Sometime after Gauri-ma’s initiation, a nun from Vrindaban was a guest in her home. This nun had a Damodar Shila, a stone image of Vishnu, which she worshipped daily. When departing, the nun gave her beloved Vishnu to Gauri-ma and said: “This image of God is my all in all and is very living. He fell in love with you, so I hand Him over to you. My child, worship Him. It will do you good.” Gauri-ma accepted the precious gift and took that image of the Lord as her husband. For the rest of her life she carried Him wherever she went and served Him.
Observing her dispassion for the world, her relatives tried to arrange her marriage when she was ten years old. But Gauri-ma boldly rejected the idea, saying, “I shall marry that person who never dies.” She was happy with her beloved husband, Lord Vishnu. When Gauri-ma became thirteen, however, a bridegroom was selected against her will, and a marriage date was set. Gauri-ma was extremely upset. One day she became so angry that she started throwing away the things that had been collected for the wedding ceremony. Then she entered her room with her image of Vishnu and a picture of Chaitanya and locked the door from inside. Most of her relatives tried to console her and convince her to marry, but she was adamant. That night her mother asked her to open the door and let her in, and Gauri-ma obeyed. Seeing the agony and pain of her daughter, Giribala said: “My child, since you have real dispassion for the world, I shall not force you to marry. I hereby dedicate you to God. May He protect you from all dangers.”
Giribala knew that her husband and other relatives were so angry with her daughter that they might even beat her, so she secretly sent Gauri-ma to a neighbour’s home through the back door. Gauri-ma hid there until her relatives’ anger had been assuaged. Thus God saved His devotee from the bondage of marriage.
All people cannot be put in the same category. Some people are meant to lead a householder’s life, and others are meant for the monastic life. Each is great in his or her own place. Gauri-ma longed to become an itinerant nun, but it was not easy for a young girl to travel by herself. She waited for an opportunity and prayed to God to show her the way. In 1875, when she was eighteen years old, Gauri-ma left with an uncle, aunt, and some neighbours for a pilgrimage to Gangasagar (the confluence of the Ganges and the Bay of Bengal). On the third day of their stay there she disappeared into the huge crowd of pilgrims. Her relatives and neighbours spent three days searching for her in vain and then returned to Calcutta. Giribala was grief-stricken at the news and fell ill. The family sent messengers to different holy places of India to announce a reward of one thousand rupees to anyone finding the girl. (Source: They Lived with God)