संत साहित्य · Guru Charitra · Chapters
Chapter 22 — An Old, Barren She-Buffalo Gives Milk
Literal. A poor Brahmin in Ganagapur owns an old, toothless, barren buffalo, hired out for hauling. Shri Guru visits at midday for alms. There is no corn; the wife says they cannot give him food. Shri Guru asks: why do you not give me milk from your buffalo? The wife says she is barren. Shri Guru insists: go and milk her now. She goes; the buffalo gives two pots full of milk.
Symbolic. The chapter is short and luminous. A barren resource produces what it cannot in fact produce, when correctly addressed. The pattern recurs: the dull boy who learns the Vedas, the old woman who has children at sixty, the dry log that sprouts.
Verse by verse
श्रीगणेशाय नमः ।
śrīgaṇeśāya namaḥ |
Salutations to Sri Ganesha.
The recurring invocation opening a new chapter, calling on Ganesha to bless the narration's start.
Begin any important undertaking by first steadying the mind in reverence.
नामधारक शिष्यराणा । लागे सिद्धाचिया चरणा । कर जोडोनिया जाणा । विनवीतसे परियेसा ॥१॥
nāmadhāraka śiṣyarāṇā | lāge siddhāciyā caraṇā | kara joḍoniyā jāṇā | vinavītase pariyesā ||1||
Namdharak, foremost of disciples, clasps the feet of Siddha; joining his palms, know that he entreats him, listen.
The seeker again approaches the teacher's feet before hearing the next chapter — namaskāra (prostration) is the humble posture from which true listening begins.
Approach anyone you seek wisdom from with humility, not entitlement.
जय जयाजी योगीश्वरा । शिष्यजनमनोहरा । तूचि तारक भवसागरा । अज्ञानतिमिराज्योती तू ॥२॥
jaya jayājī yogīśvarā | śiṣyajanamanoharā | tūci tāraka bhavasāgarā | ajñānatimirājyotī tū ||2||
Victory, victory to you, lord of yogis, beloved of your disciples; you alone are the ferryman across the ocean of worldly existence, you are the lamp amid the darkness of ignorance.
Namdharak praises Siddha as guru and guide — bhavasāgara (ocean of worldly existence) names the endless cycle of birth and rebirth that only right guidance can cross.
When lost or confused, seek out light — a wise teacher's word can cut through your darkest doubt.
तुझा चरणसंपर्क होता । झाले ज्ञान मज आता । परमार्थवासना तत्त्वतां । झाली तुझे प्रसादे ॥३॥
tujhā caraṇasamparka hotā | jhāle jñāna maja ātā | paramārthavāsanā tattvatām | jhālī tujhe prasāde ||3||
Through contact with your feet, knowledge has now arisen in me; truly, the yearning for the ultimate goal has come by your grace.
Contact with the guru is described as the trigger for inner awakening; prasāda (grace) is what turns curiosity into genuine longing for truth.
Stay close to those whose presence quietly awakens your better aspirations.
दाखविली गुरूची सोय । तेणे सकळ ज्ञान होय । तूचि तारक योगिराय । परमपुरुषा सिद्धमुनी ॥४॥
dākhavilī gurūcī soya | teṇe sakaḷa jñāna hoya | tūci tāraka yogirāya | paramapuruṣā siddhamunī ||4||
You have shown me the way of the Guru, by which all knowledge arises; you alone are the deliverer, O king of yogis, O supreme being, sage Siddha.
Namdharak credits Siddha with revealing the very path (soya, the right way) that leads to complete understanding — even the search for a guru needs guidance.
Thank the person who first pointed you toward your teacher or path — that pointing itself was a gift.
गुरुचरित्रकामधेनु । सांगितले मज विस्तारोनि । अद्यापि न धाय माझे मनु । आणिक आवडी होतसे ॥५॥
gurucaritrakāmadhenu | sāmgitale maja vistāroni | adyāpi na dhāya mājhe manu | āṇika āvaḍī hotase ||5||
You have narrated to me at length the Guru Charitra, the wish-fulfilling cow; still my mind is not satisfied, and I long to hear more.
The text calls itself a kāmadhenu (wish-fulfilling cow) — a story so nourishing that hearing it never exhausts the listener's appetite for more.
Let genuine devotion show as an appetite that keeps asking for more, not as a box to be checked once.
मागे तुम्ही निरोपिले । श्रीगुरु गाणगापुरी आले । पुढे कैसे वर्तले । विस्तारावे दातारा ॥६॥
māge tumhī niropile | śrīguru gāṇagāpurī āle | puḍhe kaise vartale | vistārāve dātārā ||6||
Earlier you told me that Sri Guru came to Gaṇagāpura; please tell in detail, O generous one, what happened after that.
Namdharak asks for continuity — the story must resume exactly where it paused, showing how a devotee tracks the guru's life like a thread not to be dropped.
When learning something important, follow it through in sequence rather than skipping around.
ऐकोनि शिष्याचे वचन । सांगे सिद्ध संतोषोन । म्हणे शिष्या तू सगुण । गुरुकृपेच बाळक ॥७॥
aikoni śiṣyāce vacana | sāmge siddha samtoṣona | mhaṇe śiṣyā tū saguṇa | gurukṛpeca bāḷaka ||7||
Hearing the disciple's words, Siddha spoke, pleased; he said, 'Disciple, you are virtuous, a child born of the Guru's grace.'
The teacher's joy at being asked shows that a sincere question is itself an offering — guru-kṛpā (guru's grace) is credited even for the disciple's capacity to ask well.
Don't hesitate to ask sincere questions of a good teacher; a real teacher welcomes them.
