Dust-covered Gems The drought’s over and clouds thunder My heart has some solace. ‘S ardar Singh, all your inquiries must be over by now,’ Vidya Chatura asked the waiting superintendent of police. They were in the drawing room of his house. Sardar Singh stood up, saluted and replied, ‘They are almost complete.’ Vidya Chatura: ‘Do you need to rush to some place to make personal investigations?’ Sardar Singh: ‘No. Last night we had limited information that Kumudbehn is alive, and in Sarasvatichandra’s protection. This morning’s post and information from our messengers have brought more news. The person on Sundargiri is the same man who went under the name of Navinchandra and lived as a guest in Buddhidhanbhai’s house. Some six or seven days ago he, accompanied by Viharpuri, had gone to Surgram. He told the local teacher that his name was Navinchandra and that he had been Buddhidhanbhai’s guest. When asked if he was Sarasvatichandra he did not respond. He is a great scholar of English and Sanskrit, and Vishnudasji intends to appoint him as the head of the monastery after him. At present he is on Chiranjiv Shrunga to acquire higher spiritual capabilities. ‘Pradhanji, our messenger from Suvarnapur has given details of his conduct in Buddhidhanbhai’s house. You can read it from this letter. Pramaddhan and Krishna Kalika had started rumours about him and Kumudbehn, which are not believed by anyone in

Suvarnapur. Buddhidhanbhai has decided to divide his assets in the following manner: one part for his newborn son; one part to be used for the food of ascetics and mendicants in Suvarnapur; one part for Alak Kishori; and one part for Kumudbehn; Pramaddhan’s share has been made out to Kumudbehn. If neither Kumudbehn nor Pramad are alive, Pradhanji, the responsibility of deciding the use of that wealth for righteous purposes will be yours. Buddhidhanbhai is keen to renounce the world, but Maharaj Bhupsinh has bound him in a promise not to do so. ‘A bundle was retrieved from Kumudbehn’s chariot, which is in possession of Gunasundariba, that I am yet to examine. But apparently the bundle contains some poems composed by her, although they do not bear her name. Chandravali saved a young woman whose description matches with Kumudbehn; she has named this woman Madhuri. For the last three or four days, Madhuri has been living in the Parivrajika Math on Sundargiri. She wears the garb of an ascetic, but retains ornaments befitting the daughter of a household such as yours. At present, she, along with some women ascetics, is in the Vasant Gufa on Chiranjiv Shrunga. Navinchandra is in the adjacent Saumanasya Gufa. ‘Madhuri was engaged to Navinchandra, but he left home before their marriage. Madhuri was then married to someone else. This man caused her a lot of pain and grief; hence Madhuri sought to drown herself. But she was saved by Chandravali and other sadhvis of Surgram. Madhuri did not want to be a burden on her parents, nor could she live with her