Swami Dayanand

Swami (Saint) Dayananda Saraswati is a distinguished, traditional teacher of Vedanta.

His depth of understanding and nuanced appreciation of Western culture makes him that rare teacher who can communicate the vision of non-duality to modern listeners.

He is able to make one see, with immediacy, the truth of oneself as the whole.

Swami Dayananda has been teaching Vedanta in India for more than four decades, and around the world since 1976.

In his public talks abroad, Swamiji has spoken at many of the most prestigious American universities, and has addressed international conventions, UNESCO and the United Nations, where he participated in the Millennium Peace Summit. Pujya Swamiji (as his followers address him with respect and love) is founder of AIM for Seva, a charity that helps rural children to complete their education.

Some of Swamiji’s quotes are below. These quotes are from various topics including Vedanta discussions and public speeches.

• Always first, see the bad in yourself than in others, you will find many who are always busy in saying others are bad without looking at themselves.
• You want to change others so that you can be free. But, it never works that way. Accept others and you are free.
• There is only one source for food on this planet, which is from plants, and there are no other sources. “Anna” (Sanskrit =food) has to be prepared by outside world. That outside world is as Vedas says” From the vegetation comes food and from food is the human. Food is vegetarian and there is no “non”. When you put the negative- “non” then food brings negativity in the form of illness.
• The earth should not be taken for granted. You have no right to abuse it and you cannot disuse it. Make sure that your are a contributor not just a merely a consumer.
• If you live your life intelligently, you appreciate that you do not own a thing in this world. You are only a managing trustee of this body and everything is else. If you know that you are not the owner then you will manage it well.
• People say that they understand what I say and I am simple. I am not simple, I am clear.
• Give the world the best you have and best will come back to you.
• Validation of culture of a child is itself validation of a child itself.
• Enlighten- It cannot be an event. All that is here is non-duality. How will it happen? It is clarity.
• Marriage cannot be an end in itself. If it is, there will be problems and the marriage will end. Marriage means, not an end, it means husband and wife each seek freedom from insecurity. Freedom from insecurity is common end for both and they help each other (to reach end). Together, as companions, they make the life journey.
• Whenever concern or anxiety arises in life, we resolve it by bringing back the proper attitude. Just remind yourself that it is nice being you. Say to yourself, “It is nice being myself.” In whichever area you have to change, make efforts to change. If necessary, take help, even the help of prayer. I do not have to prove myself to anybody. If another person thinks ill of me, it is his problem. I just accept myself as I am. “It is nice being I.” Have a sentence like this and repeat it now and then like a mantra. You will find you are together as a person.
• A person who consumes the least and contributes most is a mature person, for in giving lies the self-growth.
• We need to know luck is also earned and not imposed! There is no un-earned grace.
• The highest form of service is to help a person who is incapable of thanking in return.
• You cannot stand tall emotionally when you are always at the receiving end.
• It is not wrong to be an ignorant; it is an error to continue to be an ignorant.

Source & Image: Arsha Vidya Gurukulam