Sivananda Quotes & Sayings

There is some truth in everything. Views and opinions are different aspects. Do not quarrel with others. — Sivananda

Internalize the vagrant mind and fix it in the Lord. Then the meditation will be profound and intense. Don't open the eyes. Don't move from the seat. Melt yourself down into Him. Dive in the deep corners of your heart. Get immerse in the brilliant Atman. Drink the nectar of Immortality. Now enjoy the silence. Son of the nectar! Rejoice! Peace! Silence! Glory! — Sivananda

Faith induces one to pray.Prayer purifies the heart.In the purified heart is reflected the light of Lord.When the Light sighns the mortal becomes immortal. — Sivananda

The glorious Vishnu is the sole refuge of mortals. He is Infinite Light, Love and Wisdom. He resides in the hearts of all beings. His Grace is invincible. He is in all. He is the Highest Truth. He is Infinite Bliss. He is the Protector. He is the Preserver. He is the Saviour. — Sivananda

Why do you read many books? The great book is within your heart. Open the pages of this inexhaustible book, the source of all knowledge. You will know everything. — Sivananda

Truth is complete in itself. Truth has a strong foundation in itself. It is bold, it has no fears. It has no limit of space or time. It is a fearless, free bird in the sky. It does not care for status. It is wealth in itself. Truth stands even when there is no public support. — Sivananda

If you focus the rays of the sun through a lens, they can burn cotton or a piece of paper; but, the scattered rays cannot do this act. If you collect the dissipated rays of the mind and focus them at a point, you will have wonderful concentration. — Sivananda

There is a tricycle in man. He knows, he feels and acts. He has emotion, intellect and will. He must develop head, heart and hand. — Sivananda

Your sole purpose in life is to attain God-realization. All else is useless and worthless. — Sivananda

The secret of life is not enjoyment but education through experience. — Sivananda

Ahimsa is not mere negative non-injury. It is positive, cosmic love. It is the development of a mental attitude in which hatred is replaced by love. Ahimsa is true sacrifice. Ahimsa is forgiveness. Ahimsa is Sakti (power). Ahimsa is true strength. — Sivananda

Never worry. Be ever cheerful. Always laugh and smile. You can use the following powerful autosuggestion: "Mr. Worry, goodbye to you. I am a different person now. I am made of sterner stuff." Worry will now be afraid to show his face to you. You can then remove the worries of many of your friends. — Sivananda

Life is the unfolding of the latent capacities of the soul. — Sivananda

Life is short. Time is fleeting. Realize the Self. Purity of the heart is the gateway to God. Aspire. Renounce. Meditate. Be good; do good. Be kind; be compassionate. Inquire, know Thyself. — Sivananda

The mental ability to concentrate is inherent to all; it is not extraordinary or mysterious. Meditation is not something that a Yogi has to teach you; you already have the ability to shut out thoughts. — Sivananda

Be for ever a student. He and he alone is an old man who feels that he has learnt enough and has need for no more knowledge. — Sivananda

Faith is a belief in the unknown. Faith heals, faith creates, faith works wonders, faith moves mountains. Faith is the searchlight for God-finding. — Sivananda

Learn to give, give in plenty, give with love, give without any expectation, one does not lose anything by giving, on the other hand you get back a thousand fold. — Sivananda

Love beautifies the giver and elevates the receiver. — Sivananda

Eating, drinking. sleeping, pro-creating. A little laughter, a lot of tears. Is this all there is to life? Don't die like a worm on the surface of the planet. WAKE UP and be all that you can be, you are so much more than that. — Sivananda

Individual Peace paves the way for world peace. The attainment of inner calm is the greatest work you can do for humanity. — Sivananda

The secret of life is in love the love of God and the service of humanity. — Sivananda

You should always keep your word. All the setbacks in life come only because you don't keep your word. — Sivananda

When you have succeeded in enshrining God within your heart, you will see Him everywhere. — Sivananda

Eating, drinking, sleeping
a little laughter ! much weeping!
Is that all ? Do not die here like a worm.
Wake up! Attain immortal bliss! — Sivananda

