In earlier times, if someone took care of the village’s cows, the villagers would send grain and other essentials to that person’s home and entrust their cows to him. Such a person was called a gwala or charwaha (cowherd). He would graze hundreds of cows and, in return, the villagers would send him food and necessities.
Gopal Charwaha, was neither literate nor had he ever chanted God’s name or listened to any religious discourse. He had no relation to spirituality. He simply tended cows, lived in the forest, and his wife would bring him food. The villagers supported his household because he looked after all their cows. He had no knowledge of any religion or spiritual practice.
Gopal Charwaha Gets Inspired to Chant God’s Name
One day, he saw a group of saints passing through the forest, singing the kirtan “Shri Ram Jai Ram Jai Jai Ram.” Hearing their chant filled him with joy. He noticed how the saints sang with deep devotion. He didn’t speak to anyone; he simply caught on to the rhythm and the holy name. He couldn’t recall the full kirtan, but the name “Ram” stayed with him.
Even if one chants God’s name without receiving a formal mantra from a guru, that very chanting can eventually lead one to a true guru. Gopal was around fifty years old. He had never gone on a pilgrimage, never performed any religious rituals, never read scriptures, and had never attended a spiritual discourse—nothing at all. Yet now he began to feel a supernatural sweetness in the name. Sometimes he would sing loudly; sometimes he would even start dancing. When he danced and sang like this, people around him mocked him.
They would say, “What will you get by doing all this? What can chanting of the holy name even accomplish?” He replied, “I never thought I’d get anything from this. I’m just singing for the joy of it. But you mock me… Is it really wrong to sing like this? I felt inspired when I saw the saints singing, so I started too. Do you really think this is wrong?” They said, “You fool! What would you understand?”—and continued to make fun of him.
Gopal Charwaha Begins His Search for a Guru
A thought began to stir in Gopal’s mind — “Is there anyone who can confirm for me whether the holy name I heard from those saints is truly the ultimate truth? Is it really the source of supreme bliss? Can it truly lead to Vaikuntha (the divine abode of the lord)? Is there someone who can tell me all this?” When such a sincere longing awakens in a person’s heart, the Lord Himself begins to show the path. When someone calls out to Him with such devotion, God is bound to answer.
One day, while people were mocking him as usual, he saw a saint passing by. Gopal ran to him and fell at his feet, pleading, “Maharaj Ji, please tell me just one thing. I chant ‘Ram Ram,’ and people mock me for it. Will this really lead to my spiritual welfare? Can I attain God through this?”
Hearing this, the saint smiled and replied, “Son, this is indeed the most auspicious and blessed name of God. But I feel you now need a guru — a true spiritual master. Once you become worthy of a guru’s grace, the mockery of others won’t hurt your heart anymore. And surely, you will have the divine vision of God.” Gopal was overwhelmed upon hearing this. Holding the saint’s feet tightly, he said, “Maharaj, please become my guru. Please give me the initiation.”
The saint replied, “Son, I am currently on a pilgrimage. At this time, it is not possible. But if you sincerely pray to the Lord, then surely He will send you your guru for your spiritual upliftment. Son, you are already blessed by God, for you have reverence for saints. Believe me — sit in solitude, cry out to God with all your heart, and call upon Him. You will certainly meet your guru.” Saying this, the saint continued on his pilgrimage path.
Gopal Charwaha Meets His Guru
Now Gopal began to practice spiritual discipline in solitude. Sometimes he would climb trees and scan the horizon to see if any saint was approaching. Food was delivered to him, which he would eat, then tend to the cows, all while his heart remained absorbed in one pursuit — “May I find my guru…”
A long time passed, but his faith never wavered. He firmly believed in the words of the saint: “If you call out with true longing, your guru will surely come.” And then, one day, it happened.
A radiant saint was seen approaching him swiftly. The moment Gopal saw him, a deep inner feeling arose — “It is him… He is my guru!” He ran and fell at the saint’s feet. The moment he touched those feet, it was as if an electric current ran through his body, and instantly a firm conviction awakened in his heart — “Now everything is settled… I’ve found my Guru!”
Tears streamed down his eyes. He intuitively knew that this was the guru foretold by the earlier saint. With deep humility, he said to the saint, “Lord, please bless me with that guru-mantra which can take me across this ocean of worldly existence.” The saint replied, “My child, initiation is not given just like that. First, go and take a bath. Then we’ll sit in a quiet place, and I will instruct you.”
Gopal replied, “Maharaj, I am a simple forest-dwelling man. I tend cows. I have no ties to home or worldly affairs. Food comes to me on its own. How will I be able to follow your instructions and discipline?” The saint smiled and said, “Still, go bathe first.” After bathing, he returned, and the two sat beneath a tree. The saint said, “I will now give you some disciplines. You must follow them.”
