IN QUEST OF GOD - Swami Ramdas - 5

IN QUEST OF GOD

Swami Ramdas

ANANDASHRAM 

KANHANGAD

CHAPTER XXXII

MUCHKUND RISHI’S ASHRAM AND DWARKA

RAMDAS occupied this Ashram and remained in it for 10 days. He

would light a small fire and squatting before it perform Rambhajan all the

night. The place was full of bats and doves. Since it was a deserted and

frightful place, the people of the town and Sadhus were considering it a

privilege to visit the Sannyasi dwelling in such a place. Some of these wellintentioned

friends at first apprised him of the supposed fears of the place.

They were all told that when the all-powerful Ram protects, there was no

room for any fear. Here Maganlal and Kantilal were paying him visits daily.

They procured for him from Muslim friends an excellent translation of the

Holy Quran in English by a well-known Moulvi of Lahore. The Quran is indeed

a grand work. Ramdas derived great benefit by a study of these teachings of

the great Prophet Mohammed.

Then Ramdas received the command from Ram to leave the place.

Accordingly he left Junagadh by the midnight train and, after a change at

some junction, reached the station of Porbandar. From the station he went

to the city of Sudamapuri. The blessed Saint Sudama, the great Bhakta of Sri

Krishna, had lived here and hence the name Sudamapuri. Here he was

reminded now and again of Sudama’s humble offer of beaten rice to Krishna

and the loving acceptance of it by Him, and also how Sri Krishna on one

occasion washed the feet of Sudama, which brought to Ramdas’ mind the

famous line of Swami Rama Tirtha: “A slave is a slave because he is free.”

In the company of two Sadhus, he visited the temple of Sri Krishna,

said to have been erected at the spot where Sudama’s cottage once stood.

The same evening he and the two Sadhus, who were joined later by two

more, in all forming a party of five, started on foot towards Dwarka. It was

quite a jolly party of whom an old bearded Sadhu - with a big turban on his

head, a thick Kambal on his back, a pair of wooden sandals in one hand and

a broken brass pot in the other, a wooden arm-rest hanging by the shoulder,

a quilt jacket on his body, and a Kaupin round his loins - was chosen the

leader of the company. He was a simple, unassuming good-natured and

harmless old Saint. Merrily the Sadhus walked mile after mile, each

narrating to the other some bits of experiences. Ramdas was all the time

engaged either in listening to the stories or repeating Ram’s sweet name. A

halt was made for the night in a small wayside village, the residents of

which treated the Sadhus with great hospitality.

Next morning, very early, the Sadhuram, the leader, gave the call for

a start. Shaking off sleep, the Sadhus rose and shouldering their respective

bundles set forth on their journey. Thus they travelled on, breaking journey

at midday and at night in villages until they reached the old shrine called

Muladwarka, covering in all a distance of 20 miles from Sudamapuri. Here,

there was an Ashram of a Sadhu in which was found always an assembly of

twenty to thirty itinerant Sadhus. Here the new arrivals mingled with the

Sadhus of the Ashram in happy association, and then visited the old temple.

It is said Sri Krishna had made his first stay at this place before he changed

to Dwarka proper, or Bet Dwarka, as it is called.

After travelling a little further the party reached Gomati Dwarka.

This shrine is also considered an important place of pilgrimage on account of

the sacred river Gomati which flowed here at one time but has since dried

up. Now remains, in place of it, a tank in which pilgrims consider it a great

merit to bathe. After obtaining Darshan in the big temple of this place and

spending a day there in the society of many other travelling Sadhus, who

visit in hundreds everyday, the party strode on under the orders and lead of

the venerable Sadhuram. Arriving at the railway station, they got into a

train which was already fully occupied by other Sadhus. This carriage was

called “Sitaram” carriage. It was really generous of the railway company to

permit Sadhus to travel on this line free of charge. It was an uncommon

blessing of Ram to have secured for Ramdas the company of nearly forty

Sadhus, all mixing with each other in perfect amity and innocence like small

children at play. Each Sadhu was busy opening his bundle or bag to exhibit

to his neighbour Sadhu his articles of curios, such as conches, shells,

Rudraksha, small framed pictures of gods of various shrines, all collected

during his pilgrimage all over India.

