420 IN THE VISION OF GOD
came up and offering the plantains to KamdaBfell prostrate
at his feet. Making him seated by his side, Ramdas wont
on talking about the power of God's Name and the blissful
nature of true devotion to God. As ho spoko on, the young
man's eyes were filled with tears which coursed down his
cheeks in streams. When ttamdas finished ho again
prostrated at Ramdas' feet and begged:
"Bo gracious to give mo the upadotfh oŁ Ittim-inantram."
Ramdas immediately initiated him with the man tram
and he left. Ramdas was to leave Mangalovc I'or Kasaragod
the next day. An hotir before departuro this young man
suddenly turned up, an utterly changed man! Ho wore the
ochre or orange-coloured robes of a guimyasi and his head
was clean-shaven and ho had a lota in IUB Hand.
He was a bright and healthy-looking lad having the
light of meditation in his eyes. Ho wus bhe youngest of
four brothers who ran a coffee hotel in Maugaloro. The
eldest was a devout soul and was spending hitf timo mostly
in kirtan and bhajan. Ramdas hoard the story of the
youngest brother's conversion Oom him. It appeared,
immediately on leaving Raiuckitf, the youngest, brother
whose name was Rayu got his head slmvod and had his
clothes dyed in red ochro. For IIIH initial bhikshu Rayu
presented himself before thu door of his brothers and callod
out for alms in the Name oJt God. Hi8 brothers were both
pained and surprised at the transformation in Rayu. They
tried to persuade him to give tip the dlkshu and return to
. live with them to which he replied: " I am nol relate*! to any
of you and am no longer yours, I belong to God in future
and my life is for His devotion and service." On receiving
bhiksha he walked away from the place and came straight
to Ramdas at Sitaramrao's house. He accompanied Raimlafl
to Kasaragod. After a week's stay at Anandrao's Rayu
left for Northern India.
The ashram work was getting on apace, When all
things were ready, with a few select friends including