The Golden Boat, part 1

Author's introduction

Appreciation-flowers.

Today the poet in me has written these 50 poems.

Today I offer my most sincere gratitude to the perfect typist and the untiring server in Nivedan.

Today the great and divine artist in Pratyay deserves my most special gratitude.

Today the exemplary services rendered by Kalyan, Ashpriha, Mangal, Joe, Dhanu, Sevananda, Bansidhar, Jose Luis, Kanti, Indu, Jolie, Daisy, Drona, Madhavi, Ananta, Eulogio, Nadeshwar, Eshana, Aidita, Lester, Ricky, Anna and many more have found their home in my grateful heart for masking, printing, collating and completing this book to my great satisfaction.

(signed by) Sri Chinmoy

29 January 1974

1. Don't believe

```

My foolish heart,

Who told you

That I do not love you?

Don’t believe insecurity.

I tell you,

Insecurity is a graceless liar.

My foolish mind,

Who told you

That I do not need you?

Don’t believe doubt.

I tell you,

Doubt is a hopeless liar.

My foolish vital,

Who told you

That I hate you?

Don’t believe impurity.

I tell you,

Impurity is a shameless liar.

My foolish body,

Who told you

That I force you?

Don’t believe lethargy.

I tell you,

Lethargy is a useless liar. ```

2. When I explored

```

When I explored

The frontiers of my mind,

Vastness-Light embraced me.

When I explored

The frontiers of my heart,

Oneness-Height embraced me.

When I explored

The frontiers of my soul,

My cry found its perfect home

In God’s Smile

And

God’s Smile found its perfect Home

In my cry.

```

3. The songs of love

```

What makes an animal an animal?

Animal love.

What makes a man a man?

Human love.

What makes God God?

Divine love.

Animal love is Eternity’s destruction.

Human love is Infinity’s suspicion.

Divine love is Immortality’s Perfection.

```

4. The songs of power

```

What is flower-power

If not my ever-expanding horizon?

What is candle-power

If not my ever-climbing height?

What is incense-power

If not my ever-deepening depth?

What is my aspiration-power

If not God’s unconditional love for me?

What is my realisation-power

If not my oneness-manifestation

With Perfection-God?

```

5. My four points

```

Crying

Was my starting point.

Smiling

Is my finishing point.

Loving

Shall be my ever-becoming point.

Surrendering

Shall be my ever-transcending point. ```

6. The songs of expansion

```

Expand your unaspiring individuality.

Lo, you are a fragment

And

Totally isolated.

Expand your aspiring individuality.

Lo, you are searching

And

Significantly fulfilling.

Expand your surrendering individuality.

Lo, you have revealed

And

Supremely manifested

God the Dreamer in you

And

You the Lover of God.

```

7. The songs of unhappiness

```

O my unhappy old age,

I suffer with you.

O my unhappy God-face,

I suffer for you.

O my unhappy God-grace,

Where are you?

I don’t see you.

I assure you,

From today

I shall love you only.

I shall fulfil you only.

```

8. The songs of my inner family members

```

Aspiration is the secret life

Of my soul-seed.

Realisation is the sacred life

Of my heart-plant.

Revelation is the confident life

Of my mind-tree.

Manifestation is the inspiring life

Of my vital-flower.

Perfection is the fulfilling life

Of my body-fruit. ```

9. The songs of acceptance

```

For the world-acceptance

I wrote my books

With the tears of my desire-eyes.

For God-acceptance

I write my books

With the tears of my aspiration-heart.

For my own acceptance

I shall write my books

With the tears of my perfection-soul.

```

10. Alas

```

Alas, the twain have met:

My helpless body and my hopeless vital.

Alas, the twain have not met:

My searching mind and my loving heart.

Alas, will the twain ever meet?

