Swami Akhandananda’s Birthday 30 September 1864
One morning Sri Ramakrishna took me to the Kali Temple. Whenever I went there alone I stood outside the threshold, but on this occasion the Master took me into the Sanctum sanctorum and showed me the face of Lord Shiva, who was of course lying on his back while Kali stood over Him. His face was not visible from outside the shrine, where one could only see the top of His head. The Master said, “Look, here is the living Shiva.” I felt that Lord Shiva was conscious and breathing. I was astonished. How potent were the Master’s words! Up to that time I had thought that this image was just like all the other Shiva images I had seen.
(p.563, God Lived With Them, Swami Akhandananda’s account of the experience)