392 IN THE VISION OF GOD
nature of mother Elizabeth. While Ramdas wafl given
a cushion for a seat spread oix a carpet on the floor, she
was offered a chair to sit on, but she refused to take the
chair as, by so doing, she would be assuming a higher
position than Ramclas. She therefore squatted on the
carpet beside him. At the time of leaving the house by
the staircase Eamdas was jumping' down the steps and the
mother kindly hinted: "Beware, Ramdas, don't lose
balance."
"Mother," Ramdas replied significantly, "Hamdas
never loses balance,"
"You are very clever, Ranwlas," she remarked laughing,
Myou have always a ready wit.1"
Ramdas returned to Kantilal's houso.
(ii) What fools them—an explanation
One day Ramdas had an invitation from the local
ashram of Jain sadhus. Popatbhai accompanied him to the
ashram. A dozen saclhus including those who attended the
mother's memorable garden party had a long discussion
with Ramdas on the question of thoniomont, alrimsa. They
put him several questions regarding the state of dwand-
watita and trigunatita. Ramdas added a vein of humour to
his talks and evoked frequent laughter from the sadhus.
The leader among them asked Ramdas with a flcvrioua
concern.
"Swami, don't you filter water before drinking?"
"Ramdas does not attach much importance to filtra-
tion," Ramdas replied, "unless the water is dirty. The
flowing water of the river which he often xised to drink
with his hands needed no filtration."
"There are germs in the water which you destroy by
drinking," he remarked.
"You do the same through filtration,'1 said Ramdas,
"Moreover, even the drops of water well-filtered have
still animalcules floating in them although these are not