Ten Thousand Flower-Flames, part 13

1201. When you change your name

```

When you change your name

Into endurance-hour,

God immediately changes His Name

Into Assurance-Power. ```

1202. If you have the sincerity-courage

```

If you have the sincerity-courage

To declare that you are weak,

Then God has the Compassion-Capacity

To make you strong. ```

1203. Unlearn and learn

```

Anything that binds you,

Unlearn it.

Anything that blinds you,

Unlearn it.

Anything that limits you,

Unlearn it.

Anything that awakens you,

Learn it.

Anything that liberates you,

Learn it.

Anything that fulfils you,

Learn it. ```

1204. If your mind is divinely practical

```

If your mind is divinely practical

And

If your heart is supremely sensible,

Then you can do everything

Cheerfully, easily and perfectly.

```

1205. The deeper you descend

```

In your meditation,

The deeper you descend

To see your source,

The clearer becomes

Your light-road.

```

1206. Two things unthinkable

```

A doubting mind

Does two things unthinkable:

First it secretly betrays you,

And then it openly tells you

How much it has been helping you

All along. ```

1207. God's Way

```

If God’s Way

Is the right way,

Then my way too

Can be the right way.

How?

Just by following sleeplessly

God’s Way.

Since God’s Way

Is not so difficult,

Then let me surrender

My way to God’s Way.

Then my way immediately becomes

As easy as God’s Way,

God’s perfect Way.

```

1208. If you can brave the shock

```

If you can brave the shock

Of discovering that you are not the person

You thought yourself to be,

Then you are already on the road

To self-recovery,

Leading

To self-discovery-kingdom.

```

1209. We realise the highest Truth

```

We realise the highest Truth

Only when we are fully prepared

To renounce the hungry cry

Of our desire-life. ```

1210. Your destructive impurity

```

Be careful!

Your destructive impurity

Can easily disguise itself

As creative purity. ```

1211. A new intensity

```

A new intensity

Will easily save my life.

A new immensity

Can gloriously fulfil my heart. ```

1212. I need God

```

I need God.

Can you not pray for me?

God wants you.

Can I not go instead of you? ```

1213. Conceal your self-interest-cry

```

Conceal your self-interest-cry.

God’s Satisfaction-Smile

Will, in no time,

Enlighten you. ```

1214. Your heart's name

```

Stark frustration is your heart’s name,

Simply because you want to see

God’s Satisfaction-Delight

Only on your terms. ```

1215. Why do you need another enemy?

```

Why do you need another enemy,

As if your own usual self

Is not enough?

Why do you need another friend,

As if your constant Companion, God,

Is not enough?

```

1216. Ask your mind to protect itself

```

Ask your mind to protect itself

Before it thinks of protecting you.

Ask your heart to protect you

While it is protecting itself. ```

1217. Do you know why?

```

Do you know why

You do not want to dominate others?

You do not want to dominate others

Because you are amazingly strong.

Do you know why

You do not blame others?

You do not blame others

Because your heart-life is flooded

With the qualities of sainthood.

```

1218. The book of self-knowledge

```

You have nothing to do, you say.

I tell you,

Just study the book of self-knowledge.

You will become

The greatness-mind

And

The goodness-heart.

```

1219. The only wall

```

The only wall that stands

Between you and God

Is the wall of your false

And unfounded

Imagination-night.

```

1220. One day you will see

```

One day you will see

That God and His endless Compassion

Never interfered

With you and your hungry desire-life. ```

1221. Your volley of questions

```

Are you ready

With your volley of questions?

God has already left with me

All the answers. ```

1222. Your heart will get satisfaction

```

Why do you hide your impurity-mind

From your purity-heart?

Do you not know that your heart

Will get tremendous satisfaction

By purifying and illumining

Your impurity-mind? ```

1223. A peace-flooded home

```

Your artificial strength

Is a haunted house.

Your real strength

Is a peace-flooded home. ```

1224. God's creative ability

```

God has already given you

What He has:

His creative ability.

Can you not give God

What you have:

Your cherished inability? ```

1225. God's Assembly-skies

```

Have faith in your yet unawakened powers.

Someday they will be awakened,

Fully awakened,

And then they will help you become

A distinguished member

Of God’s Assembly-skies. ```

1226. How can you expect?

```

Your body is all temptation.

Your vital is all deception.

Your mind is all illusion.

How can you expect your heart

To be all perfection?

How can you expect your soul

To be all satisfaction?

