TO THE LIVING GOD WHO DWELLS IN THE PERSONS OF THE POOR

. . . Curtail the expenses of worship to a rupee or two per mensem. The children of the Lord are dying of starvation. . . . Worship with water and Tulasi leaves alone, and let the allowance for His Bhoga (food offerings) be spent in offering food to the Living God who dwells in the persons of the poor — then will His grace descend on everything. - Swami Vivekananda Complete Works Of Swami Vivekananda, Volume 6, Page 404

THAT THERE IS NO OTHER OBJECT IN WORK EXCEPT THE PURIFICTION OF THE SOUL

"If you have known the Atman as the one existence and that nothing else exists, for whom, for what desire, do you trouble yourself?" Through Maya all this doing good etc. came into my brain--now they are leaving me. I get more and more convinced that there is no other object in work except the purification of the soul--to make it fit for

knowledge. This world with its good and evil will go on in various forms. Only the evil and good will take new names and new seats. My soul is hankering after peace and rest eternal undisturbed. "Live alone, live alone. He who is alone never comes into conflict with others--never disturbs others, is never disturbed by others." - Swami Vivakananda Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda, Volume - 6, Page 356

THE POOR, THE ILLITERATE, THE IGNORANT, THE AFFLICTED - LET THESE BE YOUR GOD - KNOW THAT SERVICE TO THESE ALONE IS THE HIGHEST RELIGION

Work, worship, and Jnana (knowledge) — first work, and your mind will be purified; otherwise everything will be fruitless like pouring oblations on a pile of ashes instead of in the sacred fire. When Gunanidhi comes, move from door to door of the poor and the destitute in every village of Rajputana. If people object to the kind of food you take, give it up immediately. It is preferable to live on grass for the sake of doing good to others. The Geruâ robe is not for enjoyment. It is the banner of heroic work. You must give your body, mind, and speech to “the welfare of the world”. You have read — “मातृदेवो भव, पितृदेवो भव — Look upon your mother as God, look upon your father as God” — but I say “दरिद्रदेवो भव, मूर्खदेवो भव — The poor, the illiterate, the ignorant, the afflicted — let these be your God.” Know that service to these alone is the highest religion. Swami Vivekananda Page 288, Epistles, Volume 6, Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda

SUPREME CALMNESS

" A bird, in the course of its flight, reaches a spot whence it looks on the ground below with supreme calmness, have you reached that spot? He who has not reached there has no right to teach others. Relax your limbs, and float with the current, and you are sure to reach your destination "

- Swami Vivekananada Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda, Volume 6, Epistles, Page 286

ESTABLISHED IN WHICH STATE A MAN IS NOT MOVED EVEN BY GREAT MISFORTUNE

Never mind, उपेक्षितव्यं तद्वचनं भवत्सट्टशानां महात्मनाम्। अपि कीटदंशनभीरुका वयं रामकृष्ण तनयास्तदूहृदयरुधिरपोषिताः। "अलोकसामान्यमचिन्त्यहेतुकं हिन्दन्ति मन्दाश्चरितं महात्मनाम्" — Great men like you should pay no heed to what he says. Shall we, children of Shri Ramakrishna, nourished with his heart's blood, be afraid of worm-bites? "The wicked criticise the conduct of the magnanimous, which is extraordinary and whose motives are difficult to fathom" (Kalidasa's Kumârasambhavam.) — remember all this and forgive this fool. It is the will of the Lord that people of this land have their power of introspection roused, and does it lie in anybody to check His progress? I want no name — I want to be a voice without a form. I do not require anybody to defend me — — who am I to check or to help the course of His march? And who are others also? Still, my heartfelt gratitude to them. — "Established in which state a man is not moved even by great misfortune" (Gita) — that state he has not reached; think of this and look upon him with pity. Through the Lord's will, the desire for name and fame has not yet crept into my heart, and I dare say never will. I am an instrument, and He is the operator. Through this instrument He is rousing the religious instinct in thousands of hearts in this far-off country. Thousands of men and women here love and revere me. . . . " the lame cross mountains." I am amazed at His grace. Whichever town I visit, it is in an uproar. They have named me "the cyclonic Hindu". Remember, it is His will — I am a voice without a form. - Swami Vivekananda | The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda Volume 6 Epistles - Second Series

ADVANCE LIKE A HERO - DON'T BE THWARTED Y ANYTHING

Advance like a hero. Don't be thwarted by anything. How many days will this body last, with its happingess and misery ? When you have got the human body, then rouse the Atman within and say - I have reached the state of fearlessness!...... - Swami Vivekananda

