27 Swami Vivekananda quotes that will inspire you

Born in 1863 with the name Narendranath Datta, Vivekananda was a Hindu monk. He came from a wealthy family in Calcutta, India.

Swami Vivekananda led a very interesting life. He is credited with bringing Hinduism to the status of a major world religion during the late 19th century. 

Many people also credit him with being a pioneer of the Indian philosophies of Vedanta and Yoga to the wider world. He went on tour to both the USA and UK in the late 19th century, where he gave many popular talks and lectures.

Followers of his included Mahatma Ghandi and inventor Nikola Tesla. You can imagine if he was born in modern times he would have a big social media following.

Below are some of Swami Vivekananda’s best quotes about life, love, success, philosophy. education and much more. Enjoy.

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All knowledge that the world has ever received comes from the mind; the infinite library of the universe is in our own mind.
Swami Vivekananda
Perfect life is a contradiction in terms. Therefore we must always expect to find things not up to our highest ideal. Knowing this, we are bound to make the best of everything.
Swami Vivekananda
Our supreme duty is to advance toward freedom - physical, mental, and spiritual - and help others to do so.
Swami Vivekananda
True religion is not talk, or doctrines, or theories, nor is it sectarianism. It is the relation between soul and God. Religion does not consist in erecting temples, or building churches, or attending public worship. It is not to be found in books, or in words, or in lectures, or in organisations. Religion consists in realisation. We must realise God, feel God, see God, and talk to God. That is religion.
Swami Vivekananda
Accumulate power in silence and become a dynamo of spirituality.
Swami Vivekananda
Talk to yourself at least once in a day… Otherwise you may miss a meeting with an excellent person in this World.
Swami Vivekananda
It is the calm, forgiving, equable, well-balanced mind that does the greatest amount of work.
Swami Vivekananda
Do not lower your goals to the level of your abilities. Instead, raise your abilities to the height of your goals.
Swami Vivekananda
The best thermometer to the progress of a nation is its treatment of its women.
Swami Vivekananda
We do not look at our own faults; the eyes do not see themselves, they see the eyes of everybody else. We human beings are very slow to recognise our own weakness, our own faults, so long as we can lay the blame upon somebody else.
Swami Vivekananda
Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life - think of it, dream of it, and live on that idea. Let the brain, muscles, nerves, every part of your body, be full of that idea, and just leave every other idea alone. This is the way to success.
Swami Vivekananda
When a man is perfect, he sees perfection in others. When he sees imperfection, it is his own mind projecting itself.
Swami Vivekananda
Tell the truth boldly, whether it hurts or not. Never pander to weakness. If truth is too much for intelligent people and sweeps them away, let them go; the sooner the better.
Swami Vivekananda
Whatever you think, that you will be. If you think yourselves weak, weak you will be; if you think yourselves strong, strong you will be.
Swami Vivekananda
Throw aside your scriptures in the Ganga and teach the people first the means of procuring their food and clothing, and then you will find time to read to them the scriptures.
Swami Vivekananda
It is the greatest manifestation of power to be calm.
Swami Vivekananda
Take courage and work on. Patience and steady work- this is the only way.
Swami Vivekananda
The greatest force is derived from the power of thought. The finer the element, the more powerful it is. The silent power of thought influences people even at a distance, because mind is one as well as many. The universe is a cobweb; minds are spiders.
Swami Vivekananda
Never say no, never say, 'I cannot', for you are infinite. All the power is within you. You can do anything.
Swami Vivekananda
Desire, ignorance, and inequality—this is the trinity of bondage.
Swami Vivekananda
Feel nothing, know nothing, do nothing, have nothing, give up all to God, and say utterly, 'Thy will be done.' We only dream this bondage. Wake up and let it go.
Swami Vivekananda
Feel like Christ and you will be a Christ; feel like Buddha and you will be a Buddha. It is feeling that is the life, the strength, the vitality, without which no amount of intellectual activity can reach God.
Swami Vivekananda
Everything is easy when you are busy. But nothing is easy when you are lazy.
Swami Vivekananda
Take risks in your life. If you win, you can lead! If you lose, you can guide.
Swami Vivekananda
Everything is ended if you forgive and forget.
Swami Vivekananda
Expansion is life, contraction is death. Love is life, hatred is death.
Swami Vivekananda
Never talk about the faults of others, no matter how bad they may be. Nothing is ever gained by that. You never help one by talking about his fault; you do him an injury, and injure yourself as well.
Swami Vivekananda

If you enjoyed these Swami Vivekananda quotes you will probably enjoy quotes from Chinese philosopher Lao Tzu