धन्य धन्य तुझे जीवन । धन्य धन्य तुझे मन । होसी तूचि पूज्यमान । या समस्त लोकांत ॥८॥
dhanya dhanya tujhe jīvana | dhanya dhanya tujhe mana | hosī tūci pūjyamāna | yā samasta lokāmta ||8||
Blessed, blessed is your life; blessed, blessed is your mind; you alone shall become worthy of reverence among all people.
Siddha blesses Namdharak's very disposition of mind, not just his actions — showing that the quality of one's inner attention is what earns respect.
Cultivate a sincere, attentive mind; character earns lasting respect more than achievements do.
तुवा प्रश्न केलासी । संतोष माझ्या मानसी । उल्हास होतो सांगावयासी । गुरुचरित्रकामधेनु ॥९॥
tuvā praśna kelāsī | samtoṣa mājhyā mānasī | ulhāsa hoto sāmgāvayāsī | gurucaritrakāmadhenu ||9||
You have asked your question; my mind is content, and I feel eager delight in telling the Guru Charitra, the wish-fulfilling cow.
The narrator's own joy in retelling the sacred story mirrors the joy of the listener — teaching and learning feed each other.
Share what you know with those genuinely eager to learn; their interest will renew your own energy.
पुढे वाढला अनंत महिमा । सांगतां असे अनुपमा । श्रीगुरु आले गाणगाभुवनी । राहिले संगमी गुप्तरूपे ॥१०॥
puḍhe vāḍhalā anamta mahimā | sāmgatām ase anupamā | śrīguru āle gāṇagābhuvanī | rāhile samgamī guptarūpe ||10||
Afterward his infinite glory grew, incomparable to describe; Sri Guru came to the town of Gaṇagāpura and stayed at the confluence in a hidden form.
Sri Guru chooses to dwell in gupta rūpa (concealed form) at the sacred river confluence — greatness that hides itself is still felt by those who come seeking it.
Do good quietly rather than for recognition; genuine worth is felt even when unannounced.
भीमा उत्तरवाहिनीसी । अमरजासंगमविशेषी । अश्वत्थ नारायण परियेसी । महावरद स्थान असे ॥११॥
bhīmā uttaravāhinīsī | amarajāsamgamaviśeṣī | aśvattha nārāyaṇa pariyesī | mahāvarada sthāna ase ||11||
At the place where the Bhīmā river flows northward, at the special confluence with the Amarajā, there stands the sacred pipal called Aśvattha-Nārāyaṇa — listen, it is a place that grants great boons.
The text situates the sacred site precisely — a river bending north (considered especially holy) meeting a tributary beneath a sacred pipal tree — geography made into a map of grace.
Notice and honor the particular places that have nourished your own inner life; sacredness is often local and specific.
अमरजा नदी थोर । संगम झाला भीमातीर । प्रयागासमान असे क्षेत्र । अष्टतीर्थे असती तेतेह ॥१२॥
amarajā nadī thora | samgama jhālā bhīmātīra | prayāgāsamāna ase kṣetra | aṣṭatīrthe asatī teteha ||12||
The Amarajā is a great river; the confluence occurs on the bank of the Bhīmā; the place is equal to Prayāga, and eight sacred fords exist there.
The site is elevated to the stature of Prayāga, India's foremost pilgrimage confluence — a way of telling readers this ordinary-looking riverside deserves the same reverence.
Give full attention and respect to the holy places within your own reach, not only the famous distant ones.
तया तीर्थांचे महिमान । अपार असे आख्यान । पुढे तुज विस्तारोन । सांगेन ऐक शिष्योत्तमा ॥१३॥
tayā tīrthāmce mahimāna | apāra ase ākhyāna | puḍhe tuja vistārona | sāmgena aika śiṣyottamā ||13||
The glory of those sacred fords is an endless tale; I shall narrate it to you at length further on — listen, best of disciples.
Siddha promises fuller detail later, teaching the listener patience — some truths are unfolded gradually, not all at once.
Be patient with a teaching that reveals itself in stages; don't demand the whole picture immediately.
तया स्थानी श्रीगुरुमूर्ति । होती गौप्य अतिप्रीती । तीर्थमहिमा करणे ख्याति । भक्तजनतारणार्थ ॥१४॥
tayā sthānī śrīgurumūrti | hotī gaupya atiprītī | tīrthamahimā karaṇe khyāti | bhaktajanatāraṇārtha ||14||
At that place, the image of Sri Guru remained hidden out of deep affection, in order to make known the glory of the ford for the deliverance of devotees.
Sri Guru's concealment is itself purposeful — it sets the stage for the tīrtha's fame to spread once he later reveals himself, all for the saving of devoted people.
Trust that quiet, hidden effort is often building toward a larger good you cannot yet see.
समस्त तीर्थे श्रीगुरुचरणी । ऐसे बोलती वेदपुराणी । त्यासी कायसे तीर्थ गहनी । प्रकाश करी क्षेत्रांसी ॥१५॥
samasta tīrthe śrīgurucaraṇī | aise bolatī vedapurāṇī | tyāsī kāyase tīrtha gahanī | prakāśa karī kṣetrāmsī ||15||
The Vedas and Purāṇas say that all sacred fords reside at Sri Guru's feet; what need has he then of any hidden tīrtha? Rather he illumines the places himself.
A theological reversal: instead of the guru needing the holy site, his very presence is what makes any site holy — the source of sanctity is the living teacher.
Recognize that a wise, good person can sanctify any ordinary place they occupy through their conduct.
