72 IN THE VISION OF GOD
and moved towards the station with as much speed as he
could summon under the circumstances.
(iii) God makes Amends
Ram das saw Ramcharandas get into the train. Now
he wandered aimlessly. Often he burst into tears at the
thought of the dinner. The grief dulled his brains into a
state of apathy. He found solace only when he withdrew
within himself and entered into the silent depths of his
being. During the night he stopped in the rest-house of a
small way-side hainlet. One of the villagers offered him
some eatables which he did not accept. He was not in a
mood to eat anything.
In this manner he roamed on for two days, without food,
from village to village. He did not care for food nor would
he touch any when it was placed before him. He was now
feeling a sort of searedness at heart. His feet were swollen
due to thorn-pricks and blisters. In this condition, on the
third day, he arrived at a village named Shetphal. He
went into a temple of Maruti and laid down his tired body
on the hard stony floor, and, covering it with his only
cloth, rested. The tirne was midday. He had hardly taken
half an hour's rest when he heard the footsteps of some-
body entering the temple. He had screened his head with
the cloth. The visitor having performed his puja of Maruti
for about five minutes approached Eamdas and asked:
"Who is that?"
Ramdas remained silent. Then he pulled off the cloth
from Ramdas1 face and questioned: "Why are you lying
down here like thisr Have you eaten anything for the
day?"
Ramdas simply replied: "It is the will of Earn that he
should not eat," and was covering himself again when the
stranger caught Ramdas by the arm and drew him up into
a standing posture. He was a tall and strong man. Then he
almost dragged Ramdas forcibly with Mm saying: tk Ram's