Beauty is essentially spiritual. The authentic beauty lies in the heart. — Sivananda

Adhere To - Faith, Unity, Sacrifice. Avoid - Back-biting, Falsehood and Crookedness. Admire - Frankness, Honesty, and Large-heartedness. Control - Tongue, Temper, and Tossing of the mind. Cultivate - Cosmic Love, Forgiveness and Patience. Hate - Lust, Anger, and Pride. — Sivananda

When all desires of heart die, mortal man becomes Immortal. — Sivananda

Conquer your thoughts and you will conquer the world. — Sivananda

Live in the present, forget the past. Give up hopes of future. — Sivananda

Love expects no reward. Love knows no fear. Love Divine gives - does not demand. Love thinks no evil; imputes no motive. To Love is to share and serve. — Sivananda

To achieve that state of lasting happiness and absolute peace, we must first know how to calm the mind, to concentrate and go beyond the mind. By turning the mind's concentration inward, upon the self, we can deepen that experience of perfect concentration. This is the state of Meditation. — Sivananda

The mind is a product of experience. It is the result of past thinking and is modified by present thinking. — Sivananda

The impersonal aspect [of God] (Nirakara, Nirguna) is called Brahman, or 'unknowable' by Herbert Spencer, 'will' by Schopenhauer, Absolute Noumenon by some 'substance' by Spinoza. The personal aspect (Sakara) of that Being is termed 'Ishvara' or Allah, Hari, Jehova, Father in Heaven, Buddha, Siva, etc. Just as vapour or steam is formless, so also God is formless in His unmanifested or transcendental state. — Sivananda

Tolerance is a sign of growth on the spiritual path — Sivananda

Peace is the most covetable possession on the earth. It is the greatest treasure in all the universe. Peace is the most important and indispensable factor for all growth and development. It is in the tranquility and quiet of the night that the seed slowly sprouts from under the soil. The bud opens in the depth of the most silent hours. So also, in a state of peace and love, people evolve, grow in their distinctive culture, and develop perfect civilization. — Sivananda

The benefits of Mouna (Silence) are incalculable. — Sivananda

You can have calmness of mind at all times by the practice of yoga. You can have restful sleep. You can have increased energy, vigour, vitality, longevity, and a high standard of health. You can turn out efficient work within a short space of time. You can have success in every walk of life. — Sivananda

Make others truly happy as you strive to make yourself happy. Speak a helpful word. Give a cheering smile. Do a kind act. Serve a little. Wipe the tears of one who is in distress. Render smooth a rough place in another's path. You will feel great joy. — Sivananda

Fear is only in duality. Fear is Mind. When you are your Self, there is no fear. — Sivananda

Music is the medium for expressing emotion. Music kindles love and infuses hope. It has countless voices and instruments. Music is in the hearts of all men and women — Sivananda

The goal of life is god realisation. — Sivananda

Look within.
Within you is the hidden God.
Within you is the immortal soul.
Within you is the inexhaustible spiritual treasure.
Within you is the ocean of bliss.
Look within for the happiness which you have sought in vain. — Sivananda

Regular meditation opens the avenues of
intuitional knowledge,
makes the mind calm and steady,
awakens an ecstatic feeling,
and brings the practitioner in contact
with the source of his/her very being. — Sivananda

You are the Master of your own Destiny — Sivananda

The inward battle
against our mind, our wounds, and the residues of the past
is more terrible than outward battle. — Sivananda

Money can help you to get medicines but not health. Money can help you to get soft pillows, but not sound sleep. Money can help you to get material comforts, but not eternal bliss. Money can help you to get ornaments, but not beauty. Money will help you to get an electric earphone, but not natural hearing. Attain the supreme wealth, wisdom; you will have everything. — Sivananda

Patient and regular practice is the whole secret of spiritual realization. Do not be in a hurry in spiritual life. Do your utmost, and leave the rest to God. — Sivananda

Cultivate peace first in the garden of your heart by removing the weeds of lust, hatred, greed, selfishness, and jealousy. Then only you can manifest it externally. Then only, those who come in contact with you, will be benefited by your vibrations of peace and harmony. — Sivananda

