Quotes from Swami Sivananda

Still the bubbling mind; herein lies freedom and bliss eternal.

If you have controlled your mind you are the conqueror of the whole world.

A purified mind can grasp anything. It can dive deep into the subtlest subject and understand even transcendental things.

Through regular practice of concentration and meditation you attain clarity of mind, increased grasping power, retentive memory, increased intelligence, confidence, peace, optimism and control of the senses

A desire arises in the mind. It is satisfied immediately another comes. In the interval which separates two desires a perfect calm reigns in the mind. It is at this moment freed from all thought, love or hate. Complete peace equally reigns between two mental waves.

Put your heart, mind, and soul into even your smallest acts. This is the secret of success.

Always do good to others. Be selfless. Mentally remove everything and be free. This is divine life. This is the direct way to Moksha or salvation.

Moral values, and a culture and a religion, maintaining these values are far better than laws and regulations.

Complete peace equally reigns between two mental waves.

Do not love leisure. Waste not a minute. Be bold. Realize the Truth, here and now!

Go beyond science, into the region of metaphysics. Real religion is beyond argument. It can only be lived both inwardly and outwardly.

There is something good in all seeming failures. You are not to see that now. Time will reveal it. Be patient.

Put your heart, mind, intellect, and soul even to your smallest acts. This is the secret of success.

Illness begins with "I", Wellness begins with "we

Do not brood over your past mistakes and failures as this will only fill your mind with grief, regret and depression. Do not repeat them in the future.

Crave for a thing, you will get it. Renounce the craving, the object will follow you by itself.

If you think about disaster, you will get it. Brood about death and you hasten your demise. Think positively and masterfully, with confidence and faith, and life becomes more secure, more fraught with action, richer in achievement and experience.

A good, holy thought to start the day with, is more precious than all the wealth you can acquire and all the happiness that you can enjoy during the day. These

The aspirant should not feel discouraged, for they will lose their past momentum and force from their parting kick after some time and die by themselves. Instead of getting alarmed at their presence, the aspirant should plunge himself in dynamic spiritual practices.

Aspire to purify yourself first. Become an embodiment of love, mercy and goodness. One has to apply oneself to sadhana, diligently, day and night. Like the man who anxiously seeks a means of escape from the midst of a burning house, the aspirant should have a burning desire to free himself from the fire of samsara. Only then will he be able to enter into deep meditation and samadhi.

Sometimes, for a short time the mind finds itself in quiescence. In this state of mind there is neither raga nor dvesha; this silent mental state is called tushnim avastha. It occurs in the waking state, the jagrat avastha. The aspirant mistakes this neutral state of mind for samadhi. This is an obstacle on the path of God-realization, and should, therefore, be overcome by careful introspection and vigorous meditation.

The harder the struggle, the more glorious the triumph. Self-realization demands very great struggle.

If you really wish to evolve spiritually, you should at once make a start and pursue a regular and steady course of sadhana. Do not worry over physical and mental obstructions or unhelpful circumstances. They exist to test your sincerity and inner strength, and to give you a fillip from time to time.

Beloved Mahadev, Realisation cannot come to you as a miracle done by your Guru. Lord Buddha, Lord Jesus, Rama Tirtha have all done Sadhana. Lord Krishna asks Arjuna to develop Vairagya and do Abhyasa. He did not say to him "I will give you Mukti now". Therefore abandon the wrong notion that your Guru will give you Samadhi and Mukti. Strive, purify, meditate and realise. Sivananda