N1LKANT HILL - 305
severe attack of dysentery which continued for over a
fortnight.
Two days later, Ramdas had a visit from half-a-dozen
sadhus. One of them, in the course of talk, suggested:
"Maharaj, why are you cooping yourself up here in this
solitary place? You ought to travel in the Punjab and
Kashmir and enjoy the prem of the devotees of those parts,
especially in the Punjab where the people are so filled with
devotion and love. You should not fail to visit that
province.11
Ranidas was at once impressed by his advice and believed
that the hint came from God Himself for making a move
from the cave. When the visitors departed Ramdas turned
to Ramcharandas and said:
"Ram, it is the command of God that we should depart
from here and travel towards the Punjab and Kashmir-
Make yourself ready for starting."
The boy, hearing Ramdas7 words, turned pale and then
blue! He fondly glanced at the store-room.
"It is all very well," said Ramcharandas with a slow
voice and a wry face. "Thank God, we are saved the
terrible labour, that is, of rolling up the heavy stump of
the tree from the ditch, into which it has fallen, to the
mouth of the cave."
At this Ramdas could not control a laugh and the boy
could not help joining him.
The stored provisions and the pots were then distributed
among the hill-men and women, and by evening they
found themselves in the small thatched kuti near the
Marwadi annakshetra of Swargashram. The sadhu who had
been addicted to charas, but who "was now free from its
clutches stuck on to Ramdas. He accompanied Ramdas
down the hill and remained with him. He insisted upon
following Ramdas wherever he went. Ramdas dissuaded
him saying that he would find it very difficult to keep pace
with Ramdas while walking. The weak point about the
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