Rameshwaram

THE guide was at once accepted. Ramdas had then with him about Rs.9, which amount he handed over to the Sadhuram and felt much relieved by doing so. To carry money is to carry anxiety with you; for it draws your attention to it now and again. On making over the money, he suggested to the Sadhuram to get the rupees changed into one Anna coins and have them all distributed to the poor, who were begging at the doors of temples, and this desire he carried out. Now, Ramdas threw himself more completely than ever on the support of Ram with only two clothes and a few books – all his possessions in the world. He started with the Sadhuram whom Ram had sent as a guide. He led him to the railway station and both got into a train running to Rameshwaram. No ticket – Ram was ticket and all in all.

Whilst in the train, Ramdas continued his meditation of Ram. The train travelled on until it reached a station about 6 miles from Rameshwaram. Here a Ticket Inspector came into the compartment in which Ramdas and his kind guide were seated. After checking the tickets of other passengers, he approached the Sadhus and cried, “Tickets, tickets”.

“No tickets, brother, we are Sadhus”, was the reply.

“Without tickets you cannot travel any farther. You have to get down here”, said the Inspector.

At once getting up, Ramdas told the Sadhuram that it was Ram’s wish that they should alight at that place. Walking out of the station they came to the high road. Here the Sadhuram grumbled over the action of the Inspector. To this Ramdas said:

“Brother, we cannot travel all along to Rameshwaram by train. Pilgrimages should be made on foot. But somehow Ram was kind enough to take us on the train so far. We have only to walk a distance of six miles in order to reach Rameshwaram. It is the will of Ram that this distance should be covered by foot. Be cheerful, brother.”

They started to walk. When they travelled about two miles Ram brought them in touch with a barber. Till then, since he started from Mangalore, Ramdas had not had a shave. So, here, he first got his beard, moustache and head all shaved after the manner of Sannyasis. As they were nearing Rameshwaram, they came to a tank by the roadside named Lakshman Kund. After bathing in this tank they passed by a number of small tanks, bearing different names.

At last Ram directed their steps to the famous temple of Rameshwaram. The temple is a gigantic structure. One actually loses oneself in the bewildering passages, corridors, and aisles that lead to the place of worship. When the Sadhus approached the Holy of holies they found the door open – the worship of Rameshwar was going on in all its ceremonial éclat. O Ram! All glory to Thee! The occasion and the place sent thrills of joy into Ramdas’ soul. Here Ramdas came in touch with some Mahatmas who had come there on pilgrimage, of whom one, Swami Govindananda, was very kind to him. The Swami said that he belonged to the Math of Shri Siddharudha Swami of Hubli and offered an invitation to Ramdas to attend the Shivaratri festival in the Hubli Math, which was then shortly to take place.