Question: It turns out that on the calendar today is the anniversary of the massive bombing of Tokyo during World War II. How do you feel about the coincidence of your Peace Concert being held on this particular day?

Sri Chinmoy: My students set the date and I gladly accepted it. Now, life has two realities: creation and destruction. When destruction takes place, either intentionally or unintentionally, we feel very sad, very miserable. Then, from the destruction itself, we try to benefit. That is to say, we try not to repeat the same experience. We feel that it is our bounden duty to have a new creation. The past is dust. The mistakes that I made in my past existence — forty, fifty or sixty years ago — I must not repeat. I must do something constructive, for I know that if I do something constructive, then I will be happy and also I will be one of those who will bring about a new creation.

On the one hand, destruction is a most deplorable experience. On the other hand, we should feel that this experience must not be repeated. Let it only remind us to have a better way of life, a better way of understanding, a better way of fulfilling our divine task on earth — that is to say, a better way of ushering in a world of harmony, a world of peace, a world of joy.