CHI7HAKU7 1£~
"Give up your fears, Ramji, they may he rats.*" fc&sisrei!
Ramclas.
Again an hour later, a similar noise louder ami Closer
was heard. This time the bania was thoronghly frightened,
and clung to Kamdas as the scared VOTO£ one of a monkey
does to its mother.
"What shall we <lo ?" he cried.
"Repeat the Name of Ram/' Ramdas suggested, "you
need not be afraid of anything when that powerful Xame
is on your lips. Do repeat it and keep calm/'
Thereafter, Ramnam worked on his lips with amazing
continuity. Till the appearance of dawn he went on with
the japa, and no more noises disturbed Mm. The day-break
dispelled his fears. He lay down through utter exhaustion
from want of sleep, and directly commenced to snore.
Ramdas got up from the place, and wandering in the
jungle, came to the top of the hill. Through the morning
mist he beheld the distant landscapes and the faint outlines
of the turrets and domes of the temples of Chitrakut. The
sight was enchanting arid Ramdas stood still for some
minutes under its magic spell. He roamed deeper into the
forest where he discovered at places dry hones of animals
scattered on the ground, the tell-tale signs of the work of
wild beasts.
Remembering the bania he hastened to the spot where
he had left him. But where xras the banter He had
vanished. When Ramdas was looting for him, the sadhu
who had come up inquired: "Whom are you seeking for ?—
the bania! When I was coming up I saw him rnmiing
down as though pursued by a deviL" He added with a
laugh: "After all he learnt that sadhuism is not a joke."
The jungle called Ramdas back again and he rambled
freely through it, till about eleven o'clock when he
descended the hill and directed his steps towards the river.