Quotable Quotes from Swami
I have come to light the lamp of
love in your hearts, to see that it shines day by day with added
luster.
I shall be with
you, wherever you are, guarding you and guiding you. March on,
have no fear.
Duty is God; Work
is worship. Even the tiniest work is a flower placed at the Feet
of God.
Start the Day with
Love;
Spend the Day with
Love;
Fill the Day with Love;
End the Day with
Love;
This is the way to
God.
Cultivate nearness
with Me in the heart and it will be rewarded. Then you too will
acquire a fraction of that Supreme Love.
Love as Thought is
Truth.
Love as Action is Right Conduct.
Love as Understanding is Peace.
Love as Feeling is Non-violence.
Duty without love
is deplorable.
Duty with love is desirable.
Love without duty is Divine.
Your heart must be
transparent, like glass, with spiritual light within illuminating
the whole world.
Peace can only be
won the hard way, by eliminating violence and greed from the
hearts of individual.
The secret of
happiness is not doing what one likes to do but in liking what one
has to do.
The end of wisdom
is freedom; The end of culture is perfection;
The end of knowledge is love; The end of education is character.
First you must
grapple with the fact that duty is God and start doing your duty.
I have come not to
disturb or destroy any faith, but to confirm each in his own faith
- so that Christian becomes a better Christian, the Muslim, a
better Muslim, and the Hindu, a better Hindu.
Transmuting "man"
into "God" and experiencing that Ananda or Bliss is the one and
only achievement for which life is to be devoted.
The minimum
qualifications for Grace are surrender of ego.
The treasure that
is precious is the quality of even mindedness in all situations.
The joy of being
the master of senses is far greater than being their slave.
Your progress is
reflected back as Grace, your decline is reflected back as its
absence. The mirror just reflects. It has no partiality or
prejudice.
Sathya is what I
teach;
Dharma is the way I live;
Shanthi is the mark of My personality;
Prema is my very Nature.
Peace is shore
less ocean - it is the light that illuminates the world.
Virtue is the sign
of the educated person. This is what makes education worthwhile.
God can be felt
and experienced only in the deepest depths of silence.
Education must
remove hatred between the pilgrims on the various roads to God.
There is only one God, one Goal, one Law, one Truth, one Religion
and one Reason.
To help the
helpless is the only way to please, follow and reach Him.
Mind, word and act;
all three must be filled with the belief that all is His play;
that is the genuine path.
You are in the
Light, then the Light is in you, You are the Light.
Desire is storm,
greed is whirlpool, pride is precipice, attachment is avalanche,
ego is volcano. Discard desire and you are liberated.
Devotion has to be
unintermittent, uninterrupted, like the flow of oil from one
vessel to another.
Human society
minus God is equal to a forest of brutes.
Bear all and do
nothing;
Hear all and say nothing;
Give all and take nothing;
Serve all and be nothing.
Man minus
immorality is Immortality.
God is for those,
who are not for themselves.
So long as the
sugar is on the tongue, you feel the sweetness in taste. Similarly,
so long as the heart has love, peace and devotion, you feel the
bliss.
If you will not
rise above the things of the world, they will rise above you.
Praying is your
task; what happens to the prayer is dependent on the Grace of God.
Seek out your
faults and others' merits. Seeking others' faults is dire sin.
Your duty is to
pray for the welfare of the world and to work for it as far as it
lies in your power.
Earning money
cannot be the purpose of education. Acquiring good qualities can
be the only purpose of education.
True devotion must
not get dispirited; nor elated or satisfied with lesser gains; it
must fight against failure, loss, calumny, calamity, ridicule and
against egoism and pride, impatience and cowardice.
Follow the Master;
Face the devil;
Fight to the end;
Finish the goal.
If animal feelings
are washed out, Divine feelings begin to overflow instead.
A man who has no
love in him is as barren as a cloud with no moisture, a tree with
no fruits or a cow yielding no milk; he is ever far from God and
can never earn His Grace.
Life is a bridge
over the sea of changes. Do not build a house on it.
In the innermost
recess of your heart there is a reservoir of peace where you must
take refuge.
Employ yourself
usefully. Be like a trustee, holding on trust, on behalf of God,
for the purpose, which He likes and approves.
Hear good things,
see good, do good, think good, then you get the Grace of God, as
all the evil tendencies will be uprooted.
All are
expressions of the same God, as bulbs lit by the same current
through manifold colors and wattage.
Have faith in His
Grace and lead a virtuous life, a life devoted to the service of
the weak; a life spent in the thought about the might and glory of
God.
The refinement of
an individual is measured by the yardstick of sense control.
Prayer must
emanate from the heart, where God resides, and not from the head
where doctrines and doubts clash.
You have come from
God, you are a spark of His Glory; you are a wave of that Ocean of
Bliss; you will get peace only when you again merge in Him.
See God in every
one you meet; see God in every thing you handle. Live together,
revere each other, let not the seeds of envy and hate grow and
choke the clear stream of Love.
Make your life a
rose that speaks silently in the language of fragrance.
Be in the world,
but let not the world be in you.
