"Learn to make the whole world your own. No one is a stranger, my child, the whole world is your own."

Sri Sarada Devi (1853-1920) wife of Sri Ramakrishna

In the Wake Of September 11

Inthis hour of need, grief and deep shock, our prayers, support and solidarity are with the people of the United States. We offer our deepest sympathies and prayers. May Lord Swaminarayan bless the victims whose souls have departed and give physical, emotional and spiritual strength to the survivors to overcome and recover from this catastrophe.Pramukhswami Maharaj

We in the Chinmaya Mission are with them in their hour of grief and pray that they find the strength and courage to face this grim situation. Swami Tejomayananda

For the time being, marks of identification, such as Hindu ladies wearing a bindi on their forehead, should be worn by Hindus to protect themselves against misdirected hate crimes. Mr. C.B. Satpathy, devotee of Shirdi Sai Baba

From this disaster we need to learn that violence is not a solution to any problem in the world. Let us have special sessions for prayer and silence with additional japa of Saumya Mantra for peace with prayer. May the minds prone to violence in all parts of

the world learn the art of solving problems through nonviolence. May we all learn to forgive. May we all learn to invoke peace in our own minds and thereby evoke it in the hearts of even those who are our opponents. May the gurus of humanity continue to guide us in this direction. Swami Veda Bharati

At this juncture our only bounden Duty is to identify our prayerful hearts with the innocent, harmless and helpless victims and their beloved ones, our tearful eyes and the bleeding hearts of the relatives and friends have already touched the Compassion Feet of our Absolute Lord Beloved Supreme. He is with His Infinity's Compassion-Affection-Love-Sweetness-Fondness taking care of His supremely chosen children who have recently arrived at His Heaven-Home. May America the Beautiful forever shine bright-brighter-brightest in the Heart of God the Creator and God the creation. Sri Chinmoy

My darling children: at this critical time the leaders and we need to practice discrimination and self-restraint. If we do not do so, many more lives will be lost. We should all sit down and pray for the welfare and peace of the whole world. This is how we can help all of our brothers and sisters. Mata Amritanandamayi

There are two possible responses to what has occurred. The firstcomes from love, the second from fear. If we come from fear, we may panic and do thingsÑas individuals and as nationsÑthat could only cause further damage. If we come from love, we will find refuge and strength, even as we provide it to others. And join all those people around the world who are praying right now, adding your Light to the Light that dispels all fear. What can you do to preserve the beauty and the wonder of our world and to eliminate the anger and hatred? What you wish to experience, provide for another. If you wish to experience peace, provide peace for another. If you wish to know that you are safe, cause others to know that they are safe. If you wish to heal your own sadness or anger, seek to heal the sadness or anger of another. Those others are waiting for you now. They are looking to you for guidance, for help, for courage, for strength, for understanding, and for assurance at this hour. Most of all, they are looking to you for love. Dalai Lama

My dear children! Today we are in need of upliftment of human values, which is true religion. With unbarred humane outlook, through love and compassion, one can soften his heart and purify himself. Let your hearts be wide open with pure love and universal brotherhood. May the human hearts be with rich principles of unity, peace, integrity and equanimity. My blessings are always there to those who have suffered from the disaster and others who have escaped it. Let the latter spend at least a part of their time in practicing dharma, which alone helps them realize the Truth leading to universal peace. Amma Karunamayi

It is imperative that we pray and offer solace and help to each other. But if you and I are having a single thought of violence or hatred against anyone in the world at this moment, we are contributing to the wounding of the world. Deepak Chopra

We, on the holy banks of Mother Ganga, in the lap of the sacred Himalayas, offer our deepest prayers that the departed souls may rest in peace, and that those who are shattered, broken and bereaved by this tragedy may find solace and serenity. Swami Chidanand Saraswati (Muniji)

Every child comes with the message that God is not yet discouraged of man. Rabindranath Tagore, (1861-1941) celebrated Bengali writer who won the Nobel Prize for Literature in 1913.

How many vegans does it take to change a light bulb? Two, one to change it and one to check for animal ingredients.

How many meat eaters do you need to change a light bulb? None they'd rather not see how their food is made.

Hatred paralyzes life; love releases it. Hatred confuses life; love harmonizes it. Hatred darkens life; love illumines it. Martin Luther King, Jr.

We are not human beings having a spiritual experience. We are spiritual beings having a human experience.

Very refined souls are like walking intelligences, with inventive creativeness and powers of preservation, beaming with love and luminosity in their self-effulgent bodies of quantum light particles. Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami

Once a person has faith, he has achieved everything. Sri Ramakrishna

During a special assembly in Mumbai on April 9, 2001, Sri Pramukhswami Maharaj watched a skit that highlighted the importance of service. The skit was about a gathering of devotees that had a messy seating arrangement for Lord Swaminarayan, the founding guru of their denomination. As part of the skit, the coordinator responsible for the gathering come in, observes the messy arrangement, and instead of neatening it himself, decides to see what the others will do. Sure enough, each one files in and none tidies the seat, so he scolds them. Then the skit ends. Pramukhswami was not satisfied, however. He felt thatÑeven though this was only a skitÑit was not proper that no one actually ever straightened out Lord Swaminarayan's seating arrangement. So

Just Reign

Tirukural 542: All the world looks to the rain cloud for sustenance. All the people look to the king's scepter for protection.

Tirukural 546: Victory is not won by the lance, but by the king's scepter, provided it is not crooked.

Tirukural 549: No fault befalls a king who, in guarding and caring for his subjects, punishes wrongdoersÑfor that is his duty.

Tirukural 550: A ruler's punishing cruel criminals by execution is like a gardener's removing weeds from his garden.