Flower-Flames

Author's preface

I have selected 207 poems out of 10,000 from my series, Ten thousand Flower-Flames, which was originally published in 100 volumes. Here the poet in me is soulfully satisfied, the reader in me is smilingly satisfied and the critic in me is surprisingly satisfied.

My Beloved Supreme, what more can I tell You, and what more do You expect from me?

“Be quiet, My poet-reader-critic-son. The Hour, My Hour, is about to strike.”

— Sri Chinmoy

1. You have discovered

```

My Lord,

I came to You with empty hands,

But You have discovered

My empty heart, too. ```

2. I came from God

```

I came from God

The Eternal Dreamer.

I am heading towards God

The Immortal Lover. ```

3. Your happiness-gift

```

Of all the gifts

I have offered to God,

My happiness-gift

He treasures most. ```

4. The mind wants to invent

```

The mind wants to invent

A new God.

The heart wants to discover

The ancient and eternal God. ```

5. Please warn me

```

My Lord,

Please warn me before You come.

Otherwise, You may come unrecognised

And go back unloved. ```

6. My heart says to my mind

```

My mind says to my heart:

“Will you please praise God for me?”

My heart says to my mind:

“Will you please pray to God

To bless me?”

```

7. The fare

```

What is the fare

From earth to Heaven?

The fragrance-beauty

Of a gratitude-heart. ```

8. Every time I run away from You

```

Every time I run away from You

And come back,

I see Your Eyes

More illumining than before,

And I feel Your Heart

More forgiving than before. ```

9. The Lord of my thoughts

```

My Lord, I am happy

Because You are the Lord of my life.

Can You not make me perfect

By becoming the Lord of my thoughts? ```

10. Two miracles

```

The miracle of my sound-life:

It can chase God.

The miracle of my silence-life:

It can embrace God. ```

11. Two secret wishes

```

Two

Are my secret wishes:

I shall show God

Man’s transformation-head.

I shall show man

God’s Compassion-Feet. ```

12. Not beyond possibility

```

Not beyond man’s possibility

Is God-realisation.

Not beyond earth’s possibility

Is earth-transformation.

Not beyond my possibility

Is self-transcendence. ```

13. I do not interfere

```

I do not interfere in God’s Affairs.

Every day I let Him

Create a new world.

God does not interfere in my affairs

Either.

Every day He lets me

Destroy an old world.

```

14. A new prayer

```

Your old prayer may not change God.

But God can grant you

A new prayer,

And this new prayer

Will make you really happy.

What is your new prayer?

God-Satisfaction

In God’s own Way. ```

15. To frighten and enlighten

```

To frighten the animal in me

My God is all Justice.

To enlighten the human in me

My God is all Compassion. ```

16. God's Lion-Power

```

Yesterday

I desired to be

God’s Lion-Power.

Today

I desire to be

God’s Deer-Speed.

Tomorrow I shall desire to be

God’s Lamb-Fondness. ```

17. What you did

```

God wanted you

To go to Him untouched.

But what you did,

You know!

You went to God unchanged!

```

18. Are You tired, O Lord?

```

Are You, O Lord,

Tired of being good?

It seems You are.

Are You, O Lord,

Tired of being divine?

It seems You are.

Are You, O Lord,

Tired of being perfect?

It seems You are.

O my Lord Supreme,

Then do bless me

With Your Goodness-Heart,

Divinity-Life and Perfection-Role. ```

19. Two observers

```

God watched me from the sky

With His unchanging Compassion.

I watched God from the ground

With my increasing hesitation. ```

20. The boon

```

Scold me, my Lord, untiringly.

Insult me, my Lord, unreservedly.

But, my Lord, do not forget Your Boon.

You told me millions of years ago

That You would grant me the capacity

To love You sleeplessly.

Something more, unconditionally.

```

21. The God-Hour strikes

```

An unfinished Dream of God

Brought me down.

The God-Hour then struck.

An unending Reality of God

Will take me up.

The God-Hour will once again strike.

```

22. Even my shadow avoids me

```

Even my shadow avoids me.

Even my body dislikes me.

Even my life disappoints me.

Even my God forgets me. ```

23. The very last step

```

A heart of gratitude

Is the next-to-last step

Before we reach Heaven.

A life of surrender

Is the very last step

Before we reach Heaven.

```

24. Mistaking earth for Heaven

```

Mistaking earth for Heaven,

He sighed.

Mistaking Heaven for earth,

He died. ```

25. Can this be true?

```

Can this be true?

No desire binds me,

No temptation haunts me,

No imperfection blights me.

Can this be true?

```

26. Don't take a late start

```

Don’t take a late start.

You may lose the race altogether.

Keep your love-devotion-surrender

Always on the alert.

Then you cannot have a late start.

```

27. O descending Blue

```

O descending Blue,

I love you.

O ascending Green,

I love you.

O spreading Gold,

I love you. ```

28. Aspiration tells me

```

Aspiration tells me

That my God is

Compassion-Mother.

Realisation tells me

That my God is

Liberation-Father.