Be like the lions
in the spiritual field, rule over the forest of the senses and
roam fearlessly with full faith in victory.
The heart with
compassion is the temple of God.
Start early, Drive
slowly, Reach safely.
Watch your Words,
Action, Thoughts, Character and Heart.
Education softens
the heart. If the heart is hard, one cannot claim to be educated.
Faith in ourselves
and faith in God: this is the secret of Greatness, for God is
Love.
Good ideas, good
conduct and adherence to Truth should result from our education.
Only those who acquire these qualities can be called truly
educated.
Devotion to the
Divine will give you Bliss, Prosperity and Peace. It cannot
inflict pain, perturbation or personal anxiety. It fosters love
and brings all together as one band of brothers.
Every action of
yours at the present time is bound to have a reaction, resound and
reflection in the future.
Reach the point
where churches, temples, mosques do not matter, where all roads
end, from where all roads run.
Doing one's duty,
however small, in an unattached manner gives rise to the awakening
of self-awareness.
Bend the body,
mend the senses and end the mind - this is the way to Immortality.
Why fear when I am
here? Put all your faith in Me. I shall guide you and guard you.
Try within your
means to satisfy the needs of the poor.
If you place
complete faith in the Lord at all times, you will receive His
Grace. Grace takes away the pain of Karma. The Lord can save man
completely from Karma.
God has no
preferences and prejudices; His is but reaction, reflection and
resound.
Where there is
Faith, there is Love;
Where there is Love, there is Peace;
Where there is Peace, there is Truth;
Where there is Truth, there is God;
Where there is God, there is Bliss.
Life is Love,
enjoy it;
Life is Challenge, meet it;
Life is a Song, sing it;
Life is a Dream, realize it;
Life is a Game, play it;
Life is a Goal. achieve it.
Ego lives by
getting and forgetting;
Love lives by giving and forgiving;
Love is expansion; Self is contraction;
Self is lovelessness; Love is selflessness.
There is only one
religion, the religion of Love;
There is only one language, the language of the Heart;
There is only one caste, the caste of Humanity;
There is only one law, the law of Karma;
There is only one God, He is Omnipresent.
Haste makes waste;
Waste makes worry;
So do not be in a hurry.
You are not one
person, but three:
The one you think you are;
The one others think you are;
The one you really are.
Money comes and
goes; morality comes and grows.
Nations are many,
but Earth is one;
Beings are many, but Breath is one;
Stars are many, but Sky is one;
Oceans are many, but Water is one;
Religions are many, but God is one;
Jewels are many, but Gold is one;
Appearances are many, but Reality is One.
Come just one step
forward, I shall take a hundred towards you. Shed one tear, I
shall wipe a hundred from your eyes.
The proof of rain
is in the wetness of the ground; the proof of devotion is in the
peace the aspirant has attained.
Every experience
is a lesson, every loss is a gain.
You should
completely forget the help rendered by you to others and the harm
done to you by others.
If wealth is lost,
nothing is lost.
If health is lost, something is lost.
If character is lost, all is lost.
The body has to be
utilized for service to others. More bliss can be got from serving
others than from merely serving oneself.
You should
consider every individual as God. This is true worship.
You are not doing
service for others. You are doing it always for yourselves, to the
God in you, the God who is equally present in others.
If it is good and
will harm no one, go ahead. If it is not good, put it aside. If
not sure, do nothing until sure.
What is needed
today is that we should lead a life of good quality. The fostering
of sterling character and good conduct is the need of the world.
Once we have greater numbers of such people of good quality, the
country and the world will become prosperous and peaceful.
You must act ever
in the consciousness of your divinity and recognize in each being,
a brother, a child of God. The whole world is one family.
The only permanent
change is slow, steady change.
God, if you think,
God you are
Dust if you think, dust you are
As you think, so you become
Think God, be God.
Those who seek to
acquire steadiness of faith must first acquire the strength to
bear grief and pain, insult and injury. The succession of joy and
grief must help confirm the faith and make it immovable. That
alone can evidence true devotion.
Individual
spiritual practice is the negative pole and service is the
positive pole. The conjunction of both poles can alone bring
success. The mind carries the divine principle (the light of love)
and conveys it to all who contact it.
We can be
successful leaders only if we are disciplined followers, who do
not issue commands to others but rather set an example of service
in our actions.
If you have the
inclination to do good work, God will give you the time to do good
things.
Man falsely
imagines "I am doing this", "I am planning this". It is the
supreme, all pervasive consciousness that motivates, unfolds the
skills and operates the intellect.
Let God work
through you and there will be no more duty. Let God shine forth.
Let God show Himself. Live God, Eat God. Drink God. Breathe God.
Realize the Truth and the other things will take care of
themselves.
Treat all as your
own self. Do not have a double standard.
What you would
desire others to do for you, you should do for others. You should
respect others, as you want to be respected by them.
Love all men
without distinction; Know that mankind is a single community.
Is the intention
pure, selfless, and born out of love? Is it based on truth? Does
it result in peace? If so, it is a right action.
True humanness
consists of a continuous series of tiny acts executed with
absolute sincerity and largeness of heart.
The quality of
one's feelings determines one's future.