My serving soul and my fulfilling Goal. ```

11. My desire-world and my aspiration-world

```

In my world of desire

My body and my soul

Were the dreamers of different dreams.

My body’s sleepless dream: temptation.

My soul’s ageless dream: compassion.

In my world of aspiration

My body and my soul

Are the dreamers of one single dream:

God-manifestation

Oneness-realisation. ```

12. He passed beyond

```

He passed beyond the world

Of imitation-admiration.

Therefore

His vision-sky is divinely happy.

He passed beyond the world

Of illumination-realisation.

Therefore

God’s Existence-Light is supremely happy.

He passed beyond the world

Of revelation-perfection.

Therefore

He and God are

Infinity’s Beauty,

Eternity’s Duty

And

Immortality’s Reality. ```

13. Alternatives

```

You exhausted

Your Heaven-free

Alternative.

Therefore death-frown

Wanted to devour you.

You have exhausted

Your earth-bound

Alternative.

Therefore God’s Crown

Shines in you,

God’s Palace

Treasures you,

God’s Kingdom

Embraces you.

```

14. Brother, I warn you

```

Brother, I warn you.

Think not too much

Of your animal fire.

Think not too much

Of your ferocious life.

Brother, I warn you.

Nostalgia can be nauseating, too.

Brother, I warn you.

Think not too much

Of your human life.

Think not too much

Of your voracious life.

Brother, I warn you.

Nostalgia can be nauseating, too.

Brother, I warn you.

If you think not at all

Of your gracious Lord,

Reality-kingdom shall never

Invite you,

Immortality-king shall never

Embrace you.

```

15. Speak and don't speak

```

In your aspiration-life

Speak to faith.

Faith will strengthen your success.

In your aspiration-life

Speak to courage.

Courage will widen your horizon.

In your aspiration-life

Don’t speak to doubt.

Doubt will slacken your vigilance.

In your aspiration-life

Don’t speak to fear.

Fear will weaken your progress.

```

16. Four messages from four worlds

```

“Dominate and dominate.”

The animal world

Gave me this message.

“Survive to dominate.”

The human world

Gave me this message.

“Offer and become.”

The divine world

Gave me this message.

“Offer and offer.”

The world of the Supreme

Gave me this message.

```

17. Doubt-lesson, love-knowledge and surrender-wisdom

```

In our aspiration-life

Doubt-lesson is never applicable.

In our aspiration-life

Love-knowledge is always applicable.

In our aspiration-life

Surrender-wisdom is immediately

And

Eternally applicable. ```

18. He wanted to become

```

He wanted to become

A great athlete.

God fulfilled his pygmy aim

And smiled at him.

He wanted to become

A great poet.

God fulfilled his pygmy aim

And shook hands with him.

He wanted to become

A great Yogi.

God fulfilled his pygmy aim

And blessed him.

He wanted to become

A true lover of humanity

And

A true server of God.

God fulfilled his giant goal

And embraced him,

Powerfully,

Proudly

And

Supremely. ```

19. Come in

```

Come in, my Eastern friend.

Give me some advice.

Your every piece of advice

Shall accelerate

My God-realisation.

Come in, my Western friend.

Give me some advice.

Your every piece of advice

Shall expedite

My God-manifestation.

Come in, my Heavenly friend.

Give me some advice.

Your every piece of advice

Shall quicken

My life-perfection.

```

20. Don't worry, my friend

```

Your vital is the victim

Of acute depression.

Don’t worry, my friend.

I shall stay

With your depressed vital.

Your mind is the victim

Of wild frustration.

Don’t worry, my friend.

I shall stay

With your frustrated mind.

Your heart is the victim

Of cruel desertion.

Don’t worry, my friend.

I shall stay

With your deserted heart.

Your body is the victim

Of constant temptation.

Don’t worry, my friend.

I shall stay

With your tempted body.

```

21. Don't go near him

```

Don’t go near his body.

His body houses

A blind and wild elephant.

Don’t go near his vital.

His vital treasures

His conceited misanthropy.

Don’t go near his mind.

His mind loves

His fabulous eccentricity.

Don’t go near his heart.

His heart has lost

All its pristine purity.

