Question: What good does it do if a Yogi stays in a Himalayan cave and meditates?

Sri Chinmoy: An ordinary person will naturally say that this Yogi is of no use, that he is lost to the world. Humanity does not need him and, at the same time, he does not care for humanity. But this reasoning is faulty. The Yogi may be in a Himalayan cave, but what is he doing? He is meditating. He may not come into the world and talk sweetly or help humanity the way humanity wants to be helped. But when he identifies with the Supreme, his prayers and goodwill for humanity in the inner world are infinitely more effective and more powerful than any so-called philanthropy or service he could offer in the outer world.

When a Yogi sends forth his soul’s will-power and light, it immediately covers the length and breadth of the world. If one enters into the inner world, one will immediately discover the power of a Yogi’s goodwill. The Yogi is certainly helping humanity, but in his own way. So if people say that the spiritual Masters who are in the Himalayan caves are not doing anything for the world, they are mistaken. These spiritual Masters are doing something in the inner world which is very important and significant. Only those who have inner vision can see, feel and realise it.

There have been many spiritual figures who have stayed in caves in the mountain-tops and offered their soul’s light and soul’s concern to humanity. They are doing the right thing because their inner beings are telling them to help humanity in this way. Again, some Yogis operate in this way because they are afraid to mix with the world. They think that the moment they come into the world they will lose their aspiration or realisation; they will be caught again in the meshes of ignorance. So they say, “I have come out of bondage; now let me help the world from a distance.” They see that the world is suffering, but they want to offer their help only from a distance. But the dynamic and heroic souls are not afraid of the world. They feel that they can identify with the world and, at the same time, maintain their inner power and inner oneness with God. They say: “Let us give what we have. To help even one individual we are ready to come into the world and mix with the world.”