Question: Modern India is embracing science and technology more and more. Could you tell us what the Supreme wants from India in a modern world?

Sri Chinmoy: The Supreme wanted, He wants and He will always want from India spirituality, spirituality, spirituality. Because we are living in the material world, modern science is needed. Indian villages will remain very, very primitive if they have only a small amount of modern technology, or none at all. Some scientific development is of supreme importance. But the Supreme does not want India to stand side by side with the Western world in scientific development. The Western world has developed very powerful weapons of destruction. The Supreme will never tell India: "You have to make nuclear missiles and hydrogen bombs in order to be as strong as America." No, no! He will say only that on the practical level, on the physical plane, there are a few technological things that India needs for its basic day-to-day necessities. But He will never ask India to accept and embrace the highest Western scientific discoveries, specially not the destructive ones. What He will ask of India is that she maintain her pristine spiritual beauty and fragrance.

If other countries want to go to the moon or to the sun, then let them go. To India the Supreme will say, "Go to the inner moon, go to the inner sun. The inner moon and the inner sun are infinitely more powerful, beautiful and fulfilling." That does not mean that India should disregard the outer world. No, India will live in the world of the outer moon and the outer sun; but it will pray to the Supreme to keep it in touch with its inner moon and inner sun, because what the Supreme wants from each and every Indian is spirituality first, foremost and forever.