Great Throughts Treasury

This site is dedicated to the memory of Dr. Alan William Smolowe who gave birth to the creation of this database.

Dada Vaswani, born Jashan Pahalraj Vaswani

Hindu Spiritual Leader, head of the Sadhu Vaswani Mission

"What is the meaning of life? The meaning may not be expressed in words. It transcends the mind and the intellect. The meaning is to be experienced, realized... It is open to everyone who would live according to certain disciplines... The discipline of duty. Life is a field of duty, not a dance of desires... The discipline of service... We are here to help others... The opposite of love is not hate but apathy... The discipline of silence... The meaning of life is to love God and to give the service of love to the suffering children of God. And to the birds and animals who are God’s children as well."

"The past is a cancelled check. The future is a promissory note. The present is the only cash in hand. Use it wisely and well."

"He lives well who laughs often, loves much, and sacrifices his own happiness for the sake of others!"

"The test of character is: Do you have the courage to stand up for truth even though the heavens fall? Can you smile in trouble? Can you say "No" when evil tempts?"

"Death but occurs but once, and that, too, never before its appointed time. Yet the whole world lives in perpetual fear of death."

"If I have made one human being happier, one creature more comfortable, one heart more hopeful, my day has not been wasted!"

"That man is truly great who can show sympathy even to an enemy."

"Every week brings to us 10,080 minutes. That is our capital. How shall we use it to get the utmost benefit?"

"The food of the soul is silence. If we don't practice silence, we are starving ourselves."

"Triumph belongs to thought. Change your thiking and you change your life. "

"Thought is a tremendous force in the life of any individual. Thoughts shape our attitudes. Attitudes mould our character. Character influences our life. By changing our thought pattern, we can change our life."

"The man who is eager to reform himself has no time or inclination to criticise others."

"I must never forget that every thought I think, every word I utter, every action I perform, every feeling, every emotion that wakes up in me, is recorded in the memory of nature. I might be able to deceive those around me, I may even succeed in deceiving myself. But I cannot deceive nature."

"The aim of life is to realize that we are immortal spirit – not the bodies we wear!"

"Think positively. Eat sparingly. Exercise regularly. Walk as much as you can. Be careful to see that your thoughts and actions are clean. A guilty mind breeds many diseases. There is the way to live a happy, healthy, harmonious life."

"Neither rites nor rituals, neither creeds nor ceremonies are needed to improve the condition of the world. All that is needed is to love one another."

"What is the best exercise for the heart? Reach down and lift up as many as you can."

"The worst thing that can happen to a man is that he has a hot head and a cold heart."