Manifestation tells me

That my God is

Perfection-Friend.

```

29. A tiny island

```

God alone knows

When the Kingdom of Heaven

Will finally descend on earth.

In the meantime,

God is begging His aspiring children

To try to create

At least a tiny island

Which He can call Heaven on earth. ```

30. What has God given me?

```

What has God given me?

A beautiful heart.

What shall I give Him?

A soulful face. ```

31. The twentieth century

```

The twentieth century

Is flooded

With self-styled Master-rogues.

The twentieth century

Is flooded

With monster disciple-fools.

```

32. A weeping God

```

A thinking mind

Is a sinking life.

A sinking life

Is a dying promise.

A dying promise

Is a weeping God. ```

33. 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?

```

34. 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.

```

35. 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 factory. ```

36. Science is

```

Indeed,

Science is man’s

Breath-taking advance.

Indeed,

Spirituality is God’s

Breath-immortalising romance.

```

37. 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. ```

38. Four elevators

```

Doubt-elevator never works.

Fear-elevator seldom works.

Confidence-elevator occasionally works.

Aspiration-elevator sleeplessly works. ```

39. How could this be true?

```

My Lord Supreme,

You rang my alarm clock.

How could this be true?

You prayed for my salvation.

How could this be true?

You concentrated on my illumination.

How could this be true?

You meditated for my realisation.

How could this be true?

You contemplated on my perfection.

How could this be true?

You lived for my satisfaction.

How could this be true?

```

40. Pray for me, please!

```

Heaven, pray for me, please!

I need the dream

Of oneness-perfection.

Earth, pray for me, please!

I need the reality

Of fulness-satisfaction.

```

41. Two supreme secrets

```

My Lord told me a supreme secret:

“My child, I shall never scold you any more.”

I told my Lord a supreme secret:

“My Father-Friend, I shall never

Disappoint You any more.”

```

42. God is my coach

```

God is my outer Coach.

Therefore, I smile and smile

After I succeed.

God is my inner Coach.

Therefore, I dance and dance

Before I proceed.

```

43. I have two serious faults

```

I have two serious faults:

I underestimate

God’s Compassion-Beauty.

I overestimate

Man’s ingratitude-reality.

```

44. I entertain God

```

I entertain God

With my promise-power.

God entertains me

With His Compassion-shower. ```

45. I chose

```

I chose not to understand God.

I chose not to understand even man.

But alas,

I chose to understand my clever mind. ```

46. Yesterday's God

```

Yesterday’s God

Belonged to my confidence.

Today’s God

Belongs to my promise.

Tomorrow’s God

Shall belong to my hope. ```

47. By way of joke

```

God gave me

By way of joke

A little mind.

I am giving God

In dead earnest

A big problem:

My useless life. ```

48. Let me help You

```

My sweet Supreme Lord,

You have helped me

By speaking to me.

Let me help You

By listening to You.

```

49. I am choosing God's Light

```

Yesterday

I quickly chose God’s Power

To fulfil me.

Today

I am quietly choosing God’s Light

To illumine me.

```

50. My prayer-wings carry me

```

My prayer-wings

Carry me up to Heaven

To see God’s Beauty.

My meditation-wings

Carry God down to earth

To see my heart’s purity.

```

51. God's Forgiveness finds me

```

God’s Forgiveness finds me

No matter where I am.

God’s Compassion takes me

Where I ought to go. ```

52. I think of God

```

I think of God

Because

I need God’s Power.

God thinks of me

Because

He needs my love.

```

53. I appeared before God

```

I appeared before God

With what I have:

An iota of gratitude.

God appeared before me

With what He is:

Infinity’s Satisfaction-Smile.

```

54. Because God loves me more

```

Precisely because

God loves me infinitely more

Than I love myself,

God cannot afford to be

As careless with my life

As I am. ```

55. When I pray to the false God

```

When I pray

To the false God,

My praying is not enough.

I have to run towards him.

When I pray

To the real God,

He immediately runs towards me.

```

56. Old God, new God

```

The old God

Taught me how to fight

Against ignorance-night.

The new God

Is teaching me how to surrender

To His Vision-Light.

```

57. Puzzles

```

God’s Greatness and Goodness

Puzzle me.

My weakness and meanness

Puzzle God. ```

58. I am not needed

```

I am not needed

To say the right thing.

I am only required

To be the right thing. ```

59. Each heart is the beauty

```

Each heart is the beauty

Of a God-dreamer.

Each life is the delight

Of a God-lover. ```

60. Each listening heart

```

Each listening heart

Is not a bud of infancy.

Each listening heart

Is a flower of God-Ecstasy. ```

61. Do not waste time

```

Do not waste time.

Time is precious.

Do not exploit God.

God is gracious.

Do not mix with ignorance.

Ignorance is ferocious.

Do not play with doubt.

Doubt is injurious.

Do not cherish insecurity.

Insecurity is infectious.

Do not harbour impurity.

Impurity is dangerous. ```

62. 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. ```

63. Self-imprisonment begins

```

Self-imprisonment begins

The day we start playing

With expectation-snare,

And not before. ```

64. My heart represents

```

My heart represents

God the Duty

On earth.

