Are not drums made
in the country? Are not trumpets and kettle-drums available in India?
Make the boys hear the deep-toned sound of these instruments. Hearing
from boyhood the sound of these effeminate forms of music, . . . the
country is well nigh converted into a country of women. (VII. 232)
---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. (I. 178)
---Vivekananda
Men, men,
these are wanted: everything else will be ready, but strong, vigorous,
believing young men, sincere to the backbone, are wanted. A hundred such
and the world becomes revolutionized. (III. 223-24)
---Vivekananda
Death is
better than a vegetating ignorant life; it is better to die on the
battle-field then to live a life of defeat. (II. 124)
---Vivekananda
Come, do
something heroic. Brother, what if you do not attain mukti, what if you
suffer damnation a few rimes? Is the saying untrue: 'There are some
saints who, full of holiness in thought, word, and deed, please the
whole world by their numerous beneficent acts, and who develop their own
hearts by magnifying an atom of virtue in others as if it were as great
as a mountain'? (VI. 314-15)
---Vivekananda
Can
anything be done unless everybody exerts himself to his utmost? 'It is
the man of action, the lion-heart, that the Goddess of Wealth resorts
to.' No need of looking behind. FORWARD ! We want infinite energy,
infinite zeal, infinite courage, and infinite patience, then only will
great things be achieved. (VI. 383-84)
---Vivekananda
Be not in
despair; the way is very difficult, like walking on the edge of a razor;
yet despair not, arise, awake, and find the ideal, the goal. (II. 124)
---Vivekananda
Why
weepest thou, brother? There is neither death nor disease for thee. Why
weepest thou, brother? There is neither misery nor misfortune for thee.
Why weepest thou, brother? Neither change not death was predicated of
thee. Thou art Existence Absolute. . . . Be your own self. (V. 275)
---Vivekananda
Let people
say whatever they like, stick to your own convictions, and rest
assured, the world will be at your feet. They say, `Have faith in this
fellow or that fellow', but I say, `Have faith in yourself first',
that's the way. Have faith in yourself-all power is in you-be conscious
and bring it out. Say, `I can do everything'. `Even the poison of a
snake is powerless, if you can firmly deny it.' (VI. 274)
---Vivekananda
Once when I
was in Varanasi, I was passing through a place where there was a large
tank of water on one side and a high wall o the other. It was in the
grounds where there were many monkeys. The monkeys of Varanasi are huge
brutes and are sometimes surly. They now took it into their heads not to
allow me to pass through their street, so they howled and shrieked and
clutched at my feet as I passed. As they pressed closer, I began to run,
but the faster I ran, the faster cane the monkeys, and they began to
bite at me. It seemed impossible to escape, but just then I met a
stranger who called out to me, `Face the brutes'. I turned and faced the
monkeys, and they fell back and finally fled. That is the lesson for
all life-face the terrible, face it boldly. (I. 338)
---Vivekananda
Stand up
and fight! Not one step back, that is the idea. Fight it out, whatever
comes, Let the stars move from the spheres! Let the whole world stand
against us ! Death means only a change of garment. What of it? Thus
fight! You gain nothing by becoming cowards. Taking a step backward, You
do not avoid any misfortune. You have cried to all the gods in the
world. Has misery ceased? . . . The gods come to help you when you have
succeeded. So what is the use? Die game. You are infinite, deathless,
birthless. Because you are infinite spirit, it does not befit you to be
a slave. Arise! Awake! Stand up and fight! (I. 461)
---Vivekananda
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