At last the train carried them to the railway terminus - a small

station. Alighting here, they proceeded to the seashore where they were

allowed to board two steamboats belonging to a Mohammedan. When the

permission was granted by the boat-owner, there was a cry from all Sadhus

in one voice - “Mohammed Ki Jai!” The gulf was duly crossed and the Sadhus

reached the island of Dwarka. It was night, when they arrived. Resting in a

Dharmashala for the night, the next morning the party visited the famous

temple of Dwarkanath. An indescribable feeling of rapture and joy was

experienced by Ramdas, when he stood in front of the idol of Sri Krishna. He

remained inside the temple for nearly two hours in a state of complete and

blissful abstraction. He next wandered on the seashore, jumping from rock

to rock, all the time absorbed in the meditation of Ram. The party of

Sadhus stayed here for two days. On the third day, at the command of the

Sadhuram, the company started on their return journey.

Now, an incident occurred which must be noted down. The party as

usual stopped at a certain village for the night and at the command of the

leader all started before daybreak. The Sadhuram awoke rather too early. It

was still dark - and the Sadhus grumbled that they could not properly see

their way. There were also two more Sadhus who had joined the party at

the village. These were young men - one of them totally blind led by the

other who was blind in one eye. The Sadhuram assured the party that the

sun would rise soon. But for nearly two hours they walked on in the dark,

stumbling, grumbling and missing the way now and again - still daybreak was

as far off as ever. They all took the leader severely to task, but the old

Sadhuram was silently treading the path and did not vouchsafe any reply to

the adverse criticism passed by his friends. He was himself groping in the

dark with great difficulty and was at every step becoming more and more

conscious of the fact that he had lost the way, and that he was leading all in

an unknown direction.

On and on the party went. Now they came upon wet ground, then on

muddy soil. Farther and farther they went and at last found themselves in

mud, knee-deep. Now there was a furious cry of halt from all. It was yet

pitch dark. Everyone was straining his eyes - except of course the poor blind

Sadhu - towards the horizon in expectation of signs of the rising sun. But the

sun was still a long way off. Again some of the Sadhus grumbled and asked

the Sadhuram as to what they should do next. The Sadhuram never replied.

After fruitless discussion for some time, they arrived at the unanimous

conclusion that they should wait there until daybreak for, to attempt to

move might invite a worse fate - perhaps a fall into a ditch or a deeper

descent into mud.

CHAPTER XXXIII

BOMBAY

SO about an hour was spent standing in that morass in severe cold. At

length, the flaming chariot of the Sun-god came speeding up the horizon,

heralding a day of hope and joy. Most of the Sadhus of the party were now

determined to abandon the leadership of the Sadhuram, and forming groups

of two amongst themselves moved away from the place. But Ramdas who

was all through as silent as a top - busy with the repetition of Ram’s name -

clung fast to the Sadhuram, helped him in carrying his sandals and Lota and

followed him. Although for a time the Sadhus were separated, they all met

again at the nearest railway station. Here all of them got into the train

going northward. At Viramgam, a change had to be made. In the rush of

passengers, Ramdas and the Sadhuram missed each other and did not meet

again. Probably the Sadhuram who wanted to proceed to Mathura must have

boarded a train travelling still northward. Ramdas with some other Sadhus

got into a train going towards Bombay. Ram’s kindness was so great that the

train he sat in happened to be one that travelled directly to Bombay without

requiring any change on the way.