How can you expect God

To grant you a new creation?

```

1227. God will find you the way

```

If you sincerely admit

That you are lost in the quagmire of life,

Then God will definitely find you the way,

The sunlit way,

To return Home.

```

1228. If you come to me now

```

If you come to me now,

I shall immediately show you

The Vision-Eye of God.

If you do not come,

I shall show you

The orphan-tears

Of your complete failure-life.

```

1229. What can you expect?

```

What can you expect from a world

That loves beauty’s deception

Infinitely more

Than duty’s perfection

And

God’s Satisfaction? ```

1230. A boat that knows no shore

```

Alas, alas,

You and I are sailing

In a boat that knows no shore.

You are your self-deception

And

I am my self-glorification. ```

1231. The contradiction-sky

```

The contradiction-sky exists.

Why?

Because your God is in your doubtful mind

And my God is in my baneful tongue.

The contradiction-sky will disappear

The moment your God and my God

Live happily in our soulful hearts.

```

1232. You need an explanation-life

```

You need an explanation-life.

I need a revelation-life.

God needs for you and me

His Eternity-Infinity’s Compassion-Life. ```

1233. Each senseless thought

```

Each senseless thought

Is a useless life.

Each useless life

Is a godless failure. ```

1234. Even so

```

As water cannot be dry,

Even so,

Your heart cannot be dry.

As a thief can empty your wallet,

Even so,

Your mind can empty

The joy of your life-vessel. ```

1235. If I can see God's Face

```

If I can see God’s Face

Even once,

I am sure He will make

Some room for me

To stay in His Heart

As long as I want to. ```

1236. When I am sincerity incarnate

```

When I am sincerity incarnate,

I try to save my life from myself.

When I am insincerity incarnate,

I proudly dare to save

The entire world.

```

1237. Do not trust

```

Do not trust the animal in you,

For it is dangerous.

Do not trust the human in you,

For it is treacherous.

Do trust the divine in you,

For it is always harmonious,

Plus gracious.

```

1238. Just relax!

```

Relax, just relax!

Lo, to your wide astonishment

Your cruel difficulties

Are also relaxing with you.

They feel that they rightly

Deserve some rest. ```

1239. Something really valuable

```

If you really want something really valuable,

Then get rid of the thing

That is worthless and useless in your life.

What is really valuable?

A heart in its faith-home.

What is worthless and useless?

A mind in its doubt-cave.

```

1240. He is a real danger to himself

```

He is a real danger to himself

Who thinks that God needs him desperately.

His danger is imminent

If he thinks that God needs him

Infinitely more than he needs God.

```

1241. The present way

```

The present way

Is not the way to become good.

The present way

Is not the way to love God’s creation.

The way to become good

Is to pray sleeplessly.

The way to love God’s creation

Is to meditate unconditionally. ```

1242. The key to liberty

```

How can you have the key to liberty,

When you have developed incredible faith

In the false strength

Of your life’s blind futility? ```

1243. You do not know

```

You do not know

That you do not have the truth.

He knows

That he does not have the truth.

I do not know

That I have the truth.

But God knows

That He has His Eternity’s Truth

And that He is His Infinity’s Truth.

```

1244. I shall not choose

```

I shall not choose.

Therefore,

I shall not lose.

I shall not lose.

Therefore,

I can now smile like a morning rose

And an evening star. ```

1245. A perfectly celestial smile

```

What you are now

Is an artificially mechanical cry.

What I want you to be

Is a perfectly celestial smile. ```

1246. Do not be disappointed!

```

Do not be disappointed!

God-Discovery is not an impossible task.

He has done it.

Even I have done it.

You, too, will do it before long.

Do not be disappointed! ```

1247. Two incredible facts

```

Two incredible facts:

God was chasing my desire-tiger.

My doubting mind was untiringly

Following God. ```

1248. Yours is the mind

```

Yours is the mind

That uses fear to exploit you.

Yours is the heart

That uses love to glorify you. ```

1249. Go alone!

```

Go alone, go alone!

God has been waiting for you

For a long time.

Go alone, go alone!

God will never ask you

To account for others. ```

1250. A relief to discover

```

What a relief to discover

At long last

That I can easily live outside

The ruthless desire-snare. ```

1251. Companions

```

Your mind’s hesitation

And your heart’s frustration

Will always be found together.

```

1252. Do not complain

```

Do not complain, do not complain!

Are you a prisoner?

Do not explain, do not explain!

Who has accused you?

Nobody.

```

1253. Your life is not your own

```

Your life is not your own.

Why do you look around and move around?