भक्तजनतारणार्थ । तीर्थे हिंडे श्रीगुरुनाथ । गौप्य होती कलियुगात । प्रकट केली गुरुनाथे ॥१६॥
bhaktajanatāraṇārtha | tīrthe himḍe śrīgurunātha | gaupya hotī kaliyugāta | prakaṭa kelī gurunāthe ||16||
For the deliverance of devotees, Sri Guru wandered among the sacred fords; in the Kali age they had become hidden, and the Guru made them manifest again.
Sri Guru's mission includes reviving forgotten holy places in the degraded Kaliyuga (present age) — restoring access to grace that had been lost to neglect.
Help revive good practices or places that have fallen into neglect around you.
तेथील महिमा अनुक्रमेसी । सांगो पुढे विस्तारेसी । प्रकट झाले श्रीगुरू कैसी । सांगेन ऐका एकचित्ते ॥१७॥
tethīla mahimā anukramesī | sāmgo puḍhe vistāresī | prakaṭa jhāle śrīgurū kaisī | sāmgena aikā ekacitte ||17||
I shall tell the glory of that place in due order and detail further on; listen with one-pointed mind how Sri Guru became manifest.
Another promise of orderly narration, and a call for ekacitta (one-pointed attention) — the story rewards focused, not distracted, listening.
Give your undivided attention when someone is about to share something meaningful.
ऐसा संगम मनोहर । तेथे वसती श्रीगुरुवर । त्रिमूर्तींचा अवतार । गौप्य होय कवणेपरी ॥१८॥
aisā samgama manohara | tethe vasatī śrīguruvara | trimūrtīmcā avatāra | gaupya hoya kavaṇeparī ||18||
At that lovely confluence Sri Guru dwelt; being the incarnation of the three gods (Trimūrti), how could he remain hidden for long?
The rhetorical question anticipates what follows — true greatness, like the Trimūrti's avatāra, cannot stay concealed indefinitely.
Don't worry about proving your worth loudly; genuine quality naturally comes to light in time.
सहस्त्र किरणे सूर्यासी । केवी राहवेल गौप्येसी । आपोआप प्रकाशी । होय सहज गुण तयाचे ॥१९॥
sahastra kiraṇe sūryāsī | kevī rāhavela gaupyesī | āpoāpa prakāśī | hoya sahaja guṇa tayāce ||19||
How could the sun, with its thousand rays, remain concealed? It shines forth of itself; that is simply its natural quality.
A simile clarifies the previous verse: light hiding is unnatural — sanctity, like sunlight, radiates outward as its very nature.
Let your good qualities express themselves naturally through action rather than forcing them into view.
वसती रानी संगमासी । जाती नित्य भिक्षेसी । तया गाणगापुरासी । माध्याह्नकाळी परियेसा ॥२०॥
vasatī rānī samgamāsī | jātī nitya bhikṣesī | tayā gāṇagāpurāsī | mādhyāhnakāḷī pariyesā ||20||
He dwelt in the forest at the confluence, and daily went out for alms; listen, he would go to that town of Gaṇagāpura at midday.
Sri Guru keeps to an ascetic routine — dwelling apart, begging bhikṣā (alms) each midday — a life of simplicity even while divine.
Keep a simple daily discipline, whatever your outer greatness might otherwise permit.
तया ग्रामी द्विजवर । असती एकशत घर । होते पूर्वी अग्रहार । वेदपाठक ब्राह्मण असती ॥२१॥
tayā grāmī dvijavara | asatī ekaśata ghara | hote pūrvī agrahāra | vedapāṭhaka brāhmaṇa asatī ||21||
In that village there were eminent brahmins, a hundred households; it had formerly been an agrahāra (brahmin land-grant settlement), and the brahmins there were reciters of the Vedas.
The narrative situates the village as a longstanding Vedic-learning community, setting the scene for the humble household that follows.
Value the quiet, less prominent members of any learned or respected community, not just its leading figures.
तया स्थानी विप्र एक । राहत असे सुक्षीण देख । भार्या त्याची पतिसेवक । पतिव्रताशिरोमणी ॥२२॥
tayā sthānī vipra eka | rāhata ase sukṣīṇa dekha | bhāryā tyācī patisevaka | pativratāśiromaṇī ||22||
In that place lived a certain brahmin, exceedingly poor; his wife served him devotedly, the very crown of chaste, devoted wives.
A poor brahmin and his devoted wife are introduced — poverty in wealth paired with richness of character, the true measure the story will honor.
Judge people by their devotion and character, not by their material circumstances.
वर्तत असता दरिद्रदोषी । असे एक वांझ महिषी । वेसण घातली तियेसी । दंतहीन अतिवृद्ध ॥२३॥
vartata asatā daridradoṣī | ase eka vāmjha mahiṣī | vesaṇa ghātalī tiyesī | damtahīna ativṛddha ||23||
Living thus in the affliction of poverty, they had one barren she-buffalo, fitted with a nose-rope, toothless and very old.
Their only asset is a used-up animal — barren, toothless, ancient — emphasizing just how little this family had before grace intervened.
Take stock honestly of what little you have; it may still be enough for grace to work with.
नदीतीरी मळियासी । क्षारमृत्तिका वहावयासी । नित्य द्रव्य देती त्यासी । मृत्तिका क्षार वहावया ॥२४॥
nadītīrī maḷiyāsī | kṣāramṛttikā vahāvayāsī | nitya dravya detī tyāsī | mṛttikā kṣāra vahāvayā ||24||
By the riverbank, for their small plot of land, they daily earned money by having her carry saline soil for others.
