Sivananda quotes:

Life is short. Time is fleeting. Realize the Self. Purity of the heart is the gateway to God. Aspire. Renounce. Meditate. Be good; do good. Be kind; be compassionate. Inquire, know Thyself.

A mountain is composed of tiny grains of earth. The ocean is made up of tiny drops of water. Even so, life is but an endless series of little details, actions, speeches, and thoughts. And the consequences whether good or bad of even the least of them are far-reaching.

Adhere To - Faith, Unity, Sacrifice. Avoid - Back-biting, Falsehood and Crookedness. Admire - Frankness, Honesty, and Large-heartedness. Control - Tongue, Temper, and Tossing of the mind. Cultivate - Cosmic Love, Forgiveness and Patience. Hate - Lust, Anger, and Pride.

Always do good to others. Be selfless. Mentally remove everything and be free. This is divine life. This is the direct way to Moksha or salvation.

Ahimsa is not mere negative non-injury. It is positive, cosmic love. It is the development of a mental attitude in which hatred is replaced by love. Ahimsa is true sacrifice. Ahimsa is forgiveness. Ahimsa is Sakti (power). Ahimsa is true strength.

There is no end of craving. Hence contentment alone is the best way to happiness. Therefore, acquire contentment.

A wise person laughs and smiles through the eyes. . . . The smile and laughter through the eyes influence people tremendously. No energy leaks if you smile through the eyes.

Make others truly happy as you strive to make yourself happy. Speak a helpful word. Give a cheering smile. Do a kind act. Serve a little. Wipe the tears of one who is in distress. Render smooth a rough place in another's path. You will feel great joy.

The impersonal aspect [of God] (Nirakara, Nirguna) is called Brahman, or 'unknowable' by Herbert Spencer, 'will' by Schopenhauer, Absolute Noumenon by some 'substance' by Spinoza. The personal aspect (Sakara) of that Being is termed 'Ishvara' or Allah, Hari, Jehova, Father in Heaven, Buddha, Siva, etc. Just as vapour or steam is formless, so also God is formless in His unmanifested or transcendental state.

Humility is not cowardice. Meekness is not weakness. Humility and meekness are indeed spiritual powers.

Crave for a thing, you will get it. Renounce the craving, the object will follow you by itself.

There is something good in all seeming failures. You are not to see that now. Time will reveal it. Be patient.

Life is a pilgrimage. The wise man does not rest by the roadside inns. He marches direct to the illimitable domain of eternal bliss, his ultimate destination.

There is a tricycle in man. He knows, he feels and acts. He has emotion, intellect and will. He must develop head, heart and hand.

The glorious Vishnu is the sole refuge of mortals. He is Infinite Light, Love and Wisdom. He resides in the hearts of all beings. His Grace is invincible. He is in all. He is the Highest Truth. He is Infinite Bliss. He is the Protector. He is the Preserver. He is the Saviour.

The practice of 'asanas' and 'pranayama' wards off disease and helps to maintain alertness.

This world is your best teacher. There is a lesson in everything. There is a lesson in each experience. Learn it and become wise. Every failure is a stepping stone to success. Every difficulty or disappointment is a trial of your faith. Every unpleasant incident or temptation is a test of your inner strength. Therefore nil desperandum. March forward hero!

You can have calmness of mind at all times by the practice of yoga. You can have restful sleep. You can have increased energy, vigour, vitality, longevity, and a high standard of health. You can turn out efficient work within a short space of time. You can have success in every walk of life.

Music is the medium for expressing emotion. Music kindles love and infuses hope. It has countless voices and instruments. Music is in the hearts of all men and women

If you do not find peace within, you will not find it anywhere else. The Goal of Life is the attainment of Peace and not the achievement of power, name, fame and wealth.

Forget like a child any injury done by somebody immediately. Never keep it in the heart. It kindles hatred.

Meditation is the dissolution of thoughts in eternal awareness or pure consciousness.

Never worry about what other people say or think. Do the right. Have a clear conscience and roam about happily.

It is divinity that shapes, not only your ends, but also your acts, your words and thoughts.

Love expects no reward. Love knows no fear. Love Divine gives - does not demand. Love thinks no evil; imputes no motive. To Love is to share and serve.

Let each man take the path according to his capacity, understanding and temperament. His true guru will meet him along that path.

You should always keep your word. All the setbacks in life come only because you don't keep your word.

One can realize God through kirtan alone.

Never worry. Be ever cheerful. Always laugh and smile. You can use the following powerful autosuggestion: "Mr. Worry, goodbye to you. I am a different person now. I am made of sterner stuff." Worry will now be afraid to show his face to you. You can then remove the worries of many of your friends.

Go beyond science, into the region of metaphysics. Real religion is beyond argument. It can only be lived both inwardly and outwardly.

Moral values, and a culture and a religion, maintaining these values are far better than laws and regulations.

Do not brood over your past mistakes and failures as this will only fill your mind with grief, regret and depression. Do not repeat them in the future.

Cultivate peace first in the garden of your heart by removing the weeds of lust, hatred, greed, selfishness, and jealousy. Then only you can manifest it externally. Then only, those who come in contact with you, will be benefited by your vibrations of peace and harmony.

