324 IN THE VISION OF GOD
from every situation. Towards midnight the racket
gradually died away, except for*an occasional outburst of
some choice epithets of abuse which the speaker had not
been quick-witted enough to remember when the quarrel
was in progress. About one o'clock everything was
quiet but for the deep, sonorous snores that issued from
their direction.
The following day he left the temple premises, when
the day just like a new-born babe was still nestling on the
soft and glowing bosom of the morning twilight. He
wandered over the place aimlessly and saw hundreds of
spires and domes of mandirs shooting up in the sky far
above the habitations of Jammu. Truly Jammu is a city
of temples.
As he roamed thus, his steps were unconsciously directed
towards a temple of unprepossessing appearance. He en-
tered the doorway and took his seat on the raised but dusty
dais of a large tree in front of the temple. He observed a
small group of devotees visiting the shrine with flowers
and offerings. Ramdas' mood at the time was of perfect
abandon or self-surrender. His mind was in a state of
complete freedom and peace in which the thoughts of the
past and plans for the future were totally absent. But
his observation of the external world was keen, and he
enjoyed the inner calmness as of a dispassionate witness,
looking on the strange play of nature revealed before him.
He saw to his right, squatted on au elevated pedestal
plastered with cement, a figure—his back turned towards
Kamdas—immersed in meditation. His big turban was
lying bottom upwards beside him. Ramdas watched him
for a while. After a short time, the devotee having finished
his prayers, started to depart, his turban properly poised
on his head. He descended the pedestal and as he did so,
Ms looks fell on Ramdas and their eyes met. He gave
Ramdas a namaskar which he returned and the devotee
walked out of the temple.