As soon as extreme attachment comes, a man loses himself, he is no more master of himself, he is a slave.

The Land where humanity has attained its highest towards gentleness, towards generosity, towards purity, towards calmness - it is India.

When the forces that hold it together go away, the body must fall.

I want to start two institutions, one in Madras and one in Calcutta, to carry out my plan; and that plan briefly is to bring the Vedantic ideals into the everyday practical life of the saint or the sinner, of the sage or the ignoramus, of the Brahmin or the Pariah.

Be strong, my young friends; that is my advice to you.

Brave, bold people, these are what we want.

That intense faith in another world, that intense hatred for this world, that intense power of renunciation, that intense faith in God, that intense faith in the immortal soul, is in you. I challenge anyone to give it up. You cannot. You may try to impose upon me by becoming materialists, by talking materialism for a few months, but I know what you are; if I take you by the hand, back you come as good theists as ever were born. How can you change your nature?