Recommended Reading
- ‘The Holy Geeta‘ by Swami Chinmayananda
- ‘Meditation & Life‘ by Swami Chinmayananda
- ‘Journey of a Master: Swami Chinmayananda‘ by Nancy Freeman Patchen
- ‘Pursuit of Happiness‘ by Swami Chinmayananda
- ‘Discourses on Astavakra Gita‘ by Swami Chinmayananda
Inspirational Quotes by Swami Chinmayananda (Indian Hindu Spiritual Teacher)
To give love is true freedom; to demand love is pure slavery.
—Swami Chinmayananda
There is no companion like solitude. One who knows how to tune himself to the inner silence, even in the midst of the din and roar of the marketplace, enjoys a most recreative solitude.
—Swami Chinmayananda
The greatness is not what we do but, unavoidably, it is always in how we do what we do.
—Swami Chinmayananda
Love is the heart of all religions; the theme of all classical works of art and literature; the song of all devotees. Scientists know only what love does, not what love is. Love is to human hearts what the sun is to flowers.
—Swami Chinmayananda
To see the one in the many
Is the casual vision of knowledge.
To see the many in the one,
Is the mission wisdom.
—Swami Chinmayananda
Introspect daily, detect diligently, negate ruthlessly.
—Swami Chinmayananda
He who depends on chances and situations to be happy, is a Sansari.
—Swami Chinmayananda
Do the best and leave the rest.
—Swami Chinmayananda
When opportunity knocks,
We are either out or sleeping in.
—Swami Chinmayananda
Seek the Lord
In the smiles of your friends,
In the glow of angry eyes,
In the storms of passion.
He is everywhere, in everything.
—Swami Chinmayananda
Silently hear everyone.
Accept what is good.
Reject and forget what is not.
This is intelligent living.
—Swami Chinmayananda
Character is formed from the repeated choice of thoughts and action.
Make the right choice – You shall have a firm and noble character.
—Swami Chinmayananda
The heroism of the seeker is in rejecting the whisperings of mediate happiness and to live nobly fulfilling one’s larger duties.
—Swami Chinmayananda
History is full of instances, wherein, victory would have been to the vanquished, if only they had battled a little longer! We often fail for lack of perseverance in our efforts. We leave our work half done in our impatience. Every job demands its quota of efforts. Never give up too soon.
—Swami Chinmayananda
Both renunciation of action and the performance of action lead to Nirvana (Liberation); but these performance of action is superior to renunciation of action. The action of today becomes the destiny of tomorrow.
—Swami Chinmayananda
Topics: Destiny, Action, Act, Become
A man-of-wisdom lives in the world, but he is never of the world.
—Swami Chinmayananda
To forget oneself totally, one’s mind should keep awake at every moment. A mind that has forgotten the past and the future, that is awake to the now, to the present, expresses the highest concentration of intelligence. It is alert, it is watchful, it is inspired. The actions of a man who has such a mind are exceptionally creative and perfect. Verily to forget oneself totally, is to be in perfection.
—Swami Chinmayananda
Substitute wisely, grow steadily and be free.
—Swami Chinmayananda
Strange! Wealth estranges us all. It is all very strange, the money psychology! When you have not got any, you will pant to get some! When you get some, you grow jealous of others who have more, and feel conceited among those who have less.
—Swami Chinmayananda
More important than What is Behind you and what is Ahead of you is what is In you.
Seek it. Centred in it, act and live.
—Swami Chinmayananda
To say, ‘LORD IS’ is Gyanam. But ‘THE LORD IS I’ is Vigyanam.
—Swami Chinmayananda
Mind at rest is the Temple of Joy. So long as it is gurgling with its desires, passions and attachments in its stormy surface, the signature of joy gets ruffled out.
—Swami Chinmayananda
What you have is all His Gift to you.
What you do with what you have is your Gift to Him … .
—Swami Chinmayananda
Not to do what you feel like doing is freedom.
—Swami Chinmayananda
Happiness depends on what you can give, Not on what you can get.
—Swami Chinmayananda
To give without sympathy is to build a temple without the idol and
it is as futile as painting a picture with black ink on a black-board.
—Swami Chinmayananda
Become quietly effective.
Don’t expect them, to fully understand you.
They won’t: So ?
Demonstrate with results
What they would not understand with words .
—Swami Chinmayananda
Everyone points to the other man, who, according to him, is happier. But the only one, who has the courage to declare that he is truly happy, is he who has relinquished all his passions and hungers from within.
—Swami Chinmayananda
Mind alone is maya at play.
—Swami Chinmayananda
In life, the glory lies not in the quarry, but in the chase.
The success is not in the trophy won,
but in the race run … .
—Swami Chinmayananda
Wondering Whom to Read Next?
Sri Aurobindo Indian Mystic, Philosopher, Poet
Paramahansa Yogananda Indian Hindu Mystic
Swami Vivekananda Indian Hindu Monk, Mystic
Ramakrishna Paramahamsa Indian Hindu Philosopher
Ramana Maharshi Indian Hindu Mystic
Sathya Sai Baba Indian Hindu Religious Leader
B. K. S. Iyengar Indian Hindu Yoga Teacher
Bhaktisiddhanta Sarasvati Thakura Indian Hindu Religious Leader
Nisargadatta Maharaj Indian Hindu Religious Leader
Sivaya Subramuniyaswami American Hindu Teacher