Paragraph 9:
“How I used to hate Kali!” he said, “And all Her ways! That was the ground of my six years’ fight,-that I would not accept Her. But I had to accept Her at last! Ramakrishna Paramahamsa dedicated me to Her, and now I believe that She guides me in every little thing I do, and does with me what She will! Yet I fought so long! I loved him, you see, and that was what held me. I saw his marvellous purity I felt his wonderful love His greatness had not dawned on me then. All that came afterwards, when I had given in. At that time I thought him a brain- sick baby, always seeing visions and the rest. I hated it. And then I too had to accept Her!”
Paraphrase: Vivekananda confessed that he initially hated Kali and resisted accepting Her for six years. Ultimately, he embraced Her, believing that She now guides all his actions. His love for Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, who dedicated him to Kali, helped him overcome his resistance. Initially, he thought Ramakrishna was delusional, but later he recognized his greatness and purity after accepting Kali.
Paragraph 10:
“No, the thing that made me do it is a secret that will die with me. I had great misfortunes at that time. It was an opportunity She made a slave of me. Those were the very words- ‘a slave of you.’ And Ramakrishna Paramahamsa made me over to Her…Strange! He lived only two years after doing that, and most of the time he was suffering. Not more than six months did he keep his own health and brightness.
Paraphrase: Vivekananda hinted at a personal secret that led him to accept Kali, which he would never reveal. During a time of great misfortune, he felt compelled to surrender to Her. Ramakrishna Paramahamsa dedicated him to Kali, but he lived only two years after that, mostly in poor health.
Paragraph 11:
“Guru Nanak was like that, you know, looking for the one disciple to whom he would give his power. And he passed over all his own family,-his children were as nothing to him,-till he came upon the boy to whom he gave it, and then he could die.
Paraphrase: Vivekananda compared Ramakrishna Paramahamsa to Guru Nanak, who sought a disciple to pass on his power, disregarding his own family. Once he found the right disciple, he was at peace and ready to die.
Paragraph 12:
“The future, you say, will call Ramakrishna Paramahamsa an Incarnation of Kali? Yes, I think there’s no doubt that She worked up the body of Ramakrishna for Her own ends.
Paraphrase: Vivekananda agreed that future generations might see Ramakrishna Paramahamsa as an incarnation of Kali, believing that Kali used his body to achieve Her purposes.