Don’t you know that

Your life is God’s own Treasure-Bliss? ```

1254. Sacrifice what you have

```

Sacrifice immediately what you have

For what you can have,

If you are truly wise.

What you have

Is endless ignorance-night.

What you can have

Is sleepless God-Delight.

```

1255. Peace needs no interpretation

```

Peace needs no interpretation.

Love needs no explanation.

Oneness needs no revelation.

```

1256. A stranger to deception

```

You have to allow

Either your doubtful mind to conquer you

Or your soulful heart to conquer you.

For my sake, at least,

Allow your soulful heart to conquer you.

I tell you,

You will soon realise

That I am a perfect stranger to deception. ```

1257. Do you really want to be happy?

```

Do you really want to be happy?

Then discourage your anxiety-life.

Do you really want to be perfect?

Then sleeplessly claim God as your own,

Very own.

```

1258. Let me realise You today

```

Lord,

Let me realise You today.

I shall definitely pray to You tomorrow.

“Son,

Let Me love you only today.

I am sure you will not mind

If from tomorrow

I start loving others, excluding you.”

```

1259. God's Compassion-Eye

```

God’s Compassion-Eye

Is my journey’s eternal map.

God’s Forgiveness-Heart

Is my journey’s eternal strength. ```

1260. How can you be happy?

```

How can you be happy

When you have chosen yourself

To be your sole advisor?

How can you blame God

When you have declared yourself

To be another God?

```

1261. Soaring wings

```

O my dying mind,

I tell you,

You do not have to die.

Just agree to sit

On the soaring wings of my heart.

```

1262. My heart's aspiration-light

```

Sweet is my heart’s

Aspiration-light.

Sweeter is my life’s

Dedication-height.

Sweetest is my soul’s

Perfection-delight. ```

1263. Your love of soul-freedom

```

Your constant love of soul-freedom

Indicates that you are

Of God the One

And

For God the many.

```

1264. Self-control

```

Self-control means wisdom-light.

Wisdom-light drinks deep the delight

Of the ever-transcending Beyond.

```

1265. Each dream

```

Each dream is a hunger-need.

This hunger-need is

The beginning of a new life

And

The end of an old death.

```

1266. Aspire or retire

```

He who retires does not aspire.

He who aspires does not retire.

He who is, at once,

A truth-seeker and a God-lover

Ever aspires and never retires.

```

1267. My common enemies

```

My common enemies:

Fear and doubt.

My common friends:

God and Truth.

Enemies tell me

I cannot become.

Friends tell me

I already am. ```

1268. Appreciation is a miracle-power

```

Appreciation is a miracle-power.

It expedites the accomplishments

Of my heart’s inner cry

And

My soul’s inner smile.

```

1269. Life-mastery never stops

```

Life-mastery never stops.

Self-discovery never stops.

Truth-recovery never stops.

God-Satisfaction never stops. ```

1270. Worthy causes

```

Try to champion worthy causes!

Fight against ignorance-night.

Fight against the buffets of fate.

Fight for nature’s transformation-light.

Fight for tomorrow’s victory-dawn.

```

1271. Try to befriend the perfection-will

```

To master life’s teeming problems,

Come out of the snare of teeming desires

And try to befriend the perfection-will

Of Infinity’s satisfaction-heart. ```

1272. Each service-heart

```

Each service-heart

Sculptures the perfection-beauty

Of tomorrow’s self-transcending

New world. ```

1273. Fight against complacency

```

Fight bravely, fight

Against complacency!

Your victory-splendour

Will never be preceded

By the flaming arrows

Of anxiety-night. ```

1274. His life's ignorance-chain

```

When he broke his life’s ignorance-chain,

He broke it for all his fellow-travellers

Who sail with him in the Golden Boat

With the Himalayan aspiration-cry. ```

1275. If you have perfect faith

```

If you have perfect faith

In the weight of your soul’s

Tremendous influence,

Then your aspiration-dedication

Is bound to succeed triumphantly

And proceed sleeplessly. ```

1276. Life-satisfying energy-blossoms

```

Put back your faith

On your heart’s throne.

Yours will be the inexhaustible

Life-satisfying energy-blossoms. ```

1277. No aspiration is hopeless

```

No aspiration is hopeless.

No dedication is helpless.

No realisation is fruitless.

No perfection is meaningless. ```

1278. His heart thrives on adversity

```

His heart thrives on adversity.

His life thrives on austerity.

His soul thrives on prosperity.

