One's destiny is in one's own hands — the Guru
only makes this much understood

Vivekanada



Through the power of the seed itself the tree grows,
the air and water are only aids.




Only get your mind to cling to Him as far as you can. For then
only the great magic of this world will break of itself. But then, you must persevere. You
must take off your mind from lust and lucre, must discriminate always between the real
and the unreal — must settle down into the mood of bodilessness with the brooding
thought that you are not this body, and must always have the realisation that you are the
all-pervading Atman. This persevering practice is called Purushakâra (self-exertion — as
distinguished from grace). By such self-exertion will come true reliance on Him, and that
is the goal of human achievement.


Whoever cannot cook well cannot
become a good Sâdhu; unless the mind is pure, good tasteful cooking is not possible