"1. Countless may be the books you have read; of what avail are they? Many may be your chari¬table acts, building of rest houses; of what avail are they? Far are you from God, if there be not faith and devotion in your heart.

2. A sage or a saint does not teach by words but by actions.

3. Temptation is at first like a ripple, then like a wave and finally like an ocean. Nip it in the bud. Destroy the ripple. Be eternally vigilant.

4. You are the heir apparent of God. Why do you beg from door to door? Why do you starve in the midst of plenty? All things are thine. Sun is thy brother. Moon is thy sister.

5. There are two inclinations in man. One prompts him to do good and the other impels him to do evil. There is an eternal fight within, between good, and evil. Meditate. You will gain strength to conquer evil. Pray. You will get help from God to fight against evil.

6. Temptation is at first like an ordinary visitor of your house, then like an ordinary guest, then like a distinguished guest, and finally like the proprietor of the house. Beware. Be eternally vigilant. Slay this temptation, your arch enemy of peace, through discrimination, dispassion, meditation, prayer and enquiry.

7. In the material world you grow by acquisition, in the spiritual realm you grow by renunciation.

8. Kind hearts are gardens. Kind thoughts are roses. Kind words are flowers. Kind deeds are fruits.

9. Love divine gives; does not demand. Love endures; does not inflict the least pain. Love cons¬tantly flows towards the object of love. Love does not expect even reciprocity of feelings. Love serves spontaneously at every opportunity. Such love is its own reward. This true love is all conquering because it is divine and beyond all worldliness and sense-gratifications. Cultivate this love. Pray. You will attain God-realisation.

10. Renunciation and meditation are the two great wheels on which the Yogi rolls forward to the peak of spiritual perfection and illumination.

11. There are five-year plans, grow more food campaigns, grow more forest schemes and so on; but there is no plan or scheme for spiritual culture, Yogic discipline, building character, etc., which are the fundamental need of the hour.

12. Character and culture are the two great wheels on which the nation rolls forward on the path of progress and enlightenment.

13. By the practice of Pranayama, Japa and meditation, the body, nerves and mind become more sensitive. You are easily disturbed by sound. You feel any pressure acutely. Persist in your Sadhana. Pray. You will gain strength and peace.

14. Obedience, humility, and service will annihilate egoism.

15. "The end of Knowledge is service," so says the Karma Yogi. "Bhakti is independent. It does not want the help of knowledge," so says a bhakta. "Bhakti is an auxiliary to knowledge," so says the Vedanti.

16. A Yogi rules the stars. A worldly man is ruled by the stars.

17. "Be good. Do good." This is life divine.

18. Train yourself in the language of God. Silence is His language.

19. Immortality is thy birthright. Realise this now and here.

20. He who is desireless is the richest man in the world."

-Swami Sivananda