The train had almost neared Ahmedabad when, at a certain station, a

ticket inspector came in to check tickets. He found about half a dozen

Sadhus in the carriage without tickets, of whom Ramdas was, of course,

one. He gave an order that all Sadhus should get down. Accordingly, one by

one, the Sadhus dropped down from the carriage. Now Ramdas also rose up,

but the ticket inspector who was standing quite close to him, placing his

hand on the shoulder of Ramdas, pressed him to sit again saying:

“Maharaj, you need not alight. What I said was not meant for you.”

O Ram, why this preference for Ramdas? No, he has no right to

question Thee. Thy slave is ever bound to Thy holy feet - O Ram - and that is

all. After passing Ahmedabad, some friends in the carriage provided him

with fruits, etc. He found later that all passengers around him in the

carriage were very kind to him - although he was all along silent, but only

repeating Ram’s name under breath. About 8 o’clock in the evening, the

train reached the Grant Road station in Bombay. Here, coming out of the

station, Ramdas, as prompted by Ram, proceeded directly to Bhuleshwar.

For the way he had to make enquiries now and again, as he walked on. Now

arriving at the temple, he rested for the night on one of the stone steps of

the inner temple. Here, close to the temple, there was a big storeyed

Dharmashala instituted in the name of a generous mother - Janakibai.

The Dharmashala was always full. It could accommodate two to three

hundred Sadhus. About 4 o’clock in the morning Ramdas, who was asleep,

woke up to listen to a most rapturous song issuing from the Dharmashala

The subject of the song was Radha-Krishna. The manner in which the two

devout mothers were singing was full of pathos, and the voice filled the air

with a sweet fascinating charm. Krishna’s own love seemed to have mingled

with the music of their voice. Ramdas felt himself raised to heights of

ecstasy and was lost in it as long as the singing lasted.

The day broke. Finishing his bath at the water-tap, Ramdas had just

returned to his seat when he was presented by a friend with a Chit or ticket

and was asked to accompany six other Sadhus who held similar Chits.

“You are all invited by a merchant for dinner at his residence,” he

said.

So all the seven Sadhus followed this guide who led them through

several streets until they were brought to the entrance of the host’s house.

Since there was still time for dinner, the Sadhus sat down under the shade

of the trees in the compound. Ramdas had just sat down on a log of wood

when a Sadhu approaching him said:

“Swamiji, the ticket which was given to me is lost on the way. I have

been going without food for two days. Shall I be able to secure dinner

without a ticket?”

The only response which Ram made Ramdas to give at the time was

to silently and cheerfully hand over to him his own Chit and instantly walk

out of the place. He now wandered in the sun like a mad man - why say like

a mad man? He was really mad - mad of Ram. He walked and walked.

Unconsciously he directed his steps to the Fort and wandered from one

street to another. At a certain turning on the footpath, a grief-stricken man

of middle age saluted Ramdas and offered him a pie. Returning the salute,

he said that he would not accept money but would take fruits. At hand

there was a mother selling plantains. The friend bought one plantain for the

pie and handed it to Ramdas.

Now he made Ramdas sit on the path, and narrated his story. He said

that he had only one son who was a veritable jewel. He was so intelligent,

so mild, so good in character, so promising, so affectionate and loving and

also so handsome in features - such a model of perfection - and this son was

carried away by plague about a month ago. Ever since this heavy loss, he

had been stricken mad over the sad blow. He therefore begged Ramdas to

find a way for him to bear this calamity. Ramdas then replied:

“Brother, to sorrow over the loss of your son is to hug delusion. To be

free from this sorrow means to know the Reality. There is only one way to

wake up to this Reality and that is to meditate upon God.”

“How can I do it? I cannot control the mind,” put in the friend.

“Well now, begin here to repeat the Mantram which Ramdas is

bidden by Ram to give you and see the immediate effect.”

Saying thus, he gave him the Upadesh of Ram-Mantram and made him

repeat it then and there for about 15 minutes without stopping. While he

was doing this, a sense of relief came to him. Then he rose and saluting

Ramdas said that he had secured the right key to unlock the gates of peace.

