Ten Thousand Flower-Flames, part 5

401. While others are fond of sleeping

```

While others are fond of sleeping,

He is fond of working.

While others are fond of working,

He is fond of serving.

While others are fond of serving,

He is fond of self-giving.

While others are fond of self-giving,

God is planning to create another God

Inside his perfection-being.

```

402. To consecrate soulfully

```

To consecrate soulfully

Is to construct beautifully.

To construct beautifully

Is to keep ignorance-door shut firmly. ```

403. O sweet touch of silence-peace

```

O sweet touch of silence-peace,

My bleeding heart loves you,

My dying life needs you.

You are so beautiful.

Can you not become swift, too?

```

404. Satisfy and serve

```

Yesterday

You satisfied ignorance-king

By serving him unreservedly.

Today

You are satisfying wisdom-king

By serving him unreservedly and unconditionally.

Tomorrow

You will satisfy your Beloved Supreme

By serving Him unreservedly and unconditionally,

Plus sleeplessly. ```

405. How strong is prayer?

```

How strong is prayer?

An insincere seeker will tell you

How strong his prayer is,

Only to fool you unconsciously.

A sincere seeker will tell you

How strong his prayer is,

Only to illumine you immediately.

```

406. O my hope

```

O my hope,

Where are you?

Can you not see me

Inside the despair-grave?

O my hope,

Where are you?

Can you not grant me someday

The helmet of protection

And the crown of satisfaction?

Hope, my hope! ```

407. All the evil forces

```

All the evil forces

Are hovering near you,

And you are whispering in cowardice.

Cast aside your cowardly lethargy!

Celestial glory will once more

Be all yours. ```

408. The changer of world history

```

You have a strong hope.

You have a firm faith.

You have a stark arrow in hand.

Who else can be the changer

Of world history?

```

409. A God-man

```

A desire-man

Is a dreamer.

An aspiration-man

Is a builder.

A realisation-man

Is a God-lover.

A God-man

Is the bringer of

A new creation,

A new harmony,

A new perfection.

```

410. They will know it

```

You exerted your divine oneness-power

But, alas, they misunderstood you.

They deserted your love divine.

Now who is the loser?

Whose loss is beyond repair?

Perhaps by this time they know it,

Or before it is too late,

They will know it. ```

411. Because of venom-doubt

```

Because of venom-doubt,

You have lost your life-security.

Because of venom-doubt,

You have lost your heart-beauty.

Because of venom-doubt,

You have forgotten your nectar-song.

Because of venom-doubt,

You will never be able to claim God.

Because of venom-doubt,

You will never be able

To enjoy God-harvest from the Deep.

```

412. Fallen from surrender-tree

```

You have fallen

From surrender-tree.

You cannot climb up

Devotion-tree any more.

Love-tree does not want

Even to see you,

For you have time and again

Disappointed love-tree

By climbing earthbound desire-banyan tree.

```

413. Summoning the sleepers

```

Aspiration summoned the three sleepers,

Body, vital and mind,

And said to them,

“I shall not fail you.

You must not quit.

You and I shall treasure

God-realisation

Beyond surmise.” ```

414. Three insults

```

This world has hurled

Not one, not two, but three

Insults at me:

“You do not love God!

We do not need you!

We are totally sick of you!” ```

415. O my Lord Supreme

```

O my Lord Supreme,

Grant me inner beauty

Instead of doubt,

Grant me outer beauty

Instead of power,

Grant me oneness-satisfaction,

Both here on earth and there in Heaven,

Instead of victory-tower. ```

416. To make yourself happy1

```

To make yourself happy,

Be what you have:

Aspiration-flame.

To make God happy,

Be what you are:

Dedication-lamp.

To make both yourself and God happy,

Become what you have to become:

Illumination-sun.

