The only way of getting our divine nature manifested is by helping others to do the same. If there is inequality in nature, still there must be equal chance for all - or if greater for some and for some less - the weaker should be given more chance than the strong. In other words, a Brahmana is not so much in need of education as a Chandala. If the son of a Brahmana needs one teacher, that of a Chandala needs ten. For greater help must be given to him whom nature has not endowed with an acute intellect from birth. It is a madman who carries coals to Newcastle. The poor, the downtrodden, the ignorant - let these be your god. This is the gist of all worship - to be pure and to do good to others. He who sees Siva in the poor, in the weak, and in the diseased, really worships Siva; and if he sees Siva only in the image, his worship is but preliminary. The life of Buddha shows that even a man who has no metaphysics, belongs to no sect, and does not go to any church, or temple, and is a confessed materialist, even he can attain to the highest. ...He was the only man who was ever ready to give up his life for animals, to stop a sacrifice. He once said to a king: 'If the sacrifice of a lamb helps you to go to heaven, sacrificing a man will help you better; so sacrifice me. The king was astonished. 'The good live for others alone. The wise man should sacrifice himself for others.' I can secure my own good only by doing your good. There is no other way, none whatsoever. Go from village to village; do good to humanity and to the world at large. Go to hell yourself to buy salvation for others... 'When death is so certain, it is better to die for a good cause.' Throughout the history of the world, you find great men make great sacrifices and the mass of mankind enjoy the benefit. If you want to give up everything for your own salvation, it is nothing. Do you want to forgo even your own salvation for the good of the world? You are God, think of that. -Swami Vivekananda

- courtesy Akhand Jyoti