Think before
speaking; Think before acting; Then go ahead, If you feel good
about it.
See good - Hear
good - Speak good - Do good - Be good
If you strive to
find your Self by using your mind, you will strive and strive in
vain, because the mind cannot give you the Truth. You are that
Self. All else is illusion of the mind's creation.
Every being in the
universe has the potentiality of transcending the senses. Even the
little worm will one day transcend the senses and reach God. No
life will be a failure. There is no such thing as failure in the
universe.
More than
listening to a hundred lectures or delivering them to others,
offering one act as genuine service attracts the Grace of God.
We should not
aspire for acclaim and praise from those around us, but do service
only to secure the Grace of God and not for any other reward from
any one.
Bury bad thoughts
under good ones. Then the bad ones will just fade away and be
forgotten.
Living is not
enough; it has no value by itself. It is the motives, the
feelings, the thoughts, the attitudes that prompt the day to day
life that matters.
Secure spiritual
bliss first and then try to convey it to those who thirst. When
the tank is dry, how can the taps give water?
Always try to put
yourself in the position of the other and judge your action
against the background. Then you will not be wrong.
Make the mind, the
voice and the actions agree in harmony. That is the right way of
life.
Impurity is a mere
superimposition under which the real nature of man has been
hidden.
Where divinity is
sought after, one ought always to behave in the spirit of Love,
devoid of the slightest trace of hate, envy and anger. When one
cultivates the inner look, one attains the conviction of the basic
equality of all.
What is heard has
to be pondered over. What is pondered over has to be put into
practice. It is only when all three are accomplished that the
realization of Bliss can be attained.
The secret of
perfect health lies in keeping the mind always cheerful - never
worried, never hurried, never borne down by any fear, thought or
anxiety.
The pure heart is
the best mirror for the reflection of Truth. So all these
disciplines are for the purification of the heart. As soon as it
is pure, all truths flash upon it in a minute.
O Lord, take my
love and let it flow in fullness of devotion to Thee.
O Lord, take my hands and let them work incessantly for Thee.
O Lord, take my soul and let it be merged in oneness with Thee.
O Lord, take my mind and thoughts and let them be in tune with
Thee.
O Lord, take my everything and let me be an instrument for thy
work.
Religion is
three-fourths character. Only those who preserve character can be
pronounced truly religious.
Desire destroys
devotion, anger destroys wisdom, greed destroys work - hence these
bad qualities must be sacrificed. With good and sweet words,
keeping desires under check and control (for ultimate removal),
one should start on the path of sacrifice.
Man derives all
the joy and peace that he needs from within himself and not from
sources outside himself. So the best spiritual discipline is:
strengthen the inward vision.
Anything that
helps you maintain unruffled equanimity is right action.
True love expands
the self; attachment contracts it.
Moderation in
temper is virtue; Moderation in principle is a vice.
The harder the
circumstances, the more trying the environment, the stronger are
those who come out of those circumstances.
That which happens
physically on the outside in terms of actions is not of major
importance. What is important is that which comes from inside.
This body is the
residence of God. The food you take is the offering you make to
him. Your act of bathing is the ceremonial bathing of Him who is
in You. The ground you walk on is His domain. The joy you gain is
His gift. The grief you experience is His lesson. Remember Him
ever, in sun and rain, day and night, asleep and awake.
Offer service and
receive love. This is the recipe for experiencing Divinity. Our
love should not be confined to our kith and kin. It must extend
beyond the family to society as a whole, then to the nation at
large and finally embrace the whole world.
Whatever books you
may read, you cannot realize the Divine merely by intellectual
effort. One must put it into practice. That sense of oneness can
only be promoted by the practice of love and not by any other
means.
It is not what you
have achieved that is important. It is the broadness of heart that
has motivated you to do work that counts. Being broad minded with
a selfless attitude, humility and obedience, you should try to
share the difficulties of others around you. It is the purity of
heart that is more important than the magnitude of the work
itself.
Our relationships
are heart to heart relationships. Ours is a business of love, not
a business of money or materials.
For the progress
of humanity, work alone is not adequate, but the work should be
associated with love, compassion, right conduct, truthfulness and
sympathy. Without the above qualities, selfless service cannot be
performed.
God will not ask
you when and where you did service? He will ask, with what motive
did you do it? What was the intention that prompted you? You may
weigh the service and boast of its quantity. But God seeks quality
- the quality of heart, the purity of mind, the holiness of
motive.
Living with God is
education
Living for God is Service
Living in God is Realization
Reform the body,
reconstruct the mind, regulate the way of living, then, the
country will become automatically strong and prosperous.
Before you speak,
think -Is it necessary? Is it true? Is it kind? Will it hurt
anyone?
Will it improve on the silence?
The first step in
the Sadhana is the cleansing of the speech. Talk sweet without
anger. Do not boast of your scholarship or attainments. Be humble,
eager to serve; conserve your speech. Practice silence. That will
save you from squabbles, frittering thoughts and faction.
