Quotes from Swami Vivekananda

One moment of company with the holy makes a ship to cross this ocean of life." Such is the power of association.

This animal called man has some religious influence, but he is guided by economy.

In search of wealth in this world, Thou art the only wealth I have found; I sacrifice myself unto Thee. In search of some one to be loved, Thou art the only one beloved I have found; I sacrifice myself unto Thee.

A perfect life is a contradiction in terms. Life itself is a state of continuous struggle between ourselves and everything outside. Every moment we are fighting actually with external nature, and if we are defeated, our life has to go.

When you have trained your mind and your nerves to realise this idea of the world's nondependence on you or on anybody, there will then be no reaction in the form of pain resulting from work.

Strength is Life, Weakness is Death".

Until the inner teacher opens, all outside teaching is in vain.

Where is love? How do you know that there is love? The first test of love is that it knows no bargaining. So long as you see a man love another only to get something from him, you know that that is not love; it is shopkeeping.

It is the subjective world that rules the objective. Change the subject, and the object is bound to change; purify yourself, and the world is bound to be purified.

A fool may buy all the books in the world, and they will be in his library; but he will be able to read only those that he deserves to; and this deserving is produced by Karma. Our Karma determines what we deserve and what we can assimilate. We are responsible for what we are; and whatever we wish ourselves to be, we have the power to make ourselves.

Raja-Yoga is the science of religion, the rationale of all worship, all prayers, forms, ceremonies, and miracles.

Even as the lion, not trembling at noises; even as the wind, not caught in a net; even as the lotus-leaf, untouched by the water — so do thou wander alone like the rhinoceros!

There is a conflict in Arjuna's heart between his emotionalism and his duty.

It teaches that there is the soul, and inside this soul is all power. It is already there, and if we can master this body, all the power will be unfolded. All knowledge is in the soul. Why

They become what they think. We will become [only] by [degrees].

Real existence, real knowledge, and real love are eternally connected with one another, the three in one: where one of them is, the others also must be; they are the three aspects of the One without a second — the Existence - Knowledge - Bliss.

Think of your own body, and see that it is strong and healthy; it is the best instrument you have. Think of it as being as strong as adamant, and that with the help of this body you will cross the ocean of life. Freedom is never to be reached by the weak. Throw away all weakness. Tell your body that it is strong, tell your mind that it is strong, and have unbounded faith and hope in yourself. (I. 146) A

in China, where no man gets a title until he is dead; and that is a better way, after all, than with us. When a man does something very good there, they give a title of nobility to his father, who is dead, or to his grandfather.

The more we come out and do good to others, the more our hearts will be purified, and God will be in them." — Swami Vivekananda

In this world in search of wealth, Thou art, O Lord, the greatest jewel I have found. I sacrifice myself unto Thee." "In search of some one to love, Thou art the One Beloved I have found. I sacrifice myself unto Thee.

That which the ignorant do with desire for results and gain, let the wise do without any attachment and without any desire for results and gain.

He who does so, says the Gita, cannot be a Yogi: He who fasts, he who keeps awake, he who sleeps much, he who works too much, he who does no work, none of these can be a Yogi (Gita, VI, 16).

The Yogi says, religion is practical if you know first why misery exists. All the misery in the world is in the senses. Is

leave upon it different pictures, and the result of these combined impressions is what is called man's "character." If you take the character of any man it really is but the aggregate of tendencies, the sum-total of the bent of his mind; you will find that misery and happiness are equal factors in the formation