Prominent Learnings during 1750-1950 CE-IV

"Karma-Yoga, is a system of Ethics and Religion, intended to attain freedom thru unselfishness, and by good works. The Karma-Yogi need not believe in any doctrine.  He may not believe even in God, may not ask what his soul is. Every moment of his life must be realization."
                                                                                                      Swami Vivekananda      

I hope that you have gone thru my earlier Blog no 21 sharing prominent messages on Dharma and Ethical living from my reading research of  " The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda". For me, it has been a fascinating experience to understand a few facets of the remarkable personality of this great Saint cum Philosopher of India. Adding to what has been covered in my earlier Blog, let me share a few more powerful learnings on my theme of research from the life of Swami Vivekananda, impacting the life of common masses.

• Duty is seldom sweet. It is only when Love greases its wheels that it runs smoothly; it is a continuous friction otherwise; And Love- Love shines in freedom alone; freedom from being a slave to  senses, to anger, to  jealousies and so on occurring everyday in human life, ( Ch IV, Vol I). Further, every Duty is holy and devotion to the duty is the highest form of the worship of God.
• Inactivity should be avoided by all means. Activity always means resistance. Resist all evils, mental & physical, and when you have succeeded in resisting, then will Calmness come.( Ch II, Vol I). Further, let there be action without reaction; while action is pleasant, all misery is reaction.
• Each is great in his own place. Our first duty is not to hate ourselves, because to advance, we must have faith in ourselves first and then in God. ( Ch II, Vol I).
• The great error in all ethical systems, without exception, has been the failure of teaching the means by which man could refrain from doing evil. ( from his address on " Hints on practical Spirituality", delivered in LA, California, USA.
• Have charity towards all beings. Pity those who are in distress. Love all creatures. Do not be jealous of anyone. Look not to the faults of others. 
• The Vedanta recognizes no sin, it only recognizes error . The greatest error, says the Vedanta, is to say that you are weak, that you are a sinner, a miserable weak creature and that you have no power & you can not do this and that and so on. 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. Know that there is no darkness around us. Take your hands away and there is the light which was there from the beginning. Darkness  never existed ; weakness never existed--- ( From his address on Practical Vedanta, delivered in London in 1896).
• Know the truth and be free in a moment. All the darkness will then vanish, When man has seen himself as one with the infinite being of the universe, when all separateness has ceased, when all men and women; all Gods and angels; all animals and plants AND the whole universe has melted into that Oneness, then all fear disappears.Whom to fear? What can cause me sorrow? Whom to be jealous?  All bad feelings will disappear. Against whom can I have bad feelings? against myself? There is none in the universe but myself. ( from his address on The Atman delivered in USA ).
• Religion is neither talk, nor theory, nor intellectual consent. It is a  realization in the heart of our hearts; it is touching God; it is a feeling, realizing that I am a spirit in relation with the universal spirit and all its great manifestations all across. ( From his address " The Great Teachers Of The World", California, Feb 3, 1900).
• These great teachers are the living Gods on this earth. Let me talk about some of the messengers and prophets of India; some of the oldest founders of religion. As one of the central message from GITA, Lord Krishna says," Remain Unattached". He again states on another note on Intense Activity," Work, Work, Work day and night, you will find peace. Flying from work is never the way to find peace. Lord Krishna further teaches us," Whosoever, in the midst of intense activity, finds inner peace, he is a Yogi; he is a great soul; he has arrived at perfection.". Let me share Buddha's message, says Buddha," Root out selfishness and everything that makes you selfish." Behold another ethical message from Jesus of Nazareth, Jesus Christ, " The kingdom of Heaven is spread out across the earth, only people do not see it. Do not delay a moment; leave nothing for tomorrow. Another great ethical message comes from Prophet Muhammad," The civilization is the existence of God. Each person is born pure and that human beings are given a choice on this earth, whether to follow evil or good steps. Treat all God's creations with equality and compassion". Let us salute all the past Prophets whose teachings and lives we have inherited. ( The Great Teachers of the World--- Feb 3, 1900).
• You may pray all the time, read all the scriptures in the world, and worship all the Gods there are, but( unless), you realize the soul ( your inner self), there is no freedom. Not talking, theorizing, argumentation, but Realization; that I call Practical Religion.( The Practice of Religion delivered at Alameda, California, April 18,1900).

