Swami Arupananda narrated the following incident, which took place in Jayrambati: Arupananda: “Mother, shall I pass my whole life in this way—constructing houses, marketing, keeping accounts? What shall I gain from doing such work?”
The Mother calmly replied: “Well, my son, what else do you want to do? In this age, Swamiji has inculcated these works as the means of God-realization. If you perform this work without any motive and as worship, you will attain liberation. What else do you want to do? Do you want to practise austerities in the solitude of the Himalayas? There you will find the monks fighting among themselves over a piece of bread or a blanket! Will the Lord appear before you if you go to the mountains and forests and sit there with closed eyes? Is there any better path than the path of action that has been delineated by Swamiji? While working, think that you are working only for God and are serving Him. The work that you are doing here is truly my work. Rasbihari, look at me.”
Rasbihari [Arupananda] looked at the Mother’s face and saw a luminous goddess seated in front of him in place of the plain and elderly woman who had been talking to him. Her entire form was radiant with an effulgent light. Rasbihari could not keep looking at that luminous form. Struck with awe and fear, he closed his eyes. Immediately he heard the familiar voice of the Mother: “O Rasbihari, what happened to you? Why have you closed your eyes? Look—look at me.” Rasbihari opened his eyes and saw Holy Mother sitting in front of him as before—the same familiar look with the usual sweet smile on her face.