Kali the Mother is a collection of excellent essays on the Divine Mother of the Universe, written from an intensely personal point of view blended with an extraordinary metaphysical insight into the cosmic aspect of the Kali Ideal. No one who wants to understand the traditional Indian worship of the Terrible in nature as an aspect of God can afford to miss a perusal of this brilliant study. This was the first book of Sister Nivedita.
After every happiness comes misery; they may be far apart or near. The more advanced the soul, the more quickly does one follow the other. What we want is neither happiness nor misery. Both make us forget our true nature; both are chains--one iron, one gold; behind both is the Atman, who knows neither happiness nor misery. These are states, and states must ever change; but the nature of the Atman is bliss, peace, unchanging. We have not to get it, we have it; only wash away the dross and see it.
-Swami Vivekananda