Spend a few
minutes every morning and evening in the Silence of your own
shrine or home; spend them with the highest of all the Powers that
you know of. Be in His elevating and Inspiring company; worship
Him mentally; offer unto Him all the work you do; you will come
out of the silence nobler and more heroic than when you went in.
Forget the harm
that anyone has done to you, and forget the good that you have
done to others.
There is only one
royal road for the spiritual journey...Love
Be Silent
yourself, that will induce Silence in others. Do not fall into the
habit of shouting, talking long and loud. Reduce contacts to the
minimum. Carry with you an atmosphere of quiet contemplation,
wherever you happen to be. The less you talk, the more will become
your mental power. With the increase in your mental capacity,
there will be increase in your power of discrimination too.
Consequently, you will give up "individual discrimination".
Because of this, you will begin to consider the good of the world
at large rather than your own individual welfare. You must
cultivate such broad feelings from this young age itself.
Learn the value of
Silence, of Namasmarana, of Bhajan, of Japa, of Dhyana, of
single-minded remembrance of the Lord, of the association with
spiritually kin. These will stand you in good stead, when distress
assails you.
The voice of God
can be heard in the region of your heart when the tongue is
stilled and the storm is tilled and the waves are calm. There will
be no temptations for others to shout when you talk to them in
whispers. Set the level of the tone yourself; as low as possible,
as high as necessary to reach the outermost boundary of the circle
you are addressing. Conserve sound, since it is the treasure of
the element akasa, an emanation from God Himself. Reason can
prevail only when arguments are advanced without the whipping up
of sound. Silence is the speech of the spiritual seeker. Soft
sweet speech is the expression of genuine love. Hate screeches,
fear squeals, conceit trumpets. But love sings lullabies. It
soothes. It applies balm. Practice the vocabulary of love; unlearn
the language of hate and contempt.
Silence is the
only language of the realized. Practice moderation in speech. That
will help you in many ways. It will develop Prema, for most
misunderstandings and factions arise out of carelessly spoken
words. When the foot slips, the wound can be healed; but when the
tongue slips, the wound it causes in the heart of another will
fester for life. The tongue is liable to four big errors: uttering
falsehood, scandalizing, finding fault with others, and excessive
speech. All these have to be avoided if there is to be Shanthi for
the individual as well as for society.
Good works never
languish for want of funds; the Lord will come to their rescue.
Only it may take some time; do not lose heart... You should not
collect money in devious ways. Help should come from pious hearts,
from well-earned money, from persons who know and appreciate the
purpose for which they give. That is why I oppose all benefit
shows, where you tempt people with a dance or a drama or a film
and collect money for your pet plan.
In all effort, if
you trust in a Higher Power, which is ready to come to your help,
work is made easy. This comes out of Bhakti, reliance on the Lord,
the source of all Power. When you travel by train, you have only
to purchase the ticket, enter the proper train and take a seat,
leaving the rest to the engine. Why should you carry the bed and
trunk on your head? So too put your trust in the Lord and carry on
to the best of your ability.
You have been born
because you did not pass in certain subjects; there is some
balance of experience, which you must acquire to complete the
course. If you get convinced that your true nature is the Atma,
then you have finished the course and 'passed'.
You should see
that no dirt settles upon the mind; that is to say, you should
move about in such company that dirt is avoided. Falsehood,
injustice, indiscipline, cruelty, hate -- these form the dirt;
Sathya, Dharma, Shanthi, Prema -- these form the clean elements.
If you inhale the pure air of these latter, your mind will be free
from evil bacilli and you will be mentally sturdy and physically
strong.
The year becomes
new, the day becomes holy, when you sanctify it by spiritual
discipline, not otherwise.
Do not crave for
recognition and respect from others; crave rather for winning
grace from the Lord.
God is love, live
in love.
The Lord will be
watching with a thousand eyes the least activity of man to
discover any slight trace of selfless love sweetening it.
A sound mind
ensures a sound body; a sound body ensures a sound mind.
The body will
shine if the character is fine; service of man and worship of God
will preserve its charm.
The peace that
pervades the heart can never be shaken for any reason; only peace
of this kind is worthy of the name.
Love all beings;
that is enough.
The grace of God
is like insurance. It will help you in your time of need without
any limit.
The service of man
is the only means by which you can serve God.
God is in you
God is in every word of yours,
Every deed and thought.
Speak, do and think as befits Him.
Do not seek to
discover or discuss the evil in others, for the attempt will
tarnish your own minds.
Life is: Loving -
Listening - Lifting - Learning - Living
Thinking,
discriminating and practice - all three constitute the basic human
characteristics.
Education should
build character.
Its is Truth and
Truth alone, that is one's real friend, relative.
Faith is like our
life breath. It is impossible to live even for a minute in this
world without faith.
Resolve to carry
on the quest of your own Reality.
When hatred
sprouts, Envy raises its hood.
When Love sprouts, Peace descends like dew.
Life is the car,
your heart is the key and God is the chauffeur.
Expand yourselves;
do not contract into your own tiny individuality.
Foster Love
Live in Love
Spread Love
Have the name and
form of God as your companion, guide and guardian throughout the
toils of the waking hours.
When you retire
for the night offer grateful homage to God for being with you all
day long.
