THOUGHTSOFPOWER

SWAMIVIVEKANANDA

(PUBLICATIONDEPARTMENT)5DEHIENTALLYROAD•KOLKATA700014

Publishedby

TheAdhyaksha

AdvaitaAshrama

P.O.Mayavati,Dt.Champawat

Uttarakhand-262524,India

fromitsPublicationDepartment,Kolkata

Email:mail@advaitaashrama.org

Website:www.advaitaashrama.org

©AllRightsReserved

FirstEBookEdition,March2016

ISBN978-81-7505-020-4(Paperback)

ISBN978-81-7505-824-8(EBook)

TableofContents

FAITHANDSTRENGTH

LOVEANDUNSELFISHNESS

GODANDRELIGION

INDIA

MISCELLANEOUS

REFERENCES

SUGGESTEDREADING

FAITHANDSTRENGTH

1.YearetheChildrenofGod,thesharersofimmortalbliss,holyandperfectbeings.Yedivinitiesonearth—sinners!Itisasintocallamanso;it isastanding libelonhumannature.Comeup,O lions,andshakeoffthedelusionthatyouaresheep;youaresoulsimmortal,spiritsfree,blestandeternal;yearenotmatter,yearenotbodies;matterisyourservant,notyoutheservantofmatter.

2.Heisanatheistwhodoesnotbelieveinhimself.TheoldreligionssaidthathewasanatheistwhodidnotbelieveinGod.Thenewreligionsaysthatheistheatheistwhodoesnotbelieveinhimself.

3.Faith,faith,faithinourselves,faith,faithinGod—thisisthesecretofgreatness.Ifyouhavefaithinallthethreehundredandthirtymillionsofyourmythologicalgods,andinallthegodswhichforeignershavenowand again introduced into your midst, and still have no faith inyourselves, there is no salvation for you.Have faith in yourselves, andstanduponthatfaithandbestrong.

4.Tosucceed,youmusthavetremendousperseverance,tremendouswill. “I will drink the ocean”, says, the persevering soul; “at my willmountainswill crumbleup.”Have that sort of energy, that sort ofwill,workhard,andyouwillreachthegoal.

5.Thisisthegreatfact:strengthislife,weaknessisdeath.Strengthisfelicity, life eternal, immortal; weakness is constant strain andmisery:weaknessisdeath.

6.Theworldrequiresafewhundredboldmenandwomen.PractisethatboldnesswhichdaresknowtheTruth,whichdaresshowtheTruthinlife,whichdoesnot quake before death, nay,welcomesdeath,makes a

manknowthatheistheSpirit, that, inthewholeuniverse,nothingcankillhim.Thenyouwillbefree.

7.Doingisverygood,butthatcomesfromthinking.…Fillthebrain,therefore,with high thoughts, highest ideals, place themday andnightbeforeyou,andoutofthatwillcomegreatwork.

8.Donottalkof thewickednessof theworldandall itssins.Weepthatyouareboundtoseewickednessyet.Weepthatyouareboundtoseesineverywhere,andifyouwanttohelptheworld,donotcondemnit.Donotweakenitmore.Forwhatissinandwhatismisery,andwhatareallthese,buttheresultsofweakness?Theworldismadeweakerandweakereverydaybysuchteachings.

9.Letpositive, strong,helpful thought enter into theirbrains fromvery childhood. Lay yourselves open to these thoughts, and not toweakeningandparalysingones.

10.Nevermindfailures;theyarequitenatural,theyarethebeautyoflife, these failures. What would life be without them? It would not beworthhaving if itwerenot for struggles.Wherewouldbe thepoetryoflife?Nevermindthestruggles,themistakes.Ineverheardacowtellalie,but it is only a cow—never aman. So nevermind these failures, theselittle backslidings; hold the ideal a thousand times; and if you fail athousandtimes,maketheattemptoncemore.

11.Allthepowersintheuniversearealreadyours.Itiswewhohaveputourhandsbeforeoureyesandcrythatitisdark.Knowthatthereisnodarknessaroundus.Takethehandsawayandthereisthelightwhichwasfromthebeginning.Darknessneverexisted,weaknessneverexisted.Wewhoarefoolscrythatweareweak;wewhoarefoolscrythatweareimpure.

12. The remedy for weakness is not brooding over weakness, butthinking of strength. Teach men of the strength that is already withinthem.

13.Theidealoffaithinourselvesisofthegreatesthelptous.Iffaithinourselveshadbeenmoreextensivelytaughtandpractised,Iamsureavery large portion of the evils and miseries that we have would have

vanished.

14.Throughoutthehistoryofmankind,ifanymotivepowerhasbeenmorepotent thananother in the livesofallgreatmenandwomen, it isthatoffaithinthemselves.Bornwiththeconsciousnessthattheyweretobegreat,theybecamegreat.