The One Rule Gopal Charwaha Received from His Guru
With great simplicity, he said, “Maharaj, I’m just an uneducated man. I won’t be able to follow all your rules, nor observe any fasts, and I’m not capable of performing difficult spiritual practices either. As you can see, I’m fifty years old, completely illiterate, and know nothing about religious rituals — I simply tend to my cows. I won’t be able to follow many rules… but please, kindly give me just one rule — and I promise, even if I have to give up my life, I will surely follow that one rule without fail.”
Seeing Gopal’s sincerity and unwavering devotion, the saintly master was deeply pleased. With loving affection, he said, “I will give you just one rule — our worshipable Lord is Lord Krishna, and from today, He will be your worshipable Lord as well. This is your rule: Do not eat anything until you offer it to the lord first. Whether it’s dry bread, milk, or buttermilk — whatever you receive — always offer it to God before you eat.”
Gopal immediately folded his hands and said, “Gurudev, even if my life is taken, I swear I will never allow anything to touch my tongue without first offering it to the lord.” He was a pure and simple-hearted man. Now Gopal was filled with boundless joy — he had found his Guru, received the Guru mantra, and also found his beloved deity, Lord Krishna!
Gopal Charwaha Kept His Vow — No Food Without Offering to the Lord
After that, food was sent from Gopal’s home. It was a simple meal — just chutney and roti. He sat alone under a tree and lovingly said, “Come, Krishna, accept this offering.” Gopal then began thinking in his heart — “But Shri Krishna is not coming… Gurudev told me not to eat without offering it first.”
He waited for the Lord the entire day. He kept thinking — “Guruji said that God resides in every heart — so He can appear from anywhere.” He kept chanting silently within, again and again saying — “Come, O Lord, please accept this offering.” But the Lord did not appear. Night fell. When he saw that the Lord still had not come, he picked up the food and fed it to a cow. He himself remained hungry.
Gopal Charwaha Fasts Waiting for the Lord
The next day, again food arrived from his home. He plucked a leaf from a tree, purified it with water, and arranged the meal upon it. Then, with deep emotion, he began to call out to the Lord — “Come, O Lord. Gurudev has commanded that I must not eat without first offering to You.” But once again, the Lord did not appear. Evening came. He again picked up the food and fed it to his cows. He himself fasted again.
Gopal the cowherd was fifty years old. He would run all day after his cows — and now he was doing so while hungry. Gradually, his body began to weaken. Several days passed — the third day, fourth, fifth, sixth, and seventh. Yet his resolve remained firm. He kept thinking — “O Lord, even if my life ends, I will not disobey my Guru’s command. If you do not come, I will die fasting, but I will not break my vow.”
Physical Weakness, but Unshaken Devotion of Gopal Charwaha
Gopal was just an ordinary cowherd, with no prior spiritual practices. But through the merit of serving cows and the grace of chanting the holy name, he earned special affection for saints, and by his Guru’s grace, a deep longing to see the Lord was kindled within him. His bones had begun to show through his skin. His wife asked him, “I bring food every day, and you take it from me too — aren’t you eating?” He simply replied, “That is not your concern.” From this, we learn that we must not share the spiritual practices or disciplines given by our Guru with others.
Silently, he kept thinking — “Gurudev had said that the Lord would come, and until He eats, I must not eat either.” However, his Guru’s intention was different. What the Guru truly meant was: “Offer the food to the Lord and then eat — and as you continue to chant and serve, through the power of the Guru-mantra, the Lord will manifest in your mind.” But Gopal, being a simple and sincere soul, understood it literally — “Until the Lord Himself comes and eats, I too must not eat.”
Gopal Charwaha — His Wife’s Concern and Plea
Eighteen days had passed — Gopal had eaten nothing, drunk nothing. On the nineteenth day, his wife brought food and asked with concern, “Are you falling ill? Why aren’t you eating? Should I stay here to care for you? Or will you come home?” Gopal gave no reply except, “Please return home. I’m fine.” Then, as always, he picked a leaf from the tree, sprinkled water on it, and said with deep love, “O Lord, please come… accept this offering!” Evening fell again. And once more, he fed the food to the cows.
He began to think, “Now it’s time for me to die. Why would the Lord come to someone as lowly as me? He is the Almighty… But I cannot break my Guru’s word. Let me die, but I will never disobey my Guru.” Twenty-seven days passed. Gopal had eaten nothing. He could no longer walk, couldn’t pluck a leaf or sprinkle water. As he lay down, he opened the same vessel his wife had brought food in and said,
“O Lord, I know You will not come… but know this — I will not break my Guru’s command.” Seeing his condition, his wife broke down and said, “Even if you ask me to, I won’t go back now. I can’t bear to see you like this.” But Gopal gestured weakly, “Just go… for today. Only today. Tomorrow, do as you wish.” He felt his end approaching, “Let her go today. Tomorrow won’t come for me anyway.”
