XALADY—KASARAGOD—IN THE STEAMBOAT 99
have it. He however drank the water of the tender cocoanut.
Soon after, Gurudev returned home. During this incident
there were in the hut abont half a dozen visitors- Now one
of them, affected by the disappointment felt by Gurudev,
said with a touch of reproach in his voice :
uYon say lie is your Gurndev and still you refused to
eat the bread offered by him with such love ; how do you
explain this ?"
"It is He within and without;" Eanidas replied with
a smile, "from without He says, 'Eat'; from within He
again says, 'Don't eat.' Ramdas always obeys the voice
within/1
4*Why should He speak externally in a manner different
from your inner prompting?" interrogated the friend
again.
**That is His wonderful lila," Ramdas answered.
The friend did not press the matter farther.
One day Ramcharandas came suddenly, as if he dropped
from the clouds. He carried with him a well-tanned tiger-
skin and a yogadanda. He said that, after wandering over
some parts of Northern India, he felt a keen longing to see
Ramdas again; so he was here,
'"Swamiji, I have brought this tiger-skin for you all
the way from Jhansi where a devotee presented it to me.
Pray accept it," said Rameharandas.
"Ramdas does not need it, Ram," replied Ramdas,
"since he goes about with only one cloth. You may keep it
for yourself-'1
"It is intended for you and you must have it," he
urged. "I shall carry it for you. I shall follow you wherever
you go. I am not going to leave you this time," he added
with emphasis.
"What is that wooden cross for ?" asked Ramdag.
"It is for dhyan. It is a great help for sitting erect
during meditation/* he explained.
**As you are young and energetic, you should not depend
13*