Famous & Inspiring Quotes by Swami Vivekananda | National Youth Day

National Youth Day is not just a celebration of age; it is a celebration of spirit, determination, and the power within. On this occasion, we draw inspiration from the profound words of Swami Vivekananda, a spiritual luminary whose teachings continue to guide and motivate generations. In this blog, we delve into some of Swami Vivekananda’s most inspiring quotes, each carrying a timeless message that resonates with the essence of National Youth Day.

Swami Vivekananda’s Best Quotes

1. “Arise, awake, and stop not until the goal is achieved.”
2. “Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life – think of it, dream of it, 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.”
3. “The greatest religion is to be true to your own nature. Have faith in yourselves!”
4. “All the powers in the universe are already ours. It is we who have put our hands before our eyes and cry that it is dark.”
5. “Stand up, be bold, be strong. Take the whole responsibility on your own shoulders, and know that you are the creator of your own destiny.”
6. “In a day, when you don’t come across any problems – you can be sure that you are traveling in a wrong path.”
7. “The world is the great gymnasium where we come to make ourselves strong.”
8. “We are what our thoughts have made us; so take care about what you think. Words are secondary. Thoughts live; they travel far.”
9. “The only way to come up is to come up fighting.”
10. “Believe in yourself and all that you are. Know that there is something inside you that is greater than any obstacle.”

Swami Vivekananda Quotes on India

1. “India is the cradle of the human race, the birthplace of human speech, the mother of history, the grandmother of legend, and the great-grandmother of tradition.”
2. “India has always been the land of spirituality and philosophy.”
3. “India must rise to the occasion and give the lead to the nations of the world.”
4. “India is the land of religion and philosophy, the birthplace of spiritual giants.”
5. “India is the only country where time is not money, but is considered precious.”
6. “India of the ages is not dead nor has she spoken her last creative word.”
7. “India has a great heritage, and it is our duty to preserve it, to protect it, and to hand it over to the next generation.”
8. “The future of India lies in its past. We have to learn from our past, understand our past, and build a brighter future based on our rich traditions and values.”
9. “India is the land of diversity, where people of different religions, cultures, and languages live together in harmony.”
10. “India is not a country, it is an experience.”
11. “India is a country of immense potential and talent, and it is up to us to harness this potential and build a brighter future for ourselves and for the world.”
12. “The glory of India is that we have always embraced diversity and different viewpoints, and we have always tried to find a way to live together in peace and harmony.”
13. “India has always been the land of the spiritual and the mystic. Our traditions and practices are a reflection of this spiritual heritage.”
14. “India is the land where the mind is without fear, and the head is held high.”
15. “India is the land of the Vedas, the Upanishads, and the Bhagavad Gita. These texts are a treasure trove of wisdom and knowledge, and we must learn from them and apply their teachings in our lives.”

Swami Vivekananda Quotes on Education

1. “Education is not the amount of information that is put into your brain and runs riot there, undigested, all your life. We must have life-building, man-making, character-making assimilation of ideas.”
2. “Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire.”
3. “We want that education by which character is formed, strength of mind is increased, the intellect is expanded, and by which one can stand on one’s own feet.”
4. “The only way to do good work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle.”
5. “True education is the harmonious development of the physical, the mental, and the spiritual powers. It prepares the student for the joyous and glorious responsibilities of life.”
6. “Education is not the learning of facts, but the training of the mind to think.”
7. “Teach yourselves, teach everyone his real nature, call upon the sleeping soul and see how it awakes. Power will come, glory will come, goodness will come, purity will come, and everything that is excellent will come when this sleeping soul is roused to self-conscious activity.”
8. “If the education and studies of children were suited to their inclinations and capacities, many would be made useful members of society that otherwise would make no figure in it.”
9. “The end and aim of all education is the development of character.”
10. “In a day, when you don’t come across any problems – you can be sure that you are traveling in a wrong path.”

Swami Vivekananda Quotes on Knowledge

1. “Knowledge is power. We all agree to that. Knowledge is the manifestation of power already in man.”
2. “Education is not the amount of information that is put into your brain and runs riot there, undigested, all your life. We must have life-building, man-making, character-making assimilation of ideas.”
3. “The only true teacher is he who can immediately come down to the level of the student, and transfer his soul to the student’s soul, and see through the student’s eyes and hear through his ears and understand through his mind.”
4. “All the knowledge in the world is yours to take. You just have to reach out and grab it.”
5. “Knowledge can only be got in one way, the way of experience; there is no other way to know.”
6. “The more we come out and do good to others, the more our hearts will be purified, and God will be in them.”
7. “The only way to come up is to come up fighting.”
8. “In a conflict between the heart and the brain, follow your heart.”
9. “The only way to do good work is to love what you do. If you haven’t found it yet, keep looking. Don’t settle.”
10. “To be educated means to have a mind that can think, a heart that can feel, and a soul that can imagine.”

Swami Vivekananda Quotes on Indian Culture

1. “India has always existed and will always exist. It is eternal, indestructible.”
2. “India is the cradle of the human race, the birthplace of human speech, the mother of history, the grandmother of legend, and the great-grandmother of tradition.”
3. “The essence of all religions is the same. They differ only in their forms and rituals. India has always accepted and respected all religions.”
4. “India has a great and ancient culture, and it is only by studying it that we can truly understand our place in the world.”
5. “The soul of India lives in its villages.”
6. “India is the land of religion and philosophy, the birthplace of spiritual giants and home to the grandest temples and the greatest rivers.”
7. “India is not a country, it is an emotion.”
8. “India has always been the land of spiritual seekers and great spiritual teachers.”
9. “The Indian mind has always been striving to know the ultimate truth and has developed a science of spirituality to help individuals to achieve this goal.”
10. “India is the only country where time is not money, but rather, it is considered to be sacred and something to be savored.”