He further admitted that since repeating the Mantram he had been

experiencing calmness and he would not give up repeating it always. Then

he left the place. Ramdas continued his mad walk.

Now he passed through the broad road adjoining the Port Trust

Buildings and Docks. He went on and on - now going into a maze of streets

and lanes - then passing over bridges and railway crossings. At last he found

himself about 3 p.m. in front of a building which was familiar to him.

Looking up, he discovered the sign board of brother Ramakrishna Rao -

portrait painter by profession. Ram prompted him to get up the staircase

and in a few minutes he was in the front room occupied by the artistbrother

. He was welcomed by the brother most heartily. With this brother

he remained for four days. The members of his household were also very

kind to him.

During his stay here, Ramdas was utilizing the morning for visiting the

various temples of Bombay and the Sadhus residing near the temples. He

spent one night on the footsteps of the large tank of the Walkeshwar

temple, keeping awake almost the whole night in Rambhajan. By Ram’s

command, then, he proposed to start. The kind brother Ramakrishna Rao

escorted him as far as the railway station, and, getting him a ticket for

Nasik, saw him sit in the night train. Ramakrishna Rao’s anxiety for his

comforts was so great that he pressed him to take a small packet containing

plantains, oranges and some sweets. The train started. Ram now got Ramdas

the company of another friend who was sitting beside him on the same

bench. He travelled with Ramdas as far as two stations this side of Nasik. All

the way he was talking of nothing else but Ram. Now and again he would

sing about Ram composing songs extempore. In fact, he was more mad of

Ram than Ramdas himself. Here Ram was teaching Ramdas how to become

really mad of Him. It was a perfect delight to enjoy his talk and songs of

Ram. It was all Ram’s pre-ordained plan and Ram is always kind. Before

alighting, this friend requested another passenger (who was close to him

and who too was bound for Nasik) to guide and take care of Ramdas.

In due time Nasik was reached. The new friend guided him out of the

station. Here finding a motor-tram waiting, the friend got into it beckoning

to him, and Ramdas followed suit. Soon the tram was full of passengers and

the bell sounding, it started. The tram conductor, after clipping tickets for

other passengers, came to Ramdas and demanded fee for the ticket.

Ramdas had, of course, no money and so nothing to say in reply; while a

number of passengers sitting near him in almost one voice told the

conductor not to bother the Sadhu, as he was not supposed to possess

money, and that he should be allowed to sit in the car. Of course, the

conductor yielded to their appeal on behalf of Ramdas.

About 3 miles were passed when a Ticket Inspector got in. He was an

elderly man with whiskers. Coming to Ramdas he asked for ticket, but

Ramdas having no ticket, the Inspector began to fret and worry over it

saying that the Sadhu could not be allowed to travel free. When he was thus

complaining, the same friends who had pleaded for Ramdas with the

conductor again spoke for him, but could produce no impression on the

Inspector. So the only course open for Ramdas was to get down.

Accordingly, standing up, he requested the Inspector to stop the car so that

he might alight. Here again, Ram’s power prevailed. The attitude of the

Inspector now suddenly changed. He told him not to trouble himself and

that he might continue the journey in the tram. Ram’s tests are at all times

coming unawares. One should always be prepared for them and face all

vicissitudes calmly and in complete resignation to His will. Then there is no

sorrow, no disappointment, no fear of any kind.

CHAPTER XXXIV

PANCHAVATI AND TAPOVAN

PANCHAVATI was reached. Ramdas saw the beautiful river Godavari,

on the banks of which there are a number of Kshetras for feeding Sadhus,

Brahmins and poor pilgrims. To one of these he directed his steps. On the

verandah of a Kshetra he found a number of Bairagis, mendicant mothers

and children. Here he, as prompted by Ram, opened the parcel of fruits,

etc. given to him by brother Ramakrishna Rao, and emptied the cloth in

which they were tied by distributing them all amongst the small children in

that place. This relieved him of a pretty heavy burden. Ram’s order is

always not to worry about food and clothing. Then Ramdas, going up to the

holy river, washed his clothes and after bath sat down on the bank for

meditation of Ram. Time passed and it was past midday when he rose and

proceeded towards a Dharmashala and found, on entering, a number of

Sadhus and others coming out of the front door, to wash their hands after

dinner. Ramdas quietly sat outside all the time, busy with the repetition of

Ram’s name. Now a rough-looking man approached him and sitting beside

him, asked Ramdas if he had his meal, to which he, of course, replied in the

negative.