The present is a
product of the past, but it is also the seed for the future.
Experience that is
drawn through any of the senses has an effect on one's health.
The mind sees
separateness, Love sees unity.
Head in the
forest; Hands in society
Today's man is
pursuing unrestrained sense cravings. These pursuits drag man's
mind into the gutter.
A man's well-being
depends upon his degree of contentment.
Every living being
in this world is knowingly or unknowingly on a spiritual
pilgrimage.
Every one is the
embodiment of God.
Character is the
most precious gift of education.
Life is a
challenge, meet it! Life is a dream, realize it! Life is a game,
play it! Life is Love, enjoy it!
You are all
members of the same family, bound by the Religion of Love.
True education is
not for a mere living, but for a fuller and meaningful life.
Devotion is not a
uniform to be worn on certain days and then to be put aside.
If the mind of man
is not reformed and purified then all the plans to reform the
world will be futile.
What God gives is
never exhausted
What man gives never lasts.
Love must express
itself as Service.
Meaning of WATCH
W [your]
Words
A [your]
Action
T [your]
Thoughts
C [your]
Character
H [your]
Heart
You must make the
mind the servant of God, not the slave of the senses.
Good company is
important; it helps to cultivate good qualities.
As close as you
are to God, so close is God to you.
The synthesis of
pure, calming food is breathing pure air, listening to good
sounds, looking at good sights, and touching pure objects.
We must control
our desires.
Don't waste money
Don't waste time
Don't waste food
Don't waste energy
I - Want - Peace
"I" is ego.
"Want" is desire.
Remove ego and desire and you have peace.
The gift of food
to the hungry is the noblest of all gifts.
When we sit for
the meal, we feel light and effortless. When we are done, we
should rise with the same feeling of lightness and effortlessness.
Love...doesn't
allow any room for pettiness or narrow outlook.
We should realize
that man has not only a mind, which conceives thoughts, but also a
heart, which can put them into practice.
The teachers of
tomorrow are the students of today.
Renunciation is
the power of battling against evil forces and holding the mind in
check.
The heart of man,
which is now allowed to lie fallow, has to be plowed by spiritual
exercises like repetition of God's name.
Teachers must be
examples of Love and Truth.
Being example is
the best form of Service.
Desire makes man
forget his real nature and reduces him to be status of a beast.
Let the different
faiths exist; let them flourish and the glory of God be sung in
all the languages and in a variety of tunes.
Dedicate all your
thoughts, words, and deeds to Him.
Man will realize
his mission on earth when he knows himself as Divine and reveres
others as Divine.
God gave you the
time, space, cause, material, idea, skill, chance, and fortune.
Why should you feel as if your are the doer?
If you give up and
surrender to the lord, He will guide you and guard you.
Ignorance is the
most important cause of sorrow.
Once we surrender
our mind to God completely, He will take care of us in every way.
Learn to speak
what you feel, and act what you speak.
Small minds select
narrow roads; expand your mental vision and take to the broad road
of helpfulness, compassion and service.
Politics without
principles,
Education without character,
Science without humanity, and
Commerce without morality
Are not only useless, but also positively dangerous.
Try to conduct
yourself in such a way as not to injure others.
A nation that has
no bridle on its sensuality can never thrive or survive.
God is all Names
and all Forms
Have constructive
thoughts; consoling words; compassionate acts.
The first thing
you have to do, to impress upon your mind the reality, is to
recite the name of God and dwell on His Glory in the mind.
Character is to be
sought more than intellect.
The attitude today
is the root on which the future grows.
If there is
righteousness in the heart, there will be beauty in the character.
If there is beauty in the character, there will be harmony in the
home.
When there is harmony in the home, there will be order in the
nation.
When there is order in the nation, there will be peace in the
world.
Friendship is the
expression of unshakable Love. Love that is noble, pure, free from
desire or egoism.
Meditation is
nothing else but rising above desires.
When you take one
step towards God, God takes ten towards you.
Service should not
be exhibitionistic; you must seek no reward, not even gratitude or
thanks from the recipient.
You cannot see Me,
but I am the Light you see by.
You cannot hear Me, but I am the Sound you hear by.
You cannot know Me, but I am the Truth by which you live.
The food we
consume should be tasty, sustaining and pleasant; It should not be
too hot or too salty; there must be a balance and an equilibrium
maintained.
Example, not
precept, is the best teaching aid.
Base all
educational efforts on building up of the character of the
students, and then you can confidently think of rising on in the
super-structure of curricula.
The mother is the
pillar of the home, of society, of the nation, and so of humanity
itself.
You are all
separate beads strung together on that one thread, God.
Nourish your aged
parents; revere them.
Your thoughts,
words and deeds will shape others and theirs will shape you.
Love of the
country is the basis on which you can build love for world
community.
Always respect
other's opinion and other's point of view.
Spirituality is an
activity. It is an activity of the Divinity within.
If you honor your
mother, the Mother of the universe will guard you against harm.
If you honor your
father, the Father of all Beings will guard you.
Love expands; it
does not limit itself to boundaries.
If you honor your
parents, your children will honor you.
A language is as
sweet as the tongues of the speakers.
