The Dance of Life, part 5

201. The story of perhaps

```

When he lives in the mind

He speaks to the fruitless perhaps.

When he lives in the heart

He sings for the hopeless perhaps.

When he lives in the vital

He plays with the worthless perhaps.

When he lives in the body

He dances with the lifeless perhaps. ```

202. My soul is the player

```

My thought is the doubt,

My mind the doubter.

My feeling is the love,

My heart the lover.

My desire is the destruction,

My vital the destroyer.

My ignorance is the sleep,

My body the sleeper.

My will is the play,

My soul the player. ```

203. Reality's Immortality

```

Thousands of years ago

He cried for the Throne.

Hundreds of years ago

He saw the Throne.

Two hundred years ago

He touched the Throne.

One hundred years ago

He sat on the Throne.

He was captured by Divinity’s Beauty.

Now he has become the Throne.

He is claimed by

Reality’s Immortality.

```

204. Save and except

```

He can resist everything

Save and except temptation.

He can resist everything

Save and except his yesterday’s failure.

He can resist everything

Save and except his today’s frustration.

He can resist everything

Save and except his tomorrow’s perhaps.

He can resist everything

Save and except his Master’s Compassion. ```

205. He died

```

He died for the Goddess of Beauty.

She saw him not.

He died for the Goddess of Wealth.

She blessed him not.

He died for the Goddess of Love.

She granted not an iota of love to him.

He died for the Goddess of Duty.

She descended.

She came.

She blessed.

She perfected.

She fulfilled.

She immortalised

His life of desire without,

His life of aspiration within.

```

206. Don't worry!

```

O Body, don’t worry!

I have not yet

Begun to rest.

O Vital, don’t worry!

I have not yet

Begun to fight.

O Mind, don’t worry!

I have not yet

Begun to think.

O Heart, don’t worry!

I have not yet

Begun to love.

O Soul, don’t worry!

I have not yet

Begun to manifest.

My dear friends,

When the hour strikes

I shall play my roles

In your inspiration-flowers,

With your aspiration-flames,

And for your realisation-Sun. ```

207. I wasted time

```

Foolishly I wasted time.

Time now wastes me cheerfully.

Unconditionally I wasted time.

Time now wastes me sovereignly.

I wasted time

Because

Time was heavily

Hanging on me,

My impotent shoulders.

Time wastes me

Because

Time knows that I am

An unimportant member,

A beggar in the universal family of beggars.

```

208. Command and obey

```

Faith to command,

Doubt to obey.

Purity to command,

Impurity to obey.

Light to command,

Darkness to obey.

But

Soul-Love to command,

Soul-Love to obey.

God-Will to command,

God-Will to obey. ```

209. My God, my God!

```

My God, my God,

Why have You forsaken me?

Have I told a lie?

“No, never!”

Have I betrayed You?

“No, never!”

Have I condemned Your world?

“No, never!”

Have I tried to dethrone You?

“No, never!”

My Lord, my Lord,

Why have You then

Forsaken me?

Why?

“Dive deep within,

And discover the answer.” ```

210. Necessary and unnecessary evils

```

Desire,

A necessary evil.

Money-power,

A necessary evil.

Compromise-net,

A necessary evil.

BUT

Doubt,

An unnecessary evil.

Jealousy,

An unnecessary evil.

Insecurity,

An unnecessary evil. ```

211. Never and ever

```

Never the two shall meet:

Doubt and faith.

Never the two shall meet.

Never the two shall meet:

Love and hatred.

Never the two shall meet.

Never the two shall meet:

Aspiration-flame and desire-cloud.

Never the two shall meet.

Ever the two shall meet:

God and man,

Life and death,

Ignorance-sea and Reality-Shore.

Ever the two shall meet.

```

212. Who says no?

```

Who says

No man can serve two masters?

I say one can.

One can serve his master, Doubt.

One can serve his master, Faith.

Who says

No one can serve two masters?

I say one can.

One can serve his master, Frustration-Life.

One can serve his master, God-Compassion.

```

213. Alas!

```

No man thinks

He is weak.

No woman thinks

She is ugly.

No thought thinks

It is poor.

No doubt feels

It can be vanquished.

No old man feels

He is empty of advice.