“Well, come on,” he said, “I shall take you to a place where you can

get a meal.”

And then taking Ramdas by the hand, he conducted him a short

distance away on the same road, and entered a high building where he

made enquiries if it was possible to give food to a Sadhu. The friend who

was asked this question on the verandah of the house went in to ascertain

the matter. Meanwhile, the guide who took Ramdas there said:

“Look here, Maharaj, you need have no anxiety about food. I shall see

that you get meal without fail even if it is not available here.”

“When Rambhajan is on the lips of Ramdas, he is always far from such

anxieties,” replied Ramdas.

Later, meals were offered at this Kshetra. Ram takes care at every

step. His concern for his devotees is a thousand times more keen and lively

than that of the mother for her new-born baby. Ram now handed Ramdas

into the hands of a retired merchant staying in the Dharmashala, who

became very much attached to him. At midnight, without his knowledge,

this kind friend would cover Ramdas with a blanket, since he would not

accept a Kambal when offered. The cold on the banks of the Godavari at

this time was extreme. At the pressure of this merchant-friend, Ramdas

remained with him for two days. During the second night, the friend

questioned him if he had cultivated powers of inducing dreams. Ramdas

replied that he was quite ignorant of that Sadhana and he only knew how to

utter the name of Ram.

“You can do it if you only wish, Guruji,” said the friend. “Just, for

instance, desire intensely to know from Ram the winning numbers of the

next Derby Sweep, and the number will be made known to you in a dream.”

“Ramdas requires none and nothing else but Ram,” replied Ramdas.

“You see, the amount that might be won is not for selfish purposes,

but for feeding Sadhus,” suggested the friend.

“Ram sees to the feeding of the Sadhus,” returned Ramdas.

The friend then became silent. This was again a test of Ram to find

out if Ramdas could be tempted to wish for wealth.

Another incident was this. In the Dharmashala there was a sick girl

ailing from fever for about 4 months. Ramdas was asked by the mother of

the girl to pray to Ram for her welfare. Accordingly, going up to her bed,

and, finding her in high fever, he appealed to Ram to bless her with health.

Ram’s ways are always inscrutable. The girl-mother seemed to have

improved for about two days, but again fell ill. Ram alone knows the why

and the wherefore.

Next day, at noon, Ramdas walked about 3 miles and reached a place

called Tapovan. This is said to have been the spot where Lakshmana,

brother of Sri Ramachandra, cut the nose of the she-monster Surpanakha.

Tapovan is a charming place. Here the clear water of the Godavari is flowing

at the foot of low hills. To sit on one of these hills is to view a most

attractive scene all around. Here, on a large rock, are cut out a number of

rectangular caves side by side. About 10 feet from the bottom of the rock at

which the water of the river is rushing along, Ramdas fixed upon a cave for

a night’s Bhajan and accordingly, after bath in the river, climbed up and

occupied it. The night was intensely cold. So he had not had a wink of sleep.

He sat up the whole night repeating the sacred name of Ram. In Tapovan he

had occasion to meet several Sadhus. Next morning he returned to

Panchavati and remained here for a day.