```

FF 416-435. These twenty poems were written on 31 October 1979 on the trip from Madras to Bombay.↩

417. You don't need them

```

You tell me that

Your physical beauty is poison.

I tell you, give it up.

You don’t need it!

You tell me that

Your vital impurity is poison.

I tell you, give it up.

You don’t need it!

You tell me that

Your mental insecurity is poison.

I tell you, give it up.

You don’t need it!

You tell me that

Your psychic uncertainty is poison.

I tell you, give it up.

You don’t need it! ```

418. Who is happy?

```

Who is happy?

Not the puny princess.

Who is happy?

Not the weak prince.

Who is happy?

Not the jealous queen.

Who is happy?

Not the insecure king. ```

419. The twentieth century

```

The twentieth century

Is flooded

With self-styled Master-rogues.

The twentieth century

Is flooded

With monster disciple-fools.

```

420. Because of You, Lord

```

Lord, I am crying

Because You are sleeping.

Lord, I am sleeping

Because You are not caring.

Lord, I am not caring

Because You are ignoring.

Lord, I am ignoring

Because You are not smiling. ```

421. An interesting question

```

An interesting question:

Where is God?

An inspiring question:

What is God doing?

An illumining question:

Who is God?

A fulfilling question:

Who else’s love do I need,

If not God’s alone?

```

422. Clever and tricky

```

Before the race,

The marathon was temptation

Which I cleverly called

My aspiration.

After the race,

The marathon is frustration

Which I trickily call

My dedication. ```

423. Unlit and unfit

```

Your heart-room is unlit.

Therefore

Your mind’s capacities

Are deplorably unfit. ```

424. Gratitude

```

Gratitude, gratitude, gratitude!

To teach me how to love God

You have come to me

From my aspiration-heart’s amplitude.

Gratitude, gratitude, gratitude!

To teach me how to love God

You have come to me

From my illumination-soul’s infinitude. ```

425. Your ignorance-choice

```

Don’t try to make God

Into your image.

He will please you,

But your ignorance-choice

Will make you suffer

Far beyond your imagination’s flight

During your darkness-enjoying journey.

```

426. My priority-list

```

On my priority-list

Two slaves will play

Most significant roles:

My surrender-life will be

God’s unconditional slave;

My desire life will be

Earth’s transformed slave.

```

427. Just a quick reminder

```

Just a quick reminder to meditate.

Meditate soulfully;

You will conquer ignorance-night

Easily.

Just a quick reminder to meditate.

Meditate unconditionally;

You will gain the Lord Supreme

Everlastingly. ```

428. The longest stride

```

Everyone knows your great secret:

You have the longest stride

In your aspiration-life.

Your stride embodies

Love selfless,

Devotion spotless,

Surrender sleepless.

```

429. Man and machine

```

Man and machine.

Man asks for quantity.

Machine has it.

Man wants to build.

Machine says, “It is all done.”

Man asks for help in every sphere of life.

Machine says, “What have I been doing

Save and except that very thing?”

```

430. Blame

```

Man blames fate.

Fate blames the stars.

The stars blame

The desire-ambition-man.

Man blames the invisible God.

```

431. Never

```

Hope never retreats.

Faith never delays.

Love never sleeps.

Devotion never doubts.

Surrender never fails.

```

432. Three tearful prayers

```

My Eternity’s Lord Supreme,

Three tearful prayers:

Reinspire my heart-cry,

Rebuild my hope-tower,

Replenish my gratitude-cup.

```

433. Stop shouting!

```

Stop shouting!

The Creator is coming.

Stop shouting!

The creation is crying.

Stop shouting!

I am preparing —

Preparing myself for God’s

Complete Satisfaction. ```

434. The secret of divine education

```

The secret of divine education:

Do not look back.

Your forgotten, hungry wolf-life

Will immediately devour you.

The secret of divine education:

Be sleeplessly on the alert.

Your ego-life can easily

Keep growing without nourishment. ```

435. Ambition is hard work

```

Ambition is hard work

In the desire-world.

Ambition is quick elevation

In the aspiration-world.

Ambition is slow but certain perdition

In the realisation-world. ```

436. Life is an experience2

```

Life is an experience.

This experience helps us learn

Ultimately

The message of God-Light

And helps us unlearn

Eventually

The message of ignorance-night.

