MEN ( WHO WRONGLY CRITICISE ARE TO BE TREATED AS WORMS

The worldly-wise instinct is most difficult to root out. . . . Let him come and work in the Math. One is apt to imbibe a lot of mischievous ideas by concerning oneself too long in worldly affairs. If he refuses to take the monastic vow, please tell him to clear out. I don't want amphibious type of men who will be half monks and half householders. . . . Haramohan has coined a Lord Ramakrishna Paramahamsa, I see. What does he mean? English Lord, or Duke? Tell Rakhal, let people say whatever they will — "Men (who wrongly criticise) are to be treated as worms!" as Shri Ramakrishna used to say.

- Swami Vivekananda
C/O E. T. STURDY, ESQ.,
HIGH VIEW, CAVERSHAM, ENGLAND,

PURITY, PATIENCE, AND PRESEVERANCE OVERCOME ALL OBSTACLES

READING, ENGLAND,
4th Oct., 1895.
DEAR— ,

. . . Purity, patience, and perseverance overcome all obstacles. All great things must of necessity be slow. . . .

Yours with love,
VIVEKANANDA.

WE MUST TAKE CARE NOT TO BE RUN OVER WITH " FADS" FROM THE FIRST.

C/O E. T. STURDY, ESQ.,
HIGH VIEW, CAVERSHAM, READING, ENGLAND,
17th Sept., 1895.

DEAR MRS. BULL,

Mr. Sturdy and I want to get hold of a few of the best, say, strong and intelligent men in England to form a society, and therefore we must proceed slowly. We must take care not to be run over with "fads" from the first. This you will know has been my policy in America too. Mr. Sturdy has been in India living with our Sannyasins in their manner for some time. He is an exceedingly energetic man, educated and well versed in Sanskrit. ... So far so good. ... Purity, perseverance, and energy — these three I want, and if I get only half a dozen here, my work will go on. I have a great chance of such a few.

VIVEKANANDA

HAS DANGER HAS POWER OVER ONE WHOM THE LORD HAS TAKEN INTO HIS FOLD ?

Tell Chuni Babu in private that he has nothing to fear, that those who are protected by the Lord must be above fear. I am a puny man, but the glories of the Lord are infinite. — Discard fear. Let not your faith be shaken. ...Has danger any power over one whom the Lord has taken into His fold?

Ever yours,
VIVEKANANDA.

VIVEKA HAMSA - BANGALORE - HANATHE 2012

VIVEKA HAMSA - HANATHE 2012

A WISE MAN SHOULD STAND FIRM ON HIS OWN LEGS AND ACT

Everybody requests me to return to India. It is all right, but don't you see it is not wise to depend upon others. A wise man should stand firm on his own legs and act. Everything will come about slowly. For the present don't forget to be on the look-out for a site. We want a big plot — of about ten to twenty thousand rupees — it must be right on the Ganga. Though my capital is small, I am exceedingly bold. Have an eye on securing the land. At present we shall have to work three centres, one in New York, another in Calcutta and a third in Madras. Then, by degrees, as the Lord will arrange. ... You must keep a strict eye on your health; let everything else be subordinated to that....

- Swami Vivekananda
The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda/Volume 6/Epistles - Second Series/LXXVIII Rakhal

WHEN YOU CAN THROW AWAY ALL, ONLY THE TRUE SELF WILL REMAIN

The first thing to be got rid of by him who would be a Jnani is fear. Fear is one of our worst enemies. Next, believe in nothing until you know it. Constantly tell yourself, "I am not the body, I am not the mind, I am not thought, I am not even consciousness; I am the Atman." When you can throw away all, only the true Self will remain.

- Swami Vivekananda
The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda/Volume 8/Lectures And Discourses/Discourses On Jnana-Yoga

IF YOU REALLY WANT THE GOOD OF OF OTHERS, THE WHOLE UNIVERSE MAY STAND AGAINST YOU AND CANNOT HURT YOU.

But, mind you, this is life's experience; if you really want the good of others, the whole universe may stand against you and cannot hurt you. It must crumble before your power of the Lord Himself in you if you are sincere and really unselfish.

- Swami Vivekananda
My Life And Mission (Delivered at the Shakespeare Club of Pasadena, California, on January 27, 1900)

THE ONLY CONDITION OF NATIONAL LIFE, OF AWAKENED AND VIGOROUS NATIONAL LIFE, IS THE CONQUEST OF THE WORLD BY INDIA THOUGHT

Spirituality must conquer the West. Slowly they are finding out that what they want is spirituality to preserve them as nations. They are waiting for it, they are eager for it. Where is the supply to come from? Where are the men ready to go out to every country in the world with the messages of the great sages of India? Where are the men who are ready to sacrifice everything, so that this message shall reach every corner of the world? Such heroic spurs are wanted to help the spread of truth. Such heroic workers are wanted to go abroad and help to disseminate the great truths of the Vedanta. The world wants it; without it the world will be destroyed. The whole of the Western world is on a volcano which may burst tomorrow, go to pieces tomorrow. They have searched every corner of the world and have found no respite. They have drunk deep of the cup of pleasure and found it vanity. Now is the time to work so that India's spiritual ideas may penetrate deep into the West. Therefore young men of Madras, I specially ask you to remember this. We must go out, we must conquer the world through our spirituality and philosophy. There is no other alternative, we must do it or die. The only condition of national life, of awakened and vigorous national life, is the conquest of the world by Indian thought.

- Swami Vivekananda
The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda/Volume 3/Lectures from Colombo to Almora/The Work before us

WELL, MY BOY, THIS IS THE SCHOOL OF MISERY, WHICH IS ALSO THE SCHOOL OF GREAT SOULS

 

 

I am called by the Lord for this. I have been dragged through a whole life full of crosses and tortures, I have seen the nearest and dearest die, almost of starvation; I have been ridiculed, distrusted, and have suffered for my sympathy for the very men who scoff and scorn. Well, my boy, this is the school of misery, which is also the school for great souls and prophets for the cultivation of sympathy, of patience, and, above all, of an indomitable iron will which quakes not even if the universe be pulverised at our feet.

 

- Swami Vivekananda
[ From the book: Swami Vivekananda - On Himself ]

FOR IT IS THE TEACHING OF THE VEDANTA THAT YOU ARE ALL PROPHETS, AND ALL MUST BE PROPHETS.

Intellect is like limbs without the power of locomotion. It is only when feeling enters and gives them motion that they move and work on others. That is so all over the world, and it is a thing which you must always remember. It is one of the most practical things in Vedantic morality, for it is the teaching of the Vedanta that you are all prophets, and all must be prophets. The book is not the proof of your conduct, but you are the proof of the book.

- Swami Vivekanananda

The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda/Volume 2/Practical Vedanta and other lectures/Practical Vedanta: Part 1

NO NEGATIVE, ALL POSITIVE, AFFIRMATIVE. I AM, GOD IS, EVERYTHING IS IN ME.

Self-depreciation! What is it for? I am the child of the Infinite, the all-powerful Divine Mother. What means disease, or fear, or want to me? Stamp out the negative spirit as if it were a pestilence, and it will conduce to your welfare in every way. No negative, all positive, affirmative. I am, God is, everything is in me.

- Swami Vivekananda
25th September, 1894 NEW YORK
 The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda/Volume 6/Epistles - Second Series/XLVII Brother disciples
 Pestilence : A usually fatal epidemic disease, especially bubonic plague