Upon Hearing the plea of Gopal Charwaha, Lord Krishna Appeared
Tears streamed continuously from Gopal’s eyes as he lay down weeping. Slowly, he opened the food container and, offering the meal to the Lord, prayed silently within: “O Lord, either come yourself and accept this offering, or call me to your divine abode — and feed me there with your own hands. This is my final offering.” At that very moment, he heard a voice — “Gopal!”
Startled, he opened his eyes. As he lifted his gaze, there stood the Lord — clad in yellow silk, adorned with a peacock feather crown, holding a flute, wearing a waist ornament and anklets that chimed sweetly — the same elegant form, just as his Guru had described. Lord Shri Krishna stood before Gopal in unparalleled beauty. No cow could see Him, nor any other cowherd. Only Gopal could see that divine form, for when God appears to someone, He first grants them divine vision.
Gopal beheld — Shri Krishna stood before him — that same graceful form, that matchless beauty, that radiant aura — indescribable by words. The brilliance was so overwhelming that Gopal’s eyes could not bear it. He shut his eyes — and saw the Lord seated within his mind. He opened them again — and there stood the Lord Himself, in person.
Plea Of Gopal Charwaha to the Lord
With trembling hands, Gopal gestured, “O Lord… I cannot… I am helpless… please, have mercy and come closer Yourself…” The Lord understood his silent plea — and in that very moment, He Himself came near to Gopal. With tear-filled eyes, Gopal gazed upon the Lord, then bowed and placed his forehead at the Lord’s feet. The tears flowing from his eyes now washed the Lord’s lotus feet. The Lord gently lifted him up and embraced him to His heart. In that moment — Gopal’s frail and weak body became strong. All the sorrow, suffering, and pain within and without vanished completely. The Lord spoke, “Beloved Gopal, now do not cry. See — I shall now partake of these dry rotis steeped in your love.”
The Lord sat down and began to eat the simple bread from Gopal’s home. He said, “Gopal, no offering in the three worlds can please Me as this does. I long only for such food, filled with love. Whoever calls upon Me with a true heart — I surely come to them. Whoever feeds Me with devotion — I certainly accept their offering. I am never hungry for any object.”
“You shall never experience sorrow again in your life. Go home now — you no longer need to herd anyone’s cows. Prosperity will forever grow in your family line. You don’t need to do anything.” Gopal could not fully comprehend what had just happened. And before he could say anything, the Lord smiled… and disappeared. Gopal hadn’t even had his fill of gazing upon the Lord. He hadn’t spoken a word — and yet, the Lord vanished. He began to weep loudly, helplessly. Then he closed his eyes — and there he saw the Lord, now enthroned upon his mind. He became content, realizing: “Now my Lord resides in a place where no one else can see Him — and I can speak with Him and behold Him every single day.”
Lessons from the Life of Gopal the Cowherd
Gopal was a simple cowherd from a village. He had no knowledge of religious rituals, devotion, or scriptures — and yet, the Lord Himself came to meet him and embraced him to His heart. God loves humility above all. Those who obey the instructions of a true Guru naturally become humble, and their ego dissolves. Bhaiji Hanuman Prasad Poddar once said, “O Lord, make me unintelligent — this overactive intellect is of no use.” The Lord belongs to us, and we belong to Him. Chant His name, take shelter in Him — and God-realization is certain.
The Lord told Gopal, “No offering in all three worlds can please Me.” Those who think they can earn through unrighteous means and offer grand feasts to please the Lord should deeply reflect on this truth. Instead, try feeding Him in solitude, with tears of love. Even if you place just a small bowl of vegetables and two rotis before Him — but with a humble heart say, “O Lord, How can I possibly offer anything to You?” — Keep repeating this, and offer Him water in between. Whatever feeling you express, the Lord will respond accordingly. It’s as if, through Gopal’s story, the Lord Himself is telling us what He truly longs for.
We might be able to relieve temporary suffering — but only chanting the holy Name can destroy sorrow completely. Look at Gopal — when he heard the words of saints and began chanting Ram-Ram, a Guru appeared in his life. And when he obeyed his Guru’s command, he attained the Lord Himself. Hold on to patience — no matter how much suffering comes your way, do not turn back or slip away from the spiritual path. Maya will send her agents — but never accept any person, object, or place that distracts you from remembering the Lord.
Guidance By: Pujya Shri Hit Premanand Govind Sharan Ji Maharaj
