Ch - 22 Sri Guru Charitra

An old, barren buffalo gives milk

Shri Guru was staying at the Sangam and used to go to Gangapur for alms. There were about a 100 Brahmin families in Gangapur. Amongst them a poor Brahmin lived with his devoted wife. He had an old barren she buffalo. Putting a rope in her nostrils, she was hired for carrying load, earth and other articles. He lived on the petty amount of the hire thus received.

One day Shri Guru came to this Brahmin at midday for alms. Other Vedic Brahmins said, `We have good delicious food at our houses. Still Shri Guru preferred to go to this poor Brahmin They felt sorry. Shri Guru wished to do parmath without discretion of rich or poor. Shri Krishna went to stay with Vidur instead of King Duryodhan. He accepted simple, coarse food at Vidur's house. Similarly Shri Guru loved Satwic persons more. Even bad fate was changed by the favor of Shri Guru.

It was the month of Vaishakh and so the heat of the Sun was terrible. When Shri Guru came to the Brahmin's house, he had gone out. His wife bowed to Shri Guru and offered him a seat. 

She said, `My husband will soon return with corn. Kindly wait for a while.'

Shri Guru: `There is a she buffalo at yours. Then why do you not give me milk?'

Brahmani: This she buffalo is old and has no teeth. Moreover she is barren from birth. So we use her for hire and have put a rope in her nostrils. We live on the petty amount of hire.

Shri Guru: You are not telling me the truth. Go and take out milk and give it to me now.

When Shri Guru talked in this fashion, the woman took a pot and went to the she buffalo and began to milk her. When two pots-full of milk were obtained, she was surprised and believed that he was not an ordinary sanyasi, but was an incarnation of god. She boiled the milk and respectfully offered it to Shri Guru. Shri Guru was pleased and said, `Lakshmi will live at yours incessantly.' He then went to the Sangam.

When the Brahmin returned, he learnt what had happened. He said to his wife, `Our poverty is now wiped out. Let us go to Shri Guru.' They both went to the Sangam and worshipped Shri Guru with devotion. As blessed by Shri Guru, the Brahmin had a son, daughter, wealth and long life and they lived happily.