CHAPTER XXXV

TRIMBAKESHWAR

EARLY the following morning, Ramdas started for Trimbakeshwar,  

miles from Panchavati. He reached the place about 3 in the afternoon. First,

the temple of Trimbakeshwar was visited. This place reminded him of

Kedarnath and Badrinath. The plateau on which the town and the temple

are built is surrounded on three sides with high mountains. He scaled these

mountains one after the other. First to ascend was the small hill of

Ambajee, next the hill of Ganga Dwar, and then the still higher hill,

Brahmagiri. The climbing of Brahmagiri was a memorable one. Ramdas went

up alone with Ram on his lips. Ascending the top of the hill, he got down the

slope. On the other side he came upon a small tank and a Mandir of Shanker

in which there was a Sadhu. Ramdas was received by the Sadhu very

hospitably. He narrated the story of Gautama’s Tapasya on those hills in

ancient times. The Sadhu lives here alone in the company of a number of

monkeys that ran about on the roof of the temple. After sharing with

Ramdas his frugal fare, the Sadhu pointed to him a thin footpath on the hill

which he said would lead him to a place called Jatahshanker.

Accordingly Ramdas started, accompanied also by a Brahmin pilgrim.

But the Brahmin was with him only for a short distance, for when they had

to walk amongst brambles, and high grown grass and reeds, they missed

each other, both having lost their way. Ramdas now found a long line of

steps cut into the bosom of the hills. Here he climbed down, and, finding

below a small opening, crept out of it on the other side and found himself

on another hill. Again walking some distance, he came upon another similar

passage and going down here as well, he came upon the other side to a

different hill. Here again he proceeded further still, now through thorny

shrubs and thick growth of reeds. At last he came to the end of the summit.

Here appeared on the extreme edge of the slope, something like a beaten

track.

Now Ramdas was standing on the brow of a tremendous precipice.

The bottom of the hill could be seen from this place straight down

vertically, many hundreds of feet below. Any attempt to walk upon the

slope was a very dangerous experiment. But a strange fascination seemed to

have seized Ramdas. He crept slowly upon the slope. His hold was thin

dried-up grass that grew on the hill. Both his hands were engaged in this

task. He was now on the slope. It was a condition in which every moment

had to be counted; but he was careless and fearless. Suddenly, the dried

grass in his left hand gave way and his left foot slipped. Ramdas was even

now calm and unperturbed - his lips uttering Ram’s name aloud.

It was rather a very severe test on Ram’s powers of protection. But

nothing is impossible for the all-powerful Ram. Ramdas’ other hand was

then grasping a stone which was also a little shaky. By a concentration of all

strength at this point he recovered his balance and drew up the leg that had

slipped. This became all possible by the aid of Ram alone. It was Ram alone

who pulled him up. A few minutes later he was again on the same path that

led him to the precipice. While returning he came across a small tank full of

pure spring-water. Here he met again the Brahmin pilgrim whom he had

missed. Jatahshanker could not be found. So both retraced their steps to

the Mandir and, finding the way downhill before evening, reached

Trimbakeshwar.

That night Ramdas could not help thinking again and again of the

wonderful manner in which Ram saved him while he was about to fall down

the precipice. That same evening he mounted up a small hillock and spent

some time in the Ashram of a Maratha Saint. During his stay in the

Dharmashala, he had also the unique privilege of having the Darshan of an

old learned Sannyasi permanently residing in the Dharmashala. In the course

of his talk with Ramdas the venerable Saint condemned, in no uncertain

terms, the use of silk by Brahmins as a sacred cloth. His contention was that

cotton cloth is the best suited and of the purest material since it is made

from a plant’s flower, whereas silk is produced by destroying thousands of

innocent silk-worms. So he considered that, instead of silk cloth being holy,

it was the most sinful article for wear and must be totally eschewed.

Further he said that crores of rupees/ worth of silk was every year being

imported from China, Japan and other countries, which meant an enormous

drain upon the poor and diminishing wealth and resources of India.

The old Saint spoke with great earnestness and asked Ramdas if he

agreed with him. Ramdas at once gave his humble and unqualified approval

of his diatribe upon the evil. The Sannyasi was so zealous upon this subject

that he was busy circulating notices, getting them pasted on the walls of

temples and Dharmashalas, writing to newspapers and calling upon all

devout people to give up, once for all, the use of silk which he described as

nothing short of a most sinful luxury. He explained that the wearing of silk

was unknown to the ancients of India, since no mention of it could be found

anywhere in the Vedas, and its use has not been enjoined by any religious

authority.