My soul represents

God the Beauty

In Heaven.

```

65. Peace needs no interpretation

```

Peace needs no interpretation.

Love needs no explanation.

Oneness needs no expression.

```

66. Three ultimate absurdities

```

Three ultimate absurdities:

I shall fail my Lord.

I am not meant for God-realisation.

My Lord is not pleased with me. ```

67. God's troubles

```

God’s troubles are these:

The animal in man

Has forgotten Him totally.

The divine in man

Is not manifesting Him satisfactorily.

```

68. We are mistaken

```

You are mistaken.

God does think of you constantly.

I am mistaken.

God does love us both equally. ```

69. A dreamer of God-dreams

```

Unless I become a sleepless dreamer

Of God-dreams,

My heart shall remain a fount

Of orphan-tears. ```

70. I know whose I am

```

True,

I do not know

Who I am,

But I do know

Whose I am.

```

71. Miracles worth seeing

```

Only two miracles are worth seeing:

The miracle of loving

And

The miracle of forgiving. ```

72. Heaven knows how to liberate

```

Darkness knows how to thicken.

Light knows how to brighten.

Earth knows how to bind

The divine in man.

Heaven knows how to liberate

The human from the animal. ```

73. Centuries have rolled away

```

Centuries have rolled away,

And still the outer man does not know

Where the inner man

Unmistakably is,

And the inner man does not know

What the outer man

Actually wants.

```

74. A God-dreamer and a God-lover

```

The difference

Between a God-dreamer

And a God-lover

Is this:

A God-dreamer wants to live

In God’s birthless and deathless Infinity;

A God-lover longs to live

In God’s Heart-Cave. ```

75. Many ways

```

No way

To persuade God.

No way

To deceive God.

But many ways

Not only to realise God

But also to become God.

```

76. When I pray

```

When I pray,

I pray for the right thing:

Peace.

When I meditate,

I meditate on the right Person:

God.

```

77. My heart's constant guest

```

My heart’s constant guest:

God the Many.

My life’s constant host:

God the One. ```

78. I measured my success

```

Yesterday

I measured my success

By competing with others.

Today

I measure my success

By competing with myself.

Tomorrow

I shall measure my success

By expanding my heart

To encompass others. ```

79. Two lines to Heaven

```

The soulful meditation-line to Heaven

Is never busy

Because

Very few seekers have the capacity

To use that line.

The wild frustration-line to Heaven

Is always busy

Because

Everybody has the capacity

To use that line.

```

80. Intention and capacity

```

Hope has no real intention

Of deceiving us.

Alas, it has no adequate capacity

To please us. ```

81. Accepted by truth

```

You are accepted

By Truth.

That means you are liberated

By God. ```

82. Two things I must never forget

```

Two things I must never forget:

My meditation-appointment with God

In the small hours of the morning,

And God’s Satisfaction-appointment with me

In the late hours of the night.

```

83. They will do it for you

```

Do not blame yourself.

This world will do it for you,

Far beyond your imagination.

Do not admire yourself.

The higher worlds will do it for you,

Far beyond your expectation.

```

84. His life's early morning

```

His life’s early morning

Saw God’s Forgiveness-Feet.

His life’s late evening

Shall see God’s Compassion-Eye. ```

85. Allow God to become real

```

You are bound to know

God’s Will

If you allow God

To become real to you. ```

86. Three Himalayan prayers

```

Three Himalayan prayers:

Lord, do give me the capacity

To love Your Forgiveness-Feet

Unreservedly.

Lord, do give me the capacity

To love Your Compassion-Heart

Untiringly.

Lord, do give me the capacity

To love Your Justice-Eye

Unconditionally. ```

87. Only a fool

```

Only a fool

Thinks that he is independent.

Only a fool

Feels that he is indispensable. ```

88. Sweet is my Lord

```

Sweet is my Lord

Because He is knowable.

Sweeter is my Lord

Because He is known.

Sweetest is my Lord

Because He invites me

To play hide-and-seek with Him

Every day. ```

89. Be aware!

```

Be aware!

God definitely exists.

Be awake!

God will come and knock

At your door.

```

90. If it is true

```

If it is true

That Jesus is coming again,

Then it is also true

That you and I should go to meet Him

And welcome Him

At the halfway point. ```

91. Because I love God

```

Because I fear God,

I do not have to fear any man.

Because I love God,

I have to love all human beings. ```

92. God needs me

```

God loves me.

I mean,

My sincere cry.

God wants me.

I mean,

My simple life.

God needs me.

I mean,

My pure heart.

```

93. One desire and one aspiration

```

O my Supreme Lord,

I have only one desire:

Do give me the thing

That pleases me for a fleeting day.

O my Supreme Lord,

I have only one aspiration:

Do give me the thing

That pleases You forever and forever. ```

94. An unfinished man

```

Because of his shallow mind

He is an unfinished man.

Because of his vast heart

He is in unextinguished pain. ```

95. I have lost You

```

I have lost You, My Lord,

Not because my intimate friend

Is tenebrous ignorance-night,

But because I have never dared to claim You

As my own, very own.

