32 IN THE VISION OF GOD
event he was frequently coming to the town. On one
occasion he had the darshan of Swami Shivananda,
the preceptor of the raja yogi who initiated him into
pranayama.
After his return to Kasaragod, Ramdas had a three days1
water-fast during which he stopped with an old devout
mother in the town. The fast broken, he proceeded
again to Mangalore and stopped for some time on the
Kadri hill.
(iii) Enter Ramcharandas
Ramdas reached Mangalore by an evening train and
directly made his way to the Kadri hill. He came to a
dharmashala, situated close to the famous seven tanks. The
rest-house was in charge of a young boy by name Madhav.
The boy welcomed him with unfeigned delight. He offered
Ramdas a deerskin on which he took his seat on a raised
platform. Madhav was a well-built and healthy lad. He
conceived a great and abiding love and regard for Ramdas.
His perfect trust enabled him to lay before Ramdas the
story of his life. He narrated: He lost his mother when he
was still a little child, and was thus thrown adrift into the
world. He passed under the care of his relations from place
to place. So, his higher education was neglected. His elder
brother had disappeared many years ago and his where-
abouts were unknown. His father, a petty clerk in some
office, was touring with his officer in the district. He was
without a homfe. The boy had a religious turn of mind from
his childhood. He frequented kirtan parties and sought
the society of sadhus. His inherent craving for freedom
and peace was thus intensified. He prayed to God to grant
him a situation in which he could spend all his time in
devotion.
Ramdas found that the boy's nature was pure and
lovable. He was put in charge of the rest-house by a