SWARGASHRAM-HARDfaAR 289
unusual rush of pilgrims in advance of the set periods.
They would wander in Swargashram for the darshan of
sadhus residing in the kutis. They used to make presents
to the sadhus of eatables, cloths and money. The pious
pilgrims, before turning away from the kuti after the
darshan, would throw into the room their presents. Mostly
they would fling pice. Everyday the coins collected would
amount to ten to twelve annas. The sadhu had a joli or
pouch in which he stored the coins.
Armed with the money the sadhu would run to the
small bazaar outside the ashram and procure milk, tea,
sugar and eatables. He would thus prepare tea twice a day
from the proceeds of the alms. Ramdas found that the
sadhu's life became one continuous round of fetching
tea materials and preparing tea from morn to eve. Even
his daily readings of Avadhuta Gita had to be stopped in
consequence.
As days passed, the coins commenced to pour in like
a shower, sometimes silver coins also. Every day there was
a surplus or balance of coins after expenditure. The joli
was getting heavier day by day, and the sadhu became
madly active like a cat with a burnt tail!
Eamdas now wanted to cry halt and had a frank talk
on the subject of money with the sadhu.
" Sadhuji, God has provided us with a shelter in the
kuti and is feeding us with one meal a day. He wills that
we should devote all our time to His remembrance. Now
what are we doing ? Tea, eatables and meal have become
the sole things of our lives. You know sadhus have nothing
to do with money. The moment you have surplus money
after your creature needs are met, you think of the ways
how you should spend it. You run to the bazaar for things
which you can do without and get into a whirlpool of
deluding activity. So, in future we shall not accept any
coins from the visitors. We will pray to them not to offer
any. Let us see how much we have already accumulated."
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