Question: Is it more important to offer inner patriotic love or outer patriotic service?

Sri Chinmoy: Both are of paramount importance. Inner patriotism loves and outer patriotism serves. They must come simultaneously. If one has only outer patriotic service and there is no depth to it, if there is no inner feeling in it and it only involves shouting slogans and reciting a few patriotic poems or songs, then there is no living breath inside. So here we need the inner patriotic feelings, inner patriotic love. The inner patriotic love is the seed and outer patriotic service is the fruit. If there is no seed, how can there be a fruit?

Now, there are some people who inwardly have true love for their country, but outwardly they don't want to manifest it. There are many who have true love for God, but they don't want to manifest it. When people don't manifest, they don't serve mankind. They are like the Indian Yogis who stay in the Himalayas and don't help outwardly, even though poor humanity badly needs their love, concern and illumination. So if one has true love for his country but does not want to manifest it, he is like the Yogi who cares only for his own salvation and illumination; he does not care for his country's salvation and illumination. But if he has real inner love, then his inner love must be manifested through outer service. Then only will his realisation really bear fruit. Otherwise, he is only for himself. His realisation is only for his own sake and not for his country's sake.