Faith, faith, faith in ourselves, faith, faith, faith in God – this is the secret of greatness. If you have faith, in all the three hundred and thirty millions of your mythological gods, and in all the gods which foreigners have now and again introduced into your midst, still have no faith in yourselves, there is no salvation for you. (III.228)

He is an atheist who does not believe in himself. The old religions said that he was an atheist who did not believe in God. The new religion says that he is an atheist who does not believe in himself. (II.301)

The history of the world is the history of few men who had faith in themselves. That faith calls out the divinity within. You can do anything. You can fail only when you do not strive sufficiently to manifest infinite power. As soon as a man or a nation loses faith, death comes. (VIII.228)

What makes the difference between man and man is the difference is this Shraddha and nothing else. What makes one man great and another weak and low is this Shraddha. (III.319)

Have faith in yourselves, great convictions are the mothers of great deeds.

Have faith, as Nachiketa. I wish that faith would come to each of you; and everyone of you would stand up a giant, a world – mover with a gigantic intellect – an infinite God in every respect. That is what I want you to become. (III.243-244)

Let people say whatever they like, stick to your own convictions, and rest assured, the world will be at your feet. They say, ‘Have faith in this fellow or that fellow’, but I say, ‘Have faith in yourself first’, that’s the way. Have faith in yourselves – all power is within you – be conscious and bring it out. Say, ‘I can do everything.’ ‘Even the poison of a snake is powerless if you can firmly deny it.’ (VI.274)

You have in you a thousand times more than is in all the books. Never lose faith in yourself, you can do anything in this universe. Never weaken, all power is yours. (VII.85)

To advance we must have faith in ourselves first and then in God. He who has no faith in himself can never have faith in God.

It is the great faith which will make the world better. I am sure of that. He is the highest man who can say with truth, “I know all about myself.” Do you know how much energy, how many powers, how many forces, are still lurking behind that frames of yours? What scientist has known all that is in man? Millions of years have passed since man came here, and yet but one infinitesimal part of his powers has been manifested. Therefore, you must not say that you are weak. How do you know what possibilities lie behind that degradation on the surface? You know but little of that which is within you. For behind you is the ocean of infinite power and blessedness. (II.301-302)

The ideal of faith in ourselves is of the greatest help to us. If faith in ourselves had been more extensively taught and practised, I am sure a very large portion of the evils and miseries that we have would have vanished. Throughout the history of mankind, if any motive power has been more potent than another in the lives of all great men and women, it is that of faith in themselves. Born with the consciousness that they were to be great, they became great. (II.301)

The idea of true Shraddha must be brought back once more to us, the faith in our own selves must re-awakened, and, then only, all the problems which face our country will gradually be solved by ourselves.

Whatever of material power you see manifested by the Western races is the outcome of this Shraddha, because they believe in their muscles and if you believe in your spirit, how much more will it work! Believe in that infinite soul, the infinite power, which with consensus of opinion, your books and sages preach. That Atman which nothing can destroy, in it infinite power only waiting to be called out… Be strong and have this Shraddha, and everything else is bound to follow.

Have faith that you are all, my brave lads, born to do great things! Let not the barks of puppies frighten you – no, not even the thunderbolts of heaven!

Come up, O Lions! You have infinite strength, infinite energy. Arise! Awake! And stop not till the goal is reached.