```

22. I refuse

```

I refuse to see

The animal face

Because

It is cruel.

I refuse to see

The human face

Because

It is ugly.

I refuse to see

The divine face

Because

It is indifferent.

I refuse to see

The supreme Face

Because

It is too slow. ```

23. No one

```

No one has a kind word

To tell you.

Yet

You think of them devotedly.

No one has a kind heart

To love you.

Yet

You treasure them soulfully.

No one has a kind soul

To please you.

Yet

You bless them lovingly.

I alone know

How great you are.

God alone knows

How good you are. ```

24. On my part

```

On my part

It is painfully inappropriate

To speak ill of my earth-reality.

Yet

I do it.

I do it because I am a citadel

Of inconscience-night.

On my part

It is fruitlessly inappropriate

To speak ill of my Heaven-dream.

Yet

I do it.

I do it because my life

Is a dance of frustration-annihilation.

```

25. Your unwanted guest

```

In the past

When God came to you

You were deeply sceptical.

This morning

God came to you again.

You doubted Him openly.

God will come to you

Again and again

Even if you go

To the length of hating Him ruthlessly.

Why?

Because

Poor God cannot dare

To live without you.

You are His Soul.

You are His Goal.

You are His All. ```

26. No difference

```

No difference

Between

A sea of thought

And

A brittle hope.

No difference

Between

A whisper of will

And

The Himalayan Silence.

```

27. My outer school and my inner school

```

My outer school

Is the perfect bridge

Between

My information-education

And

Frustration-destruction.

My inner school

Is the perfect bridge

Between

My illumination-education

And

Realisation-perfection. ```

28. Attachment-fondness-oneness

```

Your constant attachment

To the temptation-world

Is really surprising.

God’s strong fondness

For your ignorance-life

Is unbelievably surprising.

The oneness

Of your helpless cry

And

God’s deathless Smile

Is eternally surprising.

```

29. Expectation-dance

```

Don’t expect

Anything

From the world.

Lo, you have become

The world’s best friend.

Expect everything

From God.

Lo, you have become

God’s best friend.

Expect nothing

From your earth-bound night

And

Expect everything

From your Heaven-free day.

Lo, you have become

Your own best friend.

```

30. You are great, you are good

```

The psychoses and neuroses

Of the outer world

Have not been able

To plague you.

Therefore

You are unmistakably great.

The realisation and perfection

Of the inner world

Have found

Their complete satisfaction

In your heart-cave.

Therefore

You are supremely good.

```

31. Purity

```

Purity’s height

Has a million torches

Flaming bright.

Purity’s depth

Only God can dare

To plumb.

Purity’s flood

We can expect

Only from the unconditional God.

```

32. My challenge

```

I cannot change

Because

I do not want to change.

I can change you

And

The entire world

Because

That has always been

My soulful wish, my faithful task,

And

My bold challenge supreme. ```

33. Because

```

Because

You meditated this morning

You have once more

Become

Master of yourself today.

Don’t forget this divinely adorable discovery.

Because

You smiled this morning

You have once more

Become

The beloved friend of the whole world.

Don’t forget this highly profitable discovery. ```

34. Believe it or not

```

O greedy pleasures,

Believe it or not,

My vital does not

Want you any more.

O nourishing joy,

Believe it or not,

My heart needs you

Badly and unmistakably.

O fulfilling satisfaction,

Believe it or not,

My Lord has promised to me

That He will eventually offer me

Your Transcendental Soul

And

Universal Body.

```

35. God comes down

```

God comes down

To inspire

The worshipper’s concentration.

God comes down

To visit

The dreamer’s meditation.

God comes down

To love

The server’s heart.

God comes down

To embrace

The lover’s surrender.

```

36. Believe them

```

Love-light

Tells you:

You are as sweet

As God’s Heart.

Devotion-light

Tells you:

You are as pure

As God’s Soul.

Surrender-light

Tells you:

You are as indispensable

As God Himself.

Believe them.

They are perfect strangers

To stark falsehood.

I repeat.

Believe them.

