Question: Guru, because you are realised, is there any difference between you on your birthday than, say, the day before? Is every day exactly the same for you or do you feel something special on your birthday?

Sri Chinmoy: For me, every day is my birthday in and through my disciples. When a disciple makes even an iota of progress in anything, specially in the inner life — if you conquer insecurity, jealousy, pride and other weaknesses — then I feel it is my birthday, because at that time my dream for humanity’s perfection is being fulfilled.

In terms of celebrating my own birthday, my relatives, my dear ones, my disciples and devotees who are in Heaven observe it long before my friends and dear ones observe it here on earth. They start long before my birthday. In Heaven they observe my birthday in many more ways than on earth. Anything that we do on earth is very, very limited. When Heaven’s Eye looks at earth’s achievements, they appear like a grain of sand. Again, this grain of sand is extremely, extremely important for the evolution of mankind. Otherwise, if spiritual Masters do not come and offer their spiritual realisation to earth, earth will not evolve. It will remain a stagnant pool and God’s Dream will never, never be fulfilled.