Science

Dear brothers and sisters, I bow and bow and bow to the soul and the heart of this great University. I wish to offer you my heart’s soulful gratitude for giving me this signal opportunity to be of service to your august University.

With your kind permission I wish to say a few words on science from the spiritual point of view. I am a man of prayers. From deep within, the messages that I have received from my prayers with regard to science I would like to share with you.

Science is
The indomitable power
Of the mind.

Science is
The invincible light
Of the mind.

Science is
The division-capacity.

Science is
The union-quality.

Science is
The distance-conqueror.

Science is
The world-success-noise.

Science is
The world-progress-voice.

Science is
Victory’s rapture-dance.

Science was
Yesterday’s dream-boat.

Science is
Today’s reality-shore.

Science has given humankind
Countless treasure-gifts
And will continue to do so
In the ever-approaching future.

Science is the breathtaking vision
Of the Unknown
For humanity.

Science is the greatest builder
Of the unparalleled
Opportunity-fulfilment-roads.

Science is the bravest server
Of all God the creation-servers.

Each scientific research
Is at once
An earthly duty
And
A Heavenly reward.

Science is the finisher of the old
And the welcomer of the new,
In the same breath.

Science is not only a dream-boat,
But also a dream-fulfilled boatman
Of humanity’s life-river.

No sooner said than done:
What science precisely is.

Science journeys
From newness to fulness
And from fulness to self-transcendence.

To me,
Einstein’s Theory of Relativity
Is at once
Multiplicity’s roar
And
Unity’s shore.

Science and the modern life: they are interdependent. Science is the doer. The modern life is the action. Science is. The modern life has. Science is creativity. The modern life has receptivity.

Science has two specific roles: creation-birth and destruction-death. Alas, at times it happens that the greater the scientific progress, the stronger our despair and fear. The science that can surcharge us with power can also make us utterly hopeless and helpless. Science is our invaluable friend and unthinkable enemy alike.

Science is the mind-glory. If it listens to the heart-story, science will be only for good deeds and for the betterment of the world. Science can easily awaken us from sleep-indulgence-life. It can show us and give us a happiness-heart and a fulness-life.

Matter and spirit are two eternal players. Together they play, together they fulfil each other. Matter takes help from spirit for its complete transformation. Spirit takes help from matter for its dream-manifestation upon earth, here and now. Science takes help from matter and spirit both, to perform its stupendous task.

Perfection will dawn here on earth only when the man of prayer and the man of science can establish a genuine friendship and walk side by side towards the self-same goal: humanity’s happiness, humanity’s satisfaction and humanity’s fulfilment both in the inner world and in the outer world. If both the worlds are not happy at the same time, there will always be a tug-of-war between the world within and the world without.

Self-giving: the inner world’s sacred joy. Self-advancing: the outer world’s powerful joy. If they go together, they will give birth to Infinity’s Peace and Bliss in humanity’s heart, mind and life.

Science and religion must go together. Religion brings down the message-light from Above, and science spreads this light throughout the length and breadth of the world. Science and religion are interdependent. What the great scientist Einstein proclaims about science and religion is absolutely true: “Science without religion is lame; religion without science is blind.”

India’s great philosopher S. Radhakrishnan speaks extremely highly of science, comparing it with the wisdom of the sages who voice forth about God and the inner life: “Science has achieved more for the emancipation of masses than the wisdom of sages.”

The great thinker Bertrand Russell makes a most significant distinction between science and philosophy: “Science is what you know; philosophy is what you do not know.”

The students of science-mind-school and the students of prayer-heart-school must develop reciprocal appreciation and admiration. O students, first become a oneness-fulness-song. Then God the Creator and God the creation will proclaim His absolute Vision-Fulfilment-Victory here on earth.

[Sri Chinmoy invited the audience to join him as he sang one of his own compositions:]

I find, I find, I find, I find
Science is the power-tower of the mind.
I know, I know, I know, I know
Science is the cosmic energy-flow.

[Sri Chinmoy then performed on the sitar before offering his final words.]

My dear brothers and sisters, my friends who are connected with this University, and those who have made it possible for me to be here today, please accept gratitude from the very depths of my heart for having given me the golden opportunity to be of service to your august University.