```

436-445. These ten poems were written on 1 November 1979 on the trip from Bombay to Delhi.↩

437. A life of mistakes

```

His is a life

Mostly spent in making mistakes.

But his hallowed hunger for God-Love

Will eventually

Not only rectify and justify

But also glorify

All his unavoidable mistakes.

```

438. Learn and unlearn

```

Not to learn, but to unlearn,

Ignorance-fulfilment-lesson.

Not to unlearn, but to learn,

Always to learn,

God-Satisfaction-Lesson.

```

439. You will be happy

```

Take ego-horse out,

You will be happy.

Bring humility-lamb in,

You will be happy.

Take failure-hare out,

You will be happy.

Bring victory-turtle in,

You will be happy. ```

440. Whether you like it or not

```

My Lord Supreme,

Whether You like it or not,

I shall come to You daily.

Whether You like it or not,

I shall tease You smilingly.

Whether You like it or not,

I shall place You on my shoulders surprisingly.

```

441. Two favours from my Lord

```

I ask only for two favours,

My sweet Lord:

That You will not forgive me

Unless and until I beg

For Your Forgiveness-Grace;

That I shall never again

Appreciate ignorance-face.

```

442. What does Heaven need?

```

What does Heaven need?

Heaven needs to conquer

The pride of its monster-indifference.

What does earth need?

Earth needs to conquer

The life of its ignorance-sea.

```

443. Because of his good heart

```

Because of his good heart,

Divinity was persuaded to become small

And humanity was inspired to become big

By Eternity’s Lord Supreme. ```

444. A good place

```

A good place to begin:

My soul’s soulful nest.

A good place to continue:

My heart’s psychic core.

A good place to transform:

My mind’s mental chamber. ```

445. They never stop

```

Education never stops.

Self-transcendence never stops.

Perfection never stops.

Alas, only one thing

Not only stops but never properly begins:

Divine gratitude-flames

In human life.

```

446. Forgive and forget3

```

Forgive,

You will have happiness.

Forget,

You will have satisfaction.

Forgive and forget,

You will have everlasting peace

Within and without.

```

446-460. These fifteen poems were written on the flight from Delhi to Frankfurt on 1 November 1979↩

447. Hope discovered America

```

Hope discovered America.

America has discovered promise.

Promise will discover Fulfilment supreme

In Perfection divine. ```

448. No preparation, no attempt

```

No preparation, no attempt.

No attempt, no progress.

No progress, no perfection.

No perfection, no satisfaction. ```

449. Sincere desires

```

Man’s sincere desire:

Grasp, possess and enjoy quickly.

The soul’s sincere desire:

Aspire, offer and enjoy eternally. ```

450. You will appreciate

```

You will appreciate

Your aspiration-life

Only after you are strangled

By the ceaseless and ruthless desire-life.

Indeed, this is humanity’s deplorable

But unfortunately common experience. ```

451. Science and technology

```

Science and technology

Are for the desire-fulfilment

Of humanity.

Spirituality and yoga

Are for the betterment and enlightenment

Of humanity.

```

452. Permanent happiness you wanted

```

Permanent happiness you wanted.

Unending sorrow you have got.

Why?

Why?

Because you love your earth-reality

In your own way

And not in God’s own Way.

```

453. Man first came to know of God

```

Man first came to know of God

When religion-flames arose

From humanity’s crying

And tearing heart. ```

454. Another God

```

Who first saw God?

Who else if not you?

You are another God,

Only with another

Vision-Reality.

```

455. Science is

```

Indeed,

Science is man’s

Breath-taking advance.

Indeed,

Spirituality is God’s

Breath-immortalising romance.

```

456. Keep doing the right thing

```

Keep doing the right thing.

God Himself will go

And collect the gratitude-buds

That the world owes you. ```

457. Do give me the capacity

```

My Lord Supreme,

Do give me the capacity

To love the Body-Reality of Your creation

In exactly the same way

That I have been loving

The Soul-Immortality of Your Vision. ```

458. Now what is happening?

```

There was a time

When my aspiration-life and I

Were misapprehended.

And now what is happening?

My realisation-life and I

Are being misrepresented. ```

459. A baby balloon

```

You fool, don’t allow science

To replace your spirituality!

