Vishnudas’ Authority or Ways of Attaining Fulfillment of Sarasvatichandra’s Subtle Body As a very long highway goes to two places, to one at the beginning, and to another at the end, so do the rays of the sun go to both worlds, to this one and to the other. They start from the sun, and enter into those arteries; they start from those arteries, and enter into the sun. And when a man is asleep, reposing and at perfect rest so that he sees no dream, then he has entered into those arteries. Then no evil touches him, for he has obtained the light (of the sun).³⁴⁵ Whenever Vishnudas was on Sundargiri, his daily routine followed a set pattern. Even when he accompanied the fellow ascetics in their journeys to spread the message of Alakh, his time was spent in scholastic pursuits. He would spend the noon in company of a few chosen disciples while the others would go among the people; in the afternoon, as the sun became less intense he would go and preach at some monastery or sacred spot. Often scholars and men of learning would approach him for advice. All his disciples would come together at dusk, rest and take their evening meal, after which they would return to Sundargiri. Himsar was a large lake situated between Ratnanagari and Manoharpuri. On the day when Sarasvatichandra and Chandravali had their discourse, Vishnudas and his disciples had camped near the lake. Large neem, mango and peepal trees on the bank of the lake made a grove. Vishnudas decided to rest in the grove as other disciples went on their mission. Jnanbharati, the chief of the Vihar Math, Jankidas an old monk, Viharpuri and two other younger ascetics stayed with Vishnudas. These two younger ascetics had lived a life as householders and like Vishnudas they had renounced it to become ascetics. Their age was around twenty, twenty-two; both had facility with the English language and appeared to have cultivated a sense of detachment. One of them had a tranquil disposition and was somewhat thick-headed. He had adopted the name Shantidas. The other one was somewhat carefree and entertained doubts about everything. He had chosen the name Shankapuri for himself. Shankapuri called Shantidas by the name Shankabharati but pronounced it as Shankha (conch) bharati. Shantidas did not make any objection to this. The rules of Sundargiri did not permit new entrants to go out for seeking alms for at least a year. They were required to spend this time of initiation as part of the group of initiates who stayed in company of Vishnudas. Vishnudas sat on a deer skin under a mango tree. Shankapuri and Shantidas went for a swim in the lake while the others sat around the Master. Vishnudas looked towards the lake and said, ‘Viharpuri, your heart is tranquil and cool like this place. It is so because of Chandravali Maiya’s unsullied protective cover. Navinchandra’s heart is like this lake; cool, tranquil and filled with nectar