PANDKARPUR-SHSTFHAL 73
Tdll is that you should take meals in my house. Come
along. I will not allow you to starve/'
Eazndas had to submit. The kind friend's house consisted
of a long narrow room facing the street, the front portion
of which \vas used for a shop of sundries and the back as
residence. He led Ramdas directly into the interior where a
yuiing girl was busy preparing meals,
"Child,"1 he said to his daughter—such she was, "serve
this sadhu £rst. Cook for him some soft roties, for he is
without any teeth."
Spreading a gunny bag on the floor he made Ramdas sit
ilowji on it,
He said: " Maharaj, I am a poor petty shop-keeper'7
and pointing to the girl, "this is my only daughter, I have
no wife. The girl *s unmarried. So you will have no
objection to eat from her hands."
It was evident from his words that there is a certain
class of sadhns -who are opposed to eating food prepared
by married women. However, Ramdas neither belonged to
tkat class nor did he favour the views held by them on
this point.
Xow the food was ready. The kind shop-keeper mixed
in a brass plate two roties with a quantity of dal curry
converting the whole into a soft mixture. Then he fed
Eamdas with his own hands, just as a mother would feed
her child.
k4Lord, art Thou making amends for what Thou madest
him do in the annakshetra of Pandharpur", thought
Kamdas. What love ! What kindness I
Taking leave of the shop-keeper Ramdas rambled on
and, after passing many a village, came to Anjangaunu
Here in the street a man directed him to the house of the
kulkarni—a village officer.
Ramdas entered an old-fashioned square block of build-
ings and took his seat in one of the verandahs. He saw two
men sleeping on the opposite side, their bodies concealed
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