The buffalo's only use is hauling alkaline earth used for washing/soap-making, the family's meager livelihood — humble, honest labor.
There is dignity in humble, steady labor, even when it barely sustains you.
तेणे द्रव्ये वरो घेती । येणे रीती काळ क्रमिती । श्रीगुरुनाथ अतिप्रीती । येती भिक्षेसी त्याचे घरा ॥२५॥
teṇe dravye varo ghetī | yeṇe rītī kāḷa kramitī | śrīgurunātha atiprītī | yetī bhikṣesī tyāce gharā ||25||
With that money they would obtain provisions; in this way they passed their days. Sri Guru, out of great affection, would come to their house for alms.
Despite their poverty, Sri Guru chooses this house repeatedly for his alms round — divine favor is drawn to sincere devotion, not to wealth.
Welcome guests generously with whatever you have; sincerity matters more than abundance.
विप्र लोक निंदा करिती । कैचा आला यति म्हणती । आम्ही ब्राह्मण असो श्रोती । न ये भिक्षा आमुचे घरी ॥२६॥
vipra loka nimdā karitī | kaicā ālā yati mhaṇatī | āmhī brāhmaṇa aso śrotī | na ye bhikṣā āmuce gharī ||26||
The other brahmins criticized him, saying, 'Where did this ascetic come from?' They said, 'We too are learned brahmins, yet he never comes for alms to our houses.'
Jealousy surfaces among the well-off brahmins, who feel entitled to the ascetic's favor by status — a familiar human resentment at being passed over.
Guard against envy when someone else receives attention or honor that you feel is due to you instead.
नित्य आमुचे घरी देखा । विशेष अन्न अनेक शाका । असे त्यजुनी यति ऐका । जातो दरिद्रियाचे घरी ॥२७॥
nitya āmuce gharī dekhā | viśeṣa anna aneka śākā | ase tyajunī yati aikā | jāto daridriyāce gharī ||27||
Look, in our houses daily there is fine food and many vegetables; yet leaving all that aside, listen, the ascetic goes to the poor man's house.
The brahmins' complaint reveals their real values — they measure worthiness by the quality of food offered, missing the deeper criterion of devotion.
Don't assume that outward abundance entitles you to special favor; sincerity outweighs display.
ऐसे बोलती विप्र समस्त । भक्तवत्सल श्रीगुरुनाथ । प्रपंचरहित परमार्थ । करणे असे आपुल्या मनी ॥२८॥
aise bolatī vipra samasta | bhaktavatsala śrīgurunātha | prapamcarahita paramārtha | karaṇe ase āpulyā manī ||28||
So all the brahmins spoke; but Sri Guru, ever fond of his devotees, kept in his mind the intent to act beyond worldly concern, purely for the highest good.
The narrator contrasts petty gossip with Sri Guru's bhaktavatsala (loving toward devotees) nature — he is unmoved by social pressure and worldly calculation.
Let your care for people be guided by their sincerity, not by public opinion or social expectation.
पाहे पा विदुराच्या घरा । प्रीती कैसी शार्ङगधरा । दुर्योधनराजद्वारा । कधी न वचे परियेसा ॥२९॥
pāhe pā vidurācyā gharā | prītī kaisī śārṅagadharā | duryodhanarājadvārā | kadhī na vace pariyesā ||29||
Look, see how Lord Kṛṣṇa (Śārṅgadhara) loved Vidura's house; he never went to Duryodhana's royal gate, mark this.
A classic Mahābhārata reference: Krishna preferred humble Vidura's hospitality over Duryodhana's royal feast — the divine favors sincerity over splendor.
Offer what you have with a sincere heart rather than trying to impress with lavish display.
सात्त्विकबुद्धी जे वर्तती । श्रीगुरूची त्यांसी अतिप्रीति । इह सौख्य अपरा गति । देतो आपल्या भक्तांसी ॥३०॥
sāttvikabuddhī je vartatī | śrīgurūcī tyāmsī atiprīti | iha saukhya aparā gati | deto āpalyā bhaktāmsī ||30||
Those who live with a pure, virtuous mind (sāttvika buddhi) are especially dear to Sri Guru; he grants his devotees happiness in this world and liberation beyond it.
The reward of sincere devotion is described as twofold: worldly wellbeing here (iha saukhya) and the higher path beyond (liberation).
Cultivate a pure, steady intention in daily life; it brings both peace now and a better path ahead.
ऐसा कृपाळू परम पुरुष । भक्तावरी प्रेम हर्ष । त्यासी दुर्बळ काय दोष । रंका राज्य देउ शके ॥३१॥
aisā kṛpāḷū parama puruṣa | bhaktāvarī prema harṣa | tyāsī durbaḷa kāya doṣa | ramkā rājya deu śake ||31||
Such is the compassionate supreme being — his love and joy rest on the devotee; what fault does he see in the weak? He can grant a kingdom even to a beggar.
Divine grace is described as blind to worldly rank, able to elevate even the lowliest — a reminder that true compassion doesn't discriminate by status.
Extend real generosity to those with the least, regardless of their standing.
जरी कोपे एखाद्यासी । भस्म करील परियेसी । वर देता दरिद्रियासी । राज्य होय क्षितीचे ॥३२॥
jarī kope ekhādyāsī | bhasma karīla pariyesī | vara detā daridriyāsī | rājya hoya kṣitīce ||32||
If he grows angry with someone, listen, he can reduce him to ashes; but if he grants a boon to a poor man, that man gains a kingdom on earth.
The two-sided power of grace and wrath is stated plainly, but the emphasis falls on the generous side — how completely a boon can transform a poor life.