```

96. My life needs guidance

```

Attention —

My body needs attention.

Encouragement —

My vital needs encouragement.

Inspiration —

My mind needs inspiration.

Aspiration —

My heart needs aspiration.

Guidance —

My life needs guidance. ```

97. Live only for God's Love

```

You do not have to prove

God’s Love for you.

Just feel that you live

Only for God’s Love. ```

98. God compassionately asks

```

God compassionately asks me,

“Will you be available?”

He never asks me,

“Will you be able?” ```

99. Only one inner teacher

```

I have only one inner teacher:

A gratitude-flame.

I have only one outer teacher:

A surrender drop. ```

100. Only the chosen

```

Everybody can begin,

But only the chosen

Can divinely continue

And supremely succeed. ```

101. To be in God's company

```

If you do not have

A sense of humour,

Then God will not choose you

To be in His close company. ```

102. An armour of proof

```

What my mind wants

Is a strong armour of proof.

What my heart needs

Is a sweet ripple of belief. ```

103. The return-journey

```

Greatness is a matter

Of a moment.

Goodness is the work

Of a lifetime.

Oneness is the return-journey

Of birth and death. ```

104. Dreamers and Lovers

```

As a dreamer,

You are loved by God

Constantly.

As a Lover,

God is loved by you

Unconditionally.

```

105. One idol, one hero

```

I have only one idol,

And that idol is my crying heart.

I have only one hero,

And that hero is my smiling soul. ```

106. God gave me His Heart

```

Something new happened

This morning:

I came to realise

That God still loves me.

Something new happened

This evening:

God gave me His Heart

And took away my mind

In exchange.

```

107. Philosophy embodies

```

Philosophy embodies

God-information.

Religion embodies

God-aspiration.

Spirituality embodies

God-Satisfaction. ```

108. My mind tells me

```

In the morning

My mind tells me:

“Young man,

You are supremely useful.”

In the evening

My mind tells me:

“Old man,

You are absolutely useless.” ```

109. Take the tempest out

```

My Lord,

Do take my mind

Out of the tempest.

“My child,

Let Me first take the tempest

Out of your mind.” ```

110. Two supreme realities

```

Do not descend from Heaven

After me.

My heart will feel miserable.

Do not descend from Heaven

Before me.

Your soul will not appreciate it.

God has two supreme Realities:

Togetherness-life

And

Oneness-heart. ```

111. My search ends

```

In the morning

My search for realisation ends

Inside my Lord’s Compassion-Heart.

At noon

My search for perfection ends

Inside my Lord’s Vision-Eye.

In the evening

My search for satisfaction ends

At my Lord’s Beauty-Feet.

```

112. Today I am wise

```

Yesterday I was clever.

That is why

I wanted to change the world.

Today I am wise.

That is why

I am changing myself.

```

113. The beginning

```

Self-observation is the beginning

Of self-perfection.

Self-perfection is the beginning

Of God-Satisfaction.

God-Satisfaction is the beginning

Of God’s new Dream. ```

114. A "no" from your heart

```

One thing you must know:

A “no” from your heart

Is infinitely stronger

Than all the hostile forces in the world. ```

115. Something special

```

God gave me something special:

Awareness.

I gave God something special:

Willingness.

Now God wants to give me

His Satisfaction

And I want to give God

My gratitude. ```

116. A time when You do not love me

```

My Lord, do You love me

Even when I kill time?

“Yes, My child, I love you.”

My Lord, is there any time

When You do not love me?

“Yes, My child, there is a time

When I do not love you.”

When, my Lord, when?

“When you think that you are not

A budding God.” ```

117. Self-mastery and God-discovery

```

Self-mastery and God-discovery

Are the only two things

That each human being on earth

Must take seriously.

Everything else can be taken lightly.

```

118. The supreme fulfiller

```

My body,

I have been helping you

For such a long time.

Nevertheless, you are an idler.

My vital,

I have been helping you

For such a long time.

Nevertheless, you are an aggressor.

My mind,

I have been helping you

For such a long time.

Nevertheless, you are a doubter.

My heart,

I have been helping you

Since this morning.

I clearly see that you are a born lover.

My soul,

I have just started serving you.

To my extreme joy I find

That you are the supreme fulfiller. ```

119. Before your mind tells you

```

Every day, before your mind tells you

That it has something special

To give to the world,

Let your heart tell you

That it has something special

To receive from Heaven. ```

120. Three alternatives

```

Remember, O my mind,

You have three alternatives:

You can either go

From darkness to light

Or from light to darkness,

Or you can remain where you are:

In your self-created unawareness.

```

121. God has the sincerity

```

God has the sincerity

To tell me

That He loves me.

Alas, I do not have the sincerity

To tell Him

That I badly need His Love. ```

122. Before I reach You

```

My Lord Supreme,

Do grant me a boon:

Before I reach You,

Do allow my gratitude-heart

To precede me.

