Swami Vivekananda Quotes

Despondency is not religion, whatever else it may be.

When the soul wants to depend upon nothing, not even upon life, that is the height of philosophy, the height of manhood.

The same fire that cooks a meal for us may burn a child, and it is no fault of the fire if it does so; the difference lies in the way in which it is used.

Each work has to pass through these stages—ridicule, opposition, and then acceptance. Those who think ahead of their time are sure to be misunderstood.

The will is not free - it is a phenomenon bound by cause and effect - but there is something behind the will which is free.

Proclaim the glory of the Atman with the roar of a lion, and impart fearlessness unto all beings by saying, 'Arise, awake, and stop not till the goal is reached'!

All the strength and succour you want is within yourselves. Therefore make your own future. "Let the dead past bury its dead." The infinite future is before you.

The mistake is that we cling to the body when it is the spirit that is really immortal.

Be free; hope for nothing from anyone. I am sure if you look back upon your lives you will find that you were always vainly trying to get help from others which never came.

Onward, my brave boys - money or no money - men or no men! Have you love? Have you God? Onward and forward to the breach, you are irresistible.

"I do not want to get material life, do not want the sense-life, but something higher." That is renunciation. Then, by the power of meditation, undo the mischief that has been done.

There are hundreds of thousands of microbes surrounding us, but they cannot harm us unless we become weak, until the body is ready and predisposed to receive them.

Religion is the life of India, religion is the language of this country, the symbol of all its movements.

That which is selfish is immoral, and that which is unselfish is moral.

Jnana teaches that the world should be given up, but not on that account to be abandoned. To be in the world but not of it-is the true test of the sannyasin.

To realize the spirit as spirit is practical religion. Everything else is good so far as it leads to this one grand idea.

Take up an idea, devote yourself to it, struggle on in patience, and the sun will rise for you.

Anything that is western origin, first you verify it, then accept it. Anything that is Indian origin, first accept it, then verify it if necessary.

The history of the world is the history of a few men who had faith in themselves

All the powers in the universe are already ours.

Many of us do not believe in any form of idolatry; but they have no right to object when others do it.

I am teaching you now about it, but how many of you will practice it?

Hindu Dharma is the quintessence of our national life, hold fast to it if you want your country to survive, or else you would be wiped out in three generations.

Poetry and philosophy will become friends.

Where God is, there is no other. Where world is, there is no God. These two will never unite. Like light and darkness.

Help and not fight. Assimilation and not destruction. Harmony and Peace and not dissension.

The idol is the expression of religion.

Have faith that you are all, my brave lads, born to do great things! Let not the barks of puppies frighten you, no, not even the thunderbolts of heaven, but stand up and work!

We are ever free if we would only believe it, only have faith enough.

Karma is the eternal assertion of human freedom. . . . Our thoughts, our words, and deeds are the threads of the net which we throw around ourselves.

A man may be the greatest philosopher in the world but a child in RELIGION. When a man has developed a high state of spirituality he can understand that the kingdom of heaven is within him.

This external worship of images has, however, been described in all our Shastras as the lowest of all the low forms of worship. But that does not mean that it is a wrong thing to do.

Too much faith in personality has a tendency to produce weakness and idolatry, but intense love for the Guru makes rapid growth possible.

A brave, frank, clean-hearted, courageous and aspiring youth is the only foundation on which the future nation can be built.

When you feel gloomy, think what has been done within the last year. How, rising from nothing.

. . . Wait, my child, wait and work on. Patience, patience. . . . .

Never say, ‘No’, never say, ‘I cannot’, for you are infinite. Even time and space are as nothing compared with your nature. You can do anything and everything, you are almighty

From the highest god to the meanest grass, the same power is present in all - whether manifested or not. We shall have to call forth that power by going from door to door.

Some may be helped by images, some may not. Some require an image outside, others one inside the brain.

Religion, in India, means realisation and nothing short of that.

Go and preach to all, 'Arise, awake, sleep no more: within each of you there is the power to remove all wants and all miseries. Believe this, and that power will be manifested.

. . . If you are really my children, you will fear nothing, stop at nothing. You will be like lions. We must rouse India and the whole world. No cowardice.

Everything is ended if you forgive and forget.

That is good. It is a law of nature. That is the way with all founders of religion. Without persecution superior ideas cannot penetrate into the heart of society.

Alcohol is not the answer to all questions

Devotion to duty is the highest form of worship of God.

Man is to become divine by realizing the divine. Idols or temples, or churches or books, are only the supports, the help of his spiritual childhood.

Manushya (man) is a being with Manas (mind); and as soon as his thinking power goes, he becomes no better than an animal.

God is present in every Jiva; there is no other God besides that. Who serves Jiva serves God indeed.

There is only one Soul in the Universe. There is no 'you' or 'me'; all variety is merged into the absolute unity, the one infinite existence - God.