One day in Varanasi, Vijnanananda went to visit the Durga Temple by car. He returned an hour and a half later and immediately went to bed. No one dared to ask him anything. He remained immersed in the thought of Mother Durga for quite some time. When his spiritual mood subsided, he sat in his chair and supper was served. Seeing the various dishes, he remarked: “Who can eat so many dishes? When I could eat, nobody gave me sufficient food. Now I cannot eat and people are serving me all kinds of food.” After supper Vijnanananda told the monks: “The Americans respect Swamiji more than the Master. Swamiji had a wonderful, overwhelming personality. People felt inadequate in front of him. When we mentioned this to Swamiji, he said, ‘It is the play of that mad brahmin [meaning the Master]; he is working through me.’ Swamiji was very simple and a man of renunciation.” (Source: God Lived with Them)