```

123. I affirm what God affirms

```

I affirm what God affirms.

What does God affirm?

He affirms that God-realisation

Is my birthright.

I negate what God negates.

What does God negate?

He negates that I am a member

Of ignorance-society. ```

124. Silence and fulfil

```

Silence

Your endless earth-necessity

Secretly.

Fulfil

Your breathless Heaven-necessity

Immediately.

```

125. Man crawls towards God

```

The difference between

Man and God is this:

Man unknowingly

Crawls towards God;

God compassionately

Runs towards man.

Man thinks that he has God;

God knows that man is God. ```

126. I bow

```

I sleeplessly bow to the Light

That never dims.

I breathlessly bow to the Delight

That never fades. ```

127. My Beloved Supreme is searching

```

My Beloved Supreme is searching

For my willingness

And not for my capacity.

My Beloved Supreme is searching

For my readiness

And not for my perfection.

```

128. Remember what you said

```

Remember what you said to God:

“My Lord, I shall always

Fulfil You unconditionally.”

Remember what you said to man:

“My friend, I shall always

Help you unreservedly.”

```

129. You are lonely because

```

You want to know why you are lonely?

You are lonely because

You never want to hear

Your heart’s oneness-song. ```

130. The Saviour teaches me

```

The Scriptures teach me

How to love the Saviour.

The Saviour teaches me

How to love the Real in me,

The future God.

```

131. God the young and God the old

```

I love

Both God the young

And God the old.

From God the young I learn

How to run, jump, fly and dive.

From God the old I learn

How to cry and smile

And how to smile and cry.

```

132. You come to realise

```

When you pray,

You come to realise

That you have a room high above.

When you meditate,

You come to realise

That you have a home deep inside.

```

133. An unconditional life

```

In the beginning

An unconditional life

Is a battlefield.

But eventually

An unconditional life

Becomes a playground. ```

134. A true and sleepless love of God

```

If you have a true and sleepless

Love of God,

Then nobody will be able to snatch you away

From the Embrace of God. ```

135. A God-lover knows

```

A God-seeker thinks

That he can be free.

A God-server feels

That he will be free.

A God-lover knows

That he is free. ```

136. I shall forgive and forget

```

I shall forgive and I shall forget.

I shall forgive my past unwillingness

To meditate on God.

I shall totally forget

My very, very old friend:

Ignorance. ```

137. Do you not remember?

```

Do you not remember

That only the other day

You loved God unconditionally?

Do you not remember

That only the other day

You claimed God as your own, very own?

```

138. Every day my heart turns

```

Every day my mind turns

Towards the miracle-working God.

Every day my heart turns

Towards the life-illumining God. ```

139. I shall obey You unconditionally

```

My Lord,

I shall obey You unconditionally

Provided You tell me

That I am Your best student.

“My child,

I shall tell the world

You are My best student

Provided I am your only Teacher

And you completely give up your other teacher:

Ignorance.” ```

140. God came down

```

I went up

To see God’s beautiful Feet.

God came down

To give me His bountiful Heart. ```

141. Do You love me, my Lord?

```

Do You love me, my Lord,

No matter what I say

And no matter what I do against You?

“Tell Me first, My son,

Do you need Me

No matter how strict I am with you?”

```

142. When I use what I have

```

When I use what I have:

A commitment-lamp,

God gives me what He has:

His Contentment-Sun. ```

143. My heart longs to work for God

```

The difference

Between my mind and my heart

Is this:

My mind wants to play with God.

My heart longs to work for God.

```

144. My supreme moment

```

This is my day;

I love it.

This is my morning God-Hour;

I need it.

This is my supreme moment;

I am it. ```

145. Two persons love me

```

Two persons love me:

Satan and God.

Satan loves me

So that he can use me

As his faithful slave.

God loves me

So that He can have me

As His cheerful friend. ```

146. His ancient heart tells him

```

My ancient heart tells me

That God is beautiful plus powerful.

My modern mind tells me

That God is either unmindful or doubtful. ```

147. To be closer to God

```

To be closer to God,

Be a better cry

And

Have a better smile. ```

148. No partition

```

There is neither a visible

Nor an invisible partition

Between self-giving

And God-becoming. ```

149. Go and see God personally

```

Be not afraid!

Take the first step.

Go and see God personally.

His Omnipotence will prove to you

That it is also His universal Love.

```

150. He is eternally perfect

```

You love God

Because He is supreme.

God loves you

Because you are His powerful Dream.

You need God

Because He is eternally perfect.

God needs you

Because you are His choice Project. ```

151. Before I call

```

Before I call,

God’s Compassion-Eye answers.

Before I start,

God’s Compassion-Heart

Finishes the race for me.

```

152. I do have the capacity

```

True, I do not have the capacity

To touch God’s Compassion-Feet,

But I do have the capacity

To feel God’s Forgiveness-Heart. ```

153. A self-worshipper

```

Do not say anything

To a self-worshipper,

For God knows how and why

He is stabbing his own heart. ```

154. Do not die unsung

```

O my heart,

Do not die unsung.

O my mind,

Do not die unsettled.

O my vital,

Do not die unchallenged.

O my body,

Do not die untransformed. ```

155. When he realised God

```

When he realised God for himself,

God said to him,

“My son, I may use you

In the distant future.”

