Swami Vivekananda for children

Education is the manifestation of the perfection already in man.

What is civilization? It is the feeling of the divine within.

First of all comes the gift of food: next is the gift of learning, and the highest of all is the gift of knowledge.

On one side, new India is saying, ‘What the Western nations do is surely good, otherwise how did they become so great?’. On the other side, old India is saying ,’The flash of lightening is intensely bright, but only for a moment: lookout, boys it is dazzling your eyes. Beware!’

Purity in thought, speech and act is absolutely necessary…As to the thirst after knowledge, it is an old law that we all get whatever we want. None of us can get anything other than what we fix our hearts..The student who sets out with such a spirit of perseverance will surely find success and realization at last.

Quotes from Swami Vivekananda idea of education

• I call him a traitor who, having been educated, nursed in luxury by the heart’s blood of the downtrodden millions of toiling poor, never even takes a thought for them.

• History and the Puranas, housekeeping and the arts, the duties of home life and principles that make for the development of an ideal character have to be taught(learnt).

• Along with other things students should acquire the spirit of valour and heroism.

• There is only one method by which to attain knowledge, that which is called concentration.

• The very essence of education is concentration of mind.

• All success in any line of work is the result of this. High achievements in art, music, etc are the results of concentration.

• Practice of meditation…leads to mental concentration.• Power comes to him who observes unbroken

Brahmacharya for a period of twelve years.• Chastity in thought, word and deed always and in all

conditions is what is called Brahmacharya.

• Never allow weakness to overtake your mind.• You have to build the body by good nutritious

food- then only will the mind be strong. • Be a hero. Always say, ‘’I have no fear’. Fear is

death, fear is sin, fear is hell, fear is unrighteousness, fear is wrong life.

• What we think we become…Fill the brain, therefore with high thoughts, highest ideals, place them day and night before you, and out of that will come great work.

• When we hear beautiful music, our minds become fastened upon it.

• In literature, our epics and poems and dramas rank as high as those of any language: our Shagunthala was summarized by Germany’s greatest poet, as ‘heaven and earth united’.

• Sanskrit is the divine language.

• Be moral. Be brave.• Nothing else is necessary but these love,

sincerity and patience.• Never say any man is hopeless, because he

only represents a character, a bundle of habits, which can be checked by new and better ones.

• Character is repeated habits and repeated habits alone can reform character.

• All power is within you: you can do anything and everything. Believe in that.

• All beings, great or small, are equally manifestations of God, the difference is only in the manifestation.

• Unselfishness is God. • I do not believe in a God or religion which cannot

wipe the widow’s tears or bring a piece of bread to the orphan’s mouth.

• Every religion and every creed recognizes man as divine.

• All religions are true.

• If there is any land on this earth..where humanity has attained its highest gentleness, towards generosity, towards purity, towards calmness above all the land of introspection and of spirituality – it is India.

• O India! Forget not..forget not that the lower classes, the ignorant, the poor, the illiterate, the cobbler, the sweeper are your flesh and blood your brothers.

• When you have men who are ready to sacrifice their everything for their country, sincere to the backbone- when such men arise, India will become great in every respect. It is the men that make the country!