← In the Vision of GodHis autobiography, book two

CHAPTER VI

On the Way – Narsobawadi

(i) Muslim Friends

Next day the sadhus started from Supa. After visiting Castle Rock, via Londa, they came to Belgaum by train. From Belgaum they travelled on foot. They reached the town named Shahapur. Here the skill of Ramcharandas in cookery failed him. He served Ramdas with half-boiled vegetables with which he had a stiff fight before they could be driven down the throat. After a night’s halt they proceeded onwards. While passing through this fertile country they came upon sugar-cane fields. The farmers were so kind as to invite these itinerants and offer them the cool drinks of sugar-cane juice and jaggery.

As they journeyed forward they had to traverse vast tracts of hilly land. Here a word has to be said about the condition of their feet. The incessant travel from day to day on hard and rocky ground had worn out their soles so much that there were on them blisters, sores and deep cults. Unmindful of this Ramdas was walking as usual at a rapid pace, but Ramcharandas grumbled and limped behind him. At noon they reached a town in the heart of an extensive and elevated plateau. For miles around the place there was hardly any human inhabitation.

On entering the town they procured sadavrat or alms of food-stuffs from the temples of the place. They fixed upon a small room of a rest-house on the road-side for preparing meals. While Ramcharandas was busy cooking, Ramdas, whom he would never allow to help in any way, sat in the open verandah. Presently a Muhammadan merchant came and took his seat on the edge of the verandah facing Ramdas. The Muslim friend broke into a lively talk, in the course of which he drew out many particulars about these wanderers. He was touched at the sight of the torn and lacerated feet of both. Love welled up in his tender heart.

He said: “It is my great wish that you should have your meal prepared out of my food supplies.”

He took Ramcharandas to the bazaar, and returned with a rupee worth of first-class rice, possessing a natural sweet odour, dal and ghee. When the dinner was getting ready, the friend further said:

“I have a mind to spend on you five rupees. The balance of rupees three and odd shall be utilized for your tickets on the motor bus that runs from here to Kolhapur. The bus starts in an hour’s time. Your feet are so bad that I would you should go at least these thirty miles by bus.”

God is indeed all love and compassion. The kind Muslim saw them safely seated in the bus and left them.

At five in the evening they reached Kolhapur railway station. On alighting from the bus, Ramdas enquired of the bus driver, who was again a Muslim, as to what was the railway fare from Kolhapur to Sheroi station – the nearest halting place on the way to Narsobawadi. His reply indicated that for each the railway fare would be about a rupee. Now Ramdas made out that Ramcharandas possessed only a rupee and some small change. Of course, Ramdas was prepared to travel on foot if the funds on hand did not permit of travelling by railway. The bus driver was closely watching them. When he discovered that they did not possess sufficient money for two tickets, he slipped into Ramcharandas’ hand a rupee saying:

“Now it is all right for both. You may go by train.”

Where did this spontaneous flow of help come from? Surely from the heart of a feeling and loving God!

It was quite dark when they reached Sheroi station. Narsobawadi was about nine miles from the railway station. After groping about in the dark for a place of rest they came to a Maruti temple in which they spent the night. Early morning next day they started and reached Narsobawadi before noon.

(ii) Sense of Possession – An Obstacle

Narsobawadi is one of the most important shrines in Maharashtra. It is situated on the banks of the river Krishna. On the bank on a higher level stands the temple of Dattatreya – the great avadhuta whose life and teachings speak of the loftiest spiritual realisation. He is verily an avatar of God. The sadhus, washing their clothes in the river, bathed in its cool running waters. Next they visited the temple wherein they had the darshan of Dattatreya’s image of white marble, dressed and decked with diadem and ornaments. They sat for some time on the outer platform.

It is a custom here that the sadhus and poor devotees usually obtain their food by madhukari, i.e., by collecting doles of cooked food from four or more houses. At midday, along with others, Ramdas and his young companion also started for madhukari. They visited four houses and collected in all eight balls of rice and some dal. They came with the meal to a clean spot under the shade of a large spreading tree. The rice and dal were mixed in an aluminium plate which Ramcharandas carried with him. Often when alone, these sadhus would eat together from the same plate. So they started eating. Scarcely had they taken two or three mouthfuls when a huge kite from above swooped down and carried away in its talons two big lumps of mixed rice from the plate.

