At Cossipore [Sri Ramakrishna] transmitted his power to me. …
Three or four days before leaving the body, the Master called me alone to his bedside. He asked me to sit before him. Then he looked steadfastly at me and went into Samadhi. At that time I really felt that a subtle force, resembling an electric current, was entering my body. I gradually lost outer consciousness. I don’t remember how long I was in that condition. When I regained knowledge of the physical world, I found the Master weeping. On questioning him, he answered me affectionately: “Today I have given you everything I possess — now I am no more than a fakir, a beggar. By the power I have transmitted to you, you will do immense good in the world, and not until it is accomplished will you return”. I feel that power is constantly directing me to this or that work. …
[One day Sri Ramakrishna wrote on a piece of paper: “Naren will teach people”.] But I said to him: “I won’t do any such thing”. Thereupon he said: “Your very bones will do it”.
Now, all the ideas, that I preach, are only an attempt to echo [Sri Ramakrishna’s] ideas. Nothing is mine originally except the wicked ones, everything I say which is false and wicked. But every word that I have ever uttered which is true and good is simply an attempt to echo his voice. …
Am I able to sit quiet? ... Two or three days before Sri Ramakrishna’s passing away, She, whom he used to call “Kali”, entered this body. It is She, who takes me here and there and makes me work, without letting me remain quiet or allowing me to look to my personal comforts.
[Question: Are you speaking metaphorically?]
Oh, no; two or three days before his leaving the body, he called me to his side one day, and asking me to sit before him, looked steadfastly at me and fell into Samadhi. Then I really felt that a subtle force like an electric shock was entering my body! In a little while, I also lost outward consciousness and sat motionless. How long I stayed in that condition I do not remember; when consciousness returned, I found Sri Ramakrishna shedding tears. On questioning him, he answered me affectionately: “Today, giving you my all, I have become a beggar. With this power you are to do many works for the world’s good before you will return”. I feel that power is constantly directing me to this or that work. This body has not been made for remaining idle.
[Question: Did Sri Ramakrishna, out of his own lips, ever say that he was God, the all-perfect Brahman?]
Yes, he did so many times. And he said this to all of us. One day while he was staying at the Cossipore garden, his body in imminent danger of falling off forever, by the side of his bed I was saying in my mind: “Well, now if you can declare that you are God, then only will I believe you are really God Himself”. It was only two days before he passed away. Immediately, he looked up towards me all on a sudden and said: “He who was Rama, He who was Krishna, verily is He now Ramakrishna in this body. And that not from the standpoint of your Vedanta!” At this, I was struck dumb.
It is indeed a very difficult matter to be able to declare and believe a man with a body like ours to be a God Himself. We may just go the length of declaring him to be "a perfected one", or “a Knower of Brahman". Well, it matters nothing, whatever you may call him and think of him, a Saint or a Knower of Brahman. Never did come to this earth such an all-perfect man as Sri Ramakrishna! In the utter darkness of the world, this great man is like the shining pillar of illumination in this Age. And by his light alone will man now cross the Ocean of Samsara!
Swami Vivekananda
(Swami Sambuddhananda “Swami Vivekananda on Himself”, Ch. 2 “Discipleship”, pp. 38, 40-1)
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