73 IN THE VISION' OF GOD
and called for a blanket. With the blanket she stepped
as quickly as her heavy body could permit to the verandah
of Mahadev temple on the other side of the road, opposite
to her shop. Spreading the blanket on the floor, she
inTited him to take his seat. He was duly installed on the
blanket. She got also a lota of drinking crater for him.
The mother squatted opposite to him and tenderly
urged him to eat. By this time a number of small boys had
gathered round him. He distributed the major portion of
the eatables among the children and partaking himself of
some of them drank the water.
"Sadhuji," the mother then said, "the river Bhima is
near by. Have your ablutions in the river and then return,
I shall have meals ready for you. My house is close at hand.
I shall either take you home or fetch the meal over here."
He got up and traced his steps to the river where he
washed his clothes and had a bath. Eeturning he found
the mother waiting for him.
"Come along, sadlmji," she said, "I am taking youhome.''
He followed her. The sun was very hot and the ground
was burning. He had nothing either to cover his head or
to protect his feet. About half-way the mother realized
the situation. Her soft heart felt the pangs of remorse.
""What a heartless creature I am!" she cried, "I ought
not to have taken yon ont in this hot sun. I could have
brought meals for you in the temple. You have no sandals
on your feet. The ground is hot like a frying pan. Fool,
fool that I am!"
The mother had, of course, leather sandals on her feet.
Hence her remorse was all the more poignant.
"Never mind, mother," he assured her, "your child is
accustomed to the heat."
"Come on, let us walk quickly. We have only a short
distance to cover," she said.
Her unwieldy body swayed to and fro as she hastened
on. They arrived at the door of her cottage, bat to her great