From Rameswaram on the way to Madras they stopped at Madurai to visit the famous Meenakshi Temple, and stayed three days in the city. Ramakrishnananda wanted to escort Maharaj to the inner sanctuary so that he could see the Mother closely. Customarily, only brahmins are allowed to enter there, and Brahmananda was born as a kshatriya (royal or warrior caste). At the entrance Ramakrishnananda shouted, “Alwar, Alwar” (i.e., an illumined Vaishnava saint), and as a result the priests did not stop them. In the temple Brahmananda had a wonderful vision, which he later described: “When I stood in front of the deity, I saw the living image of Mother Meenakshi coming towards me, and I lost outer consciousness.” Realizing that Maharaj was in ecstasy, Ramakrishnananda held him up for nearly an hour in the midst of a large crowd; and he himself chanted the glory of the Divine Mother with tearful eyes. Afterwards the swamis came out of the shrine. Then they returned to Madras. Ramakrishnananda took Brahmananda to Kanchipuram where he visited Mother Kamakshi, Shiva and Vishnu, the famous deities. (Source: God Lived with Them)