Page 100 - Kailaspati: Paramhans Hansdevji Avadhoot

latter prayed for help or service. Baba told us one in the garb of a monk is not at all a monk. One who is pure at heart, sans (without) hatred and desires is a sage indeed.
When we wanted to know about the experiences of his travels, Baba told us that he had to walk from one land to the other in his early stage of monastic life and in the process he had learnt many a language. On query, he told us in the languages of the afghans, of the south and that of Gujarat. he had visited to all the places of pilgrimage in india on foot. as an avadhoot, he wore only a loin cloth for twelve consecutive years. he was satisfied with whatever little he received as alms while roaming from one place to another. he had to spend cold nights by lying on the leaves under a tree with his hands as a pillow. The water he used to keep for him in a bowl near his head used to get converted into ice, but he used to have sound sleep under the trees. Baba used to say—“गतुजर गई गतुजरान, क््या झोोंपड़ी क््या मैदान Gujar gayee gujran, kya jhopdi kya maidan.” While walking along, when the day came to an end or when he felt tired, he spent the night there. But in crowded places, in order to avoid people, he had to walk on and on. at day time, he used to spend his time in a village or on the outskirts of a town or city.
i asked him, “Baba, how could you spend your time bare-bodied in an open space in a cold country? Didn’t you feel any difficulty?” Baba said in reply, “Our skin got turned into that of an
elephant; therefore i did not feel cold.”
i said, “When you are alone or entering a desolate place, didn’t
you feel afraid?”
Baba said, “My Mother”, initially, i used to get scared. i used
to get startled at the very sound of something. But in course of time, i took it easy. i used to lie under the shade of a tree and sleep unconcerned. One who has no desire has peace aplenty in his heart. it is the desire that results in a feeling of want and out of a feeling of want is born mental trouble.
Prior to his being an avadhoot, when he had to travel from one land to the other for twelve years in a row, he did not cook for himself. he used to stand at the door of a family man, uttering ‘Harihar’. Whatever the family man offered him by way of alms
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