“The secret is God’s grace. Only His grace can give you liberation. However much you struggle, you will not realize God unless He Himself, by His own grace, grants you your prayers. He owes no obligation to anybody. But that is no guarantee that He will grant you your prayers. But it is a different matter if, as a token of His favour to you, He makes you embark on spiritual practices. The Lord will flood your heart with His grace.
(p.163-4, Letters For Spiritual Seekers, in a letter dated 20-5-1920)
“…give my greetings to everybody and tell them that though I am not physically present there, yet my spirit is where the name of our Lord is sung… because you see, the Atman is omnipresent.”
(p.403, Vol.8, Complete works of swami Vivekananda, Swamiji’s letter to swami Brahmananda dt. 20th May 1897)
“… Duty has no end, and the world is extremely selfish. Be of good cheer. ’Never a worker of good came to grief’…”
(p.415, Vol.6, Complete Works of Swami Vivekananda, Swamiji’s letter to Nivedita dt. 20th May 1898)
“Even while engaged in great activities you make time to talk about God, and you devote your leisure hours to his contemplation. All time belongs to the Lord – what to speak of noon and evening? One’s entire life belongs to Him. Besides, one should have faith that if one takes refuge in God wholeheartedly even for a moment, one’s life will be pure and blessed and all imperfections will disappear.”
(p.149, Spiritual Treasures, Swami Turiyananda’s letter to Bihari babu dt. 20 May 1916)