Great Throughts Treasury

"A man's happiness requires a great deal more than any material thing. We all find it out sooner or later. If we live our lives thoughtlessly, we defeat our purpose; because our faith in God becomes shattered and there is no greater loss."

"Have faith in your immortal nature. Know that you are Spirit. Those who think they are limited and mortal, that they are born and that they die, are superstitious. Anything that is weakening, anything that is degenerating, anything that tells us that we are limited human beings is a terrible superstition. By all the means in our power we must overcome it. Let us tear aside this veil of superstition, recognize our true nature, and know that we are eternal, imperishable and immortal."

"One cannot have faith without optimism. Faith and hope are inseparable. Depression is a great obstacle in the spiritual life and we must strive to conquer it... Cheerfulness is one of the essential spiritual qualities we must guard ourselves against dejection, self-denunciation, or even feeling a little down-hearted... Dejection invariably distorts our vision - it magnifies our troubles."

"That there is but one Life, one Cosmic Principle, one Consciousness permeating the whole universe... Whoever is open to Truth does not care from what source it comes. It is Truth, that is sufficient... Revelation is discloser of the soul."

"Self-realization means that we have been consciously connected with our source of being. Once we have made this connection, then nothing can go wrong."

"It is a great blessing to meet struggle and opposition with whatever fire there is in us that is kindled by these. Life does not mean merely following the softest road, the path of least resistance; it is doing something vital. Hardships and difficulties bring out the best in us and make us strong."

"As long as our actions are based upon an inner discontent they will in the long term reinforce the very feelings of discontent we are trying to avoid."

"A finite object, like a table or a tree, can be defined; but God, who is infinite and unbounded, cannot be expressed by finite language. Therefore the Rishis or Divine Seers, desirous not to limit the Unlimited, chose the indefinite term "That" to designate the Absolute."

"Body and mind are the periphery of the cyclone. Consciousness is the seer, the centre and the silent witness. The whole science of Yoga is to transcend the limitations of body and mind to attain the centre."

"During meditation, the energies that were flowing out through our senses change direction to move inwards. The mental energy, too, is turned upon itself. Therefore, meditation is a change of flux of mental and sensual energy. Simple yet deeply scientific and spiritual in nature, it can make us become a god!"

"Evil can never survive, though for a time it may seem to triumph. It is only a question of our endurance and patience."

"He who is rich in the knowledge of the Self does not covet external power or possession."

"But I say unto you that your inner nature is only a challenge. Nobody is here to judge anyone - even God does not judge. Man has the power to choose, to discriminate, he can decide to move outside in the illusory world and suffer to his heart’s content or he can choose to regain his lost paradise."

"He who perceives the Self everywhere never shrinks from anything, because through his higher consciousness he feels united with all life. When a man sees God in all beings and all beings in God, and also God dwelling in his own Soul, how can he hate any living thing? Grief and delusion rest upon a belief in diversity, which leads to competition and all forms of selfishness. With the realization of oneness, the sense of diversity vanishes and the cause of misery is removed."

"Ignorance of our spiritual being has become a curse that may end up making this marvellous place as our earth become a vestige. Is this what we call civilisation? Can’t we see that all the means have failed? Why not try spirituality or mysticism? So many institutions, religious, social, governmental and others have found the day. Where have they led to?"

"If one should desire to live in this world a hundred years, one should live performing Karma (righteous deeds)."

"It is said that man is a social animal, to which I agree, but that is not the whole truth. Man is a potential, not only does he conceal the possibility of becoming animal, but also of becoming divine. This is an irony: the more we are moving further in scientific development, the more man is becoming barbarous."

"Man and woman, do not consider each other as your enemy, otherwise you may gain nothing but failure. Be ready not to conquer each other, but to merge your forces for your own goodness. Your marriage should be in body, mind, heart and soul, while bearing in mind your freedom."

"In the light of true wisdom the phenomenal and the Absolute are inseparable. All existence is in the Absolute; and whatever exists, must exist in It; hence all manifestation is merely a modification of the One Supreme Whole, and neither increases nor diminishes It. The Whole therefore remains unaltered."

"Man, you are seeking bliss, peace, power and eternal life. That you already are! -Tat twam asi Take cognizance of your real nature and get disentangled from this nightmarish situation. The way to it is very simple."

"The greatest sacrifice is to dissolve all the animal instincts in us so as to go beyond the illusive self or the ‘I’ created by the assemblage of all these tendencies, thus enabling the Divine in us to shine forth."

"Seek not fleeting results as the reward of thy actions, O mind! Strive only for the Imperishable."

"That which comes out of the Infinite Whole must also be infinite; hence the Self is infinite. That is the ocean, we are the drops. So long as the drop remains separate from the ocean, it is small and weak; but when it is one with the ocean, then it has all the strength of the ocean. Similarly, so long as man believes himself to be separate from the Whole, he is helpless; but when he identifies himself with It, then he transcends all weakness and partakes of Its omnipotent qualities."

"Since most people are ignorant of the occult side of their being, they are carried away by powerful emotions, thus causing much harm to their body, heart and mind. Many illnesses are caused by the absence of body, mind and heart relaxation. Any material method will give only little and temporary relief from stress and other illnesses produced by the absence of relaxation. The ultimate solution is always meditation."

"Occult knowledge of both feminine and masculine psyche is of paramount importance, for only this will make one understand that man and woman are not equal, but they are divine potentials which can be unfolded using their own natural tendencies."

"To behold the moon, it is important to look beyond the finger. Similarly, it is important to go beyond religion to attain God. But man is so engrossed in his dream-world owing to his mind which is 95.5% unconscious, that he blindly performs the religious practices without understanding and awareness."

"When a man sees God in all beings and all beings in God, and also God dwelling in his own Soul, how can he hate any living thing? Grief and delusion rest upon a belief in diversity, which leads to competition and all forms of selfishness. With the realization of oneness, the sense of diversity vanishes and the cause of misery is removed."

"When shall we understand that 95.5% of unconsciousness is not a child’s play to do away with? Psychology and religion will have to join forces so as to help to make the greatest revolution in the psyche of man on an international level. A global mind change is the only thing that can save us from the apocalyptic prediction of St. John. ."

"When the mental and emotional activities are completely transformed and sublimated through scientific and spiritual methods, then meditation ensues. Though devoid of all forms, it is the cradle of infinite creativity. Therefore, one who has attained meditation becomes both completely relaxed and creative."

"Who is better able to know God than I myself, since He resides in my heart and is the very essence of my being? Such should be the attitude of one who is seeking."