Quotes by Vinoba Bhave

• 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.
• In this world of chance and change and mutability, the fulfillment of any resolve depends on the will of the Lord.
• Innumerable actions are going on through us all the time. If we started counting them, we should never come to an end.
• It is a curious phenomena that God has made the hearts of the poor, rich and those of the rich, poor.
• It is only when our life proceeds within bounds and in an accepted, disciplined way, that the mind can be free.
• Life does not mean mere karma or mere bhakti or mere jnana.
• 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.
• 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.
• 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.
• Though the names karma yoga and sannyasa are different, the truth at the heart of both is the same.
• We cannot even recollect the actions of our infancy, our childhood is like something written on a slate and rubbed off.
• We cannot fight new wars with old weapons.
• 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.
• When a thing is true, there is no need to use any arguments to substantiate it.
• In nonviolence you must go full steam ahead, if you want the good to come speedily you must go about it with vigor.
• Do not allow yourself to imagine that revolutionary thinking can be propagated by governmental power.
• If we wish our nature to be free and joyous, we should bring our activities into same order.
• All revolutions are spiritual at the source. All my activities have the sole purpose of achieving a union of hearts.
• Human life is full of the play of samskaras - tendencies developed by repeated actions.
• 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.
• 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.