Swami ji used to share his convictions and knowledge with his disciples and others in series of  Discussion/ Question & Answer sessions , both while abroad as well as India. Let me share a few prominent ethical messages from the collection;

• Blessed indeed are those who can renounce Kama-Kanchana ( Lust & Greed), while living in their homes with their family.
• मा हिंस्यात सर्वभूतानि --- Cause no injury to any being.
• Quoting great Manu," निवृत्तिस्तु महाफला "--- Cessation of desires brings great results.
• एका ईव सुह्र्द धर्मा , निधानेप्यनु  यति यह  --- Virtue is the only friend which follows us even beyond the grave. Everything else ends with death.
• समता सर्वभूतेषु एतं  मुक्तस्या  लक्षणम -- "Equality in all beings", this is the sign of the free, emphasizing the need to look upon all human beings with respect and dignity.
• You must give your body, mind and speech to the welfare of the world. You have read," मातृदेवो भव , पितृदेवो भव " ie look upon your mother as God; look upon your father as God but I say," दरिद्रदेवो भव , मूर्खदेवो  भव " ie let the poor, the illiterate, the ignorant, the afflicted be your God. Let us know that service to these alone is the highest religion.
• Give up all ME and MINE.
• Love is beyond time and space.It is absolute. The more we grow in love & virtue & holiness, the more we see love & virtue & holiness outside. All condemnations of others really condemns ourselves.
• Emphasizing on Love, Swami ji  answered," Love never degenerates; the universe is too small for its expansiveness. Love is struggle of a human soul to find its compliment, its stable equilibrium, its infinite rest.
• Be true unto death. Be perfectly unselfish and you will be sure to succeed. Do not fight with people, do not antagonize anyone. Bear with various opinions of everybody. Patience, purity and perseverance will prevail.
• I stand for truth; truth will never allay itself with falsehood. Even if all the world should be against me, Truth must prevail at the end.

I am amazed at the treasure of knowledge , this philosopher saint of India possessed and shared for the upliftment of masses within the country and the world. It had been extremely difficult to pick and choose the relevant contents for my theme of the blog from this vast treasure I came across while doing my reading research of " The Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda". Let me end this blog by a few verses from translation of a poem of great Shankaracharya; titled, " NIRVANASHATKAM"shared by Swami ji in his talks; also recited at Green-acre, Maine ( 1894-1899), Vol IX.

I am neither Body nor changes of the Body; nor am I senses, nor objects of the senses;

I am Existence Absolute! Bliss Absolute! Knowledge Absolute. I am He. I am He.

I am not aversion, nor attachment, nor greed, nor delusion;nor egotism, nor envy;

 Neither Dharma, nor Moksha; neither desire, nor objects of desire

I am Existence Absolute! Bliss Absolute! Knowledge Absolute. I am He. I am He

I am neither sin, nor virtue, neither pain, nor pleasure;
Nor temple, nor worship; nor pilgrimage, nor scriptures;
Neither the act of enjoying, nor the enjoyable, nor the enjoy-er;
I am Existence Absolute! Bliss Absolute! Knowledge Absolute. I am He. I am He.

I am neither death, nor fear of death; nor was I ever born, nor had I parents;
Nor friends, nor relations; I have neither Guru, nor disciple;
I am Existence Absolute! Bliss Absolute! Knowledge Absolute. I am He. I am He.

I am without form, without limit, beyond space, beyond time;
I am in everything, I am the basis of the universe, everywhere am I;
I am Existence Absolute! Bliss Absolute! Knowledge Absolute.I am He. I am He.