Arrogance is a mixture of impertinence, disobedience, indiscipline, rudeness, harshness, and a self-assertive nature.

Put your heart, mind, and soul into even your smallest acts. This is the secret of success.

The harder the struggle, the more glorious the triumph. Self-realization demands very great struggle.

Truth is complete in itself. Truth has a strong foundation in itself. It is bold, it has no fears. It has no limit of space or time. It is a fearless, free bird in the sky. It does not care for status. It is wealth in itself. Truth stands even when there is no public support.

The real spiritual progress of the aspirant is measured by the extent to which he achieves inner tranquility.

Do not store in your brain useless information. Learn to unmind the mind. Unlearn whatever has been of no use to you. Then only can you fill your mind with divine thoughts.

Internalize the vagrant mind and fix it in the Lord. Then the meditation will be profound and intense. Don't open the eyes. Don't move from the seat. Melt yourself down into Him. Dive in the deep corners of your heart. Get immerse in the brilliant Atman. Drink the nectar of Immortality. Now enjoy the silence. Son of the nectar! Rejoice! Peace! Silence! Glory!

The mental ability to concentrate is inherent to all; it is not extraordinary or mysterious. Meditation is not something that a Yogi has to teach you; you already have the ability to shut out thoughts.

A desire arises in the mind. It is satisfied immediately another comes. In the interval which separates two desires a perfect calm reigns in the mind. It is at this moment freed from all thought, love or hate. Complete peace equally reigns between two mental waves.

A purified mind can grasp anything. It can dive deep into the subtlest subject and understand even transcendental things.

An evil man is a saint of the future. See good in everything. Destroy the evil-finding quality. Develop the good-finding quality. Rise above good and evil.

An ounce of practice is worth a ton of theory!

Be for ever a student. He and he alone is an old man who feels that he has learnt enough and has need for no more knowledge.

Be Good, Do Good.Do thou always without attachment perform action which should be done, for by performing action without attachment, man reaches the Supreme.

Be humble as the blade of grass that is being trodden underneath the feet. The little ant tastes joyously the sweetness of honey and sugar. The mighty elephant trembles in pain under the agony of sharp goad

Be tolerant. Behold the unity of all faiths, cults, creeds and religions. Respect the views, opinions and sentiments of all.

Bear insult, bear injury.

Beauty is essentially spiritual. The authentic beauty lies in the heart.

Change the mind, and you can change the body.

Common sense is the fundamental factor in all spiritual disciplines. No rule is an eternal rule. Rules change from place to place, time to time and from one condition to another condition.

Complete peace equally reigns between two mental waves.

Conquer your thoughts and you will conquer the world.

Desire is poverty. Desire is the greatest impurity of the mind. Desire is the motive force for action. Desire in the mind is the real impurity. Even a spark of desire is a very great evil.

Desire nothing, give up all desires and be happy.

Do not love leisure. Waste not a minute. Be bold. Realize the Truth, here and now!

Don't fear the darkness if you carry the light within.

Eating, drinking, sleeping a little laughter ! much weeping! Is that all ? Do not die here like a worm. Wake up! Attain immortal bliss!

Eating, drinking. sleeping, pro-creating. A little laughter, a lot of tears. Is this all there is to life? Don't die like a worm on the surface of the planet. WAKE UP and be all that you can be, you are so much more than that.

Eradicate self-justification. Then alone can you annihilate your ego.

Every temptation that is resisted, every evil thought that is curbed, every desire that is subdued, every bitter word that is withheld, every noble aspiration that is encouraged, every sublime thought that is cultivated, adds to the development of will-force, good character, and attainment of eternal bliss and immortality.

Faith induces one to pray.Prayer purifies the heart.In the purified heart is reflected the light of Lord.When the Light sighns the mortal becomes immortal.

Faith is a belief in the unknown. Faith heals, faith creates, faith works wonders, faith moves mountains. Faith is the searchlight for God-finding.

Fame is the penalty of success. Jealousy is the penalty of fame.

Fear is only in duality. Fear is Mind. When you are your Self, there is no fear.

Give up salt, give up sugar, give up spices, give up vegetables, give up chutnies, give up tamarind. Serve Bhangis, serve rogues, serve inferiors, remove faecal matter. Do not revenge, resist not evil, return good for evil, bear insult and injury. Forget like a child any injury done by somebody immediately. Never keep it in the heart. It kindles hatred.

Giving is the secret of abundance.

God is all-full. He is self-contained. He is eternal satisfaction.

How will you get God's grace? When you discipline yourself. How will you know how to discipline? By observing others that had walked the path successfully to the goal of perfection. Who are these men who had walked to the goal? It is these that are known as Gurus. So you need their help, their personal example, their encouragement and their grace. Thus, we have come round to the answer that a Guru is necessary as well as his grace. Everything is necessary-\-\ Atma Kripa, Guru Kripa and Isvara Kripa.

If you do not know the laws of right conduct, you cannot form your character.

If you focus the rays of the sun through a lens, they can burn cotton or a piece of paper; but, the scattered rays cannot do this act. If you collect the dissipated rays of the mind and focus them at a point, you will have wonderful concentration.

