The inner role of the United Nations¹³

You have just observed me praying and meditating. Prayer and meditation are of supreme importance if we are to execute the inner role of the United Nations. Perhaps some of you know that twice a week we pray and meditate at the United Nations in New York. And from time to time I give spiritual talks, soulful talks, which are perfectly in tune with our prayer and meditation.

The inner role of the United Nations is a shadowless dream. The inner role of the United Nations is a relentless determination. The inner role of the United Nations is a breathless promise. The inner role of the United Nations is a sleepless struggle. The inner role of the United Nations is a faultless progress. The inner role of the United Nations is a deathless satisfaction.

The inner role of the United Nations is a cry and a smile-an inner cry and an outer smile-and this inner cry and outer smile have to be improved. The inner cry has to be genuine and the outer smile has to be soulful. The inner cry has to climb up to reach the highest pinnacle. The outer smile has to be illumined and fulfilled at the same time, and it has to reach the length and the breadth of the world.

The inner role of the United Nations is the link with the immortal power of infinite peace that spans the universe. This is the power that builds, not breaks. This is the power of peace that inundates our inner beings and, at the same time, our outer lives. This peace is also delight; it evolves slowly, steadily and unerringly towards the great and ultimate destination.

The inner role of the United Nations tells us that duty and responsibility have to be seen in a different light. Each member of the United Nations has a significant duty and responsibility. Here, by virtue of our prayer and meditation, we have come to realise that duty is nothing other than opportunity, and that responsibility is another name for privilege. Therefore, to serve the United Nations' unique capacity is to be blessed with a golden opportunity and fruitful privilege.

The inner role of the United Nations tells us success is fleeting, whereas progress is everlasting. It tells us that success on the physical plane, vital plane or mental plane cannot lead us to the final Goal; it is only progress that slowly and unmistakably leads us to our ultimate Goal. Again, when we reach the ultimate Goal, we get the message to go farther, for the ultimate Goal is not a fixed place; it is always in the process of transcending its own reality.

The inner role of the United Nations helps us discover a unique prayer which is the prayer of prayers. At each moment, we have to pray not to conquer but to serve and, while serving, to free the oneness-reality in and around the world. We have to pray not to lead and, again, not to only follow, but to become inseparably one with the comity of nations. Together, all the nations will dive the deepest, fly the highest and march the farthest.