15.Let amangodownas lowaspossible; theremust comea timewhenoutofsheerdesperationhewilltakeanupwardcurveandwilllearntohavefaithinhimself.Butitisbetterforusthatweshouldknowitfromtheveryfirst.Whyshouldwehaveallthesebitterexperiencesinordertogainfaithinourselves?

16.Wecanseethatallthedifferencebetweenmanandmanisowingtotheexistenceandnon-existenceoffaithinhimself.Faithinourselveswilldoeverything.Ihaveexperienceditinmyownlife,andamstilldoingso;andasIgrowolderthatfaithisbecomingstrongerandstronger,

17.Do you knowhowmuch energy, howmany powers, howmanyforces are still lurking behind that frame of yours?What scientist hasknownall that is inman?Millionsofyearshavepassedsinceman firstcame here, and yet but one infinitesimal part of his powers has beenmanifested.Therefore,youmustnotsaythatyouareweak.Howdoyouknowwhatpossibilities liebehindthatdegradationon thesurface?Youknowbutlittleofthatwhichiswithinyou.Forbehindyouistheoceanofinfinitepowerandblessedness.

18.Ifmatter ispowerful, thoughtisomnipotent.Bringthisthoughtto bear upon your life, fill yourselves with the thought of youralmightiness, your majesty, and your glory. Would to God nosuperstitions had been put into your head!Would to God we had notbeensurroundedfromourbirthbyallthesesuperstitiousinfluencesandparalysingideasofourweaknessandvileness!

19. Look back on yourselves from the state of the amoeba to thehumanbeing;whomadeallthat?Yourownwill.Canyoudenythenthatitisalmighty?Thatwhichhasmadeyoucomeupsohighcanmakeyougohigherstill.Whatyouwantischaracter,strengtheningofthewill.

20.If thereisonewordthatyoufindcomingout likeabombfrom

theUpanishads,burstinglikeabombshelluponmassesofignorance,itisthewordfearlessness.Andtheonlyreligionthatoughttobetaughtisthereligionoffearlessness.Eitherinthisworldorintheworldofreligion,itis true that fear is the sure causeofdegradationand sin. It is fear thatbringsmisery,fearthatbringsdeath,fearthatbreedsevil.

21.Makeyournerves strong.Whatwewant ismusclesof ironandnervesofsteel.Wehaveweptlongenough.Nomoreweeping,butstandonyourfeetandbemen.

22. First of all, our youngmenmust be strong.Religionwill comeafterwards.Be strong,my young friends; that ismy advice to you. YouwillbenearertoHeaventhroughfootball thanthroughthestudyof theGita.Theseareboldwords;butIhavetosaythem,forIloveyou.Iknowwhere the shoe pinches. I have gained a little experience. You willunderstand the Gita better with your biceps, your muscles, a littlestronger.YouwillunderstandthemightygeniusandthemightystrengthofKrishnabetterwithalittleofstrongbloodinyou.YouwillunderstandtheUpanishadsbetterandthegloryoftheAtmanwhenyourbodystandsfirmuponyourfeet,andyoufeelyourselvesasmen.

23.Men,men, these arewanted: everything elsewill be ready, butstrong, vigorous, believing young men, sincere to the backbone, arewanted.Ahundredsuchandtheworldbecomesrevolutionised.

24.Thewillisstrongerthananythingelse.Everythingmustgodownbeforethewill,forthatcomesfromGodandGodHimself;apureandastrongwillisomnipotent.Doyounotbelieveinit?

25.Yes,theolderIgrow,themoreeverythingseemstometolieinmanliness.Thisismynewgospel.Doevenevillikeaman!Bewicked,ifyoumust,onagreatscale!

26.Thehistoryoftheworldisthehistoryofafewmenwhohadfaithin themselves. That faith calls out the divinity within. You can doanything.

LOVEANDUNSELFISHNESS

1.Unselfishnessismorepaying,onlypeoplehavenotthepatiencetopractiseit.

2.Donotstandonahighpedestalandtakefivecentsinyourhandandsay,“Here,mypoorman”;butbegratefulthatthepoormanisthere,sothatbymakingagifttohimyouareabletohelpyourself.Itisnotthereceiver that is blessed, but it is the giver. Be thankful that you areallowed to exercise yourpowerof benevolence andmercy in theworld,andthusbecomepureandperfect.

3.Bymeansoftheconstantefforttodogoodtootherswearetryingto forget ourselves; this forgetfulness of self is the one great lessonwehave to learn in life. Man thinks foolishly that he can make himselfhappy, and after years of struggle finds out at last that true happinessconsistsinkillingselfishnessandthatnoonecanmakehimhappyexcepthimself.

4. That which is selfish is immoral, and that which is unselfish ismoral.

5.Learnthatthewholeoflifeisgiving;thatnaturewillforceyoutogive.So,givewillingly.…Youcomeintolifetoaccumulate.Withclenchedhands, you want to take. But nature puts a hand on your throat andmakesyourhandsopen.Whetheryouwillitornot,youhavetogive.Themomentyousay,“Iwillnot”,theblowcomes;youarehurt.Noneistherebutwillbecompelled,inthelongrun,togiveupeverything.

