In November 1912 Holy Mother went to Varanasi with her retinue and stayed at a devotee’s house near the two Ramakrishna centres. Brahmananda and other monks accompanied her to show the activities of the Ramakrishna Mission Home of Service. Greatly pleased with the visit, she remarked: “Sri Ramakrishna is ever present in the place, and Mother Lakshmi always casts her benign glance upon it.” As a token of appreciation she gave a ten rupee note as a donation, which is still preserved in the centre.
Coincidentally, M. was then in Varanasi. He had often expressed the view that the Master did not approve of anyone’s performing social service before realizing God, which caused ideological conflict among some monks. At Brahmananda’s request, a monk said to M.: “Mother has just told us that the activities of the Home of Service were service to the Master himself and that he was tangibly present here. Now what do you say?” M. replied with a laugh: “How can I deny it anymore?” (Source: God Lived with Them)