The whole world is
One Single Tree;
The different countries are it's branches;
Its root is God;
Human beings are the flowers;
Happiness is the fruit;
Self-realization is the sweet juice therein.
The beauty of life
depends upon our good habits.
To reform: First
weed out the evil thoughts and bad habits. Second cultivate good
habits.
When the road
ends, and the goal is gained, the pilgrim finds that he has
traveled from himself to himself.
Do not preach;
practice.
Man loves because
he is Love.
He seeks Joy, for he is Joy.
He thirsts for God; for he is composed of
God and he cannot exist without Him.
By peace, western
countries mean the interval between two wars. That is no peace!
When man thinks, speaks, and does good - peace will ensue.
Where there is
Love, there God is evident; God is the Life-breath of every soul.
One single act of
service offered to God whom you visualize in another is worth all
the years of yearning for God.
Wealth has to be
earned through Righteousness. Desire has to be for Liberation.
Your duty is to
serve, not search for faults.
There is no living
being without the spark of love; even a mad man loves something or
somebody.
Make the home a
seat of harmony.
The greatest fear
man can have, is the fear of losing God's Love.
God is the mother
and father of the world. Our parents are the mother and father of
this body.
God is one; there
are not many Gods, one for each tribe among men.
Love is one; it
transcends caste, color and creed, if it has to be genuine.
Truth is one;
there cannot be two. For, two can only be One, occurring twice.
The goal is one;
for all roads must lead to the One God.
God is to be
recognized in all that exists, all that is charming, suffering,
blooming or drooping.
When heart speaks
to heart, it is love that is transmitted.
A limit should be
placed on the food that we take.
If you know the
road and the goal, then you can discover whether you are
progressing or not
Make the fullest
of your talents and march as long as you can, and pitch the tent
nearer the goal, when darkness falls.
Truth is the basis
of Righteousness.
Be ever watchful
to see that you strive to take in more and more of God into you.
Implant in your
Heart: 1. Do not forget God. 2. Do not put faith in the world you
see around you. 3. Do not be afraid.
The wise are those
who know the self.
Truth has no fear;
Untruth shivers at every shadow.
Sensory pleasures
are trinkets, trivialities.
God is the doer;
you are but the instrument.
Cultivate that
attitude of Oneness between men of all creeds, all countries and
all continents.
Not through wealth
can Immortality be won; it can be won only through renunciation.
Give up; do not
grasp in clenched fists.
Release; do not bind and get bound.
Do not waste a
single moment, in idling or loose living.
Love of the
country is the basis on which you can build love for the world
community.
If you safeguard
Righteousness, it will, in its turn, safeguard us.
Do not get
attached to worldly things and pursuits. Be in the world, but do
not let the world be in you.
Have no desire to
place before God. Whatever He does with you, however He treats
you, is the gift that He likes best, to give you!
Work
disinterestedly. Content to do one's duty as best as one can.
Aspire now
Adore now
Achieve now.
Blood has to
circulate from head to foot;
Love has to circulate from high to low.
Campaign against
the temptations of the senses; Conquer inner foes; Triumph over
your ego.
Practice alone
makes man perfect.
Have the Love of
God filling and thrilling your heart; then, you cannot hate
anyone.
God is not to be
spoken of as coming down or going up, since He is everywhere.
The fulfillment of
human life consists in the service that man renders, without any
thought of return, in an attitude of selflessness.
Spiritual
discipline grows only in a field fertilized by Love.
Be steady, have
faith, and reach the Goal safe.
To rectify the
world and put it on the proper path, we have to first rectify our
conduct and ourselves.
Teachers are
reservoirs from which, through the process of education, students
draw the water of life.
Knowledge that is
not put into practice is like food that is not digested.
Man can realize
his mission on the earth only when he knows himself as Divine and
when he reveres all others as Divine.
Real Peace of mind
has no ups and downs; it cannot be partial in adversity and whole
in prosperity.
Instead of making
the senses, which are at best very poor guides and informants, his
servants, man has made them his masters.
There may be
differences among men, in physical strength, financial status, and
intellectual acumen - but all are equal in the eye of God.
Discipline trains
you to put up with disappointments, every rose has a thorn.
You say, "enjoy";
but it is when you "end joy", that you can really enjoy.
The day when
passion is accepted as a mark of womanhood, it will mark the
beginning of the end of femininity>
If you feel you
are a hundred percent dependent on God, He will look after you and
save you from harm and injury.
Love with no
expectation of return.
Activity must be
dedicated to God, the Highest Good. Then, it will provide health
to body and mind.
God is
omnipotent. All powerful
God is
Omnipresent. Present everywhere.
God is
Omniscient. All knowing.
God, first; the
world next; myself last!
Live on your own
earnings, your own resources.
Man seeks to
change the foods available in nature to suit his tastes, thereby
putting an end to the very essence of life contained in them.
Each man carries
his own destiny in his own hands.
Dreams relating to
God are real.
The easiest way to
control sensuous desires is to practice altruistic love.
Our good conduct
is our true wealth.
If some people say
there is no God, it only means that they are at too great a
distance to be aware of Him.