6.Thisisthegistofallworship—tobepureandtodogoodtoothers.Hewho seesShiva in thepoor, in theweak, and in thediseased, reallyworshipsShiva;andifheseesShivaonlyintheimage,hisworshipisbut

preliminary.

7.Thisunselfishnessisthetestofreligion.Hewhohasmoreofthisunselfishness ismore spiritual and nearer to Shiva.…And if aman isselfish,eventhoughhehasvisitedall thetemples,seenall theplacesofpilgrimage,andpaintedhimselflikealeopard,heisstillfurtherofffromShiva.

8.ItisloveandlovealonethatIpreach,andIbasemyteachingonthegreatVedantictruthofthesamenessandomnipresenceoftheSouloftheUniverse.

9. First bread and then religion. We stuff them too much withreligion,whenthepoorfellowshavebeenstarving.Nodogmaswillsatisfythe cravings of hunger. … Youmay talk doctrines by themillions, youmayhavesectsbythehundredsofmillions;ay,butitisnothinguntilyouhavethehearttofeel.FeelforthemasyourVedateachesyou,tillyoufindtheyarepartsofyourownbodies,tillyourealizethatyouandthey,thepoorandtherich, thesaintandthesinner,areallpartsofOneInfiniteWhole,whichyoucallBrahman.

10.Feelforthemiserableandlookupforhelp—itshallcome.Ihavetravelledtwelveyearswiththisloadinmyheartandthisideainmyhead.I have gone from door to door of the so-called rich and great.With ableedingheartIhavecrossedhalftheworldtothisstrangeland,seekingforhelp.TheLordisgreat.IknowHewillhelpme.Imayperishofcoldorhungerinthisland,butIbequeathtoyou,youngmen,thissympathy,thisstruggleforthepoor,theignorant,theoppressed.

11.Thislifeisshort,thevanitiesoftheworldaretransient,buttheyalonelivewholiveforothers,therestaremoredeadthanalive.

12. I do not believe in a God or religion which cannot wipe thewidow’stearsorbringapieceofbreadtotheorphan’smouth.

13.Loveneverfails,myson;todayortomorroworagesafter,truthwillconquer!Loveshallwinthevictory.Doyouloveyourfellowmen?

14.Where shouldyougo to seek forGod—arenot all thepoor, themiserable,theweak,Gods?Whynotworshipthemfirst?Whygotodiga

wellontheshoresoftheGanga?

15.Believeintheomnipotentpoweroflove.…Haveyoulove?—Youareomnipotent.Areyouperfectlyunselfish?Ifso,youareirresistible.Itischaracterthatpayseverywhere.

16.Myheart is too full toexpressmy feeling;youknow it,youcanimagine it. So longas themillions live inhungerand ignorance, Iholdeverymanatraitorwho,havingbeeneducatedattheirexpense,paysnottheleastheedtothem!Icallthosemen—whostrutaboutintheirfinery,havinggotalltheirmoneybygrindingthepoor,wretches,solongastheydonotdoanythingforthosetwohundredmillionswhoarenownobetterthan hungry savages!We are poor,my brothers, we are nobodies; butsuchhavebeenalwaystheinstrumentsoftheMostHigh.

17.Idonotcareforliberation,orfordevotion,Iwouldrathergotoahundredthousandhells,“doinggoodtoothers(silently)likethespring”—thisismyreligion.

18. I shallwork incessantlyuntil Idie, andevenafterdeath I shallwork for the good of the world. Truth is infinitely more weighty thanuntruth;soisgoodness.Ifyoupossessthese,theywillmaketheirwaybysheergravity.

19.Allexpansionislife,allcontractionisdeath.Allloveisexpansion,allselfishnessiscontraction.Loveisthereforetheonlylawoflife.Hewholoves lives, he who is selfish is dying. Therefore love for love’s sake,because it is theonly lawof life, just as youbreathe to live.This is thesecretofselflesslove,selflessactionandtherest.

20.Whowillgivetheworldlight?SacrificeinthepasthasbeentheLaw, itwillbe, alas, forages to come.Theearth’sbravest andbestwillhavetosacrificethemselvesforthegoodofmany, forthewelfareofall.Buddhasbythehundredarenecessarywitheternalloveandpity.

21.MayIbebornagainandagain,andsufferthousandsofmiseriessothatImayworshiptheonlyGodthatexists,theonlyGodIbelievein,thesumtotalofallsouls—andaboveall,myGodthewicked,myGodthemiserable,myGodthepoorofallraces,ofallspecies,isthespecialobjectofmyworship.

22.Ourbestworkisdone,ourgreatestinfluenceisexertedwhenwearewithoutthoughtofself.