The Sannyasi was kind to Ramdas and desired that he should remain

in Trimbakeshwar for some days more. But Ram’s command had already

come. So, next morning, Ramdas left the place for Panchavati, which he

reached in the afternoon. He visited the Sri Ramachandra Mandir of

Panchavati and had the Darshan of several Sadhus on the banks of the

Godavari. The following day, walking up to the railway station, he started

by the night train, and, travelling via Manmad and Kurduwadi, came to

Pandharpur.

CHAPTER XXXVI

PANDHARPUR – BIJAPUR

PANDHARPUR Vithoba is indeed a most popular deity. He is visited by

pilgrims from all parts of India. Hundreds of them are everyday coming to

Pandharpur with this object. It is said that on important festival days

thousands of people are pouring into the place. Here flows the beautiful

river Chandrabhaga. A little away from the banks of this river is situated the

temple of Vithoba. To go inside this temple is to merge oneself in an

atmosphere full of spiritual fervour. On one side, a group is busy performing

Bhajan ringing cymbals; on another side, a saintly figure is preaching the

greatness of Bhakti giving now and again a sweet song or an apt illustration.

Again at another place, some saints with the Tambourine in hand are singing

Abhangas of Tukaram. Some are sitting near the massive pillars of the

temple deeply absorbed in meditation. Still others are found occupying the

verandahs reading religious books. Some again are dancing, only repeating

Vithal, Vithal! O, it was a scene in which Ramdas lost himself every time he

entered the temple. There is always a huge rush of pilgrims for the Darshan

of Vithoba.

Ramdas remained in Pandharpur for 5 days occupying a small Mandir

of Shanker on the banks of the holy river, in the company of two Sadhus.

Ram is very kind. Ramdas here came to know that Mangalvedha lay only 12

miles from Pandharpur. One morning he walked this distance and reached

Mangalvedha at midday. In the town a kind merchant served him with food.

It appeared as though the merchant was looking forward to Ramdas’ arrival.

Ram’s plans are always so when man leaves everything to Him without

interference. Mangalvedha is a small town where about 400 years ago the

great Saint Damaji Pant flourished. The ancient and worn-out fortress in

which Damaji was holding office for managing public affairs under the

Badshah of Bijapur is still there.

Damaji was a great devotee of Vithoba of Pandharpur. The way how

he came to the relief of thousands of starving, famine-stricken fellowmen

by a loving and fearless act of charity, and how God Vithoba saved his

Bhakta by assuming the form of a Pariah, form the theme of a well-known

story in this great Saint’s life. The memory of the Saint is still dear and

sacred to everyone of this blessed town even to this day. On the Samadhi of

this Saint there is now a temple containing three idols, viz. of Vithoba,

Rukhmayi and Damaji. Bhajan, Puja and reading of religious books are going

on in this temple throughout the day and a great part of the night. There is

also a Sadhu residing here. Ramdas remained in the society of the Sadhu for

five days. They were indeed, by the grace of Ram, very happy days.

The Sadhu was a simple and child-like man - a true Shishya of Damaji.

He was rearing a white cow of which he was very fond. He called her

Krishnabai. He has written some beautiful verses in Marathi upon the

Gomata. Truly, the cow represents the Mother of the universe and is a grand

ideal of all that is gentle, pure, self-sacrificing and innocent. The Gomata

yields milk, out of which curds, butter and Ghee are made for the use of

man. And again, she is the mother of the bullocks that plough the fields for

growing corn that provide food grains for the use of man. Even her dung is

of great use as manure and fuel. In Kathiawar, where there are no trees and

forests close by, the common fuel is only cowdung cakes. Then again, after

death, various useful articles are made out of her skin and bones. O Mother,

thou art indeed Kamadhenu!