Remember that a single act of kindness can utterly transform someone's fortune; never underestimate small generosity.
ब्रह्मदेवे आपुल्या करे । लिहिली असती दुष्ट अक्षरे । श्रीगुरुचरणसंपर्के । दुष्टाक्षरे ती शुभ होती ॥३३॥
brahmadeve āpulyā kare | lihilī asatī duṣṭa akṣare | śrīgurucaraṇasamparke | duṣṭākṣare tī śubha hotī ||33||
Even the ill fate that Brahmā himself has written with his own hand upon one's forehead turns auspicious through contact with Sri Guru's feet.
Fate, what is 'written', is described as changeable through the guru's grace — devotion is stronger than a fixed destiny.
Don't resign yourself to bad circumstances as unchangeable; sincere effort and right guidance can turn fortune around.
ऐसे ब्रीद श्रीगुरुचे । वर्णू न शके माझे वाचे । थोर पुण्य त्या ब्राह्मणाचे । श्रीगुरु जाती तया घरा ॥३४॥
aise brīda śrīguruce | varṇū na śake mājhe vāce | thora puṇya tyā brāhmaṇāce | śrīguru jātī tayā gharā ||34||
Such is Sri Guru's true nature, which my tongue cannot fully describe; great was the merit of that brahmin, that Sri Guru went to his house.
The narrator admits the limits of language before divine glory, while affirming that the poor brahmin's own past merit (puṇya) drew this blessing to him.
Accept that some blessings arrive because of quiet good you built long before, even if you can't trace the connection.
वर्तत असता एके दिवसी । न मिळे वरू त्या ब्राह्मणासी । घरी असे वांझ महिषी । नेली नाही मृत्तिकेसी ॥३५॥
vartata asatā eke divasī | na miḷe varū tyā brāhmaṇāsī | gharī ase vāmjha mahiṣī | nelī nāhī mṛttikesī ||35||
So it went on, until one day the brahmin could not obtain any curds; at home there was only the barren buffalo, which had not been taken out that day for the soil-carrying.
A small domestic crisis sets up the miracle — no income that day means nothing to offer a guest, a common anxiety of the poor confronting hospitality.
Don't let embarrassment over having little stop you from still offering what you can.
तया विप्रमंदिरासी । श्रीगुरु आले भिक्षेसी । महा उष्ण वैशाखमासी । माध्याह्नकाळी परियेसा ॥३६॥
tayā vipramamdirāsī | śrīguru āle bhikṣesī | mahā uṣṇa vaiśākhamāsī | mādhyāhnakāḷī pariyesā ||36||
To that brahmin's house Sri Guru came for alms, in the intense heat of the month of Vaiśākha, at midday, listen.
The physical detail — scorching heat, midday — heightens the ordinary hardship of the moment before grace unfolds.
Show hospitality even when conditions make it inconvenient.
ऐसे श्रीगुरुकृपामूर्ति । गेले द्विजगृहाप्रती । विप्र गेला याचकवृत्ती । वनिता त्याची घरी असे ॥३७॥
aise śrīgurukṛpāmūrti | gele dvijagṛhāpratī | vipra gelā yācakavṛttī | vanitā tyācī gharī ase ||37||
Thus the embodiment of Sri Guru's grace went to the brahmin's house; the brahmin himself had gone out to beg, and his wife was alone at home.
The husband is himself out begging that day, leaving the wife to receive the unexpected divine guest — a reversal that will test her faith directly.
Be ready to act rightly even when the head of the household or the 'responsible one' isn't present.
भिक्षा म्हणता श्रीगुरुनाथ । पतिव्रता आली धावत । साष्टांगी दंडवत । करिती झाली तये वेळी ॥३८॥
bhikṣā mhaṇatā śrīgurunātha | pativratā ālī dhāvata | sāṣṭāmgī damḍavata | karitī jhālī taye veḷī ||38||
When Sri Guru called out for alms, the devoted wife came running and prostrated herself flat on the ground before him at that moment.
Her instinctive, wholehearted response — running out, full prostration — shows devotion expressed through the body, not delayed by hesitation.
Respond to an opportunity to serve someone worthy with immediate, wholehearted action.
नमन करूनि श्रीगुरूसी । विनवीतसे भक्तीसी । आपला पती याचकवृत्तीसी । गेला असे अवधारा ॥३९॥
namana karūni śrīgurūsī | vinavītase bhaktīsī | āpalā patī yācakavṛttīsī | gelā ase avadhārā ||39||
Having bowed to Sri Guru, she humbly told him with devotion, 'My husband, please know, has himself gone out begging.'
She speaks honestly of their poverty rather than hiding it — honesty before the guru rather than embarrassed pretense.
Be honest about your limitations rather than pretending; sincerity is respected more than a false show.
उत्कृष्ट धान्य घरी बहुत । घेवोनि येतिल पती त्वरित । तववरी स्वामी बैसा म्हणत । पिढे घातले बैसावया ॥४०॥
utkṛṣṭa dhānya gharī bahuta | ghevoni yetila patī tvarita | tavavarī svāmī baisā mhaṇata | piḍhe ghātale baisāvayā ||40||
'There is plenty of fine grain in the house; my husband will soon return with it. Until then, please sit, master,' she said, and set out a low stool for him to sit on.
She reassures the guest and offers what comfort she can immediately, buying time while trusting things will work out — hospitality improvised under pressure.
When you cannot yet give everything, still offer whatever comfort is within reach right away.
