432 IN THE VISION OF GOD
clothes all soiled with mud and earth and one of her legs
swollen up to the knee. Ramdas with the help of tlie
friends conveyed her to tho ashram. Ho learnt from her
lips that she had spent tho night partly in tho outer
yard of the ashram and partly in the jungle where she was
found. The refusal on the part of Ramdas to lot her stay
in the ashram had deeply affected her. She said nho could
not return to her home. The swelling was due to a snake
bite, but Krishna Bai was perfectly culm and her face
was as radiant as ever, not a shadow of pain marring it.
However, by God's grace, she recovered.
Among the earnest aspirants who visited tho ashram was
one named Gxmda, a native of Pnttur. ITo eatno on leave
from Bombay where he was employed. At tho closing
period of his leave lie came to POO Hunulafl, A brief
talk with Ramdas brought about a far-reaching trans-
formation in him* He at once abandoned the idoa of rejoining
his post in Bombay and made up his mind to stick to
Ramdas. At his request RamdaN initiated him with the
RanMnantram. No sooner did lie repeat the mantram for
half-an-hour than he was so far carried away by the spiritual
emotion caused by it that ho began to dance in a wild
ecstasy. Thereafter he turned his mind and life entirely to
the thought of God and service of tho ashram, He wan a
silent man, humble, unobstrusive and uHSiduotiH. He was
a simple, pure and great soul.
The day for departure arrived, Ramdas loft Kasavagod
in Janarckn Pant's company and the railway platform
was fully crowded by the devotees of Kasaragod including
Krishna Bai, mother Rukmabui and others,