meals. It was a simple but wholesome meal. After thy meal
Rarmlas returned to his seat while Ramcharan-Sda reinsIkvil
behind, talking tu somebody. A little later ht* also tuiu>%
Ivnt this time ^vith a worried look.
"What is wrong with you?" Ramdas questioned.
"Some men near the tiffin-shop saw -as taking int-al*,"
he answered, "*au»l have remarked v, me, 4<bAlthough Badhns.
yo?i are very particular al>ont meals. E'ltinjE? geems t«» Fv
the predominant sadhana of your sadlm life/"
"Ram,"* Ramdas saiti with a laugh vrhicii h** c<*ul*l
repress, "the food %vas delicious. So alsks vrljy not
the same taste in this street remark r"1
He never ordered further meals, presumably becac& thf
bitterness of the remarlc ontweigheU the taste of the meal!
On the way, when the steamboat was still moving* twi»
me«thers gave birth to t^vins. They were third-elastf
passengers and the accouchement took place on the deck.
There Tvere among the passengers also a doctor and a nurse
who attended on the mothers. In the mid-sea, even in such
a contingency, God provides necessary assistance. Heue*-
Ood is called Providence.
Eaindas and Eamcharandas on arrival at Mangalore were
put up at Sitaramrao's house. An invitation came from
Kasaragod to attend the closing day of a nama-saptafaa held
in the honse of T* Bhavanishankerrao, a relation of
Ramdas' old life. He and his house-people had undertaken
to repeat the Ram-tnantram thirteen lakhs of times within
a week, and in the japa children and servants had also
joined.
About this time Ramdas had a visit at Mangalore from
Savoor Shankarrao who held English degrees and was then
a professor in the Presidency College, Madras. In spite of
Ms great learning and attainments, Ramdas found him to be
a simple, humble and pious sonL He conceived a great love
for Ramdas at first sight and frequently courted his
company. The very talk of God would work on his emotion*