Question: They say that when a person has gained a certain notoriety, the world comes calling. In the case of real spiritual figures, however, it seems that "Mohammed must always go to the mountain." Is there an inner reason why this is so?

Sri Chinmoy: Sri Ramakrishna used to say that if there is a beautiful, fragrant flower, then the bees will naturally come to it, so there is no need for the flower to go anywhere. But the same Sri Ramakrishna went to visit some Bengalis who were great figures in different fields because he saw divinity in them, and wanted to bring this divinity to the fore or increase it.

I take the attitude of a mother towards a child. If the little baby is crying on one floor and the mother is on another floor, then is it not the mother's bounden duty to come to the child and give him milk? If I know that I have the capacity to be of service to someone, then why should that person have to come to me just because I am on the top of the Himalayas? In this matter I have been misunderstood even by my disciples. They say, "Why does Guru have to go to Africa and Australia and Japan? If seekers there are spiritually hungry, they will come to New York." Definitely the seekers are hungry, but they may not have the means to come to New York. Or they may not be hungry enough that they are willing to buy a plane ticket and come. But my purpose is to increase their hunger, and if God gives me enough money to go there, then I will go.

My whole purpose on earth is to increase spiritual hunger or to create spiritual hunger. Thousands and thousands of people over the years have come to our Peace Concerts. I do not expect them to become my disciples; that is not even in my wildest dream. But if I am able to create an iota of aspiration in them, or increase their inspiration and aspiration by an iota, is it not worthwhile? With the inspiration that I have given them, if they want to lead a better life or go to some other spiritual Master, then I am more than satisfied. If I have something that will inspire others and also have the means to bring it to them, then how can I not go?

Mohammed was in no way inferior because he went to the mountain. On the contrary! Easily his pride could have come forward and he could have said, "All right, if the mountain does not want to come to me, then I will not go to it: tit for tat. It is beneath my dignity to go there." But he did go to the mountain and he gave it his inner light. Because he went there, the mountain — along with Mohammed — has become immortal.