Great Throughts Treasury

"When engaged in japa you are attentively to mark the motions of your breathing – inhaling and exhaling; if your mind tries to stray to and fro, forcibly attune it to your breathing; this will slowly set in the process of calming your mind."

"When the mind is full of worldly desires, it is their very nature to confuse the mind. Withdraw the mind from outer things and turn it inwards."

"When you recognize the existence of God, He will reveal Himself to you as compassionate, or gracious, or merciful, in accordance with your attitude toward Him at the time."

"Whenever you possibly can, sustain the flow of a sacred Name. To repeat His name is to be in His presence. If you associate with the Supreme Friend, He will reveal His true being to you."

"Where the Infinite is in question, the diversity of approaches is equally infinite, and likewise are the revelations along these paths, of endless variety."

"Who am I? This realization is the purpose of human life."

"You cannot find the Mother until the faith awakens in you that whatever the Mother does is all for the best of Her child."

"Whether with full awareness or in ignorance, whether willingly or unwillingly, whether with faith or in doubt, if God’s name is adhered to, and His image in the mind is sustained, gradually what is to be burnt will burn and what is to be melted will melt."

"You will have peace only if you can rise above worldly desires."

"Who am I? With this attitude endeavor to let the mind stand back as a witness. Search after your Self. As long as possible, sit immersed in meditation, becoming quite still, steady and fully concentrated."

"Widen your shriveled heart, make the interests of others your own and serve them as much as you can by sympathy, kindness, presents and so forth. So long as one enjoys the things of this world and has needs and wants, it is necessary to minister to the needs of one's fellow men. Otherwise one cannot be called a human being. Whenever you have the opportunity, give to the poor, feed the hungry, nurse the sick - do service as a religious duty and you will come to know by direct perception that the person served, the one who serves and the act of service are separate only in appearance."

"You need at least two meals a day. Similarly, you should remember God and chant His Name at least twice a day – say, morning and evening. This is for your mind’s well-being."

"You should kindle fire by any means, either with clarified butter or sandalwood or even straw. Once alight, the fire burns on; all worries, darkness and gloom gradually disappear. The fire will burn to ash all obstacles."

"Your sole duty is to remember that He alone is, and that everything is His doing. Invoke Him and be constantly intent on realizing Him."

"Your sorrow, your pain, your agony is indeed my sorrow. This body understands everything. You may want to leave this body. But this body won't leave you for a single day - it does not and never will leave you. One, who has once been attracted to this body, even though he may make a thousand attempts, will not be able to efface or blot out the memory of this body. It will remain and persist in his memory for all time."