When he realised God for others,

God said to him,

“My son, I shall use you

In the near future.”

When he realised God for God,

God said to him,

“My son, I am using you

And I shall use you

Sleeplessly and eternally.”

```

156. A soulful smile

```

A soulful smile

Can kindle the universe.

A breathless cry

Can feed the universe. ```

157. Do not ask for too little

```

Do not ask for too little.

When you do that,

God’s Heart of Magnanimity

Is tearfully embarrassed. ```

158. A very simple question

```

God has asked a very simple question:

Do you want to be like Him?

He is eagerly waiting

For your open-hearted answer. ```

159. His weight is as light

```

My Lord Supreme,

Out of His infinite Bounty,

Tells me that His Weight is at once

As light as my heart’s aspiration-cry

And as heavy as my life’s ingratitude-frown.

```

160. You want to see God's face

```

You want to see God’s Face

To satisfy yourself.

God wants to embrace your heart

To satisfy Himself. ```

161. Each time I compromise

```

Each time I compromise

With ignorance-night,

I kill the beauty and purity

Of my climbing heart-plant. ```

162. God has openly fed you

```

God has openly fed you

With His Compassion-Sea.

Will you not even secretly feed Him

With your heart’s gratitude-drops? ```

163. Man's modern fruits

```

Man’s ancient roots:

His cries and smiles.

Man’s modern fruits:

His laughter and sighs. ```

164. Only one answer

```

You have a multitude of questions,

But there is only one answer:

The road is right in front of you,

And the guide is waiting for you. ```

165. Do not speak ill of yourself

```

Do not speak ill of yourself.

The world around you

Will always gladly do that

On your behalf. ```

166. A smile carries

```

An outer smile carries

Today’s earthly dawn to Heaven.

An inner smile carries

Tomorrow’s Heavenly sun to earth. ```

167. Never forget one thing

```

Never forget one thing:

The Ultimate Truth is your friend

And not your enemy.

```

168. Totally mistaken

```

I was totally mistaken

When I thought I loved God

Unconditionally.

I was completely mistaken

When I thought God did not need me

At all.

```

169. One thing to learn

```

Every day there is only

One thing to learn:

How to be honestly happy.

```

170. Two unnecessary questions

```

Two unnecessary questions:

Does God love me?

Do I need God?

```

171. God wants to know

```

God does not want to know

Why I cry,

But He does want to know

Why I do not smile. ```

172. Hunger and feast

```

What is success?

My expansion-hunger.

What is progress?

My perfection-feast. ```

173. The supreme contribution

```

The great contribution

Of the human life:

Mind over matter.

The supreme contribution

Of the divine life:

Heart over mind.

```

174. Only two superior ways

```

There are only two superior ways

To realise God:

My life’s surrender-way

And my heart’s gratitude-way. ```

175. Satisfaction-lion and aspiration-deer

```

Satisfaction-lion

Will have to postpone its momentous visit

Because aspiration-deer

Has not yet started its journey. ```

176. What I can do for God

```

I shall see

What I can do for God

Since I am not doing

Anything worthwhile for man. ```

177. A diplomatic death

```

Since each thought

Is an atomic power,

You can give each thought

A diplomatic death. ```

178. Two ancient universal questions

```

Two ancient universal questions:

How can I realise God

Immediately?

Is unconditional surrender

Ever possible?

```

179. At last my heart has challenged

```

At last my heart

Has challenged my mind,

Not to defeat it

But to transform it. ```

180. Always available

```

God may not be always available,

But God’s Compassion-Sea

And Forgiveness-Sky

Are always available. ```

181. Two inherited disasters

```

Two disasters he has inherited

From his many ignorance-lives:

A doubting mind

And

An unaspiring heart.

```

182. A God-climbing heart

```

What I need is

A God-climbing heart

And not

A God-manufacturing mind. ```

183. Only two reality-lovers

```

There are only two reality-lovers:

One is God

The Immortal Singer;

The other is God

The Eternal Listener.

```

184. Although God is infinite

```

Although God is infinite,

He prefers to live

Inside man’s tiny heart-nest.

```

185. God asks me to give Him

```

God asks me to give Him

The things that I myself

Do not at all care for:

My imperfections. ```

186. Eternity's infinite questions

```

Man has his Eternity’s

Infinite questions.

God has His Immortality’s

Only answer:

Oneness-embrace.

```

187. Two firm convictions

```

True, God has not given me

Everything,

But He has given me

Two firm convictions:

He loves me

No matter what I do;

I shall need Him

No matter what I become. ```

188. Faith will change his future

```

Sincerity

Changed my past

Slowly and steadily.

Determination

Is changing my present

Powerfully and convincingly.

Faith

Will change my future

Amazingly and permanently.

```

189. God does not laugh

```

God does not laugh at our prayers,

No matter how insincere they are.

But God does laugh when we think and feel

That our prayers will never be answered. ```

190. My dubious prayer-life

```

My dubious prayer-life

May not satisfy God,

But my glowing surrender-heart

Will always satisfy God. ```

191. The sons of morning sang

```

The sons of morning sang

And reminded me of God the Power.

The daughters of evening sang

And reminded me of God the Peace. ```

192. God loves us

```

God loves us

Even after we have failed Him.

