7C IN THE VISIOII OF GOD
poured OTer him. His hair stood on end and a deep aching
was felt at the heart as if from a stab. Calling Rameharandas
quickly TO his side, Ramdas asked him if he had any
eatables with him.
"Yes," he replied. **I have abont half a seer of fried
gram, tied up in my cloth.11
"At once hand over the gram to the sadhu and also any
money yon possess/"
He was given the gram and also a few annas, but
Ranidas* heartache did not heal.
"Ram, God wills that Ramdas should leave this place
immediately," Ramdas said.
He walked away from the spot at a running pace,
Ramcharandas at his heels. His heart shook with an
uncontrollable emotion. Tears began to flow down his
cheeks in a regular stream, and he wept and wept like a
child. Ramcharandas looked at hina with a questioning
glance. Ramdas ran on until he reached the railway lines.
Here he slowed down, but the weeping continued. In Ms
intense grief he gave vent to the following words:
"Oh! Lord, why didst Thou make him do this? Why
didst Thou prompt him to eat a meal in the kshetra while
a hungry man was going without one outside? Thou didst
direct him to do a most ignoble and cruel thing." Then the
rising tears overwhelmed him and he cried bitterly. Again:
"Oh! Lord, why didst Thou not advise him in time,
either to surrender his turn in favour of the extra sadhn or,
at least, later on, to hand over the served leaf to the sadhu,
and to move away from the place? Thou art, 0 Lord, his
sole guide in all matters. 3?ow what hast Thou made of
him?—an utterly selfish fellow. How cruel of him to have
behaved like this!" And he wept and wept.
"Swamiji," broke in Ramcharandas, "yo^r grief is quite
unreasonable, judging from your attainment and your
attitude towards life. You have been all along hammering
into me the truth tlat everything happens by God's •will,