Homenew

This is one of my favourite quotations that is attributed variously to many scholars such as Gautama Buddha, Swami Vivekananda and Mahatma Gandhi, amongst others. According to Swami Paramarthananda, the origin is from Taitreya Aranyaka of Krishna Yajur Veda, Chapter 1, Anuvaka 23, and Verse 1.

तस्मात् यत् पुरुषः सनसाअभिगच्छति। तत् वाचा वदति। तत् कर्मणा करोति।
यत् मनसः रेतः प्रथमं आतीत्। तद् कामः अग्रे समवर्तताधि। तत् एषाअभि अनूक्ता ।

Because of that whatever one thinks by mind, one says and that one does,
What is first in the mind as seed, later forms as desire; that is what is proclaimed

The English quotation is very practical in asking us to watch our thoughts, words and action. These three form our habits and character which ultimately determine our destiny. We may never know who the author of the quotation as currently formulated, but its wisdom is based on the Vedas.