We need God

Even after we have realised Him. ```

193. God's "why?" and "how?"

```

I came from God

To learn the meaning

Of His “Why?”

I shall go back to God

After I have learnt the meaning

Of His “How?”

```

194. His are the tears

```

Mine are not the tears

Of disappointed expectation.

Mine are the tears

Of unexpected inner joy. ```

195. Completely lost

```

The world is completely lost

Between your manifested stupidity

And your unmanifested divinity.

```

196. Only one answer

```

There are countless questions

About God,

But only one answer:

God is His own Eternity’s

Satisfaction-distribution.

```

197. Aspiration without dedication

```

Aspiration without dedication

Is like a slow runner

Who knows where the goal is

But is bound to arrive shockingly late. ```

198. The sacred heart of the moon

```

The sacred heart of the moon

Comes from the secret Smile of God.

The sacred breath of the sun

Comes from the open Dance of God. ```

199. Two unanswered questions

```

Two are the questions

That I do not know how to answer:

Does God actually need me?

What will happen

If I become another God?

```

200. Someday

```

Someday God will forgive me.

It may be soon.

Someday I shall satisfy God.

It may take a little time. ```

201. I need three things desperately

```

I need three things desperately:

An ancient heart,

A modern arm

And an ultra modern-eye. ```

202. One willing breath

```

A willing breath

Sees the Face of God.

A surrendering life

Becomes the heart of God. ```

203. Because I am a truth-seeker

```

Because I am a truth-seeker

My future flows towards me.

Because I am a God-lover

I live in my Eternal Now. ```

204. Take your choice!

```

Take your choice!

Either allow God

To sit inside your head

Or go and sit

At God’s Forgiveness-Feet.

```

205. Two incredible facts

```

Two incredible facts:

God was chasing away my desire-tiger.

My doubting mind was untiringly

Following God. ```

206. Wrong and right prayers

```

“God, give me!”

This is a wrong and improper prayer.

“God, take me!”

This is a right and proper prayer. ```

207. God the Lover

```

We pray to God the Power,

But God the Lover

Answers our prayers.

```

Appendix — The 1985 printings of _207 Flower-Flames_

Two printings of 207 Flower-Flames are extant, both published by Agni Press on February 1985. One has Sri Chinmoy’s painting of a rose on the cover, the other has a Jharna Kala painting dated “September 1975”. The printing with Jharna Kala painting is slightly different, as set out below.

3. My happiness-gift

```

Of all the gifts

You have offered to God,

Your happiness-gift

He treasures most. ```

104. Dreamers and Lovers

```

As a dreamer,

He is loved by God

Constantly.

As a Lover,

God is loved by him

Unconditionally.

```

133. An unconditional life

```

In the beginning

An unconditional life

Is a battleground.

But eventually

An unconditional life

Becomes a playground. ```

146. My ancient heart tells me

```

His ancient heart tells him

That God is beautiful plus powerful.

His modern mind tells him

That God is either unmindful or doubtful. ```

188. Faith will change my future

```

Sincerity

Changed his past

Slowly and steadily.

Determination

Is changing his present

Powerfully and convincingly.

Faith

Will change his future

Amazingly and permanently.

```

194. Mine are the tears

```

His are not the tears

Of disappointed expectation.

His are the tears

Of unexpected inner joy. ```

202. A willing breath

```

One willing breath

Saw the Face of God.

