336 IN THE VISION OF GOD
rishis—the seven ancient sages, the invisible guides and
teachers of mankind.
Ram das had frequent occasions to voam around
this hill. Along the path is a small temple in charge of
sannyasis. When he visited this temple he caine in contact
with a young sannyasi, Anand Swamp of the Gowd Saras-
\vat community and a native of Cochin Wtate. He had his
residence in a small room in the upper storey of a rest-house
near the temple. He was a sincere sadhaka who lived a
retired life, filling his hours with a deep study of the
scriptures and in spiritual discipline and contemplation.
Ramdas enjoyed many blissful hours in his company. He
was so kind and loving to Ramdas.
The main river of Kashmir is Jhelum or Vitatsa as the
pandits denominate it, a tributary of the Indus. The
river flows right through the middle of Srinagar and on
both banks of it are studded the residences of pandits and
Muslims of the place. The habitations in many cases pro-
ject out into the river, supported on wooden posts. The
river is held very sacred by the pandits, but all the drains
of the city empty themselves into it and render its water
thick, dark, muddy and impure. The pandits wash and
bathe in the waters of this stream. Long and slim boats
which they call kisti ply on the river. The boats are manned
by Muslims. For pleasure-trips and sight seeing these light
boats are largely employed by the populace. Kistiwalas carry
on a roaring business. A number of wooden bridges are
constructed across the river to connect opposite banks.
One day a student friend, who was visiting Ramdas at
Janakinath's house, proposed to take him up the Shankara-
charya hill. He and Ramdas boarded a kisti. The skiff
glided up the river until it came to a landing place at the
foot of the hill. After a short walk they reached the
bottom of the hill, where there was an ashram of sannyasis.
The spot is called Durga Nag, because of a pure spring in
the compound of the ashram—Nag meaning a spring.