360 IN THE VISION OF GOD
Then Ramdas suddenly drawing up his legfl challenged
the friends by the remark :
" Ramdas denies you this happiness since you are not
willing to give bim delight by relieving the distress of the
beggar woman*1"
This attitude of Ramdas produced the desired effect on
the doctor and the friends. The doctor at once fetched the
woollen cloak from the hiding place and threw it on
Ramdas, and he in his turn immediately transferred it to
the needy old woman.
"Now here, do as much massaging as you like," and
Ramdas stretched out his folded legrs. And they fell to the
task.
Shortly after this they started for the darshan of
Amarnath. A four-mile walk through a narrow winding
path at the edge of a hill brought them to an open, uneven
and rocky vale, the river running to its right and an im-
mense cavity gaping out of the side of the mountain to the
left. Ramdas missed Ramcharandas. He was lost in the
vast and confused mass of pilgrims who were reckoned to
be over thirteen thousand.
After bath in the river Ramdas made his way to the
cave. The cave, a natural hollow in the mountains, is
enormous in size with a wide open mouth. Already
hundreds of pilgrims had assembled in it. The place
where worship is offered has a Shiva linga made of snow.
Ramdas could not gain a view of the murti as it was
completely hidden beneath the presents of cloths, etc.
thrown over it by the pilgrims. On the right and left of
the Shiva linga are huge blocks of snow which represent
Parvati and Ganesh. Ramdas has heard it said that Shiva's
murti grows in size during the first fortnight of the month
with the waxing of the moon and becomes smaller in
dimension with the waning of it. Ramdas also saw a
couple of white doves sporting on the rugged ceiling of
the cave. Now hereby hangs a legend.