Raipur

THE train carried him to Raipur. Ram’s ways are mysterious. So he did not know why Ram had brought him to Raipur since it is not a place of pilgrimage. After taking his midday meal in the company of a Sadhu kindly provided by Ram, at the suggestion of the Sadhuram, they went to a beautiful garden of the place. Here after bathing in the water of a canal, Ramdas spread a small deer-skin he was carrying with him (presented by a kind friend at Jhansi, of course, supplied by Ram) under the shade of a tree and laying himself down upon it, had hardly closed his eyes, when someone lightly shook him by the shoulders. Opening his eyes he discovered a young Mohammedan beside him.

“Excuse the disturbance, sir,” said the young friend in Hindustani.

Ramdas now sat up and enquired what he wanted.

“I have come to have a chat with you. I want to know if you have faith in Mohammed,” inquired the young friend.

“Why not? He is one of the greatest prophets of God,” replied Ramdas.

“Why do you say one of the prophets? Why not the only one?” put in the Muslim friend.

“Young brother, although Mohammed is a world teacher, there are others also who are as great teachers – for instance, Buddha, Jesus Christ and Krishna – and in our days, Mahatma Gandhi. If you would try to understand the message they deliver to the world, you would find that in the essentials they all agree and hold out the same goal to mankind.”

The words produced a deep impression upon the mind of the Muslim friend. The conversation continued for some time with regard to Ramdas’ experiences, etc. The young friend became very fond of him so much so that he made up his mind to follow Ramdas wherever he went. It was a sudden impulse. Ramdas told him that he should not do so as he had no orders from Ram to take him with him. After some persuasion he was induced to give up the idea. But he wanted something from Ramdas as a memento. Ramdas told him that he was quite willing to give him anything he had with him – that he had only to ask for what he wanted. The kind friend then asked for the deer-skin and it was at once handed over to him. He said, while receiving it:

“My object in having this skin is to perform my Namaz, i.e., prayers to Allah sitting upon it; and it will also remind me of you every time.”

At parting he asked Ramdas where he was going next. He replied that Ram intended to take him to Ajmer.

“Well, that is good,” said the friend, “when you are there, please don’t fail to pay a visit to the famous Muslim shrine, the Khaja Pir. Any Mussulman can show you the way to it.”

These were prophetic words. In due course he reached Ajmer. It was night. While he was resting in the station a policeman interfered and drove him away. Knocking about along with some other Sadhus, who had also arrived by the same train, the railway police objected and asked all of them to go out. He sought a place under a tree in front of the station, within the compound. But here again the policeman interfered and drove him away. Knocking about for some time, he saw at last a spot under another tree in a far-off corner of the railway compound. As he had nothing to spread on the floor, he lay himself down on the bare ground. When his nose came in close proximity with the ground he felt the strong smell of urine. O Ram, how kind you are; you make your humble slave pass through every kind of experience – all for his good.

This condition taught him further still what a folly it was to make much of this perishable body, and it also tended greatly to make him find his true level, which is indeed very, very low. To afford him the benefit of this experience, O Ram, Thou alone appeared as the policeman and brought about this circumstance. Here Ramdas, the child of Ram, slept soundly till morning in the loving embrace of that all-powerful Being – Ram.