Men are born with
a helpless lamenting cry; they should die with a smile of happy
joy.
Do not belittle
any religion or give predominance to any religion.
Love knows no fear
and so love needs no falsehood to support it.
Do not use
poisonous words against anyone, for, words wound more fatally than
even arrows.
You must be a
lotus unfolding its petals when the sun rises in the sky,
unaffected by the slush where it is born or even the water, which
sustains it!
The root is
education and the fruit is virtue.
Of all the
insanities that harass man, God-madness is the least harmful, and
the most beneficial.
You may be able to
pay back any debt; but the debt you owe your mother, you never can
repay.
Love is the light
that guides the feet of man in the wilderness.
Every experience
that is drawn through any of the senses has an effect on one's
health.
Mine, not thine,
this sense of greed is the root of all evil. This distinction is
applied even to God! -- my God, not yours! Your God, not mine!
Discipline is the
mark of intelligent living.
No one can judge
another, for, when another is judged you are yourself condemned.
Love seeks no
reward; Love is its own reward.
One without power
does not mean lack of physical or mental strength.
Speak soft and
sweet; sympathize with suffering and loss and ignorance: try your
best to apply the salve of soothing words and timely succor.
The Lord is but a
witness; He is above all hate and anger, of attachment derived
from "mine" and "thine".
Nothing is to be
used as itself, for itself.
"Seeing is
believing: I will believe in God only if I see Him;" but are all
things seen or heard or touched or tasted, as real as they seem?
Either the
Government must have the capacity to educate and reform the people
or the people must have the capacity to educate the Government.
Peace - It can
come only from the Fountain of Peace within.
It is best to live
with honor for just a day than with dishonor for many decades;
better a short lived celestial swan than a century-lived crow.
Every sense is an
outlet for the energy of man in a direction that binds him to the
objective world.
Spiritual progress
is right living, good conduct, moral behavior.
Do all acts as
offerings to God; do not classify some as `my work' and some as
`His work'.
The reasoning
faculty must be employed to distinguish between the limited and
the unlimited, the Temporary and the Eternal.
Life is a mirage;
It comes from no visible rain; It falls into no recognizable sea.
When the magnet
does not attract the needle, the fault lies in the dirt that
covers up the needle.
Food should not be
too salty, too hot, too bitter, too sweet, too sour.
There should not
be any trace of dislike or distrust on the score of nationality,
language, caste, economic status, scholarship, age or sex.
The end of
knowledge is love; The end of education is character.
Each country is
but a room in the mansion of God.
The very joy
derived from service reacts on the body and makes you free from
disease.
The age period 16
- 30 is a crucial stage, when man achieves best and struggles
hardest to achieve.
All things in
creation are subject to the law of change and man too is subject
to this law.
Service is
spiritual discipline, not a pastime of the rich and well placed.
God alone is the
giver of life, the guardian of life, and the goal of life.
All spiritual
practice must be directed to the removal of the husk and the
revelation of the kernel.
The same current
activates all.
Man is now able to
soar into outer space and reach up to the moon; but he is not
moral enough to live at peace with his neighbor!
The food that one
eats has to be pure, free from the subtle evils radiated by the
persons who collect the materials, who cook the dishes, and who
serve them.
Whatever is to our
advantage will appear right to us; we do not usually look upon a
matter from the other fellow's standpoint.
However high a
bird may soar, it has sooner or later to perch on a treetop, to
enjoy quiet.
The purpose of
living is to achieve the `living in God'
When you feel you
cannot do good, at least desist from doing evil.
Condemn the wrong
and extol the right as soon as you notice either in your children;
that will settle them on the straight path.
Awake, Arise and
Stop not until the goal is reached.
Limiting birth by
artificial means is an absurdly wrong step. The consequences of
this act are irresponsible fatherhood or frustrated motherhood.
The mind fixed in
the awareness of the One is like a rock, unaffected by doubt,
stable, secure.
Instead of making
the senses, which are at best very poor guides and informants, his
servants, man has made them his masters.
Jesus said:
First - He is a
messenger of God.
Second - He is the
Son of God.
Third - He and
His Father are one.
Women have equal
chances and equal rights to attain Godhead
Let the wave of
memory, the storm of desire, the fire of emotion pass through
without affecting your equanimity.
Silence is the
speech of the spiritual seeker
All men are cells
in the same divine organism, in the divine body. That should be
your faith, your fortune, your fort, your fullness.
Hate screeches -
Fear squeals - Conceit trumpets - But love sings lullabies.
Food cooked in
water should not be used the next day; it becomes harmful.
No society can
find its fulfillment, no social ideal can fructify, without the
blossoming of the spirit of man.
Patience is all
the strength that man needs.
The earlier years
of life are the most crucial, and so the mother and the father
have to share the responsibility for the upbringing.
Through the media
of films, books, music and the behavior of elders, young minds are
excited and aroused into indulgences.
The God of death
does not give notice of His arrival to take hold of you. He is not
like the photographer who says, "I am clicking, are you ready?"
Whenever you get a
little leisure, do not spend it in talking about sundries, but
utilize it in meditating on God or in doing service to others.
