We wrote an article on Swami Vivekananda’s quotes and comments on fear. Now this is a sub-article of the article of that article
The word “abhih” (Devanagari: अभीः, Bengali: অভীঃ) first appeared in Rig Veda (book 1, hymn 164). Later we see its frequent usage in other Vedas, Upanishads and Bhagavad Gita.
The word “abhi” may mean “twoards”, as in “abhimukh”.
The word may also mean “no fear” (a=no, bhi=fear). It suggests not to be afraid. Swami Vivekananda told, “Fear is death, fear is sin, fear is hell, fear is unrighteousness, fear is wrong life.”[Source] He also told— “I am born to proclaim to them that fearless message. . .”[Source]
Let’s make a collection of Swami Vivekananda‘s direct quotes on abhih.
- उत्तिष्ठत जाग्रत प्राप्य वरान्निबोधत । — Arise, awake and stop not till the desired end is reached. Young men of Calcutta, arise, awake, for the time is propitious. Already everything is opening out before us. Be bold and fear not. It is only in our scriptures that this adjective is given unto the Lord — Abhih, Abhih. We have to become Abhih, fearless, and our task will be done. Arise, awake, for your country needs this tremendous sacrifice.[Source]
- Have no fear, my son.[Source]
- Let us repeat, “I am It; I am It. I have no fear, nor doubt, nor death. I have no sex, nor creed, nor colour. What creed can I have? What sect is there to which I should belong? What sect can hold me? I am in every sect!”[Source]
- Stand up and be strong! No fear. No superstition. Face the truth as it is! If death comes — that is the worst of our miseries — let it come! We are determined to die game.[Source]
- Strength, O man, strength, say the Upanishads, stand up and be strong. Ay, it is the only literature in the world where you find the word “Abhih”, “fearless”, used again and again; in no other scripture in the world is this adjective applied either to God or to man. Abhih, fearless![Source]
- The Lord Himself will guide you, there is no fear.[Source]
- The Lord is watching over us; there is no fear.[Source]
- The whole secret of existence is to have no fear. Never fear what will become of you.[Source]
- Vedantist is to be Abhih, fearless. Weakness has got to go before a man dares to become a Vedantist, and we know how difficult that is. Even those who have given up all connection with the world, and have very few bandages to make them cowards, feel in the heart of their hearts how weak they are at moments, at times how soft they become, how cowed down; much more so is it with men who have so many bandages, and have to remain as slaves to so many hundred and thousand things, inside of themselves and outside of themselves, men every moment of whose life is dragging-down slavery.[Source]