Once Swami Abhedananda desired to buy a golden seat for Sri Ramakrishna and place him on it. When he was going to the jewellery shop he heard a voice saying, ‘Stop my son, what are you doing?’ This he heard very clearly but no one could be seen in the direction from where he heard the voice. He thought, ‘Am I insane?’ and proceeded. Now, he heard the voice again saying, ‘Did you not hear what I said? What are you doing? Stop immediately.’ Swami looked on all sides but again did not see anyone. When he tried the third step forward, he heard the voice clearly again saying, ‘Fool! Do you not hear me? Have you forgotten that I cannot touch any metal! Are you going to place me in a golden seat? Stop your act immediately.’
Swami Abhedananda was now clear that so far he had heard Sri Ramakrishna’s voice. Immediately, Swami dropped the idea of going to the jewellery shop and returned to the Math. Later, he made a sandalwood seat for the Master.