In comparison to your vast spirituality,

Science is a baby balloon

That can and will burst at any moment.

```

460. Philosophy is blind

```

You fool, don’t allow philosophy

To replace your Beloved Lord!

In comparison to your Lord Supreme,

Philosophy is blind,

The worst beggar-poltroon.

```

461. Innocence untouched4

```

Innocence untouched

Is your heart.

Experience detached

Is your soul.

```

FF 461-463. These three poems were written on the flight from Frankfurt to London on 1 November 1979.↩

462. What you need

```

What you need

Is a flower-like heart

And

A child-like prayer

To free yourself

From the narrow path

Of your blighting and blighted mind.

```

463. Why are you in tears?

```

Soul, my sweet soul,

Why are you in tears?

Is it because, of late,

I have been welcoming death?

Is it because, of late,

Ceaseless suffering has conquered me,

My all?

```

464. Courage is a kind of beauty5

```

Courage is, indeed,

A kind of beauty.

But because you have

A faint courage,

You are nothing more than

A mortal beauty.

```

FF 464-500. These thirty-seven poems were written on 1 November 1979 while en route from London to New York↩

465. My heart-home

```

My heart-home is a place

Full of silence-peace.

In front of my heart-home

Are two giant trees:

God’s Compassion-Tree

And

God’s Forgiveness-Tree.

```

466. Your holy steps

```

Your holy steps

Have saved my fettered life.

Your holy steps

Have released my encaged soul. ```

467. The bright eye of the sun

```

The bright eye of the outer sun

May torture my outer vision,

But the intense light of the inner sun

Illumines my heart,

Liberates my life,

Fulfils my soul. ```

468. What you always have

```

What you always have:

A fountain of flames.

What you always are:

A flower of purity. ```

469. The perfect choice

```

Indeed, the choice

Of humanity’s Divinity is perfect.

It desires to see

All seekers living together

As good members

Of a single world-community. ```

470. If I am great

```

If I am great,

Then it is all the result of my disciples’

Constant self-dedication.

If I am good,

Then it is all the result of my Lord’s

Constant Self-giving. ```

471. A very far cry

```

His deviation from the right path

Is not a passing phase.

Salvation-liberation-perfection

Will remain for him

A far, very far, cry.

```

472. I love You

```

Lord, my Lord, I love You

Not because You have all Power,

Not because I need a special favour,

But because You are my Master-Friend

And my Supreme Love.

```

473. I am happy

```

While hearing about Your supreme Deeds,

I am happy, my sweet Lord.

While singing Your summit-praises,

I am happy, my great Lord. ```

474. If not grateful

```

Soulfully I am able

To place myself at Your Feet.

Therefore I am really happy,

If not grateful.

Constantly I am able

To think of You.

Therefore I am exceedingly happy,

If not grateful. ```

475. Prayer-power

```

Prayer-power is incalculable;

It moves mountains easily.

Prayer-glory is ineffable;

It works miracles regularly. ```

476. Only one favour

```

Lord, I need only one favour

From You.

Do accept my heart’s surrender-delight

Quickly —

If possible, immediately.

```

477. Exorbitant pride

```

Exorbitant pride has taken away

Your mind’s equipoise.

Your heart is now full

Of turbulent noise.

Ask your heart’s mounting flames

Soulfully and devotedly

To bring you back your mind’s

Lost wealth.

I assure you, your silver request

Will meet with immediate approval. ```

478. Eye-witness

```

My Lord’s Compassion

And

My life’s emancipation

Live in each other’s hearts.

My soulful gratitude

Is the eye-witness. ```

479. Although you hate God

```

Although you do not need God,

Although you do not love God,

Although you hate God,

You will not be denied

Your Western salvation

And

My Eastern liberation.

```

480. Builders are transformers

```

Lovers are sufferers.

