woman from the Mother's house at Baghbazar has come to see her."
A little later Gauri-Ma came down with a ghee lamp in one hand and an incense pot containing burning resin in another. As I went to salute her, she said, "Can I accept your Pranam today?" She stubbornly refused to accept my Pranam. I was amazed at Gauri-Ma's waving of light in front of my face, as if she was performing an Arati. Soon after, the said gentleman moved forward to salute Gauri-Ma. Instantly her appearance changed. She asked, "Where do you come from? Where do you live? Why have you come here?" Pointing at me, he said, "She had gone to Sudhira Basu's and had mentioned that she was coming to this place. I thought that since I had never met you, I would be able to see you if I accompanied her. That's why I have come."
"What's your name?" asked Gauri-Ma. On disclosing his identity, I recognized him, for I had heard his name. Gauri-Ma said, "I have heard of you. You belong to Sylhet (now in Bangladesh). Since Gauri-Ma does not live in purdah, you could have met her anywhere. If you
want to see monks, go to the Belur Math. What is there in seeing a nun?" The gentleman said, "If I come here on Sunday, I can talk with you, I hope." Gauri-Ma replied, "No, no, my daughters are staying here. I can't meet you here." Hearing this, the gentleman saluted Gauri-Ma and left.
Then Gauri-Ma turned towards me and said, "What do you think of the Holy Mother? She is none other than the Empress of Kailash. None should think of her as a human being. The Mother is the Guru of the world, the Mother of the Universe. Since you have accepted her as your Guru, what is there to worry about?" Then Gauri-Ma talked about the Holy Mother and Sri Ramakrishna for about two hours. I remained standing at the door-step just as when I had come. She too was standing while talking. All of a sudden she caught hold of me and said, "Let's go; we shall worship the Mother." I said, "I didn't have any instruction to go to Baghbazar today once again. Besides, it has become rather late, how shall I return home afterwards?" She said, "Come, I shall tell the Mother." So I went with Gauri-Ma. She also took two young girls, one of them carrying flowers and Bilva leaves and another carrying fruits and sweets. She herself was carrying a Kamandalu (water pot with a handle). People in