20 IN THE VISION OF GOD
his most delightful company. Anandrao read out to him
selected quotations from various philosophical works he
had studied. In fact he poured into Ramdas the very essence
of the highest truths. He was all love and kindness. In this
connection, Ramdas cannot help mentioning the remark-
able love and regard with which he was uniformly treated
by all, including the members of the family to which he
belonged in his past life.
Ramdas, during his stay at Udipi, took a stroll with a
friend to a distant water-spring where he bathed. On re-
turn they paid a visit to the celebrated temple of Sri Krishna
founded by Sri Madhvacharya, the great religious reformer
of southern India.
(ii) The Power of God's Name
Stopping at Udipi for a couple of days Ramdas pro-
ceeded to Mangalore, where too he had to stay only for a
short time. P. Anandrao, an elder brother of his former
life, eagerly wished to take him to Kasaragod-a town to
the south of Mangalore where he lived. At Ramdas' request
he arranged to procure for his occupation a small room in a
newly built dharmashala in the midst of three temples. In
the vicinity of the temples were two tanks in which he
would have the morning bath. Anandrao was very kind and
loving. He was keen on Ramdas' comforts. The little room
was fully equipped with the simple necessities of Ramdas*
life. They consisted of a soft mat with a deerskin spread
upon it, two ochre-coloured khaddar pieces, a couple of
mats for visitors, a hurricane lantern, a country leaf
umbrella, one copper water pot and some religious books.
A piece of card-board was also nailed to the wall above his
seat with the divine Ram-mantram written in bold Kanarese
characters thereon. Ramdas gives these details since a
strange event that happened has a close bearing upon them*
His diet was milk, f ruitg and plain boiled rice,