Grotesque devotion wins the day

One day after Sri Ramakrishna's passing, Sarada Devi was returning from her village home to Calcutta. Her train was delayed for several hours. Rakhal, Baburam and some other close disciples of Sri Ramakrishna were all waiting at the railway station to receive her blessings. Two of Sarada Devi's female attendants were also there.

When the train finally arrived and Sarada Devi stepped down, Rakhal and Baburam wanted to touch her feet but one of the attendants would not allow them. She scolded them mercilessly for keeping Sarada Devi in the hot sun.

Then Sarada Devi went with her attendants to her home and the monks followed, in spite of being badly insulted. There they found Girish Ghosh waiting to greet Sarada Devi. Girish was full of devotion to Sarada Devi. As soon as she saw Girish, the attendant said, "My words beat a retreat, Girish Babu, before your grotesque devotion." She tried to scold him, but he was equally rude to her.

When Sarada Devi observed their fight, she took the side of Girish Ghosh and said to her attendant, "I have warned you many times about criticising my children. I will not tolerate it."