life that nourishes both your practical needs and your inner growth together.
सिध्द म्हणे नामधारकासी । श्रीगुरुमहिमा असे ऐसी । भजावे तुम्हीं मनोमानसीं । कामधेनु तुझ्या घरीं ॥७२॥
sidhda mhaṇe nāmadhārakāsī | śrīgurumahimā ase aisī | bhajāve tumhīm manomānasīm | kāmadhenu tujhyā gharīm ||72||
The Siddha says to Nāmadhāraka: such is the Guru's greatness; worship him with your whole heart and mind, and the wish-fulfilling cow will be in your own home.
The teller closes the story with a direct instruction to the listener, promising that heartfelt devotion brings Kāmadhenu itself — complete fulfillment — home.
Devote your whole heart, not just outward gestures, to what you sincerely believe in.
गंगाधराचा कुमर । सांगे श्रीगुरुचरित्रविस्तार । पुढील कथामृतसार । ऐका श्रोते एकचित्तें ॥७३॥
gamgādharācā kumara | sāmge śrīgurucaritravistāra | puḍhīla kathāmṛtasāra | aikā śrote ekacittem ||73||
The son of Gaṅgādhara relates the expanse of Śrī Gurucaritra; the essence of the following nectar-story — listen, O hearers, with one-pointed mind.
The author's signature line closes the chapter and promises continuation, the same formula used to mark transitions throughout the text.
Approach the next stage of any long learning journey with the same eagerness as the first.
इति श्रीगुरुचरित्रामृते परमकथाकल्पतरौ श्रीनृसिंहसरस्वत्युपाख्याने सिध्द-नामधारकसंवादे अमरापुरमहिमानं-द्विजदैन्यहरणं नाम अष्टादशोऽध्याय: ॥ १८ ॥
iti śrīgurucaritrāmṛte paramakathākalpatarau śrīnṛsimhasarasvatyupākhyāne sidhda-nāmadhārakasamvāde amarāpuramahimānam-dvijadainyaharaṇam nāma aṣṭādaśo'dhyāya: || 18 ||
Thus, in the nectar-story Śrī Gurucaritra, the supreme wish-fulfilling tale, in the dialogue of Siddha and Nāmadhāraka concerning Śrī Nṛsiṁha Sarasvatī, ends the eighteenth chapter, titled the Glory of Amarāpura and the Removal of a Brahmin's Poverty.
The formal colophon names the chapter's two themes — the sanctity of Amarāpura and the poor brahmin's deliverance from poverty — closing the episode in the traditional manner.
Mark the completion of an important lesson clearly before moving on to the next.
श्रीपादश्रीवल्लभ-नृसिंहसरस्वती-दत्तात्रेयार्पणमस्तु ॥ श्रीगुरुदेव दत्त ॥ शुभं भवतु ॥
śrīpādaśrīvallabha-nṛsimhasarasvatī-dattātreyārpaṇamastu || śrīgurudeva datta || śubham bhavatu ||
May this be offered to Śrīpāda Śrīvallabha, Nṛsiṁha Sarasvatī, Dattātreya. Śrī Gurudeva Datta. May there be auspiciousness.
The closing dedication offers the whole telling back to the Datta avatāras it describes, with a final blessing of auspiciousness for all who have listened.
End an act of devotion or study by wishing well-being for all who shared in it with you.
(ओवी संख्या ७३)
(ovī samkhyā 73)
(Ovī count: 73)
A scribal note recording the traditional verse-count of this chapter, part of how the text was preserved and verified across copies.
Value the quiet, careful work of those who preserve a tradition accurately for those who come after.