Swami Vivekananda Quotes on Society

1. “The strength of a society lies in the strength of its individuals.”
2. “The happiness of society is the end of government.”
3. “The individual has to work out his own salvation; there is no other way, and so also with society.”
4. “The best way to serve society is by being an example of what you wish to see in the world.”
5. “The welfare of society is the ultimate aim of all education.”
6. “The duty of society is to provide the necessary environment for the individual to grow and reach his or her full potential.”
7. “Society grows great when old men plant trees whose shade they know they shall never sit in.”
8. “True happiness lies in making others happy.”
9. “A society that does not respect its youth, does not deserve its future.”
10. “The secret of success in society is to be ready for your opportunity when it comes.”

Swami Vivekananda Quotes on Love

1. “Love is the law of life, and love is the only way to conquer hate.”
2. “Love is the greatest power on earth. It conquers all things.”
3. “To love God is the greatest form of love, and to love all beings as manifestations of God is the greatest form of worship.”
4. “Love is not a mere sentiment, but the ultimate truth at the heart of creation.”
5. “Love is the force that transforms and improves the Soul of the World.”
6. “Love is the key to the solution of the problems of the world.”
7. “Love is the only way to grasp another human being in the innermost core of his personality.”
8. “Love is the only way to heal a wounded world.”
9. “Love is the greatest power in the universe. It can move mountains and change the course of rivers.”
10. “The ultimate expression of love is not mere words or deeds, but the complete and total surrender of oneself to the beloved.”

Top Swami Vivekananda Quotes on Life

1. “Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life – think of it, dream of it, 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.”
2. “Life is a pilgrimage. The wise man does not rest by the roadside inns. He marches direct to the illimitable domain of eternal bliss, his ultimate destination.”
3. “The goal of human life is to realize the ultimate truth, to know the Self within.”
4. “The purpose of life is to realize our own divinity and manifest that divinity in our actions.”
5. “Life is a continuous struggle between the forces of good and evil, and the victory goes to the one who perseveres with patience and faith.”
6. “Life is a journey, not a destination. Enjoy the ride.”
7. “The greatest gift of life is the gift of self-discovery.”
8. “Life is a daring adventure or nothing at all.”
9. “The greatest mistake in life is to be afraid of making mistakes.”
10. “The secret of success in life is to be ready for opportunity when it comes.”

Top Swami Vivekananda Quotes on Humanity

1. “The essence of all religions is the same – service to humanity.”
2. “All differences in this world are of degree, and not of kind, because oneness is the secret of everything.”
3. “Each soul is potentially divine. The goal is to manifest this divinity within by controlling nature, external and internal.”
4. “We are what our thoughts have made us; so take care about what you think. Words are secondary. Thoughts live; they travel far.”
5. “The greatest religion is to be true to your own nature. Have faith in yourselves.”
6. “The best way to find yourself is to lose yourself in the service of others.”
7. “All the powers in the universe are already ours. It is we who have put our hands before our eyes and cry that it is dark.”
8. “Arise, awake, and stop not till the goal is reached.”
9. “The only way to be truly happy is to make others happy.”
10. “The highest education is that which does not merely give us information but makes our life in harmony with all existence.”

Swami Vivekananda Quotes on Work

1. “Work, work, work—let this be your motto.”
2. “Purity, patience, and perseverance are the three essentials to success and above all, love.”
3. “The more we come out and do good to others, the more our hearts will be purified, and God will be in them.”
4. “All work is simply to bring out the power of the mind, which is already there, to wake up the soul.”
5. “Arise, awake and stop not till the goal is reached.”
6. “It is our work alone that really counts.”
7. “In a day, when you don’t come across any problems—you can be sure that you are traveling in a wrong path.”
8. “Take up one idea. Make that one idea your life—think of it, dream of it, live on that idea. Let the brain, muscles, nerves, and every part of your body be full of that idea, and just leave every other idea alone. This is the way to success.”
9. “All power is within you; you can do anything and everything. Believe in that, do not believe that you are weak; do not believe that you are half-crazy lunatics, as most of us do nowadays.”
10. “Strength is the sign of vigor, the sign of life, the sign of hope, the sign of health, and the sign of everything that is good. As long as the body lives, there must be strength in the body, strength in the mind, strength in the soul.”

Swami Vivekananda Thoughts for Students

1. “Education is the manifestation of perfection already in man.”
2. “Take up one idea, make that one idea your life, think of it, dream of it, 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.”
3. “Be strong, my young friends; that is my advice to you. You will be nearer to Heaven through football than through the study of Gita. These are bold words; but I have to say them, for I love you. I know where the shoe pinches.”
4. “The secret of life is not enjoyment, but education through experience.”
5. “Do not wait for anybody or anything. Do whatever you can, build your hope on none.”
6. “You cannot believe in God until you believe in yourself.”
7. “In a day, when you don’t come across any problems—you can be sure that you are traveling in a wrong path.”
8. “The goal of mankind is knowledge. Now, this knowledge is inherent in man. No knowledge comes from outside; it is all inside.”
9. “Each work has to pass through these stages—ridicule, opposition, and then acceptance. Those who think ahead of their time are sure to be misunderstood.”
10. “All power is within you; you can do anything and everything. Believe in that, do not believe that you are weak; do not believe that you are half-crazy lunatics, as most of us do nowadays.”