श्रीगुरुमूर्ति हास्यवदन । बैसते झाले शुभासन । तिये विप्रस्त्रियेसी वचन । बोलती क्षीर का वो न घालिसी ॥४१॥
śrīgurumūrti hāsyavadana | baisate jhāle śubhāsana | tiye viprastriyesī vacana | bolatī kṣīra kā vo na ghālisī ||41||
Sri Guru, smiling, seated himself upon the auspicious seat, and said to the brahmin woman, 'Why do you not offer me milk?'
Sri Guru's smiling request seems impossible given her poverty — the test of faith is embedded in an apparently unreasonable demand.
When someone you trust asks something that seems impossible, consider that they may see a possibility you don't yet.
तुझे द्वारी असता महिषी । क्षीर काहो न घालिसी भिक्षेसी । आम्हाते तू का चाळविसी । नाही वरू म्हणोनिया ॥४२॥
tujhe dvārī asatā mahiṣī | kṣīra kāho na ghālisī bhikṣesī | āmhāte tū kā cāḷavisī | nāhī varū mhaṇoniyā ||42||
'Since there is a she-buffalo at your door, why do you not give milk as alms? Why are you deceiving me by saying you have no curds?'
Sri Guru presses the point, apparently accusing her of dishonesty — setting up the reveal that faith, not fact, will resolve the contradiction.
Don't dismiss a request too quickly as impossible before you've actually tried.
श्रीगुरुवचन ऐकोन । विप्रवनिता करी नमन । वांझ महिषी दंतहीन । वृद्धत्व झाले तियेसी ॥४३॥
śrīguruvacana aikona | vipravanitā karī namana | vāmjha mahiṣī damtahīna | vṛddhatva jhāle tiyesī ||43||
Hearing Sri Guru's words, the brahmin woman bowed and explained, 'The she-buffalo is barren and toothless; old age has come upon her.'
She patiently clarifies the plain facts, not out of defiance but simple honesty about their circumstance.
State the plain truth calmly, even to someone whose request seems to contradict it.
उपजतांची आमुचे घरी । वांझ झाली दगडापरी । गाभा न वाचे कवणेपरी । रेडा म्हणोनि पोशितो ॥४४॥
upajatāmcī āmuce gharī | vāmjha jhālī dagaḍāparī | gābhā na vāce kavaṇeparī | reḍā mhaṇoni pośito ||44||
'From birth in our house she has been barren like a stone; she has never conceived in any way; we keep her only calling her a work-animal.'
Her description emphasizes total, lifelong barrenness — leaving no natural explanation for what is about to happen, so the coming miracle can only be grace.
Acknowledge a situation as hopeless by ordinary means before you can recognize an extraordinary turn as grace.
याचि कारणे तियेसी । वेसण घातली परियेसी । वाहताती मृत्तिकेसी । तेणे आमुचा योगक्षेम ॥४५॥
yāci kāraṇe tiyesī | vesaṇa ghātalī pariyesī | vāhatātī mṛttikesī | teṇe āmucā yogakṣema ||45||
'For this reason we have fitted her with a nose-rope, listen; she carries soil for us, and by that our livelihood is sustained.'
The buffalo's entire worth to the family is reduced to manual labor — nothing more is expected of her, which is precisely what makes the coming miracle unexpected.
Recognize the humble, limited value you've assigned to something or someone — grace may exceed your low expectations.
श्रीगुरु म्हणती तियेसी । मिथ्या बोलसी आम्हांसी । त्वरित जावोनिया महिषीसी । दुहूनि आणी क्षीर आम्हा ॥४६॥
śrīguru mhaṇatī tiyesī | mithyā bolasī āmhāmsī | tvarita jāvoniyā mahiṣīsī | duhūni āṇī kṣīra āmhā ||46||
Sri Guru said to her, 'You speak falsely to me; go quickly and milk the buffalo, and bring me the milk.'
Despite the wife's honest testimony, Sri Guru insists — a direct command that demands obedience beyond the evidence of the senses.
Sometimes trust in a wise guide means acting before you fully understand or believe the outcome.
ऐसे वचन ऐकोनि । विश्वास झाला तिचे मनी । काष्ठपात्र घेवोनि । गेली ऐका दोहावया ॥४७॥
aise vacana aikoni | viśvāsa jhālā tice manī | kāṣṭhapātra ghevoni | gelī aikā dohāvayā ||47||
Hearing these words, faith arose in her mind; taking a wooden vessel, listen, she went to milk the buffalo.
Viśvāsa (faith) is the pivot of the story — she acts on trust in the guru's word despite all the facts pointing the other way.
Let trust in a proven guide override your own doubts when the moment calls for action, not analysis.
श्रीगुरुवचन ऐकोन । विप्रवनिता जाता क्षण । दुभली क्षीर संतोषोन । भरणे दोन तये वेळी ॥४८॥
śrīguruvacana aikona | vipravanitā jātā kṣaṇa | dubhalī kṣīra samtoṣona | bharaṇe dona taye veḷī ||48||
The instant the brahmin woman went, obeying Sri Guru's words, the buffalo gave milk joyfully — two full vessels at that moment.
The miracle occurs the instant faith becomes action — obedience is rewarded immediately and abundantly.
Take the first faithful step; the results may exceed what you thought possible.
विस्मय करी विप्रवनिता । म्हणे ईश्वर हा तत्त्वता । याचे वाक्य परिसता । काय नवल म्हणतसे ॥४९॥
vismaya karī vipravanitā | mhaṇe īśvara hā tattvatā | yāce vākya parisatā | kāya navala mhaṇatase ||49||
The brahmin woman was astonished and said, 'This is truly God himself'; hearing his word fulfilled, she marveled greatly.
Direct experience converts her devotion into certain recognition — she moves from faith to knowing.