23.Religionsoftheworldhavebecomelifelessmockeries.Whattheworldwantsischaracter.Theworldisinneedofthosewhoselifeisoneburninglove,selfless.Thatlovewillmakeeverywordtelllikeathunder-bolt.

24. Self-sacrifice, not self-assertion, is the law of the highestuniverse.

25. Religion comes with intense self-sacrifice. Desire nothing foryourself.Doallforothers.ThisistoliveandmoveandhaveyourbeinginGod.

26. Nonewill be left, none destroyed. All will in the end bemadeperfect.Say,dayandnight,“Comeup,mybrothers!Youaretheinfiniteoceanofpurity!BeGod!ManifestasGod!”

GODANDRELIGION

1.Eachsoulispotentiallydivine.ThegoalistomanifestthisDivinitywithin by controlling nature, external and internal. Do this either bywork,orworship,orpsychiccontrol,orphilosophy—byone,ormore,orall of these—and be free. This is the whole of religion. Doctrines, ordogmas, or rituals, or books, or temples, or forms, are but secondarydetails.

2. If there is a God we must see Him, if there is a soul we mustperceive it; otherwise it is better not to believe. It is better to be anoutspokenatheistthanahypocrite.

3.Practiceisabsolutelynecessary.Youmaysitdownandlistentomebythehoureveryday,butifyoudonotpractise,youwillnotgetonestepfurther. It all depends on practice. We never understand these thingsuntilweexperiencethem.Wewillhavetoseeandfeelthemforourselves.Simplylisteningtoexplanationsandtheorieswillnotdo.

4.Takeuponeidea.Makethatoneideayourlife—thinkofit,dreamofit, liveonthatidea.Letthebrain,muscles,nerves,everypartofyourbody,befullofthatidea,andjustleaveeveryotherideaalone.Thisisthewaytosuccess,andthisisthewaygreatspiritualgiantsareproduced.

5.Theseprophetswerenotunique;theyweremenasyouorI.TheyweregreatYogis.Theyhadgainedthissuperconsciousness,andyouandIcanget thesame.Theywerenotpeculiarpeople.Thevery fact thatonemaneverreachedthatstate,provesthatitispossibleforeverymantodoso. Not only is it possible, but everymanmust, eventually, get to thatstate,andthatisreligion.

6.Theembodimentoffreedom,themasterofnature,iswhatwecall

God.YoucannotdenyHim.No,becauseyoucannotmoveorlivewithouttheideaoffreedom.

7.No life will be a failure; there is no such thing as failure in theuniverse. A hundred timesmanwill hurt himself, a thousand times hewilltumble,butintheendhewillrealisethatheisGod.

8. Religion is not in doctrines, in dogmas, nor in intellectualargumentation;itisbeingandbecoming,itisrealization.

9.Remember thewords of Christ: “Ask, and it shall be given you;seek, and ye shall find; knock, and it shall be openedunto you.”Thesewordsareliterallytrue,notfiguresorfiction.

10.Itisgoodandverygrandtoconquerexternalnature,butgranderstilltoconquerourinternalnature.…Thisconqueringoftheinnerman,understanding the secrets of the subtle workings that are within thehuman mind, and knowing its wonderful secrets, belong entirely toreligion.

11. In life and in death, in happiness and in misery, the Lord isequallypresent.ThewholeworldisfulloftheLord.OpenyoureyesandseeHim.

12. InworshippingGodwehavebeenalwaysworshippingourownhiddenSelf.

13.Religioncanberealized.Areyouready?Doyouwantit?Youwillgettherealizationifyoudo,andthenyouwillbetrulyreligious.Untilyouhaveattainedrealizationthereisnodifferencebetweenyouandatheists.Theatheistsaresincere,butthemanwhosaysthathebelievesinreligionandneverattemptstorealizeitisnotsincere.

14.Iacceptallreligionsthatwereinthepast,andworshipwiththemall;IworshipGodwitheveryoneofthem,inwhateverformtheyworshipHim. I shall go to the mosque of the Mohammedan; I shall enter theChristian’s church and kneel before the crucifix; I shall enter theBuddhistictemple,whereIshalltakerefugeinBuddhaandinhisLaw.IshallgointotheforestandsitdowninmeditationwiththeHindu,whoistryingtoseetheLightwhichenlightenstheheartofeveryone.

15. And this religion is attained by what we, in India, call Yoga—union. To the worker, it is union between men and the whole ofhumanity;tothemystic,betweenhislowerandHigherSelf;tothelover,unionbetweenhimselfandtheGodofLove;andtothephilosopher,itistheunionofallexistence.ThisiswhatismeantbyYoga.

16. Now comes the question: Can religion really accomplishanything?Itcan.Itbringstomaneternallife.Ithasmademanwhatheis,and,willmakeofthishumananimalagod.Thisiswhatreligioncando.Takereligionfromhumansocietyandwhatwillremain?Nothingbutaforestofbrutes.