No young man suspects

He shall ever die. ```

214. Not that I love you less

```

O Earth, not that I love you less,

But I love Heaven more.

O Dream, not that I love you less,

But I love Reality more.

O Man, not that I love you less,

But I love God more.

O God-realisation, not that I love you less,

But I love God-fulfilment more. ```

215. Listen to me

```

Sleep, my body, sleep,

It is a gentle thing.

March, my vital, march.

It is a brave thing.

Think, my mind, think.

It is an important thing.

Feel, my heart, feel.

It is a noble thing.

Sacrifice, my soul, sacrifice.

It is the perfect thing. ```

216. Nothing can improve

```

Nothing can improve his thoughts,

But purity-flame.

Nothing can improve his feelings,

But love-moon.

Nothing can improve his actions,

But service-tree.

Nothing can improve his life,

But death-rest. ```

217. Open

```

Open my body.

You will see engraved

“Service-Life.”

Open my vital.

You will see engraved

“Compassion-Life.”

Open my mind.

You will see engraved

“Will-Life.”

Open my heart.

You will see engraved

“Love-Life.”

Open my life.

You will see engraved

“Promise-Life.

Failure-Life.

Surrender-Life.

Perfection-Life.” ```

218. Tears

```

Tears, idle tears,

Stop!

Tears, soulful tears,

Start!

Tears, helpless tears,

Continue!

Tears, determined tears,

Reach! ```

219. Talk about yourself

```

Why don’t you talk

About yourself, Mr.

Ghose?

“Sir God, there is no difference

Between

My spiritual children and my own life.”

Then Mr.

Ghose, say something

Nice about them.

“Sir God, my children

In the hoary past

Dared to love You.

And now they dare think of You.

In the near or distant future

They will dare

To live without You.”

Mr.

Ghose, your shameless prophecy

Equals your futile realisation.

```

220. Faith and doubt

```

Faith is unfolded from within,

Doubt is imposed from without.

Knowledge is unfolded from within,

Ignorance is imposed from without.

A life of faith

Is a life of God-simplicity

And

God-immensity.

A life of doubt

Is a life of Frustration-Desert

And

Destruction-Volcano.

A life of knowledge

Is a life of Promise-Tree

And

Progress-Fruits.

A life of ignorance

Is a life of Bondage-Crown

And

Death-Frown. ```

221. At the pinnacle

```

At the pinnacle

Of the Rama-enlightenment,

I became Sacrifice divine.

At the pinnacle

Of the Krishna-enlightenment,

I became Love divine.

At the pinnacle

Of the Buddha-enlightenment,

I became Compassion divine.

At the pinnacle

Of the Christ-enlightenment,

I became Concern divine.

At the pinnacle

Of the Ramakrishna-enlightenment,

I became Cry divine.

At the pinnacle

Of the Chinmoy-enlightenment,

I became Surrender divine.

```

222. Lord and son

```

Lord,

My service is at Your disposal.

Tell me what I can do for You.

Son,

Empty your mind.

Lord,

My service is at Your disposal.

Tell me what I should do for You.

Son,

Fill up your heart.

Lord,

My service is at Your disposal.

Tell me what I must do for You.

Son,

Smile!

Smile in the heart of the body,

Smile in the life of the soul.

```

223. My maiden experience

```

With doubt I had

My maiden conflict.

With faith I had

My maiden triumph.

With fear I had

My maiden disgust.

With courage I had

My maiden ecstasy.

With man I had

My maiden failure.

With God I had

My maiden Silence. ```

224. Only remedy

```

Only remedy

For the delinquent world: austerity.

Only remedy

For the fallen world: concern.

Only remedy

For the helpless world: Love.

Only remedy

For the dying world: Oneness. ```

225. Light, Bliss and Consciousness

```

Light, you have nullified

My yesterday’s fear.

I am grateful.

Bliss, you have nullified

My today’s doubt.

I am grateful.

Consciousness, you have nullified

My tomorrow’s pride.

I am grateful.

```

226. His heart

```

His heart of love

Became Krishna’s Kadamba-tree.

His heart of wisdom

Became Buddha’s Bodhi-tree.

His heart of cries

Became Ramakrishna’s Panchavati-trees.

His heart of service

Became Chinmoy’s Rupantar-tree. ```

227. Naren and Thakur

```

My Naren,

You have struggled and struggled,

You have fought and fought

To manifest me.

