CHAPTER XLII
UNA-BOMBAY
(I) The dose of poison
In due time, Eamdas arrived with Popatbhai at Veraval,
a prominent sea-port on the Kathiawar coast. Here they
stopped with a Gujarati doctor in his hospital, who took
them in the evening to attend the kirtan and discourse
of a saintly householder in the city. They also visited
Prabhaspattan where, according to Bhagwat Puran, the
Yadavas, members of Sri Krishna's vast family, fought
among themselves bringing about the total destruction of
their race. Here in an extensive plain was a small enclosure
in which there stood an ancient peepal tree. The fence was
of iron bars fixed on low walls. In the niche of one of
the walls was seen an image of Sri Krishna in a reclining
posture. It was said that this was the spot where Sri
Krishna shuffled off his body as the result of his being hit
by an arrow from the bow of a passing hunter.
It was arranged Ramdas should start from Yeraval by a
cargo brig that was bound for Una. The brig was an open
boat filled with gunny bags of merchandise. It was to
leave the port in the night. So early at night Ramdas and
Popatbhai boarded the vessel. The season was winter.
Hence the cold was severe. The cutting sea breeze blew
over the boat with full force. They possessed hardly any
extra clothing. They coiled themselves in the hollows bet-
ween the bags and covered themselves with the single
cotton cloth they each had. The boat left the shores about
ten in the night. It was believed at first that the boat
would reach the port Una by the ensuing morning. But for
lack of wind the boat made very slow progress; morning
dawned and they were still far away from the destination.
Cold in the night was now succeeded by the heat of the
sun. They were well-nigh fried in the sun the whole day,
the boat having reached its destination past six in the