17.Whowillhelpyou?Youarethehelpoftheuniverse.Whatinthisuniverse canhelp you?Where is theman, or the god, or thedemon tohelpyou?What canprevailoveryou?Youare theGodof theuniverse;wherecanyouseekforhelp?Neverhelpcamefromanywherebut fromyourself. In your ignorance, every prayer that you made and that wasanswered,you thoughtwasansweredbysomeBeing,butyouansweredtheprayeryourselfunknowingly.

18. Instudyingbookswearesometimesdeluded into thinking thattherebywearebeingspirituallyhelped;butifweanalysetheeffectofthestudyofbooksonourselves,weshallfindthatattheutmostitisonlyourintellect that derives profit from such studies, andnot our inner spirit.This inadequacyofbookstoquickenspiritualgrowthisthereasonwhy,althoughalmosteveryoneofuscanspeakmostwonderfullyonspiritualmatters,whenitcomestoactionandthelivingofatrulyspirituallife,wefind ourselves so awfully deficient. To quicken the spirit, the impulsemustcomefromanothersoul.

19.Godalonelives.Thesoulalonelives.Spiritualityalonelives.Holdontothat.

20.Thevariousreligionsthatexistintheworld,althoughtheydifferintheformofworshiptheytake,arereallyone.

21.MeditationistheonethingMeditate!Thegreatestthingismedi-tation.Itisthenearestapproachtospirituallife—themindmeditating.Itis the onemoment in our daily life thatwe arenot at allmaterial—the

SoulthinkingofItself,freefromallmatter—thismarvelloustouchoftheSoul!

22.ThosewhogivethemselvesuptotheLorddomorefortheworldthan all the so-called workers. One man who has purified himselfthoroughly accomplishes more than a regiment of preachers. Out ofpurityandsilencecomesthewordofpower.

23.WhatweneedtodayistoknowthatthereisaGodandthatwecanseeandfeelHimhereandnow.

24.Thereisavastdifferencebetweensaying“food,food”andeatingit,betweensaying“water,water”anddrinkingit.Sobymerelyrepeatingthe words “God, God” we cannot hope to attain realization. We muststriveandpractise.

25.Throughtheterrorsofevil,say—myGod,mylove!Throughthepangs of death, say—myGod,my love! Through all the evils under thesun,say—myGod,mylove!Thouarthere,IseeThee.Thouartwithme,IfeelThee,IamThine,takeme.Iamnotof theworld’sbutThine, leavenot thenme,Do not go for glass beads leaving themine of diamonds!Thislifeisagreatchance.What,seekestthouthepleasuresoftheworld?—Heisthefountainofallbliss.Seekforthehighest,aimatthathighest,andyoushallreachthehighest.

26.Wemustbebrightandcheerful,longfacesdonotmakereligion.Religion shouldbe themost joyful thing in theworld, because it is thebest.

27.WorshipeverythingasGod—everyformisHistemple.Allelseisdelusion. Always look within, never without. Such is the God thatVedantapreaches,andsuchisHisworship.

INDIA

1. The debt which the world owes to ourMotherland is immense.Takingcountrywithcountry,thereisnotoneraceonthisearthtowhichtheworldowessomuchastothepatientHindu,themildHindu.

2.Tomany,Indianthought,Indianmanners,Indiancustoms,Indianphilosophy,Indianliterature,arerepulsiveatthefirstsight;butletthempersevere, let them read, let them become familiar with the greatprinciples underlying these ideas, and it is ninety-nine to one that thecharmwillcomeoverthem,andfascinationwillbetheresult.

3. But the older I grow, the better I seem to think of these time-honoured institutions of India. Therewas a timewhen I used to thinkthatmanyofthemwereuselessandworthless;buttheolderIgrew,themoreIseemtofeeladiffidenceincursinganyoneofthem,foreachoneofthemistheembodimentoftheexperienceofcenturies.

4.Believeme,thereismuchtalkinginotherlands;butthepracticalmanofreligion,whohascarrieditintohislife,ishereandherealone.

5.Ihavesaidthatwehaveyetsomethingtoteachtotheworld.Thisistheveryreason,theraisond’etre,thatthisnationhaslivedon,inspiteofhundredsofyearsofpersecution,inspiteofnearlyathousandyearsofforeign rule and foreign oppression. This nation still lives; the raisond’etre is it still holds to God, to the treasure-house of religion andspirituality.

6.Inthislandare,still,religionandspirituality,thefountainswhichwill have to overflow and flood theworld to bring in new life and newvitality to theWestern and other nations,which are now almost bornedown, half-killed, and degraded by political ambitions and social

scheming.

7.Butmarkyou,ifyougiveupthatspirituality,leavingitasidetogoafter thematerializingcivilizationof theWest, the resultwillbe that inthreegenerationsyouwillbeanextinctrace;becausethebackboneofthenationwillbebroken,thefoundationuponwhichthenationaledificehasbeen built will be undermined, and the result will be annihilation allround.