“This is very fine!” cried Ramdas. “How kind of the kite to join us in this precious feast!” They went on with the meal and finished it.

A little incident having a peculiar significance of its own deserves to be noted here. When the sadhus were jointly collecting the doles of madhukari from door to door, a critical devotee who was also one of the mendicants remarked:

“Ah! there go the guru and his chela – a funny pair,” pointing to Ramdas and Ramcharandas.

Ramdas lost no time in assuring him that they were not guru and chela but they were Ram and His servant – Ramdas being the servant and the other Ram.

Soon after meals the sadhus left Narsobawadi and travelled via Sangli and Miraj towards Pandharpur. Their feet were getting from bad to worse. Still they tramped on breaking journey only for the nights. Thorny trees and bushes are the characteristic features of this part of Maharashtra. The avenue trees on the road-side were full of thorns, bunches of which dropped on the way. In addition to the laceration and swelling of the feet sharp thorns now found their lodging in them. Ramcharandas cried out with pain whenever a thorn pricked him. Every time Ramdas would prescribe only one remedy and that was ceaseless remembrance of God by repetition of His divine Name which meant forgetfulness of the body and its pains. As they walked on Ramdas dilated upon the subject of complete dependence on God.

“Ram, you are carrying a bag containing cooking utensils and provisions. Now for cooking meals you have to go abegging for fuel, grains, etc. Ours is a life of freedom which should not be hampered by these encumbrances. God feeds birds of the air and beasts of the field. Would He not feed us also who have put ourselves entirely in His hands? Ours is to fill our mind with His remembrance, and have no care for anything else. So Ramdas suggests that the bag be given up and begging for food be also stopped. Then you will know how wonderfully God looks after us.”

“What shall we do with the scrip and the things in it?” asked Ramcharandas.

“Wait, God will show the way,” replied Ramdas.

Shortly after this talk they reached at noon a small grass hut on the road-side, occupied by a sadhu. Here they halted to slake their thirst from a neighbouring well. The sadhu, owing to an attack of some eye disease, was short of sight. He was very hospitable and kind. He begged that they might stop with him for the midday meal. They agreed. With the help of Ramcharandas the old sadhu prepared meals. It was now discovered that the sadhu had only earthen pots for cooking. The meal being ready the simple and devout sadhu first fed his guests, after actually worshipping them in the orthodox style. Then he dined upon the remnants of the food left by them. After some rest they prepared to start.

Ramdas turned to Ramcharandas and said: “Ram, God has not been slow in creating an opportunity for parting with the bag and utensils. He wills that we should hand over the bag to the sadhu here. The sadhu is in need of metal vessels. So leave the articles with him and also any money you possess.”

Ramcharandas is a pure soul. He cheerfully resigned the bag to the sadhu. There yet remained with him a small bag which contained a black deerskin meant for Ramdas’ use, which he would not give away, and a brass lota with a cup which he carried in his hand. As for Ramdas, in addition to the cloth with which he covered himself, the long coat presented at Supa lay across his shoulder.

The sun was still hot. They continued their journey. Going over a mile they took shelter for a while under a neem tree. Ramcharandas released the bag from his shoulder and laid it on the grassy ground. The lota was still in his hand. Ramdas spread the cloak on the ground and sat on it. Now Ramdas went on expatiating on the qualities of self-surrender.

“The sense of possession is a great obstacle to the realisation of God,” he started. “The idea of ‘I’ and ‘mine’ must disappear entirely before the aspirant can find absolute freedom and peace in union with God. Verily, everything belongs to the Lord who dwells in the hearts of all creatures and things. Attachment to any external object narrows our vision, creates the ego and gives rise to the false notion that we are separate from God, i.e. from the universal life and spirit. So to reach the goal – eternal freedom and bliss – we ought to surrender up the ego, and behold all life and forms as the manifestation of the one underlying and in-dwelling Truth who is universal and eternal.”

Ramcharandas listened to what Ramdas said with great concentration, and Ramdas was completely lost in the essential truth of what he was expounding. Then they got up and walked on. When they had travelled about a mile and a half it was discovered that Ramcharandas was not carrying the smaller bag.

“Ram, what became of your other bag?” asked Ramdas.

