"ONLY ONE THING TO LEARN IN LIFE: YOU MUST THINK OF YOURSELF THE WAY GOD THINKS OF YOU–AS ANOTHER GOD."
Sri Chinmoy–
renowned spiritual leader, author, poet, artist, musician and athlete, named "Ambassador of Peace" by world leaders"
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Remaining in the Eternal Now: It's too late. By the time you think, "Now I'm in the now," it's already then. Swami Beyondananda
Renunciates can't count on liberation just for all their lamentation. The road to heaven isn't blocked by jokes. Thus cheerful are the wisest folks–without solemnity and all it brings, they laugh at the very state of things. Humorous insight found in an old Sanskrit text, Padataditaka, Verse 5
Sadhu Vaswani's brother, having been stung more than once by honeybees who had built a hive on one of the walls of their house, complained to the great saint Sadhu Vaswani: "How can men and honeybees live together?" He felt certain that Sadhu Vaswani would have the hive removed. He was shocked to get the saint's answer: "Then let the men go!"
Wearing orange robes, carrying a walking stick or water pot, talking of Vedanta and arguing about it with everyone–these things do not make one a swami! Legendary siddha yogi Swami Nityananda(?-1961), satguru of Swami Muktananda.
I am not enamoured of acquiring fame, knowledge, luxuries of life, power, or heaven or moksha, but my desire is to have a rebirth in Bharatha Bhumi [India], as a human being or as a animal or as a bird, or as an insect or at least as a stone! A Hindu's patriotic cry on the occasion of India's 50th anniversary.
When a boy, one is attached to sport; when a youth, one is attached to a young woman; when old, one is attached to anxiety; to the supreme Brahman, no one, alas, is attached!
Adi Sankara, Bhaja Govindam, verse 7
During my discourse in Banaras, an elephant became very uncontrollable and began running berserk among the passers by. I, along with my disciples, were passing by that street on our way to bathe in the Ganga. Seeing the elephant running amuck, we had to run for safety. One pandit who used to attend my discourses daily, referring to this incident, asked me the question: "O, great teacher. If as you say, the world is maya [illusion] and the soul is indestructible, why did you, a liberated soul, run for safety seeing the maya elephant running wildly?" I replied: "Well put, my learned brother. The elephant was maya, as you say, and so was my running!"
Adi Sankara during his famous debate with Mandana Mishra.