Ganga-Yamuna Sister! He is enchanting. He is made only for you. ‘K umudbehn, so Sarasvatichandra left everything because he wanted to see the dark side of our society. And even you travelled with him to the nether regions!’ Kusum said as she paced excitedly around the tent, reading from a sheaf of papers in her hands. She came to a stop and said, ‘Here, take back his writings.’ ‘Yes, I did visit the nether regions with him. I brought these for you,’ Kumud replied from her chair. ‘Why give them to me? And what right do you have to do so?’ Kusum now sat down on a chair facing Kumud. Kumud: ‘I have thought a great deal about this. You have every right to have them. Keep them with you.’ Kusum: ‘Will you at least tell me what you have thought?’ Kumud: ‘This is what I have to say. I have travelled with him and I have seen the deepest, unmanifest aspirations of his heart. I have already told you that I have no right to make what is unmanifest manifest, give form to the formless. I do not have the capacity to be with him and help him fulfill his great desire for the upliftment of our society. Chandrakantbhai would testify to that. He would also testify that you have that capacity.’ Kusum: ‘Oh my God! You are cunning! My naïve sister speaks of this and that and the other and finally brings the ship to anchor at my port!’ Kusum got up, rolling her eyes in disbelief and making faces at her sister. Then she spoke in a firm and clear voice, ‘I understand your intent. But you shall be able to do nothing about it.’ Kumud: ‘Here is a poem composed by an ascetic. Please sing it for me.’ Kusum took the page and sang. The flute has touched my lips I hold the flute to my lips A hundred flutes touch my lips A hundred flutes I hold to my lips ‘Oh, this is just too long! I don’t want to sing it. What are you trying to tell me?’ Kumud: ‘That is the song of what lies in the heart when Krishna holds the flute to his lips and becomes manifest to the world. Kusum, you have seen what lies unmanifest in his heart. I cannot be his flute, and the thought breaks my heart.’ Kusum: ‘I accept that. If you had not experienced the life of a householder, you would not have suffered. An unattached person finds freedom, while love is the root of all trouble. Everyone pushed you into a householder’s life. Now the sign of wisdom is to take it to its conclusion. I have been warned by your example and I shall remain steadfast to the belief that non-commencement of something is a sign of wisdom. Now I will never, even by mistake, go that way.’ Kumud: ‘If my suffering could be eradicated by such sayings, I would have gone to