CKITSAKVT ,y_-«',. 1 = 9
ceard, bright, Lale ~n<l cheerful. He spoke - i wild
; *:s ijg though tL^y were domestic animal?.
TLe p^rty proceeding unwari] reached Anasuyaji hefcr«-
Lser. AiiiiSujaji \vas an awe-inspiring j'late. It v;&8 ji
strip of the jungle by the side of the river, harin^
oack ground tall, rii^ged. weird tanking crags.
the river stood a terrace2 bmLiiitg in whieh the
sadhus live«L an«l at s«>me *iisrnnce almost hi«liieu
\a iL^ «Jense grov*1 f.f trees \vs«s tlie temple ot* Auasiiyaji—
ttit t-elebrated pativraTu. wit'*- uf ilie ^reut sage Arrimiani*
Hf-re again the iiEage v,us of black marble, dressed gaudily
r:i ifTciriiiiP robes, after the Nortti Indian fashioii.
After slaking their thirst at the river—here the water
,f the brook was of transparent purity—the party rested
br&eath a hnge tree in froui of the terraced house, Xigbt
•;.as approaching and along with it also cold. The sadhuB
"Af-iii in search of firewood to light a fire for the niglit.
While Barndps was sitting alone tinder the tree, Le
l«tv.r«i tLe clapping of hands from the direction of the
terrace. A sadhu beckoned to him. Ascending a flight of
^:ieps Rumdas reached the terrace and approached the
<?.tdhii who had called him. The sadhu wfcs stark naked. He
made signs to Raindas to sit down on a ruu#2i kanibul
^hich he spread on the floor. Raindas took the seat ami Le
a3s</sat d<»wn. The sadhu was a young man but his body
\%"us lean and withered by severe austerities. His unkempt
hair and beard showed his titter indifference to physical
appearance. His lfx>ks were distant and dreamy and there
was a subtle glow on his brown face. As he expressed him-
self m signs, it was clear that he was also observing the \<rv
oi silence. He had in his hand a short japa-mala <»f
™draksh beads which he kept rotating between his lingers.
By signs he made Ramdas understand that be should
remain with hixn for the night. He took Ramdas inside the
room which he found in a state uf perfect disorder. He
prepared a seat for Ramdas beside the tire whieh burnt in