The truths of the Upanishads are before you. Take them up, live up to them, and the salvation of India will be at hand.
My children, the secret of religion lies not in theories but in practice. To be good and to do good - that is the whole of religion.
I do not believe in a God or religion which cannot wipe the widow's tears or bring a piece of bread to the orphan's mouth.
Religion is the manifestation of the natural strength that is in man.
Religion is the idea which is raising the brute unto man, and man unto God.
In studying books we are sometimes deluded into thinking that thereby we are being spiritually helped; but if we analyse ourselves, we shall find that only our intellect has been helped, and not the spirit.
It is very good to be born in a church, but it is very bad to die in a church. It is very good to be born within the limits of certain forms that help the little plant of spirituality, but if a man dies within the bounds of these forms, it shows that he has not grown, that there has been no development of the soul.
If the Parliament of Religions has shown anything to the world it is this: It has proved to the world that holiness, purity and charity are not the exclusive possessions of any church in the world, and that every system has produced men and women of the most exalted character. In the face of this evidence, if anybody dreams of the exclusive survival of his own religion and the destruction of the others, I pity him from the bottom of my heart, and point out to him that upon the banner of every religion will soon be written, in spite of resistance: " HELP AND NOT FIGHT," "ASSIMILATION AND NOT DESTRUCTION," " HARMONY AND PEACE AND NOT DISSENSION."
We want to lead mankind to the place where there is neither the Vedas, not the Bible, nor the Koran; yet this has to be done by harmonizing the Vedas, the Bible and the Koran. Mankind ought to be taught that religions are but the varied expressions of THE RELIGION, which is Oneness, so that each may choose that path that suits him best.