8. Europe, the centre of themanifestation ofmaterial energy, willcrumble intodustwithin fifty years if she isnotmindful to changeherposition, to shift her ground andmake spirituality thebasis of her life.AndwhatwillsaveEuropeisthereligionoftheUpanishads.

9.Ouraristocraticancestorswentontreadingthecommonmassesofourcountryunderfoot, till theybecamehelpless, tillunder this tormentthepoor, poorpeoplenearly forgot that theywerehumanbeings.Theyhavebeencompelledtobemerelyhewersofwoodanddrawersofwaterforcenturies,somuchso,thattheyaremadetobelievethattheyarebornasslaves,bornashewersofwoodanddrawersofwater.

10.ThetruthsoftheUpanishadsarebeforeyou.Takethemup,liveuptothem,andthesalvationofIndiawillbeathand.

11. Do you feel? Do you feel that millions and millions of thedescendantsofgodsandofsageshavebecomenext-doorneighbours tobrutes?Do you feel thatmillions are starving today, andmillions havebeenstarvingforages?Doyoufeelthatignorancehascomeoverthelandasadarkcloud?Doesitmakeyourestless?Doesitmakeyousleepless?Hasitgoneintoyourblood,coursingthroughyourveins,becomingcon-sonant with your heartbeats? Has it made you almost mad? Are youseizedwiththatoneideaofthemiseryofruin,andhaveyouforgottenallabout your name, your fame, yourwives, your children, your property,even your own bodies? Have you done that? That is the first step tobecomeapatriot,theveryfirststep.

12.Come,bemen!Comeoutofyournarrowholesandhavea lookabroad.Seehownationsareonthemarch.Doyouloveman?Doyouloveyour country? Then come, let us struggle for higher and better things;

looknotback,no,noteven ifyousee thedearestandnearestcry.Looknotback,butforward!

13. With all my love for India, and with all my patriotism andvenerationfortheancients,Icannotbutthinkthatwehavetolearnmanythings from other nations. …We cannot do without the world outsideIndia;itwasourfoolishnessthatwethoughtwecould,andwehavepaidthepenaltybyaboutathousandyearsofslavery.Thatwedidnotgooutto compare things with other nations, did notmark the workings thathavebeenallaroundus,hasbeentheonegreatcauseofthisdegradationoftheIndianmind.Wehavepaidthepenalty;letusdoitnomore.

14. Some of these old temples of Southern India, and those likeSomnāth of Gujarat will teach you volumes of wisdom, will give you akeener insight into the history of the race than any amount of books.Mark how these temples bear the marks of a hundred attacks and ahundred regenerations, continuallydestroyedand continually springingupoutoftheruins,rejuvenatedandstrongasever!Thatisthenationalmind,thatisthenationallife-current.

15.Forthenextfiftyyearsthisaloneshallbeourkeynote—this,ourgreatMother India.Letallothervaingodsdisappear for the time fromourminds.Thisistheonlygodthatisawake,ourownrace—“everywherehis hands, everywhere his feet, everywhere his ears; he coverseverything.”Allothergodsaresleeping.Whatvaingodsshallwegoafterandyetcannotworshipthegodthatweseeallroundus,theVirāt?Whenwehaveworshippedthis,weshallbeabletoworshipallothergods.

16.Wemusthaveaholdonthespiritualandseculareducationofthenation. Do you understand that?… The education that you are gettingnowhassomegoodpoints,butithasatremendousdisadvantagewhichissogreatthatthegoodthingsareallweigheddown.Inthefirstplaceitisnot a man-making education, it is merely and entirely a negativeeducation.Anegativeeducationoranytrainingthatisbasedonnegation,isworsethandeath.

17.IndiaIlovedbeforeIcameaway.NowtheverydustofIndiahasbecomeholytome,theveryairisnowtomeholy;itisnowtheholyland,theplaceofpilgrimage,theTirtha.

18. If you want to become equal with the Englishman or theAmerican,youwillhavetoteachaswellastolearn,andyouhaveplentyyettoteachtotheworldforcenturiestocome.Thishastobedone.

19. The degeneration of India came not because the laws andcustomsof theancientswerebad,butbecausetheywerenotallowedtobecarriedtotheirlegitimateconclusions.

20.Whenyouhavemenwhoarereadytosacrificetheireverythingfor their country, sincere to thebackbone—when suchmenarise, Indiawillbecomegreatineveryrespect.Itisthementhatmakethecountry!

21.Iconsiderthatthegreatnationalsinistheneglectofthemasses,andthatisoneofthecausesofourdownfall.NoamountofpoliticswouldbeofanyavailuntilthemassesinIndiaareoncemorewelleducated,wellfed,andwellcaredfor.