Greed yields only
sorrow; contentment is best.
Whatever acts a
good or bad man may do, the fruits thereof follow him and will
never stop pursuing him.
It is not the
standard of living that is important, but the manner of living.
You must render
service out of spontaneous urge from within, with a heart filled
with love.
A chance
conglomeration of humans does not become a society.
A society has to
be welded into a unit by the consciousness of kinship in God.
Unity is divinity;
Purity us enlightenment.
Reform the body,
reconstruct the mind, regulate the way of living, then, the
country will become automatically strong and prosperous.
Forget the harm
that anyone has done to you, and forget the good that you have
done to others.
There is only one
royal road for the spiritual journey...Love.
If one student is
bad, only that student is affected. But if one teacher is bad,
hundreds of students get spoiled.
Your thoughts play
a vital role in shaping your life.
Religion is
three-fourths character.
The present is a
product of the past, but it is also the seed for the future.
Open the gates of
wisdom, tear the veil of ignorance, enter the abode of Divine
Bliss. Rest in peace forever.
Form a Satsang,
where you meet and exchange truths and virtuous talk; where you
study holy books and discourses on the glory of God.
All works are
God's. He inspires, He helps, He executes, He enjoys, He is
pleased, He reaps and He sowed.
Have faith in
yourself. When you have no faith in the wave, how can you get
faith in the ocean?
Do not contemplate
on death; it is just an incident in life; contemplate on God, who
is the master of all life.
You must welcome
tests because it gives you confidence and it ensures promotion.
So long as you say
'I am' there is bound to be fear, but once you say and feel 'I am
God' you get unconquerable strength.
By eating flesh
one develops violent tendencies and animal diseases.
Do not get swelled
up when people praise you and do not feel dejected when people
blame you.
Serve man until
you see God in all men.
Knowledge without
devotion to God produces hatred.
What is the
unmistakable mark of a wise man? It is love, love for all
humanity.
Service springs
out of love and it scatters love in profusion.
Soft sweet speech
is the expression of genuine love.
Mankind can find
happiness only in unity, not in diversity.
Philosophy that
cannot be understood, scriptures that are not practiced - it is a
waste of time to talk of them.
Anger is the
harvest of the bewitching mind; it enslaves man and fogs his
understanding.
People are born
for different tasks, but in order to survive every one requires
the same nourishment; inner peace.
Whatever the
trouble, however great the sorrow, persist and win by recollecting
the Lord.
Those who have
gone through pain and suffering can understand and sympathize with
those who are in pain
The basic Truth in
all religions, irrespective of country or race is one and the
same.
Whenever and
wherever you put yourself in touch with God that is the state of
meditation.
The mind is a
bundle of desires - remove the threads of attachment one by one;
at the end the 'cloth' disappears and the mind is clear and pure.
Practice silence -
for the voice of God can be heard in the region of your heart only
when the tongue is stilled and storm is stilled and the waves are
calm.
Practice the
vocabulary of love - unlearn the language of hate and contempt.
God is in you,
around you, behind you, above you, beside you.
Of all the
righteous acts, help rendered to those needing it, is the most
righteous.
Surrendering the
fruit of action to the Lord is real sacrifice.
My birthday is the
date when divinity blossoms in your heart.
God is neither
distant nor distinct from you.
What is offered to
God is totally free from all defects and imperfections.
The joy that we
cause in the heart of God is the only worthwhile achievement.
The acid test by
which an activity can be confirmed as holy or sacred is to examine
whether it promotes attachment or avoids bondage.
Body is like a
flashlight, Eye is like the bulb
Mind is the battery cell, Intelligence is the switch
Only when the four work together do you get the light.
Any happiness that
you can give to others will result in happiness for yourself in
the end. Man must realize that he cannot get anything without
sharing it with humanity around him. So, you must believe that
happiness of the people around you will lead to your own happiness
in due course.
Illnesses are
caused more by malnutrition of the mind than of the body. I will
recommend the repetition of the Name of God. That is Vitamin G.
That is the medicine; regulated life and habits are 2/3 of the
treatment, while the medicine is just 1/3 only.
It is only when
you have both divine grace and human endeavor that you can
experience bliss, just as you can enjoy the breeze of a fan only
when you have both a fan and the electrical energy to operate it.
Do not think that
only those who worship a picture or image with pompous
paraphernalia are devotees. Whoever walks straight along the moral
path, whoever acts as he speaks and speaks as he has seen, whoever
melts at another's woe and exults at another's joy.... is a
devotee, perhaps a greater devotee.
This is bad; this
is good - can such judgments be ever made about anything in God's
creation when all are manifestations of His will?
Love is one
without a second. When this love is directed towards the world, it
is called attachment (anuraga), and when directed towards God, it
is called Prema (devotional love).
The play is His,
The role is His gift, The lines are written by Him
He directs, He decides the dress and decoration,
The gesture and the tone, The entrance and the exit.
You have to act well to receive His approbation When the curtain
falls
Earn by your efficiency and enthusiasm, The right to play higher
and higher roles
That is the meaning and purpose of life
Living with God is
the true education.
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