Manmathababu enjoyed the company of the Swamis, and pressed them to stay on, but after spending about a week in this manner, they suddenly left Bhagalpur. Their next halt was at Vaidyanath, where Akhandananda had not gone before. It was his wish that they should go there to visit the shrine of Vaidyanath Shiva. Here the Swami met Babu Rajnarayan Bose, the venerable old Brahmo preacher, veteran social reformer, and national leader. Born in 1826, this fiery old man had, in his youth, been enamoured of Western culture, and had started to hate everything Indian. But after the death of his parents, his faith in religion was restored, and he embraced Brahmoism, which he did not regard as separate from Hinduism. When in his mid-thirties, he started a movement in Bengal to promote national Feeling among the educated. He preached that Indians should speak and write in their mother tongue, wear their national dress, and eat the food of their own country. In his Society he did not tolerate the use of the English language, English dress, or English food. His hatred of the English language had gone so far that he would fine any member one pice for the inadvertent use of one English word.'_x000d_ The Swami must have known of the old man's eccentricities , for he had instructed Akhandananda beforehand not to let it be known that he (the Swami) knew English. He spoke eloquently in Bengali, and with a brilliance of thought which charmed Rajnarayanbabu. In the course of conversation, many ideas arose that required the use of English words, as for example "plus"; but the Swami got over the difficulty, making the plus sign by crossing his fingers. According to another version, it was Rajnarayanbabu who used the word "plus" by mistake, and thinking that the Swami might not have under-stood the meaning, made the sign by crossing his fingers. The Swamis were much amused at the behaviour of this old man, but suppressed their laughter until the visit was over. Not once did Rajnarayanbabu dream that the monk before him was as fluent in the foreign tongue as in his mother tongue; and was a graduate of Calcutta University._x000d_ Akhandananda had a hard time refraining from letting out the secret, for he delighted to extol the Swami. Much later when the latter had become famous throughout India, Rajnarayanbabu came to know who it was that had visited him years ago. Recalling his meeting with the Swami, he exclaimed, "What! Not for an instant did I imagine, when he talked with me, that he knew English. He must indeed be a wonderful man." After spending the night with him, the monks left Vaidyanath.

They next went to Ghazipur, and from there to Varanasi, where they stayed with Pramadababu for a few days. The Swami spent hours in discussion of scriptural topics with this friend of his; but, being impatient to see the snow capped Himalayas, he did not stay for long. On the eve of his departure he said to Pramadababu, in the presence of many others, "I am now leaving Kashi, and shall not return until I have burst on society like a bomb shell; and it will follow me like a dog." And it is true, he did not return to that city until he had stirred the world with new modes of thought and had resurrected the spirit of the Indian sages.

Despite the Swami's eagerness to go straight to the Himalayas, Akhandananda said to him, "Swamiji, you must see the Mahant, Janakibar Saran of Ayodhya. You will find him a great man. He is full of Bhakti." The Swami answered, "What do I care for all this nonsense! I am through now. It will only mean more and more delay. Let me go to the Himalayas." However, Akhandananda bought two tickets for Ayodhya, and they both boarded the train for that place. The Swami did not speak a word; from which Akhandananda understood that the Swami was not pleased with the detour. Nevertheless, at Ayodhya, he took him next day and introduced him to the Mahant-a Vaishnava of great renunciation and devotion. The Mahant was also a Sanskrit and Persian scholar, and had charge of a temple there with large estates. He cordially wel-comed the monks to his Ashrama, and they talked a great deal on Bhakti. The Swami was much impressed with the Mahant's learning and spiritual fervour, and said to his brother-monk, "I am glad you brought me here. I have seen a man, a real holy man."