Sufferers are workers.

Workers are builders.

Builders are transformers of the old

And pioneers of the new.

```

481. No peace for you

```

No peace for you,

No satisfaction for you,

Unless you give me

The chance to uplift you

From the morass

Of your dogmatic empiricism. ```

482. No other choice

```

There can be no other choice

Than to live for the Lord in man,

Willingly or unwillingly,

Happily or tearfully,

Lovingly or otherwise.

```

483. Science, my friend

```

Science, my friend,

Be serious and sincere

Once and for all!

What do you want?

“I want the truth

Through the accumulation

Of knowledge-light.”

Thank you, my friend.

```

484. Spirituality, my friend

```

Spirituality, my friend,

Do you really need anything?

“I need, I need, I need

The Absolute Truth

Through the accumulation

Of perfection-progress.”

Thank you, my friend.

```

485. Who practises what he preaches?

```

Who is not a past master

Of preaching,

Who?

Who practises what he preaches,

Who?

Who loves God the Justice

More than he loves God the Compassion,

Who?

```

486. Not enough

```

Not enough, not enough,

If the spirituality-lesson

Is merely learnt

From books and philosophers.

It must be translated

Into regular practice,

It must be lived

In its pristine form. ```

487. Music is

```

Music is

Entertainment.

Music is

Enlightenment.

Music is

The animal bark of man.

Music is

The God-Song And God-Dance for man. ```

488. Volcano-sounds

```

Modern music

Is the stark combination

Of volcano-sounds.

The animal in us

Unreservedly loves it.

The human in us

Unavoidably accepts it.

The Divine in us

Immediately rejects it.

```

489. Music knows no frontiers

```

Music knows no frontiers.

It is free all-where.

Its contribution to emotional integration,

Human and divine,

Can never be fathomed.

```

490. Keep up your God-promise

```

Keep up your God-promise

For God-realisation.

The overwhelming odds will soon kiss the dust

Of your lightning-feet. ```

491. Your Himalayan victory

```

Since yours is the firm resolve

Not to surrender to temptation-night,

Your Himalayan victory

Has already been celebrated

In the inner world.

```

492. You are tired

```

Lord Supreme,

You are tired of my unchanging stupidity.

But I have gone one step farther.

I am sick of my life’s

Impossible futility.

```

493. Offering worship to You

```

Offering worship to You,

I am so happy,

My Lord.

I am also happy

Because this happiness of mine

Nobody can steal. ```

494. Ancient rivals

```

You fool!

You believe

Or you fool yourself into believing

That you and God are ancient rivals. ```

495. My friendship with you

```

Lord, my friendship with You

Makes my life sure.

Lord, my oneness with You

Makes my heart pure. ```

496. Caught in the snare

```

Be careful, be careful!

You may be caught once more

In the snare of temptation-night.

Be careful, be careful!

You may be caught once more

In the snare of intellect-height.

```

497. Do not be unreasonable

```

Image-worship is not meant for you,

True.

But do not declare

It is not meant for everyone.

Do not be unrealistic,

Do not be unreasonable. ```

498. Your supremely ridiculous discovery

```

God is everywhere.

He is in everything.

He is everything.

You want to discard these sublime realisations

Which have reigned supreme

Down the sweep of centuries?

God will definitely bless you

And your supremely ridiculous discovery. ```

499. Illumining is my prostration

```

Illumining is my prostration

At Your Lotus-Feet.

Fulfilling is my long-desired servility

Under You, my Lord! ```

500. I don't need salvation

```

Lord, I don’t need salvation,

I don’t need liberation.

What I need is Your Compassion-Ocean.

What I need is Your Forgiveness-Sun. ```

Editor's introduction to the first edition

This is the fifth 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

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-444: FFP 35 (revised version).

From:Sri Chinmoy,Ten Thousand Flower-Flames, part 5, Agni Press, 1979
Sourced from https://srichinmoylibrary.com/ff_5