Our Thakur,

You have cried and cried,

You have served and served

To illumine me.

My Naren,

Your heart of love,

Your mind of light

Are my giant shoulders.

Our Thakur,

Your Feet of Compassion,

Your Eyes of Perfection

Are my Dream-Boat

And

Reality-Shore. ```

228. Question and answer

```

Maharshi Ramana’s question:

“Who am I?”

You are the cry of your ascending heart,

You are the smile of your descending soul.

Ramakrishna Paramahansa’s answer:

“Mother Kali.”

Where is She?

In the battlefield of life.

Who is She?

Chaser of volcano-passion,

Bringer of Compassion-flood.

Swami Vivekananda’s answer:

“The Olympian Will-power.”

What is it?

The only Reality.

Whose is it?

Yours, only yours, absolutely yours. ```

229. A fellow-pilgrim

```

A man-made umbrella,

A God-made hand

Protected the chosen Son of God

From Indra’s passion-shower.

Indra desired to extinguish the faith-flames

Of the disciple in his Master.

God increased the disciple’s faith-flames, love-beams,

Making him realise

His Master, too,

Was a human being,

A fellow-pilgrim.

```

230. How we live

```

Without God

An atheist lives.

With God

A theist lives.

Around God

A devotee lives.

For God

A seeker lives.

In God

A lover lives. ```

231. I came to him

```

I came to him doubtful.

He smiled and said:

“Stay with me for three minutes.”

I came to him uncertain.

He caressed the sleeping Eye between my eyebrows and said:

“Stay with me for three years.”

I came to him with a student’s eagerness.

He blessed my devoted head and said:

“Stay with me for thirty years.”

I came to him with the heart of a child.

He embraced my surrendered life and said:

“Stay with me for eternity.”

```

232. Giants of the spirit

```

Naren, When are you planning

To come down to the earth?

“I have no such plans.”

Gadadhar, When are you thinking

Of coming down to the earth?

“I don’t cherish that kind of thought any more.”

Jesus, When will you illumine the world

To celebrate your second resurrection?

“I am more than satisfied

With my advent and with my first and last resurrection on earth.”

Siddhartha, Have you ever thought of moving

From your Nihil house to Earth house?

“Oh no!

I shall forever

Remain in my Nihil house

Of Immortal Peace

And

Immortal Bliss.”

Kanu, You declared that you enter into the world-arena

Whenever righteousness declines

And

Unrighteousness prevails,

To destroy the dark hands

And save, elevate and illumine the snow-white hearts.

Since then, how many times

Have you appeared and disappeared

From the earth-scene?

“I am not accountable to the world for my lofty promise.

In top secret I tell you:

The absolute Supreme is not going to fire me

Even if I hopelessly fail to stick to my well-intentioned promise.”

```

233. The manifold God

```

God the Power

Was the Idol of my thought.

God the Bliss

Is the Idol of my thought.

God the Peace

Shall be the Idol of my thought.

God the Creator

Was the Idol of my Will.

God the Player

Is the Idol of my Will.

God the Lover

Shall be the Idol of my Will. ```

234. Warmth and illumination

```

Desire-oven warms his vital.

Aspiration-flames illumine his heart.

Doubt-heat warms his mind-cave.

Faith-fire illumines his life-palace.

Temptation-furnace warms his body.

Perfection-sun illumines his soul. ```

235. O my family

```

O my mind,

In you I see a lampless world.

O my heart,

In you I see a faithless world.

O my vital,

In you I see a soulless world.

O my body,

In you I see a lifeless world.

O my soul,

In you I see a helpless world. ```

236. Man, God and angel

```

I am man;

I need forgiveness.

God has it for me.

I am God;

I need indifference.

Man has it for me.

I am man;

I need beauty.

An angel has it for me.

I am an angel;

I need duty.

Man has it for me.

```

237. Nothing happened

```

Nothing really exciting happened

When I fell down from Heaven.

I just fell down.

Nothing really exciting happened

When I climbed up to the skies.

I just climbed up.