Let direct experience deepen your convictions rather than relying only on secondhand belief.
क्षीर घेवोनि घरात । आली पतिव्रता त्वरित । तापविती झाली अग्नीत । सवेचि विनवी परियेसा ॥५०॥
kṣīra ghevoni gharāta | ālī pativratā tvarita | tāpavitī jhālī agnīta | saveci vinavī pariyesā ||50||
Taking the milk, the devoted wife hurried back into the house and set it to heat on the fire, then at once came to entreat him, listen.
She continues the ordinary domestic work of preparing the offering, blending the miraculous with the mundane task of cooking.
Even after a moment of grace, continue with the ordinary work needed to complete the offering.
श्रीगुरु म्हणती तियेसी । घाली हो क्षीर भिक्षेसी । जाणे आम्हा स्वस्थानासी । म्हणोनि निरोपिती तये वेळी ॥५१॥
śrīguru mhaṇatī tiyesī | ghālī ho kṣīra bhikṣesī | jāṇe āmhā svasthānāsī | mhaṇoni niropitī taye veḷī ||51||
Sri Guru said to her, 'Serve the milk now as alms; we must go to our own place,' he told her at that time.
Sri Guru, having granted the miracle, moves the scene along toward completion without lingering for praise — grace given without seeking acclaim.
After doing a good deed, don't wait around expecting gratitude; move on to what needs doing next.
परिसोनि स्वामीचे वचन । घेवोनि आली क्षीरभरण । केले गुरुनाथे प्राशन । अतिसंतोषे करूनिया ॥५२॥
parisoni svāmīce vacana | ghevoni ālī kṣīrabharaṇa | kele gurunāthe prāśana | atisamtoṣe karūniyā ||52||
Hearing her master's word, she brought the vessel of milk; Sri Guru drank it with the greatest satisfaction.
Sri Guru accepts and consumes the humble offering with full delight — divine grace is satisfied by sincerity, not scale.
Give what you have wholeheartedly; a modest, sincere gift can bring complete satisfaction.
संतोषोनि श्रीगुरुमूर्ति । वर देती अतिप्रीती । तुझे घरी अखंडिती । लक्ष्मी राहे निरंतर ॥५३॥
samtoṣoni śrīgurumūrti | vara detī atiprītī | tujhe gharī akhamḍitī | lakṣmī rāhe niramtara ||53||
Pleased, Sri Guru gave her a boon with great affection: 'In your house, prosperity (Lakṣmī) shall dwell unbroken forever.'
The reward matches and exceeds the offering — the family's whole future of want is reversed into lasting abundance.
Trust that genuine generosity, however small, plants the seeds of lasting good fortune.
पुत्रपौत्री श्रियायुक्त । तुम्ही नांदाल निश्चित । म्हणोनि निघाले त्वरित । संगमस्थानासी आपुल्या ॥५४॥
putrapautrī śriyāyukta | tumhī nāmdāla niścita | mhaṇoni nighāle tvarita | samgamasthānāsī āpulyā ||54||
'You shall surely live blessed with sons and grandsons and prosperity,' he said, and then departed swiftly for his own place at the confluence.
The full blessing — descendants and wealth both — is granted before Sri Guru withdraws as unassumingly as he arrived.
Bless generously and then let the outcome unfold without needing to witness it yourself.
श्रीगुरु गेले संगमासी । आला विप्र घरासी । ऐकता झाला विस्तारेसी । महिमा श्रीगुरुमूर्तीचा ॥५५॥
śrīguru gele samgamāsī | ālā vipra gharāsī | aikatā jhālā vistāresī | mahimā śrīgurumūrtīcā ||55||
Sri Guru went to the confluence; the brahmin returned home and heard in full detail the glory of Sri Guru's manifestation.
The husband, absent for the miracle, learns of it secondhand — the story now must be passed on and believed, testing a second kind of faith.
Be ready to believe good news reported by those you trust, even when you didn't witness it yourself.
म्हणे अभिनव झाले थोर । होईल ईश्वरी अवतार । आमुच्या दृष्टी दिसे नर । परमपुरुष तोचि सत्य ॥५६॥
mhaṇe abhinava jhāle thora | hoīla īśvarī avatāra | āmucyā dṛṣṭī dise nara | paramapuruṣa toci satya ||56||
He said, 'A great wonder has happened; surely this must be a divine incarnation. To our eyes he appears human, but he is truly the Supreme Being.'
The husband arrives at the same recognition his wife had — the ordinary appearance of the guru concealed the highest reality all along.
Look past someone's ordinary outward appearance to recognize the depth of who they truly are.
विप्र म्हणे स्त्रियेस । आमुचे गेले दरिद्रदोष । भेट जाहली श्रीगुरुविशेष । सकळाभीष्टे साधली ॥५७॥
vipra mhaṇe striyesa | āmuce gele daridradoṣa | bheṭa jāhalī śrīguruviśeṣa | sakaḷābhīṣṭe sādhalī ||57||
The brahmin said to his wife, 'Our affliction of poverty has departed; we have had this special meeting with Sri Guru, and all our desires are fulfilled.'
The couple names what has happened in plain terms — an ordinary meeting turned out to satisfy every longing they had.
Recognize and name your blessings clearly to yourself; gratitude grows sharper with plain acknowledgment.
म्हणोनि मनी निर्धार करिती । भेटी जाऊ कैचा यति । हाती घेवोनि आरती । गेले दंपती संगमासी ॥५८॥
mhaṇoni manī nirdhāra karitī | bheṭī jāū kaicā yati | hātī ghevoni āratī | gele dampatī samgamāsī ||58||
So they resolved firmly in their minds, 'Let us go meet this extraordinary ascetic'; taking an ārati lamp in hand, the couple went to the confluence.
