Question: How can I maintain my inner peace without renouncing the world?

Sri Chinmoy: Unfortunately, you have not yet achieved the inner peace. At the present stage of your life, by virtue of your striking aspiration and dedication, you have caught a glimpse of the infinite sea of inner peace. Once you achieve even an iota of inner peace the question of world-renunciation will not arise at all. The absence of inner peace is the presence of restlessness-monkey which pinches us hard and instigates us to renounce the world for the far-off snow-capped Himalayas. The presence of the inner peace is the perfect mastery over the world-situation in its varied self-expression.

Dear seeker, in no way am I throwing cold water on your life-marshalling spirit. On the contrary, I wish to say that the very fact that your aspiring being is well aware of inner peace is a clear and unmistakable indication that inner peace will dawn on your devoted head and surrendered heart at God’s choice Hour.