One surrendering life

Became the Heart of God. ```

203. Because I am a truth-seeker

```

Because I am a truth-seeker

The future flows towards me.

Because I am a God-lover

I live in the Eternal Now. ```

Editor's note

It seems likely the poems specially selected by Sri Chinmoy were originally numbered as follows:

Poem 1, FF 7217

Poem 2, FF 734

Poem 3, FF 9205

Poem 4, FF 9439

Poem 5, FF 7099

Poem 6, FF 6651

Poem 7, FF 6700

Poem 8, FF 4001

Poem 9, FF 5024

Poem 10, FF 17

Poem 11, FF 84

Poem 12, FF 93

Poem 13, FF 96

Poem 14, FF 128

Poem 15, FF 150

Poem 16, FF 152

Poem 17, FF 202

Poem 18, FF 221

Poem 19, FF 212

Poem 20, FF 210

Poem 21, FF 201

Poem 22, FF 256

Poem 23, FF 9924

Poem 24, FF 298

Poem 25, FF 524

Poem 26, FF 318

Poem 27, FF 335

Poem 28, FF 361

Poem 29, FF 9300

Poem 30, FF 612

Poem 31, FF 419

Poem 32, FF 526

Poem 33, FF 421

Poem 34, FF 440

Poem 35, FF 444

Poem 36, FF 455

Poem 37, FF 487

Poem 38, FF 527

Poem 39, FF 538

Poem 40, FF 554

Poem 41, FF 536

Poem 42, FF 586

Poem 43, FF 628

Poem 44, FF 665

Poem 45, FF 737

Poem 46, FF 721

Poem 47, FF 661

Poem 48, FF 682

Poem 49, FF 716

Poem 50, FF 730

Poem 51, FF 849

Poem 52, FF 887

Poem 53, FF 744

Poem 54, FF 915

Poem 55, FF 928

Poem 56, FF 939

Poem 57, FF 1012

Poem 58, FF 935

Poem 59, FF 941

Poem 60, FF 1028

Poem 61, FF 1094

Poem 62, FF 1235

Poem 63, FF 1179

Poem 64, FF 1098

Poem 65, FF 1255

Poem 66, FF 1303

Poem 67, FF 1318

Poem 68, FF 1328

Poem 69, FF 9770

Poem 70, FF 6018

Poem 71, FF 6595

Poem 72, FF 9668

Poem 73, FF 1436

Poem 74, FF 1507

Poem 75, FF 1517

Poem 76, FF 1548

Poem 77, FF 1566

Poem 78, FF 1598

Poem 79, FF 1661

Poem 80, FF 1699

Poem 81, FF 1717

Poem 82, FF 1600

Poem 83, FF 1613

Poem 84, FF 1891

Poem 85, FF 1890

Poem 86, FF 1900

Poem 87, FF 1945

Poem 88, FF 1948

Poem 89, FF 1966

Poem 90, FF 2015

Poem 91, FF 2017

Poem 92, FF 2092

Poem 93, FF 2100

Poem 94, FF 2140

Poem 95, FF 2198

Poem 96, FF 2203

Poem 97, FF 2037

Poem 98, FF 2045

Poem 99, FF 9821

Poem 100, FF 2058

Poem 101, FF 2209

Poem 102, FF 2388

Poem 103, FF 2321

Poem 104, FF 2371

Poem 105, FF 2400

Poem 106, FF 2411

Poem 107, FF 2533

Poem 108, FF 2567

Poem 109, FF 2602

Poem 110, FF 2650

Poem 111, FF 2700

Poem 112, FF 2701

Poem 113, FF 2756

Poem 114, FF 2841

Poem 115, FF 2861

Poem 116, FF 2921

Poem 117, FF 2928

Poem 118, FF 2952

Poem 119, FF 2973

Poem 120, FF 3074

Poem 121, FF 3095

Poem 122, FF 3110

Poem 123, FF 3249

Poem 124, FF 7264

Poem 125, FF 3393 and FF 3394

Poem 126, FF 6961

Poem 127, FF 3462

Poem 128, FF 3616

Poem 129, FF 3681

Poem 130, FF 3738

Poem 131, FF 3754

Poem 132, FF 3785

Poem 133, FF 3770

Poem 134, FF 3872

Poem 135, FF 3874

Poem 136, FF 3966

Poem 137, FF 4013

Poem 138, FF 4032

Poem 139, FF 4052

Poem 140, FF 4110

Poem 141, FF 4115

Poem 142, FF 4315

Poem 143, FF 4427

Poem 144, FF 4401

Poem 145, FF 4423

Poem 146, FF 4639

Poem 147, FF 4677

Poem 148, FF 4681

Poem 149, FF 4701

Poem 150, FF 4875

Poem 151, FF 5002

Poem 152, FF 4901

Poem 153, FF 4988

Poem 154, FF 5225

Poem 155, FF 5357

Poem 156, FF 5479

Poem 157, FF 5655

Poem 158, FF 5695

Poem 159, FF 5741

Poem 160, FF 5762

Poem 161, FF 6160

Poem 162, FF 5123

Poem 163, FF 5931

Poem 164, FF 6301

Poem 165, FF 6314

Poem 166, FF 6414

Poem 167, FF 6740

Poem 168, FF 6831

Poem 169, FF 6947

Poem 170, FF 6969

Poem 171, FF 7296

Poem 172, FF 7404

Poem 173, FF 7320

Poem 174, FF 7018

Poem 175, FF 7054

Poem 176, FF 7582

Poem 177, FF 7610

Poem 178, FF 7633

Poem 179, FF 7735

Poem 180, FF 7843

Poem 181, FF 7069

Poem 182, FF 7080

Poem 183, FF 7089

Poem 184, FF 7573

Poem 185, FF 7149

Poem 186, FF 8120

Poem 187, FF 8200

Poem 188, FF 3815

Poem 189, FF 8294

Poem 190, Not found

Poem 191, FF 8394

Poem 192, FF 8681

Poem 193, FF 8470

Poem 194, FF 8880

Poem 195, FF 8929

Poem 196, FF 8981

Poem 197, FF 9027

Poem 198, FF 9517

Poem 199, FF 9629

Poem 200, FF 2426

Poem 201, FF 1798

Poem 202, FF 1439

Poem 203, FF 1344

Poem 204, FF 1327

Poem 205, FF 1247

Poem 206, FF 9928

Poem 207, FF 3732

From:Sri Chinmoy,Flower-Flames, Agni Press, 1985
Sourced from https://srichinmoylibrary.com/ffp