Arrogance is a mixture of impertinence, disobedience, indiscipline, rudeness, harshness, and a self-assertive nature. — Sivananda

You are not bound. You have got free will. You cannot change the experiences, the results of Prarabdha but you can change your future by right thinking and right action and thus make your will pure and irresistible. You can attain Self-realisatio n with the help of a dynamic will. — Sivananda

Be Good, Do Good.Do thou always without attachment perform action which should be done, for by performing action without attachment, man reaches the Supreme. — Sivananda

A wise person laughs and smiles through the eyes ... The smile and laughter through the eyes influence people tremendously. No energy leaks if you smile through the eyes. — Sivananda

The human intellect has not been able to conceive of anything more noble and sublime in the history of the world than the teachings of the Upanishads. — Sivananda

To make the mind obey you is a spiritual discipline. — Sivananda

Giving is the secret of abundance. — Sivananda

Man needs now no more degrees, but character,
No more study, but wisdom. — Sivananda

Fame is the penalty of success. Jealousy is the penalty of fame. — Sivananda

Every temptation that is resisted, every evil thought that is curbed, every desire that is subdued, every bitter word that is withheld, every noble aspiration that is encouraged, every sublime thought that is cultivated, adds to the development of will-force, good character, and attainment of eternal bliss and immortality. — Sivananda

Meditation is the royal road to the attainment of freedom, a mysterious ladder that reaches from earth to heaven, darkness to light, mortality to Immortality. — Sivananda

You are already free. You only have to know and realize this truth. — Sivananda

The practice of 'asanas' and 'pranayama' wards off disease and helps to maintain alertness. — Sivananda

Eradicate self-justification.
Then alone can you annihilate your ego. — Sivananda

Common sense is the fundamental factor in all spiritual disciplines. No rule is an eternal rule. Rules change from place to place, time to time and from one condition to another condition. — Sivananda

Silence is the language of God; it is also the language of the heart. — Sivananda

An ounce of practice is worth a ton of theory! — Sivananda

Kind thoughts increase the flow of vital energy into your body and mind. Do kind acts now. Do not procrastinate. Kindness is like a healing balm. It soothes suffering ... Little drops of water make the mighty ocean. Even so, little acts of kindness make an ocean of goodwill. — Sivananda

Pain, sorrow, ignorance are all illusory; they cannot live. Bliss, joy, knowledge are true; they cannot die. — Sivananda

One can realize God through kirtan alone. — Sivananda

Be tolerant. Behold the unity of all faiths, cults, creeds and religions. Respect the views, opinions and sentiments of all. — Sivananda

If you do not find peace within, you will not find it anywhere else. The Goal of Life is the attainment of Peace and not the achievement of power, name, fame and wealth. — Sivananda

The mind is responsible for the feelings of pleasure and pain. Control of the mind is the highest Yoga. — Sivananda

Still the bubbling mind; herein lies freedom and bliss eternal. — Sivananda

Intuition transcends reason, but does not contradict it — Sivananda

Change the mind, and you can change the body. — Sivananda

Never worry about what other people say or think. Do the right. Have a clear conscience and roam about happily. — Sivananda

Your thoughts should agree with your words, and the words should agree with your actions. In this world people think one thing, say another thing, and do something else. This is horrible. This is crookedness. — Sivananda

Man is a bridge between the two worlds - the visible and the invisible. — Sivananda

The divine within you is stronger than anything that is without you. Therefore, be not afraid of anything. Rely on your own Inner Self, the Divinity within you. Tap the source through looking within. Improve yourself. Build your character. Purify the heart. Develop the divine virtues. Eradicate evil traits. Conquer all that is base in you. Endeavor to attain all that is worthy and noble. Make the lower nature the servant of the higher through discipline, Tapas, self-restraint and meditation. This is the beginning of your freedom. — Sivananda

A purified mind can grasp anything. It can dive deep into the subtlest subject and understand even transcendental things. — Sivananda

Be humble as the blade of grass that is being trodden underneath the feet. The little ant tastes joyously the sweetness of honey and sugar. The mighty elephant trembles in pain under the agony of sharp goad — Sivananda