Quotations of Swami Vivekananda

An Indian monk, the chief disciple of the 19th-century Indian mystic Ramakrishna.He was a key figure in the introduction of the Indian philosophies of Vedanta and Yoga to the Western world.

  • "Now is wanted intense Karma-Yoga with unbounded courage and indomitable strength in the heart. Then only will the people of the country be roused."
    Swami Vivekananda
  • "The help which tends to make us spiritually strong is the highest help, next to it comes intellectual help and after that comes physical help."
    Swami Vivekananda
  • "Our duty is to encourage every one in his struggle to live up to his own highest idea, and strive at the same time to make the ideal as near as possible to the Truth."
    Swami Vivekananda
  • "When you step beyond thought and intellect and all reasoning, then you have made the first step towards God; and that is the beginning of life."
    Swami Vivekananda
  • "Uniformity is the rigorous law of nature; what once happened can happen always."
    Swami Vivekananda
  • "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."
    Swami Vivekananda
  • "Freedom is the first condition of growth. What you do not make free, will never grow."
    Swami Vivekananda
  • "Stand up, be bold, be strong ! Know that you are the creator of your own destiny. All the strength and succour you want is within yourself."
    Swami Vivekananda
  • “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.”
    Swami Vivekananda
  • “Practise hard; whether you live or die does not matter. You have to plunge in and work, without thinking of the result.”
    Swami Vivekananda
  • “He who knows that he is free is free; he who knows that he is bound is bound. What is the end and aim of life? None, because I know that I am the Infinite.”
    Swami Vivekananda
  • “Practise hard; whether you live or die does not matter. You have to plunge in and work, without thinking of the result.”
    Swami Vivekananda
  • “Religion is being and becoming. Religion is the manifestation of the Divinity already in man.”
    Swami Vivekananda
  • “One infinite - pure and holy - beyond thoughts and beyond qualities - bow down to thee.”
    Swami Vivekananda
  • “Stand alone! See the glory of your own soul, and see that you will have to work.”
    Swami Vivekananda
  • "Experience is the only teacher we have. we may talk and reason all our lives, but we shall not understand a word of truth."
    Swami Vivekananda
  • “So even though all the senses bring in sensations from nature, the ocean-like heart of the sage knows no disturbance, knows no fear.”
    Swami Vivekananda
  • "Though this body has its beginning and end, the dweller in the body is infinite and without end”
    Swami Vivekananda
  • “It is nature that is driving us towards perfection, and eventually she will bring everyone there.”
    Swami Vivekananda
  • “The body is made by the thought that lies behind it. The body politic is thus the expression of national thought.”
    Swami Vivekananda
  • “The only way to rise is by doing the duty next to us, and thus gathering strength go on until we reach the highest state.”
    Swami Vivekananda
  • “The highest manifestation of strength is to keep ourselves calm and on our own feet.”
    Swami Vivekananda
  • “It is our privilege to be allowed to be charitable, for only so can we grow. The poor man suffers that we may be helped; let the giver kneel down and give thanks, let the receiver stand up and permit.”
    Swami Vivekananda
  • “First hear, then understand, and then, leaving all distractions, shut your minds to outside influences, and devote yourselves to developing the truth within you”
    Swami Vivekananda
  • “Even by intellectually recognising the difficulties, we really do not know them until we feel them.”
    Swami Vivekananda
  • “You may sit down and listen to me by the hour every day, but if you do not practice, you will not get one step further. It all depends on practice.”
    Swami Vivekananda
  • “The powers of the mind are like rays of light dissipated; when they are concentrated, they illumine.”
    Swami Vivekananda
  • “When you step beyond thought and intellect and all reasoning, then you have made the first step towards God; and that is the beginning of life.”
    Swami Vivekananda
  • “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.”
    Swami Vivekananda
  • “The organs are the horses, the mind is the rein, the intellect is the charioteer, the soul is the rider, and the body is the chariot. The master of the household, the King, the Self of man, is sitting in this chariot.”
    Swami Vivekananda
  • “He who knows that he is free is free; he who knows that he is bound is bound. What is the end and aim of life? None, because I know that I am the Infinite.”
    Swami Vivekananda
  • “That which is true must be infinite and eternal. That is the one test of truth. It never decays, it is always the same.”
    Swami Vivekananda
  • “Have faith in yourselves, great convictions are the mothers of great deeds.”
    Swami Vivekananda
  • “Character is repeated habits, and repeated habits alone can reform character.”
    Swami Vivekananda
  • “No great things were ever done without great labour"
    Swami Vivekananda
  • “Do not be anxious, do not be in a hurry. Slow, persistent and silent work does everything.”
    Swami Vivekananda
  • “Self- sacrifice, indeed, is the basis of all civilization.”
    Swami Vivekananda
  • "Work hard. Be holy and pure, and the fire will come.”
    Swami Vivekananda
  • “The personality of the man is two-thirds, and his intellect, his words, are but one-third. It is the real man, the personality of the man, that runs through us.”
    Swami Vivekananda
  • "To succeed, you must have tremendous perseverance, tremendous will. “I will drink the ocean,” says the persevering soul, “at my will mountains will crumble up.” Have that sort of energy, that sort of will, work hard, and you will reach the goal.”
    Swami Vivekananda
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