```

1279. Every step of progress-smile

```

My every step of progress-smile

Helps my world within

And my world without

To reach my Lord’s

Satisfaction-Heart.

```

1280. A child of yesterday

```

Ingratitude is as old

As man himself.

Gratitude is a child

Of yesterday. ```

1281. My self-examination

```

I call it

My self-examination.

God calls it

His Self-Satisfaction. ```

1282. Secrets of a peaceful life

```

The supreme secrets of a peaceful life:

Expect not; just give.

Delegate not; just start and continue.

Retire not; just aspire for self-transcendence. ```

1283. Do not ignore me

```

Misuse me, abuse me,

But do not ignore me,

My Lord.

Strike me, kill me,

But do not forsake me,

My Lord! ```

1284. You will reap disaster

```

You will reap disaster

If you live in a tiny insecurity-hole

And dine with jealousy-eyes.

```

1285. A land of orphans

```

He arrived in a land

Of helpless, defenseless and soulless orphans

At the very end of the road:

Doubt. ```

1286. The golden key

```

My heart’s soulfulness-fragrance

Has the silver key.

My soul’s oneness-beauty

Is the golden key. ```

1287. A dedicated God-believer

```

A dedicated God-believer

Can never be frustrated.

A dedicated God-lover

Can never fail. ```

1288. Fools

```

O my tiny desires,

Why are you such fools?

Why do you not try to grow

Into brighter than the brightest

Aspiration-flames?

```

1289. Two royal paths

```

A doubting mind

And a strangling vital

Are unquestionably two royal paths

Leading to complete destruction-death. ```

1290. A dangerous trap

```

When I do not aspire,

A dangerous trap of ignorance-night

Captures my outer joy

And destroys my inner poise. ```

1291. Someday my Lord will give me

```

Someday my Lord will give me

The heart that knows

How to pray sleeplessly

And

How to meditate unconditionally.

```

1292. He stood against

```

He stood against

All human doubtings.

He stood against

All animal growlings.

He stood against

All his own shortcomings. ```

1293. Fame is a flickering flame

```

Fame is a flickering flame.

Success is a fleeting breath.

Progress is a sailing boat.

```

1294. A Himalayan promise

```

Oblivion-gloom

Is bending over him.

He has completely forgotten

Who he is:

A Himalayan promise

From God’s Vision-Eye. ```

1295. Human love, human life

```

Human love

Is an unchanging night.

Human life

Is a soulless bondage. ```

1296. My birthright

```

On earth

Transformation-sound is my birthright.

In Heaven

Satisfaction-silence is my birthright. ```

1297. A friend of sleepless night

```

When I was a friend

Of sleepless night,

My life became

My breathless pride

And

My endless height. ```

1298. The heart has many roads

```

The mind has only one road:

The division-road.

The heart has many roads:

Soulfulness-road,

Fruitfulness-road

And oneness-road. ```

1299. My mind was born to follow

```

Before, I did not know,

But now I do know

That my searching mind was born

To faithfully follow

My aspiring heart.

```

1300. Silence clings

```

Silence clings

To his heart’s aspiration-cry.

Silence clings

To his life’s gratitude-flames. ```

Editor's introduction to the first edition

This is the thirteenth volume in a series of ten thousand “flaming flower-poems” which Sri Chinmoy is placing devotedly, unreservedly and unconditionally at the Compassion-Feet of God, our Beloved Supreme. They stand as a supreme offering from the unfolding beauty of his flower-heart and the flaming heights of his realisation-sun. Indeed, a treasure-tower which will at once be claimed by humanity’s self-ascending cry and Divinity’s God-descending Smile.

Editor's note to cover photo

Dr Norb Sander, pioneering sports physician and winner of the 1974 New York Marathon, receives a trophy from Sri Chinmoy after winning the Sri Chinmoy 10-mile run in New Canaan, Connecticut on 2 December 1977. Inspired by Dr Sander’s cheerful and devoted attitude during the run, Sri Chinmoy also presented him with a watch. Dr Sander, in turn, remarked that in over 20 years of running, the Sri Chinmoy race had been one of his most inspiring running experiences.

Editor's note

Some poems in this first edition were later selected by the author for a special collection of 207 Flower-Flames (FFP). The author also chose to revise some of his original poems for this anthology:

FF-1247: FFP 205 (revised version).

FF-1255: FFP 65 (revised version).

From:Sri Chinmoy,Ten Thousand Flower-Flames, part 13, Agni Press, 1981
Sourced from https://srichinmoylibrary.com/ff_13