Adoption of Sannyas

THE morning train carried Ramdas away from Mangalore and dropped him in the evening at Erode – a railway junction. He had taken with him a sum of Rs.25 and a few books including the Gita and the New Testament. At Erode he found himself strangely helpless without any plans or thought for the future. He did not know where he was being led by Ram. He wandered about for some time and when darkness fell, he approached a small, low hut on the roadside and finding at its entrance a middle aged mother, requested her to give him some food. The kind mother at once welcomed him into her hut and served him with some rice and curds. The mother was very kind. With great difficulty could she be induced to accept some money for the food supplied by her.

On leaving the hut, he proceeded to the railway station. He laid himself down in a corner in the station and took rest for some time. He did not know what to do or where to go. At midnight, a bell rang to announce the arrival of a train. He got up and found near him a Tamilian who inquired of him regarding his movements. Ramdas was unable to say anything in reply. Ram alone could determine his future. Here this friend promised Ramdas to take him with him as far as Trichinopoly for which place he was bound. Money was given to him for the purchase of a ticket for Ramdas, and both boarded the train. It was evening when the train reached Trichinopoly station. Alighting from the train, he proceeded to the city. All the time, all the way from Mangalore, the divine Mantram of Sri Ram was on his lips. He could never forget it. The utterance of Ram’s name alone sustained and cheered him. Taking rest for the night on the verandah of a house by the roadside, next morning he started on foot to Srirangam, about 7 miles from Trichy. He reached the place at about 8 o’clock.

Here Ramdas was first let into the secret of Ram’s purpose in drawing him out from the sphere of his former life and surroundings – and that purpose was to take him on a pilgrimage to sacred shrines and holy rivers. At Srirangam, the beautiful river Kaveri was flowing in all her purity and majesty. Going up to the river, he bathed in its clear waters. Here, on the banks of the Kaveri, he assumed, by Ram’s command, the robe of a Sannyasin. It was a momentous step by taking which Ram gave him an entirely new birth. The white clothes previously worn by him were offered up to the Kaveri, who carried them away in her rushing waters. The Gerrua or orange-coloured clothes were put on and the following prayer went up to the feet of Almighty Ram:

“O Ram! O Love Infinite – Protector of all the worlds! It is by Thy wish alone that Thy humble slave has been induced to adopt Sannyas. In Thy name alone, O Ram, he has given up Samsara, and cut asunder all bonds, all ties.

“O Ram, bless Thy poor devotee with Thy grace. May Ramdas be endued with strength, courage and faith to carry out in Thy name, Ram, the following vows and bear all trials and all kinds of privations that may beset the path of a Sannyasi in his passage through the rough and perilous life of a mendicant:-

1. This life be henceforth entirely consecrated to meditation and the service of Sri Ram.

2. Strict celibacy be observed, looking upon all women as mothers.

3. The body be maintained and fed upon the food procured by Bhiksha or on what was offered as alms.”