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Monday Morning Greetings 2024 #21 – Swami’s Quotations

May 20th, 2024

I wonder if anyone ever has written a definition for the phrase “notable quotation.” So far, I haven’t found one. I suspect that’s the case because there are almost innumerable characteristics that inspire a statement to become memorialized, anywhere from a nugget of wisdom to a historical moment, what to speak of the cultural context by which some may appreciate a particular quotation. Thus “notable quotations” is just too broad a term to precisely define. To give my post some context, however, I will offer my own definition of the phrase as a criterion to deem whether a statement is notable.

 

“A notable quotation is usually a short, succinct statement that clearly and powerfully captures an insight, inspiration or event that others are inspired to repeat so that eventually that statement becomes memorialized.”

 

One more point: I will offer short explanations of some statements I have made, although ultimately a notable quotation should be able to stand alone.

 

Swami’s Notable Quotations

 

Destiny is the language of God

Karma, what happens to us, is God’s law to teach us lessons to help us become closer to the self, which is the mood of service. In other words, destiny is the language in which God affectionately speaks to us.

 

Commitment changes consciousness

Making a commitment or vow is the promise to act on a good idea from a time-tested traditional perspective rather than just our whims. Such good ideas are called dharma, which is the science of elevating or changing one’s consciousness to a higher level of perception and contentment.

 

Humility is happy small

We generally fear the humble position because acquiescing to those greater than us may mean that we are exploited and abused. True humility, however, is acquiescing to that which is not only greater than us but which can maintain, protect, and love us. One thus feels shelter and happiness in the truly humble position.

 

For the rest of the post, I will just list other statements that I made that I think may encapsulate an insightful truth in a concise and expressive manner. In the future I may comment on them.

 

Krishna is God with His guard down

 

Position covers personality

 

Rationalization is intelligence in service of the false ego

 

All our problems are perceptual and not actual

 

Humility is reality

 

Death is the illusion of non-existence

 

And I will end with my favorite statement worth repeating (not mine):

 

Essential truth spoken concisely is true eloquence—Kṛṣṇadāsa Kavirāja Gosvāmī

 

 

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