SRINAGAR-RAWALPINDI-AMRITSAK 383

her to give tip the repetition of *he mantram she refused
to do so, as she looked upon the sadhu as her guru. I
prescribed abandoning the mantram as the only remedy but
not agreeing with my suggestion she left. In a few days
she came again and her condition was much worse than
before. She was finding the pains quite unbearable. When
again I asked her to stop the mantram, she replied that she
tried to do so, but could not as the mantram appeared to
have taken possession of her. Then I suggested to her, as
the only course for averting its influence, to express in
strong language her repugnance for the sadhu and a
resolve not to have anything to do with his mantram.
She refused point-blank to follow this advice as she held the
sadhu in great reverence. She again left*
"After a week she turned up for the third time. She
was quite cheerful and free from the racking ailment. She
confessed that during the previous week the torments
of the headache grew so unbearable that she was obliged
to follow my advice and make a firm resolution not to utter
the mantram, and this resolution she made after abusing
the sadhu and holding him up as a loathsome creature.
Immediately afterwards she added, the headache ceased
and with it the influence of the mantram. Ever since then
she was feeling her old self again. So I consider there is
no greater evil in life than association with a man whose
heart is filled with bestial passions. Such a man easily
communicates his nature to impressionable people who
are of an emotional and weak temperament. And by the
same rule, no society is so beneficial for our elevation
and peace as that of a man of a noble character and pure
heart;'