tvd. They said witb one voice that they vimM n^t 5..* ex«?fpt
with Litn and also would not take food unless he shared it
with them. He could bear their talk and see them from
above. They pressed Balak Ram to bring him dovxu Balak
Ram was in a dilemma. He had given word that he would
not be a party to the breaking of the vows. The situation
was extremely awkward for him. At last he had to yield.
He came up and led Ramdas down. Then the party sat for
dinner. Balak Ram with his own hands mixed a (niiee in
milk with sugar and offered it to him- He ate — three vu\vs
broken— and also broke the last with the remark :

k*Ram, all the vows are broken and you are the cans^.
So Ramdas takes it that he is allowed to depart with th*
party/1

fc"Xo, no Swamiji,M Balak Ram cried o'jt with a
frightened and grieved tone, " You may observe the vows
after they are gone."

At this stage, Ramcharandas vho ^as dead against
Ramdas stay with Balak Ram. made a sign to Rani das
nut to yield to his persuasion. At this Balak Ram got
terribly enraged with Ramcharandas, and with a loud voice
said:

**You dare to instigate Swamiji not tu stop here! May
the curses of Shiva be on your headP

Ramdas immediately replied: 'The curses of Shiva be
on Ramdas" head and not on Bamcharaiidas' since Ramdas'
head is smooth, being bald, and therefore can accommodate
any number of curses/' Eamdas got up to start while
Balak Earn wept and rolled on the gmmd to prevent him
from going.

"Control your anger, Bain/' Ramdas said, repeat Eam-

The party left the hills and returned to the motor-car*
They reached Chhattarpur by midday. The motor-car
drove directly to the door of its owner who ^ras ill.
Bamdas went in to see him- He was sitting on his bed, still