THE PILGRIMAGE TO AMARNATH 361
In the days of yore, when God Shiva and his consort
Parvati resided in the cave, at the request of the latter
the God narrated to her the Amarkatha, or the story relating
to the secret of immortality. As God Shiva proceeded
with the story, Parvati, overpowered by sleep, dozed
away. At the same time a pair of doves lodged in the
roof of the cave were eagerly listening to God Shiva's
narration. In the place of Parvati the doves responded to
the story by uttering the sound " hoo, hoo, hoo." There-
after, it is said, the doves not only became immortal but
also their species came to adopt the same cooing cry. It is
said that the same two birds are still alive and are seen in
the cave.
The pure and sanctified atmosphere, the glorious sur-
roundings and sight of thousands of pilgrims, gave rise in
him to waves of rapturous delight. He met at the cave
Ramcharandas. When asked about his bath he said that he
had already had one.
Bath and darshan over, the host of pilgrims retraced
their steps to their camp in Panchatarni. The doctor and
his party started on their downward journey. Before
nightfall they fixed their tents at a low lying hillside
beyond Vavjin. Here report was brought to the doctors
that a sadhu had given up his body at Yavjin on account of
the severity of the cold. This was the only casualty that
occurred among the pilgrims.
Early next day they commenced again the march down
the hills. The path was now, of course, a continuous
incline, and Ramcharandas close at his heels ran down the
slopes at breakneck speed, and reached Phelgaon long
before the hospital camp arrived.
The missionary either could not locate Ramdas' where-
abouts, since the camp was pitched at a different place
this time, or he forgot all about Ramdas and his proposal
regarding the sermon in his church, as he did not turn up.
God's will I
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