He looked surprised and retorted: “What became of your coat, Swamiji?”

The fact was both had forgotten to take the things from the place where they had rested beneath the tree.

“Wait here, Swamiji,” exclaimed Ramcharandas, “it is not a long run from here. I shall return to the spot and fetch the things.”

“None of it, Ram,” replied Ramdas. “God thought that even those articles were unnecessary for us; so He has freed us from their possession. Then, why go in for them again?”

How unerring are the ways of the Lord! It was clear that the Lord wanted them to be all for Himself. His grace descends on His devotees for dispelling the shadow of I-ness – the root of all ignorance, in order that we may realise our perfect union with Him.

(iii) How God Feeds!

The sadhus proceeded until they reached a village where they stopped in the temple of Maruti. Their rule usually was to be satisfied with one meal a day. During the nights, Ramcharandas would take only light eatables when available. Almost every village in Maharashtra – for that matter in India – contains a temple and a rest-house near the temple. During this travel they invariably spent their nights either in a temple or a rest house. They started on their journey always in the early hours of the morning. At noon, next day, they were approaching a village where they would have to make their midday halt.

“Remember, Ram,” hinted Ramdas, “that we are not to beg for our food. Leave the question entirely to the Lord. Let us simply go to a temple and remain in it engaged in the repetition of His Name.”

Reaching the village they entered a temple of Vithal and took their seats in the verandah. Time was close upon 12 noon. A visitor to the temple, seeing the sadhus, asked:

“Why are you sitting here idly? It is time for the midday meal. Go to the brahman locality where you can beg for your meals.”

Ramdas did not reply, and Ramcharandas was also silent. The man walked away. Half an hour passed. Ramcharandas exhibited by his looks that he was growing sceptic. About ten minutes later another man came and put them the question.

“Have you had your midday meal?”

Ramdas replied in the negative.

“How do you manage to have one?” was his next query.

“The Lord sees to it,” was Ramdas’ quiet reply. The words seemed to have gone home.

“The Lord you speak of bids me take you to my house for meals, but there is one difficulty. I belong to the tailor caste. I don’t know if you are willing to take food at my hands,” he said.

“You are the Lord Himself in the eyes of the sadhus, so there can be no objection,” rejoined Ramdas.

“I am coming presently,” he said, and disappeared only to return soon with a water vessel and a rope. He took the sadhus to a well, and gave them a bath. Then he led them to his house which was situated a few yards from the temple. They were welcomed by the tailor’s wife and children with immense joy and kindness. With great love, the family served both with a sumptuous meal. They left the house and returning to the temple took rest for some time. Then they started again.

On the way Ramdas queried Ramcharandas:

“Don’t you believe, it was God Himself who fed us with such love?”

Ramcharandas was not in a mood to talk and kept silent. The day passed. Another day came. At midday they found themselves in another village. Here again they stopped in the local Vithoba temple. The sun had passed the meridian. Time flew swiftly and it was nearing one o’clock. There was no sign of food. Ramcharandas was getting impatient and restless.

“Swamiji, Vithoba is very slow this time. I am afraid He has forgotten us altogether.”

“Give up all thought of food, Ram. Simply remember Him. Let us submit to His will,” exhorted Ramdas.

Waiting for some time more – seeing nothing forthcoming – Ramcharandas said that he would prefer to have a nap, and lay himself down. But while hunger was keenly gnawing at his stomach, where was sleep for him? He was now and again lifting the cloth from over his eyes and peeping in the direction of the street. Every moment he looked for the coming of food. It might have been two o’clock when Ramcharandas jumped into a sitting posture and cried out:

“Swamiji, Swamiji, after all, Vithoba is coming – behold, there He is in the street running to us!”

Yes, a dark-skinned man was hastening towards the temple. Coming directly to the sadhus he enquired if they had meals (as though he did not know it!). On receiving a negative answer, he left them and returned in a few minutes with two plates of food. Placing the plates before the sadhus he urged them to eat. Urging, of course, was unnecessary. They commenced to eat forthwith. Just then, a kirtan party of about ten also entered the temple. They brought with them cymbals, mridang and vina. They sang choice hymns of Tukaram and danced as the meal progressed. What did all this show? God was not satisfied in giving them merely food for the body but had also arranged for a spiritual treat. Such are the gracious ways of the Lord!