JWALAJEE-PATHANKOT 317
at his house. He then left the village and proceeded
onwards.
About five o'clock he reached Pathankot. He saw a
white tower of a temple on the road-side into which he
entered. The moment the pujari of the temple saw him, he
showed great delight, as though he had been long looking
for Raindas' coming. He embraced Ramdas with great love
and made him sit beside him on a cot. He offered Ramdas
a sweet drink and talked to him in a most friendly
manner. The night was drawing near.
"Maharaj, Ramdas desires to spend this night in a
perfectly solitary room in your mandir. Kindly provide him
with such a place," Ramdas pleaded.
The pujari at once said that there was a cave-like
room underground, at the base of the main temple struc-
ture, a place free from the disturbing noises of external
life. It had not been in use for a long time. Still it was
fit for habitation. Ramdas agreed to occupy it for the
night. Taking an old mat, the pujari led him down a flight
of stone steps into the semi-dark room, about ten feet
square, in the bowels of the earth. Dust lay heavy on the
floor which was perhaps unswept for years. He spread
the mat on which Ramdas sat and bade the pujari good-
night. The pujari left. When night descended on the
outside world, the room was merged in inky darkness.
There was a single small window to the level of the
outer ground.
For hours Ramdas sat on the mat in a state of complete
oblivion of his body when he was brought down to the
external consciousness by the sound of footsteps. He
opened his eyes and saw three persons enter the cave. They
had a lantern with them and also a h&nd harmonium and a
tabla. They were the pujari and his friends. The pujari had
also brought with him a brass lota full of milk for Ramdas*
At his pressure Ramdas drank the milk.
"Maharaj," the pujari then said, "we intend to sing a