CHAPTER XXXI
SWARGA SHRAM-HARD WAR
(i) Ramdas gives it up
When Ramdas returned to Swargashram, he directed his
steps to the double kuti which he had occupied with the
other two friends before leaving for Vasishtashram. But
he found the room locked. For the night he sought refuge
in a kuti which was in ruins. This kuti consisted of nothing
but two walls and tin sheets covering the top. The night
was cold and icy blasts were blowing into the dilapidated
kuti. The night passed and the next day he still found the
double kuti shut and locked.
In the same line as the fallen kuti, in which Ramdas
stayed for a night, there was another occupied by an old
sadhu from Maharashtra. He had known Ramdas on the
last occasion. He informed Ramdas that Ramcharandas and
Bhavanishankerrao had left Swargashram some days before,
and Ramcharandas had locked up the doxible kuti. He ex-
pressed his keen desire to accommodate Ramdas in his kuti.
Ramdas accepted his hospitality. The room he occupied
was only ten feet by four feet. There was a slightly raised
pad of earth along its width which was intended for
seat and sleeping place for the single dweller. The kind
sadhu insisted upon Ramdas' using the raised pad, and, as
for himself, the sadhu slept and sat on the lower floor at
Ramdas' feet. The sadhu was a short-Statured man. He
was given to smoking ganja. His sadhana consisted of
reading twice a day the Avadhuta Gita in Sanskrit of Sri
Dattatreya.
For bhiksha both he and Ramdas would go to the
annakshetra at midday. One meal a day always sufficed
Ramdas; such, also was the ca0e with the sadhu.
On account of the Kumbhamela and also the approach-
ing pilgrimage to Badrinath and Kedarnath, there was an