of the Company, their days are numbered. Were there no men there to slap those fellows and release the girls?" She was much pacified a little later by the news that the ladies were released and said, "If I did not hear this further news, I could not have slept at all tonight."
Another day when the Holy Mother was at Koalpara, Rashbehari Maharaj arrived there with some
mangoes sent by Revered Sarat Maharaj. Just after his arrival Prabodh Babu also came to make Pranam to the Holy Mother. After enquiries about their welfare, the Holy Mother asked, "What is the war news? What a destruction of humanity has taken place! What all arts of killing men have been invented! Nowadays, there are so many kinds of machines telegraph etc. Just see, Rashbehari started from Calcutta yesterday and reached here today. In those days with how much difficulty and after how much walking did we reach Dakshineswar!" Prabodh Babu was a little enthused by this. Praising the Western science and education, he said, "Under British Government the country has advanced very much in many fields." The Holy Mother agreed with him, but added, "But my dear, with all those comforts, the scarcity of food and clothing too has increased enormously in our country. Earlier such scarcity of food was not felt."
On her way to Calcutta the Holy Mother enshrined the Master's picture at Koalpara. She herself placed the Master's and her own photos and performed special Puja. The Homa was performed by Kishor-dada. At noon the Holy Mother went walking to Kedar Babu's house with his mother. While she was returning from there, P- Maharaj requested her to enter the palanquin. A little displeased, she got in. Reaching the Ashrama, she spoke to him, expressing the cause of her displeasure: "This is my own village, and Koalpara is my drawing room. These children are my near and dear ones. I come here and move about freely. Returning from Calcutta, I heave a sigh of relief. There you keep me fenced in. All the time I have to stay there quite cramped. Here, too, am I to come and go at your beck and call? That cannot be. You write that to Sarat." Then in great humility P-Maharaj began to entreat her pardon and said, "Sarat Maharaj particularly enjoined us to take all care of you. I felt that perhaps it is due to our lapse that you had to walk. But then, Mother, you are free to do as you like."
According to P - Maharaj's instruction, we were to make