Ramakrishna

The physicians of one class feel the patients and go away, merely prescribing medicine. As they leave the room they simply ask the patient to take the medicine. They are the poorest class of physicians.

God has made different religions to suit different aspirants, times, and countries. All doctrines are only so many paths; but a path is by no means God himself. Indeed, one can reach God if one follows any of the paths with whole-hearted devotion...One may eat a cake with icing either straight or sidewise. It will taste sweet either way.

If you first fortify yourself with the true knowledge of the Universal Self, and then live in the midst of wealth and worldliness, surely they will in no way affect you.

One must be very particular about telling the truth. Through truth one can realize God.

If you must be mad, be it not for the things of the world. Be mad with the love of God.

God is everywhere but He is most manifest in man. So serve man as God. That is as good as worshipping God.

Many are the names of God and infinite the forms through which He may be approached.

God is in all men, but all men are not in God; that is why we suffer.

Common men talk bagfuls of religion but do not practise even a grain of it. The wise man speaks a little, even though his whole life is religion expressed in action.

More are the names of God and infinite are the forms through which He may be approached. In whatever name and form you worship Him, through them you will realise Him.

God can be realized through all paths. All religions are true. The important thing is to reach the roof. You can reach it by stone stairs or by wooden stairs or by bamboo steps or by a rope. You can also climb up by a bamboo pole.

Many good sayings are to be found in holy books, but merely reading them will not make one religious.

Work, apart from devotion or love of God, is helpless and cannot stand alone.

It is easy to talk on religion, but difficult to practice it.

Through selfless work, love of God grows in the heart. Then through his grace one realize him in course of time. God can be seen. One can talk to him as I am talking to you.

To work without attachment is to work without the expectation of reward or fear of any punishment in this world or the next. Work so done is a means to the end, and God is the end.