Nothing really exciting happened

When I starved with darkness.

I just starved.

Nothing really exciting happened

When I dined with Light.

I just dined.

```

238. I belong

```

I belong to a universal family.

Thinking is a family thing.

Feeling is a family thing.

Loving is a family thing.

Becoming is a family thing.

We all think of God’s Mind.

We all feel God’s Heart.

We all love God’s Body.

We all become what God eternally is:

Immortality’s Soul, Reality’s Goal.

```

239. How to handle

```

How to handle the crowds?

Just shout at the top of your voice.

How to handle evil thoughts?

Just frown at them.

How to handle venom-doubts?

Just don’t eat them.

How to handle the painful past?

Just think of your silver present

And

Imagine your golden future. ```

240. News

```

Man, give me some news, please.

“My news will surprise you:

At last I want to think of God.”

God, give me some news, please.

“My news will confuse you.

At last I have decided to retire.”

```

241. The adjective

```

“Helpless” is the adjective

To describe his heart.

“Hopeless” is the adjective

To describe his mind.

“Senseless” is the adjective

To describe his vital.

“Useless” is the adjective

To describe his body.

“Fruitless” is the adjective

To describe his soul. ```

242. I learnt

```

Working with God

I learnt how to bless

Efficiently.

Working with man

I learnt how to cry

Sufficiently.

Working with children

I learnt how to dream

Endlessly.

Working with angels

I learnt how to smile

Divinely.

```

243. He is and he is not

```

He is confident,

But

He is not calm.

He is calm,

But

He is not confident.

He is pure,

But

He is not sure.

He is sure,

But

He is not pure.

He can be confident and calm,

He can be pure and sure,

The day

Surrender-might from the realm

Of the Beyond

Embraces his snow-white heart. ```

244. He is not the same man

```

He is not the same man

I accepted as my divine Guru.

The changes in his personality,

Appearances and interests

Have badly disappointed me.

Alas!

He is not the same man

I accepted as my true disciple.

His sleeping heart,

His doubting mind,

His roaring vital life,

His physical impurity

Have sadly disappointed me.

Alas! ```

245. Master man and Master God

```

Master man,

I am unemployed.

Please give me a job.

“Massage my feet.

This will be your regular job.

I assure you,

You will draw an exorbitant salary.”

Master God,

I am unemployed.

Please give me a job.

“Massage My Head.

By the way, you can do this at your sweet will

Every day or any day.

BUT

I shall pay you regularly,

I shall pay you unreservedly

With My eternal Gratitude-Plenitude.” ```

246. In praise

```

In praise of women

I must say

They love and they want to be loved.

In praise of men

I must say

They want to be loved only.

In praise of God

I must say

He is trying to live

Without human love. ```

247. Against

```

Against his doctor’s warnings,

He slept very little.

Against his disciples’ beggings,

He ate too much.

Against humanity’s heavy snorings,

He has little to say.

Against divinity’s measured blessing,

He has much to say. ```

248. In the assembly

```

In the assembly of animals

He knew where he stood:

A roaring lion.

In the assembly of men

He knows where he stands:

A barking dog.

In the assembly of the gods

He knows where he will stand:

A bleating lamb.

```

249. The Masters are fond of him

```

He has a child’s heart.

Therefore

Ramakrishna is fond of him.

He is always dancing and roaming.

Therefore

Chaitanya is fond of him.

He is always humble and meek.

Therefore

Christ is fond of him.

He is always kind and benevolent.

Therefore

Buddha is fond of him.

He is always loving and playing.

Therefore

Krishna is fond of him.

He is always crying and smiling.

Therefore

God is fond of him.

```

250. I searched and searched

```

I searched and searched

For my soul.

At last I found my soul in the Flute of Krishna.

I searched and searched

For my heart.

At last I found my heart in the Cross of Christ.

I searched and searched

For my mind.

At last I found my mind in the Meditation of Buddha.

I searched and searched

For my vital.

At last I found my vital in the Life of Vivekananda.

I searched and searched

For my body.

At last I found my body on the Lap of the Supreme.

```

From:Sri Chinmoy,The Dance of Life, part 5, Aum Press, Puerto Rico, 1973
Sourced from https://srichinmoylibrary.com/dl_5