THE LAW OF KARMA MUST HAVE ITS POUND OF FLESH

" Possibly the priest says his routine words and expects something. Sixty thousand people look to the skies and pray and pay the priest. Month after month they still look, still pay and pray. ...Think of that! Is it not lunacy? What else is it? Who is responsible? You may preach religion, but to excite the minds of undeveloped children...! You will have to suffer for that. In your heart of hearts, what are you? For every weakening thought you have put into anybody's head you will have to pay with compound interest. The law of Karma must have its pound of flesh......" - Swami Vivekananda

LIFE IS SHORT, BUT THE SOUL IS IMMORTAL AND ETERAL

Life is short, but the soul is immortal and eternal, and one thing being certain, death, let us therefore take up a great ideal and give up our whole life to it. Let this be our determination, and may He, the Lord, who "comes again and again for the salvation of His own people", to quote from our scriptures — may the great Krishna bless us and lead us all to the fulfilment of our aims! - Swami Vivekananda The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda/Volume 3/Lectures from Colombo to Almora/The Future of India

NATURE'S JUSTICE IS UNIFORMLY STERN AND UNRELENTING

NATURE'S JUSTICE IS UNIFORMLY STERN AND UNRELENTING Nature's justice is uniformly stern and unrelenting.The great leaders of mankind belong to higher fields than the field of platform work. - Swami Vivekananda The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda/Volume 5/Notes from Lectures and Discourses/On Karma-Yoga

MYSTERY - MONGERING WEAKENS THE HUMAN BRAIN

MYSTERY - MONGERING WEAKENS THE HUMAN BRAIN " Anything that is secret and mysterious in these systems of Yoga should be at once rejected. The best guide in life is strength. In religion, as in all other matters, discard everything that weakens you, have nothing to do with it. Mystery-mongering weakens the human brain " - Swami Vivekananda Volume 1, Raja-Yoga

FAITH, I WAIT UPON FAITH, COME WHAT MAY

FAITH, I WAIT UPON FAITH, COME WHAT MAY Start with the idea that we can finish all experience of this world in this incarnation. We must aim to become perfect in this life this very moment. Success only comes to that life amongst men who wants to do this very moment. It is acquired by him who says : " Faith, I wait upon faith, come what may. " Therefore, go on knowing you are to finish this very moment. Struggle hard, and then, if you do not succeed, you are not to blame. Let world praise or blame you, let all the wealth of the earth come to your feet, or let you be made the poorest on earth, let death come this moment or hundreds of years hence, swerve not from the path you have taken. All good thoughts are immortal and go to make Buddhas and Christs. - Swami Vivekananda Page 30 - Swami Vivekananda and His Work by Swami Abhedananda

IT LAYS NO RESPONSIBILITY ON LITTLE GODS

This life is a hard fact; work your way through it boldly, though it may be adamantine; no matter, the soul is stronger. It lays no responsiblity on little gods; for you are the makers of your own fortunes. - Swami Vivekananda

NO SHILLY - SHALLY, NO ESOTERIC BLACKGUARDISM, NO SECRET HUMBUG, NOTHING SHOULD BE DONE IN A CORNER.

WORLD STANDS AGAINST YOU SWORD IN HAND

WORLD STANDS AGAINST YOU SWORD IN HAND " Have you got the will to surmount mountain-high obstructions? If the whole world stands against YOU SWORD IN HAND, would you still dare to do what you think is right? " - Swami Vivekananda

COMMON RUN OF MEN

Won’t you do something to show that you are in any way removed from the common run of men?”

- Swami Vivekananda

The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda/Volume 6/Epistles - Second Series/XLV Brothers

WHO HAS EVER BECOME GREAT

Brought up in the lap of luxury, lying on a bed of roses, and never shedding a tear, who has ever become great, who has ever unfolded the Brahman within ?

- Swami Vivekananda

[ Letters of Swami Vivekananda - Page 445 ]

AVOID ALL MYSTERY

" What we want is vigour in the blood, strength in the nerves, iron muscles and nerves of steel, not softening namby-pamby ideas. Avoid all mystery. There is no mystery in religion. Mystery mongering and superstition are always signs of weakness "

- Swami Vivekananda

IDLE GOSSIP

 " Idle gossip and barren ceremonials won't do " 

- Swami Vivekananda

Vol 6, Page 293

MOUNTAINS CAN BE CRUSHED TO ATOMS

 " Through concentration of mind everything can be accomplished - even mountains can be crushed to atoms. Concentration is the means through which we can gain anything and everything, mental, moral, or spiritual. "

- Swami Vivekananda 

( Vol.7. Page 138 & Vol 1 page 291 )

I WANT SAPPERS AND MINERS IN THE ARMY OF RELIGION

I WANT SAPPERS AND MINERS IN THE ARMY OF RELIGION

I want sappers and miners in the army of religion. So, boys, set yourselves to the task of training your muscles. For ascetics, mortification is all right, for workers, well - developed bodies, muscles of iron and nerves of steel

- Swami Vivekananda