22. Keep the motto before you—“Elevation of the masses withoutinjuringtheirreligion.”

23.Education,education,educationalone!Travellingthroughmanycities of Europe and observing in them the comforts and education ofeventhepoorpeople,therewasbroughttomymindthestateofourownpoor people, and I used to shed tears. What made the difference?EducationwastheanswerIgot.Througheducationcomesfaithinone’sown Self, and through faith in one’s own Self the inherent Brahman iswaking up in them, while the Brahman in us is gradually becomingdormant.

24.Mywholeambitioninlifeistosetinmotionamachinerywhichwill bring noble ideas to the door of everybody, and then letmen andwomensettletheirownfate.Letthemknowwhatourforefathersaswellasothernationshavethoughtonthemostmomentousquestionsoflife.Letthemseespeciallywhatothersaredoingnow,andthendecide.

25.Idonotseeintothefuture;nordoIcaretosee.ButonevisionIsee clear as lifebeforeme: that theancientMotherhas awakenedoncemore, sitting onHer throne rejuvenated,more glorious than ever. Pro-claimHertoalltheworldwiththevoiceofpeaceandbenediction.

26. My life’s allegiance is to this my motherland; and if I had athousandlives,everymomentofthewholeserieswouldbeconsecratedtoyourservice,mycountrymen,myfriends.

MISCELLANEOUS

1.Education isnot theamountof information that isput intoyourbrain and runs riot there, undigested, all your life.Wemust have life-building, man-making, character-making assimilation of ideas. If youhaveassimilated five ideasandmade themyour lifeandcharacter, youhavemoreeducationthananymanwhohasgotbyheartawholelibrary.

2.Povertytheremustbe,solongasthediseaseknownascivilizationexists:andhencetheneedforrelief.

3.TheWest isgroaningunderthetyrannyof theShylocks,andtheEastisgroaningunderthetyrannyofthepriests.

4.ThewholeoftheWesternworldisonavolcanowhichmaybursttomorrow,gotopiecestomorrow.

5. Asia laid the germs of civilization, Europe developed man, andAmericaisdevelopingwomanandthemasses.

6.Threethingsarenecessarytomakeeverymangreat,everynationgreat

1. Convictionofthepowersofgoodness

2. Absenceofjealousyandsuspicion

3. Helpingallwhoaretryingtobeanddogood.

7.Donottrytoleadyourbrethren,butservethem.Thebrutalmaniaforleadinghassunkmanyagreatshipinthewatersoflife.

8. The faculty of organization is entirely absent in our nature, butthishastobeinfused.Thegreatsecretis—absenceofjealousy.Bealways

ready to concede to the opinions of your brethren, and try always toconciliate.Thatisthewholesecret.

9. From all of you Iwant this that youmust discard for ever self-aggrandizement, faction-mongering, and jealousy. You must be all-forbearinglike,MotherEarth.Ifyoucanachievethis,theworldwillbeatyourfeet.

10.Thereisnochanceforthewelfareoftheworldunlessthecondi-tionofwomenisimproved.Itisnotpossibleforabirdtoflyononlyonewing.

11.Womenmustbeputinapositiontosolvetheirownproblemsintheirownway.Noonecanoroughttodothisforthem.AndourIndianwomenareascapableofdoingitasanyintheworld.

12.IknowthattheracethatproducedSitā—evenifitonlydreamtofher—hasareverenceforwomanthatisunmatchedontheearth.

13. Even idiots may stand up to hear themselves praised, andcowardsassumetheattitudeofthebravewheneverythingissuretoturnout well, but the true hero works in silence. How many Buddhas diebeforeonefindsexpression!

14. The wonderful structures of national life which the Westernnationshaveraised,aresupportedbythestrongpillarsofcharacter,anduntil we can produce numbers of such, it is useless to fret and fumeagainstthisorthatpower.

15. Work as if on each of you depended the whole work. Fiftycenturiesare lookingonyou, the futureof Indiadependsonyou.Workon.

16.OnecannotservetheGodofTruthwholeansuponsomebody.

17. I am to create a new order of humanity here who are sincerebelieversinGodandcarenothingfortheworld.

18.Eachworkhastopassthroughthesestages—ridicule,opposition,andthenacceptance.Eachmanwhothinksaheadofhistimeissuretobe

misunderstood.

19.Lifeisaseriesoffightsanddisillusionments.…Thesecretoflifeis not enjoyment but education through experience. But, alas, we arecalledoffthemomentwebeginreallytolearn.

20. The road to the Good is the roughest and steepest in theuniverse. It isawonder thatsomanysucceed,nowonder thatsomanyfall.Characterhastobeestablishedthroughathousandstumbles.

21. This mixture of life and death, good and evil, knowledge andignoranceiswhatiscalledMāyā—ortheuniversalphenomenon.Youmaygoonforeternityinsidethisnet,seekingforhappiness—youfindmuch,andmucheviltoo.Tohavegoodandnoevilischildishnonsense.

