pearls of wisdom by swami vivekananda

"He who thinks himself free, free he becomes; he who thinks himself bound, bound he remains -- this popular saying is true: 'As one thinks, so one becomes'." He alone who is always awake to the idea of freedom, becomes free; he who thinks he is bound, endures life after life in the state of bondage. It is a fact. This truth holds good both in spiritual and temporal matters. Those who are always down - hearted and dispirited in this life can do no work; from life to life they come and go wailing and moaning. "The earth is enjoyed by heroes"-- this is the unfailing truth. Be a hero."

Swamiji beautifully interprets one of the verses from the Katha Upanishad as follows,

yadidam kincha jagat sarvaM praaNa ejati niHsRitam
mahadbhayaM vajramudyataM ya etadviduramRitaaste bhavanti .. 2..

Whatever there is—the whole universe—vibrates because it has gone forth from Brahman, which exists as its Ground. That Brahman is a great terror, like a poised thunderbolt. Those who know It become immortal.

bhayaadasyaagnistapati bhayaattapati suuryaH .
bhayaadindrashcha vaayushcha mRityurdhaavati paJNchamaH .. 3..

From terror of Brahman, fire burns; from terror of It, the sun shines; from terror of It, Indra and Vayu and Death, the fifth, run.


Here, Swamiji says,

This fear alone has kept the sun, air and death in their respective places and functions, allowing none to escape from their bounds.
When the gods Indra, Chandra, Vayu, Varuna will attain to fearlessness, then will they be one with Brahman, and all this phantasm of the world will vanish. Therefore I say, "Be fearless, be fearless."