```

37. Why I love

```

I do not know

Why I love God.

I love God

Perhaps

Because He loves me.

I do not know

Why I love the world.

I love the world

Perhaps

Because the world loves me.

But

I do know why I love myself.

I love myself

Because

The ascending poor beggar in me

Loves me constantly

And

The descending rich beggar above me

Loves me unconditionally. ```

38. Alas

```

I do not think of God

But

That is not what pains me,

And

My heart.

I do not love God

But

That is not what tortures me,

And

My soul.

I am not another God.

Alas,

That is what kills me,

My blue dream-boat

And

My Golden Shore. ```

39. God perfects Himself

```

Fear defends herself.

Courage expands himself.

Doubt offends himself.

Faith protects herself.

Purity transcends herself.

Impurity glorifies herself.

I destroy myself.

God perfects Himself. ```

40. I shall remain the same

```

Yesterday

You were breathless

With adoration.

Today

You are breathless

With suspicion.

Tomorrow

You will be breathless

With rejection.

But I shall remain

Eternally the same

God-lover

In the Heart of humanity. ```

41. I am disgusted

```

O Heaven,

I am disgusted

At your superiority.

O earth,

I am disgusted

At your inferiority.

O man,

I am disgusted

At your insincerity.

O woman,

I am disgusted

At your insecurity.

O God,

I am disgusted

At my stupidity.

O God,

I am disgusted

At Your futility.

```

42. Don't forget

```

O my puny body,

You need me

And

My aspiration

To realise God.

Don’t forget

This supremely important fact.

O my large soul,

You need me

And

My dedication

To manifest God.

Don’t forget

This eternally significant fact.

```

43. Where is the promised land

```

Where is the promised land?

Is it inside my greatness

Inside my I-lessness?

It is neither inside my greatness

nor

Inside my I-lessness.

The promised land

Is in man’s constant acceptance-light

Of God’s Perfection-Delight

On earth. ```

44. When

```

When

I live in the body,

I discover:

Man is the future of man.

When

I live in the soul,

I discover:

God is the future of man.

When

I live in God,

I discover:

Man is the birthless Dream

Of God

And

God is the deathless Reality

In man. ```

45. Believing or not believing

```

Believing nothing

You go to death-world

As an invited guest.

Believing something

You stay in your own world

Of merciless caution.

Believing everything

Without concentrating

And

Without meditating

You enter into the frustration-world

As a tempted guest. ```

46. My two suns

```

A visible sun

Above my head

Energises my body-life.

An invisible sun

Within my heart

Fulfils my soul-life.

O visible sun,

You are so kind,

Yet

You are too far.

O invisible sun,

You are so kind,

Yet

You are too slow. ```

47. The animal, the human and the divine in me

```

The animal in a destructive man

Wants to live unchanged.

The human in a frustrated man

Wants to die unchanged.

The divine in an aspiring man

Wants to change and live —

Wants to change for himself,

Wants to live for God. ```

48. He lived, lives and shall live

```

He lived among his books.

Everybody laughed,

With the sole exception of God.

He lives among

Love, devotion and surrender.

Everybody admires him,

Including God.

He shall live with

God the Father

And

God the Mother.

Nobody will believe it.

Nobody will care for him.

Nobody will even think of him.

```

49. There was a time

```

There was a time

When my obscurity was my protection.

There was a time

When my aloofness was my protection.

But now

My heart of love is my protection.

And

My life of service is my protection. ```

50. I am never afraid

```

I am never afraid

Of hell.

Therefore

Hell always ignores me.

I am never afraid

Of Heaven.

Therefore

Heaven always examines me.

I am never afraid

Of God.

Therefore

God always

Teaches me unreservedly,

Loves me constantly,

Perfects me untiringly.

```

From:Sri Chinmoy,The Golden Boat, part 1, Aum Press, Puerto Rico, 1974
Sourced from https://srichinmoylibrary.com/gb_1