22. Even the greatest fool can accomplish a task if it be after hisheart.Buttheintelligentmanishewhocanconverteveryworkintoonethatsuitshistaste.Noworkispetty.

23.Theyonlydoworkwho think thathelpwill come,directly theyareonthefieldofwork.

24. This is the first lesson to learn: be determined not to curseanything outside, not to lay the blame upon any one outside, but be aman, stand up, lay the blame on yourself. Youwill find, that is alwaystrue.Getholdofyourself.

REFERENCES

ABBREVIATIONS:

C.W.:—TheCompleteWorksofSwamiVivekananda,

Vol.I.(1946),Vol.II.(1948),Vol.III.(1948),Vol.IV(1948),Vol.V(1947),Vol.VI.(1947),Vol.VII.(1947),Vol.VIII.(1959);

L.—LettersofSwamiVivekananda(1948);

M.—TheMasterasIsawHim(1948);

Life.—TheLifeofSwamiVivekanandabyHisEasternandWesternDisciples.

FaithandStrength:

1 (C.W.I.9); 2 (C.W.II.299); 3(C.W.III.190); 4 (C.W.I.178); 5(C.W.II.3);6(C.W.II.85);7(C.W.II.86);8(C.W.II.87);9(C.W.II.87);10(C.W.II.152); 11 (C.W.II.293); 12 (C.W.II.298); 13 (C.W.II.299); 14(C.W.II.299); 15 (C.W.II.299); 16 (C.W.II.299); 17 (C.W.II.299); 18(C.W.II. 300); 19 (C.W.II.355); 20 (C.W.III.60); 21 (C.W. III.224); 22(C.W.III.242); 23 (C.W.III.223); 24 (C.W.III.224); 25 (Life.II.465); 26(C.W.VII.228).

LoveandUnselfishness:

1(C.W.I.30);2(C.W.I.74);3(C.W.I.82);4(C.W.I.108);5(C.W.II.5);6 (C.W.III.141); 7 (C.W.III.143); 8 (C.W.III.194); 9 (C.W.III.432); 10(L.70);11(L.111);12(L.141);13(L.141);14(L.141);15(L.141);16(L.175);17(L.190);18(L.194);19(L.253);20(L.320);21(L.399);22(C.W.VII.12);23(L.320);24(C.W.VI.49);25(C.W.VI.49);26(C.W.VIII.228).

GodandReligion:

1(C.W.I.119); 2(C.W.I.127); 3(C.W.I.139); 4(C W. I.177);

5(C.W.I.185), 6(C.W.I.335); 7(C.W.I.415); 8(C.W.II.43); 9(C.W.II 44);10(C.W.II.65); 11 (C.W.II. 146); 12(C W. II. 279); 13(C. W. II. 285);14(C.W.II.372); 15(C.W.II.86); 16(C.W.III.4); 17(C.W.III.26);18(C.W.III.45); 19(C.W.III.149); 20(C.W.III.357); 21(C.W.V.210);22(C.W.VII. 14); 23(C.W.VII.67); 24(C.W.VII.89); 25(L.115);26(C.W.VIII.7);27(C.W.VIII.136).

India:

1(C.W.III.105); 2(C.W.III. 110); 3(C.W.III.132); 4(C.W.III. 134);5(C.W.III.148); 6(C.W.III.148); 7(C.W.III.153); 8(C.W.III.159);9(C.W.III.192); 10(C.W.III.225); 11(C.W.III. 225); 12(C.W.V.8);13(C.W.III.272); 14(C.W.III.289); 15(C.W.III. 300); 16(C.W.III.301);17(C.W.III.309); 18(C.W. III.318); 19(C.W.IV.270); 20(C.W.V.140);21(C.W.V.152); 22(L.83); 23(L.368); 24(L.83); 25(C.W. IV.353);26(C.W.IV.312).

Miscellaneous:

1(C.W.III.302); 2(C.W.III.305); 3(C.W.III.158); 4(C.W.III.277);5(L.75);6(L.87);7(L.103);8(L.119);9(L.139);10(L.282);11(C.W.V.159);12(C.W.V.160); 13(L.142); 14(L.150); 15(L.154); 16(L.205); 17(L.223);18(L.233); 19(L.431); 20(L.330); 21(L.350); 22(L.404); 23(L.407);24(C.W.II.8).

YoumayalsoliketoreadthesebookspublishedbyAdvaitaAshrama:

AShortLifeofSwamiVivekananda(Free)

ChicagoAddresses(Free)

RajaYoga:ConqueringtheInternalNature

KarmaYoga:TheYogaofAction

BhaktiYoga:TheYogaofDevotion

JnanaYoga:TheYogaofKnowledge

PersonalityDevelopment

VivekanandaTellsStories

EffectiveLifeManagement

ReligiousBehaviourandSpiritualExperience

SwamiVivekanandaonHimself