Ramdas now started by Ram’s command on foot for Bijapur which is

40 miles from Mangalvedha. He came across, on the way, a number of

villages and in almost all the villages he was welcomed by the resident

Sadhus of the place. In some places, the villagers prevailed upon Ramdas to

stay with them for two or three days. So the journey proved, by the grace of

Ram, a most delightful one. At last he reached Bijapur in the evening. He

went straight to a Ram Mandir and receiving some Prasad after Puja, took

rest for the night in a small shed attached to the temple.

Next morning, Ram prompted him to go about enquiring for any

generous-hearted merchant who supplied foodstuffs to Sadhus. For, every

town or city contains such charitable Bhaktas. Ramdas had given up doing

this kind of thing independently; for, in fact, foodstuffs were of no use to

him since he did not cook. If food was given, he would take, otherwise not.

But in this particular instance, it was all the prompting of Ram. At last,

knocking about for 2 or 3 hours from one bazaar to the other, from one lane

to the other, from one shop to the other, he was directed to a place where

he was given some wheat flour, Dal and one Anna for sundries. These things

Ramdas tied up in a piece of cloth and was passing in the crowded streets

without knowing where to go. When he was in the middle of the street, he

was detained by a call from a young man who approached him from a high

storeyed building.

“Will you deign, Maharaj, to accept Bhiksha at my house to-day?” he

asked. “If you can do so, you may come to this house at 12 o’ clock.”

It was then about 10 o’clock. Ramdas, accepting the invitation,

proceeded onwards and eventually sat down on the outer verandah of a

shop which was shut. Ten minutes had not elapsed when he descried, at a

short distance, an old man with a rosary of large Rudraksha around his neck,

standing in front of a house for alms in the hot sun. Now Ramdas clapped his

hands and beckoned the old Bhikshu to the place where he was sitting. He

came. After mutual salutations, he took his seat beside Ramdas. Ramdas

now handed over to him, as prompted by Ram, the bundle containing wheat

flour, etc. as also the anna piece. No sooner had Ramdas made this offer

than he stared at Ramdas with a solemn, uncertain and vacant gaze. Then,

falling at the feet of Ramdas and clasping his feet, he looked up and said:

“At last, God has shown Himself to me! You are none else but God to

whom I was praying and praying all these years.” Then again he cried out,

“Am I dreaming, or is this a reality?”

Now Ramdas was utterly bewildered and was quite unable to

understand the cause of his strange behaviour.

“What ails you, O brother?” asked Ramdas.

“The fact is, Maharaj,” he replied, “from morning I have been

wandering for alms. I could get till now only half an anna (here he showed

two quarter anna pieces). At home there is an old sickly wife, besides two

children, to be fed. To go home empty-handed means the starvation of

these innocent children. I was praying to God in all humility, but I was

almost losing hope, when you - whom I look upon as God Himself - called me

and offered me food.”

O Ram, what a deplorable tale! O Ram, how many are there in the

world who are always on the verge of starvation! This occurrence is narrated

here in detail to show the acuteness of the misery of starvation that exists

among the poor, down-trodden lower classes. O rich brothers, O rich

mothers, O Ram!

Now parting from the old friend, Ramdas came to the house of the

merchant-friend who had invited him. Here both the merchant and his wife

treated poor Ramdas most kindly. They pressed him to remain at their house

for two days. During this time he visited the vast and imposing pile - the

Jumma Masjid; climbed the turret and ascended the gallery of that gigantic

structure - Golgumata. The masterly architecture of this building is indeed

wonderful. The hollow dome of the building reverberates the slightest sound

inside seven times. The sound is also magnified. A man standing near this

huge leviathan structure appears like an ant in comparison. Ram showed

Ramdas all these marvellous things.

 

Om Tat Sat
                                                        
(Continued) 

(My humble salutations to the lotus feet of H H Swami Ramadas ji  for the collection)