Once Advaitananda went to visit Holy Mother in Calcutta. Mother was happy to see the old swami, her devoted attendant. While eating prasad, Advaitananda inquired about Mother’s rheumatic pain. She replied: “That rheumatic pain is my constant companion. It will not leave me in this life. However, how are you?” “I also suffer from rheumatic pain,” answered Advaitananda. “But I work hard. I don’t get much help from the boys. I am growing various kinds of vegetables — okra, eggplant, plantain, and so on — in the monastery garden. As a result, nowadays we seldom buy vegetables. Sometimes I send some vegetables to you.” Holy Mother: “My son, you are an old-timer; your life is different from the modern boys who generally don’t care for household matters. The monastery is like a family home, where you need food, clothing, and other necessities. Without these things how can you live there? So it is your duty to take care of the Master’s children.”
The young novitiates, who came from modern schools and colleges, could hardly rise to Advaitananda’s standard of perfection regarding work, and for that reason they had a very hard time with him. Many of them received mild scoldings from the old swami, but they took his criticisms more as a token of affection than as any indication of bitterness. One day he had a revelation, which he described later: “The Master has shown me that it is he who is manifested through all. Then who is there to blame or whom to criticize?” After this experience Advaitananda ceased finding fault with anyone, however great might be the latter’s errors. Turiyananda once said: “We are much indebted to Gopal-da, because we learned the secret of work from him. He was organized and concentrated in everything he did. And he was very methodical in his habits. Until his last day he regularly practised meditation.” (Source: God Lived with Them)