Illness begins with "I", Wellness begins with "we

Individual Peace paves the way for world peace. The attainment of inner calm is the greatest work you can do for humanity.

Intuition transcends reason, but does not contradict it

Kind thoughts increase the flow of vital energy into your body and mind. Do kind acts now. Do not procrastinate. Kindness is like a healing balm. It soothes suffering... Little drops of water make the mighty ocean. Even so, little acts of kindness make an ocean of goodwill.

Learn to give, give in plenty, give with love, give without any expectation, one does not lose anything by giving, on the other hand you get back a thousand fold.

Life is a series of awakenings

Life is the unfolding of the latent capacities of the soul.

Live in the present, forget the past. Give up hopes of future.

Look within. Within you is the hidden God. Within you is the immortal soul. Within you is the inexhaustible spiritual treasure. Within you is the ocean of bliss. Look within for the happiness which you have sought in vain.

Love beautifies the giver and elevates the receiver.

Man is a bridge between the two worlds - the visible and the invisible.

Man needs now no more degrees, but character, No more study, but wisdom.

Meditation is painful in the beginning but it bestows immortal Bliss and supreme joy in the end.

Meditation is the royal road to the attainment of freedom, a mysterious ladder that reaches from earth to heaven, darkness to light, mortality to Immortality.

Modern civilisation is complicated and artificial. Simple folk live in a world of love and peace. Let no one hate another or harm another.

Money can help you to get medicines but not health. Money can help you to get soft pillows, but not sound sleep. Money can help you to get material comforts, but not eternal bliss. Money can help you to get ornaments, but not beauty. Money will help you to get an electric earphone, but not natural hearing. Attain the supreme wealth, wisdom; you will have everything.

Pain, sorrow, ignorance are all illusory; they cannot live. Bliss, joy, knowledge are true; they cannot die.

Patient and regular practice is the whole secret of spiritual realization. Do not be in a hurry in spiritual life. Do your utmost, and leave the rest to God.

Peace is the most covetable possession on the earth. It is the greatest treasure in all the universe. Peace is the most important and indispensable factor for all growth and development. It is in the tranquility and quiet of the night that the seed slowly sprouts from under the soil. The bud opens in the depth of the most silent hours. So also, in a state of peace and love, people evolve, grow in their distinctive culture, and develop perfect civilization.

Practice meditation regularly. Meditation leads to eternal bliss. Therefore meditate, meditate.

Regular meditation opens the avenues of intuitional knowledge, makes the mind calm and steady, awakens an ecstatic feeling, and brings the practitioner in contact with the source of his/her very being.

Rise above the deceptions and temptations of the mind. This is your duty. Learn to become wise. Desire nothing, give up all desires and be happy. The real spiritual progress of the meditator is measured by the extent to which they achieve inner tranquility and freedom from desire.

Rise above the deceptions and temptations of the mind. This is your duty. You are born for this only; all other duties are self-created and self-imposed owing to ignorance.

Serve, Love, Give, Purify, Meditate, Realize.

Silence is the language of God; it is also the language of the heart.

Sow love, reap peace. Sow meditation, reap wisdom.

Still the bubbling mind; herein lies freedom and bliss eternal.

Terrible is the fight put up by the senses. Fight bravely! Conquer them you must.

The benefits of Mouna (Silence) are incalculable.

The divine within you is stronger than anything that is without you. Therefore, be not afraid of anything. Rely on your own Inner Self, the Divinity within you. Tap the source through looking within. Improve yourself. Build your character. Purify the heart. Develop the divine virtues. Eradicate evil traits. Conquer all that is base in you. Endeavor to attain all that is worthy and noble. Make the lower nature the servant of the higher through discipline, Tapas, self-restraint and meditation. This is the beginning of your freedom.

The goal of life is god realisation.

The human intellect has not been able to conceive of anything more noble and sublime in the history of the world than the teachings of the Upanishads.

The inward battle--against our mind, our wounds, and the residues of the past--is more terrible than outward battle.

The mind is a product of experience. It is the result of past thinking and is modified by present thinking.

The mind is responsible for the feelings of pleasure and pain. Control of the mind is the highest Yoga.

The secret of life is in love the love of God and the service of humanity.

The secret of life is not enjoyment but education through experience.

There is some truth in everything. Views and opinions are different aspects. Do not quarrel with others.

Thinking of disease constantly will intensify it. Feel always 'I am healthily in body and mind'.

This world is your body. This world is a great school, This world is your silent teacher.

To achieve that state of lasting happiness and absolute peace, we must first know how to calm the mind, to concentrate and go beyond the mind. By turning the mind's concentration inward, upon the self, we can deepen that experience of perfect concentration. This is the state of Meditation.

To make the mind obey you is a spiritual discipline.

Today is your own. Tomorrow perchance may never come.

Tolerance is a sign of growth on the spiritual path

When all desires of heart die, mortal man becomes Immortal.

When you have succeeded in enshrining God within your heart, you will see Him everywhere.

Why do you read many books? The great book is within your heart. Open the pages of this inexhaustible book, the source of all knowledge. You will know everything.