Vinoba Bhave Quotations

If a man achieves victory over this body, who in the world can exercise power over him? He who rules himself rules over the whole world.

It is only when our life proceeds within bounds and in an accepted, disciplined way, that the mind can be free.

In this world of chance and change and mutability, the fulfillment of any resolve depends on the will of the Lord.

The river flows at its own sweet will, but the flood is bound in the two banks. If it were not thus bound, its freedom would be wasted.

A country should be defended not by arms, but by ethical behavior.

In the Bhagavad Gita, there is no long discussion, nothing elaborate. The main reason for this is that everything stated in the Gita is meant to be tested in the life of every man; it is intended to be verified in practice.

If we wish our nature to be free and joyous, we should bring our activities into same order.

We cannot even recollect the actions of our infancy, our childhood is like something written on a slate and rubbed off.

When a thing is true, there is no need to use any arguments to substantiate it.

All revolutions are spiritual at the source. All my activities have the sole purpose of achieving a union of hearts.

The natural movement of one's soul is upwards. But just as any object is dragged down when a heavy weight is tied to it, the burden of the body drags down the soul.

Human life is full of the play of samskaras - tendencies developed by repeated actions.

If we could only snap the fetters of the body that bind the feet of the soul, we shall experience a great joy. Then we shall not be miserable because of the body's sufferings. We shall become free.

It is a curious phenomena that God has made the hearts of the poor, rich and those of the rich, poor.

In nonviolence you must go full steam ahead, if you want the good to come speedily you must go about it with vigor.

We have seen from experience that, if we are in the habit of walking regularly on the same road, we are able to think about other things while walking, without paying attention to our steps.

Life does not mean mere karma or mere bhakti or mere jnana.

Though the names karma yoga and sannyasa are different, the truth at the heart of both is the same.

We cannot fight new wars with old weapons.

The main reason why we look constantly to the Gita is that, whenever we need help, we may get it from the Gita. And, indeed, we always do get it.

Do not allow yourself to imagine that revolutionary thinking can be propagated by governmental power.

Innumerable actions are going on through us all the time. If we started counting them, we should never come to an end.

What we should aim at is the creation of people power, which is opposed to the power of violence and is different from the coercive power of state.

I cannot bear to see karma, jnana and bhakti separated. To some seekers established in karma, this is the only thing that appears worth-while.

I am convinced that those who get themselves involved in the machinery of power politics, even for the purpose of destroying it, are bound to fail in their purpose. To destroy it we have to stay out of it. If we want to cut down a tree, it is of no use to climb into its branches. The desire to keep contact with something, even to destroy it, is a subtle and insidious illusion.

If you want to cut down a tree, it is no use to climb into its branches.

Gross and subtle, pure and mixed, simple and complex - in the end that there is no place where God is not. In every atom, He alone is present. From the ant to the universe, He spreads. The Lord who cares equally for all, the compassionate one who is all knowledge, tenderness, skill, holiness and beauty - He stands on all sides everywhere.

When a king speaks, the armies move. But when a wise man speaks, only the beard shakes.

If a man’s house is full of medicine bottles, we infer the man is an invalid. But if his house is full of books, we conclude he is intelligent.

Politics And Religion Are Obsolete, The Time Has Come For Science And Spirituality

When we will all see our role in society as servants, we will all light up the sky together like countless stars on a dark night. Don’t think of society as the sky on a full moon night. The moon’s harsh light blinds us to the true and humble work of the stars. But on a moonless night, the true servants shine forth, as though they are connected invisibly in this vast and infinite cosmos.