Gratitude moves them to action — they don't merely feel thankful, they go to formally honor the one who blessed them.
Turn gratitude into a concrete act of honoring the person who helped you.
भक्तिपूर्वक श्रीगुरूसी । गंधाक्षताधूपदीपेसी । नैवेद्यतांबूलप्रदक्षिणेसी । पूजा करिती सद्भावे ॥५९॥
bhaktipūrvaka śrīgurūsī | gamdhākṣatādhūpadīpesī | naivedyatāmbūlapradakṣiṇesī | pūjā karitī sadbhāve ||59||
With devotion they worshiped Sri Guru with sandal paste, rice grains, incense, and lamp, with food offering, betel, and circumambulation, in sincere good faith.
A full traditional pūjā (ritual worship) is performed — the outward ritual elements express the inward gratitude already established.
When gratitude is deep, express it through complete, careful ritual or ceremony, not a hurried gesture.
येणेपरी द्विजवर । लाधता जाहला जैसा वर । कन्यापुत्र लक्ष्मी स्थिर । पूर्ण आयुष्य झाले जाण ॥६०॥
yeṇeparī dvijavara | lādhatā jāhalā jaisā vara | kanyāputra lakṣmī sthira | pūrṇa āyuṣya jhāle jāṇa ||60||
In this way the excellent brahmin obtained exactly as the boon promised — daughters, sons, lasting prosperity, and a full lifespan, know this.
The chapter confirms the blessing's fulfillment in full — the story closes the loop between promise and reality.
Trust that promises kept with sincerity will, in time, show themselves fulfilled.
सिद्ध म्हणे शिष्यासी । श्रीगुरुकृपा होय ज्यासी । दैन्य कैसे त्या नरासी । अष्टैश्वर्यै भोगीतसे ॥६१॥
siddha mhaṇe śiṣyāsī | śrīgurukṛpā hoya jyāsī | dainya kaise tyā narāsī | aṣṭaiśvaryai bhogītase ||61||
Siddha said to the disciple, 'For one who has Sri Guru's grace, how can poverty remain? Such a person enjoys the eightfold prosperity.'
Siddha draws the moral explicitly: grace is described as categorically incompatible with lasting want — the eight forms of prosperity become available.
Seek the inner grace of right living first; outer sufficiency tends to follow.
म्हणे सरस्वतीगंगाधर । सांगे गुरुचरित्रविस्तार । ऐकता होय मनोहर । दैन्यावेगळा होय त्वरित ॥६२॥
mhaṇe sarasvatīgamgādhara | sāmge gurucaritravistāra | aikatā hoya manohara | dainyāvegaḷā hoya tvarita ||62||
Says Sarasvatī Gaṅgādhar, 'Whoever narrates or hears this expanded Guru Charitra becomes free of poverty quickly, for it is delightful to hear.'
The author signs off with the traditional claim that even hearing this text carries the same blessing as living it — the story itself becomes a vehicle of grace.
Make time to hear or read uplifting, true stories regularly; they can shape your fortune as much as your actions do.
इतिश्रीगुरुचरित्रामृत । वंध्या महिषी दुग्ध देत । निश्चयाचे बळे सत्य । भाग्य आले विप्रासी ॥६३॥
itiśrīgurucaritrāmṛta | vamdhyā mahiṣī dugdha deta | niścayāce baḷe satya | bhāgya āle viprāsī ||63||
Thus in the nectar of Sri Guru Charitra: the barren buffalo gives milk; truly, by the strength of firm faith, good fortune came to the brahmin.
The summarizing colophon verse restates the chapter's central image and its lesson — firm resolve and faith as the force behind the miracle.
Hold firm faith in the face of apparent impossibility; it is often the very thing that unlocks a good outcome.
इति श्रीगुरुचरित्रपरमकथाकल्पतरौ श्रीनृसिंहसरस्वत्युपाख्याने सिद्धनामधारकसंवादे वंध्यामहिषीदोहनं नाम द्वाविंशोऽध्यायः ॥२२॥
iti śrīgurucaritraparamakathākalpatarau śrīnṛsimhasarasvatyupākhyāne siddhanāmadhārakasamvāde vamdhyāmahiṣīdohanam nāma dvāvimśo'dhyāyaḥ ||22||
Thus ends the twenty-second chapter, named 'The Milking of the Barren Buffalo,' in the dialogue of Siddha and Nāmadhārak, in the supreme wish-fulfilling story-tree of Sri Guru Charitra, in the legend of Sri Nṛsiṁha Sarasvatī.
The formal Sanskrit colophon marks the chapter's close, naming it after its central miracle and reaffirming the frame of a teaching dialogue between Siddha and Namdharak.
Mark the completion of any meaningful undertaking with a clear, deliberate close, not just a fade-out.
श्रीगुरुदत्तात्रेयार्पितमस्तु ॥
śrīgurudattātreyārpitamastu ||
May this be offered to Sri Guru Dattātreya.
A dedicatory formula offering the merit of the whole narration to the divine teacher, Dattātreya — a reminder that the work is not for the author's own credit.
Dedicate the fruit of your good work to something greater than yourself rather than claiming it for personal glory.
(ओवीसंख्या ६३)
(ovīsamkhyā 63)
(Verse count: 63)
A scribal note recording the number of ovīs in this chapter, useful for manuscript tracking rather than narrative content.
Keep careful, honest records of your own work as a simple discipline of diligence.